The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 20: The Stronghold
Manga volume 77-79
Canon/HIGH
OSHIMETER
9.6
65 Fans
5
4
3
2
1
PacingVisualWritingEmo ImpactSoundtrack
The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 Episode 20: The Stronghold
Manga volume 77-79
Canon/HIGH
OSHIMETER
9.6
65 Fans
5
4
3
2
1
PacingVisualWritingEmo ImpactSoundtrack
QUICK TAKES
bulldozer36
VerifiedTension increases with tighter pacing and clearer stakes. The focus on specific items reinforces the investigative tone.
agape2401
VerifiedI really like how tightly knit the narrative is,, events that go as far as season one are actually made relevant and woven seamlessly to the current plot. We're also given more glimpse of the complex dynamics of our "heroes" and "villains," as well as their goals in the long run.
miki_2322
VerifiedAll the scenes are so tense now, and the vibe has become really dark. There’s almost no comedy anymore… I actually miss the moments when the female lead and male lead were together.
fedel89
VerifiedMaybe these last 5 episodes will maximize the thrill! I just really hope Shuisei and Suirei changes their mind and go back with Maomao :( Also Shenmei looks evil. Like she won't do anything good!
southeaststillness
VerifiedThings escalate FAST 😱 Maomao and Jinshi both shine in different ways. The scale feels bigger now. Not just palace drama anymore!
elrena
Seeing Shenmei treat her own daughters like that made my skin crawl, and I can't believe Loulan had to play a part for so long. Watching Jinshi finally take charge as the Moon Prince was such a huge moment for him after all that hesitation. I hope Maomao uses those books to find a way out of that medical wing
wobbuffet_346
Maomao immediately starts organizing the pharmacy even while being a prisoner and that is so typical of her and her face when she saw the books was the only good thing
robin_reader
That moment when Luomen shut down Lakan with just a look was incredible and it really shows who actually runs things when the real adults are in the room
eren_yeager_106
Shisui being Loulan this whole time is actually insane and the way she just switches personalities is terrifying plus that mountain fortress looks like a nightmare
darkness_defender
I am still reeling from seeing Jinshi finally drop the act and mobilize the army and he looked so desperate to find Maomao that it actually hurt to watch him
rem_rebel
Maomao’s whole act with the immortality potion was so perfectly her, I just knew she'd figure out some clever way to navigate that mess without actually making it. Honestly though, that detail about the rotting smell in the tower really got to me; I kept wondering if it was messing with her investigations, even with her high tolerance for gross stuff.
roy_mustang_116
I didn't expect to feel so conflicted about Loulan, seeing how deep they went with her character in just these few scenes; it's so clear she's a victim of her mom, but she still pulled off that villain act so well, making me think those lies to protect Maomao were also a desperate attempt to break free from her own gilded cage. What a messed up family situation.
alma_theus
Okay, but seriously, the sheer size of that fortress was just jaw-dropping, and when I saw all those soldiers spilling out with their torches, my stomach just dropped. It really made the whole rebellion suddenly hit me as something incredibly serious and dangerous.
zettai_zetsumei_20
I was so impressed with Maomao's quick thinking, immediately figuring out how to mess with the poisons while acting like she was helping. Her eyes at the end totally gave me the vibe that she's almost enjoying this twisted game, which is so her.
geordo_stuart
Luomen truly knows how to twist the knife, quietly deflating Lakan in a way I didn't see coming at all. I actually felt a weird, unexpected pang of sympathy for Lakan when he looked so utterly defeated about Maomao's mom; it makes me wonder how much of his current personality is just a shield.
hylian_286
My heart sank discovering Maomao saw those failed medical notes from the dead apothecaries because it made me realize just how precarious her own position is right now, almost like she's walking on eggshells with her own life on the line trying to correct their mistakes.
xigbar
I totally noticed Jinshi isn't just a pretty face anymore; he's genuinely stepping up as a leader, which is honestly so satisfying to see. But wow, when he found out Maomao had been taken north, the way his composure just shattered really got to me, making me realize how deeply he cares for her, beyond just his royal duties.
kiraxxz
I literally burst out laughing when Loulan told her mom Maomao was secretly thirty years old and just looked young because of some weird drug concoction; it was such a brilliant, absurd lie, and I totally got that she was just trying to divert attention and protect her friend in the moment.
yoruichi_yukiko
I seriously felt my stomach drop when the Matriarch held that knife to the kid; her whole obsession with immortality just felt so much more twisted seeing it play out like that. It made me wonder how far she's gone for this before, and it's genuinely chilling to think about.
sailor_mercury_394
Ugh, seeing Shisui transform into Loulan felt so utterly wrong, I mean, we just saw her catching bugs like it was yesterday! Her whole vibe now is just so chilling; it makes me seriously wonder what's going on inside her head.
EPISODE CONTEXT
Sitting at episode 20 of 24, 'The Stronghold' occupies a critical position in the season's endgame stretch, pivoting from the investigative momentum of 'Festival' into territory focused squarely on the Shi clan's hidden machinations. This episode serves as the foundation for the revelations expected in the following 'Taibon' episode, making it essential connective tissue between Maomao's earlier discoveries and the season's climactic arc. Skipping this one would mean losing crucial context for everything that follows in the final quarter.
QUICK TAKES
bulldozer36
VerifiedTension increases with tighter pacing and clearer stakes. The focus on specific items reinforces the investigative tone.
agape2401
VerifiedI really like how tightly knit the narrative is,, events that go as far as season one are actually made relevant and woven seamlessly to the current plot. We're also given more glimpse of the complex dynamics of our "heroes" and "villains," as well as their goals in the long run.
miki_2322
VerifiedAll the scenes are so tense now, and the vibe has become really dark. There’s almost no comedy anymore… I actually miss the moments when the female lead and male lead were together.
fedel89
VerifiedMaybe these last 5 episodes will maximize the thrill! I just really hope Shuisei and Suirei changes their mind and go back with Maomao :( Also Shenmei looks evil. Like she won't do anything good!
southeaststillness
VerifiedThings escalate FAST 😱 Maomao and Jinshi both shine in different ways. The scale feels bigger now. Not just palace drama anymore!
elrena
Seeing Shenmei treat her own daughters like that made my skin crawl, and I can't believe Loulan had to play a part for so long. Watching Jinshi finally take charge as the Moon Prince was such a huge moment for him after all that hesitation. I hope Maomao uses those books to find a way out of that medical wing
wobbuffet_346
Maomao immediately starts organizing the pharmacy even while being a prisoner and that is so typical of her and her face when she saw the books was the only good thing
robin_reader
That moment when Luomen shut down Lakan with just a look was incredible and it really shows who actually runs things when the real adults are in the room
eren_yeager_106
Shisui being Loulan this whole time is actually insane and the way she just switches personalities is terrifying plus that mountain fortress looks like a nightmare
darkness_defender
I am still reeling from seeing Jinshi finally drop the act and mobilize the army and he looked so desperate to find Maomao that it actually hurt to watch him
rem_rebel
Maomao’s whole act with the immortality potion was so perfectly her, I just knew she'd figure out some clever way to navigate that mess without actually making it. Honestly though, that detail about the rotting smell in the tower really got to me; I kept wondering if it was messing with her investigations, even with her high tolerance for gross stuff.
roy_mustang_116
I didn't expect to feel so conflicted about Loulan, seeing how deep they went with her character in just these few scenes; it's so clear she's a victim of her mom, but she still pulled off that villain act so well, making me think those lies to protect Maomao were also a desperate attempt to break free from her own gilded cage. What a messed up family situation.
alma_theus
Okay, but seriously, the sheer size of that fortress was just jaw-dropping, and when I saw all those soldiers spilling out with their torches, my stomach just dropped. It really made the whole rebellion suddenly hit me as something incredibly serious and dangerous.
zettai_zetsumei_20
I was so impressed with Maomao's quick thinking, immediately figuring out how to mess with the poisons while acting like she was helping. Her eyes at the end totally gave me the vibe that she's almost enjoying this twisted game, which is so her.
geordo_stuart
Luomen truly knows how to twist the knife, quietly deflating Lakan in a way I didn't see coming at all. I actually felt a weird, unexpected pang of sympathy for Lakan when he looked so utterly defeated about Maomao's mom; it makes me wonder how much of his current personality is just a shield.
hylian_286
My heart sank discovering Maomao saw those failed medical notes from the dead apothecaries because it made me realize just how precarious her own position is right now, almost like she's walking on eggshells with her own life on the line trying to correct their mistakes.
xigbar
I totally noticed Jinshi isn't just a pretty face anymore; he's genuinely stepping up as a leader, which is honestly so satisfying to see. But wow, when he found out Maomao had been taken north, the way his composure just shattered really got to me, making me realize how deeply he cares for her, beyond just his royal duties.
kiraxxz
I literally burst out laughing when Loulan told her mom Maomao was secretly thirty years old and just looked young because of some weird drug concoction; it was such a brilliant, absurd lie, and I totally got that she was just trying to divert attention and protect her friend in the moment.
yoruichi_yukiko
I seriously felt my stomach drop when the Matriarch held that knife to the kid; her whole obsession with immortality just felt so much more twisted seeing it play out like that. It made me wonder how far she's gone for this before, and it's genuinely chilling to think about.
sailor_mercury_394
Ugh, seeing Shisui transform into Loulan felt so utterly wrong, I mean, we just saw her catching bugs like it was yesterday! Her whole vibe now is just so chilling; it makes me seriously wonder what's going on inside her head.
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