30 Days of Guardian: Day 14

[winter_blossom]

14. Favourite villain

I rarely have special feelings - positive or negative - towards villains. If they're really annoying and seem to exist just to be pests rather than to pose a genuine threat, I might hate them, but as long as a villain fulfils their role by being resourceful enough to pose a good challenge for the heroes, I'm satisfied. By that logic, the Big Bad would always have to be my favourite. While that isn't the case with everything I've read or watched, Guardian has the classic type of Big Bad in Ye Zun, so I do still pick him.

However! I feel compelled to specify that I only like him as a villain. I have no intention of defending his actions and no particular wish for him to be given a second chance** I really don't buy into the "villain redemption" trend that's all the rage in fandom nowadays, because redeeming a villain strikes me as robbing them of the opportunity to do what they do best, what we admire them for excelling at: being the villain. I like Ye Zun because he's a powerful, determined and intelligent opponent who, despite being defeated in the end, actually managed to take both heroes down with him. That's a pretty amazing accomplishment in my book. If he were persuaded away from evil somehow, it would not only deny him the chance to shine his brightest, but also deprive the story of its best antagonist.

I did love his and Shen Wei's reunion beyond the grave, though, for the closure it gave to that particular plot thread and the implication that when they all meet again next time like was promised at the end (yes, that will always be THE post-finale headcanon for me), he'll not be axe-crazy for once and let my poor children live in peace!

** I have no objection to AU's where he's had the chance to grow up with Shen Wei or somehow resolve their differences and curb his murderous tendencies, but after reading several such fics where he has more chemistry with Zhao Yunlan than Shen Wei does, I'm now weary of even those. Normally I'd attribute this to my not being a multishipper, but in all honesty: even if I were a multishipper the last person on Haixing or Dixing or any other universe I'd ship Zhao Yunlan with would be Ye Zun ^_^

Comments

[sakana17]

Ye Zun is a great villain, and for me, anything canon-compliant can't redeem him. I have a smidge more sympathy for the horrible events in his life that made him who he is, but can't excuse what he does. He has to be destroyed, and yeah, I resent that in order to do that, the two characters I love the most have to sacrifice themselves!

*shifty eyes* Speaking as someone working on an AU, though... There are elements of Ye Zun I'm finding interesting to think about, narratively. However, I don't get at all Ye Zun/Zhao Yunlan as a pairing. That's wayyyy too AU for me, and makes Zhao Yunlan a character I don't think I'd want to invest in.

[winter_blossom]

I was just discussing this with someone over on my Day 25 post, and it occurred to me that if Ye Zun could be redeemed, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan wouldn't have to die... That's really the only reaon I'd even consider reading, say, a canon divergence AU to that effect. That being said, none of the existing fics for the theme are really to my taste, and a lot of them have the strangest threesome subtext (or not-so-subtext).

But, yes, YZ is a fairly complex character from a narrative standpoint, and I totally get why you, as a writer, are interested in him. Hope you'll be able to get a good handle on him for your fic! In fact, in total AU's I have no issue with him and Shen Wei getting along from the beginning. However! A Zhao Yunlan who has a devotion as intense and unconditional as SW's but would still makes eyes at his twin isn't a ZYL I'm interested in, tbh ;) I know that in fandom, criticising ships is a huge taboo, but that pairing just makes me go, "Hell, no!" in more ways than one: both my heart and my brain are completely opposed to it. (So this is what it's like to have a NOTP! My first time having that experience ^_^)

[sakana17]

it occurred to me that if Ye Zun could be redeemed, Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan wouldn't have to die...

Okay, that's a good reason for redemption. Canon-divergent, happy ending for all AU. I wouldn't say no to that.

a lot of them have the strangest threesome subtext (or not-so-subtext)

Yeah, that was a tag I honestly didn't expect to trip across on AO3! I should know to expect the unexpected by now, yet I'm always surprised.^^ I can't criticize the ship for the people who want it - I get the kinkiness/prettiness appeal. But, for me, anything that's even remotely close to canon just doesn't support it, not even a canon-based fix-it for the ending. For me, I just can't see any of these characters going for it. Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan are entirely devoted to each other. (I won't get into my rationale for why Ye Zun wouldn't, since it's purely headcanon.) I've loved some more-than-twosomes in some fandoms, but in this one? Nope.

[winter_blossom]

Late reply is late, but I just wanted to say: if you're ever in the mood for a post-canon fix-it, I very much recommend Changes. I'm not a fan of the book, as you know, but what this author has done by fusing novel backstory with show canon is actually really amazing; plus it's drama canon-compliant! This series has some of the best worldbuilding and plot I've seen in the fandom, and also addresses the whole "unequal relationship" issue we were discussing on Day 27 very nicely.

[sakana17]

Thank you for this detailed rec!! I had bookmarked this a while back after it was recced to me, but wasn't sure about reading it since it's tied into the novel as well. Knowing that it's compliant with the drama canon makes all the difference - and I'm definitely on-board for good worldbuilding.