Everyone has daddy issues in this episode.

Principal Hwang answers Wang Hao's charges in his own way and doesn't deny them. As a result of the chaos of the tournament, particularly Yeob Jung's insanity, half the students leave. Principal Hwang is brought before Murim Group and steps down to avoid the school being shut down. The meditation teacher, Bup Gong, is placed in charge and sets about remaking the school to his satisfaction.

But Wang Hao has achieved his goal in taking down the school -- Yeob Jung is destroyed (it was Wang Hao who brought his brother there), Sun Ah now hates the man she thought was her father, Soon Duk is again pulled out by her dad, and Chi Ang finds out his father is not who he thought he was. Only Si Woo is left, but he is saddened that he can't help anyone. Si Woo puts the pieces he's heard together; the Principal was innocent, arrived after the fire was set, found Sun Ah, and took her out of the fire 18 years ago. Hwang believes himself to be at fault for not protecting his friend Chae Yoon, so he punishes himself to atone. Our idol talks to Chi Ang, who warns him that Wang Hao will stop at nothing to get what he wants...


"Why don't you turn up the heat in here? The thermostat is right over there."

Things seem dark for our heroes now. It reminds me a lot of the old comic book plots -- the X-Men are defeated, apparently dead or imprisoned, and the villains have won, except for one wild card the villains failed to take into account. I'm thinking that wild card is Si Woo. Even he seems crushed by the weight of the darkness that threatens to engulf them all. But at the end, he provides a ray of hope, even if he doesn't quite light up their lives. Plus he's got that awesome power. I'm guessing the only direction is onward and upward. I have to think they'll band together next episode.

You guys called it on "the creepy old guy." We already knew Bup Gong was up to no good, I just didn't know how far it went. I was always curious what he was getting out of it. Really you don't betray a company unless you're on your way out and want to take everyone down with you. So I was curious. I guess he had the greatest motivation to stay. I saw him as the quintessential imp, whispering the right things into people's ears to drive them down the wrong path.


"That joke was hilarious. I wrote it on my hand so I wouldn't forget..."

What I was interested in was something that I figured was a huge plot point, but I wasn't sure how: the opening of the school to the outside. I figured it would bring in the freaks and the geeks, people eager to prove something, and the curious. I didn't think it would rock the school to its foundations. Principal Hwang seemed pretty unflappable, no matter what. He did what he had to do and showed little amazement at the results. Maybe this was his plan all along, to unmask the bad apples involved?

This installment was not as well plotted as the others. This series seems a tad uneven. Last week was a lot of fun, this week was a lot of talking and not too much action. And while there seemed to be plot points unveiled left and right (with the accompanying exciting music, from VIXX's "Alive" to the main score), it seemed like all talk, telling us instead of showing us. At least Chi Ang was shocked out of his "I'll crush you for stealing my girl" funk, but this episode needed a little more *oomph*  to it. But I haven't given up hope. There's only three episodes left. Let's make the most of it!

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