After closing Season 1 on a high note, the much anticipated Season 2 of Lost You Forever opens with an air of looming inevitability. The focus shifts from Xiaoyao to Cangxuan as the main plot is built around the return of the king who is meant to unite Dahuang. This also portends the end of the long stalemate between Xiyan and the Chenrong remnants. This kind of endgame puts all of the main characters at crossroads with difficult, heart wrenching choices to make.

Season 2 has not been as well received as Season 1 and the bulk of the disappointment is around how unlike Season 1, Season 2 deviates from the novel on a few fronts. I didn't read the novel so I can only evaluate the drama on its own merits. From my perspective, the season's biggest weakness is that the plot arcs leave a rushed, condensed impression. This shouldn't be a surprise as topics involving conquering harmless neighbouring states and glorifying rebels don't fare well with Chinese censors. I also had to scoff at the idea of a war with no civilian casualties; if this were a plot driven story I would be quite disappointed.

But Lost You Forever is predominantly a character story and on that front, the character arcs deliver in spades. Even though many characters make choices that are not relatable, they are not meant to be. Novelist Tong Hua designed the characters for both the prequel novel Once Promised and Lost You Forever based of mythical creatures from Shānhǎijīng/山海经, The Classic of Mountains and Seas. This is an ancient Chinese geographic compilation of mythical monsters and magical creatures; kind of like Hogwart's Monster Book of Monsters. This story is set at the beginning of time, after Pangu and Nuwa created the world. Xiangliu is a mythical beast, a venomous nine-headed snake monster loyal to water deity Gonggong. Cangxuan and Xiaoyao's grandfather the Xiyan King is none other than Huangdi/黃帝, the legendary Yellow Emperor. They are early immortals, directly descended from primordial gods whose footprints can still be found in the shape of the mountains and seas. They live for an unfathomably long time; until their obsessions eventually get the better of them. This explains Cangxuan's darkening and Xiaoyao's overpowering fear of loneliness and abandonment.

Even though this story broke my heart, all of the important characters are true to themselves and fulfil their destiny. I did not always agree with or like their decisions but the storytelling is elevated by phenomenal acting that compelled me to understand their choices and accept that their decisions made sense for them. My only disappointment with the season is that plot-wise it sagged and is not strong enough for me to raise my rating for the drama overall to a 9.5/10.0. It is nonetheless an immersive, heart-rending and dark enchanted fairytale about flawed but unforgettable characters who are trapped by destiny. I rate both the second season and the adaptation in its entirety 9.0/10.0. Watch it but guard your heart and do not grieve too hard for them because their fates are to a large extent predestined.



SPOILER WARNING

The rest of this review does not avoid spoilers and is best read after you have finished watching this drama in its entirety.


I may be in the minority but even though I almost drowned myself in wine, I think the ending is perfect and fitting. Xiaoyao is a flawed and broken character that regresses as the narrative advances. Her strongest, happiest, moments were in Qingshui Town, when she lived among mortals as Wen Xiaoliu. The only thing she lacked was a companion. When Ye Shiqi, another lost immortal came along, her life was complete. Even though Tushan Jing is a weak character that let Xiaoyao down repeatedly, he is kind and when it mattered, he was willing to be Ye Shiqi again so that she could be Wen Xiaoliu again. He was the safe choice and the only choice Xiaoyao was capable of making. Even though I will never like it, I understand it and I can live with it. The best, most magical arc was always the Qingshui Town arc so the drama closes there, in a full circle.

Cangxuan is also a damaged and abandoned character whose his mother chose to die with his father over living for him. Thus Xiaoyao and Cangxuan share a deep and complex bond that goes beyond their childhood oath. From the get go, the way they deal with their shared trauma put them on forever opposite paths; he chose to be invincible while she chose to be invisible. Xiaoyao only reclaims her identity and returns to the perilous world that cost her everything because of her promise to Cangxuan. She faces her demons, relives the worst days of her life and puts herself in harm's way to be his pawn; the princess bride that paves his way to the throne. She never looks happy or carefree again after she becomes Xiaoyao.

The great irony in their story is that Cangxuan seeks power to protect Xiaoyao but once he attains power, he becomes the greatest threat to her. He is Xiaoyao's hero that lived long enough to see himself become a villain. Had Cangxuan given in to his worst instincts, it would have been unforgivable and it would have destroyed them both. I am relieved the drama only showed us what would have happened and then walked him back from the brink. Cangxuan did many things he regrets along the way, which he describes as 遗憾/yíhàn and not 后悔/hòuhuǐ. This means he did what he had to do; that he did not really have free will. The turning point in his character is when he admits there was one pivotal moment he regrets (后悔/hòuhuǐ); when he should have chosen Xiaoyao but he chose the throne instead. But even after he owns his choices, I feel a frisson of fear at his disarming smile that is belied by the dark longing expression in his eyes. Xiaoyao will never be truly safe from him so Xiling Jiuyao disappears among those who die collecting and documenting rare herbs throughout Dahuang.

A'Nian is the best character in this story. She is the spoiled but brave and true Haoling princess who grew up with the security of a loving family and her beloved Cangxuan gege. She is who Xiaoyao should have been and she is living Xiaoyao's best life. She dares to put herself out there, to take risk in love without needing to be loved in return. I hope one day Cangxuan understands that Xiaoyao did choose him; that her name is A'Nian.

As for Xiangliu, he understood Xiaoyao best and loved her most selflessly. But by the time they met, he had long ago pledged all nine lives to his lost cause. After leading so many men to fight to the death, it is not clear Xiangliu could have just walked away even if Xiaoyao asked him to. It would have been a risky, reckless and consequential path for both of them; the story of Chi Chen and Xiling Heng could repeat itself. Xiangliu and Xiaoyao waited for each other to cross the line for a very long time; far longer than Xiaoyao waited for Tushan Jing. But the inescapable truth is after everything she went through, Xiaoyao is too broken. As the consequence of two people who loved recklessly; she could only choose to be loved. Xiangliu is himself not free either so he accepts this. For him their brief entanglement had to be enough. If Xiaoyao had been A'Nian, she would have dared to choose him except his path would have never crossed with that A'Nian, only Xiaoyao. They were just never meant to be. And so Xiangliu frees her from missing him forever and leaves her with someone to rely on and go home to. Even though she will never be burdened by knowing the full extent of everything he did for her, Xiaoyao grieved deeply for Xiangliu. To me, her silent, helpless adult tears were far worse than the way she child ugly cried for her parents. I do wish he had left her the real Chubby but I guess it was not possible since Chubby would have gobbled up Tushan Jiing and spat out his entrails.

Even though both Zhang Wanyi and Yang Zi deliver outstanding and compelling performances, Tan Jianci's portrayal of Xiang Liu is simply iconic. I can't remember when I was last so mesmerized by a character. Even though it shattered me, Xiangliu fulfils his destiny in an epic, climatic ending that is what legends are made of. According to Shānhǎijīng, Xiangliu left behind a patch of earth so toxic that nothing grew or lived there again. I know book readers are not satisfied with the ending but for me it is an incredibly sad but beautiful and fitting way to end a story about love that is not a love story. My only regret is I didn't get to see Xiaoyao shoot Xinyue in the heart. I mean to make time to read both the prequel and the novel so I won't spoil myself the book ending. But if it is at least this good, then I love it already.




X