My Magic Prophecy 1×10 Review: “The World”

There’s nothing left for Thap and In except to get their happy ending. And thankfully, that is exactly what we got in “The World”.

I’m sure I wasn’t the only person who was worried that My Magic Prophecy would fumble the ball so close to the end. Some of you may know that I didn’t even watch the last episode of Jimmy and Sea’s previous show, Last Twilight, because of how they ended things. (Some people liked the ending. I was not a fan.) I’m happy to say that, at least when it comes to Thap and In’s relationship, “The World” gave me everything I possibly could have asked for, and some stuff I didn’t even know to ask for, but now want in every series for the rest of time.

I’m going to start, though, with what I didn’t like. I am still upset about how this whole plot with Karn went down. I just don’t think they developed Karn’s motivations enough. It really felt like overkill. Ton says as much when he finds out that Karn’s uncle was going to name him Director of the hospital, so the whole situation didn’t matter; Thap even tells Karn to his face that the whole thing was ridiculous.

Everything could have been handled so much better if they had just given us a little more. They made it so obvious from the beginning that Karn had something to do with it, but they didn’t really try to build up why he was trying to kill Thap. Even the excuses Karn gave Thap seem so petty and juvenile. He talks about how they were always competing, but he only mentions Thap getting into the med school program he wanted and the fact that he liked Wan. Both of those would have happened years prior. Was there even a rumor that Thap was in the running for Director? Why go after Thap now?

It would have been so easy to toss in a few seemingly throwaway lines or scenes hinting that Karn was hiding this massive jealousy. I mentioned in last week’s review that it would have made a lot of sense to feature a scene where Karn runs into Wan in the hospital, when he’s visiting Thap. Or even earlier, like in episode 2 where Karn jokes about hitting on In if Thap doesn’t.

(Someone on Tumblr has the headcanon that In’s mother was the fortune teller who told Wan that he and Thap weren’t soulmates. But I’m starting to wonder if maybe Karn was behind that, trying to break them up.)

I am also not a huge fan of Thap seemingly forgiving Karn for trying to have him killed. True, he never comes out and says the words, and Karn’s tear-filled apology appears to be sincere. But he still clearly considers Karn to be a friend. When Karn asked why he helped him after the accident, Thap says, “You’re my friend.” I thought he was going to say, “I’m a doctor.” I felt like that would have been more appropriate.

Oh, well. It is what it is. Thap’s still distant with Karn, and I guess that’s all we can ask for. Although I’m still curious as to how Karn got tangled up with Kasidis and what he had to do with what happened to Tara.

Now, while I’m thrilled with the way they handled Thap’s reconciliation with his father, I kind of wish they hadn’t devoted so much of “The World” to it. As I said, it was actually very well done, and for once, it wasn’t about redeeming a toxic parent. Thap’s father was just your garden-variety strict, making mistakes as a first-time parent and wanting his son to be successful. Their problem was a lack of communication. Thap let the feelings fester until they boiled over and he just stopped confiding in his father.

In the end, it was a very simple matter for them to sit down and talk it out like adults. I do so love to see healthy communication in my BLs, particularly since the miscommunication trope is still so common. I appreciate that Thap’s father apologized; it’s so important that parents apologize to their children when they recognize that they’ve done harm.

My issue with this wasn’t the act itself. It’s that Thap’s relationship with his father was, like, a non-issue for the vast majority of the show. Yes, there was a mention at the beginning about how their relationship was strained. But with everything going on with In and Karn and Kasidis, that was a non-factor in the plot overall. I’m not saying it shouldn’t have been dealt with. I think that, like with Karn, they should have peppered more references throughout the show so that it felt like more of a problem that needed to be solved.

Also, I am very tired of people who had good relationships with their parents trying to convince people who didn’t that they need to be the bigger person. “They’re your parents.” So what? Some parents are bad people and don’t need to be forgiven. I’ll allow it in the case of My Magic Prophecy, though, since it truly was a matter of the two of them just needing to talk it out.

But whatever, none of that matters. The most important thing for me in a BL is that the core relationships are handled well, and I am so happy with everything about My Magic Prophecy. Thap and In have quickly climbed the ranks to become one of my favorite couples, and everything they do in “The World” is just the cherry on top of what was already a tasty sundae.

I’ve mentioned before about how much I love domesticity. Jimmy and Sea excel at this. I love that they have apparently become That Couple, embarrassing their friends and relatives everywhere they go. I loved the montage of the two of them going about their lives together. I love that Thap has actually started learning about Tarot and what the cards mean, after having been so opposed to fortune tellers when we first met him. I think it’s so sweet that he seems genuinely interested in learning more about In’s profession.

It can sometimes be a red flag when someone changes too much in order to be in a relationship. But change and growth are generally considered to be good things. In this instance, Thap had negative preconceptions about fortune tellers based on past experiences, but everything he went through with In taught him not all fortune tellers are like that. Plus, as he told Wan, it doesn’t matter what In does.

They’re so sappy and in love. In saying he’s lonely and Thap pretending to quit his job to stay at home? The matching rings? That Thap just had on him, and gave to In randomly for no real reason? This is a giggle while kicking your feet show, I swear.

They’re also so touchy with each other! Thap is constantly pulling In into his lap, or putting his hands on him somehow. That little move where he kissed In’s cheek through the Tarot card was so cute. The fact that they apparently cannot keep their hands to themselves. GMMTV is known for being a little bit more chaste when it comes to pairings (although they are getting better, or at least more varied), so I loved seeing Thap and In be so handsy with each other.

Honestly, it was refreshing to see a couple that didn’t suffer from the standard miscommunication trope. There was no self-sacrificing. (Well, there was some self-sacrificing, but not like it usually happens.) No one broke up with the other for their own good. All of their issues were resolved quickly, with good, honest communication. It was such a treat to see.

By the way, whoever came up with that post-credit interview scene should get a raise. That was just too precious.

Overall, My Magic Prophecy really was a stellar show. The leads had amazing chemistry and excellent communication. We didn’t have to deal with any nonsensical breakup for no reason. It was funny and sweet, but it was also a very moving exploration of the way that grief can affect us even years after a tragedy. I’m already rewatching it.

Now I want to learn to read Tarot.

Author: Jamie Sugah

Jamie has a BA in English with a focus in creative writing from The Ohio State University. She self-published her first novel, The Perils of Long Hair on a Windy Day, which is available through Amazon. She is currently an archivist and lives in New York City with her demon ninja vampire cat. She covers television, books, movies, anime, and conventions in the NYC area.

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