Wu 1×07 Review: Episode 7

Pete must venture into the Life Spirit Realm in order to bring back Niran’s soul before he is lost forever.

Episode 7 picks up where episode 6 left off, with Niran in the hospital after Li Puo severed his soul from his body. Because of their connection, Pete is the only one who can find Niran’s soul in the Life Spirit Realm and bring them both back safely. Jia Hao explains the ritual to Pete, but also cautions him that he must find Niran and return within 8 hours, or he will be permanently devoured by the void.

I have to mention how much I loved the use of music in this episode. The way the music shifted as Pete settled in to start the ritual reminded me of the animated Mulan, in the scene where Mulan resolved to disguise herself and go to war in place of her father. It’s a very intense, almost determined score. There was also a moment not long after where the music sounded eerily similar to the Stranger Things theme (at least the opening bars).

This was basically a bottle episode. In terms of American television, “bottle episodes” are from a time when shows had much longer seasons. I’m not familiar enough with the Thai TV industry to know if there is a similar term or concept. But essentially, a bottle episode keeps a few characters in the same place, generally on existing sets. In this case, we return to locations we’ve been to before. Bottle episodes tend to be excellent for character development.

Wu provides some stellar character development in this episode. Other than the flashback scenes of Jia Hao outlining the ritual and the final scene with everyone in Niran’s hospital room, Pete and Niran are the only ones we see.

Oh, except for the gut punch that is Pete facing a plane of existence where his parents are still “alive”. Obviously, when he sees them at the kitchen table, he has to go over and spend time with them. I was concerned that he would become too absorbed with the family that he lost and lose track of time. (Especially given that his deadline is so tight.) But he allowed himself to eat a meal with them, and then told them that he had something more important to do. With that, he uses the golden thread to track down Niran.

Pete first encounters a younger Niran, around the age he was when his grandfather died, and tries to convince him to trust him. Niran, naturally, kicks him in the shin and stubbornly refuses to listen. His grandfather has already told him that he’ll never be Wu, so he is set on proving him wrong.

Then Pete stumbles upon an older Niran, around the time of the power plant yao – the incident that led to his ostracization from the Wu. It’s his first assignment from the elders, so he is determined to do a good job. He still cares about how the others perceive him. Both of these are important moments for Niran – moments when he lost faith in himself.

So when Pete finally meets a version of Niran that knows him, this Niran is exhibiting classic signs of depression. It’s Niran in his current form, wondering what the point is. He says that he isn’t important. And when Pete tells him that they need him to destroy Qi Rong, he looks almost disappointed, as though he thinks that’s the only thing people will ever need from him. It’s reminiscent of his complaint about Fei earlier in the series: that she only comes to him when she needs help. No one wants him just as he is.

Except Pete, of course, who struggles against Niran’s own self-doubts and tries to convince him that he needs to return to the real world. But Niran is tired, and he wants to stay in the Life Spirit Realm. Even when Pete embraces him, exclaiming how important Niran is to him, he still says that it’s too late. And despite having promised Pete that he wouldn’t disappear from his life, he literally dissolves in Pete’s arms.

Nani does a lot of heavy acting in this episode. There is the subtle devastation when he’s confronted by his “living” parents, knowing that it isn’t real and he has to leave. And of course, there’s the emotionally overwrought scene when Niran resigns himself to being devoured by the void. I survived Artax in the Swamp of Sadness, I can absolutely survive Pete sobbing his heart out because his soulmate left him.

But I don’t want to discount Sky in this episode either. It’s incredibly difficult to accurately portray the constant numbness of depression. And the way Niran sits there, almost lifeless in his mannerisms, you can tell that this is a man who is on his last legs. I do believe that if he hadn’t met Pete, he might have kept on like that. There is also a return to the mirror honeycomb, where Niran’s panic is palpable. I’m now even more curious about this room, because I wonder if it’s related to the butterfly dream. (It kind of looks like insect eyes.)

There are still two episodes, so I knew that Niran would ultimately be OK. But I’ll admit, I was starting to get a little worried after Pete fell to his knees and everything went black. I think it’s interesting that it was the younger version of Niran who returns – the Niran still full of purpose and hope. (And yes, I do think the choice of wardrobe for Pete was deliberate.) I’m not saying that Pete healed Niran’s inner child… but I’m not not saying that, you know? I actually believe Pete has been slowly healing Niran the entire time he’s known him, and this is just confirmation.

This episode was also important for Pete and Niran’s relationship. When Pete first encounters the second Niran, he attempts to explain their connection by showing him the amulet. This Niran, of course, is still wearing his amulet, because he hasn’t yet given it to Pete. But it does make him pause for a moment, and I can’t help but think he’s wondering if it’s some sort of trick.

And later, when they meet on the train, and Niran tells him how tired he is, and that he just wants to rest. Pete allows him a moment, only making him promise that when it gets dangerous, they’ll leave. This scene is emblematic of Pete accepting Niran as he is, which comes up later in the void scene.

Because everything comes out in the scene where Niran is being devoured by the void. Pete’s determination in bringing Niran back with him, the way he continually reiterates how important Niran is to him, how he grabs Niran’s face with both hands and promises that he can be anything he wants as long as he comes back, and lastly, that hug where it looked like Pete intended to pull Niran back from the void by sheer force of will. I know they weren’t going to kiss, but no, seriously, I legitimately thought they might kiss.

And naturally, I have to mention the ring scene. Firstly, I saw someone on Tumblr point out that Pete’s mother’s jewelry was in a red pouch, as though it was a bridal dowry. I knew, as soon as Pete picked up the ring, what was going to happen. But even so, the scream I scrumpt when Pete gave Niran his mother’s ring (jade, like Niran’s grandfather’s amulet), and Niran put it on his ring finger.

If the show wanted to play it off as a joke, they could have. Yes, there’s a brief moment of panicked realization when it occurs to Niran what that finger symbolizes. But they both awkwardly brush it aside, insisting that it isn’t a big deal, which seems to imply that it is a big deal, we’re just very carefully not discussing it. If they wanted to go the joke route, there could have been a bit where Niran tries to get it off and realizes it’s stuck.

But this show has not shied away from the implications before, and it doesn’t do so now. These two are literally soul-bonded. What’s a ring in the face of something like that?

With only two episodes left, we are down to the wire. The pacing has been fantastic so far, so I’m hoping they are spending both remaining episodes on the climactic final battle, instead of cramming everything into the last episode. I’m excited to see if Niran came back different, given the circumstances. And I’d like to see if Niran and Pete can use their bond in other ways that may help in the upcoming boss fight.

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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