For the first time, I agree with everything Commander Jung did and said this episode. Yes, he may have done it all to protect his family first and foremost, but I also believe he did it to protect the King. Furthermore, doing away with that uncle was truly the only way to protect both Ji-un and the King. I guess he must have wrongly or rightly believed that the only way to survive while protecting himself in a place like the palace full of monsters was to become one himself. I sort of pity him for feeling he had no choice, not that it excuses his behavior. But in a very twisted way, Commander Jung was my hero in this week's episodes.
I've always thought So Eun and the Queen were the two who lost the most in this fight of wills between our Lady King and the demon grandfather for falling in love with the wrong people. In a way, I understand their fight to hold on to those they love, despite knowing they didn't love them back. But love is not about forcing the pieces to fit, it’s about falling into something that fits naturally. One can't force love and hope it grows, especially So Eun. Amazingly, the queen was a lot more crafty than I expected, but then so did So Eun whether both did it to protect the people they love or out of their selfish need to be with the one they love is kind of beside the point, since everyone seems to be doing the same thing in one way or another.
I've been so focused on the demon grandfather that I'd lost, forgot how determined Prince Won San was in his revenge. But I can't even blame him, he's the product of the demon's grandfather's evilness, same as the King. Prince Won San let the grudge over what happened to his father take over his mind, his life and even his heart, hurting himself more than the demon grandfather. As a wise person once said, when one holds a grudge, they want someone else’s sorrow to reflect their level of hurt, but the two rarely meet. But I doubt Prince Won Son is at a place where he can recognize that. I wish he had held on to more precious memories with Lee Hyun instead.
I expected the demon grandfather to pretend not to know the King is a woman once he found out, because admitting it would mean losing the throne, and that would be unacceptable after everything he's done to get to it. That he is willing to hold that over the King's head to get his way is completely in line with the kind of monster he's always been. The kind that watches behind a friendly face and comes for the innocent trying to steal everything they have, be it their most treasured possessions, their honor or their lives. I'm not sure how our Lady King plans to out smart this monster, but I have fate that she will. I hope she doesn't lose any more of her loved ones as she does, though.
A million and one kudos to Bae Soo Bin for doing such an amazing job in the role of Commander Jung, but then so do all the actors from Yoon Je Moon as the demon grandfather to Nam Yoon Su as Lee Hyun (my favorite character), Kim Seo Ha as the twisted uncle to Rowoon as Ji-un, Choi Byung Chan as Kim Ga On, Baek Hyun Joo as Court Lady Kim, Go Gyu Pil as Eunuch Hong Bok Dong, and last but not least Park Eun Bin as our Lady King. Watch episodes 17 & 18 here.
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