THE SWORD
OF
ARAMUN
EPISODE 6
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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Episode 6 has given us reason to shower praises on The Sword of Aramun Dream Team whom the global audience admire immensely. Lee Joon Gi’s awe-inspiring acting performance, an important part of the amazing
versatility of the multihyphenate, is world-class. It makes itself felt in this
episode. Lee Joon Gi, the central figure in The Sword of Aramoon, as always,
flaunts his formidable talents, powerful personal charisma and irresistible
charm in his dual roles of the polar opposites, Inashingi Eun Seom and Saya. Lee is a genius in his performance in The Sword of Aramun.
Lee Joon Gi's impressive and touching scenes in The Sword of Aramun make it impossible for the
global audience not to claim for him the title of The Greatest South
Korean Actor. It is too often forgotten by those who fail to give him the top
awards that Lee Joon Gi can never be banished from the minds of global Kdrama
lovers. No other actor has greater talents and influence in the South Korean showbusiness world. But, we know that the television series, The Sword of Aramun, is a collective art. It has allowed individual genius to flourish. The talented and creative screenwriting duo, Kim Young Hyun and Park Sang Yeon, are geniuses who should be credited for their unique High Fantasy story, The Sword of Aramun. In Episode 6, the audience is drawn to the clever dialogues particularly, the one between Saya (Lee Joon Gi) and Ipsaeng (Lee Hae Woon). The series so far illuminates the genius of Director Kim Kwang Sik, Cinematographer Choi Chan Ming and Lighting Director, You Seok Moon. They must be lauded for the many beautiful scenes, some of which seem to look like paintings, and the storytelling which includes the confrontation between Saya and Ipsaeng, Tanya’s (Shin Sae Kyeong) revolutionary proclamation, and the touching ending sequence involving Eun Seom and Saya. It seems through their work, they want to explore the good and dark sides of the human soul, doubts and despair. One suspects that the trio want us to watch certain scenes repeatedly until we have ingested every image. The wardrobe department should also be praised for their creativity in producing the authentic-looking but aesthetically lovely clothes for the fantasy television series.
The makeup team has done a fabulous job of producing such a sensual look for Saya in this episode.
We ought not to forget the wonderful music that is played in sync with
the touching scene at the end.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTSONU9Xesk&ab_channel=kDramaFullOST Much as one wants to shower praises on the other members of the cast and crew, one has to refrain from doing so - as the list would be too long. BLOODSHED IN THE PALACE
Three medical assistants had been found dead in Tagon’s room. The king, in his paranoia, had run amok and had killed them because he thought they had seen his purple blood. (The image of the three dead bodies looks like a painting.)
Shocked, Taealha lovingly and patiently explained that their
attempt to save Arok in Ttesarichon was not a dream. Ever since Tanya’s public
declaration on the sacredness of the purple blood, there is no reason for him to hide his
Igutu identity anymore. But Tagon, in his own hallucinationary bubble, had been seeing Sanung,
his father whom he killed 10 years before. Now that his mind was fragile, his
past evil actions, like monsters, have returned to haunt him. AN IMPOSTER IN THEIR MIDST The Ago Union search team were overjoyed to have finally
tracked down whom they thought was their leader, Eun Seom. They were ignorant
of the existence of his identical twins. Saya’s life changed in the balance.
Caught in a precarious situation, he could not but go with the flow.
It was no exaggeration that wily Arthdal general adapted
quickly to his changed situation and slipped easily into the charade. The
imposter went happily along, confident in the mistaken belief that his stolen
identity was safe from the unsuspecting people. But, Chaeeun was uneasy with
his pretence, knowing full well, his cover would soon be exposed. TREATMENT FOR THE KING
Taealha was displeased with the chief physician for having used
too much toxic herbs on Tagon. A fair amount of herbs was medicine but too
much of a good thing became toxic. The substances used in the treatment of
his wound included hazelnut roots, mistletoe, and fly agaric. A bigger dose
of the last item, a poisonous mushroom, caused his hallucinations. THE INTERROGATION OF THE QUEEN The queen was kept busy trying to solve endless problems. Her
anxieties about the threats to her power coiled themselves round her mind. Suspicious
of Tanya, the High Priest, she visited her in the Great Shrine.
Taealha questioned her about Saya’s mysterious twin brother. Tanya,
avoiding the issue, calmly brought up the subject of her special psychic
abilities; she was able to hear other people’s thoughts unless they
intentionally blocked her. To the queen’s astonishment, she correctly read her
thoughts. Her advice to the power-hungry Taealha was, ‘If you don’t grab
it, it is not yours in the end.’
What the queen was more worried about was Tanya had another Aramun
in mind. Saya, and his twin, have Igutu blood as well. The shrewd Tanya cleverly
used words that half revealed and half concealed. She implied that power
belonged to whoever grabbed it.
HALLUCINATIONS  When Tagon woke up, he was drawn to the noise below his palace window. He hallucinated. He saw opposing images of people venerating him and people laughing at him.
The stress of seeing his dead father exhausted him. His father spoke of the murders that he had committed and emphasized, 'That is your real self that had not changed once.'
Nunbyeol
was the only maid who was unafraid of attending to Tagon's needs. THE START OF A POLITICAL, RELIGIOUS AND SOCIAL REVOLUTION BY THE HIGH PRIEST
Yangcha had returned to report on Eun Seom’s instructions. After
Tanya was informed of Eun Seom’s wishes, the first order of business was to
look at The Sword of Aramoon which was lodged in the zelkova tree. Yangcha, worried
about Tanya’s safety, warned her about the danger if people knew Eun Seom
Inaishingi was the owner of the sword.
What draws one’s attention was the response of the High Priest. Tanya, foxily smiled. Gazing at him with smiling eyes, she mocked him that none would know if he didn’t reveal the secret. No one would have to pay if there was no indiscretion on his part.
The High Priest, whose brain was a
sharp as a knife and shrewd, turned to ponder happily at the sword that had
been embedded in the stump of the tree.
With pomp and ceremony, Tanya, with her procession of believers,
brought the whole tree stump back to Arthdal. The population were
shocked at the appearance of the sword; the oracle was true after all. The
tree stump, now a holy and hallowed piece of evidence, was brought into the
great Shrine in the cave.
Tanya, a wily old fox, had carefully orchestrated the blueprint
for change. Her every move had been stealthy, wily and slick. There seems to
be a vein of iron inside her moral frame. After Aramun Haesulla’s tomb had
been found, she had declared that Igutu blood was sacred. Eun Seom’s actions
had run in tandem with those of Tanya’s when he was imbued with great power
at the zelkova tree spot. He was determined then that the iron sword given to him
would be The Sword of Aramun.
The High Priest did not have to enforce her beliefs on her
followers. Being naïve, trusting and pure of mind, they easily accepted what
she said. Confused about their mission, they asked for an explanation. 'Their
god had given the believers chaos, not an answer.' It was up to them to find
answers within the disorder they were in.
Tanya, a master of manipulation, cleverly led them like sheep
to the answer. ‘What kind of god was Aramun Haesulla, the son of Airuju?’
she asked.
‘God of War’. ‘God of Victory and Unification’. And, Aramun Haesulla was
an Igutu and a stranger.
All these fitted Eun Seom like a glove. He was from Iark, a
stranger to Arthdal. His reputation, gigantic in proportions, as an
invincible leader in wars, preceeded him. He, Inaishingi was a god war and unification. Most importantly, Eun Seom was an
Igutu with purple blood. PREACHING CHANGE LIKE A SHIFT OF WIND It was a rare moment of candour. Tanya was all geared up to
start a revolution of sorts. When she preached, she did not delicately hint
but directly and boldly got to the point of her earth-shaking political, religious
and social convictions: ‘For a long time Igutus were despised and looked down upon, and all strangers were oppressed and ostracized in Arthdal.’ Tanya, finally proclaimed, ‘I, the reincarnation of Asa Sin, High Priest Tanya speak of Airuju’s will in the Month of The Wolf of the Year
of The Hungry Snake that the Sword of Aramun appeared. Follow those who have
been despised the most and have the lowest place. Embrace those you rejected
the most, those you are most unfamiliar with. If you do so, you will hear Asa
Sin’s voice in your mind when you least expect it.’ The worshippers, like sheep, reponded enthusiastically. They chanted
their mantra in unison. ‘Embrace The Stranger!’ ‘Embrace The Stranger!’ ‘Embrace The
Stranger!’
Chanting the mantra enough times, who knows it may come true,
and everything would fall perfectly into place.  Tanya, having started a revolution to bring the oracle to
fruition, hoped ferevently that Eun Seom would win the upcoming war. Inaishingi Eun
Seom. Aramun Haesulla. THE FAKE INAISHINGI
In the midst of Ago Union chiefs’ discussions concerning
Inaishingi’s disappearance, someone happily announced the return of
Inaishingi. None except Chaeeun, knew the truth about the twin brother who
has replaced their missing leader. Understanding the rules of survival, Saya
refused to come clean. He was, in fact, unabashedly confident of tricking
everyone. It was survival of the fittest. Saya had another option, a mystery, when he made the instant decision to slip into the role of Inaishingi. If Chaeeun thought that he wanted to have a field day playing his younger twin, she was wrong. It wouldn’t be fun. Saya made a great impression. With his back erect and his black
mane billowing in the breeze, he made a grand entrance on the back of a
borrowed horse on a borrowed name to the cheers of the relieved crowd.
Startled by the warm welcome of the Ago people, the aloof and
emotionally-detached man advanced with uncertainty towards the smiling faces
of the men, women and children. Saya’s beautiful Phoenix eyes looked a bit confused as he had never before faced the sincerity and genuine warmth of a crowd. He had grown up alone in the coldness of the Fortress of Fire. Confined to his room, the young boy had not met many people and as a young man, he seldom interacted with outsiders. He only had a huge body of literature – documents and texts for company.
It was hard for the dispassionate Saya to reconcile his
feelings with the sudden outpouring of love and respect from the people. His
twin brother’s personal bond with his people was tremendous. When Myonita
rushed forward to hug the insecure Saya, a strange warm emotion must have surged in the heart of the cold,
frigid and frosty man but his demeanour remained unchanged.
Buksoe, a Wahan, was elated to have met his friend again. He was genuinely joyful that Eun Seom had become Inaishingi. Hae Kkadak, from the Hae tribe of Gyeokmulsa, was curious about Inaishingi who was called Ikomahis.
He wanted a meeting to be set up to meet the man in question.
Shown the ramshackle living quarters of Eun Seom, Saya studied Eun Seom’s strange belongings placed around the shack. The light and darkness of the shack is interesting.
One fact that stunned Saya was that the people lived peacefully with Igutus. The latter were not marginalised, shunned or hated. The eastern culture of Ago was normal unlike that of Arthdal, the region in the west. It was a world that the cloistered Saya had never imagined.  THE FOXY TALE OF HIS DISAPPEARANCE
The most pressing issue was Saya was ignorant of the names of
the important chiefs and elders of the Ago Union. Given his arrogance, Chaeeun
was worried he would be caught red-handed in his imposter status. He should
understand that he was in the belly of the beast of the Ago military camp. If
he was not careful, he would be hauled through the coals. But the Arthdal
general, a wily and clever strategist, knew and was prepared for the dangers
ahead of him. Concorting an interesting, jaw-droppingly life-and-death tale about him being trapped in Arthdal, he attributed his survival to the help of Chaeeun. Staring defiantly with piercing eyes at Chaeeun, Saya declared, ‘I,
Eun Seom, the Reincarnation of Inashingi, express my gratitude to you. You are the saviour
of the Ago Union.’
The wily gaze of his eyes challenged her to defy him. It was a
power gaze. The smirk and nonchalance did not leave his face. The young lady
couldn’t and wouldn’t speak up. She was after all a party to such a great lie
from the very beginning.
Turning with a sly glance at the chiefs and implying that he
was an irreplaceable leader, he demanded that they also thank her for saving
him. Through this wily party trick, the sharp-witted Arthdal general got to
know the names and backgrounds of each of the leaders of the Ago coalition.
THE EQUINE DISEASE  The Ago Union leaders were fearful of the strange disease that had afflicted their horses. The questions posed: Will the disease spread from
beasts to humans? Was this the curse of the Arth gods? Saya studied the situation. His serious demeanour speak of his real concern for the horses. Only the horses of Ago fell sick. Those fine horses, which were war trophies that had been lured away by Kanmoreu from the recent hostilities with Arthdal, did not.
Chaeeun divulged to Saya that it was the Chilja disease, an epidemic among horses. She knew because her father, Harim, a medicine man, had spread the disease to the Neanthals on the Red Night of Atturad during The Great Hunt.
Sarams did not get sick, only the Neanthals and their horses. It was a secret weapon only privy to her family. There was no antidote.
Why were the horses from Arthdal not affected? Some horses were
affected but after sometime, it wouldn’t affect them.
It was weird that Saya seemed to be interested in the welfare of the horses and wanted to solve the epidemic problem. Was Saya really going to continue impersonating Inaishingi? Saya proclaimed that the sickness was not the curse of the gods but concluded that a spy or yeomari hiding among the Ago Union had caused it. ‘I, Inaishingi will catch the spy and hold them accountable.’
The Arthdal genera was pleased with himself for his clever words. He disclosed to Chaeeun that the name of the yeomari was Red Claw. (Saya and Chaeeun make the picturesque rural scene even more beautiful)
 Whether they caught the spy or not was not important, he had something to gain from the seeds of doubt that he had planted among the members of the union, which might splinter. Divide and rule. Staring deeply into her eyes, he stressed he was doing it to survive. As a defeated general, it was impossible for him to return to Arthdal. Eun Seom had taken his place in Arthdal, so, he saw no reason not to replace him in the east.
He confided that he had another option but he did not disclose his secret. SAYA, THE MACHIAVELLIAN AND IPSAENG, THE COUNTRY BUMPKIN IN THE VERBAL BOXING RING
Chaeeun was worried that Saya’s attempt to replace his brother
risked exposure. Someone would surely ferret him out. Sure enough, Ipsaeng,
who had suddenly returned, was surprised to be told by Badoru that Inaishingi
had already returned. Machiavelli comes to mind in the confrontation between Saya portrayed by Lee Joon
Gi and Ipsaeng played by Lee Hae Woon. The scene gives the beguiling
illusion that the Machiavellian Arthdal general was a puppeteer who was holding the naive Ago country bumpkin on a string. It was an
impressive spectacle to behold.
When Saya returned to Eun Seom’s shack, the courageous Ipsaeng
was already waiting for him. There was a moment of surprise on Ipsaeng’s
face. Saya, who could sense his antagonism, didn’t have to deny his real
identity.
Studying the unknown man as he walked slowly towards him, Saya’s expression was cautious. He knew the man could differentiate him from Eun Seom as they had worked closely together. Saya’s face, unlike that of Eun Seom’s, was aloof; his eyes lacked the genuine warmth of his brother’s eyes. Eun Seom, who was venerated and loved, was an inspiration to all the union leaders. During his whole life, he neglected no opportunity of protecting those he loved and those around him; he subordinated his personal interests to those of the union. Neither did he shrink from responsibility nor danger. Ipsaeng was incensed. His leader had now been blatantly replaced
by a self-interested ursurper who was deliberately misleading the Ago Union. Inaishingi
was not a title indiscriminately bestowed on someone. It was a unique title
blessed by the gods. Eun Seom’s great image of political wisdom, great
influence and war ability was now being tainted by the likes of a
doppleganger or benetbot. A war of words ensued. The intelligent Saya, showed his true
colours, his inner dark side. Cunning. Scheming. Unscrupulous. Calculating. Manipulative.
Someone to be feared. A Machiavellian. Ipsaeng’s face was an open exhibition of his thoughts; he knew straightaway
the imposter was not Eun Seom. Smoke was coming out of his ears. He was
ignorant of the dangers of challenging a man well versed in the strategies of
war. It was ill-advised to lock horns with the Arthdal general whose intensive
and extensive knowledge of war and conflicts greatly surpassed his own. Most
would avoid a direct confrontation with Saya. Despite knowing his cover was exposed, Saya’s body language
demonstrated that he was at ease in the threatening and tense situation.
Rearing his head like a cobra, he hoped to hypnotise his nemesis. He stated playfully, ‘You know.’ Before spitting verbal venom into Ipsaeng’s face, he leaned his
head to one side, trying to size up and fathom the other man. One can imagine
that Ipsaeng would have rolled his eyes around his head in circles, if he
could.  Having a high level of agility, Saya seemed to dance around the other man, intending to attack him from different angles. It was just the preliminaries before he pounced on him like a cobra. He
‘How did you know?’ he smiled slyly as if goading the other man to show his weakness. ‘No one else did.’  The harassed man immediately whipped out his sword and pointed
it at him. ‘Those who didn’t know Eun Seom had a benetbeot would be deceived’, Ipsaeng barked, indicating that he already knew about the twins. He seemed like a tough customer for Saya to handle.
‘How interesting! That could be true.' Lowering his head to stare unflinching at Ipsaeng who was no match for his wiliness, he teased, ‘Did you meet him?’ His eyes were full of mirth. Saya had this amusing way of toying with Ipsaeng, a naïve country bumpkin compared to the slick and sophisticated ways.
Ipsaeng was shocked that the audacious imposter was not shivering in his boots but the aggressive warrior was not about to back off. He stood his ground. ‘The General of Arthdal dares to come here – you’ll be torn into three pieces, and your head will be mounted!’
Saya’s body twisted like a cobra as he swayed from side to side; he was showing signs that he was about to cannibalise his victim. Moving in for the kill, he suddenly straightened up, moved forwards, and spat out, ‘Then the Ago Union will be torn to pieces! The Inaishingi who returned is fake!’  Saya, a manipulative and cunning general had hit bullseye. His intense stare pierced into Ipsaeng’s eyes as he continued to move his body. There is liitle room for error in the wording of his words so he rephrased his threatening and terrifying words, ‘No. the real Inaishingi is missing!’ Saya sneeringly asked whether they would believe him, if he were to shout, ‘He is a fake, he is the benetbeot of Inaishingi. He is the general of Arthdal.’ Then, do it.   By now, Ipsaeng was reduced to a terror-stricken victim but his trembling hand was still pointing his sword at Saya. Saya knew exactly what his next move would be. A Machiavellian, Saya was a master at deceit and manipulation. He was ruthless. Grabbing hold of Ipsaeng’s sword, he held it against his neck and made a cut. Blood flowed in rivulets down his neck. A devilish expression crept up his face before he screamed for Tachukan.     When Tachukan rushed in, Saya, wrapping his hand on his self-inflicted wound, pretended to back away. Ipsaeng was immediately subdued and tied up but he continued to spout his accusations that Saya was a fake. His friends thought he had gone mad. It was staggering to Ipsaeng that everyone believed he was spouting nonsense.
 Saya interjected, ‘Are you Arthdal’s yeomari?’ The spy. The dejected man wasn’t inventive. The only curse word he could think of was ‘bastard’. He had used it many times in the course of the conflict -one too many. ‘You bastard! He might be right, he could be wrong. Did Saya’s father marry his mother? It was difficult to tell since marriage ceremonies were non-existent then.
 Saya pointedly accused Ipsaeng of attacking him. Discredited, Ipsaeng couldn’t defend himself except to shout wildly that Dalsae was with the real Inaishingi.
When Saya challenged him, he became a little more creative, ‘You lunatic!’
 The way Ipsaeng tried to persuade his compatriots to believe him was hilarious.
‘He is Inaishingi’s benetbeot!’ He, wailing and howling helplessly, admonished them for being so foolish as to be so easily deceived. Angered, Tachukan slammed the poor fellow’s face.  (The image of a cool, calm and collected Saya and a frustrated, waspish and edgy Ipsaeng held down by his angry friends is an interesting artistic composition. And yes, it does also look like a painting.
Ipsaeng’s face suddenly lit up; he thought of an idea to trap Saya. If Saya was Inaishingi, he would know who was their friend who died in Gitbadak, Doldambul.
All eyes were on Saya. Fortune must have smiled on him. His conversation with Eun Seom about Sateunik came to mind. Sateunik. Badoru confimed that the fact was correct. Ipsaeng’s face was
full of incredulity; he was outsmarted by the stranger in their midst. He was soundly defeated. Saya made no attempt to conceal his pity for the helpless victim. The incident had almost spiralled out of control. The brute's pity soon turned into a smirk of triumph; his quick wit and inventiveness had saved the day.
If it had not been for the seriousness of the situation, the entertaining scene
would seem quite hilarious spectacle. THE THREAT OF IRON SWORDS
Eun Seom and Dalsae, who were on their journey back to the east, were discussing the combined role of Inaishingi and Aramoon Haesulla in the fight against Tagon.
Dalsae was convinced that if
the Ago Union and Arthdal Union were to follow him, they need not fight. There would not be unnecessary bloodshed.
But Eun Seom was glum. He was disheartened by the threat posed
by Arthdal; Yeolson had been mass producing iron swords which will make
Arthdal invincible. The future wasn’t bright for the Ago Union. It pained him to think that he might be defeated by Arthdal in the end. A bleak future indeed. BICHWISAN Queen Taealha managed to trace Dunji, the other man who had helped Eun Seom to escape. He was asked about Saya’s twin brother and was threatened that he would be poisoned with bichwisan, a poison from the Hae tribe, if he did not give her the information she wanted.
In the end, succumbing to the threat on his life, he divulged that Eun Seom, the other twin, was from the Wahan tribe. THE CAUSE OF THE EQUINE
SICKNESS   Chaeeun discovered the blue moss bug which caused the illness
of the horses. She told Mirusol that the bug stuck to bats, birds and horses
which spread the disease.
THE BIJARAM HUT
Ipsaeng managed to persuade Badoru to meet Inaishingi at the Bijaram Hut. Though it was a tall
order, he conceded. Eun Seom had conducted some negotiations with Shoreujagin about
some help he needed from him.
Badoru infomed Eun Seom of the complicated situation back home. THE MISSION OF TAGON TO DESTROY THE CHILDREN OF PROPHECY THE SWORD, THE MIRROR AND
THE BELL
Tagon, walking barefoot, had appeared at the Great Shrine. After revealing that he knew about the The Sword, The Mirror and The Bell, and the oracle about the zelkova tree, he left. The king arrived late to the meeting at the Great Hall. The ministers were shocked at the king’s unkempt appearance. To the horror of everyone who was assembled, he announced: ‘I, Tagon, Arthdal’s king, Airuju’s son and the Reincarnation of Aramoon, command you. Apprehend everyman born in the Year of The Singing Wolf in Arthdal. If they resist. Kill them immediately regardless of their status.’ Despite the protests of those present, he ignored them. When Chojaha, his most trusted adviser, pleaded with him not to execute such a drastic and dangerous policy, his ear was unceremoniously sliced off.
When Tanya heard of the terrifying news, she understood that Tagon wanted the three of them, Eun Seom, Saya and her dead. The prophecy was
the three of them who were born on the Night of The Azure Comet would end the
world. Tagon would die and Taealha would fall into a deep abyss, as predicted
by Asa Sakan. THE RIFT BETWEEN THE KING AND
THE QUEEN When Taealha confronted Tagon over the prophecy of Asa Sakan, he revealed his true feelings. The king had fully recovered from his illness. It seemed that he had an axe to grind. Their love-hate relationship was ending and his hatred had come to the fore. The king’s disaffection with the
queen stemed from the fact that she had hidden the prophecy from him.
Taealha explained that she wanted to protect him from what she
believed was pure nonsense. The highly disturbed king thought otherwise. Her
explanation struck him as utterly unconvincing. She, a calculating woman,
wanted to use the prophesy on him when she found it convenient to do so. He bristled with contempt when he accused her of toying with his
feelings. Painting his queen as a scheming evil witch, he cited a litany of
nasty accusations against her. He made it crystal-clear that her love for him,
a titanic hypocrisy, was fake all along. He seriously doubted she was ever on
his side in the life they shared together. She protested that she wasn’t like that. When she was younger,
she truly and sincerely fell in love with him but he contemptuous of her. Arguing that she had influenced him to kill his father, he
predicted that in the end she, a callous woman, would do the same to him and
their son, Arok. Her goal was to manipulate and kill for power. That was a
real face. Stunned by his slanderous remarks, her tears fell and her heart
withered in her. For a woman who had loved the king truly and passionately,
the king’s harsh words were a tight verbal slap on her face and a bitter pill
for her to swallow. There wasn’t a hint of love or warmth in his cold,
detached voice. It was as if her world had collapsed and her heart had
splintered into a thousand pieces. It was a life changing moment for her. She knew it was the
turning point in their relationship which was beyond repair. Since there was no going back, she had
to stop playing defence and go on the offensive. A DAGGER APPEARS
Someone threw a dagger into the prison-hut in which Ipsaeng was imprisoned. Cutting himself free, he headed straight to kill Saya. As they
struggled for the crescent-shaped dagger, Ipsaeng was shocked to see the
purple glow in Saya’s eyes. When Saya called for help, Myonita, who happened to come
running to the rescue, threw herself in front of him. Ipsaeng accidentally thrust
the dagger into the chest. A SUBTLE CHANGE IN SAYA Saya, the perceptive observer, had been able, within a few days, to examine and understand the life of his younger brother. Apparently, his younger brother had clout in Ago. Saya had seen the power and influence Eun Seom had exerted on the Ago Union, even in his absence. Everyone demonstrated their love, loyalty and respect to him. The question was, how did he, a bogus leader, fit into the big shoes of his younger brother?
Chaeeun immedistely realised that Saya had a heart and soul after all. Worried about Myonita, his eyes brimmed with tears.
 Saya realised that the Ago people gave their lives
unconditionally to their cause. That realization had broken down the cold
barriers in his heart. His voice was heavy with emotion when he learned that
Inaishingi had people in the palm of his hands. They acted for him
unconditionally and that stemed from their love, trust and belief in him. He
choked back his tears. QUAGMIRE
The leaders convened to discuss a very important issue. A report had come in that the Arthdal soldiers
would be moving their supplies, mostly weapons – bows, arrows and bronze
swords, from the Hanta Dock to the forest. Suhana, the Arthdal spy, encouraged them to act quickly. Saya,
wanting to be useful, indicated that he would head the mission to intercept the waeapons, much to the
astonishment of everyone.  The false information was of course a trap that the Ago warriors were not
aware of. If their leader had been Eun Seom, the group would not have thrown caution to the
winds; Eun Seom would have a backup plan. UNMASKING THE FAKE IAISHINGI Badoru finally realised the truth about the imposter. Eun Seom instructed him to lure Saya to him in a confrontation he has planned. He wanted to spring a surprise on his older brother who had dared to impersonate him. To coordinate their plan, the whistle arrow was to be the signal.
A BEAUTIFUL MOMENT TWO SOULS ARE CONTRASTED Sure enough, the Ago Union warriors had been lured into a trap. Ambushed, they were forced to escape. The Ago warriors fled in different directions in the woods. One group escaped to the right while the other, to the left. Their paths had diverged. 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.
At that exciting moment, the Arthdal soldiers lurged forward to attack him. To his surpise, it seemed that some of the Arthdal
soldiers were killed by 2 of their own kind.  Again, in The Sword of Aramun, Eun Seom, the Ago Union twin is juxtaposed
with Saya, his Arthdal Union twin. But it is ironic that both men were wearing the military uniforms of their enemy.
In this final sequence of Episode 6, the season had changed. The fallen leaves on the ground had turned orange and yellow with autumn colours. The two Arthdal soldiers who had killed their own men did not face 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. 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.
That beautiful, awesome moment
is wonderfully staged. It is a moving experience for the audience.
The tall commanding figure was that of Eun Seom. 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 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.
That moment of the reunion of the twins, the legendary
Inaishingi and the vulnerable Arthdal general, was indeed a deeply touching moment.
This ending scene reminds us of Robert Frost's poem, The Road Not Taken.
  The ‘yellow wood’ in the poem’s opening line tells us that it is Autumn. 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, he says
he made his choice
The last sequence, in Episode 6, tells us that it is Autumn.
We see the path which diverged, one to the right and the
other to the left. Two groups of pursuing Arthdal soldiers
followed the fleeing Ago Union warriors who split into two during the chase.
Eun Seom and Saya, the twin brothers reconnect in this scene. By this time, Saya has supposedly ‘matured’ after his varied experiences in the Ago Union camp. Saya was at the crossroads of his life; his decision will make all the difference. There will be change when the brothers unite to fulfill the prophesy of the oracle. But, did Saya have to be pushed into that direction?
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