Akatsuki no Yona (Yona of the Dawn): Season 1/ Episode 14 “Light” – Overview/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

As The Blue Dragon learns to trust and become comfortable with his new family, he gets the greatest gift of all.

Topic 1: Goodbye To My Old Home – Yona & The Blue Dragon

Topic 2: Brothers & Friends – Yona, Yun, Hak, Gija, and The Blue Dragon

Topic 3: Sinha & The Future – Yona, The Blue Dragon, and Gija

Review (with Spoilers) – Below

Topic 1: Goodbye To My Old Home – Yona & The Blue Dragon

With everyone stuck after the cave in, Gija, Yona, Yun, and Hak, all try to dig their way out. However, being that Yona is still adjusting to hard work and suffering, she faints. Luckily though, The Blue Dragon catches her and as he continues to watch this woman work alongside her followers, to the point of fainting, he finds himself more and more coming to admire her. Making it so once they are free from the cave in, he accepts her offer to join her on her journey. For while the village members maybe those who he is most familiar with, and have protected his whole life, Yona presents the concept of family and a home.

Commentary

While I cried during Yun’s introduction, The Blue Dragon matched, if not surpassed, Yun’s. For with The Blue Dragoon also suffering from abandonment, as well as being ostracized, and then him quietly suffering alone, it is hard to not feel for him. Plus the way Yona and him interacted has this beauty to it. For while the relationship between Gija and Yona seems geared toward romance, you can see The Blue Dragon looking at Yona like some sort of senpai or big sister. One who he has perhaps been waiting for years, and may not exactly replace the human Ao, but certainly can take up the time he would be spending with The Blue Dragon if he was still alive.

Topic 2: Brothers & Friends – Yona, Yun, Hak, Gija, and The Blue Dragon

Once out of the village, there comes the question of the next dragon. Something Gija can’t sense due to him being tired after digging so much. So, naturally, everyone looks at the Blue Dragon who looks back at them confused. After all, he knows nothing of this dragon legend outside of the curse which was imposed onto him. Thus leading to Gija claiming him as a brother, and telling him he will teach him all he knows. Leading to The Blue Dragon running to get food for Gija so he can regain his strength. A kind gesture which leaves him wet and cold. However, being that Yona cares for him, she offers her coat. Leading to the odd moment, for the group, in which The Blue Dragon not only speaks, but calls Yona by her name vs. princess.

Leading to both Yun and Hak wondering if they may do the same. For Yun, it arguably is because of him still having distrust in royals and wanting to separate Yona further from that. As for Hak, he just wants the ability to be closer to Yona. However, Yona wants Hak, of all people, to continue to call her princess. If only because he is the only person now who knows her history, and is a part of who she was before all this madness happened. So she doesn’t want him to let go of calling her princess for it would me the last person who can remind her of where she came from would be gone.

Commentary

Again, the series surprises me in its pursuit to not be another anime which seemingly has loads of filler, and action scenes which just barely make up for it. For it is moments like everyone asking Yona if they can call her by name which are immensely touching. For while I can’t say how Yun sees Yona, be it as a big sister or a crush, it is hard to deny that he, like The Blue Dragon, has grown close to her and looks at her as someone who can help him deal with the absence of friends, family, and/or affection. So him wanting the same familiarity that the Blue Dragon uses I think was him testing to see where he stood in her life, and whether she is just like any other royal who just use people and spit them out, or if their relationship has more meaning than that.

And the same could be said for Hak, especially after what Yona said in the last episode. For though he probably didn’t hear how she thought he was just there out of duty, you can see he often wants her to know duty isn’t the reason he has gone through so much with her. Though, being who he is, he can never just come out and say it. However, with Yona asking him to keep the joy of her former life alive, you can see he has a place in her heart, and in her joyous memories. But whether or not his affections may ever be returned, well only time will tell.

Topic 3: Sinha & The Future – Yona and The Blue Dragon

As the episode comes to a close, two last things need to be resolved: The first being, which dragon to pursue next and the second, what to name The Blue Dragon? Well, when it comes to the second thing, no one is of much help. Mostly because they aren’t as close to him as Yona so besides noting his silence, or his mask, they don’t have much to draw off. However, Yona comes up with Sinha, meaning moonlight, based off him guiding her to safety and being a sort of light in the darkness. And, as usual, Sinha reacts strangely to kindness, but he is quite happy with the name. He even whispers to a sleeping Ao about the name and how he sadly has forgotten the face of the person who gave him his first taste of happiness.

Commentary

Two cries in one episode and honestly Sinha has become my favorite character; I want to use the name Sinha for something, be it a child, character or etc; and even with no action scenes in awhile, and no word on what Soo-Won is doing, I feel very much invested in where this show is going. Especially since the opening changed and now we have an idea of what the rest of the dragons looks like.

Leading me to reveal, the next dragon is the Green one.