THE SWORD
OF
ARAMUN
PART 6
THE LANDMARK
WAR
TELEVISION
SERIES
PROVES
THE MAGIC
AND
THE POWER
OF
TELEVISION
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The Sword of Aramun, TVN’s landmark
High Fantasy-Mythological-War epic, one against which others have to measure
themselves, is a work of art which viewers, fans and scholars alike can view
with profit and pleasure. It is the best in television. The Dream Team comprising the maverick Director Kim Kwang
Sik, Choi Chan Ming, the genius Director of Photography / Cinematographer,
and the talented Martial Arts Choreographers (with the help of the rest of
the production crew) have revolutionized the art of television series-making
of the epic drama. The series will stand as a model for those
genres. But the success of the show would not have been possible without Kim
Young Hyun and Park Sang Yeon, the screenwriters, the compelling and
sterling Lee Joon Gi who plays the dual roles of the polar twins, Inashingi and
Saya, and whose magnetic perfomance has made the audience hunger for more episodes, Shin Sae Kyeong who impressively portrays the complexities of the High Priest, Tanya, Jang Dong Gun, Kim Ok Vin, and
other cast members who have contributed to the exciting drama.   The High Fantasy television series, with its 2 main superheroes and 2
minor superheroes, and many everyday heroes who are played brilliantly by the supporting actors, has made the series fascinating
and colourful. The collection of individual stories which includes the clash of gods, are mainly drawn from
the battlefields and mythology, provide the greatest insight into human nature. They are
constant reminders that there are many lessons to be learnt.  The Production Director and the
Photography Director (together with the Lighting Director, You Seok Moon) are important. The collaboration between Kim Kwang Sik and Choi Chan Ming has
produced many beautiful images which send special messages to the audience. The
seasoned pair, who have teamed up, have an uncanny knack for shooting and
making beautiful, meaningful and visually pleasing pictures. To make those magical pictures,
they have to take into account the seasons, the weather, the rising or
setting sun, the lie of the land and also, waiting patiently for the natural
light. The team serves a heady photographic menu of gorgeous dawn light,
dramatic light and shots from different perspectives and angles. The
audience watch tantalizing images with gorgeous light slashing across the landscape.
Some images are self-explanatory. Some images and scenes are not only beautiful but also magical and fantastic; they have been painstakingly composed through leaps of imagination and thorough planning.
One of such images with the best composition is found in
Episode 10 when Inaishingi and Tagon confront each other for the first time
on the battlefield. The Clash of Gods:
A True God Versus A false God is an amazing image. The Real Aramun fights The
Fake Aramun.   The winning image has the best composition. There is nothing in
the frame that doesn’t deserve to be there. It
is a picture of calm admist the chaos. There is the
calm tension between two leaders in the unique image. The main objects of interest are
on the left and the right of the picture, not in the centre of the frame. In
this beautiful work of art, placing the hero on the left and the villian on
the right and the fighting soldiers all around and even at the centre, has a
dramatc effect on the impact of the image. The soldiers do not distract the line of sight of the audience, leading to Inaishingi, the hero, and Tagon, the villian. The moment of stunned silence in the midst of the chaos is the most memorable composition. You only see the two objects of interest, not the fighting soldiers.
The protagonist and antagonist face each other on level ground in
the riotous, turbulent scene on the plains near Arthdal. The fantastic
composition highlights the calm power gaze of Inaishingi and the stupor of Tagon
who could not believe his eyes on seeing Inaishingi, as himself, the Ago
leader. It was like he was seeing a ghost since he had poisoned Saya. He
might have seen Inaishingi before, posing as Saya after the fire which led to
the twins switching roles.  Likewise, in this picture, you only see the object of interest, not the fighting soldiers.
It is not an accident that we see the confrontation between good and evil in white and black colours. One figure, seemingly in white battle attire and the other, in black robes, enhances the great contrast between the sunlight outside and the inside of the tent which is in shadows.
The fourth picture is an image of a cool, calm and collected Saya, and a frustrated, waspish and edgy Ipsaeng held down by his angry friends. Ipsaeng has tried to expose the imposter Saya who had impersonated Inaishingi but failed miserably. Instead he was reduced to a pathetic mess.
It is an interesting artistic composition. And yes, the image does look like a painting.
In the fifth image, Eun Seom was reunited with Tanya but his beloved failed to recognise him.
Hypnotized and mesmerized by her charm and beauty, he stared at her. Eun Seom was not often at the loss of words but at that moment, he couldn’t muster any words to express himself.
His eyes were covetous, his heart was still hammering against his chest. How could she not recognise him?
Time stood still for a moment. Both stood gazing at each other as if torn apart by the sword-like monument in the background. Both were the reincarnation of gods or holy beings. Eun Seom, the reincarnation of Inaishingi and Tanya, the reincarnation of Asas Sin. They looked regal; their bearing, noble. It is a disheartening moment for Inashingi.
There are many other compositions that are amazing. Some of the amazing images are self-explanatory.
   Waiting for the light. 
Some beautiful images are shot at dawn with the first light creeping over the landscape. Watching Saya watch the horizon, for the dawn to break over the mountains with jagged tops, is quite an experience. Saya had been rejected by Tanya, the High Priest. When his love was unrequited, Saya contemplated on his future. Should he join the Neanthals in Irkebeck? Waiting
for the light as the darkness breaks over the mountains with a
rich and striking pink shows the marriage of photographic vision with nature’s perfection. That is the
making of a beautiful image.
 There are also beautiful sunset shots.   Some high contrast scenes, mostly shot in black and white, are stunning.
Tagon is thrown from the divine horse.
A Different Perspective. Heroic horsemen are usually filmed from many angles but not from the back when mounting their horses. Inaishingi played by Lee Joon Gi is a visual feast even in silhouette as he mounts and straddles his stallion, the divine horse, Kanmoreu. Filmed sideways showing his back, he looks super sexy. 
There are many interesting images showing figures silhouetted against the light.         
Shafts of light paint the landscape and sometimes a room. in certain scenes, we are shown that we need to appreciate the light or nuances of light. It is impossible to show the endless list of beautiful images.
Below in the kissing scene, the arched heads of the lovers form a LOVE SHAPE helped intriguingly by Inaishingi’s strand of hair. 
In the two images below, Inaishingi’s sword has blended with the curtains.
                     
Some beautiful images are low contrast scenes which have muted,
subdued or soft watercolour feel. The rising sun highlights the mist on the
ground or above ground. A misty dawn landscape of muted hues take
advantage of the monochromatic natural
light blue tones or subtle colours that are a result of the natural light of
mists at dawn or dusk.
  Rottip. A lone figure in the landscape paints a picture of loneliness. 
 After Inashingi discovered that Suhana, one of his trusted comrades, was the spy in their camp, the moment of realization was a blur. The image
conveys his confused state as the world swirls around him. it emphasizes that
his fuzzy mind, like the background, is in a blur of tints and shades of brown.
The image is surreal.
  Tagon, after
the failed rebellion led by Saya and Taealha, in his search for enemies was
able to trick traitors into showing their true colours. Saya, who had plotted
to dethrone him, was brought before Tagon who had a succulent feast laid out.
In one image,
Tagon seemed to have grown 2 truncated horns on his head. It is obvious that
he, an evil and brutal king, is presented as a devil with truncated horns.
Saya was forced to choose between being an assassin of Tanya or death.      There are many great water and underwater scenery that capture the imagination of the audience. 
    
                                  There are extreme shots of the forest from a fisheye perspective
in the forest. The camera, which is almost vertically up, gets a slant on the
forest vistas.
In one shot, the forest seems to come alive with light as Inaishingi speaks to it. The forest, a character in the High Fantasy series, has awakened and is alive.. This scene seems to say that everything is connected. Man and his environment.       In one scene, Inaishingi was feeding and petting Kanmoreu; he and his equine friend were going to part ways. Tagon demanded the horse be given to him. Overcome with sadness, the Ago leader spoke lovingly and tenderly to the stallion, ‘Wherever you are, wherever you go, come back to me, Helper.’ It was a moving moment. Inaishingi had bonded with Kanmoreu.
    
When one first watches a hand reaching out to touch something, one realises the importance of body parts to a narrative. One starts to notice human
body parts: eyes, hands, lips, feet, arms etc                       
                Parallelism is found in many
parts of the story.
The first shows the twins, Inaishingi and Saya, preparing to
meet each other face to face for the first time. They have been instructed by
Mubeck to divest themselves of their military clothes and weapons.    
The second instance shows each of the twins entering the Great
Hall to have an audience with King
Tagon. Saya is seen swaggering towards the throne, confident of his status in court. The head of the ambitious heir of Tagon is framed or crowned by the king’s circular insgnia as he approaches the throne.
Inaishingi, the imperonator of Saya, seems cautious as he walks slowly with his head bent in the court to hide his fear of being caught.
  Inaisingi rides triumphantly into the Ago camp after winning the war against Saya.
 Impersonating Inaishingi, Saya, the fake Ago chief rides uneasily into the Ago camp and is warmly welcomed by the members of the union.
    When real Inaishingi finally returns to the Ago camp from Arthdal, he is given an enthusistic welcome but none is any wiser except for Ipsaeng and Badoru.
  There is a comparison of the two
leaders, King Tagon and Inaishingi when they are presented with the iron
sword to be used for the upcoming war.   The athletic, fit, energetic and handsome
Inaishingi is compared with the middle-aged and overweight Tagon in the
battlefield. The wild and savage Inaishingi
rushes head-on and ahead of his infantry to meet the well-equipped calvary of Arthdal.   
King Tagon, pursued by the Ago savages, seems out of breath and finally has to stop and face his enemies whom he had lured into the open plains.
    Last but not least, Inaishingi
and Tagon, who are both ignorant about the god, Aramun, are being educated,
instructed and enlightened about the god that has touched their lives. Bakryangpung brings Inaishingi
and Tanya to a secluded cave, where the tomb of Aramun is located and explains
how the god of Arthdal died. Delving into the story of The Sword, The Bell
and The Mirror, he and Tanya give Inaishingi a lecture on the Eun Seom / Saya’s destiny. Meanwhile, Asa Sakan provides
another perspective to the life and death of Aramun.                                      Man’s life is full of traps. The
net (fisherman’s net) and web are powerful symbols; they are tools
of entrapment. A net allows a fisherman to catch fish. It is a place where a
person can become entangled. But the net or web can also suggest the
unfolding of individual human lives.
 In this High Fantasy series, the web-like decorations in the negotiation tent symbolises and foreshadows entrapment for Inaishingi and members of the Ago Union. The Bato tribesmen were offering collaboration with
Ago but were planning to betray them. Inaishingi and his men were not
unprepared. 
In this segment of the story, Saya talks about his twin brother, Eun Seom or Inaishingi. The web-like decorations hanging from the intriguing black trees give the atmosphere an unearthly feel. Saya’s destiny is unfolding before him as he takes on his new role as the general of Arthdal’s army.
In Episode 4, the king and queen’s son, Arok, is kidnapped by some rebels and criminals and they try to save him. Queen Taealha fights her way into the camp of the enemy but is trapped. The fishing net in the background symbolises the predicament she is in.
  In this scene, the Ago warriors, on the pretext of helping Karat recover from his wounds, entertain him like a king; he is waited on hand and foot. The VIP treatment accorded to him includes a hot water bath and a spread of sumptuous food and wine.  The real intention is to hold the Momo warrior in their camp as long as possible until Ipsaeng returned with something from the Agoha Forest. 
Although the Ago
warriors were courteous to him and had treated him with deference, Karat
insisted on behaving like a lout and hooligan; he enjoyed making himself
unpleasant by being insolent, boorish and ungracious. He was out to create
mischief by his endless insults which were designed to stir up the wrath and
draw the ire of those who were assigned to look after him. Tachukan, in
a show of frustration, barked at his comrades to treat Karat as a talking
fish. An image of a relentless babbling idiot comes to mind. Tachukan seemed
to have all the funny or witty lines. The talking fish continued to bait
them, trying to wreak havoc on their tolerance and patience.
In the background of the scene, it
seems that the tent is protected by a wall of rushes. On closer inspection,
there is an image of a fisherman’s net which is not clearly discernible
from a distance. The understandably dismayed Ago men
would be pleased to know that the talking fish would soon be caught by the
wily fisherman, Inaishingi.
Inaishingi asked
Karat for a favour but Karat brusquely rejected the request. Inaishing did not
feel sufficiently maligned to answer back.   Karat was asked
about his nephew, Hotau, who was their Momo chief, Karika’s son. It was Eun
Seom who had saved the life of the son of Karika, the Xabara or chief. Karat
reminded them that the debt had been repaid when the Momo tribe saved
Inashingi from the deadly waterfall. An
interesting aspect of Momo culture was the concept of Galma. The
Momo people subscribe to the concept of repayment. Any physical action, work
or deed will have consequences. Cause and Effect. Their tribe’s principle is
they will repay good deeds and take revenge on bad deeds.
Ipsaeng who had been instructed to go to the Agoha Forest to fetch something,
had returned with a precious ornament.
Proudly showing him the precious Momo round gold-blue
ornament given to him by Xabara Karika, the great Ago Union leader ended by
repeating what Karika had reminded him to say, ‘All water is
connected.’ Karat was trapped; he is forced to kneel before the Ago
chief and acquiese to Inaishingi’s request for help.
A rebellion
led by Saya and the queen is taking place.
In the background
is a web-like decoration which foreshadows the entrapment of the rebels.
Someone has betrayed them.
   While Sadong confronted the palace guards, Saya confronted those soldiers who were involved in hanging up corpses. A group of soldiers surrounded the intransigent soldiers and mowed them down. At this point,
Tanya’s ceremonial bells or talisman falls apart. And she realises the 2
supposedly dead persons are still alive. Chaeeun realises
something is wrong. She runs to the palace to tell Saya that they had fallen
into a trap.
Chojaha, Tagon’s
spy, had betrayed them.
 In one scene when the Ago warriors invaded Arthdal, the queen is about to flee with Arok. Hae Tuak is angry with the maid for having lost Arok. Arok is running loose all
over the place looking for his father, Tagon. Perhaps, he could not imagine
leaving Arthdal without the king.
Luck is not on
Arok’s side. The net in the image is a foreshadowing of what would soon
happen; he would be caught by the enemy. Trapped.
  
  In one scene, Tanya is back to the
place which is full of intriguing trees with dark or black trunks. Web-like decorations hanging from them lend the
atmosphere an eerie feeling. Tanya is trapped by the evil
Tagon.  Tagon takes Tanya to the pool that she regularly frequents. She would soon know her fate. Four jars of bishwisan had already been poured into the pool which Is the source of Arthdal’s water. The fifth jar is still standing by the pool.    He
explained that when the water rose up to a certain level, the floodgate below
would open and bichwisan would flow into all the wells in
Arthdal. She almost choked when she called him a completely insane person. It
was an understatement. He was psychopathic and diabolical. There was only one thing to be done. In the end, to save the people of Arthdal, she would have to dive into
the pool filled with the poison, bishwisan, by the maniacal
Tagon. It was a sad decisive moment. Without thinking of herself,
she jumped into the pool filled with bishwisan and tied up
the locks of the floodgate so that they could not automatically open. And
the bishwisan would not be released into the wells of
Arthdal. 
According to the Law of
Attraction espoused by Rhonda Byrne in The Secret, like attracts like.
The law suggests one’s thoughts can have an impact on how things turn out. Positive
thoughts or positive thinking bring positive results to a person’s life,
while negative ones or negative thinking bring negative outcomes. People tend
to attract people who are similar to them. Likewise Saya attracts what was coming to him. After he was rejected by Tanya, he spent a long night contemplating his future - he was waiting for enlightenment and inspiration. Waiting for the Light. At dawn, he decided to
look for Eknad, a newly-arrived Neanthdal, in the White Ford Forest.      When Saya killed Rottip, another Neanthdal, in the latter’s conflict with Eknad, he had decided his future. He had attracted Eknad into his life. Eknad decided to kidnap him and bring him to Irkebeck, a faraway place.
         In one scene in the final episode, the net in the background symbolizes that Saya had been trapped. He was going to Irkebeck against his own will but he, himself, had to be blamed for being trapped. He attracted Eknad to him. None knows whether the outcome would be positive or negative. Perhaps, the net indicates that his new life is unfolding. He has a new role to play.
Although Saya does have some unpleasant characteristics, he can be heroic at times. Perhaps, the hero resides in him. It would be unsurprising that Saya might be a superhero-in-waiting.
    
The Sword of
Aramun is a war series. Wars are fought between the savages of the Ago Union
and the powerful and better equipped Arthdal to end the tyranny of Tagon.
Three individuals, The Sword (Eun Seom), The Bell (Tanya) and The Mirror
(Saya), figure prominently in an ancient prophecy to destroy Tagon and bring
about a new world order. War is the last
socially acceptable outlet for a barbarian species which has not been civilized.
Leaders must assume responsibility for the loss of lives, the pillaging, the
slaughter and the destruction. War is carried out with the assumption that
soldiers have the right to kill anyone. Revolution is the last resort for
the people of Arthdal which is swallowed up in tyranny. One is startled by Saya preaching morality. He
spells out what the future war would mean.
‘The blood of thousands of the Ago Union will flow. Only then, you would realise that you led all of them to their death.’
Eun Seom taunted him. Although he was neither prone to tooting his horns nor touting his outstanding military records, he declared with pride and confidence in his voice, ‘We won. We will continue to win.’ 
Spurred by Eun
Eom’s triumphant tone, Saya quickly cast aspersions on Ago’s perceived
strength. ‘Your bronze swords came from Arthdal. After a few more fights, half will become useless.’
This Eun Seom knew
too well after being enlightened by Yeolson about the iron swords. It was
nothing new to him. Saya’s criticisms
rained down on his twin. It was a war of attrition. Thrashing out at him, he
addressed the problem of weapons, saying that the Ago warriors couldn’t even
make or fix bronze swords, what more produce iron swords.
Eun Seom had
already understood the eventuality of being the underdog in the future war.
Even if they were armed with a passionate fighting spirit, it was impossible
to challenge Arthdal’s iron swords. At this point, he did not offer an
opinion. With his maturity
as a seasoned warrior and fighter, he possessed the power to see, to think
and to feel. Feigning
ignorance, Eun Seom urged his older twin to spill out his thoughts. It seemed the
belligerent Saya had done his research meticulously. With his incisive
reasoning, he could analyse the events that had shaped the wars in Arth. He
sneered at the Ago soldiers. He did all in his power to dissect the success
of the Ago army in the war against Arthdal.
‘Willpower? Desperation? The divine power of Inaishingi?’
Saya also seized on the issue of the strange horse, Kanmoreu, the legendary horse of Aramun Haesulla. He pooh-poohed the idea that it could solve everything.
‘What’s more,
Arthdal will be armed with iron swords soon!’
Eun Seom had
advance intelligence on that issue. Disparaging their war victory on the
plains of Hanchao, as pure luck, he implied Lady Luck may not be on their
side the next time around.
Saya again predicted that Ago was going to lose; he censured his brother for giving his people hope and making them believe that he would be victorious.
  ‘You receive endless praise and love from the children of Ago.’ The children, it seemed, did not know that Inashingi was the gosal or vengeful spirit that will lead them to their deaths. Was Saya right in calling his younger brother a gosal or vengeful spirit? Are leaders responsible and accountable for the lives of their people or even the lives of their enemies? Eun Seom’s integrity and reputation as a leader was at stake.
Eun Seom may be
driven by a sense of divine mission but a violent war would bring devastation
to the continent of Arth. Ago would reel under the onslaught of the
unprecedented ferocity of the Arthdal army who were armed with iron swords.
He could foresee that the Arthdal soldiers would pour forth like devils to
bring terrible devastation. The Arth world
would undergo a metamorphosis; the Ago Union will be slaughtered and
disintegrate. And Eun Seom would not only be responsible; he would also be
accountable.
The Arthdal
general seemed to be arguing that a combination of outstanding leadership,
exceptional courage, a divine mission and a divine horse would not win them
the war. Saya’s eyebrows
arched in tandem with his rhetorical questions. ‘Is your life so
great?’ Then the positively garrulous older twin shouted, ‘Is
your life worth so many people’s lives?’
Saya’s fiery and
mesmerising speech was so passionate that he lost himself in it. His oratory
was so emotional that it had reduced himself, not Eun Seom, to tears. There
seemed nothing artificial about him at that point. One could see the tears
flowing down his cheeks. Perhaps, it’s a
sign of his sincerity. Eun Seom’s eyes
were smiling. He could sense that his brother sympathised with the plight of
the Ago people. The burning question is: Are
leaders ultimately responsible and accountable for the effects and repercussions of the
wars that they start or bring their countries into?
In another scene between Tanya and
Tagon, the High Priest makes a strong statement about leadership. Tagon was unhappy that the people of Arthdal did not appreciate what he had done for Arthdal. He ranted and raved.
‘I built the sky ladder, I brought a huge number of slaves from Iark. Thanks to that, they enjoyed everything and prospered. But now, they are saying I’m a fake and a tyrant.’
Tagon candidly admitted that he trampled on the weak ones. The slaves were from Iark, the home of the Wahans and the hometown of Tanya. ‘All the riches the civilans enjoyed came from that. The real gosals (evil spirits) are the civilians.’
    Tanya quietly agreed that the civilians were not models of good behaviour. ‘They’re selfish, and sometimes, they’re cruel and full of desires. They always think they’re right.'  But, what she asserted after that was enlightening. 'But, I also know that they are like water, so they form different shapes depending on which bowl they’re in.’  
Then,
with tears in her eyes, she forcefully pointed out in an accusatory tone
that, ‘Maybe, they were shaped that way because they were in the
world you made. It’s time to create a new world.’ What she meant was that people were like plasticine and were pliant and could be made or moulded into civilians of good character. But, Tagon and his policies
did nobody any good. A kingdom’s character comes from the environment that
they live in. The cultures, laws, religions, political systems and ethical
values determined the character of the people. Character education was
important. When the king or ruler was wicked, so were his people. What
Tanya stated was eye-opening. The character of a nation depends on its
leaders. If the leaders of a nation are wicked, there is a high probability
that its citizens were also wicked. If they were not, they would probably try
to overturn the leadership.   The Sword of Aramun, a High Fantasy television series, has 2 main spectacular superheroes, Inaishingi and Tanya, who are gods, and 2 minor female superheroes, Nunbyeol (The Strongest Creature in The World) and Karika, the Momo chief.
There are many everyday heroes – Yeolson, Ipsaeng, Dalsae, Tachukan, Mirusol and Tae Maja. 
The collection of individual stories which are mainly drawn from the battlefields, provide the greatest insight into human nature. They have made the series fascinating and colourful. Their stories take a lot of time to tell and analyse but they are
constant reminders that there are many lessons to be learnt.  
Although male domination is part of
the story, the narrative is not complete without talking about female power
and the conflict between powerful females, Tanya, the High Priest And
Taealha, The Arthdal Queen.
Tanya, an
extraordinary woman, stirs the imagination because of her wisdom, courage,
strength of purpose, and intelligence. The reincarnation of Asa Sin, Tanya is
a living god and object of religious worship. She has psychic and telepathic
powers. Tanya declared that the king had lost the war and they were unsure of his whereabouts. Queen Taealha had abandoned Arthdal. Arrows were bein g
shot at Tanya’s group. The Arthdal soldiers who supported Taealha obstructed
their path. Sadong accused her
of treason; she intended to betray Arthdal by handing over the kingdom to the
Ago beasts. Only she, the High Priest, was left in Arthdal. When proclaiming that she would protect the land and her people, she commanded the soldiers to step back.
Tanya had misjudged the situation. To her shock, Taealha appeared with Yeobi. It was precisely what she hadn’t expect to happen. The High Priest had made an error of judgement and they were surrounded.
  The queen emphasized that her plan had failed. When informed that her priests were dead, Tanya's eyes brimmed with tears.
Tanya, the slim and lithe High Priest, had an alluring combination of softness and strength. The startlingly splendid and beautiful robes, which she wore, showcased these two sides of her. Her soft white flowing robes was an indication of her divine femininity, as the reincarnation of the Great Mother, Asa Sin. Her strength was symbolised by the adornment of seven small metal decorative shields on straps which covered the bodice of her attire. Attached to it were three strings of decorative ornaments of sorts. Her white lacy headdress was equally impressive Tanya demonstrated her strong and harsh side; she did not just pepper her words with veiled threats but openly cast chilling curses which were directed at those who opposed her.
Raising her head proudly, she coldly proclaimed, ‘Remember the final moments of those who were disrespectful to the reincarnation of Asa Sin. Remember the person who died by getting his heart ripped out on the night of the new moon. Your hands that are holding weapons against me will strangle your own necks, and kill your siblings and families. Therefore, your souls will not even even become gosals but will fall into the deepest abyss of darkness. Your children and their children will crawl on all fours, unable to live or die.’ When the harsh curses would be set into motion was unknown but the appalling curses put every soldier in extreme fear. They had a profound effect on the archers, who suppressing a shiver, lowered their bows and arrows. The fact that Tanya’s priests had been involved in Tanya’s scheme was an indication of the dramatic changes happening in Arthdal. The soldiers seemed to be aware of that.      Taealha equalled, if not surpassed, Tanya in her forcefulness and courage. The only difference was, like Tagon, the queen had a penchant for brutality and violence. It was going to be a ruthless fight to the finish.
Snatching a sword from a soldier, she pointed it at Tanya and declared unflinchingly that she would accept Tanya's curses, ‘My hands that point weapons at the High Priest will strangle my own neck. My soul will fall into darkness and my child will crawl on all fours. Even if my limbs get torn apart and my soul gets scattered in the air, I will kill Tanya myself and receive the curse. Do not be afraid. Kill all the traitors.’ Suddenly, many columns of smoke rose in the skies. The believers of Asa Sin, who saw the billowing smoke, whooped with joy. Having waited for the smoke signal, they poured out in great numbers into the streets of Arthdal. It was a sight to behold. Yangcha was startled by the vast numbers of people who believed in Tanya. What can you expect when the population of Arthdal had been terrorized by an evil, tyrannical king and his equally pernicious queen.
Their mantra was, ‘Follow the one who was despised the most. Embrace the one you rejected.’
It seemed the whole population of Arthdal were the followers of Tanya, the reincarnation of Asa Sin. Tanya’s heart must have been practically bursting out of her chest.  Taealha was not easily defeated. She declared that Aramun Haesulla had returned in the form of King Tagon. Bakryungpung shouted that Tagon was not Aramun Haesulla. He was a fake. Doti spoke up. If Tagon was Aramun, he wouldn’t have lost. Aramun was the god of victory and unity. The people denounced Tagon as a fake. In desperation, the evil queen slashed a soldier dead to prevent the other soldiers from being swayed by Tanya's words. It was an exhibition of cruel Tanya did not let her guard down. Using her psychic powers, she urged the soldiers not to oppose her lest they fell under the curse that she had cast. Taealha remembered that Tanya had divine psychic powers and she had even experienced them herself in the past. Tanya preached that god was not benevolent. The Sarams themselves, were benevolent beings and had helped each other. She urged them to make the world a good place to live in. Her words were effective. Holding out their hands in prayer, they knelt down to acknowledge her.  But the unexpected return of the defeated evil king changed the situation in Taealha’s favour. Tanya and her supporters were fighting a losing battle. 
How does one
differentiate between a true god and a false god? The question one asks: Who
is your god? Is he real? Who is the real god?
In the Arth world, it is easy. Kanmoreu, the divine horse shows clearly who the Real Aramun is. The
kinesthetically-intelligent Inashingi is the real god, Aramun Haesulla.
In the fight between Inaishing and
Tagon on the plains near Arthdal, the former proved to be a better warrior.
They faced each other. Inaishingi’s power
stare worked on Tagon psychologically. Tagon had tried to
kill Saya. The final moments of Saya came back to haunt him. His stinging
prediction played on Tagon’s mind. ‘You are a fake.
No. we are all fake. You must have heard of Inaishingi riding
Kanmoreu.’
Mentally tortured,
Tagon swung his sword crazily at Inaishingi.  On spying the divine horse, Kanmoreu, Tagon’s ambition gripped him. Inaishingi followed his line of sight. Tagon rushed towards his target, the horse of the heavens.  Inaishingi wasn’t going to be robbed of his special horse but he had fallen on the ground.      The final episode
of The Sword of Aramun sees the ascension of the reluctant Inaishingi to the
Arthdal throne, all with the help and prompting of Tanya, the kingmaker. Inaishingi made an
eloquent poltitical speech about promoting religious freedom and stamping out
racial discrimination and racism. He promised to unite the people despite
their diversity.
After his
near-death ordeal, Inaishingi walked to the front of the palace to give a
speech. As he took centrestage, all his warriors saluted him. The
Arthdal people were confused as their king had died and their queen had fled.      Inaishingi gave an impressive speech which would have far-reaching repercussions on the people.
First, Inaishingi announced that King Tagon, was dead. It seemed strange that some of them had still not realised that a dead Tagon was better than a live Tagon. He was an evil tyrant. Some were in mourning. Some were surprised. Many seemed worried that the Ago beasts would take over their kingdom.
With Tagon’s death, Inaishingi reassured them that he would end the war between Ago and Arthdal. It would be the end of death, destruction and tyranny that characterised Tagon’s rule. Peace would prevail in Arthdal.
The triumphant leader, who had already physically conquered Arthdal, had the weight of the Arth world on his shoulders.
The invader and conqueror was intelligent enough to proclaim that he, ‘would not take and Arthdal would not be taken away.’ What he actually meant by that statement was obscure. It was clever political talk to make people believe that he, Inaishingi was not a conqueror and Arthdal was not conquered. It was just a seamless transition from Tagon’s rule to his rule. From the rule of an Igutu leader to another Igutu ruler. Perhaps, he meant that he would not plunder, pillage the kingdom nor oppress the people. He would be a benevolent king.
Conquering the minds and hearts of the Arthdal people was the next important step. A subtle form of psychological warfare.
The people of Arthdal were all Sarams. How would they reconcile with the invaders who were savages and a mixture of disparate races and religions. and they would b
          Inaishingi was reminded of Tanya’s words, ‘Fear is the seed of hatred.’
The voice of Tanya, the High Priest, the reincarnation of Asa Sin, magically filled the air, ‘Abandon you fear.’ She, a god, called the civilians, ‘My People’ and urged them to remove the fear and hatred from their hearts. Her presence seemed to calm the people down.
A pale but regal Tanya appeared amidst the tumultuous crowd and walked among them, saying: ‘We destroyed everything we were afraid of. We hated everything we were afraid of. We looked down on everything we were afraid of. And we persecuted everything we were afraid of. We did so with the Neanthals, the Igutus, the Sarams of Iark, the Ago tribe and countless strangers. So for many years, tears made up a stream and blood flowed like a river.’
Though weak and weary from the effects of the poison, Tanya had laid the foundations for her argument.
But, it seemed Tanya had fought off sleep to do what she, the High Priest, had to do. She had to ask Inaishingi leading questions so that the people could be persuaded to accept him as their leader. Tanya assumed the role of a mediator, the in-between person, as symbolized by her position on the stairs. ‘Therefore Aramun came as an Igutu. Therefore, Asa Sin (Arthdal’s legendary Sacred Mother) went to Iark. Therefore, Airuju is going to entrust Arthdal to a stranger.'
    Then she turned to Inaishingi, a stranger in their land, ‘Let me ask you. Who are you?’ She nodded to encourage him to speak what he should to influence the Arthdal people to accept him as their king. Inaishingi was troubled by his new role in the new world they hoped to implement. But, he complied with her wishes as she was in a delicate situation. He laid out his credentials. Looking confidently at the sea of faces, he proclaimed, ‘I am the son of Ragaz, a warrior of Neanthal, and the son of Georukmihon of the Asa Clan of Arthdal. I’m Eun Seom of the Wahan Tribe of Iark. I’m Purple, an Igutu slave of Gitbadak, Doldambul. I’m the stranger who surivived the Judgement of the Waterfall, Inaishingi.’
Tanya then asked him, ‘Will you treat Arthdal and Ago equally, cherish them, look after them, and protect the Without hesitation, Inaishingi spoke, ‘Am I a Neanthal or of the Asa Clan? Am I a Wahan, an Ago, or an Igutu? Can I be distinguished? I will not distinguish anyone. I shall cherish, look after them and protect them. I promise.’   Tanya took a few steps up the stairs and asked him, ‘Do you promise not to take away any Arthdal faith, but make a world where anyone can believe in any god they want?
Then, Tanya took a step forwards and posed another question, ‘Will you build a future where everyone works towards making the world a better place? ‘I will build that future with all my heart,’ he responded firmly. He promised for all to hear. Faces lit up. Some were awed by the speech.
     It seemed like Tanya was trying to build up an election manifesto for Inaishingi, a savage warrior, who had no political experience. The next thing she did was the use of reverse psychology, a manipulative strategy, on the people of Arthdal. She was compelled to use it to influence the tense civilians and to achieve the outcome she desired. Tanya stepped up and stood beside him, turned to the audience and cleverly asked the people a strategic question. She did not ask whether they accepted him as their king but assumed that they had given their approval. What she asked them to do was different from her true intent. She wanted them to say yes to him being the ruler and they responded by doing exactly what she wanted them to do. Her persuasive strategy, an indirect approach to getting what she wanted, was effective. ‘Now, I ask you, the people of Arthdal. He has made his promise. If he does not keep his word, will you drag him down, chew on his flesh, and drink his blood?’ Inaishingi was shocked by the violence in her words. So was everyone. Tachukan looked incredulously at her. But, in the end, the people of Arthdal including enemies willingly accepted him.    The Great Gochiju
Rock is an intriguing symbol. It is
obviously a phallic symbol, a symbolic representation of the human penis. It
is an erect phallus with one hand holding it.
When you first see
it, you are shocked into silence. But the fact is in ancient times, even in
the East including Korea, phallic symbols - symbols of male domination,
power, political authority and also, fertility, are common features of
architecture. The worship of the
phallus is also prevalent as seen by the many worshippers on the beach where
the Great Gochiju Rock is located. 
In one segment of
the story, Taealha narrated the history of the Hae tribe to Saya against the
background of the great Gochiju Rock which rose like ominous pillar from the
sea. But what is even
more stunning is there are finger patterns on the Gochiju Rock. What is the
message conveyed by those who had created such a structure? Can we decode the
message? Is the crude structure disguised to eloquently narrate a story? The
finger patterns were also inscribed on the pendant given to Saya by the
Neanthals. The Neanthals were a rough, primitive race so their communcation
skills were, at best, rudimentary.  Near the Great Gochiju Rock was that statue of Aramun Haesulla seated on a rearing horse which was erected on a much smaller rock.
 The queen talked
about the poisons of her tribe including the mahasin poison used by her
grandfather to escape with his life.
Saya was convinced that Tagon could not trust anyone and would rapidly self-destruct. He slayed people and hated those who oppose him with every fibre of his being. If Arthdal was destroyed, his own power would collapse. It would be his own undoing. He asked her if
she was wavering in her plot against Tagon. No way. She was sad and might end
up crying like when she killed her father. She had not lost the resolve to
win this struggle against the king. Taealha’s fathter,
Tagon’s father whom Taealha and Tagon respectively killed and also, Tagon
himself were domineering male figures. It is without doubt that even the god,
Aramun Haesulla, is adominating figure. The phallic symbol represented them. The Great Gochiju Rock is a symbol of
their male domination, power, and political authority’ Taealha talked
about Mihol, her father and Tagon in the same breath. They were both brutal
male chauvinists and domineering tyrants who oppressed and took advantage of
the helpless women in their lives. Mihol, the ambitious hard-hearted head of
the Hae tribe, treated her like his chattel. He had not only compelled her to
spy on King Sanung, Tagon's despotic father, but also forced her to provide
Sanung with sexual favours. The tyrannical and ruthless Tagon also took
advantage of her before he turned against her. 
Taealha planned to
carry out the uprising on the night Gilseon embarked on the war. If she
didn’t destroy Tagon then, victory would stray further from their reach. But surprisingly,
she wanted the king captured alive.
  In Episode 6,
there is a scene that shows the sentiments of Robert Frost in his poem, The
Road Not Taken. The Ago Union warriors
under the command of Saya, who has impersonated Inashingi, the great Ago
leader, had been easily lured into a trap set by the Arthdal soldiers. He,
being the opposite of Inaishingi, had thrown caution to the wind.
Simple-minded and naïve in the tactics of war. Ambushed, the Ago
warriors were forced to escape hither and thither. The fled in different
directions in the woods. One group escaped to the right while the other, to
the left. Their paths had diverged. ‘Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.’ The Arthdal
soldiers were in hot pursuit. Saya tripped,
fell, rolled and ended at a big boulder. His mask fell, revealing a face
which was full of fear. In this final
sequence, the season had changed. The fallen leaves on the ground had turned
orange and yellow with Autumn colours. The wood or forest is ‘yellow’. Again, in The
Sword of Aramun, Inashingi, the Ago Union twin is juxtaposed with Saya, his
Arthdal twin. But it is ironic that both men were wearing the military
uniforms of their enemy.
 Two of the Arthdal soldiers had followed Saya. When one of them lifted his helmet and turned ever so slowly and sensuously, the beautiful haunting music seemed to float in sync with his body movement. It was Inashingi. The other was Dalsae. One twin had a commanding presence. Charismatic and imbued with an aura of confidence, he was perfectly aware of his mission in life. The other, was a clueless vagabond.
The tall commanding figure was that of Inaishingi. The younger twin had a slight look of condescension and pity. The two identical twin brothers were worlds apart. The triumphant Eun Seom seemed to have sighed. He must have fretted over his clueless elder brother. But, the seasoned and wise warrior understood the heart and soul of Saya, his misunderstood older brother. The face of the elder twin was amazingly telling; it was plastered with a stunned, pathetic, defeated expression. Trapped, he was convinced his world has collapsed like a house of cards Though no rocket science is required to find the perfect autumn floor full of leaves, the duo send an interesting message through that autumn scene.
   In Robert Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken, Autumn symbolises change, maturity and reconnection.
He tells us that ‘two roads diverged’ and he could not travel both. This speaks of wisdom in making choices and decisions. At the end of the poem, Robert Frost says he made his choice.
inaishingi and Saya, the twin brothers reconnect in this scene.
   By this time, Saya, the imposter who had impersonated Inaishingi, has supposedly ‘matured’ after his varied experiences in the Ago Union camp. Saya was at the crossroads of his life. He made his choice. ‘Let’s form an alliance.’ His decision to collaborate with his twin brother will make all the difference. There will be change when the brothers unite to fulfill the prophesy of the oracle. Tagon will be defeated and dealt the death blow while Inaishingi-Aramun will ascend the Arthdal throne. Saya’s destiny would be changed foever. He had ‘made all the difference.’
 
                                 
The music is beautiful. Among the
beautiful OSTs, The Chosen One, is most superb.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AH4zXP3umxY&ab_channel=Forestella-Topic
The more one
listens to The Chosen One, the more amazing and intoxicating
it becomes. It fits the epic character, the majesty and the grandeur of the
television series and the magnificence of the fantasy. The passion in the
voice is obvious and the music is hauntingly beautiful and unforgetable. The Sword of Aramun, a Masterpiece tvN television series, is a grounbreaking drama. it is the best in television not only in 2023 and 2024 but also not paralled anywhere or anytime. Like its leading actor, Lee Joon Gi, it is in a league of its own.
The Sword of Aramun, TVN’s landmark High Fantasy war television series, one against which others have to measure themselves, is a work of art which viewers, fans and scholars alike can view with profit and pleasure. It is the best in television. The Dream Team comprising the maverick Director Kim Kwang Sik, Choi Chan Ming, the genius Director of Photography / Cinematographer, and the talented Martial Arts Choreographers (with the help of the rest of the production crew) have revolutionized the art of television series-making of the High Fantasy-Action-War drama. The series will stand as a model for those genres. But the success of the show would not have been possible without Kim Young Hyun and Park Sang Yeon, the screenwriters, the compelling and sterling Lee Joon Gi who plays the dual roles of the twins, Inashingi and Saya, whose perfomance has made the audience hunger for more episodes, and other cast members who have contributed to the exciting drama.
 
 https://www.soompi.com/article/1638933wpp/30-action-thriller-dramas-of-2023-k-drama-masterlist
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