Quick Summary • Best Moment • Setup • Delivery • Other Posts
Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 5 – Quick Summary
In Raven of the Inner Palace episode 5, “Confidant,” the Emperor’s condition continued to deteriorate. Why? Because two ghosts from his past constantly afflicted him in the night. His most trusted assistant Wei Qing wanted to talk to the Raven Consort, but the Emperor forbid it. Without that as an option, the assistant tried to go undercover. In the red light district, he came face to face with his traumatizing past. Can he overcome that? Can he fulfill his mission? And why have the ghosts just started to haunt the Emperor?
Note: This post may include spoilers, so be cautious.
Favorite Quote from Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 5
She doesn’t hide her judgemental face very well. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
The banter between the Raven Consort and the Emperor continues to entertain me. I have a soft spot in my heart for enjoyable dialogue. That’s one of the reasons I loved In/Spectre, and it’s one of the reasons this show is growing on me.
The Emperor and the Raven Consort were talking about a certain god who liked to kidnap people in the dark. The Emperor explained that was why they kept the palace and the red-light district so well lit at night.
The Raven Consort adopted a disapproving expression and said (03:29), “The red-light district should be unknown to you.”
“I hear stories,” the Emperor said.
They have such a natural rapport!
Best in Show Moment for Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 5
The Emperor’s words affected him deeply. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
Setup: Realistic Dialogue is Cool
Like I said above, I really enjoy dialogue. The more authentic it feels, the better! I suspect that’s one of the more difficult things to get right. I know that often, as a writer, I have to fight a temptation to make the dialogue move the plot forward. It should, of course. But if I force it, if I use dialogue as a plot device, the reader can tell. In the case of anime, the viewer can tell.
I listen a lot, which means I try to feel the ebb and flow of conversations. I try to imagine what some of those conversations would be like in different cultures. Now, I don’t know if my favorite moment represents what such a conversation would be like. But it’s exactly how I imagined it would be. For me, that’s about the best I can do without direct experience!
I can’t say for sure, but the show captures what my imagination can accept as the feel of the times. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
And it’s unlikely I’ll be able to travel back in time to imperial China. Even if I could, there’s the whole language barrier thing.
Delivery: The Emperor Demonstrates Benevolent Leadership
The Emperor’s most trusted assistant tried to investigate the missing sorcerers, but running into a clear reminder of his past unleashed his trauma, and he had to retreat. He came back to the Emperor in a clear state of dejection. He not only couldn’t face his past, but he couldn’t show the kind of usefulness he wanted to the Emperor.
The Emperor saw his mood and asked him to make tea. He did. The Emperor took a sip, savored it, and said (16:22), ““Your tea is the best, after all… May I ask that you make more tomorrow?”
The Emperor used very few words to make his point. Capture from the Crunchyroll stream.
In one statement, he affirmed his preference for the assistant’s work, and he reaffirmed he wanted the man to continue that work. Wei Qing, clearly moved, bowed and said that he would.
Nothing flashy. No swelling music or indulgent words. Just a quiet affirmation of both competence and acceptance. It seemed to make a huge difference to Wei Qing! I don’t approve of any imperial system, but in this case, the Emperor gets a pass. He’s showing all the signs of being a great leader.
What did you think of the dark insights we got into Wei Qing’s past? What were your favorite moments in this episode? Feel free to let me know in the comments!
Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 5: Other Posts
Other Anime Sites
- Reddit: Kokyu no Karasu | Raven of the Inner Palace – Episode 5 discussion
- J Reacts: The Unpleasant Man | Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 5 Reaction (後宮の烏)
- Lost in Anime: Koukyuu no Karasu – 05
This Site (Crow’s World of Anime!)
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 1: The Jade Earring, Part 1
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 2: The Jade Earring, Part 2
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 3: The Whistle
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 4: The Skylark Princess
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 5: Confidant
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 6: The Summer King and the Winter King
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 7: Glass Prayer
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 8: Blue Swallow
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 9: Water’s Voice
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 10: The Masked Man
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 11: Groundwork
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 12: Siblings
- Raven of the Inner Palace Episode 13: Xiangfu Incense
This has turned into my favorite anime of the season. I have always loved well done mystery in anime and there are so few of them.
That’s the truth! About the best ones I can think of would be Beautiful Bones and The Perfect Insider. Both were awhile ago!
I weep that Beautiful Bones has not had another season!
I don’t count shows like Detective Conan.
Beautiful Bones was a classy series. By that, I mean it respected its genre. It also respected its viewers time! I would like to see another season, too.