NIF 1&2: Different storylines but similar themes. A worthy sequel!

This is my first review after watching so many K & C dramas. I know I’m very late to the party but I’m so glad I finally watched NIF and then NIF2 back to back. While I enjoyed NIF very much, it is NIF 2’s characters that have really gripped my heart and left me reflecting on the story. I thought NIF ended well and brought closure to the whole Chiyan incident but watching NIF2 brought home the fact that the after effects of injustice never truly ends as one ponders the “what-could-have-beens”.

The Chiyan incident, that brought down Prince Qi and the Lin clan, formed the backstory of NIF. The first season focused mainly on Lin Shu, the sole survivor from the Lin family, and his quest for clearing their name of the crime of rebellion; season 2 turned the spotlight on Prince Qi’s descendants who now carry the banner of Changlin, the army formed in memory of Lin Shu.

Watching the Changlin men and remembering that Xiao Tingsheng is the son of Prince Qi, the wrongly-accused Crown Prince in NIF who was sentenced to death, I can’t help but keep thinking what a great line of emperors they would have made! At the same time, I also appreciated how wise it was of Prince Jing and Lin Shu to decide not to tell Tingsheng his true identity in NIF. Would he have been consumed with justice or ambition and chosen to fight for his claim to the throne instead of supporting his brother? Were his decisions shaped by who he is by nature or because of the immense gratitude he, as one born in prison, felt as the adopted son of Prince Jing? How much would anyone’s sense of entitlement affect them?

Like many others, I too love the character Pingjing. But I do not see his life as a glimpse of what Lin Shu’s might have been. From the ending of NIF, I think Lin Shu was born to be a general and would have been happy to be entrenched in the royal family, with its politics and all it brings. Being in the jianghu for him was merely a means of survival. But Pingjing, being the younger son, had always preferred to be in the jianghu. He was just fulfilling his responsibilities and others’ expectations of him when he put on his armor. The fact that he did, in the end, live as his heart desired is the saving grace of Prince Qi’s line to the throne being unjustly discontinued.

I also enjoyed the romance arc between Pingjing and Linxi. The slow build-up because of her misgivings brought greater gratification when she followed her heart, chose to support his choices and wait patiently for him but without compromising her life goals. One of my favorite lines from this drama is hers: “my heart will always be waiting for you, but I (my footsteps) can’t stay in one place for you.” She says this but ah….the ending scene!

Overall, both NIF & NIF2 are definitely worth watching. The themes of familial ties and responsibilities, friendship and patriotism that many loved in NIF continues in NIF2. The writers also cleverly wove elements of the first season into the second, connecting the two without it feeling being very contrived. These touches enhances the enjoyment of part 2 yet allows it to stand alone. NIF has a more cohesive storyline but a somewhat bittersweet ending. NIF2 may feel segmented but I think the plot works well for the sake of the characters’ growth arcs. Also, it ends on a more hopeful note, at least for our main protagonist. Maybe, hopefully, NIF3 will give us a glimpse of Pingjing’s happiness.

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