i’m always thinking about this, it’s why mdzs fandom is so unbearable but the canon is so GOOD, narrative themes influencing the narration itself babey

if a less skilled author wrote mdzs, wwx would be a terrible cliche mc. he has all the trappings of one. orphan with a legendary parent, mistreated bc of his social position, is a genius and good at everything and is the only morally upright person around (besides, of, his LI)?

but mxtx knows that the secret to every good story isn’t really the what, but the HOW! she took these cliches, said “ok but how would all of this actually happen?” and transformed wwx (and lwj) into something new because of HOW she told his (their) story

the narrative never dwells on wwx’s pain because this world doesn’t care about his pain! and if wwx embodies the characteristics of a true morally upright xianxia character, he wouldn’t dwell on it either. THAT’S how he’s an unreliable character, when talking about /himself/

the narrative never gives him a “woobie” moment, and only gives “woobie” moments to... the characters who try to use their own hurt feelings as a way to not tale responsibility for their own actions and wrongdoings

the narrative never gives you that “aha now EVERYONE sees wwx was right all along!!!!” vindication moment, which ironically elevates the narrative + wwx BECAUSE you’re denied the self-fulfillment but lowkey cringe cliche ending. wwx is the only correctly done poor meow meow mc

btw mxtx does this in svsss too, but imo she went a bit too far there, lbh’s full story is a bit too obscure and hard to piece tgt on a first reading (or maybe thats just the translation?)

and its smt tgcf(‘s first version) just doesnt have, which is why i dont care for it