I. The wrong-think

Quite surprising. The analogies between Zeno and Soo Won are so apparent and obvious, that this should be currently evident, that this was fully intentional on Kusanagi´s part.

However, it did seem to lead to nothing. In fact, so much of their pain and misery appears to be completely in vain.

Soo Won

1. Soo Won was a descendant, but he was merely one of many. And he got a horrible sickness on top of it.

2. Soo Won was a great king, maybe even the best, they had ever had - but he could be replaced with Yona easily and hardly anybody of his followers cared for him.

Zeno

Zeno was one the greatest, if not the greatest dragon warrior. He was so immensively strong. His body seemed to consist of pure steel, after he had hurt himself beyond belief.

A wide knowledge worth 2000 years...

But he, too, had no freedom. His pain was immensive and his mind was partly in tatters.

It was unfair. So very unfair. And exactly this was the point of the whole deal.

There was no magical price for their pain. Neither Soo Won, nor Zeno could say, that they had benefitted greatly from it.

No...This was the whole point.

II. The glorification of the dead

I do make the claim, that these two systems - the belief in the gods and the belief in the established systems by the humans - are strikingly similar.

1. King Hiryuu

King Hiryuu and how he founded the country acquired the status of a legend. This whole thing is so - absolutely - Christian-coded that I laughed myself silly. Kusanagi used this analogy to Christian mythology so consequently...

(King) Jesus, sorry, King Hiryuu, was a god, who became a human being. He was such a noble being, but the wicked human beings betrayed him...exactly like the messiah of the Christians. He was betrayed by the people, he sought to rescue...

Jesus, sorry, King Hiryuu, however still loved the human beings, who had betrayed him.

Hiryuu basically "would have sacrificed himself" in order to save the human beings...just like Jesus...Now, what could the god(s) do, to keep the unwilling Hiryuu alive?

Exactly they used 4 other people as sacrifice. 4 people were manipulated, by acquiring a godly host...the dragon gods were literally in their blood.

(The followers of the Christian Belief metaphorically eat the "body and blood" of Jesus.) And the vessel for the hosts (for the body and blood of Jesus) has a striking resemblance with the vessel, where the blood of the dragon gods rests. I always thought, it is either symbolic for the "holy grale" like in an Arthurian Myth or the vessel for the hosts...

The dragon warriors were promised power, therefore they took the bait, voluntarily.

Then the king died...sorry...he fell into a sleep.Again very Christian this expression. We basically use a variation of "sleeping" also as an expression for "dying". To make it clear, that the person is not dead yet, merely his body. His soul however waits for Judgement Day.

So King Hiryuu was expected to come again? Sleeping is basically just a time-wise death, it is not forever. The person was expected to come back, to awake from his sleep.

And now comes the biggest, sweetest analogy...

Jesus is supposed to come back...on Judgement Day...when all of humanity has to prove, if they have been good.

Indeed...Yona...the reincarnated King Hiryuu.

On the night messiah, Jesus, was born, a great big star appeared high in the sky... Long after his death...his reincarnation appeared. And her followers swore to protect her. The "reincarnated god". It was her fate.

2. Yu hon

There was once one warrior, that was remembered like no other. His enemies feared him, his countrymen admired and refered him more than the gods.

The one true ruler...Yu hon...

Yu hon was the "god of war"...

Yet Yu hon did not live a long life. He, too, was betrayed, by the person he wished to protect...(He sacrificed himself for the persons sake...)

How his followers mournt him.

Not long after his death...his "reincarnation" appeared. And his believers swore to protect him. The "reincarnated god".

III. The reincarnation of a "god"

1. The "return of the god"

One day, the "reincarnation" of the "god of war" became king, following "his father´s dying wish". So sparkling...the "one true king" awakened from the deads..

One day, the "reincarnation" of the Red Dragon took over her role, following a prophecy, the "wish of the gods".

2. The impossible plan

However, the reincarnation struggled, she, he, believed in their role. At one point, it was clear, the reincarnation could not follow their predestined path...any longer.

The plan of his dying father, god´s prophecy could not be followed. Without tearing their hearts apart.

3. The Cruxification

Along their way, they experienced sacrifices, pain and death...Until they could no longer go on...on their predetermined path....

The "reincarnation" of the "god of war" had to shoulder all the expectation of his believers. He was strong...No matter what...No matter the pain...No matter the people he had to betray...No matter the people he had to forget...

No matter how deep he had to cut himself...

It was justified! So he believed.

Now matter how high the price was for him.

This lamb would be sacrificed on god´s altar....volunarily.

Only on this way could he rescue the country...Only by tearing himself up. He was replacable. One out of many sacrifices.

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The Dragon Warriors believed...in Hiryuu, in Yona...in their holy task...to protect the king.

No matter the cost for their own lives. No matter the pain...it was justified. They had to protect. Yona. Their King.

The original dragon warrior Zeno had cut himself, thousands of times, tenthousands of times - again and again. For Hiryuu´s sake, he believed. He had to follow this path...It was justified...So he believed.

These lambs would be sacrificed on god´s altar... voluntarily.

Only on this way could they rescue their king...Only by tearing themselves up. Zeno knew they were replacable. One out of many sacrifices.

III. Instrumentalisation

1. The gods´s perception

Humans

Humans are fateful believers of the gods. Humans "head" and "cherish" the gods. Death is the punishment for not following god´s command.

Let´s bow our heads to the Fire Dragon. "The Fire God".

People are far below the gods. They have no rights, if it may be "god´s will"...

The Dragon´s warriors

Out of these unworthy human beings, four fateful believers had been chosen.

"The Dragon warriors were born from our blood. It is only natural that we decide their fate."

Without any power over their own lives. Dying like flies...But why would the Dragon Gods care for "people", who are so far beneath them? Do you care for the lives of flies?

"A Dragon warrior that does not protect the Crimson Dragon is no Dragon Warrior"

The gods cannot forgive, cannot understand a mortal´s perception.

After all, "people are merely objects"...

"That thing is the one who moved your heart most on Earth."

Of course, they call Hak, the one, who protected Yona...a "shield"...an object showing his function in their little plan.

Hak was picked as "Yona´s shield", because the gods had known, that "he moved her heart most on Earth". They used him and discarded him, when he was not needful anymore.

You can do with objects everything, use them until they break, kill or "discard them"...

2. The humans perception

"Don´t think of them as people..." "Discard the unneeded pieces...even if it´s your friend."

Come and look! You can do everything with "pieces", "mere objects"...kill them, torture them...it doesn´t matter, there are merely sacrifices for a just cause

IV. the lambs´ cry

So the "reincarnation of the god of war" believed...it was justified...so he believed, every death that lay on his head.

That was common practice...or so he believed...

Then he stopped and could not go on...

Then he stopped. There was even for him a price that was too high to pay...

These people, true to his heart, he could not sacrifice...Soo Won could not discard neither Yona, nor Hak...

The pain, his guilt had become unbearable. He just wished to die...he could hear them...Again and again on his path...the pain was so hard on him...He heard them...Again and again.

The reincarnation of the "god of war" heard the crying of the lambs...

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One of the sacrifices, one among them had to see them dying...the people, who had become his children. Again and again, over and over again...

This was the one thing, that broke this dragon warrior, the strongest believer of all the dragon warriors, apart.

The death of the people he loved...he could not longer sacrifice the people he cared for...it was not worth it, their deaths, their pain, their misery...

He heard them...Again and again...He heard them cry...

The dragon warrior, the oldest of all, heard the cry of the lambs...

1. An inherent wish

1. The origin of Soo Won´s dream

The origin of Soo Won´s grande plan to make Kouka a strong country that could not be invaded was literally the moment Soo Won broke the first time in his life.

Soo Won wished for the freedom of people. This is the one thing that makes this guy stare high above. Just like his father Soo Won found his hope under a free open sky.

It was in one of his darkest hours, Soo Won was feeling a deep, dark chagrin, when he determined his future. This wish came natural to him...Soo Won shared the feelings "his father" expressed in his last words.

Indeed. And Soo Won held true...He ascertained things by himself and came to his conclusions. His choices completely changed the course of Kouka´s history.

2. An inherent kindness

Zeno was - most likely - the only dragon warrior that drank the blood of his dragon purely for the benefit of other people.

His wish for the happiness of other people, to make this place a happier, better world was so great that Zeno, as unsure as he was about his own abilities, drank the bitter blood.

3. The Chosen King

Both people- Zeno and Soo Won - have a strong inherent wish to make people happy, to benefit them. This inherent wish is so great, that both do change history...

Soo Won had it easier to acquire the needed power - because everybody but their dog wished for his kingship.

Soo Won is basically a "Disney Princess", when it comes to the attributed gifts this guy possessed:

Soo Won is exceptional in the literal sense of the word.

He is royalty with a ton of power - This is his birthright in the literal sense. Nearly he would have been the Crown Prince.

Soo Won´s physical capabilities are three times as great as the one of a normal person. From the beginning of his life.

This guy is most likely the greatest genius in the entire manga. There is nobody, who can beat him in regard to intelligence.

Soo Won is beautiful in the literal sense. When the gods had divided beauty Soo Won became a great chunk of it.

He is one of the kindest and most selfless people that exist in the entire manga.

And people recognized that Soo Won was amazing. This guy was not even 10 years old, when people wished, that this boy became king.

Soo Won possessed this much charisma even at a young age, that adults listened to him. But and this should be also noted: He expected, that people would listen to him, because he was used to it.

Soo Won was aware of his influence from a young age. Of course, he is very intelligent. Soo Won knew, that his strength was "persuading people".

Therefore to believe in the "strength of people" was relatively easy for such an outstanding boy, who was born to lead.

This charisma, the "Power of Authority", as people called it, is so inherent to him, that he can even demonstrate it, when nobody knows his position. Heck, he can even sway people, who hated him like the dragon warriors.

Does this diminish Soo Won´s deeds? Not at all, it is merely an explanation, why it must have been Soo Won, who demonstrated the "power of people" at first.

Soo Won rescued the country, protected the Kouka that stood near destruction.

4. The first Illusion - borrowed power

Yet, nobody believed in Zeno. Not even King Hiryuu. Zeno was the one being protected. Like a princess he had to stand behind King Hiryuu, was even ridiculed like King Il. But he did not give up.

Zeno cared for the forlorn people so greatly, that he created an illusion - an necessary evil. He claimed to hear the voice of the gods. Zeno borrowed "power" in order to protect everybody.

One of the very first steps for this young nation called "Kouka" was Zeno "taking the throne".

He called himself (head)priest, but it was Zeno that decided in many important matters. Because at the beginning the "prince" had been still a child.

A child ruler is often the last of a country, as the unifying power proves too weak. The child is sometimes the puppet for countless adults. But Zeno protected the young prince, the children of Hiryuu and the young nation called "Kouka" with his life and was literally spilling tears of blood.

This development lead to the dichotomy between priests and kings later in Kouka.

II. About Human Strength and Powerlessness

1. Human strength

If there is one person that could equal Soo Won in determination and willpower, it might be Zeno.

This guy wished to protect the people at Hiryuu Castle so greatly, that he literally tore himself to shreds...

How many years had it taken Zeno to acquire this strength? He had been all helpless and nobody had trusted his strength...

30 years. After 30 years Zeno was so strong, that he was able to hold up literal armies. For the sake of the people in the castle, but also always, always to belong...to the dragon warriors.

After 2000 years Zeno was such a great warrior that he did not even need his scales to fight. How many battles had he already fought? Most likely more than he could count...

This guy became the strongest warrior...his effort had payed off...There was hardly anybody as strong as him...

2. Zeno´s voice didn´t reach

One of the strangest things with the dragon warriors was that they might have been physically strong...inhumanely strong, yet they were prisoners. 3 out of 4 had never accepted the vow, but the gods hardly care.

For the gods human life is hardly precious. They are merely tools. And Zeno realized the negative side of being a dragon warrior. He had suffered so provontly and entirely due to loneliness...but he also had to see time and time again...how people from his family died...in vain...

Zeno could do nothing against it. He had tried it many times before to free them, but had failed every time.

But he also wished so strongly for a family...to be among the dragon warriors and not to be alone anymore.

Zeno believed. Really had believed in the dragon gods. But his voice didn´t reach. He screamt in the void for years...

3. Cognitive Dissonance

This powerlessness, the chains around his ankles were so unbearable, that he needed to fool himself in order to survive.

The dragon warriors were dying for a just cause...in order for Yona to become queen...in order to rescue the country.

It was Hak, that partly broke down this frontier inside of Zeno. More and more Zeno understood how terribly wrong the misery of the dragon warriors and his own fate was.

Time and time again, Zeno broke down and saw the truth...They were slaves and his children didn´t earn such a horrible fate.

Then Zeno tried to find a way to free his children and himself. And he failed every time.

III. Acceptance of Yona

1. A certain potential

The first believer of Yona might have been Hak, but Zeno had wished the strongest for her queenship.

It was Zeno´s task - so he believed - to determine, if she was worthy of the dragon warriors. All their pain and all their soon deaths - so much misery. Yona´s grande quest must be worth it!

And indeed.

Zeno recognized Yona´s potential for leadership.

2. The Reincarnation of Hiryuu

When Zeno, however, wished for Yona´s "kingship", he literally saw "King Hiryuu". He makes it awfully clear, that he followed her, because she was the "Reincarnation of King Hiryuu".

This guy used his "appearance of the original dragon warrior" as a way to "uplift Yona"...Zeno basically infused in Yona a conscience for her position as the "Reincarnation of Hiryuu".

Zeno might have tried to suppress his strong wish to tell Yona, she should be queen...but it is awfully clear, that this was the one thing he desired with all his heart.

3. Frustration

But Yona just didn´t want to be queen. This person had no drive at all for the leading position of a whole country. Rightfully, it scared the 16 year old Yona every time...Zeno alluded to this possibility.

And this could not be...because Yona was using the dragon warriors! Their lives were spent. It was a tit for tat. Kija, Jae ha and Shin ha would die for Yona´s sake! Their misery should not be in vain!

Their misery and suffering Zeno could not tolerate, especially since the three other dragon warriors had eaten themselves into his heart.

4. The Effort of a life time

And then there was this guy above! Zeno was suffering from literal flashbacks of Hiryuu, when he encountered Soo Won. Again and Again!

Soo Won, who demonstrated, that he was a capable king.

Could it be? Could it be, that the dragon warriors are not even necessary?!

Zeno had to look at Soo Won! This fact, that the dragon warriors had not been necessary must have completely flashed his mind!!!

In the Castle Arc Zeno was still posing questions to Soo Won. Then there was one circumstance...that changed everything:

The Crimson Illness.

Zeno knew it. This illness. The pain.

He was well aware how greatly Soo Won suffered. Yet, this person did not give up.

Soo Won struggled. He fell down. Soo Won stood up again. This person just could not give up. Soo Won needed to achieve his aim. But he did not have enough time.

Painfully, Zeno finally realized the truth.

Soo Won´s kingship was the effort of a life time. Soo Won was just like him. Zeno could relate...

Had Soo Won before resembled King Hiryuu, Zeno saw now his own face.

How could the person, who cut himself up in order to move forward not relate? Zeno realized, has always realized how much effort a person had put into...

A "Relationship" has been born...between Zeno and Soo Won...Soo Won and Zeno.

Zeno learnt through Soo Won´s example - people had the power to help each other...

The dragon warriors were really not needed.

5. King Hiryuu´s ghost

Zeno had to see it with his own eyes. The dead body of King Hiryuu to realize, to remember that Yona was Yona and not King Hiryuu. King Hiryuu was dead. It was hard to face this fact. The person that remained was Yona.

6. The first helping Hand

Yet everything changed again, when Yona came to help him. She wished to speak with the dragon gods. Zeno was mortified and jumped with her into hell. Yona became trapped because of him!

Finally, Zeno could accept Yona...could let go of King Hiryuu. If she became queen or not. BECAUSE Yona had come to help him.

"She is not like the Crimson Dragon King. She only knows the life she lived as Princess Yona. How you taken a good look at how hard she fought to get here?! If you want to cherish her, then honor that! She´s not your pet!"

In the depths of "hell" Zeno realized this. In the den of the dragon gods.

IV. Hear the Voice of the Gods

In the span of one night Zeno should completely lose the last remains of his belief in the gods. The truest believer, who had served so long faithfully the dragon gods should turn his back completely on them.

1. The unforgivable sin

Unfortunately for Zeno the dragon gods perceived "the betrayal" as unforgiveable that needed to be punished "literally until eternity". Zeno has aleady been aware that the dragon gods were not exactly generous beings that cared for him in any way.

However, not even Zeno had expected this absolute and utter lack of understanding. 2000 years of misery and servitude. And no way out. Additionally Zeno was tortured for "some time".

Zeno committed "one mistake" and should suffer forever.

This reminds me really of the stories in the Old Testament. If the believers strayed just one way from god´s determined path, they have fallen from grace.

2. Objects and children´s games

Since the dragon gods merely considered the dragon warriors as "fragments", vessels for their blood, they would throw away every human being that did not heed their wishes. According to them they are the real "input" and the humans merely the "package".

The dragon warriors were merely things, objects the gods could use. And play with. Of course this applied to Soo Won and Hak as well.

3. The Blind Mirror

The point of view of the gods resembles the one of toddlers, utterly self-centred. They even treat Yona as a sort of plaything.

Three of four dragon gods even understood the concept of loneliness. 3 dragon gods were literally suffering like Zeno. They felt the same, yet were lightyears away from any kind of sympathy. But since they perceived themselves as higher beings they could NOT relate.

That is the reason, why the green dragon god knew this was an awful punishment, because he, too, suffered from loneliness.

If you objectify people, you can literally not relate at all. No matter, what you do to them.

And yes, this relates to the other system...Soo Won´s father could kill even children, because they were objects. Generally the system - right now - established in Kouka resembles the point of view of the gods awfully well. This is literally the reason, Soo Won moved so swiftly in front of them. This guy is used to such a thinking pattern.

4. A clear lack of compassion

One of the most interesting aspects about this whole arc is - for me at least - the impersonation of the dragon warriors by the dragon gods.

The dragon gods couldn´t even imagine that the dragon warriors, that Jae ha, Kija or Shin ha could understand Zeno...Like compassion appeared to be a complete foreign concept to them.

In their costumes they blame Zeno without an ounce of understanding. It is really interesting, that Yona did not consider this strange.

The real dragon warriors, the real Jae ha, Kija and Shin ha try to protect Zeno immediately after they have awoken. It is even the way the dragon gods treated Zeno, that made them furious enough to literally awake from their slumber.

However, Zeno recognized the "imitation" right from the start. This is really the proof, that Zeno loved and has known Jae ha, Kija and Shin ha more than Yona. Zeno even felt the same as before, but knew after one moment, that this was not real.

Literally nobody blames Zeno from the human side.

V. Nemesis

Zeno felt so utterly guilty for Yona´s involvement. Jae ha, Shin ha and Kija would have nearly died!!!

Why did just all people try to protect him?!!

After all, Zeno was at fault for the whole mess from the beginning. Zeno already regretted his prior decision, the betrayal, after a very short while.

1. The loneliness of a god´s love

Then suddenly something unbelievable happened. The yellow dragon god came to their help. The very being Zeno had screamt for years?!! Zeno stared with clear dislike at the dragon god.

The pain was hard to forgive. Kaya´s death.

Yet, Zeno clearly could even feel empathy for the plight of the dragon gods. For his literal slavers.

Zeno understood that the dragon gods had felt similarily for each other, as he feels for the dragon warriors. Three out of four had lost their minds- like him - due to the all-encompassing loneliness.

Merely yellow dragon god had kept his sanity, because he - alone - had had company: Zeno.

This yelllow dragon god tried to persuade the other dragon gods to let the 3 dragon warriors free. Except Zeno, of course. Because him, the dragon god, wished to keep.

2. "Just like a dragon warrior"

Zeno must have had the feeling to go bananas, when even Soo Won tried to help him. Poor Zeno broke completely down, when the yellow dragon god threatened Soo Won and jeapardized the whole plan.

And then Soo Won provocated the dragon god in order to free Zeno...

In contrast to Yona Soo Won was reminded every damn second of a nice gift of the dragon gods. His head was aching so greatly that he believed it would split in two. He, too, was in their grips and could feel the same negative emotions, similar chains around himself as Zeno did.

In contrast to Yona, Soo Won understood the pain Zeno was suffering. It was one whole mirror. Of the other ones misery.

It was Soo Won, who freed Zeno. Not Yona with all her glorious dragon god killing power. No godly power involved. That guy just provoked the dragon god so much that he fell from grace.

Zeno is by the way pretty much aware of this fact.

Truly and really, Soo Won held true to his word. He did hold down even divine intervention.

3. Zeno took the Sword

This fact, that Soo Won saved him and not any god, not even Yona, must have completely destroyed his prior world-view.

This guy literally screamt "Kill the Gods!", when he saw, that they were endangering his people...

Only people can save people. Only people mirror each other and can learn compassion.

I. An Unbelievable change

For a very long time I have wondered myself, why did Soo Won confess this in front of Yona...

Just a week prior, he had confessed in front of Hak, that he did not regret the murder of King Il...and I do believe, that this is still the case.

Soo Won had already declared, that he intended to make Yona the Queen Regnant. But this had not "lessened" his hate in regard to King Il. So what did change?

I do still believe, that Soo Won does not really care for King Il...If Hak´s and Yona´s pain had not been enough to move him in that direction, there would be hardly any way...So what has changed, that he confessed this? Originally I considered most of it a lie in order to persuade Yona.

However, however...I believe, that Soo Won literally meant, what he said:

"The judgement I passed down that night, was completely wrong."

II. A weak King

1. The Judgement

When Soo Won killed King Il, he judged if King Il´s could protect the country, if King Il´s way of ruling the country was feasible.

And Soo Won had ruled...

This nation had no need for a weak king...

He considered kindness in a king a flaw, that would led the country to ruin. He knew of all the steps, he had to take and so many of them consisted of actions that were against his better nature.

3. Trauma

When the 9 year old Soo Won had heard of his father´s death, he likely had to see it for himself...It had been that unbelievable for him.

His kind uncle had killed his father...

He had betrayed Soo Won´s trust and shattered his whole world.

Because Soo Won had loved King Il, too...

"That´s right. I loved Emperor Il, too."

Even though people murmured that he was a coward who feared strife that´s what made Emperor Il so kind."

At the beginning Soo Won had seen the kindness in King Il, because, well, kindness came as natural to him as to King Il...but killing his father had hurt him too deeply...In Soo Won´s eyes King Il was only kind, when it served him...

4. A strong King

When Soo Won ascended the throne at age 18, 10 years after his father´s murder, he decided to be strong and not doubt anymore.

And he was mesmerizing...

Soo Won needed to be strong. He would have never won so many people over, when he had doubted or demonstrated weakness. A leader has to be self-assured and strong.

But he had sacrificed his own kindness... Mundoek mournt the kind Soo Won.

III. The Mirror

1. All cards in his hands

In the last arc Soo Won and Zeno had got the nice task to divert the attention of three huge half-crazy dragon gods. Luckily, Soo Won really could think of a plan...the dragon gods did not think that differently from him, it seemed.

And so Soo Won used every card in his hands...in order to draw them out, to bring the dragon gods down to Earth.

"All the cards"...this also included Zeno...

Zeno - correctly - concluded, that Soo Won intended to use him as a literal shield...

Yes, Soo Won used Zeno as a tool...a figure on the field...just like his father had taught him...

2. In the eye of the other

I called this part of the meta "The Mirror" for a reason. In the following panels both- Zeno and Soo Won - are shown in a pretty similar posture. Again and again.

What becomes apparent in the following panels is the perspective: Kusanagi is showing both characters - only from one side. One eye is hidden or covered by blood.

Zeno and Soo Won can merely see one side of the other character - metaphorically this is the case as well. Both knew a little about the other, but it is still too few for the full picture.

But both were aware, that the other person was in pain. They both suffer - Soo Won from the Crimson Illness and Zeno was literally shredded to peaces.

And Zeno still cared.

Zeno was literally torn limb from limb by the dragon gods, but he still asked Soo Won, the person that used him like a tool, if he was alright.

3. Breaking point

Both characters have broken during this period.

I know, that the mangaka has hidden this fact, but both - Zeno and Soo Won -absolutely threw live-long believes overboard in this very short time frame. Even though this part of the story went on for a couple of months to the readers, all this actually happened within one night in universe. Both characters had held those believes for a long time. 10 years in Soo Won´s case and 2000 years in Zeno´s case. And still within this one night both characters - Soo Won and Zeno - heavily change their point of views.

The first character that did break was- surprisingly - Soo Won.

The situation went out of hand, because Soo Won could not endure to see Zeno further shredded to pieces.

I really wish to point to the analogy between Yona and Soo Won here. When Soo Won started to fight for Zeno´s sake, he started to act as "The Sword". Yona and him have the absolute same posture, when she broke the chalice from the inside, using the same sword. (By the way, there is even an analogy between Zeno and Hak here, because both mean a lot to the other person.)

Suddenly Soo Won changed the "script". This is an analogy to chapter 221, if you are interested. During the battle with Kai Empire, Soo Won refused to change the plan, since the whole country would be in jeapardy...and the same applied here. If the chalice closed itself, it might not open again and the dragon gods sure as hell wished to tear Soo won apart.

What are you doing Soo Won? Yona and Hak are counting on you...but you suddenly throw out the "safe plan"...

You were"changing the plan"

- all for Zeno´s sake.

And the situation completely went in a very wrong direction...Soo Won planned to sever the head of King Hiryuu and to use it as a shield...

But now the Yellow Dragon God was not playing along anymore...

4. Zeno ´s sacrifice

Soo Won - suddenly - changing the script, resulted in a hearthbreakingly cruel thing..Zeno broke completely down.

Zeno sold basically his "soul to the devil"...In Berserk Griffith asked, if there was even a difference - between gods and demons - and I can understand him. You wonder this also, when you observe the so-called "gods" here.

Zeno would live for eternity "beside" the dragon god... This was his personal hell!!!

All for Soo Won, who would rescue Yona!!!

How guilty did Zeno feel, that he had dragged Yona in? I think, his conciousness had been pure agony...

And Soo Won understood.

He understood Zeno´s plight, his plea...and he became furious....

This was something he could not allow! Especially since he was the reason...

This lead him to commit a deed out of pure raw emotion!

Of course in his very own way...And Soo Won rescued all with it.

V. The Miracle

1. The Father´s Curse

Soo Won had been only 2 years, when his father had started to influence his way of thinking. Yu hon implanted Soo Won´s curious way of thinking. This thought patterns were part of the culture he was living in, especially if you were born a male royal.

From his earliest days Soo Won was taught to consider people as "objects", as "tools" for him to use in cases of need, in battle.

This is the reason, why Soo Won understood the gods. Because the gods considered people as tools as well. Because inhumane, objectifying systems tend to resemble each other.

2. Cognitive Dissonance

How did Soo Won, who feels so much for other people, whose care for other people is such an inherent part of him, survive this system, these thought patterns?

Well, he barely hadn´t. The answer is easily given to us in the manga...

Cognitive Dissonance.

"The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people are averse to inconsistencies within their own minds. It offers one explanation for why people sometimes make an effort to adjust their thinking when their own thoughts, words, or behaviors seem to clash with each other."

Cognitive dissonance is the discomfort you feel when your actions and beliefs don't match.

People deal with cognitive dissonance by trying to justify or rationalize their actions.

Experiencing guilt or regret can be a sign of cognitive dissonance.

Yona had been right in Xing. Soo Won hated all the cruel deeds he needed to commit in order to protect the country...

Soo Won had to actually fool himself, in order to continue his way...

Only his body did not hold up...The inner dissonance between his intentions and his inherent believes, the one, he wished to deny might have played a role in the development of the Crimson Illness.

And we even got a picture how he handled this inner "dissonance" - Soo Won´s boxes. A way for Soo Won to cage his feelings and let them out like a strong, foreign kind of magic. He could "remove" himself from his own feelings, that he did not even recognize his own death wish. The boxes have already existed for a pretty long time in his mind. They were already present in him, way before Soo Won knew of his father´s death.

3. Damnation

The last picture is so hearthbreaking...Soo Won even tried to explain his reasons to his mother. But Yon hi did not understand at all. She mournt, that she did not speak up more in the past, while refusing to look at her son.

It wasn´t that Soo Won had not tried to communicate, he was not given a chance to do it...

His mother condenmned him, without understanding, that her son cared. He just needed to suppress his feelings in order to be able to act...Or he would have ended up like her. All talk without being able to achieve anything. The country was at risk, after all! So he believed and he was not exactly wrong about this.

Likewise, King Il could not bear to look at Soo Won. He considered it difficult to approach him. And so King Il gave up without really trying...

Condemned a murderer 10 years before Soo Won has ever acted upon his hartred. Damned for a deed, he had not yet committed.

Why have all the adults treated the not even 10 year old boy, as if he was a fully grown man? Even in the present Soo Won tends to act way more mature than most grown-ups. Had nobody ever felt pity for this child? Well, one might had...

4. The outstretched hand

Soo Won really became the king his followers wished him to be...the king the country needed. Yet, he had to sacrifice more and more, was hurting more and more. His body detoriated. In the Castle Arc finally, he was at his wits end.

Soo Won needed help.

By sheer willpower he tried to compensate his failing strength.

The pain got worse. Yona tried to help, just that his conscience and his pride did not allow him to really take her hand yet.

To his surprise, there was a different person, who did approach him.

This person had tackled him even in Sei, asked him questions and smiled at him. And Soo Won had stared back. Zeno must have considered him his enemy, but Zeno had still talked with him. Here was obviously looking somebody at Soo Won.

When Soo Won had been lost, disturbed by this strange sickness he did not comprehend, there had been a hand that had reached for his, supported him. Even besides Yona, whom he did not dare to approach.

Soo Won accepted. Zeno spoke a language, that was just to well-known to him. He, too, knew how to use conceit and when to be truthful.

This person, the immortal dragon warrior, what a wondrous being, he had dragged out Soo Won´s weakness...the one thing, Soo Won had wished to deny until eternity. He had to be strong, after all.

But Zeno had also answered questions, Soo Won had been dying to know. And so Soo Won accepted.

Zeno is one of the few people, whom Soo Won asked for advice. Soo Won desired to talk with him. Approached Zeno voluntarily.

This person was so strong, so full of knowledge, Soo Won knew nothing about...and he listened to Zeno.

Zeno was just amazing. An amazingly strong person...Soo Won understood, that an immortal life must have been a unbelievable hard challenge.

And Soo Won himself felt so very weak during this time. It was all so hard.

Yona had been right, Soo Won had needed a person he could rely on. And Soo Won had chosen Zeno. Of all people.

If you ask Soo Won, if he is hurting...you get basically a half-assed answer at best. Even in Hak´s case. He might even completely ignore the question or he plays it down. Even in the last chapter Soo Won answered Keishuk´s anger with "It was plenty" that he was healed from the Crimson Illness.

Soo Won does not admit his pain...usually. He has to be strong. He has to "beat the sickness" as his father had once expressed it.

Except for one time, in front of Zeno, when he was truthfully admitting his pain and that everything felt so hard!! Zeno is really the only one.

"The truth is, that I don´t have time to be sleeping around...But the pain is a nuisance."

Zeno possesses the right kind of strength and care...for Soo Won.

5. The Strength of Kindness

Little had he known it - Zeno´s reasons for becoming this strong. Only now, he saw it with his own eyes.

Once Zeno had been called useless

Like King Il, he had been the odd one, the one without power, ridiculed by the other dragon warriors. Too kind and powerless.

Like King Il, Zeno hated fighting, killing people. It was not his nature. He was no warrior. Even after 20 years of fighting, Zeno had felt sick upon having to kill people....

Only Zeno did not give up. He suffered through, fighting nevertheless...until he became stronger...

Zeno had wished so strongly to belong...to the dragon warriors. And he cared. Always, always cared for other people. Even if the people had looked at him with strange eyes.

He had still went out and fought...for their sake. Had let himself be cut up. Again and again. Year for year. His mind had given up many times. Most likely more times as he can count...

Strangely, this person did not give up on people. Zeno believed in kindness, even when he did not believe in their strength.

If Tae Jun, who can hardly be called "the brightest light on the cake", is able to recognize Zeno´s abilities...the beauty and might of his kindness, isn´t it likely, that Soo Won has realized it, too?

Zeno believed, that if you demonstrated kindness, the kindness might find her way back to its sender (Except for himself, strangely). And he liked making people happy.

6. The Reflection

Strangely, Soo Won had been so sure, that people would help Zeno, should he ever have a breakdown.

Little had Soo Won known, that it would be him, that would stretch the helping hand out.

Maybe it might be as simple as this. As Zeno once expressed it:

"People are mirrors. If you smile, a smile will be reflected."

At long last Zeno´s kindness had found its reflection in Soo Won.

Typical for Soo Won, even when he was boiling mad, he appeared completely calm. Challenging the god, Soo Won knew exactly, what the consequence of his words would be.

Soo Woon was ready to die...for Zeno´s sake alone.

And Zeno knew, that he would not be able to hold back the dragon god this time. Not with Soo Won´s obvious provocation.

Zeno had told him only a moment before, the way to save him. The dragon god had to come into contact with the other world, by hurting Soo Won.

Soo Won endangered their whole plan: If he fell, then the chalice would close. Yona and Hak would have been trapped. So he must have believed.

Therefore he told them: "Yona, Hak, the lid of the chalice will close soon. Hurry."

VI. A cause worth dying for

It was not his life. It was Zeno´s wellbeing. Soo Won wished to protect Zeno in every case. He wished to free him from this chains...the ones, he had not been aware of in the past.

"This was the last task of the King of Kouka", he had declared outside. And yes, Soo Won had always believed, that this was a "suicidal mission" and that he would not survive.

This action is so naturally for him - the one, who had wished to die...who had graved punishment. Soo Won had not been able to endure the pain of the Cognitive Dissonance any longer.

Soo Won had wished to be punished and be done with his pain. Soo Won, too, had - like Zeno - harbored a death wish.

Bad for him that it would come - completely - different. Soo Won has a complete blackout after this. This guy had been perpetually unaware, that he had been carried like "Sleeping Beauty" from one point to the others. That his body and soul had been protected until the one, who wished to die, had to continue to live.

And Soo Won awakened and realized he had failed.

Soo Won had done EVERYTHING wrong (completely strayed from his father´s path) and the world still had not ended. Kouka still existed. The sun came back (final task fulfilled!)

Therefore this guy could conclude: Indeed. His judgement had been completely wrong.

It was Zeno, who had broken Soo Won. He was "HIS" King Il.

The curse of Yu hon had been broken.

@matcha-chai-latte; @thoughtfulstudentsalad23; @sokkawordbender; @under-my-pillow; @starnovana; @aylinnworld; @noom211; @saturnfuture27; @herinke9; @blooming-periwxnkle; @yasumire; @sakikotori; @writer-without-caffeine; @kesara-vintage; @only4soo-won; @needanaptoday; @merrilyshadowymentor; @rollzerox; @sakuramouse; @carrotcouple; @smi-gachan; @totallynotokguys; @jeffreywoods89-blog; @sweetchococrisp; @godlike66; @acertaincritic; @dandelionbeforesnow; @nounou49; @lycheechanz; @dreamersintro; @itineriserudio; @kawaiiarcadecherryblossom;

all of the above, girls and boys, women and men of this fandom. I am a former member of a Christian Cult. When other small children were listening to fairy tales, I was listening to the stories of the Holy Bible. The dragon gods in this story are like "my god". Without mercy and cruel. Hating the "odd one", who just doesn´t fit into the cult. I finally was allowed to leave at 14.

This surely altered my brain in a way, that make it harder to see clearly at times. I had to learn it "the hard way".

But I want you to believe me one thing at least:

"I know Jesus Christ, when I see him"

I will give you my point of view on Soo Won and Zeno. So follow me the couple of posts. Please!!!

or rather:

"HELP! MY SORRY ASS IS STUCK IN THE JAR!!!!!

HELP ME FIND THE TRUTH!!!!