Queen Seon Deok, Episode 37 with a couple of surprises

So, going into Episode 37 when Episode 36 had ended with Yu Shin's decision to enter Mishil's family with a marriage to save the Kaya people, I thought that certainly Episode 37 would be woefully filled with scenes of Deokman crying her eyes out and a grand marriage ceremony. Boy, was I wrong! (Yes, there are scenes of Deokman crying with a particularly good scene when Jukbong and Godo give Deokman a wooden carved doll of a Man of the West from China. The doll looks just like Cartan Ahjussi! So, Seowha holds the doll and talks with Deokman, mimicking Cartan Ahjussi's voice.)

As with so many episodes of Queen Seon Deok, the plot moves rapidly with little slowdown for romance or sentimentality. The marriage between Yu Shin and the girl from Mishil's family takes place in less than 5 minutes. Instead, the real action of this episode has to do with Bidam and Munno.



In Episode 36, Bidam overheard Munno talking with a man in a room inside the gambling house; Munno said that he planned to give the books to Yu Shin. As we learned in earlier episodes, the books contain maps and information about the two other kingdoms. Munno wrote the books to help the right person unify all three kingdoms. Now, after hearing Yu Shin say that he will go into Mishil's family to save the Kaya people, Munno has decided that the books should be given to Yu Shin.

Bidam confronts Munno outside a temple where Munno will complete the books. Bidam justifies murdering the bandit community as a child by saying that he had been told by Munno that the books were important, that he believed the books must be protected at all costs and that he only wanted Munno's approval. Munno replies that Bidam is right; that the murders for the sake of getting approval showed Bidam's true heart.

Munno finishes the books and is walking with the books when Bidam again confronts him. The two have a sword fight...when Munno is struck down with poisoned darts! Bidam puts his master on his back and starts running away, leaving the books behind. And here, we have a true formulaic in every Korean drama: no one is allowed to die without the heart-wringing last words. Munno asks Bidam why he carried his master and left the books behind. Then, Munno says he was wrong to not know Bidam better, to not see his real heart. He instructs Bidam to return to Seoralbol, become a Hwarang and help Yu Shin and Princess Deokman unify the kingdoms.

Near the end of the episode, Prince Chun Chu shows up in the most surprising manner. Bidam goes to find the books left behind when Munno died. He confronts the owner of the gambling house who says he will show Bidam where the books are. As the gambling house owner and Bidam get closer to the room with the books, Bidam sees little origami balls on the paper. Prince Chun Chu has been making origami with pages from the book!

I can't wait to see the next episode!