Vagabond Episode 14: A Battle In Dirty Politics

Jessica is arrested but it doesn't seem over. It's probably too good to be true that she's the real antagonist for this reason - she can't get away with what she did for some time if it wasn't for political backing! A lot of new stuff is about to emerge and some old faces. Then there's the mysterious Samael - a nickname for a hidden person. I'm even wondering how will this end? Will the cast decide to break the fourth wall eventually because of that intro scene way back in the first episode? 

Right now, a lot of people died in the operations in Morocco. It can't blamed to what really happened. I have to admit, Suzy Bae's crying here is rather not cartoony. I was expecting her to go, "WAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" or just make that rather forced crying Maaya Uchida had in Akibaranger's final episode. I'd like to pretend that the memorial here had the pictures of the Akibarangers after they collided into the sun. Nope, it's all for those people who perished during the event of the whole series.

There's some weird development if you ask me. Is Jessica a liar or is she not the only villain the show has? Granted, she seduced the Secretary of Defense and used some strippers to control the men. She would later meet Hae Ri and calmly admit that she didn't do the crash. If not her then who did? Maybe, she was just a puppet of someone called Samael and she made a transaction with that said person. What makes me amazed is why would she even provide a video of something that was deleted. I do feel she's taking revenge after she's dumped out or what? Maybe, she's planning to drag whoever the big villain in the show is with her in jail. She's in jail but someone else is running the show! Jessica also reveals Michael had a Japanese girlfriend. With that, it seems to suggest that Micki (or maybe it's spelled as Miki) might be that Japanese sugar baby of his. Jessica leaking out that video is probably in retaliation because she was probably betrayed by her higher-ups. I wouldn't be surprised if Jessica will finally confess in court as an act of revenge too.

The latest twist is that Jerome is still alive. Maybe, that's why the gunshot done at him was not shown initially. It turns out to be a warning shot and maybe he's too valuable to die. Maybe, we can get a huge WTF plot twist with Hae Ri being the target. Maybe, that wasn't Hae Ri but does she have an evil twin? Jerome seems to be taking orders from someone named Samael. Who is Samael? Whoever the person is must be a big shot in politics. Then there's also Prime Minister Hong revealing a sudden bomb. It's too good to be true! For a bullheaded idiot - Dal Gun sure has every right to be suspicious. It does look like that the prime minister may be truly the one called Samael who is now deposing of his allies. The prime minister is very shady indeed. I think the president doesn't know anything of Jessica's true colors. Now with Jessica conveniently in jail - Prime Minister Hong is now keen on getting rid of the president ASAP. Shadow was also forced to leak confidential documents too. The same Shadow was set up to die, got into a coma, but he later awakens. Prime Minister Hong though doesn't seem to be too interesting a villain at all for me. Talk about Dick Jones in Robocop and Louis Strack Jr. in Darkman - main villains that I felt weren't as interesting as their mob boss sidekicks Boddicker and Durant.

Do you remember that reporter from episode 4? It turns out that Dal Gun was probably not hallucinating. Why would the reporter fake his death then? Prime Minister Hong hands over some money to that said person. What interests me is that both Hae Ri and Dal Gun visit the employment agency. They find out that the person died some time ago and not by murder! There's a different Jo and not the same person we see with Prime Minister Hong. What is Prime Minister Hong really up to? Why did "Jo" hand over that USB containing evidence? Was it a "legal way" to make sure Jessica alone gets indicted while leaving Prime Minister Hong "clean and free"? The motives start to shake me and I wonder why we only have two episodes left. There's so much potential in this one!

I just love the mental hospital scene. Woo Gi is in a mental hospital. He is warned not to leak any confidential information. However, Woo Gi ends up splurting out information about Jerome and other stuff. The staff dismisses it as mere insanity. His estranged wife Sang Mi is freed but for what purpose? It turns out that the judge who ordered her release was close to Prime Minister Hong! It looks like Jessica is arranged for a death that would be more convenient than if she died in jail. I'm amazed though how Jessica can still think of the money transfer while she's on the run. Apparently, Jerome is under the order of Prime Minister Hong to shoot Sang Mi at all costs. Sang Mi is in a desperate run for her life one way or another!

Not to mention, I suddenly remembered valid criticisms I get with randomly pairing people out of the blue in my poorly written old shame full of favoritism and biases written over it. There are times I just feel like, "We don't need the romance plot here so why put shipping then?" I still of the hospital scene and now this? They haven't had any real interaction. I guess writers didn't want to make people think that Vagabond is a "sequel" to Gu Family Book. Yup, it shouldn't be because Dal Gun ain't Kang Chi! He's not Korean Inuyasha! I still feel the ship teasing done is very forced (at times) such as the one in the hospital. Most of the scenes seem to be just a random partnership at best. There's no chemistry in terms of pairing unlike in Gu Family Book. I mean, if you want to see them lovey-dovey with loads of martial arts they watch Gu Family Book. This show seems to put romantic shippings out of place and maybe, just maybe, scenes like the slow waltz at the hospital or the scene above aren't really needed. Romance subplots are welcome but it seems forced at this point.

Then we do have speculations.Personally, I'm already thinking of fandom arguments (which I won't get into) on the possible plot twist. Some suspect that Hae Ri may be a double agent due to some clues "dropped" such as her black jacket and saying, "An autopsy won't change anything." I even think about that the twist might be too anti-climatic if they want to give Suzy the same treatment Emma Roberts had in Scream 4. Remember how Emma appeared all sweet (at first) but she was the main antagonist in the said film? At least, the film gave really good build-ups that made Jill more believable. But, if Hae Ri turns out to be the show's version of Jill from Scream 4 then I'd think it'd be anti-climatic. If not, she would pretend to betray Dal Gun and do the old "To deceive your enemies - you must deceive your friends!" trope. Though, it's possible she may have killed Michael out for revenge than power. Though, I'd rather think that Miki is the real killer. It's somewhat hinted in episode 11 one way or another.

Then again, what if the whole scene in the first episode may be Dal Gun becoming a movie star AND Hae Ri finally quit the intelligence services to become an actress? If so, that would be one funny ending! Okay, I'm more nervous than excited because I just remembered how I hit my head on the mall (not literally) when how Kamen Rider Ryuki ended with that obviously forced stupid reset button ending!