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tinysnailtales · 1 year ago

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Thoughts from reading Yona of the Dawn Ch. 8

Ch.8 in summary: Hak and Yona continue with their growth, individually choosing to leave Fuuga as they prioritize protecting others. Hak gives up his positions as chief, general, and bodyguard to do so but ultimately chooses to keep protecting and following Yona, who inspired by the Wind Tribe, builds up the courage to take action.

Made a goal to be more concise in my notes, but instead I'm adding nonsense because I couldn't refrain from mentioning how soft Hak looks here.

Then I also noticed that he's picking out the weapons Yona will later use! Subconsciously picking ones that will be better for her?? "I'd rather have something smaller...I want a short sword and a bow"

"How do you feel, Tae-Yeon? Are you all right? Do you want anything?" – Yona goes from the one being cared for to the caregiver. She is stepping up to act for someone else.

"These people have nothing to do with it! Why would the Fire Tribe do all this to put Soo-Won on the throne? Is such senseless cruelty allowed? Would you...authorize this awfulness, Soo-Won?" – Continuing with the expansion of Yona's circle of care: Yona is affected and upset by the merchants injured by the Fire Tribe + is developing a sense of justice. This also doubles down on Yona's need to reframe Soo-Won in her mind and challenges what she thought she knew about him, as she sees the awfulness linked back to him.

It is a similar moment to the one Hak has in chapter 5 when he's taking care of Yona as they flee the palace: "Are you happy now...? The years we spent together...the princess who adored you...you destroyed them all. Are you satisfied...Soo-Won?"

That moment solidifies rage and an unwillingness to forgive Soo-Won in Hak. This moment might push Yona in a similar direction, she can't ignore the effects of Soo-Won's actions on others.

"I know how they seem, but they care a lot about their family." "Family..." "Right! The members of our tribe are all a family. And that includes you." – Yona probably thought she lost her family and home forever, that family being the trio (Hak, Soo-Won, and her) + her father. But now she sees she has been welcomed, accepted, embraced, and even loved so easily by the Wind Tribe. It moves her to tears. And to be told she is family by people she so admires affects her extra deeply.

Also...building off of the "Hak taking Yona to his homeland = symbolic" thread: Yona flourishes in that homeland + is embraced as family by them. Any who...

"You made her cry, Han-Dae." "Lord Hak's gonna kill me! He seems so laid-back, but he's merciless" – love that the #1 rule is don't hurt/upset Yona or else Hak will be after you and that everyone seems to understand this without having to be told.

We also get the contradiction of Hak spelled out, even if it is for a funny moment: the appearance of being laid-back + casual with the more hidden depths of a deep care and seriousness (and the ability to act on those things)

"Hak and Mundok...and all these other kind people...they must be in terrible pain. They must be full of rage. But they're holding it in and smiling. The proud Wind...I shouldn't get them involved in this" – Yona's building feelings of responsibility (and thinking she is to blame) for what is happening to these people solidify. And now, not only does she feel responsible, but she wants to act to protect them.

There's also some astonishment that people so greatly affected by her, in negative ways, could be so kind to her.

They fuel her determination and she builds off of her question to Hak in the last chapter: "is there anything I can do?" She will not wait around and watch. She will not be helpless and frozen like she was during Soo-Won's betrayal. And this time she does not ask, she moves to act on her own.

The continuous cycle of witnessing suffering yet receiving kindness gives Yona the final push when escalated to such a degree. And I think she somewhat rejects what everyone keeps telling her– that she doesn't need to do anything or concern herself, everything will be okay. She is done being helpless, and even if she feels she lacks in skill, she will do what she can for others. Go Yona!

"I...I came to thank you. You gave me warm food. You dried my tears. And you cheered me up. Thank you. You've helped me...so much." – And here we see more of how much Yona has changed in just a short amount of time and how she is learning from her experiences.

When she fled the palace, she thought of how she never got to thank her father for anything, that she didn't express her appreciation and love for him enough. She regrets her past behavior. Here, Yona is sure to thank Tae-Yeon and goes as far to humble herself before him.

I find it interesting that Tae-Yeon basically did for her what Soo-Won did when they were children.

The head-pat from Hak to Tae-Yeon is also just...my heart!

A beautiful moment.

"Some nights...I felt like I wanted to die. He's so small, yet I never got the sense that he was suffering. His smile...and his strength...have given me courage." "I'll never forget you or the others here" – Tae-Yeon is the embodiment of the Wind Tribe and Yona's feelings about them: continuing on in the face of suffering and not losing oneself to it while also expressing kindness and care for others.

Yona admires and is inspired by this. She learns from Tae-Yeon and the Wind Tribe to not deny the suffering but to keep going in spite of it. And that even the weak can be strong and make an impact.

"Hey! Are you leaving Rina behind?!" – the outrage and shock is great lol. I will continue to indulge in everyone else being very tuned in to how Hak feels about Yona. The only one in the dark is probably Yona herself.

"I thought of going to see her one more time. I want you to take care of her" – love how Hak keeps telling everyone to take care of Yona as he leaves. I think it also demonstrates a deep trust in Tae-Woo and the others! That he thought of going to see her to say goodbye but didn't also speaks to how I think he might have not been able to leave her if he did see her one more time.

"Hak! I'm leaving this city. Come with me." – A MOMENT. And yes, Hak is her personal guard and protector, but I also think she can't imagine being without him. He's part of her in a way.

And she doesn't know he plans to leave at this moment. As Hak soon says, she's being selfish. She has learned how wonderful the Wind Tribe is and has watched Hak thrive as its chief but is still unwilling to leave without him/let him go.

Overall, Yona's desire to leave is born from selflessness and her time with the Wind Tribe has made her less selfish, but on the topic of Hak, she won't budge. In fact, her first instinct after deciding to leave was to find him.

"I said I'm leaving. If I stay here, Fuuga will be dragged into war."

"I said something along those lines to the Elder Chief myself. That should protect the city...and you can have a peaceful life here." – There's something to be said for how Hak and Yona are in sync here. Their reasons for leaving align: they both want to protect the tribe.

But Hak's like "nah, I'll sacrifice myself for the city/tribe and you" I'm sure part of him is also screaming "you dummy, you're messing with my plans. You're supposed to live a safe and happy life here."

"Hak...I haven't given you permission to leave." – We haven't really seen Yona order Hak around before this moment, interesting that she pulls it out here.

"Yeah, well I don't answer to you. I'm not a general anymore. And I don't serve you. I'm hitting the road as a free man...with no obligation to look out for you." – Hak and Yona get a bit of a reset on their relationship here. Previously, Hak heavily contextualized his care for Yona through the lens of obligation to King Il. Now, when he does choose to go with her and serve her, it will be more of his own choice, something he does because he wants to do it (not that it wasn't before, but there's less of a believable chance to hide behind excuses this time).

"I've made up my mind." – Stubborn Yona! I love her and also she's very cute. The determination on her face as she uses her tiny body to try and block the much bigger Hak.

"I don't care. I'm not taking you with me." – I like how Yona comes into the conversation saying that she's leaving and wants Hak to come with her and Hak approaches this subject by saying "No the fuck you're not, I'm leaving and you're staying" instead of "Well, I'm also leaving but we're parting ways."

I have "no obligation to look out for you" he says while trying to look out for her by making her stay behind where he thinks she'll be safe.

This is essentially also a little face-off of who is in charge/gives the orders.

A last-ditch attempt by Hak to convince Yona to stay. Saying she'll have to pay him somehow and suggesting "paying with your body" serves as a little reality check for Yona, like he's telling her "it's rough out there, Yona. Stay safe here instead."

Yona is unamused. And Hak's expression is like "you see?"

It seems like a typical teasing moment from Hak, resorting to the off-putting "flirting" like he did when Yona asked what she could do to help and he told her she could try being "sexier." But like then, it is intended as a bit of a distraction by riling Yona up to focus on her outrage. This time it doesn't work, even as he adds a little "act gross to push the person you care about away."

"There's nothing I can give you." – a little "fuck that" + raw honesty from Yona. She says "I wouldn't do that" + "this relationship will not be transactional" + "I want you with me because I want you with me"

"Goodbye...Princess Yona."

"I...can't accept that. I want you. So please...give yourself to me!" – another MOMENT. Her little grab to full on grab! And again, her determined face! She is standing her ground and expressing herself honestly. Hak is shook.

Where is Tae-Woo when you need him? This is Yona's version of the "sorry, it just looked (or sounded) kinda dirty" XD

And with that, Yona ends the debate and says "I'm in charge." And you know what? Good for her.

"Ah...crap. How annoying. This is why..." – why what, Hak? Finish that thought. He's giving chapter 3 flashback Hak energy ("This is why I don't want to deal with her highness..." "she throws me off-balance")

"Fine, you win...your highness" – ultimately, Hak can't say no to her. And "I'm a free man" "I don't serve you" my ass, Hak. She has kneeling before "your highness."

"How could you say such horrible things to our princess?!" – I said that the Wind Tribe exposed Yona to being treated like a person not a princess, but oddly, Hak might have been her first exposure to such treatment despite his emphasis on her being a princess. His casualness with her, combined with his respect for her position = he treats her as both a princess and a person.

"It seems that I must let...another grandchild go." – PAIN. Mundok lost Soo-Won, then Hak, and now Yona.

"Everyone here welcomed me...into their family. I was so happy...and that's why I'm leaving. Mundok...please protect the Wind Tribe." – a beautiful moment (and a lovely, squishy smile!) Yona felt like she belonged and like she was accepted and cared for, and like with being treated like a person, despite the love and treatment she got at the palace, this might have been the first time she got to experience love and care without being isolated. A more true belonging?

I think I repeat the words "love" and "care" forever on a loop, but I do love it as a motivator for Yona.

"Don't ever forget your highness. Some day...you may confront despair once again. If you ever need help...the Wind Tribe will be at your side...no matter who stands against us. No matter how much distance lies between us" – They are still family, no matter the distance. Happy tears from me. But I wonder...could this also act as some foreshadowing? Anyway, I love Mundok.