Three Kingdoms



Three Kingdoms (Original title "三国", or San Guo) is a Chinese TV series made in 2010 and yet another work based on the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

What differentiates this series from the others is its focus. It is far more willing to stray from the original historical novel's characterizations and dialogue in order to flesh out its characters, and gives almost equal attention to all three factions in its retelling of their respective development, desires, and goals. While the story begins with a strong focus on Cao Cao's ambitions, developed through his various actions, military campaigns and eventually becoming the ruler of Wei, the other two factions - the honor-bound Sun family and the idealistic Liu Bei and his followers - receive equal attention. The end result is arguably a more human and relateable version of the Three Kingdoms story which appeals to newcomers and old fans alike.

Probably the most expensive project ever in Chinese TV, Three Kingdoms is, in fact, quite a milestone of the whole Chinese media industry. Even longer than the much-praised 1994 TV series (95 episodes, while its predecessor had 86) it's a darker retelling of the classic work, with lots of beheading and blood spilling and the killing and the ravaging. Even with this gruesome curriculum, Three Kingdoms is very character-driven and mostly focused on the large-scale battles and the political intrigues and multiple betrayals and fleeting loyalties of the turbulent era, but it stills find time to present us some stunning Chinese landscapes from time to time. Still, those who want to watch legendary heroes kicking ass Dynasty Warriors-style won't be disapointed.

While the official release has fairly shoddy English subtitles, a fansub group has released the entire series subbed and downloadable by torrent.


 * Adaptational Badass: Liu Bei is shown to be much more capable than he's usually portrayed, while still being kind and (mostly) honorable. Lu Su is also less of a hapless go-between and more of a skilled politician in his own right.
 * Antagonist in Mourning: Zhuge Liang to Zhou Yu, even after more or less causing his death through despair. While this mourning is entirely for show in most Three Kingdoms adaptations, in this case Zhuge Liang seems to actually mean it, referring to Zhou Yu as a worthy adversary afterwards.
 * Ambadassador: Zhuge Liang and Lu Su are the most prominent examples, but Ma Su isn't too shabby either.
 * Badass: Zhao Yun rides headlong into Cao Cao's approaching forces to rescue Liu Bei's wives and son, then piledrives his way back out through battalions of mooks, all while carrying the baby in a makeshift sling. He later barehandedly kung-fus his way through a small horde of spear-wielding guards after his sword gets stolen.
 * Badass Long Hair: Everyone, due to the Chinese taboo against cutting one's hair, which was regarded as a gift from one's parents. Not that you'd know it, though, since most characters have it up in a bun.
 * Battle of Wits: Zhuge Liang vs. Zhou Yu, from the moment they meet all the way up until Zhou Yu's death, which was itself caused - at least a little bit - by Zhuge Liang winning so many of these battles.
 * The Chessmaster:
 * Cao Cao, often. Wang Yun, with the plot against Dong Zhuo, although that ended up being his single stroke of brilliance.
 * More appropriately later, Zhuge Liang, as is to be expected. Some of his battles are planned out in such detail in advance that the show doesn't even bother to give them screentime, because they happened Exactly As Planned.
 * Chronic Backstabbing Disorder: Poor Lu Bu. His CBD is so bad, even other characters in-universe notice it. Cao Cao finally decides not to extend the chain and executes him.
 * Combat by Champion: Happens quite often, mainly to raise the morale of the troops behind the winning champion. Generally a foregone conclusion if one of the champions involved is a big-name character.
 * Despair Event Horizon:
 * Liu Bei nearly crosses this twice. First, after losing battle after battle against Cao Cao and being confined to a small town in Jingzhou, and upon finding that Cai Mao is approaching with the intent to kill him, he merely sighs and asks, "must I keep running?" Luckily, Liu Qi convinces him to escape, and he acquires Xu Shu's aid soon thereafter. However, he would have nearly crossed this again when Xu Shu is forced to leave due to Cao Cao threatening his mother, but for Xu Shu remembering to tell him at the last moment that a certain Master Sleeping Dragon lived nearby.
 * Zhuge Liang, after six northern campaigns, finally
 * Dragon with an Agenda: Zhou Yu to Sun Quan. The former hates Zhuge Liang with every fiber of his being, is willing to go to war with Liu Bei over the slightest provocation (and likely get both Sun and Liu factions wiped out by Cao Cao), and controls the majority of the Southland's soldiers. Sun Quan ends up having to ensure Zhou Yu's obedience through extremely delicate maneuvering.
 * But it turns out Zhou Yu was mostly doing it for the good of the Southland, at least in his own somewhat biased way.
 * Evil Is Hammy: Dong Zhuo hams it like a pro, once cornering the Emperor in his own carriage and bemoaning his cruel lot in life and his bad reputation due to his "service" to the Emperor. He's just trying to help by taking over the empire himself!
 * Heroic Sacrifice: Liu Bei's morals prevent him from conquering Xichuan from its inept ruler, Liu Zhang.
 * Infant Immortality: Averted. Dong Zhuo likes to order the wholesale slaughter of the families of disloyal retainers (or those simply more loyal to the Han than to him), including women and children.
 * Kill Me Now or Forever Stay Your Hand: Liu Bei to Lu Meng.
 * Kingmaker Scenario: To protect its own survival, Wu sides with whichever of the other two kingdoms is weaker at the moment.
 * Plucky Comic Relief: Zhang Fei wobbles between being this and a drunken lout when off the battlefield, and often does both in rapid succession when around Zhuge Liang.
 * Reassigned to Antarctica: Tian Feng is just one of many characters demoted to menial positions for getting on the boss's bad side.
 * Revenge Before Reason: While Liu Bei was still mostly reasonable after Guan Yu's death from Wu's capture of Jingzhou, Zhang Fei's death takes him completely over the edge. He tries to execute an official who warns him against the invasion, discards the advice of Zhao Yun and Zhuge Liang (who he had formerly trusted greatly), and even rejects Wu's plea for peace which would have returned Jingzhou to him. His eventual loss to Lu Xun could only be expected.
 * Say My Name: Sima Yi roars Cao Cao's name when he thought that Cao Cao had died from head pain after charging Sima Yi with the upkeep of his legacy. Turns out Cao Cao was being melodramatic and Sima Yi's yelling had suddenly cured his headache.
 * The Farmer and the Viper: With Lu Bu as the viper and his string of masters culminating in Liu Bei as the farmers. Interestingly, Liu Bei gets accused of this by quite a few people too.
 * Undying Loyalty:
 * Practically everyone who ends up joining Liu Bei, including nameless peasants. Liu Bei was so respected in Xu province that the commoners, when given money and food to flee for their own lives from Cao Cao's invading army, instead chose to follow Liu Bei's forces in their retreat.
 * Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei to each other. While this is usually heartwarming, it also leads to Liu Bei's ill-fated vengeful crusade against Wu for being responsible for his brothers' deaths.
 * When Guan Yu and Zhang Fei threaten rebellion against Zhuge Liang during Liu Bei's absence, Zhuge Liang sends away the troops protecting him so that Liu Bei's army's strength would not be lowered by in-fighting, and states that he was willing to die to prove his loyalty. While this becomes unnecessary due to Liu Bei's return, Zhuge Liang does bear out this trope by loyally serving Liu Bei and striving to fulfill his last wishes for the rest of his life.
 * Verbal Tic: Dong Zhuo constantly says "Hao, hao" (Good, good), particularly when he's excited.
 * Villainous Breakdown: Cao Cao is so incensed by Liu Bei's occupation of Xuzhou that he briefly goes into a rage coma.
 * Wise Beyond Their Years: Sun Quan and Cao Chong,
 * Worthy Opponent:
 * Zhou Yu towards Zhuge Liang, albeit often obscured by Zhou Yu's jealousy. It is eventually revealed that Zhuge Liang reciprocated this to some extent.
 * Cao Cao to Liu Bei. While the two were still on the same side in Yuan Shao's coalition, Cao Cao had already realized that Liu Bei was no ordinary man, and tried to sway Liu Bei's loyalty from the Han to him. After his obvious failure, he came to regard Liu Bei as this.