Shadow Puppet Theme in Pursuit of Jade
Episode 24 came out today and filled in some big pieces for a theme that's been cooking for a long while.
The episode 1 intro sets the stage for Fan Changyu and ALSO establishes the theme of shadow puppetry. While we're getting to know Changyu's character, we're also seeing a play through little Changing's eyes.
And since I'd seen the trailers, even when I watched episode 1, I knew this would develop more significance as the story progressed.
What I did NOT expect was the extra bonus credits scene, where Changning gets out of her seat and scampers behind the stage.
Changing is representing Changyu here! I REPEAT, Changning is symbolic of Changyu in this scene! This is very meaningful for what will happen later in the story.
Changning breaks the fourth wall, goes onto the stage and sees for herself how the shadow puppets work, how they're manipulated, and basically what makes the entire world of the play function. She stops being part of the passive audience and becomes "aware" of the puppetry.
Then later on, in less cheerful times...
In Episode 18, during the slaughter of Lin'an, the puppet stage comes back, but this time with violence. We get treated to a murder puppet show...
... but this time instead of Changning breaking the fourth wall by going onto the stage, the fourth wall is broken through the murder spilling over the stage and into the audience.
The war, which has been on the periphery of the village and shown in story and in grain tax and conscription, now finally spills through the play to become violent reality for the villagers.
So there's an ongoing theme of puppetry and walls going on, and I'm sure this is getting played out in a LOT of ways (i.e. Yu Qianqian telling Bao'er to play a "game" to be a happy family, all stage and puppetry). Where I really want to head next with this, though, is episode 24.
*screams in thematic development*
WHO IS THE PUPPET? WHO IS IN REALITY? They're both being faced with a duality of their existences right now, each with one foot in village life and one foot in the war life. Each is a shadow puppet to the other in various ways.
You idiots should be on the same side of the stage!! AHHHH!
Changyu breaks through the paper-thin layer separating them and reaches Xie Zheng's side. Remember Changning breaking through to get on the stage in Episode 1? YEAH, THAT.
That backdrop and lighting is so intentional that it is giving me physical pain at how perfect it is!
They're on the same side now. They're basically a puppet show being played out in real life, and now the wounded war soldiers are the audience. BUT! BUT! There's still a show being put on, and still puppetry in motion, because Xie Zheng is still hiding his identity.
This is so beautiful that I'm going to have a meltdown. Exquisite storytelling.
This theme probably has played out in many more places that I haven't caught yet, and I know it'll be showing up again later.
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