Early Access: The Untamed Ep. 41

PREACH!

BlaBlaBlaBla

Omg I loved these so much! Hilarious

Anna Lena Ciplajevs

Not to justify the deeds of Meng Yao but I think the novel fleshes out this character in a more rounded way so perhaps my sympathy for him tends to be a bit greater. Also I do think that the story is right on point about its critique of mob mentality and structural discrimination one might experience in a fictional world where ambitious (in its neutral sense) individuals of low birth had to literally fight their way up the social ladder. Nie Mingjue is undoubtedly a righteous figure, but his high birth might have hindered him from truly understanding or identifying with the conundrum that someone like Meng Yao encountered on his way.

goldmund

JGY's weapon is his dimples! No but seriously knowing this was coming and watching you cheering for JGY hurt everytime because I knew it would upset you when this episode came along. I didn't like the look he shared with Xue Yang and that got me suspicious. Plus I love Nie Mingjue, he had so much on his shoulders even before we meet him.

Amy B

There is a fanfic series on AO3 that I think you'd enjoy called Meng Yao vs the Board of the Homeowner's Association by Ariaste. In it, Yao is the main protagonist AND gets to be his scheming, power-hungry self, since it's all to accomplish the ultimate goal of making and keeping Xichen happy. And he hasn't had to resort to murder (yet - it's an open series still). It's hilarious and well worth a read.

clmoryel

I agree. He betrayed the two people who have him respect he so desires and a chance to lead a dignified life. They were the ones who stood with him in his bad times.

Kshithi Mutalikdesai

I have a soft spot for the Nie brothers, so it's hard for me to actually like Meng Yao, even though I find him to be one of the most interesting characters and hella compelling. That being said, two things really upset me about this, the sadistic manner he used to kill Mingjue (both as someone who suffers from mental illness and someone who had to take care of a terminally ill love one, I find his action completely abhorrent) and the fact that he made Xichen an unknowing collaborator of his friend's suffering and death. How do you think he would feel finding out he was the one to give Meng Yao the tools to kill his da-ge? Personally, I find it impossible to ship him with any of them after this.

It has been so hard not to spoil anything about Meng Yao 😅 every time you were exided to see him I laughed silently by myself thinking "oh this poor girl... She has noo~ idea"

Pepe-G

honestly i love how much you love meng yao YD

Anna Lena Ciplajevs

I don't think anyone will believe me when I say that I knew right away that Meng Yao was a villain the moment he appeared on screen in episode 3 or 4. It was his smile maybe. His character is written really well and is very interesting. He is a villain. There is no second thought in my head. Yes, he had a bad childhood. Yes, he was treated badly by the cultivation world. But there is always a choice. He is smart and intelligent. He understands people. He had many different ways to get his justice for the abuse of the Nei captain. He could have shared it with Nei Mingyue. If not that, he had the capabilities to make sure Nei Mingyue knew about the captain without outright complaining. Instead, he outright murdered that fellow and said 'he had no choice'. He always had one. So, for me there is no romanticizing his character (same with Xue Yang), justifying their actions because of bad childhood. True justice for Meng Yao against the world would have been to live well, head held high. Not through such schemes and betraying his sworn brothers who stood with him when the world was against him. There is another thing I would like to say about Meng Yao, regarding his parents. But that may spoil certain things. So, I will share with them once you are done with all the episodes.

Kshithi Mutalikdesai

It's all that Yang energy looking for its Yin counterpart.

Sarah Rowland

I didn't get attached to Meng Yao...I had always been suspicious of him when he stabbed that general, so I wasn't heartbroken what got me was the stuff he did👀 I was so shocked I didn't know what to do. l get why did some things but other things... nope I don't understand!!

Lauretta

Well said! Also thanks for your fanfic suggestion. I didn't know that one and am eager to check it out.

goldmund

When you first started the series and were really drawn to Jin Guangyao (JGY) I was like “oh no. Oh Brittany I’m so sorry 😆”. It always fascinates me who does or does not see JGY being a villain coming. For me, I was suspicious since the end of the Sunshot episodes and I still go back and forth about how I feel about JGY. On one hand, he has a point that yes, he could not have gotten the status he has now without scheming and “underhanded tactics”. On the other hand you’re right. JGY didn’t NEED that power, and had already made himself the Vice General to one of the major clans without it. Plus he goes on to say that other people’s lives are worth less than his own goals. JGY is such a compelling and interesting and complex character, and Zhu Zanjin does such an amazing job acting as him. PS: what’s with these Lan boys falling for these incredibly cunning and dangerous men? 🤔😆

missie.mani

One of my favorite episodes. Zhu Zanjin is amazing as Jin Guangyao; they could not have cast a better Jiggy. (And he originally tried out for Lan Sizhui!) To engage in some A-Yao apologism, I would point out that the flashback is from Nie Mingjue's perspective, and that in turn is being relayed through Wei Wuxian. There's no denying facts like Jin Guangyao killed Nie Mingjue, but that whole sequence of events is being told from one side. What's interesting to me is how the show plays with perspective like this; compare the scenes of the death of the captain in the Unclean Realm and the events before and after Wen Ruohan's death in the Sun Scorching Palace. The show gives us two versions of these, one as it happens and then in the flashback, and that slight tweaking from "objective" view to Nie Mingjue's view is fascinating. It doesn't change the barebones facts - Jiggy kills people - but the reasoning behind them and the view of these deaths changes depending on perspective, which is a point Jin Guangyao tries to make to Nie Mingjue during their fight at the top of the stairs. And that's not even getting into their little discussion on class and power and what that does to a person's perspective... ...All of that I imagine can be rebutted with "Cool motive! Still murder" lmao but! It's just one more way that the show does what it does so well: perspective is so crucial to the telling of The Untamed. 'Sgood stuff. Edit: AHHH I FORGOT Re: fanfic of Lan Xichen intervening before Jin Guangyao can do what he does... you are in luck, there are quite a few fics of that nature awaiting your perusal when you finish the show! "Meng Yao studies at Cloud Recesses" is a popular plot :D

Wayra Elladae

Hhh Meng Yao got me too, for sure. Even when I knew he was a suspicious person, I was just so attached to him! I'm still attached to him even knowing that he's a horrible person! Truly out here living that lan xichen Xperience.... Moment of silence for Serial Killer's Wife Lan Xichen

Julifinwe

the sword paperman!Wei Ying fights with should definitely look familiar

fwolfling

as a jin guangyao apologist, I want you to know your emotional anguish has me absolutely thriving

Lol . . . friendship ended with Meng Yao, now Paper Man is my best friend?

Gweniver Call