‘Alchemy of Souls’ Finale: Jang Uk Is Reborn – as the K-Drama Ends on a Cliffhanger for Nak-Su
Netflix’s K-drama Alchemy of Souls has ended in the most dramatic way fans never expected. After weeks of speculating the storyline and multiple theories, the Alchemy of Souls finale leaves more questions than answers. The finale is full of bloodshed, turmoil, a tragic death, and a mystery of what happens next for Nak-su and Bu-yeon going into the next season.
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Alchemy of Souls finale.]
Jin Mu causes chaos and has Nak-su, the assassin, awaken in ‘Alchemy of Souls’ finale
Fans started believing everything was going well as Jang Uk asked Mu-deok for her hand in marriage. But their happily ever after is soon turned to ash. In the previous episode, fans and the characters learned Woo-tak is Shaman Choi’s brother and are descendant of the great mage Choi, who handled and sealed away the original Ice Stone.
When Shaman Choi’s identity was revealed, Woo-tak sacrificed his life to try and save her. But Shaman Choi, in the Queen’s body, is ultimately killed while attempting to perform the Alchemy of Souls. In the finale, Jin Mu is now the leader of their secret organization. His followers find Shaman Choi’s soul powders and divination bells she used to make soul shifters run wild.
Meanwhile, fans learn So-i used the blood worm to help save Seo Yul while he was fatally wounded. But he experiences painful side effects, and he is unclear why. Park Jin learns Maidservant Kim had feelings for him all along. He asks for her hand in marriage with a handful of seeds to blossom in the garden she always dreamed of.
Back with Jin Mu, he learns Jang Uk plans to leave the capital with Mu-deok. In a moment of realization, he realizes that Mu-deok is Nak-su, and he begins his evil plan. Back in Jinyowon, So-i tells Lady Jin that she knows who her daughter is leverage to get medicine for Seo Yul. As everyone prepares for Cho-yeon and Dan-gu’s wedding, they will soon meet Nak-su.
Nak-su is put under a trance and kills her love in ‘Alchemy of Souls’
They were wrong if fans thought the Alchemy of Souls finale would not have heartbreaking drama. While in bed, Jin Mu sets his plan in motion and uses the divination bells to awaken Nak-su. While everyone is preoccupied with the wedding, Nak-su arrives in Jin Mu’s lair. Using his energy source, he reawakens Nak-su’s powers and explains she will run wild.
Her first mission is to kill Woo-tak, who survived after stabbing himself. Nak-su, the assassin, returns but is unaware of the death and destruction she is causing. Dan-gu and Cho-yeon visit her father before the wedding and find Mu-deok/Nak-su on a killing spree.
While they try and fight her off, Dan-gu cannot go through with the final blow. He cannot kill his dear friend, but it leads Nak-su to kill Woo-tak. Meanwhile, Jin Mu informs Park Jin that Nak-su has risen and is ready to wreak havoc.
Park Jin and the mage soldiers find her in the forest. As they surround her, Park Jin sends a magical arrow but is forced to deter it when Jang Uk shields Nak-su/Mu-deok with his body. But in a tragic turn of events, the mind-controlled Nak-su stabs Jang Uk. When she awakens to her real self, she realizes what she has done as Jang Uk clasps their hands together as he dies.
Jang Uk is reborn with the Ice Stone, and Nak-su’s fate is unclear
The Alchemy of Souls finale did the unthinkable. Jang Uk’s death was foretold earlier in the K-drama. He made Mu-deok promise he would be the one she would point her sword at if she returned as Nak-su. While in agony over what she had done, the bells ring again, and evil Nak-su returns. But this time, petrification starts. She manages to escape as everyone learns of Jang Uk’s death.
Back in Songrim, they cannot mourn him properly because he hid the truth about Mu-deok/Nak-su. Meanwhile, Cheol-young seeks revenge against Nak-su, but Lady Jin says she needs Mu-deok’s body intact to learn who was its actual owner. But once again, Jin Mu goes unpunished and convinces the King of his loyalty to the cause.
As they burn Jang Uk’s body, Mu-deok/Nak-su finds herself at the end of the cliff where the soul shifters’ graves are. No longer hearing the bells, she dives in, hoping to stop the bloodshed and her pain. While Jang Uk’s body burns, Master Lee says it is not the end. Inside the Ice Stone, Jang Uk picks it up, and the burning fire turns blue. As the flames extinguish, Jang Uk is reborn.
The K-drama ends with two people fishing Mu-deok’s body out of the lake and Jang Uk rising like a phoenix.
Watch the Alchemy of Souls finale on Netflix.
