So I finally figured out what makes this so good for me.

This is a perfect exploration of the nature of good and evil. It subverts expectations by its predecessors by actually giving a damn about its subject matter. It challenges us to think critically about what is good, what is evil, and how these things are defined. I'm trying to not add spoilers so I'm just gonna chill instead of ranting too far. Who knows, maybe I'll come back and have a spoilery rant-type review later. But for now, I just want to say if you love power struggles, writers that challenge their readers, and a story that doesn't shove morality into your face but still makes you think about it, then this is the show for you.

Now, yes the source material is problematic. I think it is important to address that. Is the story/show perfect? Not exactly, but it's a 10 for me just because of how much heart went into this struggle.

Edit 9/20/2021: I was thinking about this drama again and I just NEEDED to further analyze why this is so good.

I will never get over The Untamed. It almost makes me want to write an essay on it. Like the more I think about the story, the more I'm like "wow they did that. they really did that." Like Wei Wuxian is such an important representation of fighting systems of oppression and being true to oneself. And Lan Wangji is so precious as someone who both wants to believe in the system he comes from, and realizing that justice is something that must always be critiqued and not simply accepted by sources of authority. Jiang Chen is important because he helps us understand some of the reasons why people accept bad things even when they mean to do good. And Guang Yao's brutal end and his unexpected humanity reminds us that even evil has love and affection. It forces us to question morality and the systems we participate in, while also addressing the complexity of life and the people in it. Ahhhhh and now I'm crying WHY AM I CRYING AUGHHHH THIS STORYYYYYYY

And Guang Yao's humanity is also important, because it supports the thesis of the show. Good and evil is something we must question, and blindly supporting something as good or evil can result in evil itself. By showing humanity in Guang Yao, it forces us to realize that he also contained good traits, that of loyalty, protection, friendship, and reminds us that simply defining him as evil can create its own problems. Just as Guang Yao convinced everyone to look at the Wen Clan as evil for his own gain, viewing Guang Yao as wholly evil is an inviation for others to take advantage of evil for evil purposes. Instead of painting Guang Yao as wholly evil, we are forced to find what parts of him are evil. And even then, we must question whether actions themselves are evil, just as Wei Wuxian does when he uses taboo magic to save others, a kind of magic wildly considered evil.