DFR: Faith ep 21

This is kind of sad, being the lone reviewer this week.  While Unnie is over there sitting around eating her bon bons, I'm chained to the ol' desk dungeon.  Sheesh.  ;)  No, I hope she enjoys her little break and I'm excited that I still have a drama to talk about.  I'm definitely not ready for this one to end.  What will I do without my weekly dose of Lee Min HoTTness?  Ack!  I'm going to miss this one a lot.  So, I will gladly put in my time while Unnie vacays because it means quality time with you all and my LMH.  ^-^

I have to share a fun little moment I had yesterday since it has to do with Faith.  So I was at my favorite local grocery store and went through a particular line because of the cashier.  Yes, I totally profile my cashiers in the check out line - don't say that you don't do the same thing, cuz I wouldn't believe you.  Using a ton of coupons?  Go with the young guy over the cranky old lady who looks like she hates life and put on your most dazzling smile and lay on the womanly charm.  Guaranteed he won't complain about the mountain of coupons he has to scan.  Not that I know this from personal experience or anything *looks around sheepishly, whistling innocently*.  Anyway, so I went through this particular lady's line, because, well, because she was Asian and I was buying stuff to make Chinese potstickers.  I thought it might spur a conversation.  Plus she had the shortest line.  Maybe should just stick with that one instead of admitting out loud that I intentionally profiled and chose this poor woman because she was Asian.  Yeah, we'll stick with that - it was the shortest line.  Now, I shop here often and have had this cashier before.  The last time I was in I noticed her name tag and how her name looked Korean.  I wanted to ask then but was too shy.  This time, the ice broken a bit when she was embarrassed that she couldn't remember the PLU code for the Napa cabbage ("I eat it every day, I can't believe I forgot the code, shame on me" -- see!  it worked!  Conversation spurred!  Booyah!), I got up the guts to ask her if her name happened to be Korean.  She said yes, kind of surprised by the odd question and a little wary on where this was going, and I casually mentioned that I am really into Korean dramas and KPop and stuff.  This perked her interest and she asked what I was currently watching.  I told her that I was watching Faith and she got all excited and girly squealing and everything!  It was awesome!  She told me how she was almost late to work because she had been watching episode 20 and couldn't turn it off.  I came back with a "didn't you LOVE the end of 20?!  Oh my goodness!"  This was followed by a little more back and forth.  I told her that I was a huge Lee Min Ho fan and have been rewatching Boys Over Flowers to help get me through the Faith gaps in my week.  She asked if I had seen Secret Garden and I was all like, "sh-yeah!  It's one of my all time favorites".  This went on for another little bit until she was all done ringing me up and there was another stinkin' customer waiting.  She was all happy and cute and said, "Come back soon and we'll talk more!"  It was the coolest shopping trip ever.  And I've had some pretty awesome shopping trips.  I found a kindred spirit in the grocery check out line and got to squee over dramas with somebody in person for the first time ever.  It's true.  Even Unnie and I have never talked face-to-face over a drama - just phone and text since we didn't get into it until after she ditched me and moved away.  I can't wait to go back to the store :)  Sorry cashier lady, but you now have a stalker ;)  Someone to talk dramas with?  Here in my quiet little Hamlet of white bread and tortillas?  How can I not take full advantage of this wonderful opportunity?

Okay, story time over, I suppose I should come down off my grocery store high and get back into Faith gear here.  There were definitely some squeee worthy moments this week.  Things have really started to heat up for our leading love birds.  It was a whole lot of fun to watch.

Remember where we left off last week?  With Eun Soo joining the Woodalchi and bunking up with General Choi Young?  And the ovary-exploding mess that scene caused?  Well, don't bother to clean it up, cuz here comes some more.  He, for all intents and purposes, proposes to her.  Or tells her that he will be asking her to stay once they can find the antidote for the poison she was injected with by Deok Heung.

Oh.
My.
Goodness.
YES!!!!  SAY YES!!!!!  Good gravy, please say YES!!!!
Was I alone in the swoon here?  Certainly not, because wowee!  What an amazing moment!

We interrupt this incredibly romantic moment with some politic stuff.  Only, this is the good kind. This is the kind where Choi Young goes to the king to tell him that he wants to go after Deok Heung, if not officially than at least personally.  It's going to be messy, what with the Dansa officer from Yuan watching over him and all, but the king agrees and sends Young to get him, officially.  Both men have a personal score to settle with this guy.  He poisoned and kidnapped two too many important women.  And killed the king's baby.  He's ready to go get him.

CY then goes to tell Eun Soo goodbye.  You didn't clean up the ovary-explosion mess from before yet did you?  I sure hope not, cuz here we go again.  He's telling her to stay safe and hidden.  He's giving orders and she's responding with "Yes, General" like a good subordinate Woodalchi soldier.  Her repeatedly using his title turns him on.  Can I say that online?  ;)  He gets right up to her and asks her to say "General" again.  She does and he goes in for the kiss.  Sadly, it is interrupted when another Woodalchi barges in (next time hang a sock on the door or something guys).

We had a good romantic run there for awhile, didn't we?  Unfortunately, the good times must be put on hold for a moment as we come to the sad part of the story.  The part where we bid a fond farewell to Lee Philip's Dr Jang Bin.  Gi Cheol's two assassins turn up and kill everyone but the mute herbalist at the royal clinic.  Including, as we find out later, Dr Jang, who was found cradling in his hands a jar of antidote for Eun Soo.  Now, we knew this was coming.  It had been announced earlier that, due to an eye injury and upcoming surgery, Lee Philip would be leaving the show.  And I'm grateful that they at least gave him a proper exit in the form of a death scene instead of just having him never come back on.  Would we have noticed though?  I adore Lee Philip and wish that his part had been a little more significant in this drama.  But, what are you going to do?  I don't want to start a whole battle here, so I'll just say that he was underutilized in my humble opinion and that I wish him the very best in his treatment and recovery, while looking forward to his next project, whenever that may be.  Lee Philip hwaiting!

Eun Soo is consumed with grief over the loss of her doctor friend.  And even more emotional when she finds out that he died protecting her antidote.  She then feels responsible for his death.  Thankfully she has CY there to help comfort her.  He tells her of the first person that he killed back when he was 16 and how traumatic it was.  Then reassures her that she didn't actually kill him, that actually killing someone is a totally different thing, speaking from experience as he does.

It was very sweet, in a sad, twisted kind of way.  Poor CY.  The sword really does grow heavy with him, doesn't it?

He needs to hang up his armor and travel through a time portal and go live in the modern era with his lady love where he no longer has to kill for a living.  {Psst... you got that, right writers?  That's how this show needs to end - with both of them going back to the modern day and living happily ever after, fishing or whatever.  Heck, I don't even care about the time period, they can stay in Goryeo for all I care, just as long as he can retire and doesn't have to kill any more}.


Oh good!  The romance came back!  I'm so glad it didn't stay away too long.  This time, it's morning.  And Choi Young is getting ready for the day while Eun Soo watches him from the bed.  She counts down a few times, "3,2,1", waiting for him to turn around and look at her.  He does, but she misses it at first.  Until she tries again and he's right there in her face when she reaches '1'.  Gah!  Seriously, this man....  {Break out the mop, here she goes again.}

Now we get a lot of political stuff again.  There is so much here, but I'll try to surmise it as best I can.  Deok Heung has been imprisoned and is on his way to be tried in front of the king for his crimes.

Just then, the Dansa officer from Yuan shows up and claims that Deok Heung is under Yuan protection/jurisdiction and therefore must be tried at the Eastern Expansion Headquarters and not by the king.

The king is asked to attend.  It's a trap, but at least the good guys know that it is.  Even still, the king insists on going and using himself as bait.  He needs to get the statesmen on his side to declare war on Yuan.  By using himself as bait, he is hoping that they will answer by defending him and his throne.  It's a mighty big gamble, but one that he feels he needs to make.  He needs to learn to stand on his own without the strength of Choi Young to lean on.

As Choi Young prepares to leave to escort the king into the proverbial snake pit, we get a couple more romantic scenes between he and Eun Soo to help tide us over until this whole mess is behind us.  Oh, and there's also the part where the Fire Lady and Killer Flutist get trapped and tossed in jail.

That was pretty awesome too.  Not as awesome as CY and ES laying in bed together holding hands or the back hug to end all back hugs, but still, definitely awesome.

He watches as she lets down her hair.  Ooh!

I should also mention the interesting conversation between the Dansa officer and Eun Soo.  He sends her a letter that has hangul written on it.  She flips out since hangul has yet to be created.  Obviously this guy knows something.  I guess his great-grandfather had written about a doctor from his day with great powers to heal from the heavens.  One time though she saved the life of someone who ended up coming back and killing like a whole village or something.  So the great-grandfather passed down to his great-grandson this warning - if you ever meet a doctor claiming to be from the heavens, kill her immediately before she does any damage.  More or less.  Oh-kay...I have a feeling this is either going to go somewhere or it will be a part of the story that is woefully unexplained and unexplored.  We'll see I guess.  There's a lot to wrap up next week is all I'm saying.

We end this episode with an intruder.  CY and almost all of the Woodalchi have set off for the Eastern Expansion Headquarters and Prince Deok Heung's "trial" when this guy in the straw hat shows back up, managing to sneak by the guards and into Eun Soo's quarters.

And there we have it.  Episode 21 - chocked full of romance and sad things, political and strategical maneuverings, and even some funny, cute moments.

I should end this with a nice wrapup, but I'm drawing a blank, so I'll just end it here and say that it's now time to move on to episode 22 - woohoo!  See you over there Faithfuls!