Parallels: #WangXian and LWJ's parents, a thread #cql #TheUntamed
SPOILERS through ep 43

The Untamed is absolutely chock full of relationship parallels, most of which can be compared directly to wangxian themselves. Off the top of my head there's:
xiao xingchen and song lan
xue yang and xiao xingchen
lan yi and baoshan sanren
lwj's parents
lxc and jgy
and more!

My favourite parallel, however, is probably the one between wangxian and lwj's parents because of what it reveals, so that's what I'll be looking at here

The Untamed is so much more than the sum of it's individual episodes, but if I did have to pick a favourite ep it would probably be episode 43. There is so much wangxian content – maybe the most out of any episode that doesn't involve them fighting something?

But more importantly we get lwj's tragic backstory – as a child, what he suffered when wwx was dead - and learn how he's so very similar to his father, a man we never even get to see/meet. All of this also has a big impact on re-watching so we'll look at that, too

Let's get ready for some feels, yeah?

Previously on The Untamed:

lwj ruined his reputation and potentially his whole life for wwx. As we will see, had we already known his similarities to his father, this would've been completely predictable

The only reason we get lwj's backstory at all is that wwx just has to know about his scars So, thank you to wwx for caring and thank you to lxc for answering. It was somewhat surprising to me at first that lxc would share things this sensitive, possible private

But lxc has only ever had his brother's best interests at heart, encouraging his feelings towards wwx right from the start, even when lwj was trying to deny them. Because of who lwj is – the way he was raised, the type of man he is - it's hard for him to say things

lxc is perfectly aware that his brother is in love with wwx – he makes it clear over the course of this scene. It genuinely doesn't bother me at all that lxc shares this, doing what his brother can't, entirely out his brotherly love

First flashback: lwj soon after wwx has died, defending what he can of the home wwx made there, denying everyone entry (also that line delivery, OMFG WANG YIBO )

(this is the face of a man who sees nothing but the image of wwx falling to his death, over and over again)

(you're welcome)

lwj couldn't protect wwx in life, so he tries to protect his home in death... ...and is punished for it

First, Second, 300 lashes is INSANE. In the book he got 33 and he was bed-ridden and in agony for ages. In RL I think 300 lashes probably would've killed him, but I suppose 33 doesn't sound a particularly dramatic number

Third: well, now we know why he didn't search for wwx's body for three years Think of all the punishment he went through, all the agony he suffered, and the first thing he did when he was free was go looking for wwx even knowing he was dead

Damn, when this boy loves he goes HARD...and not in a sexy way, get your mind out of the gutter Ahem, anyway, getting ahead of myself

We're forced to watch as lwj's uncle – the man who raised him, his father figure (no wonder he has issues) – orders the lashing to start. lwj takes it, back straight, similar to the first time we saw this kind of punishment

However this time he seems to be getting through it with sheer ANGER. It's in the expression in his eyes, the clench of his fists, the way he speaks to his uncle. He is PISSED (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance...meta for another day?)

(btw the choice of the cello here mournfully playing their love song in the background? Masterful, masterful touch, the composer deserves all the fucking awards )

The man he loves has DIED and everything about this situation is WRONG – that wwx is dead at all, his own punishment, but also what people think about wwx. That what happens in life is rarely simple or one-sided. It's what he learned from wwx, after all – and he voices it

It's much too late now, but he finally learned the lesson wwx's very existence had always been teaching him - that life is messy, complicated, and you can't live it by following strict guidelines. Life doesn't really work that way

lwj does his 'repenting', but it's clear that all the 'repenting' in the world isn't going to change his opinions because he doesn't think his feelings are wrong. He's forced to stay there and stare at these words for who knows how long – but it changes nothing

lxc explains that lwj's belief in wwx was so deep, so absolute that even three years of punishment and what was basically a brainwashing attempt (held prisoner for three years...forced to read these words how many times?) didn't change his mind

wwx seems devastated but also confused – why would lwj believe in him so strongly? lxc, rightly believing that wwx is a dumbass, metaphorically rolls up his sleeves and says, hold my flower, have I got a story for you!

lxc explains the building wwx has been staying in ever since being brought back to Cloud Recesses the first time was the home of their mother – which is a pretty big deal, in and of itself (this is where lwj came to see someone he loved every month, and that's where he put wwx)

Their dad fell in love with their mom, who didn't love him back, and she even killed one of his teachers. This whole thing seems veeeeery unexplained with no more detail given, which is unusual in a show that gives episode-long flashbacks to supporting characters

However, thinking about it, they could only have been told about this by their uncle, who would've shared his own bias when telling the story. I doubt he ever went into detail, just stuck with the basics – evil people are bad, and they will ruin you like they ruined your father

It's all speculation, but...imagine being told that as a child. About your PARENTS. It's no wonder lwj adhered to the rules so closely for so long, no matter how much he loved his mother

The important thing is the immediate comparison to wangxian. lwj's dad fell in love with someone who did terrible things and then brought her back to Cloud Recesses to hide her away. lwj fell in love with someone who did terrible things and wanted to do EXACTLY the same thing

(ugh, the extra impact it gives this scene at the end of episode 25 now, re-watching FTW \\o/)

(also, yes, lwj's parents relationship was fucked up, we don't know if she was a willing participant to any of it. All we know for sure is that she wasn't in love with him but seemed to love her sons)

Also very much worth mentioning is lwj's dad stating to the clan how he felt about his wife and that they'd have to go through him to get to her, because that seems veeeeeeeeeeery similar to good ol' lwj

I'm just saying

So, after wwx asks why lwj bothered believing in him, lxc tells a not-at-all-subtle story of how their dad loved their mom and he might as well be holding a flashing neon sign reading HE LOVES YOU THE SAME WAY YOU IDIOT, THAT'S WHY HE 'BOTHERED'

But he's not done yet!

Now we get the story of bb!lwj

We learn that lwj only got to see his mom once a month but loved the time with her and that, even once she was gone and he finally understood that she was never coming back, still waited outside her house waiting to see her again

(The symbolism of lwj waiting all those years for his mother, then waiting all those years for wwx The idea of wwx being the one to finally open the door for him, I CAN'T EVEN )

(don't mind me, just typing through a haze of my own tears )

Again, lxc might as well be holding a neon sign up that says MY BROTHER LOVES SO DEEPLY AND PROFOUNDLY THAT HE WILL NEVER GIVE UP ON THOSE HE LOVES. ARE YOU GETTING A CLUE YET? I CAN HIT YOU WITH THE CLUE BUS IF YOU REALLY WANT

lxc still has more to say and this time it's THE PAIN AND CONFUSION YOU CAUSED HIM WAS THE SAME AS THE PAIN AND CONFUSION HE FELT TOWARDS MOTHER. YOU KNOW, THAT OTHER PERSON HE LOVED DEEPLY. ARE ANY OF THESE COMPARISONS SINKING IN YET??

*plays flute*

lxc's story may be over but just to REALLY sell the idea that lwj loves wwx and would do anything for him, lwj arrives – hair relaxed, only done in front of loved ones – bringing wwx Emporer's Smile. Right in front of his brother, not bothered about breaking the rules

He knows that bringing the liquor will make wwx happy, which makes HIM happy

Now this sequence may be over but we're not finished yet, as everything we learned here changes scenes earlier in the show (omg the writiiiiiiiiiiiing). Let's jump back to ep 27. wwx has recently escaped with the survivors from the Wen clan. It's public knowledge lwj let them go

lwj's uncle scolds him about all the 'mistakes' he's making by constantly helping wwx (whatever, Lan Qiren )(all joking aside, re-watching these humanised him more for me)

But then what his uncle is REALLY worried about comes out – that lwj will make the same mistake as his dad. Now, during the first viewing it's just intriguing, a tease. What does this mean?? On second viewing, it's a gut punch

Same as here. For all that lxc shared about lwj in ep 43, he talked around lwj's feelings for wwx, not directly. Here, his uncle is saying it as plainly as they can with censorship – falling in love with the wrong person will destroy you the same way it destroyed your father

!!! !!!!!! !!! I am still AMAZED they got away with that. I mean it's not direct language for the most part so that's probably the only way they COULD get away with it...but the fact that they could imply it at all... !!!! !!!!!!! !!!

Now, back to episode 24! It's already been made clear in the scene before they meet with Lan Qiren that lwj has been feverishly practising music to help wwx and is desperate to learn more

Lan Qiren wants the battlefield cleansed, and he's even the one that bring wwx up – so as an audience we're very much aware that he's on the forefront of Qiren's mind. It's his motivation for everything he says/does to lwj for the rest of the scene

He orders lxc off on the mission but lwj has to stay; ostensibly to repair important books but it feels like a punishment – or at least a means of forcing him to re-read their disciplines (and also keep him from running into wwx/seeking him out)

Of course it seems Lan Qiren is right to be concerned because moments after he says this, lwj is literally begging on his knees to be allowed access to the Forbidden Chamber to get music that might help wwx This boy has no chill at ALL

At the end of the scene Lan Qiren asks this question...which he never gives an answer to. On first viewing the answer could be any number of things – that he wants lwj to self-reflect, to realise what wwx is doing is wrong, that the rules are all that matter etc etc

Re-watching it could still be any of those. But after the implied feelings in ep 43 and the 'father's tragedy' in ep 27, it could also be that he's aware lwj's feelings are romantic, that he's already headed to the same destination as his dad, and he's trying to stop it

Media that allows multiple interpretations

That said, these scenes prove to me 100% that lwj is in love with wwx, everyone knows it, and no one will ever convince me otherwise Also, lxc is the best wingman ever

I know Lan Qiren gets a lot of shit, which is totally understandable. But he's what really helps sell the 'starcrossed lovers' thing that makes wangxian even more tragic/interesting

He hates everything wwx stands for, his indecent cultivation, he hates wwx's mother and how 'untamed' he is. wwx is EVERYTHING Lan Qiren has been teaching lwj to avoid his entire life

And lwj falls in love with him anyway, despite everything he's ever been taught

WHAT A GREAT LOVE STORY THIS IS YOU GUYS, I LOVE IT SO MUCH

So, yeah. lwj loves wwx just as strongly as his father loved his mother, just as deeply as lwj loves his own mother. The show actually said that (no arguments ) They had to tell us in a roundabout way, but they did it

Here, enjoy another roundabout way of the show telling us lwj loves wwx: