I think my prayers have been answered somewhat!

In my opinion, this episode is what every episode should have been liked! There was action, there were answers, there was a quiet, calming romance.

The episode starts off with a kid eating a leave and picking up more leaves in a frenzy. I think that’s Hoo Ye!

We then see Habaek having the cutest moment pestering the high priest over the way gods were born because he read about how men and women do all sorts of things together and “have a baby”. The high priest reveals that gods simply exist – whether by virtue of humans or by the universe.

This is when the high priest tells the trio that there are gods who have borne children by borrowing humans’ bodies. When that happens, a creature that is both human and godlike is born. The mother will die, the father will live as a god and the child will have eternal life. Moo Ra is disgusted, but honestly someone explain to me why the gods are so appalled that such a creature exists? Is it because they deem humans as a lowly or even completely different species? So as an analogy, it would have been as if a human and an ape had a child?

More importantly, the powers these demigods have are not beneficial. While gods protect living beings, these creatures have the power to annihilate them. “Their divine element is fire.” Oooh. The high priest’s comment that it would be uncomfortable to consort with such creatures makes me ponder as a general question – fire and water, aren’t they mutual enemies?

Bi Ryeom’s question as to whether they are stronger than Habaek and the high priest’s answer, “I don’t know”, probably foreshadows the conflict we will have in today’s world. Moo Ra warns Bi Ryeom to run away from such creatures because they will for sure be stronger than him (hahaha) and for Habaek to ignore them. In a private conversation with Habaek, the high priest reveals that eternal life is different from immortality. There are many gods who failed to live forever once the humans forget them. This is very interesting and can serve as a potential obstacle, BUT it also doesn’t really make sense in our drama realm because I don’t see anyone worshipping Habaek or even knowing the existence of the sea god??

Finally, the high priest assures Habaek that he will be recognise these creatures immediately, “Because you are meant to be king.”

Da-dum as we shift to our final scene last episode where Habaek mutters, “I caught you.” YAS, we are onto something good!

Habaek takes out the rock, “This is your blood, isn’t it?” Hoo Ye is speechless and appalled, but So Ah budges in as usual, thinking that Habaek is talking about the land. Habaek shouts if she already knew this being’s true identity which now makes the woman AND Hoo Ye confused.

Moo Ra lets Hoo Ye go and he returns to his office in a shock.

He looks at all the photographs commemorating his past good deeds like community service and recalls both Bi Ryeom’s and So Ah’s words, finally realising that Bi Ryeom, Habaek and Moo Ra are gods. Yoon So Ah. 

The gods congregate and Habaek mutters that the high priest was right – he could tell at one glance. Bi Ryeom is agitated and I wish I already know why but I shall hold my horses for this one.

Nam Soo Ri earns himself a smack from Moo Ra when he asks, “That man is more powerful than Habaek?” Moo Ra blusters that Habaek must have lost his judgement for triggering Hoo Ye when he doesn’t even have his own powers, but Habaek is sure that Hoo Ye has something to do with Joo Dong’s disappearance.

While fetching Habaek home, Bi Ryeom comments that he will check up on the relationship between So Ah and Hoo Ye because So Ah belongs to the gods, “We can’t let her mistake him for a real god and do so much as wash his sock for him.” I know they are trying to make Hoo Ye the villain here, but I sincerely want to throttle Bi Ryeom a lot more.

Soo Ri innocently replies that So Ah is too prideful to wash Hoo Ye’s socks (lol) but Bi Ryeom smiles that she’s just another foolish human. Habaek coldly retorts that he doesn’t have the right to say that, “Do you think you earned the right to worry about such things because it was the Sky Country that made Nak Bin forget about human foolishness?”

“Water Country and the Realm of Gods forgave your king, but that doesn’t mean they forgave what your king did.”

Interesting!! Nakbin was in the manhwa too, but based on this one-liner that Habaek threw out, it doesn’t seem like she’s playing the same role as the manhwa?

Bi Ryeom drops the guys off but says all sorts of provoking statements like how Hoo Ye might become curious as to the time Habaek spends with So Ah or even come to think that he deserves a servant too. Seriously Bi Ryeom? Do you think that everyone is a self-entitled, selfish, egoistic creature like you?

So Ah worries over the contract and shouts at the sky that she’s not ashamed at all, only to be taken aback by lightning strikes HAHA. I’m not a big fan of So Ah but she’s hilarious sometimes.

The lightning is actually caused by an irate Bi Ryeom who wishes to warn Hoo Ye. Ughhh, if there is an actual war between Bi Ryeom and Hoo Ye, you know who I want to die. Come on, that dude has been doing community service and being hardworking his whole human life. What have you been doing? You are simply threatened by the fact that there is a different being from you.

Sang Yoo nags at Habaek for waiting in the clinic, irking Habaek to no end. Sang Yoo is unfazed and informs Habaek that So Ah already has a boyfriend. When So Ah returns to the clinic, Sang Yoo intentionally gives Habaek a chipped cup (which represents unluckiness).

So Ah comments that there’s a chip on the lip, causing Habaek to touch his own lip. Aww cutie. She laughs and takes over the chipped dishware because she can’t get more unlucky anyway, but spits the liquid out when Habaek says he wants to go home together.

 

He actually wants the car, but it has already been taken by Sang Yoo for a joyride with his friends. While walking home, Habaek questions if So Ah has a “boyfriend”, a term which he even searches on the net.

So Ah hastily denies that she has such a relationship with Hoo Ye, causing Habaek to smile a little. She promises to bring him out for good food and nice places as a form of apology (for selling the land) and brings him to the amusement park.

Turns out, Habaek is traumatised by the rollar coasters and haunted houses. He even cutely insists on going again and again so that he can “win”, but So Ah finally puts an end to it.

“It’s not proper for a servant to block her master’s path.” “It is not proper for a king to risk his life for petty things.” Habaek compliments her, “How cute. You’re cute, truly,” and So Ah shyly replies, “Calling a woman my age cute is a bit…” “I’m 2800 years old.” HAHA ahhh I love this banter.

Habaek stands up proudly, “Let’s go. I do not care for this place. It makes me defeated for some inexplicable reason.” Yeah we all know why you feel defeated.

Habaek asks if So Ah wants to go to Vanuatu because of money and she murmurs that it’s because of her father too. Out of curiosity, she asks what Habaek was talking about to Hoo Ye and his reply stuns her, “I told him not to make moves on my woman. I told him that you’re with him and I caught him making moves on you. And he needs my permission if he wants to do that.”

Unbeknownst to the two, Hoo Ye is actually watching them from a side. He recalls So Ah saying that she has opened up to a person who is going to leave anyway.

The next day, our water god wakes up and sees So Ah walking to work. (Does anyone really wake up looking so sexy??) A butterfly lands nearby and he recalls something a woman said. You’re someone who is from an even greater world and you have much more important things that you must do. So even if us nameless, lesser beings scattered off like a far away sound, it wouldn’t matter. In contrast to that memory, Habaek calls So Ah and asks to go home with her that night.

Hoo Ye becomes distracted at work and cancels all his afternoon plans. Ja Ya finds out that he is the one who is trying to purchase her grandfather’s land and enthusiastically takes up her granddad’s demand for her to manage the transaction. For the first time however, Hoo Ye shakes off her arm in annoyance, which stuns her.

Secretary Min hilariously analyses based on the younger kids in church who ask him for advice that Ja Ya likes Hoo Ye because “they convey their emotions by tormenting the guy they like. It’s a technique often used by elementary students.” HAHA. I’m still trying to figure out the importance of Shin Ja Ya – is she important or just a comic relief figure??

At work, So Ah looks at the amusement park tickets and recalls what Habaek said the night before. Sang Yoo who pops his head into the office to warn So Ah about Habaek notices her red cheeks haha. Hoo Ye springs a surprise doctor visit and confides that he hasn’t been sleeping lately because he keeps remembering the past.

His father treated him like a monster; “Disgrace” was his name.

His father locked him up for a very long time but finally cast him out on a long,winter night. (That was when his blood ended up on the rock.) Im Ju Hwan acts so well!!

He was scared because the air of the place smelt different, but he had no idea where that place is till today. HMM, so you have no idea that it’s on the land you just bought? Interesting. He was so scared he could only run away, but he saw flashes of light and decided to run towards it.

Hoo Ye pauses and notices that So Ah doesn’t have a look of sympathy, contempt or fear. That’s when he realises his suspicions were wrong – she’s not one of them. Then what is this? Ooh so he’s here to bait her. He quickly finishes his story by saying that a person saved him, allowing him to live as a human being and to serve his duties.

I find it ironic that So Ah is giving out advice on how to deal with insomnia, but I’m glad I at least got to watch her talk like a proper doctor for 5 seconds. She apologises for doubting Hoo Ye’s sincerity in wanting to be a good person and contributing to the society. “I think you’ll continue to be that way in the future. I believe your trees will form a large forest.”

Hoo Ye looks visibly affected as he walks away, while So Ah recalls the session and seems to wonder if Hoo Ye is not a human. I don’t really understand why Hoo Ye is emotionally affected by So Ah’s words. Is it because So Ah reminded him of the true reason why he’s trying to be nice? Or that So Ah is the only who understands him? Then why the ominous music?

In any case, Jin Geon (Kim Tae Hwan, My Amazing Boyfriend) continues to make a speechless cameo by helping Bi Ryeom tag Hoo Ye. With his help, Bi Ryeom knows where Hoo Yee is going. He wants to test if Habaek is right and with a few snaps of fingers, Hoo Ye’s parked car now drives and accelerates itself towards Hoo Ye.

“Half-god, half-human, show your true identity”.

Moo Ra shouts at him to stop and in that nerve-wrecking split seconds where you wonder if Hoo Ye will show his true self, Moo Ra swerves the car away. Bi Ryeom makes jibes that she has feelings for Hoo Ye but Moo Ra retorts she did it for him. If he mistakenly injures a human, he can never go back to the Realm of Gods. Protector gods must not harm humans.

Moo Ra updates Habaek and asks him to be careful, but in the next breath, Habaek calls Bi Ryeom to set up a meeting with Hoo Ye.

While still gushing over Habaek’s going-home invitation, Yeom Mi descends in frustration as to why she can’t read Habaek’s fortune. So Ah finally tells the truth and advises her to shut down her practice since she can’t recognise a real god. Yeom Mi requests to meet Soo Ri and strangely inhales happily when she shakes his hand.

Habaek visits Hoo Ye’s farm (in a floral blue suit) and Hoo Ye faces him, “If you recognised me, you must be the owner or future owner of that place.” Hoo Ye doesn’t want to fight him, but Habaek wants to confirm his hunch.

He rips Hoo Ye’s shirt apart to see a glowing mark – indeed, it’s Joo Dong’s. “Why is it on your body? Where is Joo Dong?!” Even if his father is from the Earth Country, he shouldn’t have this marking.

Provoked, Hoo Ye mutters that Habaek must have not heard of his power. Habaek shouts, “You have yet to check if that power works on me.”

Do gods have the power to materialise?? Because inexplicably, Moo Ra turns up from a bush (okay she didn’t) and draws Habaek back. The blind girl appears, which unsettles the gods and they leave. At the moment, I still don’t feel like Hoo Ye is a villain – but he may have had Joo Dong’s marking because he accidentally annihilated him?

Moo Ra wants Habaek to stay back from this, “You don’t have to prove anything, you’re our king.” She apologises for losing the stones but asks him to wait while they solve the problem.

So Ah does nothing all day and gets excited over waiting for Habaek. Sang Yoo reminds her that it’s her mother’s memorial service and she returns home to frantically prepare food. Multi-tasking never works, especially not for So Ah, and she soon loses it. She melts to the floor and recalls the day her mother died.

Just as how she hugged herself and sobbed then, she cries into her arms now. Habaek heard the crashing pans and opens the door.

He surveys the scene and quietly kneels in front of her.

After So Ah has calmed down, she brings him to her mother’s grave. Habaek funnily gives her a dismissive gesture because So Ah looks at him expectantly, thinking that he will pay his respects too. “Mum, I was possessed by a water ghost so I couldn’t prepare any food. I came so you wouldn’t make the journey in vain.” Hahaha that’s quite cute. I think Water Ghost as a nickname is SO apt and I love Habaek’s expression everytime he hears himself being called that.

She sits down and motions for Habaek to join her. I really like this scene where So Ah simply opens up to Habaek and he quietly listens. Her mother drank everyday after being abandoned by her father, till she passed away from liver cancer. She detested both her parents because they put themselves first. During one winter after her mother’s death, she wanted to take revenge on her father so she jumped into the river. It was so cold that she wanted to get out, so she miraculously swam for her life and survived…but could never swim again.

Habaek’s eyes tear up at this story (I love it whenever Nam Joo Hyuk tears up!). So Ah is glad that they are sitting in the dark so he can’t see her tears, and he replies that if he hadn’t lost his powers, it wouldn’t be this dark. So Ah asks if he builds street lamps (hahaha) and he starts drawing circles in the sky, “The brightest water fireflies are created like this.”

Habaek tsks at So Ah when she says she doesn’t see anything so she looks carefully with her heart as instructed. Soon the couple are enveloped by shining blue fireflies. I know they keep saying that Habaek is the strongest and I’ve been so curious to see the extent of his powers, but somehow even the simple act of creating beautiful fireflies already touches me. They are truly protector gods of living beings.

Also, find someone who looks at you like how Habaek looks at So Ah. I feel like I repeat this every recap.

Anyway, I thought he regained his powers for a moment and that it had something to do whenever So Ah feels with her heart or something (trying to be a detective), but the fact that the fireflies went unmentioned later on makes me think that So Ah imagined them. Nonetheless, lovely scene.

The couple returns home and So Ah curiously asks why he says to go home with her. He replies that indeed, he meant that he will pick her up.

Perhaps inspired by the groove of how things are moving along, So Ah asks Habaek out the next day to do things that they couldn’t do that day – eat good food and see nice places.

She still worries over the land since Habaek insinuates that her selling the land will affect him being the king. She tries to sound Soo Ri out and learns that there was a time when the Sky King was greedy and committed an evil act against Habaek. Soo Ri runs off before we learn anything else. UGH COME BACK. So Ah finally makes up her mind regarding the contract and brings it to Hoo Ye, wanting to pay the termination fee.

Hoo Ye wonders why So Ah is being irrational since she needs the money so she rattles off the first thing she can think of – leopard poop.

While waiting for Habaek to turn up, So Ah takes a flyer, helps an old woman with her heavy stuff and directs a woman to an office. She’s intrinsically helpful and kind, even if she doesn’t admit it. However, someone watches her from behind.

Habaek finally appears, in a cab no less, and smiles when he sees her across the road. His face soon changes into panic and anger as he runs across the road towards So Ah.

So Ah notices him and wonders in shock why he’s like that.

-the end-

You know what, I think the person who is stalking So Ah is probably walking towards her with a knife or something and she doesn’t notice because she’s too engrossed looking at Habaek. Habaek sees the man though because he’s opposite the road. What’s curious is if Habaek will suddenly regain his powers because So Ah is in danger. What will this mean? Gaining powers in full sight of everyone at a shopping mall? Can’t wait!!

As you can see, this recap is much longer than the previous one because there’s just so much more details to include. I think So Ah needs to cut down the brainless gushing a little, but I’m generally fine with it because each fangirling scene yields to something else useful to see – like Hoo Ye’s surprise visit or her mother’s memorial service. She is also a lot calmer in this episode and even makes a decision finally over the land. Hopefully she continues to develop! I know she’s once again in danger at the end of the episode, so I want to see the scene be a step for something else bigger. Otherwise, I will really start to think that the “Habaek’s powers only regain when So Ah is in danger” is just a convenient excuse for this damsel.

I don’t know about you but I genuinely like this couple, especially with the nice little scene at the grave. It’s simple but it’s touching. I’m also happy that we have received a lot more answers this episode, but I think the Nakbin bait could have been better done than just a one-liner. We still have SO much we don’t know about this mysterious past of the god’s servant, Nakbin, Shim Chung, Sky King’s evil act and why Bi Ryeom is always so agitated at the mention of the demigod.

Now that I’m really pulled in by the plot, please continue to keep me reeled!

<3thoughtsramble