L.O.R.D: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties
L.O.R.D.: Legend of Ravaging Dynasties is a 2016 computer-animated Chinese film. Featuring an All-Star Cast, the film is China's first feature-length motion capture film. It is an adaptation of director Guo Jingming's fantasy series of the same name, and spans the first two volumes.
The story follows Chiling, a small-town boy who's suddenly thrust into the world of soul powers when a giant, winged lion attacks him. He awakens to find that the beast has sealed itself inside of him, and he has thus become the Disciple of the Seventh Lord Yin Chen. The two then embark on a journey to Glaunort, the imperial capital, but are sucked into the manhunt for the Fifth Duke and his Disciple.
Stars Fan Bingbing as Lian Quan, Kris Wu as Yin Chen, and Cheney Chen as Chiling.
Tropes present in L.O.R.D include
- Action Girl: There's quite a few of them — Lian Quan, Disciple to the Fifth Degree and later Lord to the Fifth and Sixth Degree, Tereya, Lord to the Fourth Degree, and Shen Yin, Disciple to the Second Degree.
- All Love Is Unrequited: Character profiles indicate that Yu Hua has feelings for Chiling, but also in the same breath state that Chiling is hopelessly enamored with Yin Chen and will do anything for him.
- Aloof Ally: Zillah, who cares little for the conflict between Feng Hun and Nether, and partakes in the final battle to protect Ryen. Even though he goes after Lian Quan like the others, he gives up remarkably fast. It also appears that he will be this for the villains, as he claims that he only wants to follow the Silver Priests' orders.
- Arranged Marriage: The royal family of Ryen is seeking one for Yu Hua, which Chiling refuses.
- Atop a Mountain of Corpses: Shen Yin, when she's fighting and training in the Abyss Corridor.
- Badass Bookworm: The first time Chiling sees Yin Chen he's reading, waiting for Chiling to wake up. Yin Chen continues to read intermittently throughout Chiling's training in the woods, but that doesn't mean he slacks off in battle, despite being the weakest of the Seven Lords.
- Badass Longcoat: Worn by Yin Chen, who forsakes armor for this and a cloak instead.
- Beware the Nice Ones: Both Yin Chen and Chiling are noticeably nicer than their peers, but both are ferocious in battle and powerful warriors.
- Big Bad: The Silver Priests, who manipulate the Lords and their Disciples to do their dirty work, and who are apparently conspiring to bring The End of the World as We Know It.
- Big Good:
- Despite being of the lowest standing among the Lords, Yin Chen is seen by this by his peers, who respect him and always take his advice when offered.
- Apparently, Gilgamesh, who is the only person capable of stopping the Silver Priests from destroying the world.
- Big Damn Heroes: Zillah rescues the three Disciples when they are taken to the Untul Ruins instead of back to the entrance of the Soul Mound. He also pops in to save Ryen City when they are being overrun by soul beasts controlled by Feng Hun and Lian Quan.
- Bittersweet Ending: Currently, Tereya and Nether have given up their pursuit of Lian Quan, likely biding their time, and a budding relationship forms between Shen Yin and Ni Hong. However, Yin Chen and Lian Quan are still on the run, and while Chiling has affirmed his position as Disciple to the Seventh Degree, he is forced to wait for Yin Chen to return, and will likely have to go on the run as well, if the Silver Priests decide to take out their dissatisfaction with the Lord to the Seventh Degree on his brand new Disciple.
- Broken Pedestal: The Silver Priests for Lian Quan, who proclaims that they have been manipulating Lord and Disciple all along. This is also the case, to some degree, for Yin Chen, as well, since they ordered the hunting down and imprisonment of his former Lord, Gilgamesh.
- Cosmic Plaything: Lian Quan remarks that all Lords and their Disciples are this, after having been manipulated by the cosmic beings known as 'Priests' since the beginning of their existence.
- Damsel in Distress: Yu Hua, at various points in time.
- Dark Is Evil: Exemplified through Nether's powers, which conjures up black spikes and a black shield to create clones with their reflections. Also Tereya, who's swathed in dark clothes.
- Defrosting Ice King: Yin Chen to Chiling. At first, he seems exasperated by his Disciple, constantly rolling his eyes, but by the end, the two share a near-tearful reunion.
- Eldritch Abomination: Whatever that thing at the bottom of the Soul Mound is.
- Form-Fitting Wardrobe: Notable with Yin Chen, whose clothes are so form-fitting they barely even look wet when he's drenched, and Tereya, whose dress hugs her curves in all the right places.
- Giant Flyer: Both Lian Quan and Chiling's soul beasts are these, being a falcon and a winged lion, respectively.
- Heroic Sacrifice: Feng Hun, who throws himself at Nether. His death makes Lian Quan the Lord to the Fifth Degree, as well as destroying the ice bridge Nether creates with the amount of soul power that's released.
- High Fantasy: Featuring magical beasts, soul powers, and a vast continent split into four warring nations, who'd have thought this would qualify? Not to mention Zillah's resemblance to a certain blond elf...
- Hyperspace Arsenal: The powers of the Seventh Lord and his Disciple.
- Instant Expert: Chiling apparently gets the hang of Yin Chen's training very quickly, despite his one mishap with the large bubble. He completes his training in what seems to be no time and goes with his Lord to Glaunort.
- I Will Wait for You:
- Chiling declares that he will do this for Yin Chen when the latter runs off with Lian Quan and turns his back on the Silver Priests.
- Yin Chen with his previous Lord back when he was a Disciple, Gilgamesh.
- Killed Off for Real: Feng Hun, making his little sister Lord to the Fifth Degree in his place.
- Lady of War: Lian Quan, who takes her brother's place as Lord to the Fifth Degree and who plans to wage war against the ruling Silver Priests.
- Letting Her Hair Down: Lian Quan after she becomes Lord to the Fifth Degree.
- The Load: Yu Hua, to some degree. She causes some trouble in the Soul Mound, and needs to be rescued at the Untul Ruins.
- Long-Haired Pretty Boy: Many of the Lords count, but Yin Chen in particular deserves recognition. Of course, he's played by Kris Wu, so that was going to be a given.
- Magic Knight: Essentially what the Lords and their Disciples are.
- Nice Guy:
- Chiling, who helps Yu Hua on multiple occasions despite her antagonism towards both him and Lian Quan. He insists that she go along with them as they explore the Soul Mound, and even finds it in himself to forgive her after she spitefully attacked Lian Quan.
- Yin Chen is the nicest of the Lords and indulges in Chilings whims, even allowing his Disciple to run off and have fun in the city festival, despite what his status as The Stoic might imply about how straight-laced he is.
- Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: Yu Hua's firing of her horcrux into the fog at the bottom of the Soul Mound leads to the awakening of the Eldritch Abomination lurking beneath it, and results in Ice Fang being incapacitated, as well as nearly resulting in Chiling's death.
- The Paragon: Yin Chen, who the other Lords perceive to be one of their best, despite his being weaker in comparison.
- Pursued Protagonist: Both the Lord and Disciple to the Fifth Degree, who are hunted down by the Lords to the Second and Fourth Degree.
- Rank Scales with Asskicking: The Lords are seen as peacekeepers of the realm of Odin, and are the most powerful soul masters throughout the land.
- Reality Warper: Zillah's powers.
- Rebel Leader: Lian Quan eventually becomes this after becoming Lord to the Fifth and Sixth Degree, leading the righteous against the Silver Priests and their corrupted followers.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Averted with Yu Hua who, despite being both a princess and a Disciple, doesn't do anything when her city, Ryen, is attacked by the soul beasts.
- Single Tear: Feng Hun sheds one as he dies.
- Sole Survivor: Chiling is implied to be this to the whole town of Fauser, which froze over when Ice Fang attacked.
- Speaks Fluent Animal: The power the Lord to the Fifth Degree and their Disciple is the ability to communicate with and control soul beasts.
- Spoiled Brat: Yu Hua gives this impression.
- Yu Hua: I'm a princess. If I ask it, soul masters would die for me.
- The Stoic: Neither Yin Chen nor Zillah seem to display much emotion during their time on screen.
- Not So Stoic: Though Yin Chen can be seen roling his eyes numerous times throughout Chiling's training, and he offers him a smile or two when telling his Disciple to enjoy the festival in the city.
- Super-Speed: One of the Lords and Disciples' many powers.
- Super-Strength: Like Super-Speed, one of the Lords and Disciples' abilities.
- Taking You with Me: Feng Hun attempts this with his Heroic Sacrifice, though he ends up failing in that while incapacitated briefly, the other lords recovered and were able to continue chasing Lian Quan.
- Touched by Vorlons: Chiling, who was first merged with Ice Fang before receiving his soul powers from Yin Chen.
- Yu Hua represents an aversion, as she's already gotten her soul powers (stolen from her mother while she was pregnant with her) and does not have a soul beast.
- Unresolved Sexual Tension: Between Chiling and his two love interests, Yu Hua and Yin Chen.
- Unusual Euphemism: Yin Chen likens the initial bond between a Lord and their Disciple to having a crush, and warns Chiling not to get too close as he might begin to find him... charming.
- Walking Shirtless Scene: Ni Hong, Disciple to the Fourth Degree.
- What the Hell, Hero?: Chiling does this to Yu Hua when she pushes Lian Quan through the wrong door. Though Yu Hua is technically on the side of good, she's still petty and vengeful — which Chiling calls her out on.
- Who Wants to Live Forever?: Tereya theorizes this is why Hillure gave his soul powers to Lian Quan and died.
