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Just this morning, I was thinking about Guardian while lazing in bed and repeatedly snoozing my alarm, as you do, and kept dwelling on one of the common fandom interpretations of Shen Wei that I puzzles me whenever I see it: the tendency to see him as prone to excessive guilt, self-flagellation, and considering himself "unworthy" of Zhao Yunlan. I can certainly see how that interpretation came about, but at the same time, it's markedly different from my personal reading of his character.
First, a disclaimer: I'm solely focusing on the drama version of the characters in this post; I know where novel!Shen Wei's guilt and self-loathing comes from, but am not interested in discussing that here. Characterisation of the main cast - and the two protagonists in particular - is so different between the two canons that I don't ever intend to mix them up.
Now to the topic on hand! My main point here is that having a strong sense of responsibility and duty, helped along by a steadfast conscience, is by no means the same as being guilty and apologising for everything regardless of whether you're to blame or not. The two traits might coexist, but in my personal experience, at least, the kind of people who're quick to blame themselves and verbally apologise are often not the same people who're willing to take responsibility in more tangible ways and actually do something to make up for their mistakes. And I consider Shen Wei as being firmly a member of the second category.
Shen Wei is, after all, the Black-Cloaked Envoy. He was the Dixingren general in the Great War, and had doubtless killed hundreds of people by the time he met Zhao Yunlan in YOHE. But when he talks about it to Yunlan, even as guileless and naive as he was in that arc, I still didn't notice any guilt on his part: neither for the enemies his army killed nor for those who died fighting by his side; only the firm belief that he must do right by everyone's sacrifices while ensuring that as many people as possible stayed alive at the end.
Then we come to his Envoy duties in the modern day: maintaining peace with Haixing by enforcing a treaty that keeps his people trapped and their powers restrained. He pardons those he can (I'm certain Wang Yike wasn't the first "criminal" he let free), banishes those he must, likely even executed plenty of repeat/dangerous offenders like Ding Dung. I don't at all buy that he carries any of those more extreme punishments on his conscience: he acts in a way that satisfies his righteousness, then quickly moves on. The scene with Zu Ma in the hospital is also interesting in this context. He's clearly sorry that a child had to die and that his best friend is so broken up over it, but again, I don't see remorse there: only sympathy and the very awkward situation of having to console someone over a death that he was technically responsible for, which is what I think motivated him to shove "comforting duty" onto Yunlan like that.
His apology to Da Qing for what happened with Da Ji I found to be both appropriate and admirable: he realised that he acted in a way that completely violated his own moral code, enforcing a harsher punishment than was appropriate based on personal feelings (however accidentally) and owned up to it. Conversely, when he rescued Yunlan from the MPD criminal, Lin Jing actually called him out on his rough handling of the bad guy, but Shen Wei's reaction was a firm "whatever." He's utterly unrepentant about giving the guy who nearly choked Yunlan to death a bit of payback (and I agree).
The only instance where he truly seemed to take on unwarranted blame was during the Cong Bo fiasco, but in that case, I consider his apology to be more a reflection of how uncertain he is about his new role in Yunlan's life, coupled with disappointment that his presence had brought danger on the SID the moment he joined, just as he'd feared. Also, this is Yunlan, and I think we all agree that Shen Wei's behaviour re: the love of his life is hardly in keeping with what's typical for him!
As for his being upset over Li Qian leaving university: now, this is mostly based on my experience with Japanese fiction than Chinese, but I think in certain countries, teachers (at least fictional ones!) have a stronger sense of duty to their students than they do in others. His favourite grad student having to drop out because of Hallows fuckery would definitely have been a blow to Shen Wei's sense of duty as a professor - which, imo, is just as important to him as his Envoy duties, albeit in a more personal capacity.
And perhaps the greatest instance of all: when he planned to take down Ye Zun. Did he seem guilty, even though he was basically plotting murder-suicide with his own identical twin? Not at all, in my opinion. He was simply hell-bent on fulfilling his duty as the Envoy, as Ye Zun's brother, and - perhaps most importantly - as the man who loves Zhao Yunlan, by neutralising that greatest threat in the best way he knew how. (Which may not actually have been the best way, but that's a topic for another day.)
In a way, this reflects another unpopular opinion I have about Shen Wei: I don't think he has any self-confidence issues, or even self-worth issues. He is, after all, a very proud and self-possessed man, and that doesn't come from nowhere. However, the source of that self-confidence and self-worth is totally different from what a normal person in our modern era would consider acceptable. To him, his own value is firmly linked to his ability to correctly perform his duties and fulfil his responsibilities. Which aren't necessarily always official: it's clear that he thinks of Yunlan - and eventually the rest of the SID - as his responsibility, too. I'm also fairly convinced that he knows and accepts that Yunlan loves him, but in his own mind, if he fails to protect Yunlan, he would become unworthy of Yunlan's love (regardless of what Yunlan himself might think). So it's not that he considers himself inherently unworthy, but that he's determined not to fail in his role as protector so that he doesn't become unworthy.
This tendency, imo, tells us a whole lot about his life up to now. I have no trouble imagining that his parents, no doubt figuring it was the best way to ensure their sons' survival during the war, tasked Shen Wei with "becoming stronger so that he could protect his frail younger brother." The failure of his first and - at that time - most important duty surely hit young Shen Wei hard. Following which he probably joined the army, and the military is definitely not where one can be expected to learn how to put themselves before The Greater Good. After that came The Alliance, where yet again Shen Wei was tasked with doing his level best to make sure that his side was well-represented, and, well, we all know the rest. My point here is that at no juncture in this long and gruelling life was there any space for self-pity/blame/doubt: only for doing his best at all turns. Add to all this his inherent saviour complex, and you get the Shen Wei we know and - a bit despairingly - love today. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way, as sad as it makes me sometimes.
Phew! That got a tad too long and rambly... But if you want to blame something, blame Guardian for inspiring the kind of Feels I haven't had in years. (If I didn't put this out there I felt I might explode, so I do feel pretty accomplished right now, and can't sincerely apologise for boring or annoying anyone!)
If someone actually managed to get this far: you're a champ, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether you agree or not or are somewhere in-between!
First, a disclaimer: I'm solely focusing on the drama version of the characters in this post; I know where novel!Shen Wei's guilt and self-loathing comes from, but am not interested in discussing that here. Characterisation of the main cast - and the two protagonists in particular - is so different between the two canons that I don't ever intend to mix them up.
Now to the topic on hand! My main point here is that having a strong sense of responsibility and duty, helped along by a steadfast conscience, is by no means the same as being guilty and apologising for everything regardless of whether you're to blame or not. The two traits might coexist, but in my personal experience, at least, the kind of people who're quick to blame themselves and verbally apologise are often not the same people who're willing to take responsibility in more tangible ways and actually do something to make up for their mistakes. And I consider Shen Wei as being firmly a member of the second category.
Shen Wei is, after all, the Black-Cloaked Envoy. He was the Dixingren general in the Great War, and had doubtless killed hundreds of people by the time he met Zhao Yunlan in YOHE. But when he talks about it to Yunlan, even as guileless and naive as he was in that arc, I still didn't notice any guilt on his part: neither for the enemies his army killed nor for those who died fighting by his side; only the firm belief that he must do right by everyone's sacrifices while ensuring that as many people as possible stayed alive at the end.
Then we come to his Envoy duties in the modern day: maintaining peace with Haixing by enforcing a treaty that keeps his people trapped and their powers restrained. He pardons those he can (I'm certain Wang Yike wasn't the first "criminal" he let free), banishes those he must, likely even executed plenty of repeat/dangerous offenders like Ding Dung. I don't at all buy that he carries any of those more extreme punishments on his conscience: he acts in a way that satisfies his righteousness, then quickly moves on. The scene with Zu Ma in the hospital is also interesting in this context. He's clearly sorry that a child had to die and that his best friend is so broken up over it, but again, I don't see remorse there: only sympathy and the very awkward situation of having to console someone over a death that he was technically responsible for, which is what I think motivated him to shove "comforting duty" onto Yunlan like that.
His apology to Da Qing for what happened with Da Ji I found to be both appropriate and admirable: he realised that he acted in a way that completely violated his own moral code, enforcing a harsher punishment than was appropriate based on personal feelings (however accidentally) and owned up to it. Conversely, when he rescued Yunlan from the MPD criminal, Lin Jing actually called him out on his rough handling of the bad guy, but Shen Wei's reaction was a firm "whatever." He's utterly unrepentant about giving the guy who nearly choked Yunlan to death a bit of payback (and I agree).
The only instance where he truly seemed to take on unwarranted blame was during the Cong Bo fiasco, but in that case, I consider his apology to be more a reflection of how uncertain he is about his new role in Yunlan's life, coupled with disappointment that his presence had brought danger on the SID the moment he joined, just as he'd feared. Also, this is Yunlan, and I think we all agree that Shen Wei's behaviour re: the love of his life is hardly in keeping with what's typical for him!
As for his being upset over Li Qian leaving university: now, this is mostly based on my experience with Japanese fiction than Chinese, but I think in certain countries, teachers (at least fictional ones!) have a stronger sense of duty to their students than they do in others. His favourite grad student having to drop out because of Hallows fuckery would definitely have been a blow to Shen Wei's sense of duty as a professor - which, imo, is just as important to him as his Envoy duties, albeit in a more personal capacity.
And perhaps the greatest instance of all: when he planned to take down Ye Zun. Did he seem guilty, even though he was basically plotting murder-suicide with his own identical twin? Not at all, in my opinion. He was simply hell-bent on fulfilling his duty as the Envoy, as Ye Zun's brother, and - perhaps most importantly - as the man who loves Zhao Yunlan, by neutralising that greatest threat in the best way he knew how. (Which may not actually have been the best way, but that's a topic for another day.)
In a way, this reflects another unpopular opinion I have about Shen Wei: I don't think he has any self-confidence issues, or even self-worth issues. He is, after all, a very proud and self-possessed man, and that doesn't come from nowhere. However, the source of that self-confidence and self-worth is totally different from what a normal person in our modern era would consider acceptable. To him, his own value is firmly linked to his ability to correctly perform his duties and fulfil his responsibilities. Which aren't necessarily always official: it's clear that he thinks of Yunlan - and eventually the rest of the SID - as his responsibility, too. I'm also fairly convinced that he knows and accepts that Yunlan loves him, but in his own mind, if he fails to protect Yunlan, he would become unworthy of Yunlan's love (regardless of what Yunlan himself might think). So it's not that he considers himself inherently unworthy, but that he's determined not to fail in his role as protector so that he doesn't become unworthy.
This tendency, imo, tells us a whole lot about his life up to now. I have no trouble imagining that his parents, no doubt figuring it was the best way to ensure their sons' survival during the war, tasked Shen Wei with "becoming stronger so that he could protect his frail younger brother." The failure of his first and - at that time - most important duty surely hit young Shen Wei hard. Following which he probably joined the army, and the military is definitely not where one can be expected to learn how to put themselves before The Greater Good. After that came The Alliance, where yet again Shen Wei was tasked with doing his level best to make sure that his side was well-represented, and, well, we all know the rest. My point here is that at no juncture in this long and gruelling life was there any space for self-pity/blame/doubt: only for doing his best at all turns. Add to all this his inherent saviour complex, and you get the Shen Wei we know and - a bit despairingly - love today. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way, as sad as it makes me sometimes.
Phew! That got a tad too long and rambly... But if you want to blame something, blame Guardian for inspiring the kind of Feels I haven't had in years. (If I didn't put this out there I felt I might explode, so I do feel pretty accomplished right now, and can't sincerely apologise for boring or annoying anyone!)
If someone actually managed to get this far: you're a champ, and I'd love to hear your thoughts, whether you agree or not or are somewhere in-between!
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Date: 2019-10-15 08:23 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2019-10-15 08:59 pm (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2019-10-15 09:12 pm (UTC)From:Perhaps unsurprisingly I'm 100% on the same page as you. *g*
I still didn't notice any guilt on his part: neither for the enemies his army killed nor for those who died fighting by his side; only the firm belief that he must do right by everyone's sacrifices while ensuring that as many people as possible stayed alive at the end.
Yes! To me he comes across as very much wishing he could have avoided those sacrifices, but not feeling guilty so much as feeling responsible for doing whatever it takes to make sure it ends somewhere.
He's clearly sorry that a child had to die and that his best friend is so broken up over it, but again, I don't see remorse there: only sympathy and the very awkward situation of having to console someone over a death that he was technically responsible for, which is what I think motivated him to shove "comforting duty" onto Yunlan like that.
Again, yes! I think he feels bad that his friend is grieving, but can't regret what he did. He doesn't tear his hair and wish he could have found another solution; he did what he considered necessary. And I think the fact that he doesn't actually feel that guilty is part of why he can't comfort his friend; it would feel hypocritical.
And as for Ye Zun, it hurts him that he has to consider his brother that far gone, but given that that's the situation, he simply does the best he can to stop him.
I don't think he has any self-confidence issues, or even self-worth issues. He is, after all, a very proud and self-possessed man, and that doesn't come from nowhere. However, the source of that self-confidence and self-worth is totally different from what a normal person in our modern era would consider acceptable. To him, his own value is firmly linked to his ability to correctly perform his duties and fulfil his responsibilities.
That's a very good way to put it!
in his own mind, if he fails to protect Yunlan, he would become unworthy of Yunlan's love
Hmm. Protecting people is at the core of his self-image, and not living up to that is definitely failure for him, but I'm not quite sure he thinks of it as being worthy of love? I don't really see him thinking in those terms ...
But other than that, all your examples are spot on for my own reading of Shen Wei, which is a fabulous thing to find. Thank you for this excellent post!
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Date: 2019-10-15 09:14 pm (UTC)From:Yes! This! ♥
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Date: 2019-10-15 10:20 pm (UTC)From:Yeah, agreed. I don't think Kunlun ever gave him the impression that love was conditional (quite the opposite! he arrived, saved Shen Wei's life, and then showered him with compliments and affection), so I don't know where that would have come from...
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Date: 2019-10-15 10:58 pm (UTC)From:no subject
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Date: 2019-10-16 12:48 am (UTC)From:This is actually a really valid interpretation! But as for the "failed," bit... We don't actually see many instances of him thinking he's failed, unless it's actually (vaguely) justified, imo. Like him thinking, "Hell I should have killed Ye Zun back when I had the chance," which is exactly what I would have thought, too, given the circumstances. Or even "I led Dixingren soldiers against Dixing and now most of them are dead, I gotta step up to plate next time, even if it puts my life at risk," which, again, is something I would have thought in that situation.
Or maybe this whole post was brought about by my own tendency to take on too much responsibility, but not be particularly prone to guilt (first-born child in a rather conservative South Asian family, what can you do?), lol.
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Date: 2019-10-16 01:00 am (UTC)From:That's exactly what I thought, too!
About the whole concept of love and what Shen Wei thinks of it in relation to himself... That's actually the only part of this post I'm not 100% committed to, but at the same time, I also find it really difficult to wrap my mind around what Shen Wei might think makes him a partner worthy of being by Kunlun's/Yunlan's side, or whether he thinks about it in that way at all. There's definitely a bit of hero worship there, with Kunlun at least, so I think there are some things he feels like he should do to measure up, but as to what those things are... (He did swear to "return the life he owed," after all!) If you or
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Date: 2019-10-16 01:05 am (UTC)From:I do find myself sometimes knee-jerk not liking some portrayals of SW in fic, and this may be in part why.
Good to know I'm not the only one who's plagued by this dilemma! There are some otherwise really lovely fics where I just end up going "Nope!" because of this very reason.
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Date: 2019-10-16 01:10 am (UTC)From:Exercising appropriate restraint with his power does seem to be one of his values, although his meter of appropriateness is /severely/ altered where Zhao Yunlan in particular is concerned.
100% accurate XD
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Date: 2019-10-16 01:14 am (UTC)From:I agree that this is the thought there and that it's pretty reasonable -- I don't even think he interpreted that as a personal failure, he just hated that that was happening and felt responsible to make it stop. I mean, "failure" may be a strong word, regardless, but when he apologizes for not finding the hidden camera, or for (iirc) not knowing how to disarm a bomb in ep 24, those are moderately insane things to take any blame for. Of course those are both linked causing problems for Zhao Yunlan, which is not a coincidence!
Or maybe this whole post was brought about by my own tendency to take on too much responsibility, but not be particularly prone to guilt (first-born child in a rather conservative South Asian family, what can you do?)
Ahaha, maybe. But also you've definitely THOUGHT about this and you have a ton of good points, so this post is damn good food for thought. (also I was raised Catholic, I HAVE GUILTS :P)
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Date: 2019-10-16 01:26 am (UTC)From:FWIW, I read the hidden-camera apology as a kind of verbal self-criticism -- a disciplined way of taking responsibility for as much as one can. The fact that Shen Wei's "failings" are so obviously not failings makes it more of a gesture to signal humility (without actually admitting fault) and willingness to meet Zhao Yunlan halfway, I think?
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Date: 2019-10-16 01:36 am (UTC)From:no subject
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Date: 2019-10-16 06:51 am (UTC)From:In response to some of the Li Qian discussion, I wonder if, as well as the formal relationship of professor-to-grad-student and her being his first one, he also finds it easy to care about her because he sees a lot of himself in her--a hard worker who's outwardly very quiet, restrained and gentle, while secretly carrying a heavy load and trying not to show her strains to anyone, giving of herself passionately for someone else. (For instance, Jiajia is awesome, but I have a feeling that Shen Wei identified far more with Li Qian.)
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Date: 2019-10-16 09:26 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2019-10-16 09:31 am (UTC)From:That was definitely The Plan, so good to know!
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Date: 2019-10-16 09:36 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2019-10-16 09:39 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2019-10-16 09:52 am (UTC)From:I'll admit, I'm one of those rare people who avoid genre like h/c and crack (except in very rare instances) because I can't take my favourite characters being tortured or made fun of, however affectionately. And Shen Wei does seem to be the scapegoat for that in the Guardian fandom, but his stoicism is actually one of the things I adore the most about him, so depictions of him being vulnerable (except briefly, and as a part of the plot) are not at all my cup of tea. Not like I don't understand the appeal, though!
I am extremely fond of your headcanon about why Shen Wei seems to favour Li Qian above the others. I think that's a really good interpretation of their relationship, and am going to take it as canon from now on!
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Date: 2019-10-16 11:22 am (UTC)From:no subject
Date: 2019-10-16 03:26 pm (UTC)From:In a way, this reflects another unpopular opinion I have about Shen Wei: I don't think he has any self-confidence issues, or even self-worth issues. He is, after all, a very proud and self-possessed man, and that doesn't come from nowhere. However, the source of that self-confidence and self-worth is totally different from what a normal person in our modern era would consider acceptable. To him, his own value is firmly linked to his ability to correctly perform his duties and fulfil his responsibilities. Which aren't necessarily always official: it's clear that he thinks of Yunlan - and eventually the rest of the SID - as his responsibility, too. I'm also fairly convinced that he knows and accepts that Yunlan loves him, but in his own mind, if he fails to protect Yunlan, he would become unworthy of Yunlan's love (regardless of what Yunlan himself might think). So it's not that he considers himself inherently unworthy, but that he's determined not to fail in his role as protector so that he doesn't become unworthy.
This is a crucial explanation to me, and also one very much supported by canon. Both Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei say something to this effect at the end of the Mountain River Awl arc, when discussing Sang Zan's reaction to his tribe killing Wang Zheng. Perhaps not exactly about becoming unworthy of love yourself, but feeling that your honour and dignity is bound up in being able to protect those you love.
Shen Wei knows who he is, what his duty is, and what his abilities are. There's never any doubt in his mind, and no reason for guilt.
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Date: 2019-10-16 07:16 pm (UTC)From:Shen Wei knows who he is, what his duty is, and what his abilities are. There's never any doubt in his mind, and no reason for guilt.
That's the perfect summary of everything I've been trying to say, here! <3
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Date: 2019-10-16 07:46 pm (UTC)From:no subject
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Date: 2019-10-17 03:03 am (UTC)From:I do find myself sometimes knee-jerk not liking some portrayals of SW in fic, and this may be in part why.
I agree with this too! Thanks for putting it into words though, because I've found myself noping out of fics where Shen Wei is this being with low self-esteem and a tendency to be guilty and apologetic about everything and anything under the sun.
I think what you said about the Zu Ma situation basically explains Shen Wei's character. I would think he definitely feels bad when there is a situation in which unnecessary deaths are involved, but at the same time if it's the only way to move forward, I doubt he'd hesitate (especially with Yunlan involved).
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Date: 2019-10-17 03:49 am (UTC)From:I have been thinking a lot lately about Shen Wei in YOHE post-separation from brother but pre-Kunlun, and about Shen Wei in Dixing after waking up but before going to Haixing as Envoy. This post gives me good grounding thoughts for both of those time intervals.
This is so well expressed. Adding to memories to have this handy for future reference!
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Date: 2019-10-17 10:51 am (UTC)From:I have been thinking a lot lately about Shen Wei in YOHE post-separation from brother but pre-Kunlun, and about Shen Wei in Dixing after waking up but before going to Haixing as Envoy.
If you're ever up for any meta or fic on the topic, you've got yourself an audience (of one, but still!) already, just so you know!
This is so well expressed. Adding to memories to have this handy for future reference!
Oh, wow, glad you found it so useful! <3
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Date: 2019-10-17 11:11 am (UTC)From:Which always makes me go ??? Because Shen Wei actually doesn't apologise that often (no, not even to Zhao Yunlan), and seems well and truly guilt-stricken even less often. But when there's something he really did wrong (the mess-up at the wedding, Da Ji's death, etc.) he has no trouble owning up, either. I think Yunlan could really stand to learn a thing or two from Shen Wei about appropriate apologies!
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Date: 2019-10-17 01:47 pm (UTC)From:Like, you’re right, there’s a difference between guilt and responsibility and yeah Shen Wei does own up to his mistakes when it’s really his fault (the only exception I can think of is the Cong Bo incident but that one I classified more as him apologizing because he considered it a failure on his part since his powers were kind of revealed)
But overall he doesn’t apologize for every little thing, which I’ve seen in fics and it’s just meh.
(Also I finally get what you mean when you say people tend to blame Shen Wei for a lot - I get so annoyed whenever I read a fic that shoves all the blame on him =.=)
I think Yunlan could really stand to learn a thing or two from Shen Wei about appropriate apologies!
Yessss definitely! I’m still not over that whole blind arc when ZYL said Shen Wei ditched him =.= I get that it’s probably bad script writing but still, ZYL was the one who walked off first....
(Also sorry this got a bit long ugh I have feelings
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Date: 2019-10-17 04:13 pm (UTC)From:One of the things I love the most about Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan's mutual understanding as two people who hold the lives of millions in their hands is how Yunlan himself never blames Shen Wei for his need to save and protect. The best example: at the moment where he was steeling himself to light the Lamp and flashed back to Shen Wei's sacrifice and everything he said about it beforehand, you could see that, despite being shattered over the loss, he was also so damn proud of Shen Wei's selflessness and bravery. It was one of the most poignant moments in their relationship, to me, and not something I'd ever deny.
When it comes to Yunlan and the Hallows, OTOH, I find that I sorely need to hid behind my headcanon that they're enchanting him for the sake of their own agenda so that I can overcome my exasperation. Yunlan, I know you hate apologising or showing gratitude (and irreverence is definitely a big part of your charm!) but please for the love of all that's Holy: this man is literally killing himself to protect you, maybe cut him a bit of slack sometimes!?
Don't get me wrong, though, Yunlan's one of my all-time favourite protagonists! (I tend to like supporting leads more as a general rule; he's the first MC in almost 2 years that I've actually liked) But that doesn't mean everything he does is above reproach, either. So going the "Shen Wei makes tons of mistakes and Yunlan has to fix them all" route is... Not my thing. I'd much rather they fixed things together. How much sweeter, more badass and more fulfilling would that be?
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Date: 2019-10-18 02:02 am (UTC)From:Yeah I totally agree with this! He was upset - obviously - but he never blamed Shen Wei for what he did, and I liked that he acknowledged that Shen Wei had planned all that without blaming him for not saying anything. He could have been shown as feeling bitter/betrayed by the secret, but they didn't go down that route and I'm thankful for that.
So going the "Shen Wei makes tons of mistakes and Yunlan has to fix them all" route is... Not my thing
^ This omg. I can't stand it sometimes when I read a fic and it starts off great but then the plot diverges into something that blames Shen Wei for every bad thing that happens in the story. Like - if it's once or twice, fine, but when it happens over and over again and ZYL comes in to save the day all the time, I'm just like, really?
Don't get me wrong, I love Yunlan too (although I obviously love Shen Wei a hell lot more) but yeah you're right in that he shouldn't have been portrayed to be seemingly above reproach throughout the show.
And yeah the whole - not apologizing thing is just, ugh. I get it too, it's part of his charm but, every time I see Shen Wei basically killing himself for Yunlan I'm just - please please just say thank you???
(Also the lack of Consequences is why I even wrote my fic to begin with XD because as much as I love the Shen Wei angst, I feel like he's the only one who ever seems to face any sort of consequence for his actions?)
(Also I like that headcanon about the Hallows enchanting Yunlan for their purposes, I'm hereby adopting it too, because you're right, the exasperation will kill me otherwise. just don't touch them at all Yunlan please and thank you?)
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Date: 2019-10-18 01:49 pm (UTC)From:It's a novel-drama fusion, but is firmly tipped in favour of the drama, only borrowing certain elements from the novel - to really good effect! I dunno whether that's your thing or not, but figured I'd mention it just in case, cos you and I seem to agree pretty readily re: things that need fixing in Guardian. And this is definitely the most fulfilling fix-it I've read so far!
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Date: 2019-10-20 11:57 am (UTC)From:Rest assured, we're all in the same "OMG FEELINGS" ditch here, and for some reason, the fandom shows no sign of stopping. *g*
I do wonder what kind of fics you and the other commenters have been reading where Shen Wei is perpetually guilty and Zhao Yunlan sweeps in to save the day. I might be an undiscerning reader, but I don't think I have read many fics with that theme at all. (Lucky me.) (-> no need to point me at them.)
I agree with some of the commenters that I like to see Shen Wei vulnerable most of all, but his pained look has nothing to do with guilt, just with fear of being unable to have/keep/save Zhao Yunlan, which lets face it, dominates a lot of his thought processes and actions during the show's modern time frame.
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Date: 2019-10-20 01:18 pm (UTC)From:I'm a fandom weirdo in that when I really love a show/book, I just want to see my favourite characters (in this case, SW, ZYL, the SID, certain minor characters like Li Qian, Dr Cheng, etc.) being BAMF all the time. They can have maybe a couple of chapters of comfort/fluff/smut/whatever, but then they gotta go back to kicking ass and being smart and saving each other/the world (I wouldn't have said no to a couple more seasons' worth of the SID + the Envoy just solving cases, even if the ending had to be the same). Heck, I feel bothered by Ye Zun being portrayed as broken/vulnerable, and I don't even like the guy! There's also the fact that canon tortures everyone (especially Shen Wei!) so much, and I want fic which nullifies that, rather than exaggerates it. (Yep, I am definitely a weirdo ^^)
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Date: 2019-10-29 03:25 am (UTC)From:But yeah I've read that fic series!! I love it alot hahahahahah, I don't know how the author managed to make it work, but they did, and it's amazingly written.
I haven't read the novel myself - because chinese is very much not my strong suit - but I've gleaned enough spoilers to roughly know what happens in it. I was reluctant to read Changes at first because I wanted to wait until I finished the novel, but I'm glad I didn't!