Summary
A finale befitting the show’s knack for grandeur.
Complete with a surprisingly happy ending, as well as a very good overall conclusion to proceedings, Alchemy of Souls season 2 wrapped up excellently with Episode 10. The second installment might have drawn mixed receptions, but the story was continuously entertaining, and it really packed a punch when it mattered. Now that it’s over, it’ll be hard to avoid missing Daeho, and the massive ensemble which occupies it.
During their time spent pretending they’re an “ordinary couple,” Jang Uk and Naksu meet with Master Lee. The wise mage wishes to “put an end” to the current relationship between the monster hunter and his partner, so he asks them to marry with him as their witness. Following this, we get the ceremony, where Naksu decides she wants to be called Cho Yeong, and the two, whose names mean “light and shadow,” officially wed, “informing the skies” of their intent to continue their long-lasting bond.
While Jang Uk shares a touching moment with Cho Yeong on top of the tree at Danhyanggok centered around the fact he always recognized his true love “deep down,” Ho-gyeong admits she isn’t stopping the couple because they both helped protect Jinyowon. Later, the idea of Jin Seol-ran being reborn as Bu-yeon is strengthened, with Master Lee theorizing that the priestess stayed alongside the ice stone for 200 years thanks to an awareness that it’d be used at some point in another form of “great chaos.”
When it’s established Naksu’s final “love letter” to Jang Uk will be her recollection of how she felt when killing him, Master Lee hopes the couple’s love extends to reach Seol-ran. Then, shockingly, the monster hunter is called upon by the soul of Bu-yeon, who shows him the “inevitable” world burning that will be caused by the fire bird. Ominously, it’s said that Jang Uk is the only man capable of stopping the chaos, but he will be aided by the real Bu-yeon, who has used the shadow made by his light. Concurrently, the relatively weak Jin Mu tells the Unanimous Assembly they have no spare time for plans, so they must head to Jinyowon “at once” to take out the fire bird.
Next, the Crown Prince is greeted by the man he betrayed, Jin Mu, who he can’t quite believe has shifted souls with Yun-o. Things then quickly get even worse for the royal, as he soon discovers the King is siding with the Gwanju and that he will be stripped of his Gold Plaque, meaning he is no longer the throne’s heir. Following this, Jin Mu forces his way into Jinyowon by threatening to drain Ho-gyeong’s energy should he be kept outside. Nevertheless, help could soon be on the way, as a lingering Maidservant Kim asks for news of this confrontation to be fed back to Songrim.
As Jin Mu retrieves the fire bird’s egg, pushing Jinyowon to the brink of collapse, a withering Ho-gyeong sends Cho-yeon away to request Songrim’s help and gets Maidservant Kim to help her maintain the presence of the relics kept inside the area. In due time, Park Jin arrives, yet the only assistance he can offer is the sealing of Jinyowon’s door to prevent further relics from escaping. It’s a heartbreaking task for Songrim’s former leader, particularly as it means both Maidservant Kim and Ho-gyeong are kept inside the collapsing area, where they are to pass away.
Collected by a smug Jin Mu, who claims he can give his adversary a chance to save his wife, Park Jin is led to the Unanimous Assembly. Here, Songrim’s former leader is made privy to the group’s intent to share the ice stone’s power amongst the “powerful mage families,” in addition to their lack of care that the freed fire bird will cause destruction. “All things require sacrifice,” Jin Mu states, before taunting Park Jin into proving his virtue (Park does so by rejecting the chance to save Maidservant Kim, knowing it’s ethically wrong).
Enraged by allegations of being hypocritical, Park Jin begins to fight the Unanimous Assembly, hoping to prevent them from breaking the fire bird’s barrier. However, the mage is stunted by Jin Mu, who ruthlessly stabs Songrim’s former leader, forcing him to the ground.
After Jang Uk arrives amidst his friends’ grieving over those who have been lost, he is brought up to speed on what happened and is told of the sad fact that all three coffins are empty because no bodies could be collected. The monster hunter is already aware though, so he tells his allies that the fire bird is held by Jin Mu and co. will awaken “no matter what” before sharing that the three presumed dead did not pass away. Then, a cutaway confirms Master Lee is taking care of Park Jin, Maidservant Kim, and Ho-gyeong, who were all saved in some way by Bu-yeon (Naksu has left the priestess’ body now).
As Jang Uk reflects on his final moments with Naksu, where they accepted they denied fate to love each other, Jin Mu gets ready to perform the lake’s rite. The King is excited, believing this will give him the chance to “abandon” his ill body, but for now, His Majesty is tasked with protecting Cheonbugwan from any hindrances.
When gifting the Crown Prince his Gold Plaque, renouncing his intent to ever become a royal (or the most powerful person in the world), Jang Uk asks his unlikely ally to stop the King from mobilizing the army. Meanwhile, Jin Mu looks excited by the risk of breaking the fire bird’s barrier, even if it could cause Daeho to burn.
Determinedly, Jang Uk decides he will go to Cheonbugwan to awaken the fire bird himself, simply so he can dispose of it to “change the outcome” of chaos. Elsewhere, the Crown Prince appears in front of the King with his new Gold Plaque, informing him there will be no guards defending Cheonbugwan, and pleading that his father now vacates the throne.
While some battle, Cho-yeon gets to destroying Jin Mu’s earthenware, and the Gwanju kills a member of the Unanimous Assembly, discontent with the rushing of the fire bird’s waking. Still, Cheonbugwan’s leader can’t avoid strife, as Jang Uk soon arrives to hastily rush the relic’s rebirth. As such, Jin Mu and co. are trapped in a flame barrier, left to pass away as punishment for their greed. Yet the taunting Gwanju may have managed to survive.
With everything now safe, Bu-yeon prepares to awaken the fire bird so it can be sent to the King’s Star, prior to Jang Uk’s disposal of the relic in Lake Gyeongcheondaeho. The process isn’t overly smooth, and some destruction is caused, but ultimately the monster hunter manages to achieve his aim with the help of an arrow. As such, the fire bird disappears to the relief of everyone before Bu-yeon collapses, replacing her soul with Naksu’s once more.
One year later, Park Jin and Maidservant Kim are taking care of the children (Dan and Gang) of Dang-gu and Lady Jin, with the latter disappointed they are constantly left to babysit. Though they too, look set to have children of their own, so perhaps it’s all good practice. Elsewhere, Ho-gyeong warmly greets Dang-gu and Cho-yeon, and it’s revealed Jang Uk and Bu-yeon are the ones planning on having daughters to continue the Jin family line. Additionally, Seo Yul is said to be in charge of Jeongjingak, where he’s recruiting new mages based on energy and potential.
As the new King wishes to get married to avoid creating more rumors of him having his libido cut off, Jang Uk and Bu-yeon are continuing to capture the 31 escaped Jinyowon relics (they currently have 12). Here, the royal shares that he does have something he wishes to propose to the monster hunter upon his return: that he becomes the Gwanju of Cheonbugwan. Following this, it’s confirmed Ho-gyeong no longer feels “agony” when seeing her daughter, as well as the fact the “light and shadow” married couple of Jang Uk and Bu-yeon regularly appear atop Danhyanggok’s large tree.
Finally, Jang Uk and Bu-yeon head to a cave (once they’ve finished bickering about the latter being carried up the aforementioned large tree), hoping to find an escaped cat. When they come across it, they get ready to fight it together, concluding the episode and series.
What did you think of the K-Drama Alchemy of Souls Season 2 Episode 10 and the ending? Comment below.
