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The Emperor and the Assassin
- 158 statements
- 30 feature instances
- 9 referencing feature instances
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The Emperor and the Assassin | |
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| The Emperor and the Assassin | comment |
Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_1'); })The Emperor And The Assassin (original title: 荊柯刺秦王) is a movie about the rise of the First Emperor, directed by Chen Kaige and released in 1998. At the time, it was China's most expensive film ever produced. It starred Gong Li as Lady Zhao, Li Xuejian as Ying Zheng, and also had Zhou Xun in a supporting role.In the third century BCE, as China is in the throes of the Warring States era, the ruthlessly ambitious Ying Zheng turns his realm of Qin into a fearsome military machine and poses a growing threat to the existence of the six other kingdoms. Ying's favored concubine, Lady Zhao, suggests a ploy that would give Qin a casus belli to invade the rival state of Yan: she will have her face branded and use it as a pretext to defect to Yan, where she will convince the king to send an assassin to kill Ying.Advertisement:propertag.cmd.push(function() { proper_display('tvtropes_mobile_ad_2'); })The best hit man in Yan, Jing Ke, is chosen for the mission, but Lady Zhao discovers he has chosen not to kill again, and is living the rest of his life as a beggar. As she learns about the circumstances of his choice, Lady Zhao begins falling in love with Jing Ke, and after witnessing the brutal slaughter of children by the Qin army in her home state of Zhao, genuinely allies with Yan against Qin and wants the assassination attempt to succeed. Jing Ke, however, fails to kill Ying, and the latter is now free to complete his takeover of the land and become Qin Shi Huangdi, the First Emperor of China. | |
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2021-06-18T10:09:21Z | |
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2021-06-18T10:09:21Z | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_153c295a | type |
Pyrrhic Villainy | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_153c295a | comment |
Pyrrhic Villainy: All Ying Zheng achieves with all his atrocities? He finalizes his destiny, but is left alone and miserable, with his own courtiers not bothering to defend him from an assassination. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_153c295a | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_15b09af9 | type |
Heel–Face Door-Slam | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_15b09af9 | comment |
Heel–Face Door-Slam: Jing Ke gets one at the beginning of the movie when the blind daughter refuses his "pity" and commits suicide cursing him. Ying Zheng will have another at the end of the movie, when Chang Xin does exactly the same to the Emperor. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_15b09af9 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_1fcf563d | type |
Directed by Cast Member | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_1fcf563d | comment |
Directed by Cast Member: Chen Kaige plays Lu Buwei. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_1fcf563d | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_269e82c1 | type |
Death of a Child | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_269e82c1 | comment |
Death of a Child: BRUTALLY enforced. A young girl commits suicide, and all the children in the Zhao capital are Buried Alive. | |
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| The Emperor and the Assassin | hasFeature |
The Emperor and the Assassin / int_269e82c1 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_311bcac6 | type |
Beard of Sorrow | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_311bcac6 | comment |
Beard of Sorrow - When Jing Ke becomes a beggar out of sorrow, he sports the requisite unkempt look. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_311bcac6 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_38d02d44 | type |
Batman Gambit | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_38d02d44 | comment |
Batman Gambit - Having Yan send an assassin to kill Ying is a deliberate move to give the latter the excuse he needs to invade Yan | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_38d02d44 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_38f1a7ed | type |
Defector from Decadence | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_38f1a7ed | comment |
Defector from Decadence - Ying's head general, who begins to lose faith in his king's methodical ways of eliminating his political opponents. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_38f1a7ed | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_3bc88a7f | type |
Foregone Conclusion | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_3bc88a7f | comment |
Foregone Conclusion - Since Ying Zheng will become the First Emperor of China, Jing Ke must obviously must fail the assassination attempt. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_3bc88a7f | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_4ef92d0b | type |
The Atoner | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_4ef92d0b | comment |
The Atoner - Jing Ke gives up on his life as a hit man after his last assassination involved killing a swordsmith and his entire family. However, he spared the smith's youngest daughter because she was blind. Unfortunately, the girl took her own life, and dies out of anger for Jing Ke for robbing her of her family. Ultimately, he only agrees to kill Ying Zheng because he actually thinks it's the right thing to do. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_4ef92d0b | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_4efc4fae | type |
Good Scars, Evil Scars | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_4efc4fae | comment |
Good Scars, Evil Scars: The brand on Lady Zhao's face is small enough that it doesn't detract from her beauty, but presumably the severe pain involved was the selling point in her scheme with the emperor. | |
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| The Emperor and the Assassin | hasFeature |
The Emperor and the Assassin / int_4efc4fae | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_57dda60c | type |
The Emperor | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_57dda60c | comment |
The Emperor - Ying Zheng | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_57dda60c | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_5b8c285b | type |
The Conspiracy | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_5b8c285b | comment |
The Conspiracy - The Marquis of Qin, Chang Xin, plans a coup d'etat to remove Ying Zheng from power, so as to place one of his sons (which turns out to be Ying's half-brother, due to Chang having fathered two sons...with Ying's mother, no less) on the throne. This is a result of him losing faith in Ying's radical decision-making, which includes starting his war to unite China and removing the Prime Minister Lu Buwei of Qin from office. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_5b8c285b | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_638b65bc | type |
Armor Is Useless | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_638b65bc | comment |
Armor Is Useless: Averted - the Emperor's life is only saved because he's wearing armor under his robes. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_638b65bc | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_66907f54 | type |
Hourglass Plot | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_66907f54 | comment |
Hourglass Plot: The movie begins with Jing Ke after he has crossed his Despair Event Horizon because his Heel–Face Door-Slam, and Ying Zheng, loved by Lady Zhao, is full of hope trying to build The Empire because Utopia Justifies the Means. The movie ends with Jing Ke dying knowing he is loved by Lady Zhao and that he tried to make up for all his sins, while Ying Zheng crosses his Despair Event Horizon after his own Heel–Face Door-Slam, being Lonely at the Top with 0% Approval Rating. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_66907f54 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7241785e | type |
You Can't Fight Fate | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7241785e | comment |
You Can't Fight Fate: Being a Historical Fiction, this movie has a Foregone Conclusion. The movie exploits this trope by showing Jing ke and Ying Zheng sincerely trying to refuse to cross the Despair Event Horizon by Kick the Dog. So, even when their Heel–Face Door-Slam sets both of them as The Atoner, Jing Ke continues to be a Professional Killer in an attempt to kill Ying Zheng, and Ying Zheng becomes The Emperor because all the crimes he had done need to be justified by assuring an Empire with Peace. | |
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| The Emperor and the Assassin | hasFeature |
The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7241785e | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_77b009ea | type |
Phrase Catcher | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_77b009ea | comment |
Phrase Catcher: Invoked by Ying Zheng, when he orders a servant to always say to him: "Remember that your destiny is to unite the six kingdoms". | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_77b009ea | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7ab81664 | type |
Kick Them While They Are Down | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7ab81664 | comment |
Kick Them While They Are Down - When Chang's forces have found themselves surrounded in the palace courtyard, Ying demands their surrender. They don't at first, but a few volleys of arrows convince the survivors to lay down their weapons...at which point, Ying orders Chang's men to be slaughtered, anyways. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7ab81664 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7f8fd503 | type |
Lonely at the Top | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7f8fd503 | comment |
Lonely at the Top: Ying Zheng succeeds in his goals, but he finds himself isolated and alone, brokenly repeating his 'destiny' to himself, having lost Lady Zhao, his father and any semblance of trust in everyone else. | |
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| The Emperor and the Assassin | hasFeature |
The Emperor and the Assassin / int_7f8fd503 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_875615dd | type |
Truth in Television | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_875615dd | comment |
This is a case of Truth in Television. Ying Zheng forbade officials from carrying weapons in the throne room, thus when the assassination attempt occurred, nobody present had any weapon to defend the First Emperor. | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_875615dd | featureApplicability |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_875615dd | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_a7aef9ff | type |
Obfuscating Stupidity | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_a7aef9ff | comment |
Obfuscating Stupidity: Jing Ke fakes a stumble and pretends to break down in fear to make the royal court underestimate him before he strikes. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_a7aef9ff | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_b7042372 | type |
Cycle of Revenge | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_b7042372 | comment |
Cycle of Revenge: Ying Zheng is aware of this trope (it happened to him after all) and so orders all the children buried alive so they won't grow up to take revenge. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_b7042372 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_bc77c450 | type |
Frontline General | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_bc77c450 | comment |
Front Line General: A soldier shows his fearlessness in battle against the Han, and a dying officer asks his name so he can be promoted. Turns out he's talking to the king. | |
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| The Emperor and the Assassin | hasFeature |
The Emperor and the Assassin / int_bc77c450 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_c83f40d8 | type |
Bystander Syndrome | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_c83f40d8 | comment |
More likely a case of Bystander Syndrome. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_c83f40d8 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_c9d80884 | type |
Scheherezade Gambit | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_c9d80884 | comment |
Scheherezade Gambit: Realizing his target is watching him like a hawk, Jing Ke pretends to collapse in fear and confesses he's been sent to kill the Emperor. Ying Zheng is so overjoyed at this (it's exactly the pretext he needs to launch his invasion) that he lets his guard down. | |
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| The Emperor and the Assassin | hasFeature |
The Emperor and the Assassin / int_c9d80884 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_d52d28b6 | type |
Hypocrite | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_d52d28b6 | comment |
Hypocrite: Destined to be The Emperor. Ying Zheng and Professional Killer Jing Ke both have lost hope a long time ago, but they haven’t cross the Despair Event Horizon until the movie begins: When both of them attempt to Pet the Dog, The Dog Bites Back by Heel–Face Door-Slam them, ensuring the emperor and the assassin get a Heel Realization. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_d52d28b6 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_eda30d58 | type |
0% Approval Rating | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_eda30d58 | comment |
0% Approval Rating: EVERYBODY hates Ying Zheng by the time the credits roll. To the point where not a single subject lifts their hand to defend him during the assassination attempt. More likely a case of Bystander Syndrome. This is a case of Truth in Television. Ying Zheng forbade officials from carrying weapons in the throne room, thus when the assassination attempt occurred, nobody present had any weapon to defend the First Emperor. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_eda30d58 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_f1d2c779 | type |
Raven Hair, Ivory Skin | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_f1d2c779 | comment |
Granted, the brand only appears on the side of her cheek, but considering this is Gong Li we're talking about... | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_f1d2c779 | featureApplicability |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_f1d2c779 | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_f67171cc | type |
Empathy Doll Shot | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_f67171cc | comment |
Empathy Doll Shot - Subverted as Lady Zhao arrives at a ransacked Zhao capital too late and finds small drums and other children's toys littered across the ground. Upon further inspection, she proceeds to find the kids as well... buried alive. | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin / int_f67171cc | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_fe614133 | type |
Beauty Is Never Tarnished | |
| The Emperor and the Assassin / int_fe614133 | comment |
Beauty Is Never Tarnished Even branded on the face with a hot iron, Lady Zhao remains beautiful. Granted, the brand only appears on the side of her cheek, but considering this is Gong Li we're talking about... | |
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The Emperor and the Assassin |
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