by: the Madcap Duo, Raine and MadDino

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Raine: EEEEEEEEH!

OMG! It’s over. I’m suffering empty nest syndrome already. What an ending. So much heart.

“Rooftop Prince” –  Instrumental with NO COMPOSER mentioned!!!! (from the Rooftop Prince OST)

episode 20 (final) recap

Raine: Panda wakes up in a chicken coop in his tux. People curiously stare at the short haired funnily-dressed man and he feels REALLY awkward. The guards come chasing after him and turns out their running after Chi-san too. YAY CHI-SAN!

Deeno: He looks really good in a tux.

Raine: He really does. Nom nom nom. Yummy Panda.

Raine: The two book it down the dirt road and Chi-san loses his flip flop, which makes it quite hard to run. They split up and lose the idiotic guards. Panda hides and when the guards don’t see him standing right behind them, Panda escapes and finds Chi-san lying on the ground with blood dribbling down his chin!

His pandaness  freaks until Chi-san licks the blood off his chin; only it’s not blood. It’s ketchup!

I’m having images of Chi-san that first night in Grams’ house snarfing ketchup out of the fridge.

Turns out Chi-san was slurping on ketchup because he was starving. Now he really wants a burger. Sorry, buddy. Wrong time period.

Deeno: That’s so disgusting. Ketchup is just nasty.

Raine: I don’t think it’s nasty. But I think inhaling it like apple juice is just…ick-tastic. It even get brand new vocabulary.

Raine: Although the prince wants to head back to the palace, they simply can’t go dressed like 21st-century denizens; they will be thrown in jail. Luckily, they see two guys chugging beers and they have a warm reunion, complete with stoic Yong-sul drowning the prince in a bear hug. Chi-san snarfs some chicken and the prince discovers they didn’t bring him any beer.

But, they did bring his clothes!

Raine: Bu Yong and Hwa Yong’s father, the minister, freaks out when he hears that the prince is alive. He turns to a man who turns out to be Tae-mu’s previous incarnation.

HA! I knew he had one! And good golly is he hot in period garb.

Deeno: SMID is ugly. That facial hair. Disgusting.

Raine: I’m not normally a facial hair person, and it’s not what looks hot. He just has a rockin’ aura.

Deeno: Or he looks like an idiot.

Raine: You’re so harsh.

Raine’s fourth answering machine, Boris: I’ve always wanted to grow a mustache.

Fluffy Deeno: You’d look good with a mustache.

Raine’s fourth answering machine, Boris: So what size batteries do you take?

Raine: BORIS!

Deeno: Mwhahahahahahahaha!

Raine: Anyway, the minister gets pissed at Joseon Mu for failing to kill the prince, so Joseon Mu goes outside and kills his men for lying that they killed him. He promises to take care of it.

Uh…if you’re anything like Tae-mu, you’re a total wannabe.

Deeno: But he just killed two people. I’m pretty sure they are going to stay dead, too.

Raine: That’s Joseon. You have to kill important people. Sorry maids.

Deeno: I don’t think they were maids. Death is death, but I guess I didn’t see any blood so it’s not quite as much fun.

Raine: I call him a wannabe because he never does what he sets out to do. Those poor not-maids were just sad victims of his failure.

Deeno: I really don’t care if you insult SMID…just stay away from the sexy murderer who gave me a broody shower scene.

Raine: *goes to play with her mini-Park Shi-hoo*

Raine: Team Joseon sits and chats. Turns out it’s only been a day in Joseon while they were in Seoul for months. When he wonders if it might’ve all been a dream, the Trio fervently denies using all the lingo they learned from Park Ha. The Panda forbids them from using 21st-century lingo since they are in Joseon. They bow and apologize and his pandaness looks all smug and happy at being treated like royalty again.

Now it’s time to get to solving the murder of the Crown Princess.

Deeno: About time.

Raine: Only took you twenty episodes.

Raine: Hwa Yong and Bu Yong’s mother runs to the minister to tell him they are suspected as murderers. The minister promises it will end soon with either his death or the prince’s death; then the guards come and take him.

Raine: The minister, his wife and his right hand man are in prisoner’s garb before his pandaness.

When questioned, they deny knowing anything about the murder and say they are mourning their loss and that “Bu Yong” bedridden with illness.

The Prince decides to out their lies and tells the true story of what happened that night.

7 Days Ago

Raine: His pandaness is out for a stroll and is being watched by a mooney-eyed Bu Yong. She turns to leave, but trips and spills some white power out of a small box. The prince sees her and decides to mess around with her.

Dude, you so have it for Bu Yong. Maybe that’s why you don’t notice that the Crown Princess is evil.

Raine: Anyway, he offers her his hand and she accepts it after picking up the box. He teases her for falling “again”. He wonders if the item she’s holding is make-up and she says “yes”. It’s from her brother to the Crown Princess.

He wants to know if she’s solved the riddle yet and enjoys himself greatly when she says “no”. She has until tomorrow until she loses. Then he wins.

OOOH! Does he get to punish her for losing? Punish her mouth….?

Deeno: Wrong Park Ha. This one is already dead.

Raine: I can’t help it…it just pops out of my fingers.

Deeno: For now…

Raine: What are you trying to say?

Deeno: Uh…so are you going to get me my vial of blood tomorrow?

Raine: If you behave.

Deeno: *sparkly behaving eyes*

Raine: Bu Yong delivers the powder to Hwa Yong as well as a letter from their father. When Hwa Yong reads the letter, she becomes very agitated and orders Bu Yong to leave. Before she does, Bu Yong hands her sister the hanky she made for the prince and tells Hwa Yong that the letter needs to be resealed and returned to their father.

On her way to meet her mother, Bu Yong sees Joseon Mu. Then she asks mom who he is and turns out his General Mu, the prince’s half brother who was banished from the palace. He’s staying with them now for her father’s work.

Raine: Bu Yong is working on another hanky (she must really like them…) and puts two and two together. Mysterious stranger. Mysterious funny smelling white powder. Antsy sister. Yeah, there’s something going on. Bu Yong decides to read the letter from her father to Hwa Yong, which sends her running to meet the prince.

Deeno: Don’t save the panda. You’ll die, then he’ll live a miserable lonely life.

Raine: Or he’ll die and she’ll live a long miserable life. 😦

Deeno: Or they can both die and neither will be miserable.

Raine: Well, they do eventually and then come back as Tae-potato and peppermint!

Anyway, the evil letter reads:
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‬Crown princess,

Today is that day. from here on in, heed your fathers’ words. you must execute this flawlessly. Accept the dried persimmons personally. When palace ladies leave room distract prince and sprinkle the powder onto the dried persimmons.

Raine: The minister realizes he never got the letter back and sends a minion to grab it from Bu Yong.

Ruh-roh. She’s already read it. General Mu ain’t happy and orders her caught, dead or alive.

Deeno: I’m going to guess dead.

Raine: General Mu would want dead, but he’d fail. So he’s getting alive until she takes it into her own hands and succeeds. Take a pointer Tae-wannabe.

Raine: In the royal bedchambers, the food is delivered and the Crown Princess asks if it’s been tested for poison.

Okay…she needs to die now.

Deeno: Will there be blood?

Raine: If I kill her? Yes. Who would think that I’d prefer Se-na over anyone, but I prefer Se-na over this incarnation. At least Se-na redeemed herself. This creature is one twisted sister. Pun intended.

Deeno: Pun ignored due to lameness.

Raine: Anyway, she distracts the prince with Bu Yong’s hanky and nervously sprinkles the poison powder onto the persimmons.

The prince mentions meeting Bu Yong earlier with a smile, which makes princess girl jealous. Then he eyes the persimmons hungrily.

Deeno: This isn’t yogurt. You crave yogurt. You don’t want to eat these.

Raine: Maybe he’s eyeing the white stuff as powdered sugar?

Deeno: He’s probably confused by our murmurings since he hasn’t gone to the future yet. Panda, ignore us. You’re insane and you hear nothing.

Raine: Panda, remember, when you come to the future, come to my hospital so when I wake up, I see your face.

Deeno: But I want you to see Fluffy Deeno’s face when you wake up. That will keep you sleeping for decades.

Raine: I sleep. You no get blood.

Raine: Suddenly, Bu Yong is announced and Hwa Yong gets REALLY nervous. The Crown Princess tries to send her out, ‘cause by law Bu Yong can’t be there at night, but Panda likes having her there is royally amused when Bu Yong says she’s come because she figured out the riddle.
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‬What lives when it’s dead and is dead when it’s alive?

The answer is “Bu Yong” or a lotus flower.

Raine: Princess girl does not like this and tries to make Bu Yong leave, but the Prince wants to hear Bu Yong’s reasoning.

The lotus flower only seeds after dying. It must be buried underground in order to live again. So it lives when it dies. Even the Buddhist symbol for reincarnation is Bu Yong.

Ah, how poetic. Bu Yong dies, but lives again in Park Ha. As does the Panda in Tae-potato. Well, if Tae-potato lives.

Deeno: I felt like she was saying that she was already dead. She’d already decided her life was meaningless if Panda wasn’t alive. She’ll finally be able to live as long as she knows Panda is safe, even if it means she has to die.

Raine: Yeah, I’m talking about from our point of view. But that’s true. Her heart will be free to live as it wants as her body dies.

Raine: The prince is most pleased to lose to her…again. Now Bu Yong wants her prize: dried persimmons. Of course, this makes him one confused panda because he promised her something big, but these persimmons means more to her than anything in the world.

He tells her to take as many as she wants.

Deeno: Take as many Pandas as she wants. Since in this case Pandas are persimmons.

Raine: I want pandas.

Deeno: I want sexy murderer broody shower scenes.

Raine: I want panda-making.

Back to the emotional moment of sacrifice!! Bu Yong!!!!!! *sob*

She eats the persimmons with shaking hands. (My question: Why couldn’t she just have taken them with her?)

Deeno: Cuz the evil princess would stop her.

Raine: But…but…but…

Raine: In any case, Hwa Yong watches in horror. When Bu Yong is through, she tells the Prince to be in peace and then manages to walk out without stumbling. But outside the royal bedchambers, she staggers. She orders her maids to tell the Crown Princess to find her at Bu Yong pond.

Bu Yong makes her way to the pond and the poison slowly takes its toll.

Ack, heart breaking!

Deeno: The crown princess sneaks out leaving Panda behind.

Bu Yong remembers every happy moment with Panda and goes inside. She is shortly joined by her sister after the princess dismisses her guards.

Bu Yong struggles to breath and stay upright. Crown Princess blames her, but Bu Yong has one favor.

Raine: Evil, evil wench! RAWR! I claw your eyeballs out and stab you with your hair ornament!

Deeno: SMID waits in the dark.

Bu Yong suggests switching clothes. If she is found dead at Bu Yong they will realize she was poisoned and her whole family will be killed. If she drowns no one will suspect her and if the crown princess dies the family ties will be cut and their father will no longer be a threat to Panda.

Raine: Just like Park Ha did for Se-na. She seriously is too good. She should’ve just outed the jerks and been rid of them. But, then she wouldn’t be the woman that Panda loved…or at least the woman that he enjoyed flirting with and then fell in love with her soul 300 years later…like THAT ain’t a complicated love story…

Deeno: Complicated can be good.

Raine: And, for the most part, it has been.

Deeno: SMID kills a few palace maids and the crown princess runs off disguised at Bu Yong. SMID stares at her as she leaves, but I guess he’s not fooled. I would have loved if SMID killed the crown princess thinking it was Bu Yong.

Raine: I was hoping he would. Jerk totally burst my bubble.

Deeno: Bu Yong hides a letters while spewing blood from her mouth (Yay! Blood!) and then stumbles outside.

Deeno: She falls into the pond and drowns. Her last words before she falls are “Your Highness.”

Raine: You all know I’m loyal to Park Ha, but this was so sad. I kinda want her to have a bit of Panda. Heck, I want a bit of Panda…

Deeno: …in baby form.

Raine: We need some good ol’ fashioned panda-making music!

Raine’s fourth answering machine, Boris: *sings* I’ve been feeling fiiiiiiine baby. Trying to hold back that feeling for soooo long!

Deeno: Grumble. Grumble. Grumble. Shouldn’t be allowed to sing.

Raine’s fourth answering machine, Boris: Countertenors are real men, too.

Deeno: I don’t care what you are. I want you dead…

Raine: No killing my machines!

Deeno: Fluffy Deeno, go flirt with Boris some more.

Fluffy Deeno: Right-o. So Boris, are you doing anything tomorrow while Raine is out of it. We could sneak off and have a little fun in this flowery meadow I know.

Raine’s fourth answering machine, Boris: Are there outlets?

Fluffy Deeno: Mmm hmm. *tucks one foot behind the other and sheepishly tries to hide a grin as she nods*

Raine: *Grits her teeth* You’re only staying around ‘cause my readers like you…

Deeno: We get back to the present, finally, and Panda yells at Bu Yong’s parents. He will search their residence till he find “Bu Yong” and prove his theory.

Well, he searches and finds “Bu Yong.” Panda’s about to remove the veil when he’s attacked by ninja assassins (AKA SMID and company).

Raine: IS RAIN THERE?! Is he out of the military?

Deeno: There is an epic battle of lameness, which seriously looked like five years olds pretending to be stunt men. SMID shoots an arrow at Panda and before he can unleash another arrow Blue Ajussi steps in. SMID looks like a complete idiot and get this…Park Ha’s necklace stopped the arrow and saved Panda’s life. Mwhahahahahahaha! This is so stupid. The sound is completely off and it looks like it was finished seconds before it went live.

Raine: Remember we were reading the tweets last night? I think they were down to the wire. I thought the necklace was cheesy but…cute. He needs SOMETHING.

Deeno: It’s super cheesy, but I like to think that Park Ha knew what was going to happen because she read his history. Which totally got left out!

Raine: Oh, so he gets killed the first time?

Deeno: That would be awesome.

Raine: NO! ANIYA!

Deeno: But she stopped it. Shouldn’t that make you happy?

Raine: The idea was so horrifying, it just popped out. Pardon me.

Deeno: Anyways, Panda removes the veil and all of the princess’s meager begging doesn’t make him merciful. He has SMID and Bu Yong’s father beheaded. Out of respect to Bu Yong’s final wishes he only exiles the princess and her mother. Grumble. Grumble. Grumble. Off with her head!

Raine: SERIOUSLY! I’m kinda glad he stayed with the traditions and laws of the times and beheaded them. I was wondering if he would behead them or just exile them. DIE EVIL BU YONG KILLERS!

Deeno: Panda remembers Park Ha as he wanders alone. Poor boy doesn’t even get a doppelganger to love. He does find the letter that Bu Yong left for him behind the glowing mystic butterfly though. She glories that if Panda can read the letter then it means he’s alive. She is relieved by one thing as her death comes. That she can finally say all the words she wanted to when she was live: That she has and always will love him. The doppelganger he was supposed to be with loves him, but she’s dead and all he’s left with is tears and memories of Park Ha. No!!!!!!!

Raine: I was sobbing. My. Poor. Panda. WAAAAAH!

Deeno: Panda can’t take it any longer and writes his own letter. He hides it where he hid the button and hopes that Park Ha will find it 300 years in the future.

Deeno: Of course she does, but by the time she reads it he’s long dead. *eyes well up* He takes the opportunity to tell her that he’s safe. He hopes her shop is doing well. He misses her, wants to hear her voice, touch her again. If he could meet her by dying, he’d die immediately. He wishes he could tell her he loved her more often and hopes that she’ll be able to smile again.

Raine: But, but. You reincarnate! It’s not the same as a Panda, but I’ll deal with a potato!

Deeno: Park Ha spaces out as she serves customers, including the living potato. She doesn’t even notice it.

Raine: PANDA! *grabs on to fleeting hope*

Deeno: It’s not panda! Mwhahahahahaha! *crushes fleeting hope like a mystic butterfly*

Deeno: The tracksuit trio opens up an omurice restaurant. Chi San gets a bit distracted listening to music on his headphones though. How does he keep it charged? Now I’m going to imagine all the boy climbing in trees during lightning storms to harvest electricity for the tech gadgets they brought back. Fried Yellow Ajussi, coming right up.

Raine: It’ll probably die and leave him to Yong-sul and Man-bo’s torture! Heeeheeee! They’re so cute making omurice and ketchup. I’m semi-comforted by the fact that the Panda Prince has them by his side.

Deeno: That is comforting. Park Ha is all alone with her shop and a man she’s never really spoken too. At least he’s good looking.

Raine: But it’s the same soul! AND they had the flirt going on in New York. AND they were meant to be in the first place. But Tae-wannabe got in the way. What am I saying? TEAM YEEHAW!

Deeno: TEAM DEATH!

Raine: Laaaaaame.

Deeno: Panda and the boys meet up to eat omurice. They even wear their tracksuits. Panda’s eyes water as he remembers Park Ha. They even savor their Park Ha’s sweet taste.

Raine: And Yong-sul, with his ever present horrendous timing, crunches on Park Ha. Only that isn’t cool anymore and he gets a panda glare. Go, go panda glare! And, those tracksuits are so cute. I can’t believe of all the things to pack, they packed those. But, really cute. I laughed so hard. Then cried at the look on Panda’s face.

Deeno: Park Ha returns to the shop and finds a post card left her her. It’s from Tae Yong and yet again he asks her to meet him.

Deeno: She waits at the park for Tae Yong to show up. This time he isn’t sidetracked by my sexy murderer and I’m fine with that.
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‬Tae Yong: Why are you so late? I’ve waited for you for so long.

Park Ha: Where were you? I was always here.

Tae Yong: *holds out his hand and when Park Ha takes it he changes to Panda*

Panda: Even if 300 years pass…

Park Ha: …I will still love you.

Deeno: *sob* I love how Tae Yong’s words take on a whole new meaning as we imagine Panda saying them. “I’ve waited for you so long.” Wah! I’m crying again

Raine: Me, too. Sobbing so darn hard.

 Comments:

Raine: First of all, I feel a little empty now that this recap experience is over. My little baby is all grown up and ending and giving it’s spot to the next syndicated show…

Deeno: But we can recap another show this fall. Even if it doesn’t have a panda.

Raine: YAY! I’ll even let Boris come back for that one. Well, maybe only for a few episodes.

Raine’s fourth answering machine, Boris: I am planning my escape routes…

Fluffy Deeno: I’m coming along whether Raine wants me or not.

Raine: I’m not thinking about you. It will drastically reduce the rate of success of my surgery tomorrow.

Raine’s fourth answering machine, Boris: Don’t say that! Even though you’re abusive, you’re still my master. Come back alive! Show off your scars!

Deeno: It would be best if I remain silent about Raine’s fate. Don’t want to jinx her. Kinda.

Raine: Vial of blood.

Deeno: Yes! I wish Raine the best with her surgery. May she have many years of happiness with her mini-Park Shi Hoo and battle scars.

Raine: Thank you. Now, onto my theories of happiness and trying to rationalize so that my poor Panda has a good reason to suffer loneliness! *sob*

I think things ended up as fate intended. Because Bu Yong and Panda never ended up together, fate decided that wasn’t cool and that it needed to remedy that. Not to mention there were some family issues to work out. Unfortunately for the Joseon Bu Yong and Panda, things didn’t work out so they get a second chance as Tae-yong and Park Ha. (Well, after Panda comes to the future and rearranges things for his incarnation. What a nice Panda…)

They all have the same souls. It’s why, I think, Tae-yong was so drawn to Park Ha and obviously, she to him. The nice little phrase about loving three hundred years later was especially poignant. Three hundred years, Panda and Bu Yong get another chance.

At least Panda gets his friends and he knows he’ll meet Park Ha again as Tae-yong…still doesn’t make me feel better about him, but I’m happy for Park Ha. And I’m glad he didn’t have to live with the nasty Hwa Yong.

So what are Park Ha and Tae-potato, I mean, the real Tae-yong gonna talk about. “So, who was your first love?” “Oh, you know, your Joseon incarnation…”

And now I get…potato babies…well he’s no longer a potato. Tae-yong babies. At least it’s Yoochun.

Deeno: How about some Tae Mu babies?

Raine: No. No Tae-mu babies.

Deeno: You go play with your mini-PSH and I’ll go play with my sexy murderer.

Raine: Until we have to bicker about the drama as a whole and let other people witness it.

Deeno: Do we even have to mention the drama? Can’t we just bicker for an hour and let everyone enjoy?

Raine: Can Boris come?

Deeno: Do you know how to speak in a good Russian accent?

Raine: Um….

Deeno: Don’t worry. I can’t stomach speaking like a ditz.

Raine: Until then…thank you for coming along for the ride readers!

Deeno: You’re welcome. I mean. Thank you everyone!

Episodes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20

Character introductions.

Rooftop Prince Episode 20 Screencaps.