‘Alchemy of Souls’ Season 2 Finale Disappoints With One Crucial Aspect About Nak-su’s Ending Storyline
Alchemy of Souls Season 2 ended how fans had hoped after a few close calls for its main characters. The fantasy K-drama ended happily as Jang Uk, the characters, and Bu-yeon saved the world from another Great Chaos with the Fire Bird. While the Alchemy of Souls Season 2 finale gave Jang Uk and happily ever after with Nak-su, one cannot help but feel saddened by one aspect of her final story.
[WARNING: This article contains spoilers for Alchemy of Souls Season 2.]
Jang Uk and Nak-su become a fighting duo in the ‘Alchemy of Souls’ Season 2 finale
The K-drama dropped a huge bomb when Master Lee confirmed that Seol-ran’s soul was, in fact, within the Ice Stone. It transferred to Bu-yeon’s body when she was a dead child in her mother’s womb. In truth, Seol-ran had stayed behind, knowing she would need to return one day to stop another Great Chaos. It is the reason why Bu-yeon trapped Nak-su’s soul and set up the events to allow Jang Uk to have the Ice Stone. She to know of his fate born from the King’s Star in Alchemy of Souls.
In the finale, Nak-su and Jang Uk get married by Master Lee. But Nak-su decides to get married using the name her parents gave her, Cho-yeong. But the inevitable must happen as Seol-ran takes complete control after Nak-su recalls her last memory. With her divine powers restored, she, Jang Uk, and the rest of the characters control the outcome of the Fire Bird in Alchemy of Souls Season 2.
The great priestess hatched the egg into the King’s Star. The Fire Bird ventures to the lake where Jang Uk waits to strike. Using a bow and arrow made of magic, he kills the Fire Bird once and for all. A year later, everyone gets a happily ever after. In the Alchemy of Souls Season 2 finale, Jang Uk and Nak-su are still married. They travel the country looking for the escaped relics. Jang Uk retains his powers over the Ice Stone and uses Nak-su’s sword. Seol-ran gives Nak-su control over the body to live as Jang Uk’s shadow, with her divine powers as his protector.
While fans are over the moon that none of their beloved protagonists died, there is no denying a detail of Nak-su’s finale story that does not sit well.
The other characters are unaware that Bu-yeon is Nak-su in the ‘Alchemy of Souls’ Season 2 finale
As fans know, only five people knew Nak-su’s soul was in Bu-yeon’s body. Jang Uk, Lady Jin, Master Lee, Jin Mu, and Seo Yul knew the truth. Besides Jang Uk, they all assume Nak-su’s soul disappeared after Seol-ran awakened. Fans know that Jang Uk knows his wife is Nak-su based on their conversation by the tree. He urges her to begin training to become a mage again, but she is sick at the idea of it and is happy with her divine powers.
After a detailed breakdown, there is only one conclusion. After the Alchemy of Souls Season 2 finale, Nak-su once again lives as someone else. Everyone assumes Jang Uk fell in love with Bu-yeon in the end and Nak-su no longer exists. It is somewhat disappointing to know that Nak-su is living her life posing as someone else. While happy, she never got to live under her born-given name Cho-yeong.
Fans must remember that Nak-su had willingly decided to give up her past as the killer assassin. It was, after all, the darkest and bloodiest part of her life that caused her the most pain. Understandably, Nak-su would rather live out the following chapters of her life as Bu-yeon with a fresh start. But there is still a level of sadness knowing no one got to meet the kind-hearted Nak-su for who she was outside of being a killer.
Ultimately, all of the friendships and relationships Nak-su had created as Mu-deok and Bu-yeon are based on who she was a heart. But only Jang Uk, Seo Yul, and Master Lee knew the truth.
Was there a reason why Nak-su did not return with her former name?
Some fans might think that Nak-su did not get recognition for her sacrifices for the greater good. Seol-ran’s plan to save the world would not have succeeded without her. She accepted that there was a bigger destiny at play. In hindsight, a real hero does not need recognition.
A deeper look into Alchemy of Souls and Season 2, Nak-su could not have returned under her former name or as Cho-yeong. To the people of Daeho and some characters, Nak-su is still the feared assassin of Alchemy of Souls. The reveal that she was alive the whole time would have caused turmoil. Jang Uk was tasked to kill every soul shifter.
It explains why Jang Uk told her in Gwido that he could accept who she was while inside, but once outside of the prison, he could not admit she was Nak-su. During the Unanimous Assembly, Nak-su referred to a soul shifter Jang Uk still needed to find. She, too, could not openly say who she really was. The same goes for being known as Cho-yeong. The characters know Nak-su’s given name and would have pieced everything together. In the end, living as Bu-yeon was for the greater good of everyone.
Alchemy of Souls Season 2 is available on Netflix.
