The Untamed Analyses and Theories (SPOILERS)

Hi there fellow Suibians, 

I am thinking a lot about different scenes and moments in the drama and saw that the Favorite Scenes & Episodes thread sort of became a place where theories are shared. To give them more space I thought it would be good to open a new topic as we all see more stuff with every rewatch of this gem. ^^ 

I invite everyone to share their thoughts on different scenes, the motives behind characters actions, relationships, personality changes and more you can think of. Looking forward to read your theories. :) 

To everyone who hasn't finished The Untamed yet, please be aware that this discussion will likely include major spoilers. 

Something similar I believe. I am totally guessing here but if some one can support this theory with references to lines/scenes/facial expressions from the drama/novel that would  be great. 

First he was inebriated and also in a lot of grief to think clearly. I think maybe that instance when WWX got branded left a deep impression on him than even he realised. So, it must have been at the forefront of his mind now. This is just a shot in the dark, but on top of it being as a punishment for not being able to save/be with WWX at the end (guilt, regret and mourning creating a desire and motive to self-inflict pain), he chose this particular method which is interesting. Maybe he thought giving himself that same amount of pain would bring him closer to WWX and yes wanting to be marked in the same way as WWX would be for the rest of his life. At least that's the only place I could think of this coming from.

Our theories were so close!

So my question is around Wen Qing and Jiang Cheng. Was there a possible romance there or was it all in my head? It's not important after so many things happened but I am still curious about their beginnings.

Yeah, I remember the comb, but I felt like it was one-sided (JC)..

 SuibianX:

@LuckyGirlGwenIce  

I never thought that way (the last part of your analysis saying she did it to protect JC). I think JC gave her the comb because he liked her (in his own way). She took it, because, she didn't know how she felt about him (she took it just because he gave it to her)... But, I am sure (this is my interpretation), that she gave it back, because she Knew she didn't like him.

My thoughts are similar. I think she initially was not against him so she accepted the comb and later on she just decided that she had too much going on to return his affections and that nothing could come of it now, so she returned it. Also, yes, maybe she wasn't as impressed with him anymore... 

But @moonchild - your interpretation is interesting though.. Giving it back to let him go.... 

Agree on both counts @moonchild and @SuibianX - The sisters were given more presence (okay, that's not the right word.. emphasis?) in the drama than novel mainly thanks to WWX and of course the actresses themselves.

Yes, Jiang Yanli didn't have much impact on me either. I don't know how they intended in the novel or if that's how the drama wanted to portray them. Most of their (Yanli and Wen Qing) scenes were described as having happened in the novel instead of narrating the scenes as they happened (I don't know if I am phrasing this right). I am not sure but maybe that's why they weren't a big deal there, while in the drama they actually played those scenes. 

In any case, even though I wasn't taken with Yanli at all at first, her existence was truly a gamechanger at every occasion. She and WWX interfered on each other's behalf and both of them suffered for it.

WWX at the victory feast of Sunshot campaign

Yanli at the hunt organised by the Jin clan

Jin bro in law inviting WWX for Jin Ling's birthday for her sake

Yanli chasing after WWX at Nightless City

Given all this and the importance of her relationship to WWX, it became hard to ignore her (Yes, I am guilty of having tried to do that at some point precisely because I didn't think much of her) - Also, she was in so many of the endless memories of JC and WWX. This also might be why her absence (and the cause for it even partially being WWX) affected JC and WWX's relationship so much. 

But all the discussions we've had in the forum about scenes with Yanli and her OST which I heard only a few days back, are making me rethink stuff

@LuckyGirlGwenIce I was thinking Yanli didn't have a leading part but then I realized that's not completely right. 

There are some scenes where she did play a huge role and made a significant difference. 

1. When she took in WWX as a child and cared for him, being a strong big sister and protected him from dogs and mended his relationship with JC. WWX is not that different from Xue Yang when it comes to his childhood, but having a sister like Yanli surely made a difference and influenced him to become the man we see in the story 

2. When she stood up for WWX during the Jin Clan Hunt Event and sort of called the others too dumb and making clear that it's not okay to bad mouth WWX without also talking bad about her and their family. Ultimately she was the one who managed to calm down WWX when even LWJ was not able to 

 3. Her pure and kind presence while being with WWX and JC. She was the bond that kept them together through everything. Once she was gone the brother's drifted apart

I think the power of her character is her presence and kind/fair nature. It goes unnoticed at first but once you think about it and look more deeper you see just how much she actually influenced some characters and situations. 

Edit: I love your rambling, it makes me think about some scenes and makes me rewatch them. ^^

I'm late to the drama, I only watched the version on Netflix (I was being cheap lol I canceled my Viki), so I'm not sure if it was cut out? 

 Anyways, in the last episode, Jin Rulan asks Uncle Jiang Cheng, "what did you want to say to him?" -- What would JC have said? I wish the two got to actually "make up" in the end, since they grew up as brothers and JC learned that WWX sacrificed his cultivation for him. I wish they touched up more on that just because this series has so much bromance. 

I also wish they would share more about his mom's sifu, they kept name dropping her but nada. It made me really want to meet her!