Guardian 镇魂 Body Language Highlights: Episode Thirteen

By: qikiqtarjuaq
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[ Episode Twelve ] [ Masterpost ] [ Episode Fourteen ]

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The mind control case concludes with Shen Wei's epic identity reveal, and the best battle couple moment in the whole damned show.

Wedding Chaos

We open the episode with the wedding party in chaos. Shen Wei tries for some semblance at first using physical kicks to fight off the aggressors.

Before he sees that it's too much for one (ordinary) person to handle, so he activates his dark energy to knock everyone the fuck out.

BAMF!Shen Wei surveys the crowd.

Innocent Bunny!Shen Wei is very surprised to be caught by Zhao Yunlan.

Has Had Enough Of Your Shit!Zhao Yunlan: EVERY. GODDAMNED. TIME. SHEN WEI. This is like the millionth time you've been a suspect in our cases.

Innocent Bunny!Zhao Yunlan: Oh, Minister Gao, I didn't see you there! Hahaha, this guy next to me? I met him maybe once or twice.

First of all: That tiny movement Zhao Yunlan makes to step in front of Shen Wei and shield him is just a;lskjdfkl;asdj;lkfjasdklf.

Second of all: For all his bluster earlier, he immediately jumps to Shen Wei's defense when it looks like Shen Wei might be in actual trouble.

Shen Wei reacts to Zhao Yunlan's words.

Minister Gao just pushes Zhao Yunlan aside, claiming he can see at first glance who's friend and who's foe.

Zhao Yunlan: I swear Shen Wei, if you force me to bail the Black-Cloaked Envoy out of jail, I'm going to be so upset.

Thankfully, Minister Gao puts Shen Wei firmly in the "friend" category. And a schmoozing, grinning Zhao Yunlan immediately gets handsy all over Shen Wei and proudly announces Shen Wei as a talent that the SID is developing.

Zhao Yunlan escorts Minister Gao away, and Shen Wei drops his mask.

Post-Wedding Talk

After the wedding, Shen Wei seeks Zhao Yunlan out.

Really appreciating the flutter of eyelashes with the downcast eyes to complete the guilty and remorseful look.

Shen Wei: Did I cause you guys trouble?

Zhao Yunlan then proceeds to give an answer so Extra and Intense even Shen Wei is a little caught off-guard.

Zhao Yunlan: If you're trouble, then bring it a few more times, and trouble me for the rest of my life.

When normal conversation isn't cutting it anymore, Zhao Yunlan gets up close and personal.

This is the most aggressive way I've seen anyone put a lollipop in their mouth.

I love that beyond just Shen Wei's general discomfort and guilt, he's visibly affected by Zhao Yunlan's proximity in a "omg remember to breathe" way.

This scene with all its close-ups are giving us great tells for Shen Wei's terrible lying, from the inability to keep eye contact / constantly looking away, to that rapid flutter of his eyes, and the stuttering in his voice.

Here, we have Shen Wei giving possibly the Worst Possible Lie ever. "I exercise a lot." Yeahhh, that's how you knocked out an entire wedding party.

(I wonder if maybe Shen Wei's brain just kind of shut down with lollipop-sucking Zhao Yunlan being so close to him.)

At this point, Zhao Yunlan isn't just fed up with the lies. He's fed up with how bad the lies have become.

Zhao Yunlan is not happy at all, but Shen Wei is saved by the bell when his phone rings.

Talking to Cong Bo

They arrive to talk to a visibly shaken Cong Bo who's just recovered from mind control, and they get some new information. After the team escorts Cong Bo away, Zhao Yunlan and Shen Wei are left by their awkward selves.

Zhao Yunlan theorizes that there is someone more powerful behind Zhu Jiu.

Meanwhile, Shen Wei is tense as hell. The framing of this shot is great because you can see how tightly Shen Wei is holding himself together. And that immediate jerk of his head away from Zhao Yunlan when he's caught staring is just A+++.

Shen Wei tells Zhao Yunlan that he still has experiments to run back at the university, and Zhao Yunlan waves him off.

Zhao Yunlan looks thoughtfully at Shen Wei's ass retreating form.

First Confrontation with Zhu Jiu

Their respective investigations eventually lead them back to finding Tan Xiao. Shen Wei enters the room where he knows Tan Xiao's been kept, only to hear violin music.

He is greeted by Zhao Yunlan making the most Extra entrance ever, playing a violin.

Shen Wei has nothing to say for himself.

Look at the redness in Shen Wei's eyes and the bob of his throat when he swallows. His guilt/sadness and Zhao Yunlan's frustration are so intense here.

Zhao Yunlan: I thought we were friends.

Shen Wei: *immediate look of distress*

Shen Wei gives a partial confession/explanation. He thought he could handle it on his own, and he didn't want to put the SID (and judging by the emphasis in that sentence, Zhao Yunlan in particular) in more danger.

Before Zhao Yunlan can tell Shen Wei exactly what he thinks of that logic, they are attacked by Zhu Jiu as well as mind control soundwaves.

Shen Wei is horrified to find Zhao Yunlan mind controlled. Zhu Jiu takes this opportunity to gloat about how hilarious their heart-to-heart conversation is, and how thrilled he is to have such an important person in his grasp.

Shen Wei tries to step forward, but is stopped when Zhu Jiu starts making Zhao Yunlan choke himself.

Shen Wei performs his magical girl transformation into the Black-Cloaked Envoy, and offers to take Zhao Yunlan's place.

Zhu Jiu: How is this guy so important to you?

Sadly, Zhu Jiu doesn't take him up on his offer, and leaves while taunting him about the limit on his powers aboveground.

Shen Wei teleports out to chase them, but as predicted, he loses his form at the worst possible moment and ends up spitting blood.

Second Confrontation with Zhu Jiu

After investigating the old-fashioned way, Shen Wei and Lao Chu determine that Zhu Jiu has taken Zhao Yunlan to the SID. Cut to Zhao Yunlan leading them inside, and shooting Zhu Hong.

Shen Wei is checking Zhu Hong's vitals when Zhao Yunlan walks in with a blank stare.

With the most earnest baby deer eyes ever, Shen Wei asks why Zhao Yunlan killed Zhu Hong, and tries to beg him to take back control.

This scene is really interesting in hindsight, because we spend a lot of time mocking Shen Wei's terrible fucking lying, but his acting and lying is on point here. So maybe he's only a terrible liar in front of the people he loves.

Shen Wei: Zhao Yunlan, although we haven't known each other for long, I already think of you as the best friend that I have!

Shen Wei continues to act out the pretense of trying to shake Zhao Yunlan free from his mind control, but I feel like the line above is pretty honest, and at the same time an answer to Zhao Yunlan's earlier question: I thought we were friends?

Zhao Yunlan shakes off Shen Wei and aims his gun at him, which we later find out isn't all that went on.

In reality, Shen Wei tells Zhao Yunlan to pull his gun. Zhao Yunlan winks. THESE TWO.

Bonus: BTS shot of this sequence, featuring Shen Wei's hands on Zhao Yunlan's hips.

Zhao Yunlan takes his shot and Shen Wei goes down. Or does he?

And here it is, THE iconic battle couple shot of Shen Wei and Zhao Yunlan. Look at these two being hot and competent and completely in sync with each other.

And then we get the world's most hilarious series of reaction shots from Shen Wei while Zhao Yunlan explains how he's been pretending to be mind controlled.

Shen Wei: Fuck. I shouldn't have done my magical girl transformation in front of him.

The episode ends with Zhao Yunlan's shit-eating grin as he tells Shen Wei that he's been pretending all along, so thanks for finally revealing his true identity.

[ Episode Twelve ] [ Masterpost ] [ Episode Fourteen ]

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