A Heavenly Peace
A Heavenly Peace (official working title: A Heavenly Peace under the Mango-Sun Banner) is a Jingdaoese utopian alternative history television series produced by the Batavian Broadcasting Company. The series is an alternative-history fiction based on events during the early stages of the War of Jingdaoese Immolation.
When airing it immediately became a the most watched series ever on Jingdaoese television.
Synopsis
After the war declaration on Shireroth, Alexandria and Natopia by the Mingshi Emperor in 6448 ASC, the Jingdaoese military suffers of lack of moral and clear guidance. With total defeat around the corner, a group of Tegong officers decides to act: the Heavenly Light is put under house arrest and the office of Diwang is taken over by a young but charismatic officer, called Djengis Yan. At the same time, the influential MoMA minister Daniyal Dravot is killed with a car bomb. A ceasefire is announced.
Not long after, however, a Jingdaoese surprise attack is launched with ballistic DDR IV-missiles on Shirerithian military installations. This is, in turn, followed by a full scale invasion of Shireroth.
The year 6455 ASC: Shirekeep and most of Eastern Benacia is occupied by the Jingdaoese Empire. In the old capital, people try to go on with their life. Here we follow the Mai Zhai, a young major of the new Kempeitai (Military Corps Police), who has to solve a series of seemingly random murders on Jingdaoese military personnel and collaborationists.
Cast
Main
- Mai Zhai: Major of the Kempeitai: having discharged from active military duty at the western front lines, Mai finds her back in the job she held before the War began. As Major of the military corps police, she is confronted with a series of murders. She is known to have two faces: a nice girl, but if things get serious, Sisera's cruelness wouldn't come close to hers (according to her companions).
- Yakamo Hiun: a sergeant under Mai, even if he's a lot older than her. Having served in the defence of Pinguin Island against the Alexandrians (and the few survivors), he witnessed the lack of preparation of the Army first hand. In contrast to Mai, who still believes victory is imminent, Yakamo fears for the future, even with the largest part of Shireroth occupied.
- Mike Shirson: superintendent in the Shirekeep City Guard. During the invasion he lost his wife during an aerial bombardment of the city. A week later he lost his two children during a terrorist attack of the Shirerithian resistance. His only goal is to bring order back to the City where once his family lived happily, and that means that he's willing to even work together with the new regime.
Guests
- Mingshi Emperor: depicted as a man who seeks world peace. In this quest, however, his mind was poisoned by words of Shirerithian spies, who convinced him to declare a war, which Jingdao could never win.
- Djengis Yan: Diwang of the Jingdaoese Empire. By many seen as the true ruler of the State. His background isn't very clear and he isn't often seen in public, and some even believe that Djengis is not one person, but a group of people who seek to expand Jingdao's influence even further.
- Kaiser Ayreon IV: after the death of Kaiseress Noor, Ayreon ascends the throne. His reign has only seen defeat after defeat, till a stalemate was reached and the front lines stabilised in Amokolia and the Vale. With no real help underway from Natopia, and with Alexandria having accepted a 'honourable peace', the Kaiser became more and more aggressive towards and frustrated with his own subjects.
Episodes
Season 1
Episode 1: Path to Victory
The episode shows the start of the war: the death of the MoMA Minister with a car bomb, the coup in Jingdao and eventually the launch of thousands of secretly fabricated DDR IV-missiles rain down on military installations and bases. The wife of Mike Shirson is seen to go to her work at the Mahamantot Bunker in Shirekeep when the missiles fall down and eradicate all life in that area.
Then follows the invasion. Disorganised, surprised and without any way to fight back, local militia try their best, but soon fail to stop the invaders. A bit later, the Landsraad building and Raynor's Keep are shown with Jingdaoese flags above it.
Mai Zhai is shown fighting in the outskirts of a war torn Shirekeep. When attacking a school where a group of resistance fighters have hold up, she discovers that the resistance lacks even the guns necessary to resist the Army. After a first chance to surrender, one of the children among the group takes out a knife and charges at Mai. The boy gets shot down before reaching her, after which the others are taken outside and are shot down.
Yakamo Hiun is seen in a prison camp. After the attack on Pinguin Island, he was imprisoned there, awaiting his fate. All soldiers are then ordered to leave their prison cell and move to the courtyard, where an Alexandrian officer and a small Jingdaoese bureaucrat in a dark suit stand next to each other. They get to hear that Jingdao and Alexandria have accepted a 'honourable peace': with Shireroth's capital in hands of Jingdao, and both nations not having any reason to continue fighting, the soldiers will be freed. The Penguin Island is, in return, leased to the Alexandrians for 99 years. Yakamo is put on a plane towards Shireroth.
At the end of the first episode Mai and Yakamo meet at the staircase to the building were the newly established Kempeitai is housed. They look tired, but just before the fade out, the viewer can see a little smile appear on their face.
Episode 2: Path to Safety
Mai and Yakamo end up in an investigation to role up a resistance movements which tries to recruit soldiers and transport them to "Free Shireroth".
Episode 3: Path to Unity
A conference is held in Shirekeep between the governors and kings of the newly established Vice-Royalties of the Jingdaoese Union of Shireroth.
Episode 4: Path to Home
The success of the conference has brought some rest to Shirekeep. The number of military personnel on leave have increased. However, when a sergeant who was expected to leave on a boat to Jingdao, doesn't show up, the Kempeitai is asked to handle the case. Mai is, however, confronted with an unusual silence about the whereabouts and affairs of the sergeant.
Episode 5: Path to Resistance
A series of bomb attacks shocks the city. A recent victory of the Shirerithians and rumours of Thorgils Tarjeissons' son taking over the office of MoMA, has strengthened the resolve of certain people to once more plunge the occupied territories in chaos.
Episode 6: Path to the Heart
Mai and Mike Shirson get along well. A bit too well according to some.
Episode 7: Path to Victory
An impressive strategical victory of the Jingdaoese has led to an almost total destruction of Shirerithian forces in the Vale. While the Army is triumphant, the Navy and its officers get increasingly impatient because of their lack of participation in the war effort. When a Naval and Army officer are found back, seemingly having executed each other, tensions get high.
Trivia
After the broadcast of the first episode, cross-border artillery fire along the DMZ increased 49% and in the following weeks newly laid magnetic mines were discovered off the coast of Gong and in Hyperion Bay.
