An epic tale of unwavering loyalty, love, and hatred. I loved all the characters here. Their motives were clear and well-developed, and I felt like I knew them all:

- The second male lead that was tortured until all his heart knew was hatred.
- The female lead with undying loyalty and love that carried over from before she could even remember.
- The male lead with the weight of the kingdom (and the world) on his shoulders.
- The second female lead with a good head on her shoulders.
- The mastermind villain who just wanted to prove himself to his emperor.

It was an emotional tale with gorgeous cinematography. However, there were several holes that needed filling in order to fully understand how we got from one scene to the next. Scenes that presumably got cut out due to funding or the review board, as their absence was very clear. So a lower rating would be absolutely justified by those that prioritize plots over characters.