Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
“I would rather suffer for all eternity, than be a pawn again.”
You may or may not remember, but “Blood of Zeus” Season One ended with a fantastic scene featuring antagonist Serapahim’s first encounter with the King of the Underworld – Hades. It’s an ironically comical scene, as even after death, Seraphim is ordered around by Gods, with Hades ordering him to kneel down, which elicits an angry scream in response. While it marks a great end to season one, it also lays a strong foundation for what’s to come next in the tale.
Created by Charley Parlapanides and Vlas Parlapanides, season 2 of “Blood of Zeus” opens with Hades’ plotting to seize power in the wake of the chaos from the ongoing war between the Gods and the Titans. With Zeus seemingly dead, this season focuses on Hades and his wife Persephone’s plan on stealing a powerful stone that could make them the next rulers of Olympus. But the couple needs Seraphim on their side, who isn’t just dead, but also extremely disinclined to help any God with anything. Meanwhile, Zeus’ half-mortal son Heron and all the other Gods are embroiled in the battle for Olympus, after which an ugly legacy tussle follows over who’d take the throne.
The animation by Powerhouse Animation Studio remains pretty much the same, so again, you’ll see a lot of Castlevania style illustrations and movements. However, this time around, the pace is slightly faster than season one of “Blood of Zeus”, so the creators don’t use too many slow-motion shots on the backgrounds and landscapes. I really liked the gritty personality of Hades, whose appearance is on the lines of his brothers Zeus and Poseidon, very unlike the starkly evil look made popular by Disney in its cartoon “Hercules”.
This season of “Blood of Zeus” is a lot more rich in lore, the episodes dwell into how Zeus grew up; how the underworld functions, and viewers get a firsthand account of Hades’ back-story and motivations, as the God recalls how his brother unfairly relegated him to the underworld after defeating their father Kronos. Hades also retells his rather poignant, and moving story of how he and Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, fell in love and had to face the wrath of Persephone’s scary mother Demeter, who ensures the couple couldn’t have a happily ever after. If you’re looking for a fluffy, modern retelling of the epic love story between Hades and Persephone, you should check out the webtoon “Lore Olympus” by Rachel Smythe.
I wasn’t a big fan of Heron, the primary protagonist who dominated the first season of “Blood of Zeus”, so this installment was definitely more entertaining for me, since there’s plenty of focus on Seraphim and the others Gods. Heron continues to be boringly one-dimensional, struggling with his anger issues, while he goes on a mission to find the sword Zeus forged for him. All Hermes does in this show is run around doing errands for everybody, but despite his brief screen-time, Hermes is a lot more likable. After wreaking havoc on Olympus and trying to kill her own husband, Hera gets a redemptive arc in this season, which was quite contrived, but does add to some drama. Seraphim on the other hand sees significant character growth, even though he remains just as hot-headed, but his motivations are completely different from before.
For those who enjoyed the first season, “Blood of Zeus” season two is arguably a lot more gritty, and gripping. Although, if you’re a fan of Heron, than maybe his reduced presence in this follow-up might feel disappointing. The episodes running up to the climax make viewers expect a tense, exciting battle for Olympus’ throne, however, the writers deliver a rather underwhelming end. I thought that all the Olympians – especially Zeus’ innumerable powerful children – will get a chance to prove their mettle, but that doesn’t happen, instead, a fish-market style fight unfolds over the precious stone. Regardless, there’s a big surprising twist in the end, a killer one at that, which serves as a gigantic cliffhanger, so a bigger, bloodier season three might be in store!
Definitely stream “Blood of Zeus” season two on Netflix if you liked the first one.
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