The Apothecary Diaries has quite the playful storytelling; it often either reveals so little or too much too fast, while the stories in between turn out to be important for a later plot. Episode 20 seems to “distract” us – by that I mean more questions than answers yet again – with the fact that the mastermind, Suirei, has taken her own life, putting an awkward end to the conspiracy. It’s a bit shocking, yes, but do you remember the suspicious things she said back in episode 18, almost like she was challenging Maomao? “The game is afoot!” as Sherlock Holmes would say, because, well, the court lady is gutsier than she lets on and unlike the other mysteries she’s solved, Maomao feels the thrill of this one. The fact that the lady can pull off all these murders as accidents and then ultimately get away with it – Suirei is not only scary as an individual but also because she represents a whole dark force at play in the overall plot.
It makes one very, very curious. Who was Suirei working for? What was their motive? And why was Jinshi the target? That last question is something already heavily implied, but episode 20 still refuses to plainly come out with it. It’s the same way Maomao still questions Jinshi’s identity because rather than her usual inquisitive nature, she chooses to be ignorant of all the signs in front of her (like how this is the second time we see Jinshi with a dragon insignia on his clothes), mostly because of the burden of knowledge with it. She brushes it off with the thought that it doesn’t concern her. The only thing that interests her, after all, is medicine.
Suffice it to say that Maomao has found a female rival knowledgeable in medicine and herbs. That said, I appreciate how the anime incorporates the details of real-life plants, and flowers into every episode. However, thornapple is interestingly different. The thornapple, otherwise known as Datura stramonium, jimsonweed, moonflower, or the devil’s trumpet, is a poisonous flowering plant of the nightshade (Solanaceae) family. It has had some medicinal, ornamental, and cultural uses throughout history, but the bottom line is that it is cautioned for its effectively strong toxins.
Some reports online say that it was used to treat asthma, epilepsy, and mania, but if used carelessly in high dosage, it may cause hallucinations, seizures, disorientation, comas, or even death. The family-related mandrake, henbane, and the deadly nightshade (belladonna) also have as much mystery and fear surrounding their poisonous flowers. And if the premise of The Apothecary Diaries’ thornapple sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because you recognized it from Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet.” In the play, Juliet uses a potion that makes her pulse so slow and her skin as cold as a corpse, and later, rises from the dead– just like Suirei. It is basically a myth and there are no supported articles about it, but this “potion,” just like in The Apothecary Diaries, is presumed to be referencing a nightshade flower.
That said, the absolute highlight of The Apothecary Diaries episode 20, is Maomao’s reaction to the challenge Suirei leaves her with. Maomao’s maniacal laughter was a clear channeling of Tanya the Evil (also voiced by Aoi Yuki), and it makes the episode a hundred times better. I forget how extreme the plot of this anime is because of comedic moments like this. (As a light novel reader, I can say that I see how Maomao is a true member of the La clan, a family full of geniuses and eccentrics.) Although Maomao ultimately reveals all of Suirei’s plays, she’s overall amazed by her cunning ability to actually pull it off. It feels very Sherlock and Moriarty. As Jinshi said, this problem seems more complex than it is, so it’ll be a long time until it’s fully solved.
The second half of The Apothecary Diaries episode 20 dabbles on Jinshi’s side of the story. Surprise, surprise — Jinshi isn’t a eunuch, he just takes medicine to pass as one. (The medicine was mentioned back in episode 18 when Suiren tasked Maomao to pick it up.) We also learn that he is just 19 years old — a year older than Maomao– and that “Jinshi” is a mask he wears to take control of his fate and identity, something that assumingly means his dislike for the royal throne. The episode also does a lot of beautiful close-ups that I think translate to the emotional weight or mystery of the scene. I always thought that sparkly Jinshi was an act to seduce consorts, but the episode today felt different… almost bitter or sad. Perhaps the whole meaning of him watching over the Emperor’s garden is so another heir is ensured. The conversation he had with the Emperor in episode 13 now makes more sense.
That said, it’s been a while since we’ve seen the rear palace! It’s fun to see everyone again, and I’m especially fascinated (and maybe suspicious) with Loulan’s vibes. Lady Gyokuyou is now pregnant, so she requests Maomao to be her poison-tester again. This is also in perfect timing since there’s still the issue with Lakan and Jinshi probably thinks Maomao is safer there. The only one sad is Suiren, who says that she almost finally had someone to look after Jinshi. I admit, the outer court arc has been fun (like how we’ve spent a lot of time with Basen, Gaoshun, Suiren, and even Lihaku), though I also can’t help but miss the rear palace because that’s where everything began.
Ahh, so much tea spilled today! It’s hard to contain my excitement because, wow, look at how this story is turning out to be. I’m like that conspiracy map meme with all the bits of information we’ve had so far. And as much as I want at least ONE part of the story to be ironed out and settled, the plot instead moves to other things, like diving into how Suirei cheats death or how Jinshi isn’t actually a eunuch. As I mentioned earlier, it’s very, very playful. In fact, the romance part of the anime adaptation is so stubbornly true and loyal to its original material; I’m honestly a bit bummed that they didn’t give any fanservice or fluff about Jinshi’s worry for Maomao or how Maomao reacts to this whole situation, though I suppose that’s what makes it precious as well. Not to mention, the fandom online makes up for all of that because we all know Jinshi’s “unspoken feelings” for Maomao are canon. Now, we’re off to a change of setting and the previews for the next episode look like it’s gonna be less drama for now. Or so we think?
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The Apothecary Diaries is streaming on Netflix and Crunchyroll.
© Natsu Hyuga/Imagika Foss/”The Apothecary Diaries” Production Committee