THE SWORD
OF
ARAMUN
EPISODE 4
LEE JOON
GI’S
GROUNDBREAKING
TOUR DE FORCE
ACTING AND
ACTION
PERFORMANCE
IN
THE SWORD
OF
ARAMUN
THE
GROUNDBREAKING
2023
TELEVISION SERIES
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 You would have known by now that Kim Young Hyun and Park Sang Yeon, the screenwriters of The Sword of Aramun, are compelling storytellers.
They have created a groundbreaking High Fantasy television series which is full of surprises, twists and turns and a list of amazing, strong and memorable characters. There is also no arguing that Director Kim
Kwang Sik and Choi Chan Ming, the Director of Photography or cinematographer, are
terrific storytellers as well. Together with the accomplished actors, they have
brought the story to life. In the stunning follow-up of the story in Episode 4, these master
entertainers and masters of suspense unravel the mysteries of Aramun Haesulla
and the chilling secrets of the religious sects. The viewer is hooked for the whole roaring ride on a roller coaster of suspense. The wildfire tension and excitement of
the thrilling and unique television series continues to mount with the unfolding of the ancient story.
The purple Igutu blood, a mixture of the blue blood of the Neanthals, a savage looking but peace-loving race and the red blood of Sarams, who resemble earthlings, is an interesting concept. The extraordinary television series hold the attention of the audience till the moment of the revelation of Inaishingi, Tagon and Arok’s Igutu blood when the tension escalates. But what is startling is the proclamation by Tanya, the very powerful High Priest, that purple blood is sacred. Inaishingi Eun Seom and Tagon had hit the jackpot. What began as determination on Tanya’s part to create a future opportunity for Inaishingi to ascend the Arthdal throne would soon trigger a series of relentless changes in Arth and Arthdal.
The action in this war television series is exciting and relentless. Thanks to
the Director of Action and his crew, Inaishingi, Tagon, and Taealha's fighting
skills provide sheer excitement to the audience in this episode.
The Wardrobe Department has produced beautiful clothes for Inaishingi, Tanya, Tagon and Taealha. Inaishingi's good looks and masculinity stand out in his attire with huge overlapping flaps. Tagon looks kingly in his royal robes with gold coins.  Tanya's exquisite light pink High Priest robes is also a testament to the skill, creativity and imagination of the Wardrobe Department.   Taealha, the queen looks glamorous in her beautiful, expensive robes with green feather trimmings which covered her chest and her back. The peacock look suited her queenly status.  Lee Joon Gi’s chemistry with Shin Sae Kyeong who plays Tanya, the High Priest, is palpable. Inaishingi's fiery, warm and passionate temperament is a sharp contrast to Tanya's calm, composed, demure and serene demeanour. They make us believe in romantic love.
The charismatic global actor, Lee Joon Gi, in The Sword of Aramun, has never looked more stunning, nor played with such distinction, authority, versatility or charm. He has been billed as South Korea's 'Greatest Actor'. In Episode 4, Lee has provided the spice that the television series needed. His performance as Inaishingi with his subtle nuances in his seductive banter with Queen Taealha played by Kim Ok Vin should be credited for shaping the narrative and driving it forward. Their chemistry is obvious. Together, they make the screen sizzle.
One cannot but rhapsodize about the pleasure of watching Lee Joon Gi as Inaishingi Eun Seom in
such tantalising moments with the queen. Lee unleashes
his wicked charm, naughty gazes, dazzling wit and delightful humour as the
audience smile widely at his antics. It hammers home the point that Lee’s sterling acting performance
isn’t something you will forget. His
performance eclipses the performance of other lead actors in 2023. Lee Joon Gi also shares a wonderful chemistry with Shin Joon
Hwan who plays Dalsae.
 Shin’s emotionally-charged scene with Mungtae, which
accentuates the solid friendship which had not frayed over the years apart,
is a wonderful performance.
The fury Inaishingi shows towards Mungtae is frightening while the
sentiments displayed by Inaishingi towards Dalsae is poignant and
heartwrenching.
THE SEDUCTION EUN SEOM BANTERS WITH THE
QUEEN
 What good would it be if Eun Seom could not adapt in a strange world that he was thrust into. He was deep in enemy or alien territory. Survival in such a volatile situation is only guaranteed to the fittest, smartest, the most wily and adaptable. Inashingi Eun Seom had the X-factor to undergo the trial of
impersonating Saya. Since he had been in Arthdal previously when he was younger, he knew
quite a bit about the politics in the palace. His judgement of the situation was
unerring and his wit unrivalled. Eun Seom was visited by the queen who suspected that he had
impersonated Saya. She caught him unawares while he was seated at the table.
Holding a dagger at his throat, she seemed to want some quick answers and
explanations.
Gazing at her, he realized that she was testing him. Her
directness was amusing; her gaze, penetrating. She lacked awareness about his
panache at twisting the truth. He parries her questions and banters with her. ‘Just who are you?’ She wanted to know. ‘And why are you pretending to be Saya.'
Revealing his true identity was out of question. He was stunned for a moment
before he recovered from her sudden attack on him. His eye energy matched hers. The seduction of the queen had
begun. The queen looked glamorous in her beautiful, expensive robes
with green feather trimmings which covered her chest and her back. The
peacock look suited her queenly status. And Eun Seom, in his princely robes,
wasn’t too shabby either. In fact, he looked utterly charming in his grey attire.
Then he smiled that mysterious smile at her. Emphasizing that
his real identity wasn’t important to her, he threatened to recall what
happened on the day of the fire that killed Mubeck. Her life and reputation depended
on his words. She, had so far, been in the bad books of the king and everyone
else at court. Nobody knew Saya wasn’t Saya so how did she know the
difference. The quickness of his sword in their previous skirmish when she
crossed swords with him was the cause of her suspicion.
Artfully lifting his chin with her sharp dagger, Taealha
questioned again, ‘Who are you?’ Giving her a tantalising smile, he teased that he didn’t know either. A
code of silence about his real identity would preserve his life. He offered his own vignettes about his identity. ‘They say I
am Saya’s twin.’ It was an incredulous idea that Saya had a benetbeot.
Like her, he also didn’t expect to have a twin. Probably, neither did Saya.
 Eun Seom lied that he didn’t know about his parents. He may not have known his father but he knew who his mother was. According
to him, Mubeck, the head of the elite Daekan troops invited him to meet his
twin, so he followed the commander. Someone attacked them. Now that Mubeck
was dead, insatiable curiosity was aroused about the suspicious circumstances surrounding his
death and the fire that nearly killed the heir to the throne.
Looking directly into her eyes, he implied that she was
implicated in the assassination attempt. The Children of Shahati were the
ones involved in the murder. The queen was the only one who had control over
the Shahati, the assassination arm of the White Mountain tribe.
He had lost consciousness during the fire and when he woke up, the first thing that startled him was he was in a strange palace. He could not be certain but perhaps, Saya was dead. He was hamming it up to confuse the queen. Eun Seom seemed
fearless. After all, he was a seasoned warrior. Upon being questioned why he
was putting on a pretence, he realised that she was faltering. Twisting himself away from her dagger, he got up. He clarified
why he decided to impersonate Saya.
Obviously, he had been enjoying the charade until being exposed
by the queen. Having been given the V.I.P. treatment, he was enjoying himself
being called Saya and a general. Fortune shone on him and he decided to have
some fun before fleeing the place. He smiled broadly when providing his
explanations. Eun Seom was exasperated at her endless questions; he didn’t
think they were important. Looking confidently at her, he insisted that what was
important was he was not Saya. Suspicious people had asked if she, the queen, had sent the Shahati to kill him, and it was apparent that they wanted an affirmation. ‘The once-in-a-lifetme opportunity has come to me’. The wily Ago leader promised that he would handle her connection with the murder with consummate tact, discretion and restraint.
Both had threatened the
other. Just with one word, the fortunes of the other would change
drastically. He, the imposter; she the one who had sent the Children of
Sahati to kill Saya, the future successor to the Arthdal throne.
The shrewd and seasoned leader was far from being a passive
observer; he knew how the palace worked. If he, the fake Saya, was not exposed, he
would not be a threat. He, a compliant Saya, would submit to her orders. Such a seductive offer was irresistible to Taealha.
Bending conspiratorially over her shoulders, as if he was very intimately
familiar with her, the charming young man whispered into her ears, ‘Whoever I
am, you need me right now, don’t you?’ He knew that she had played right
into his hands. She stared coldly ahead.
He was not one squelched by pressure. ‘But, of course, you
should give me something big in return,’ he persuasively added. ‘Bronze
weapons trading rights, for one.’ It was obvious that Eun Seom was not aware that the Iron Age
had arrived and bronze was not as useful as before.
Chuckling, she implied he was funny; he had a big head on his
shoulders. Perhaps, he was delusional. He was, in essence, an opportunist. When she left, she ordered one of the soldiers to carry out a
discreet investigation on the imposter and also, Saya.
EUN SEOM AND TAGON
Tagon, who had summoned Saya to see him, was also curious about
the great degree of ambiguity of his statements in the court proceedings in
the throne room. The king, attired in
his kingly gold robes with gold coins dangling all over, demanded to know if
the queen had a powerful control over him.
Was it intentional that he failed to mention the Children of
Sahati? He was deliberately ambiguous about what had happened to him in the fire. A very
subdued and humble Eun Seom confided that he had lost the war. He was in a precarious
position; his succession to the throne was in question.
Eun Seom had slipped into the shoes of Saya perfectly. It seemed that Eun Seom had everyone eating out of his hands; they
were eagerly waiting for some gripping piece of news about the assassination
attempt on him. He had reassured all present in the palace court that he
would eventually remember what exactly had happened in the fire. Tagon seemed amused by his power play. The manipulation of the
situation was very much like him. He implied Eun Seom was smart, sly and
manipulative as usual. The king asked him what he wanted but Eun Seom would not
show his hands. He would only reveal his desires or intentions when the time
came.
THE WAHANS' OF EUN SEOM
 Mungtae, the royal guard from Wahan, informed him that Yeolson,
Tanya’s father, and Dunji, the scribe, wanted to meet him. They were all Wahans. The room opposite the room Eun Seom entered had door handles that looked like eyes. The eyes seemed
to be watching him.
Eun Seom soon learned of the sad truth – Yeolson and Dunji’s negative perception
of him in his younger days. Not knowing the real identity of the person in their presence,
they talked disparagingly of Eun Seom. They showed their true colours. Yeolson, Dunji and Mungtae knew that Saya had a twin brother, Inaishingi Eun Seom. So did Saya. They knew Saya had hidden this very important fact fom everybody including the king. They invited him to join them in their secret cause.
They talked about Eun Seom who had secretly sent two Ago warriors to contact Yeolson for help. Eun Seom was shocked to learn that it was Mungtae who had killed one of them and fatally injured the other.
Curiosity got the better of Eun Seom who wanted to find out
their real sentiments and deep prejudices against him. After all, they were all from the
Wahan tribe. Mungtae stated categorically that Eun Seom was never a part of
the Wahan tribe. Dunji corroborated his feelings by stating that Eun Seom was
a foreigner. ‘He ran around carelessly and ruined everything.’ Some of
their tribe members died because of him.
It was hard for Eun Seom to swallow their harsh criticism of
him. He defended himself, ‘He tried his best in his own way to save them.’ How did he know about Eun Seom's life if he was Saya? It was surreal for Eun Seom to talk about himself as if his body was detached
from him. Dungi emphasized Eun Seom was a threat to them from the very beginning. They did not just frown on him, they had murderous intentions towards him.  ‘We should’ve just killed him in the Lonicera Flower Forest.’
  It was fortunate that Eun Seom’s back was facing them. He
wasn’t perfect but he felt that he didn’t deserve to be spoken of in such a
brutal tone. They were positively vindictive. Yeolson believed Eun Seom had tried to kill Saya and he persuaded
him that they were all in the same boat. Eun Seom was a threat to them. The old
man insisted, ‘We must work together and kill Eun Seom. That’s how we can
survive.’ Eun Seom’s heart must have sunk. It was painful to have people
he grew up with to think so badly of him and desired to destroy him. When he
was younger, he was just an outsider struggling for love and acceptance in
the Wahan tribe. He was shocked that they had a warped image of him all
along. Little did they know that they were still alive because of him. Eun Seom had made Tagon promise that he would not hurt the Wahans. And just to think of it, he had united the many conflicting Ago tribes and launched wars in
order to save the Wahans. Their comments were most telling, they ruthlessly reveal, in essence, that they were his mortal enemies. His life was fraught with peril. They even contemplated murdering him. This was the dark side of humanity. People whom he had been attached to since young and
whom he considered as family were not what he thought they were. It was all an
illusion. It was ironic that while he was trying so hard to save them, they were planning to kill him. He had put his life on the line for them but they had rejected him.
He had been indeed very naïve and blind. He was too idealistic.
Tears were beginning spring to his eyes but he choked them back. Now, that he realised the truth of the matter, perhaps he
should just give up. They didn’t need him after all. Turning to face them, he could not hold back his emotions.
Mungtae noticed something strange about him. His trembling hands gave him
away. THE NEANTHDALS ISSRUV AND NOSUNAHO  Chaeeun was trying to revive Saya who had
been unconscious for some time. They were in a mammoth cave. He suddenly woke up.
The two wild blue-eyed Neanthals, Issruv and Nosunaho, were
still around to keep Chaeeun company. Issruv suddenly leapt out of cavernous place to
greet him.
Nosunaho also seemed to have flown from the great heights of the cave to hug him. Saya was breathless not only from his illness but from the
pressure exerted by the very strong arms of the effusive Neanthal man. He was
desperate to escape from his constricting embrace. Enthusiastic about their
perceived history and bond, Nosunaho claimed, ‘When you were a baby, I
looked after you together with Asa Hon, your mother. To Saya’s distress
and discomfort, Nosunaho continued to hug him in a vice-like embrace.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF
INAISHINGI THE WRONGS THE PAST DALSAE AND MUNGTAE  Eun Seom went off secretly in the night to meet someone and he, being affected by his discussions with Yelson and Dunji, was deep in thought. The suspicious Mungtae followed him.
Dalsae appeared by chance. The two Wahans
had been good friends in the past but an incident tainted their relationship. They were now enemies. A chase ensued. Mungtae pursued Dalsae to exact revenge on him.
Being bigger and stronger, Mungtae was able to throw Dalsae to
the ground. Mungtae was now not the weak nor timid person that he was when he
was younger. He threatened that now that he was stronger and more vicious, he
could kill. Dalsae pointedly accused him of being responsible for their
friend, Teodae’s death.   It seemed that Teodae had stabbed himself to death because of
Mungtae’s betrayal. Mungtae wrongly thought that he was abandoned in their
escape in the past. It was all a misunderstanding. They had been in terror of
being pursued and arrested. The thought of being caught scared the living daylights out of
them. Crying, Dalsae admitted that he was cowardly and too fearful; he was
confused and couldn’t think straight. His honest confession was embarrassing.
Everyone’s reckless actions wreck their past solid relationship and bond.
 The two grown-up men cried tears of regret; the sad music made
the scene even sadder. Eun Seom, who suddenly appeared, savagely caught hold of Mungtae. He also had an axe to grind. Shaken with pent-up fury against Mungtae, he was ready to tear him into pieces. Hell hath no fury like a man betrayed. The royal guard from Wahan had committed many mortal sins. He had betrayed them time and again. Mungtae’s betrayal could be traced back to the distant past. But, in the recent past, he had killed the two innocent messengers sent by Eun Seom to Yeolson. He had double-crossed them. Eun Seom not only wanted to vent his seething rage at Mungtae but also the Wahan leaders.  Inaishingi’s body must have trembled; his face contorted with rage. He could not control his anguish that had haunted him since what seemed like eons ago. Murderous feelings welled up and swept through him.
Dalsae and Mungtae were kindred spirits. Dalsae pleded with Eun Seom not to kill Mungtae because he was morally weak.
Dalsae tearfully argued that Eun Seom had said he would make a world where being weak wouldn’t be a crime. ‘You said you would make the world different from Arthdal.’ Being weak could not be an excuse.
Eun Seom asked, ‘Who am I?’ And, Dalsae responded, ‘You are Inaishingi.’
Eun Seom’s strident tone spoke of his unabated fury. ‘I would make a world where being weak wouldn’t be a crime, not a world which forgives every crime.’ Being weak and committing crimes were different. Inaishingi wanted to vent all his spleen on those who had betrayed them.
  With tears flowing down his cheeks, Dalsae made an impassioned
speech and plea for Mungtae’s life. ‘Mungtae could’ve killed me but he
didn’t.’ Eun Seom only came to his senses when Dalsae knelt before him and begged him to release Mungtae. Though the Ago Union leader had plunged into a state of mental and emotional turmoil, he was moved by Dalsae's pleas and tears; he was not hard-hearted after all. Althouh it was excruciatingly painful to be haunted by the past, he could not ignore the hot tears that burned behind his own eyelids.  
They had all suffered because of Mungtae’s unforgivable betrayals.
Mungtae also sobbed because he was morally weak. They had all made no
secret that they were furious because of Mungtae’s traitorous acts. Eun Seom finally decided to give Dalsae the freedom to decide on Mungtae’s life.  THE RECONCILIATION OF THE KING AND THE QUEEN   The king’s trusted adviser, Chojaha, suggested that he should have a
temporary truce with his queen. It was wise not to make an enemy of the queen
because he might need to lead the war against the Ago Union. He implied that,
the queen, left to her own devices, might become a threat to him. He had to
reconciliate with his wife until his son grew up.  Gilseon announced that Arok was not in the palace. The queen
had taken him away before Eun Seom’s testimony.
Furious with the Taealha, he accused her of using their son
against him. She would even kill Arok for her own survival and greed. In the
past, he had wanted her, trusted her and was grateful to her.
She made him a king after all. But the thing was she was too
ambitious; she got in the way of making him feel like a king. She had not
just become the power behind the throne, she even acted more powerful than
him. Was he just a shell without the substance of a king? He wanted to kill
her for making him feel small. After sounding her off, to her surprise, he wanted to make
peace with her. She stated her condition for her cooperation. Arok must be
recognised as the heir of Arthdal. The king relented. His only worry was Saya
knew the secret that could destroy their dynasty - his and Arok’s purple Igutu
blood.
Taealha assured him that she would shoulder that burden of placating Saya on the succession issue. Since the onus was on her to deal with Saya, Tagon immediately decided that the Wind and Flowers Ritual would be performed. The ritual was to grant divinity to Prince Arok, their own flesh and blood.  THE IMPENDING WIND AND
FLOWERS RITUAL When Tanya and her assistants were informed of the king’s
decision, they understood immediately that it was a succession ceremony to
proclaim Arok as the crown prince, the successor of Tagon. This threatened
the position of Saya, the adopted son who was next in line to the throne. Bakryanpung, the commander who replaced Mubeck, was beside
himself. He, a firm believer of The Three Children of Prophecy was irate
that Saya had not done anything to stop it.
TRADING RIGHTS TO BRONZE WEAPONS The queen offered the bronze weapons trading rights to the south of Pyeongmire to Eun Seom. Their collaboration was sealed. Eun Seom smiled broadly at the generous offer. So, what would he tell Tagon?
‘I give up the rights of being the heir. Ask Queen Taealha for
the reason.’
He would leave for Pyeongmire that day and disappear when the
right opportunity came.
AROK IS KIDNAPPED Arok was playing Hide-and-Seek with the palace maids. But he suddenly disappeared from the scene. He had been abducted. The king and queen had
arrived at the Great Shrine for the Wind and Flowers Ritual but were soon informed of the disastrous news.
Someone had placed a message in Tanya’s ceremonial robes to
tell her that the ritual could not be held. An inside investigation was
conducted by the High Priest herself.
The palace, under Taealha, also organized a search and investigation of their own. The anxious but ruthless Taealha would leave no stone unturned in her search for her son. The queen arrived to search the Great Shrine.    EUN SEOM CHANGE OF PLANS Dalsae and Ipsaeng were waiting for Eun Seom. Eun Seom showed
them the bronze trading rights and told them that it was time to go back. But
the document would be passed to Syoreujagin to handle the purchase.
When told of the prince’s abduction by Doti, Eun Seom instructed Ipsaeng to return home first. The Ago Union leaders would be anxious about his disappearance. He and Dalsae would soon follow.
THE TELEPATHIC ABILITIES OF TANYA The head of the White Peak Mountain Hearts was unhappy that
Tanya had not acknowledged their doctrines. They were obsessed with the
belief that Aramun was an Igutu who was murdered by an off-shoot of the Asa
Clan.  Although some suspected Saya to be the culprit of the Arok's abduction, Queen Taealha
and Tanya rejected such a preposterous idea. Taealha had caught hold of Tanya, who told a cynical Taealha that she could use her psychic ability of the gods to find Arok. The High Priest used her telepathic powers to convince her.
Stunned, the queen released her upon hearing her message, ‘Get me out of
here.’
PARALLEL STORYTELLING THE STORY OF ARAMUN HAESULLA TANYA AND ASA SAKAN'S PERSPECTIVE A parallel telling of the story of Aramun Haesulla unfolded. The story gives the audience a clearer understanding of the background of Aramun Haesulla from Tanya, the High Priest, and Asa Sakan's perspectives. Due to clan politics, the Asa Clan was split. Asa Sakan was the head of the splinter group or the collateral line of the Asa Clan. Inaishingi Eun Seom was handed a message to meet someone by a mysterious messenger. Tagon was summoned by Asa Sakan to meet her in the dark place where she had been imprisoned.  After creating a distraction among her believers, Tanya had quickly
disappeared and followed a hooded man. Her divine psychic powers allowed her
to read Bakryanpung’s thoughts.
Tanya had followed Bakryanpung to a cave located in one of the mysterious but utterly majestic and stunning conical hills made of stones and rocks. The surreal fairytale scenery was a sight to behold. Tanya had the misconception that the cave was the training ground of priests which had been closed down a long time ago but Bakryanpung refuted it. Upon arrival at the place, Eun Seom was surprised that he had been summoned by Bakryanpung to meet them there.
Bakryanpung, with pride in his voice, revealed that he and his conspirators had abducted Prince Arok. Eun Seom and Tanya were shocked by his reckless actions.
Eun Seom had not met Bakryanpung before and the latter had mistaken Eun Seom for Saya and was upset that Eun Seom was acting strangely; the former seemed to have forgotten the mission of The Sword, The Bell and The Mirror. Bakryanpung reminded them that Saya had previously espoused the plan, 'Attack Taealha first and isolate Tagon'. Tanya was surprised that Bakryanpung knew so much about the mission of the trio but they soon realised that Bakryanpung, a member of the elite Daekan Force which had been headed by Mubeck, was the deceased commander's deputy, confidant and loyal supporter. The fact that Saya (Eun Seom) had so easily abandoned the mission after Mubeck's death drew Bakryanpung's ire. He was also perturbed by Tanya's languid response towards Tagon's intention of making Arok his heir and successor. A god like her should have taken action against such a move. Arok cannot inherit Aramun Haesulla's name. 
But the truth was Eun Seom was ignorant of what Saya, Tanya, Mubeck and Bakryanpung had planned to do. They wanted the prophecy to be fulfilled. Bakryanpung insisted on showing them what Mubeck had discovered - Aramun Haesulla’s tomb. Knowledge of the tomb was absolutely crucial to the success of their mission.
The story was Aramun Haesulla did not ascend to heaven but was asleep in that place. He had been murdered by the collateral line of the Asa Clan. The murderers had placed him in a stone coffin and locked away his tomb for fear of the consequences of the appalling deed that they had committed.
In the mean time, Tagon had arrived in a cave to meet Asa Sakan, the Head of the Off-Shoot of the Asa Clan. It seemed that Asa Sakan knew the whereabouts of Arok.
Asa Sakan laughingly revealed that her ancestors had murdered Aramun Haesulla. She also made a shocking revelation that Tagon's ancestors were also implicated in the murder. She pointed the finger at the Oraha or Tribal Chief of Tagon's Sanyeok Tribe.
At first, her ancestors were going to acknowledge the outstanding and wise Haesulla. But, what upset them was, Aramun had proclaimed Airuju as a god and tried to bring the Neanthals into Arthdal, saying that it was god's will. That was why they, the ancestors of the collateral line of the Asa Clan, killed him.   Aramun was asleep in his tomb. Neither Mubeck nor Bakryanpung could open the tomb. Only the Children of Prophecy could: The Sword. The The Bell. The Mirror. Bakryanpung encouraged them to accept the mission.
Asa Sin, the Great White Wolf, had handed the mission to the Children of Prophecy to fulfill the the work that they were destined to do. Mubeck had wanted to join them. Awaiting Eun Seom, was his date with destiny, to be The Sword, Aramun Haesulla but Eun Seom was convinced that it was of no relevance to him and he was reluctant to be part of the mission. Tanya insisted that everything matters. Eun Seom had to unlock the mysteries of his link with Aramun Haesulla. Would it cost him his peace of mind if he didn't? 
With the swish of his sword, Eun Seom broke the chains that were wrapped round the tomb. It wasn't easy but with much huffing and puffing, he was able to push open the heavy lid of the ginormous stone tomb.
Aramun Haesulla’s skeleton was there, so were the stains of his
purple blood. It was a miracle that the blood was still of the original
colour. There was even the skull of a ram with its horns intact.
 The ram is a powerful symbol in
many ancient cultures, including Roman, Greek, Egyptian and Indian cultures.
It is the most highly valued domestic animal because of its legendary
strength and virility. The ram is a leader and protector of his flock. In the Bible, the ram
represents wisdom, discernment, sacrifice, protection, and guidance. The
Egyptians treated rams as deities in life. In the ancient Near East, and the
Mediterranean area, the ram was associated with powerful divinities and heroic
figures, wealth and the elite, and sacrifice. The horns of the ram which form
a full curl or spiral are weapons, a form of defense and a status
symbol. It is likely that in burials,
the rams’ head, a potent ornament,
functioned as an ornament and amulet, with religious, divine, heroic,
mythic and magical allusions.
Asa Sakan continued with her storytelling. The murder revealed an ominous truth. It was only then that they discovered that Aramun Haesulla was an Igutu as the blood that flowed from his wounds was purple. The muderers trembled with fear. Eun Seom realized that Aramun was an Igutu like him.
Tagon was terribly annoyed and agitated with the babbling of Asa Sakan. The history of Aramun's murder or whether their ancestors murdered Aramun did not interest him. Why should he listen to her ancient stories when Arok was in grave danger. Tanya talked about the mission handed by Asa Sin to them. The prediction about the Sword, Bell and Mirror was passed down from Aramun but their mission started from Asa Sin, the Great White Wolf.   According to Asa Sakan, the trio - the Sword, the Bell and the Mirror, would appear together in the Year of the Singing Wolf to destroy the world.
Eun Seom laughed at the preposterous idea that he was the god, Aramun Haesulla. He had balked at the idea but then he was reminded by Tanya that his mother had called him Aramun but he argued that his mother was not mentally stable then.
Tanya countered with the argument, that his horse, Helper, had magical abilities. She pointed out that Helper was Kanmoreu, the legendary divine horse of Aramun Haesulla.
Eun Seom could not reconcile with the fact that he was Aramun Haesulla
since he was the Reincarnation of Inaishingi, the enemy of Aramun Haesulla
since 200 years ago.
Tanya reminded him that it was fate that he, following an unknown destiny, went all the way to Iark and grew up being taught by the Great White Wolf. The High Priest had an ideal of building a different world in the future.
They appointed him as Inaishingi because they were too exhausted by living such a life; they were desperate wanted to cling to or even harboured hopes of a better future. The various warring tribes had chosen him as their leader, Inaishingi as he was probably a symbol of hope. He considered their voices as god’s voice and accepted the crucial role of Inashingi.
Tanya opened his eyes to the fact that he might be following their evil desires to steal, fight, kill and shed blood, just to make them obey him.
Eun Seom, with great detachment in his tone, argued that the wars he led would inevitably lead to bloodshed. It was unavoidable. He stalked off in anger. Dissatisfied with his cold-blooded remarks, she pricked his conscience by vehemently condemning the devastating and catastrophic effects of war - the bloodbath, the dead people and the suffering and pain of the people. 'Are these right?' she asked. Could he ignore all that?
The Ago leader's rejoinder was, 'The path to the right place is full of wrong things.' It also applied to her as the High Priest. He asked her, ‘Can you proclaim that Aramun was an Igutu?’ Obviously, she could not, because if she proclaimed Aramun was an Igutu, there would be bloodshed. There would be people who would definitely reject Tagon and he would slaughter them. From the beginning, the people of Arthdal, had been prejudiced against the Igutus: they killed, locked up and persecuted the Igutus like Eun Seom. Eun Seom expounded the fact that the right thing to do was to proclaim Aramun was an Igutu and it would immediately stop all that persecution against Igutus. Would she do it then? The onus is on Tanya to choose the future of Arthdal. The right path was to proclaim Aramun was an Igutu but what followed that would be bloodshed. She, as the High Priest, had the responsibility of preventing or stopping bloodshed. But, the audience know that if she refused to proclaim Aramun was an Igutu, the Igutus would forever be persecuted. Eun Seom studied her face and he smirked. Probably, he was disappointed with her too. She realised that she was too idealistic, 'One right thing stops another right thing,'
 Tagon was frustrated with listening to Asa Sakan but the powerful but wizened old lady enlightened him that his queen, Taealha and Mubeck had also heard of the prophecy.
She suggested tha,t ‘Before the Sword comes, break the Mirror and the Bell. Break the Mirror first. The day that the Mirror reflects the Sword, will be the end of your world.’
Arthdal had existed for 1000 years. She advised him not to be obsessed with trivial ideas of Aramun and Airuju. Airuju was a god brought by Aramun in the first place. Up until 200 years ago, there was no such god on this land.
Tagon used force on her so the dying Asa Sakan used her psychic abilities to reveal the whereabouts of Arok. He was in Ttesarichon. With that, she passed away.
   TTESARICHON THE PLACE OF CRIMINALS Ttesarichon was a place where rebels were disposed of by Tagon; their feet were cut off and their eyes gouged out. It was also the home
of criminals, runaways and mercenaries from the Black Maru Band in Arth. All
these reflected the cruelty of Tagon.
Doti announced that Arok was in Ttesarichon. Tanya instructed that Taealha was to be informed about it. Eun Seom wanted to go there. If Arok died or his blood was revealed, something frightening might happen. It was there and then that Eun Seom revealed that Tagon was an Igutu. It would make a great difference to the situation in Arthdal. A long time ago, Eun Seom came to know of Tagon’s purple blood and had forced Tagon to promise to protect the Wahan Tribe in exchange for keeping his secret safe. Now, it was unnecssary to keep that secret as he needn't protect the traitorous Wahans anymore.
That vital piece of information about Tagon sparked Tanya's imagination and creativity; she immediately knew what she had to do. Arok’s identity in Ttesarichon was exposed. The criminals, who had
a grudge against Tagon and wanted revenge, demanded that Tagon came alone to
claim his son. Tagon had made many enemies.
TTESARI HILL Tagon had killed an emissary sent from the criminals in Ttesari Hill. Commanding his troops to quietly surround the hill, he himself went up the Ttesari Hill alone.
Tanya had assembled all her priests and the White Peak Mountain Hearts worshippers. The time has come to do what was right. She was determined to fulfill the mission that Asa Sin had given to them.
Tagon courageously went alone to confront the criminals; he fought them, slashing them left and right. 
The criminals were offering Arok as a sacrifice to their god, Mihaje. The brave and courageous queen rode like the wind on horseback to save their son.
 The heavy fighting had caused serious injuries to Tagon. His purple Igutu blood was flowing out from his wounds. 
He descended the hill and entered the village in Ttesarichon. When Taealha arrived, she persuaded the badly wounded king to hide in a ramshackle shack. The criminals were sacrificing Arok on a funeral pyre to avenge the evil that Tagon had done to them.
 Taealha bravely faced the crowd of criminals and mercenaries for some time.   A net in the background symbolized that Taealha was trapped. She was surrounded by the criminals. Eventually, she fell, and at that exciting moment, Tagon came to her rescue. Tagon, an Igutu imbued with Neanthal blood, was naturally stronger than the Sarams.
    
The three, Eun Seom, Tagon and Taealha, bravely faced the criminals. Someone had tried to thrust a dagger into Arok. Another tried
to topple a statue of Mihaje on Arok but Eun Seom helped Tagon
to overturn the statue. His hand, unfortunately, was slashed. Purple blood dripped down. 
Fortunately, the Arthdal troops came in the nick of time to
save them. But they, Tagon's trusted palace advisers, palace guards
and soldiers, were shocked to see his purple Igutu blood. Was Tagon done for?
Tagon’s devastating secret had been exposed, The king who had
waged his own desperate battle for survival by killing those who knew his secret must now face his shocked followers.
But nobody, except the king, noticed the purple blood dripping from
Eun Seom’s hands. Tagon turned to look at Arok. He also had purple blood
stains on is clothes, But there was a difference in Tagon and Eun Seom’s
blood which was a bright purple, and Arok’s blood, which was pure purple. THE LIFE-CHANGING
PROCLAMATION OF TANYA THE HIGH PRIEST Tanya knew exactly what she would do. She had assembled her followers and the White Peak Mountain Hearts believers, and together, they left for Ttesarichon in a procession.
In the distance, the sound of ceremonial bells and percussion instruments could be heard. Tanya’s procession of believers
had arrived. She promptly declared, in the presence of the Arthdal people who were
there, that she had found Aramun Haesulla’s tomb. He was murdered and his
tomb was locked. And Aramun Haesulla’s blood was purple indicating that he
was an Igutu.
According to Tanya, the High Priest, the purple blood of the heirs of Aramun Haesulla, the Arthdal god, was given eternal blessings by Airuju, Arthdals’s highest or most important god. When Tanya made the life-changing proclamation, she had, in fact, acknowledged the doctrine or beliefs of the White Mountain Peak Hearts religious sect. The loud cheering of the White Mountain Peak Hearts believers thundered throughout the place. Eun Seom was thunderstruck, so were the rest of the onlookers. Such
an ingenious plan and with perfect timing too. Since the Ago leader was an Igutu, he must
have felt that he was in bed with her for selling the idea that the blood of
the Igutus was sacred. Staring at Tanya, he understood what she was doing. By
legitimizing purple blood as sacred, she was paving the way for his ascension
to the Arthdal throne in the future. Her heart must have fluttered; she could
feel the heat and intensity of his gaze.
It was revolutionary to make such a proclamation. Tagon, though disoriented by the loss of blood, understood the significance and
implications of the proclamation.
Although that Tagon and Inaishingi had purple blood, they were a breed apart. 
The closing theme music heightens the revolutionary mood. |
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