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Momo tribe rejoices to have repaid their debt while Eunseom is still disoriented after the fall. Dalsae rushes to him giving him a hug and tells Eunseom that he’s alive and it’s not a dream. Badoru joins them and they happily embraced each other.
Eunseom thanks Xabara for saving his life. Xabara tells him that they have been untwined (their fate previously intertwined/joined when Eunseom saved Xabara’s child have now been separated because she saved his life). Xabara asks Eunseom what he plans to do now. Eunseom says he will have to go save Ipsaeng. They try to explain to him that since he survived the waterfall he will become someone else. Xabara offers for Eunseom to go with them if he doesn’t want any of that. But Eunseom insists that he must save his friend. Xabara tells him that if Eunseom runs away he will be welcome to join Momo tribe as a guest. She says “All the water in the world is our home.”
Tachoogan, who is skeptical about Eunseom, tells his clan members that they’ve lost their minds. He wants to prove that Ipsaeng lied about Inaishingi so he let him go on purpose. Ipsaeng takes the chance to run away but was caught by Tachoogan. Ipsaeng tells Tachoogan it’s okay for him to die there because everyone will end up like him. Everyone will die in the hands of their own tribe so he will just wait for them in the after world. It enrages Tachoogan but it made the others reflect on themselves. Miroosol asks “Why did we let him fool us? Because we want it so much. We believes because we desperately want to change. We want to get out of this situation at all costs. Everyone in the Ago Tribe is desperate at the moment.” Tachoogan tells them to stop having unrealistic hope and says that Inaishingi will not come and save them. But then Eunseom arrives and picks up the sickle.
All of Myo clan was surprised of Eunseom’s return but he just wants to take Ipsaeng and go. Eunseom tells the clan that Inaishigi or whatnot, he thinks what their doing (turning against their own tribe) is not just wrong but also stupid. Even Ipsaeng who thought he was never coming back believes he’s Inaishingi. (He’s Ago Tribe after all.) Myo clan rejoices of Inaishingi’s return and even Tachoogan is dumbstruck.
Eunseom is ushered inside the tent with the clan elders. The chief says that he’s the only one to survive the waterfall after 1000 years, so he asks Eunseom to lead them. Eunseom denies it and reveals that someone helped him. The elder tells him that it doesn’t matter because they don’t even know if Inaishingi himself got help. The fact that someone risked his/her life for Eunseom in this cruel and cold world and surviving the waterfall with help or not is impossible without heaven’s will. The elder tells him he’s fully qualified. Eunseom still doesn’t want to believe it and was about to reveal that he lied about the dream when Tachoogan stopped him and dragged him outside. Tachoogan shows him the Myo Clan warriors who are gearing up to retrieve the slaves just like Eunseom asked. Tachoogan makes Eunseom realize the weight of his words and tells him it doesn’t matter whether he had the dream or not. Tachoogan says “Now, you are Inaishingi no matter what. Don’t you dare deny it. You are Inaishingi.”
Eunseom talks to Ipsaeng in private to ask him what to do. Ipsaeng tells him he can’t leave. Eunseom blames Ipsaeng for lying but Ipsaeng says Eunseom is the one who told everyone to save and help the other clan. Ipsaeng tells Eunseom that everyone is willing to risk their lives for him and calls him crazy for wanting to run away. (Now he has moral standards? Is the real Ipsaeng starting to come back?) Ipsaeng even uses Eunseom’s own words at him and says “I’m sure that is not how they taught you in Iark.” Eunseom says that he need to save the Wahans and Tanya. Ipsaeng reminds him that his goal is to fight against Arthdal itself and that he needs subordinates. By being Inaishingi, he will have 30,000 people from Ago tribe at his feet. (You tell him Ipsaeng.) Eunseom reveals what’s really worrying him, the truth is he’s scared of being responsible for 30,000 lives. Ipsaeng tells him that’s not what he should be scared for, “If you fail to respond to the aspirations of 30,000 people, you will be dead meat.”
Eunseom talks to Dalsae next to tell him that he can’t rescue the Wahans now. Dalsae tells him that the Wahan Tribe no longer exists. Everyone’s selfish and thinks of their friends as nuisance so they betray them, desert them and eventually kill them. In Arthdal everyone thinks the same. The strong stomp all over the weak so the weak are terrified. And those who are frightened betray their people, run away, and desert their tribe. Together they remember Mother Choseol’s words on their first day of hunting “If everyone is frightened, we are not cowards. It’s just that your opponent is too strong. At such times, you have two options. If you’re going to fight, do it together. And if you’re going to run away, flee quietly.” Dalsae thinks that maybe Ago Tribe wants to fight too but they can’t do it themselves. Dalsae believes Eunseom can do a good job and all he needs to do is play the role they want him to play. If Eunseom is Wahan’s dream, he just needs to become the dream of even more people and nothing will change.
Eunseom goes back to camp and a child approaches him. The child offers him her father’s clothes and sword. She asks her to rescue all their people. Eunseom accepts it and seems to have made a decision.
In Arthdal, Tagon arrives at the market and his warriors tell the people to bow on their knees in his presence. Mubaek thinks back on what he found out – Tagon killed Asa Ron without trial and Harim is murdered for saving Tagon’s life. He wonders what Tagon plans on doing. At the same time, Saya wonders about what Mubaek told Tanya – about the mirror, the sword and the bell.
The parade was halted when a shaman from Bato Tribe calls Tagon out. She curses him, “I curse you in the name of our great hunting god, Mihaje. Mihaje’s arrow will blind and deafen you. Your tongue will get stuck, so you won’t be able to scream as you’re dying.” Tagon responds and tells the shaman that Mihaje can’t curse a living god. The shaman continues to curse him, “You will be destroyed by what you were planning to destroy. The things that you overlooked will attack you!” She asks Airuju to allow harm to befall Tagon then kills herself with a knife on the heart. (In fantasy dramas that I’ve seen, nothing is more powerful than blood curses like this.)
Mihol and Taealha gives Tagon a tour of their library. Tagon asks if Mihol think that he, Tagon, owns everything under the sky. Mihol agrees and Tagon says he better thinks so for the good of both of them and Arthdal.
Mihol doubts Tagon’s promise of keeping the bronze secret and even Taealha is starting to doubt. In a private meeting, Saya tells Tagon that the first thing he must do become King is to get rid of tribalism and by calling Arthdal a nation. Taealha grabs Saya’s hand and touches his hair in a seemingly adoring manner. But then she grabs his chin the Hae Tribe way (Hae Mihol used to grab Taealha’s chin to show dominance) and tells Tagon that they have everything they need in Saya. She wants Tagon to remember that Saya is the fruit of her hard work. She leaves the meeting with the excuse of attending to her responsibilities as the head of Hae Tribe. After she left, Saya asks Tagon if he plans to leave the secret of the Bronze as it is and tells Mubaek that his army and the Daekan warriors will be leading the uprising. Tagon thinks hard about Saya’s plan.
Mihol tells Taealha that Tagon doesn’t plan on keeping his promise but Taelha shoots it down. He gives her a lecture about entrusting their fate to the hands of the heart of the people. Mihol thinks that Taealha changed because she put her trust in one man. Taealha tries to ignore him because his words seem to get to her. Mihol asks her if Tagon will risk his life for her just like she did for Tagon. Taealha is still in denial and tells him to stop. Mihol says he knows what a real king is and he believes that Tagon already knows what it is to be king. He says “Tagon will not share.” Not with Taealha nor with anyone else.
Tagon health deteriorates which worries Saya.
Yeonbal reports to Tagon but he was surprised to see Saya. Tagon introduces Saya as his son. Saya wonders why Yeonbal looked at him that way. Yeonbal tells Gitoha that Saya looks like Eunseom. Gitoha warns him about saying such things or he will be in trouble.
Tagon is too weak to continue with the meetings so he asks for a break. Daedae wants to read a report from Red Claw about Ago Tribe but Tagon dismisses it. (This report might be about Eunseom.) Saya overhears Gitoha and Yoeonbal’s conversation that he looks like the igutu in Doldambul. Tagon collapses on his way back to his bedchamber.
People starts believing that Tagon’s curse is coming true. Saya tends to Tagon’s wound.
Doldambul is under new management but they’re in for a rough night because Eunseom arrived with his cavalry and they start freeing the slaves.
Tanya finds out that the Wahan’s sent to Doldambul was not brought in because of the riot. Tanya makes herself believe that Eunseom is still alive. She arrives at the room of fire and finds Taealha there. Tanya senses something different from her. Taealha asks her why she wants power to which Tanya responds that no one knows what will happen because she’s dispensable and alone. Taealha realizes that even Tanya doesn’t trust people. Hae Tuak arrives and tells Taealha that Tagon collapsed.
Tagon covers up his wound when Taealha arrives and pretends he’s fine. Taealha tells him that rumors already spread that he’s being punished by Mihaje. Tagon declines Taealha’s help and decides to do something careless. Saya and Taealha tries to stop him since it’s too early and too dangerous. Tagon arrives at the market and finds people on their knees praying to the statue of Mihaje. In a fit of rage, Tagon destroys the the statue and tells his people to get rid of Mihaje’s statues and shrines.
Taealha thinks Tagon changed too and he starts to believe her father’s words. Taealha tells Hae Tuak to bring the woman who makes hallucinogen.
After Tagon’s persuasion, Saya treats Tagon’s wound himself. Tagon collapses in the process. When he wakes up, he finds Saya asleep on the floor and he covers Saya with a blanket. (The first fatherly gesture he ever did.) Saya wakes up and was surprised to see the blanket. Tagon tells Saya that he’s made his decision to own the secret of the Bronze. Like a good soldier, Saya goes right away to carry out his orders.
Mihol was summoned to meet with Tagon but was surprised to see Saya instead. He was brought inside a torture chamber.
Taealha confronts Tagon and he reveals to her that he asked Saya to question Mihol about the secret of the Bronze. Taealha asks him why he didn’t tell her but Tagon says that a king who doesn’t own everything will die. And what if Mihol dies without passing the knowledge on to someone. Tagon tells her that he can’t ask her to torture her own father even though she hates him. Taealha seems to have made up her mind. She agrees to Tagon’s plans and volunteers to get the information from her father.
In the torture chamber, Mihol’s lips are still sealed and Saya keeps on threatening him with more pain. Taealha arrives and orders everyone out. Mihol condemns his daughter for going along with Tagon’s plans. Mihol says that if she truly thinks of herself as the head of the tribe she should kill him before he spills the secret. Taealha reveals that she brought a bichwisan (poison) not a hallucinogen. Mihol seemed relieved but Taealha apologizes to him for what she’s about to do. Taealha pledges to get revenge and urges him to tell her the secret of the bronze. Mihol tells her to go to the Great Gochiju Rock to find the symbol of the people who caused their tribe to collapse. Taealha vows to take over the Hae tribe’s mission.
Tagon arrives and was surprised to see Saya and Gitoha outside the torture chamber. They force the door open but they were too late. Mihol already took the bichwisan and dies. Taealha kills the woman who knows how to make the hallucinogen . Taealha tells Tagon that she threw away all the hallucinogen and killed that only person who knows how to make it. And she’s the only one who knows the secret of the bronze.
Taealha blames Tagon for what she did saying he started it. She helped her become king but he went behind her back and conspired with Saya. Tagon threatens to torture Taealha but she laughs it off. She whispers in his ears so that no one else would hear, “You should be happy. I’m pregnant with your baby. I’m pregnant with Aramun’s baby. There’s a god growing inside me.”
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I believe the curse on Tagon will all come true. He made a grave mistake by making Taealha his enemy.
It was mentioned before that Inaishingi is the only one who could challenge Aramun in the past. If Eunseom is Inaishingi then someone else might be Aramun. Kanmoreu (Aramun’s horse) even left his side because he found him weak. But we can’t ignore the fact that Asa Hon (Eunseom & Saya’s mother who had divine powers) thought Eunseom was Aramun and that Tanya(descendant of Asa Sin) found Eunseom.
If Saya is Aramun and Eunseom Inaishingi then can we expect a 360 degree turn is their characters? Maybe Saya will find the good in his heart with Tanya’s help and Eunseom might experience too much loss and cruelty that he becomes evil.
Either way, I’m super excited for what’s next.
I have to say, this drama started super slow that I remember finding myself dozing off on two or more episodes. But now I’m intrigued with the story. I hope more people will realize that and starts watching.