@soapbeans wrote: I like how you found parallels between the Dead Knight and the Jesus on the donkey window pane. That post you had on the parallels between Ep 1 and Ep 6 was cool – because I remember wondering why the Dead Knight in Ep 1, but forgot all about it by the time we reached the end.

If you like my “parallels,” @soapbeans, then I’ll have to create my own parallels in my First and Last Impressions, right?

The Dead Knight was interesting but the stairs drew me. I said so in my First Impression post. For convenience, I’ll copy-and-paste it here.

To be honest, I was drawn to the story because of the stairs.
To me, the spiral staircase is a brilliant symbol of the kind of adventure JinWoo is embarking on.

gif: kdrama-incarnate’s tumblr

First, he needs to be determined to mount the stairs. It isn’t to be undertaken lightly.
Second, without an elevator (or special powers), the six flights of steps are his personal hell.
Third, his life is going to “spiral” out of his control.
Fourth, he needs to exert himself physically to get from one level to another.
Fifth, the ambitious climb would have been easier without his baggage, real and emotional ones.
Sixth, on the other hand, he must make sure he has all that he needs before the climb because it’s a hassle to go back down again.
Lastly, after all the labor, the promised room at the top of the stairs might not even be worth it.

See that? Very clever, eh? The stairs aren’t there just for laughs or a conversation starter. It’s the metaphor for his future exploits.

Now, that the show is done, I can say that, yes, the spiral staircase did turn out to be a splendid metaphor of Jinwoo’s exploits. I must add that I’m surprised that I got it correct. 🤪

First, Jinwoo turned out to be very determined to climb those “stairs” or achieve his mission. Everybody thought he was demented but he soldiered on. In Episode 7, he admitted feeling suicidal (in the hospital when constantly fighting NPC HyunSuk seemed futile), but he figured that only way to survive was to level up. He said, “This is why I came back to Seoul. Only leveling up could keep me safe.”

Second, the 6 flights of stairs were nothing compared to the 100 levels of personal hell he had to go through. He didn’t even have time to breathe when a new obstacle would appear.

Third, yes, his life certainly SPIRALED out of control in a jiffy. In Episode 11 (1:01) he said, “I’m surprised I haven’t hit rock bottom. I’m still falling. I don’t know how much deeper, I will fall.”

Fourth, yes, it took enormous toll on him both physically, as well as mentally. We could all see that.

Fifth, he would have rescued Seejoo faster had it not been for his “baggage” in the form of NPC HyunSuk. Also, Prof Cha and his ex-wife were added deadweights.

Sixth, he didn’t at all have the necessary info he needed to know about the game so he backtracked or was derailed a number of times. For instance, he didn’t know that he was supposed to look for the key, not the master in the dungeon. And he lost Sec Seo because he didn’t know the rules of the game on allies.

Seventh, the promised “room” at the end of the stairs was an instance dungeon. 😂 Didn’t Sejoo say it himself that the reward of finishing the quest was becoming a Master? And, funnily enough, becoming a Master meant he could create an instance dungeon in times of danger.

Seriously though, the game was worth the hassle for Jinwoo and for us viewers.

Further, I wrote in my first impression post that “Another reason I liked the kdrama was because the ending of Episode 2 paralleled the beginning of Episode 1. Whenever this happens in kdrama, it tells me that the writer and director are meticulous in developing their narrative and controlling the story.”

I was right in my estimation of the writer’s and director’s painstaking attention to developing their story the way THEY WANT IT. To me, they went with that open ending because that was the best way, the only way, to get their message across.

The finale of the kdrama also paralleled the beginning of Episode 1. I only mentioned four and there are plenty of other details that people can spot on their own. 😀

The writer controlled the narrative and, despite the other critics’ inability to grasp her endgoal and recognize her genius, I say the director and the writer did a topnotch job.

Ignore the critics’ grade for the show.

Just pin this (if you dare. Heath Ledger as Joker scared me).

Lastly, I pointed out in my First Impression post that Granada, 1492 was a very historic moment in history. The King and Queen of Spain expelled the Moors and unified the country under one Catholic monarchy.

I didn’t dwell much more on this because I wasn’t sure how the writer could weave in the religious themes. But I was aware that 1492 was a seminal year in the history books. The long battle between the Christians and Muslim for control over the Iberian peninsula ended in January of 1492; Columbus was given the green light to go west and claim lands for the crown and cross mid-year; and the Americas was discovered by the Western World by the end of 1492. It was an annus mirabilis or a year of marvels.

It’s only now in Episode 16 that I finally see how this all connects.

Again, it’s about faith. Faith is the one that moved history in 1492. The Christians wouldn’t have kept on the centuries-old struggle if they didn’t believe in their cause, Columbus wouldn’t have sailed into uncharted waters and unknown territories if he didn’t have courage and faith in the Lord, and the Americas wouldn’t have discovered if it weren’t for the zeal of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella in their faith.

So, yes, faith was the magic that changed the world back then. And the world of Jinwoo and Heejoo in this kdrama.

credit: goyangi

To me, that’s one of the meanings of the new game “Next.” It means our couple Jinwoo and Heejoo can look forward to their next reunion and to their next adventure in life because they have kept the faith in each other. ❤️

Edited: I’m adding this link to all my other posts on the finale:

Final Grade