Comment by luvformery on Blossoms of the White Night - Chapter 19

Comment on ChapterBlossoms of the White Night - Chapter 19

I can't tell if we're expecting a redemption arc or a self-justification arc from Shuraka😭 Yes, as Tei said, it was perfectly natural for sultans to have harems at that time, but this doesn't fit the perception imposed on us that "Tei is everything to me and my priority; I shouldn't do anything to upset him or make him feel replaced, even if it hurts me b health,"

No matter what anyone says, bringing back the man you abandoned after 13 years, wanting him to just stand there in front of you, and forcing him to watch you be with others "for his and the kingdom's good," while you can't even dedicate yourself to him, is not love; it's an unhealthy obsession, possessiveness, and selfishness. If you truly love someone, you should think of them before your own peace of mind, and in this scenario, Shakura has already decided what will happen without even asking Tei's opinion and is demanding that he comply.

Of course, we don't know the real story yet, and maybe it's just acting, we can't be sure, but he seems quite inexperienced when it comes to sexual relations—but of course, this time the problems arise of him filling his harem, which he clearly did willingly, with people who remind him of Tei, and carrying the scent of a male concubine on him.

In the end, I feel like this plot will be explained to us as "I value you so much and want to protect you that I do things to people who remind me of you that I wouldn't dare do to you – that's how much I love you (!)" and even Shakura's cheating will be normalized and romanticized by emphasizing his devotion. I hope that doesn't happen🫩

I just don't wanna die before seeing the final ep of tbnf🫩

3 Replies

expensivegirlShonen Spirit·3 months ago

@luvformery it hasn't been stated that shuraka actually engages in sexual relations with the people in his harem. it could just be a custom of the land that he follows as their ruler.

luvformeryMember·3 months ago

@expensivegirl If, as Tei observed, harem did filled with aim for a political unification, with people from many different places, not only Shukara's type and taste—which is suspiciously look a lot like Tei—that would be a fair point. Here, it's kinda look less about being forced into something and more about turning the situation to ur own advantage. Otherwise, BWAT would not specifically shows Shakura acquiring a male concubine and spending time with him, and his harem is carefully arranged rather than randomly selected.

And his reaction when Tei learns about his concubines is less of a reassuring "don't worry, they're not important to me," and more like "they're not important to YOU,"

Of course, the aim here is still not to make Tei feel uncomfortable, but he still don't give him a specific explanation and it's as if he is just telling him what he should do, and as I said, this isn't about caring for Tei, but rather about idolizing his existence and portraying him not as a person with feelings, but as someone whose only task is to stand by him without worrying, without interfering in things, and to focus on being his beloved.

NordremoMember·3 months ago

@luvformery

I agree with all of what you said. I think the miscommunication here is the obvious root problem: they both have assumptions about the other that are not cleared up for now because they don't have an open discussion about it. It is clear that Shuraka respects Tei a great deal, but he doesn't know him; beside the fact a dozen years have passed since they last saw each other, he never tries to put himself in his shoes, starting by understanding his culture and where he comes from, and what it means for a man like him to find himself in this kind of situation. It is obviously linked to the way the fight for the throne happened and the way he was raised at the Padisha, but as long as Shuraka fails to try to really understand Tei, they will keep going in circles and the misunderstanding and anguish will deepen.

Now as for Tei, I think his biggest mistake is never asking questions. It is clear that even though he is "beneath" Shuraka when it comes to hierarchy, there are little to no chance that Shuraka wouldn't answer his questions about his standing here, his role, and what he's supposed to do (beside "stay by his side" of course), because even if Shuraka thinks Tei shouldn't bother with anything he considers would be a burden for him, he has every reason for Tei to know which position he holds in terms of power, only just to protect himself when Shuraka isn't around. I think it will be addressed soon because it's usually an important plot point, and we'll see how it goes.

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