ATE Character Analysis

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Firstly, nope I'm not on your mailing list.

I loved ATEII but wasn't as impressed with ATEI.  Thematically I thought ATE was interesting, dealing with second chances, redemption, forgiveness and the belief that there is something good even in the worst of men.  Also, I found it interesting that most of the major characters reach a certain breaking point in their lives where they will have to make a life-changing decision.

CONTAINS SPOILER INFORMATION...

My problem with ATEI is that they take too long with the setup and the backstory so by the time the action actually gets going we aren't all that interested anymore.  Also, the pacing for ATEI is not good, even the conclusion and how Wing Yan (Ying Xin - Kenix Kwok) gets framed takes a little too long. However, ATEI's saving grace is ironically also the last 5 or so episodes.  I find it fascinating that Michael (Wen Biao - Sunny Chan) actually turns back from his "evil" ways.  It's right round about then that you see what ATE's major themes are.  Michael reaches a point where he realises that in order to attain what he thought was important, he'd lost what he treasured most.  So he makes the decision to turn back.

ATEII continues in the same fashion.  Many of the major characters will reach similar low points, many will grow & mature and many will take the second chances given to them.

Tim (Rong Tian - Gallen Lo) does change at the end of ATEI but that isn't his breaking point.  Although Tim seems to have changed for the better, he's actually still the same man.  His pride and his belief that he can be "god" leads him to believe that his risky scheme to get Michael to turn back will work.  It does work, however, this will only strengthen his belief that he can control everything and this will lead to tragic consequences.  Because he thinks he can be "god" he tries and break Wing Yan out of prison only to see her die.  When he finds out that Jason is the mastermind, he goes on a rampage and tries to kill the man.  Once again Tim hasn't learnt anything.  It's only in the Philippines when Helen (Flora Chan) confronts him after she witnesses Jason's death that I think he begins to realise just how much he'd sacrificed to gain what he so blindly thought was important.  His father's stroke is the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, and Tim finally changes to become more humble, more matured and more sensitive.  That's why Keung (Zhi Qiang - Roger Kwok) actually plays a larger more responsible role in the running of Li Tian in ATEII.  Tim realises that he isn't "god," that he doesn't know everything and that he cannot control everything.

Keung is annoying in ATEI.  He is naive, insecure, rash, impulsive and worst of all, self-righteous.  He thinks that he's the "good" guy.  He is actually more like Tim than he would like to admit.  Just like Tim, he single minded pursues revenge for the death of his parents and later on the death of Wing Yan.  However, he thinks he's on the "righteous" path.  His "forgiving" of Michael seems like a need to prove to himself and Tim that he is the "good" guy.  Hence, his constant nagging at Tim at the end of ATEII.  Instead of trying to help, his sub-conscious desire to feel good about himself leads him to scold Tim instead of help get Wing Yan out of trouble.  It's ironic then that the actual "killer" is him.  After his fall of the building, I think Keung reaches his breaking point.  I think he realises that he isn't the "good" guy, I think he realises the value of his life and I think he realises the futility of revenge.  It is then that Keung trully becomes the "good" guy that he wants to be.  He matures, he mellows, he thinks and he nags a heck of a lot less because he no longer has to keep saying it to prove to himself and others around him just what a "good" guy he is.  That's why Keung manages to have the strength and maturity to run Li Tian after Tim falls into a coma.  That's why he is able to attract Teen Ling (Tian Ning - Ada Choi) and that's why she's the only woman in his life that actually wants to marry him.  In fact, Ah Ling chooses Keung 3 times.  Once before she remembers everything, once after she remembers most things and lastly at the airport after she almost dies.  I think it's nice that in the end the man who ensures that the Smog-Free City gets made isn't Tim but Keung.

Lik (Zi Li - Louis Koo) is presented with a similar set of problems.  And he starts out pursuing revenge with a blind obsession.  However, Lik's downfall isn't revenge.  Even after he discovers that Michael's death is an accident, Lik still continues down the path he has chosen.  By this time Lik is corrupted by power and money.  I believe that Lik's corruption begins as early as in the Philippines after he meets his uncle.  It is there that he is introduced to real power and real money.  Before that he was poor and all he really wanted was to kill Tim.  After that he no longer wants Tim's life, he wants to destroy Tim and everything he owns which is actually more cruel and requires more control which equals power.  He deludes himself into thinking that he's out to avenge his brother but after Ling's rape, he stops her from reporting it because he wants what Donald (Joe Ma) can offer him.  Does he really need Donald to take revenge on Tim?  I don't believe so but Donald is offering him money.  Lik's lust for power is most clearly seen in the way he treats Ling.  He tries to force himself on her several times after she'd lost her memory and after she marries him later he treats her in a most cruel way.  Ah but even Lik is offered another chance, even Lik is offered redemption and he takes it.  After Ling's "death" and just as he's facing his own mortality, Lik finally realises how much he'd given up and in the darkness.  Unfortunately, Lik doesn't take the chance to make ammends when Michael's spirit visits him, he choses to die.

Ada Choi is extremely good as Ling.  Ling is the most complex of all the women characters in ATE and changes the most and I think she handled each change well.  Her character goes through the most, faces the most amount of pain, change and insecurity.  At the start of ATE we see that there is strength in her character.  Even after getting ditched by Tim in Taiwan, she's able to bounce back and get on with life.  She makes many decisions on her own even when she's with Lik at the beginning of ATEII.  Ling's greatest misfortune is to love Lik and her greatest fortune is to have met Keung.  We all know that Ling loved Tim more than Tim loved her.  But I am also of the opinion that Ling loves Lik more than he loves her.  She runs over half the world with Lik, she gives up her desire for a simple life to help fulfil Lik's desire for revenge, she becomes doesn't report the rape because Lik askes her not to etc.  And that's why it's nice that she ends up with Keung because he doesn't make demands on her.  I think that for a woman who has loved more than been loved, it's nice that in the end, she ends up with someone who loves her more than she she loves him.  Not that I don't think Ling loves Keung, she did pick him 3 times but I think Keung loves her more.  Ling's decision to marry Lik is unfortunately a moment of weakness.  After she loses her memory, Ling loses her confidence and she is lost.  Things don't get any better after she regains her memory and her desperation to get away, for something simpler, for how life used to be with Lik in Taiwan leads her to make a rash decision to marry Lik.  And partially to keep Keung safe and partially to escape, Ling decides to end her life.  LingFirstly, nope I'm not on your mailing list.

I loved ATEII but wasn't as impressed with ATEI.  Thematically I thought ATE was interesting, dealing with second chances, redemption, forgiveness and the belief that there is something good even in the worst of men.  Also, I found it interesting that most of the major characters reach a certain breaking point in their lives where they will have to make a life-changing decision.

CONTAINS SPOILER INFORMATION...

My problem with ATEI is that they take too long with the setup and the backstory so by the time the action actually gets going we aren't all that interested anymore.  Also, the pacing for ATEI is not good, even the conclusion and how Wing Yan (Ying Xin - Kenix Kwok) gets framed takes a little too long. However, ATEI's saving grace is ironically also the last 5 or so episodes.  I find it fascinating that Michael (Wen Biao - Sunny Chan) actually turns back from his "evil" ways.  It's right round about then that you see what ATE's major themes are.  Michael reaches a point where he realises that in order to attain what he thought was important, he'd lost what he treasured most.  So he makes the decision to turn back.

ATEII continues in the same fashion.  Many of the major characters will reach similar low points, many will grow & mature and many will take the second chances given to them.

Tim (Rong Tian - Gallen Lo) does change at the end of ATEI but that isn't his breaking point.  Although Tim seems to have changed for the better, he's actually still the same man.  His pride and his belief that he can be "god" leads him to believe that his risky scheme to get Michael to turn back will work.  It does work, however, this will only strengthen his belief that he can control everything and this will lead to tragic consequences.  Because he thinks he can be "god" he tries and break Wing Yan out of prison only to see her die.  When he finds out that Jason is the mastermind, he goes on a rampage and tries to kill the man.  Once again Tim hasn't learnt anything.  It's only in the Philippines when Helen (Flora Chan) confronts him after she witnesses Jason's death that I think he begins to realise just how much he'd sacrificed to gain what he so blindly thought was important.  His father's stroke is the final nail in the coffin, so to speak, and Tim finally changes to become more humble, more matured and more sensitive.  That's why Keung (Zhi Qiang - Roger Kwok) actually plays a larger more responsible role in the running of Li Tian in ATEII.  Tim realises that he isn't "god," that he doesn't know everything and that he cannot control everything.

Keung is annoying in ATEI.  He is naive, insecure, rash, impulsive and worst of all, self-righteous.  He thinks that he's the "good" guy.  He is actually more like Tim than he would like to admit.  Just like Tim, he single minded pursues revenge for the death of his parents and later on the death of Wing Yan.  However, he thinks he's on the "righteous" path.  His "forgiving" of Michael seems like a need to prove to himself and Tim that he is the "good" guy.  Hence, his constant nagging at Tim at the end of ATEII.  Instead of trying to help, his sub-conscious desire to feel good about himself leads him to scold Tim instead of help get Wing Yan out of trouble.  It's ironic then that the actual "killer" is him.  After his fall of the building, I think Keung reaches his breaking point.  I think he realises that he isn't the "good" guy, I think he realises the value of his life and I think he realises the futility of revenge.  It is then that Keung trully becomes the "good" guy that he wants to be.  He matures, he mellows, he thinks and he nags a heck of a lot less because he no longer has to keep saying it to prove to himself and others around him just what a "good" guy he is.  That's why Keung manages to have the strength and maturity to run Li Tian after Tim falls into a coma.  That's why he is able to attract Teen Ling (Tian Ning - Ada Choi) and that's why she's the only woman in his life that actually wants to marry him.  In fact, Ah Ling chooses Keung 3 times.  Once before she remembers everything, once after she remembers most things and lastly at the airport after she almost dies.  I think it's nice that in the end the man who ensures that the Smog-Free City gets made isn't Tim but Keung.

Lik (Zi Li - Louis Koo) is presented with a similar set of problems.  And he starts out pursuing revenge with a blind obsession.  However, Lik's downfall isn't revenge.  Even after he discovers that Michael's death is an accident, Lik still continues down the path he has chosen.  By this time Lik is corrupted by power and money.  I believe that Lik's corruption begins as early as in the Philippines after he meets his uncle.  It is there that he is introduced to real power and real money.  Before that he was poor and all he really wanted was to kill Tim.  After that he no longer wants Tim's life, he wants to destroy Tim and everything he owns which is actually more cruel and requires more control which equals power.  He deludes himself into thinking that he's out to avenge his brother but after Ling's rape, he stops her from reporting it because he wants what Donald (Joe Ma) can offer him.  Does he really need Donald to take revenge on Tim?  I don't believe so but Donald is offering him money.  Lik's lust for power is most clearly seen in the way he treats Ling.  He tries to force himself on her several times after she'd lost her memory and after she marries him later he treats her in a most cruel way.  Ah but even Lik is offered another chance, even Lik is offered redemption and he takes it.  After Ling's "death" and just as he's facing his own mortality, Lik finally realises how much he'd given up and in the darkness.  Unfortunately, Lik doesn't take the chance to make ammends when Michael's spirit visits him, he choses to die.

Ada Choi is extremely good as Ling.  Ling is the most complex of all the women characters in ATE and changes the most and I think she handled each change well.  Her character goes through the most, faces the most amount of pain, change and insecurity.  At the start of ATE we see that there is strength in her character.  Even after getting ditched by Tim in Taiwan, she's able to bounce back and get on with life.  She makes many decisions on her own even when she's with Lik at the beginning of ATEII.  Ling's greatest misfortune is to love Lik and her greatest fortune is to have met Keung.  We all know that Ling loved Tim more than Tim loved her.  But I am also of the opinion that Ling loves Lik more than he loves her.  She runs over half the world with Lik, she gives up her desire for a simple life to help fulfil Lik's desire for revenge, she becomes doesn't report the rape because Lik askes her not to etc.  And that's why it's nice that she ends up with Keung because he doesn't make demands on her.  I think that for a woman who has loved more than been loved, it's nice that in the end, she ends up with someone who loves her more than she she loves him.  Not that I don't think Ling loves Keung, she did pick him 3 times but I think Keung loves her more.  Ling's decision to marry Lik is unfortunately a moment of weakness.  After she loses her memory, Ling loses her confidence and she is lost.  Things don't get any better after she regains her memory and her desperation to get away, for something simpler, for how life used to be with Lik in Taiwan leads her to make a rash decision to marry Lik.  And partially to keep Keung safe and partially to escape, Ling decides to end her life.  How Ling fits into ATE's pattern, is that she too is blinded.  While not exactly a bad person, she too is blinded by things, just as Tim, Keung & Lik were.  She is blindly devoted to Lik through the first half of ATE and later on she's blinded by her desire for simplicity.  Ling's second chance comes when she is saved and offered the chance to live life again.

Oh, I know I'm getting carried away... :)  I could write similar character assessments of Helen (Flora Chan,) Yip How-li (Paul Chan Pui,) Donald (Joe Ma) etc.  I should stop now before I bore you and I really need to get going to.  Hope you found my critique of ATE interesting.  :)

enjoy