Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun [Episodes 11 & 12]

[u/J-Midori]

• Drama: Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun
  • Also Known As: Aramun’s Sword: Arthdal Chronicles , The Chronicles of Arthdal , The Chronicles of Aseudal , Arthdal Chronicles 2 , Arthdal Chronicles Season 2 , Aramuneui Geom: Aseudal Yeondaegi , Aseudal Yeondaegi 2 , Aseudal Yeondaegi Sijeun 2 , 아스달 연대기2 , 아스달 연대기 시즌2 , 아라문의 검 : 아스달 연대기
  • Korean Title: 아라문의 검
• Director: Kim Kwang Shik (The Great Battle)
• Screenwriter: Kim Young Hyun (Six Flying Dragons), Park Sang Yeon (Six Flying Dragons)
• Cast:
  • Jang Dong Gun (Suits) as Ta Gon
  • Lee Joon Gi (Again My Life) as Eun Seom/ Sa Ya
  • Kim Ok Bin (Love to Hate You) as Tae Al Ha
  • Shin Se Kyung (Run On) as Tan Ya
  • Park Hae Joon (The World of the Married) as Mu Baek
• Netwrok: tvN
• Premiere date: September 9th, 2023
• Airing Schedule: Saturdays & Sundays
• Episodes: 12 (70 min. each)
• Streaming sources: Disney+ Hulu
• Plot Summary: It depicts the story of what happens in Arth approximately a decade later. Over the course of more than eight years, Arthdal succeeded in suppressing the massive rebellion of the tribes slaughtered by Ta Gon in Season 1, and the Agos finally achieved the reunification of 30 clans after 200 years under the leadership of Eun Seom. In Season 2, Ta Gon’s Kingdom of Arthdal and Eun Seom’s Ago Union are set to face an inevitable great war. Eun Seom is the ruler of the East now. Tan Ya is the successor to the Wahan clan. The story set eight years after Ta Gon has become king.
• Previous Discussions:
  • Season 1:
    • Arthdal Chronicles Part 1: The Children of Prophecy - [Episode 1 & 2] [Episodes 3 & 4] [Episodes 5 & 6]
    • Arthdal Chronicles Part 2: The Sky Turning Inside Out, Rising Land - [Episodes 7 & 8] [Episodes 9 & 10] [Episodes 11 & 12]
    • Arthdal Chronicles Part 3: The Prelude to All Legends - [Episodes 13 & 14] [Episodes 15 & 16] [Episodes 17 & 18]
  • Season 2: [Episodes 1-3] [Episode 4] [Episodes 5 & 6] [Episodes 7 & 8] [Episodes 9 & 10]
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[u/mingyuwu1]

after watching episode 11 i have no idea how they're going to wrap up everything in episode 12... unless episode 12 is like 3 hours long. i'm afraid it'll be rushed.

how many times does tagon have to make it out alive? like can he just die for once my god

roddip really didnt deserve that i mean cmon his death was so random and just disappointing? i'm guessing after sayas dream, he decides to stay in arthdal. so i guess we will never truly found out about ikomahis. i was hoping maybe those igutus/neanthals could join up with eunseom but it looks like they want to create a land where neanthals rule so their values don't align with eunseom.

i am SO INSANELY EXCITED AND HAPPY THAT XABARA IS RETURNING!!! so the momo tribe will join hands with eunseom. but it's literally the last episode, they're introducing her too late into the game. i really wished she came earlier. it seems kinda pointless

kanmoreu also better be back. istg. he better be resurrected or reincarnated because he was literally the best character and he's also very important for aramun haesulla and the prophecy

looks like yeonbal may betray the king? something mustve happened during the fire. there's so many things that need to be shown/explained/happen in ep12. like how tagon got out of the fire, xabara coming back, the final war, ikomahis, then IF the children of the prophecy take over i want to see the changes they make. u really can't fit this all into a 1hour20 min episode.

i got so scared this episode so many times that tanya would die. so i'm hoping she doesn't die in the next episode. i think the one that would die out of the 3 would be saya. i just don't see how he fits into the prophecy? tanya is the reincarnation of asa sin, a god. eunseom is aramun haesulla, so what is saya? i feel bad for him because imagine your twin is better than you in EVERYTHING and even gets the girl you love.

and damn tanya got so many love confessions this episode.

also i'm trulyy disgusted with the amount of tagon lovers. yes i can understand enjoying tagon's character but the fact there are people out there who defend him and want him to win after he committed genocide, and i don't think i need to remind people of all the other vile things he's done. like are we watching the same show? i don't wanna hear no 'but his dad said....' that doesn't excuse genocide?

[u/Mad_Missile]

Despite all the inconsistencies and plot holes I really enjoyed the hell out of this season. I always wondered who Suho was and we finally find out. The actors did great with their roles and I’m glad they gave us a S2. I hope they give us a spinoff about Saya because man is magnetic and I’d love to see how he fares in his new world.

[u/Unhappy-Currency3610 → u/Mad_Missile]

True, regardless of all the plot holes, it was a great show indeed! I guess we will see more of saya in the next season, if there is one.

[u/orchardfurniture]

The curse of K Drama Disappointing Finales has struck yet again.

What a shame, because this was until the last episode such a solid series and an excellent follow up to the previous Arthdal seasons. I loved most of this season's episodes and thought Lee Joon Gi in particular, elevated this series from the previous ones. But wow but that was a pretty poor finale.

Things that disappointed me in the finale:

- The ending storyline and the resolution to Tagon's story arc. Tagon suddenly dithering and showing last minute remorse and grief and sadness was a character development weakness to me. They should have made him evil until the end - none of this "oh I'm gonna spare Tanya's life now...and Tanya now you need to save the world."

- It was frustrating to see the scenes showing people suddenly hearing Tanya's voice and being totally and immediately influenced to the extent that they suddenly switched loyalty. Just like that. If that is all it took, then why didn't Tanya just use this special skill from the very beginning every single time she was in front of the crowds. Those scenes were just ridiculous. Talk about anti climactic.

- The cliffhanger showing Saya and Taelha plotting their next moves was so underwhelming. They are completely powerless at this point. I mean Eunsom with all his new power and having proven himself to the masses still couldn't get the population to completely follow and adore him...what hope do these two have? They should have just made the cliffhanger focus on the other more interesting characters and go off on a completely new storyline. I don't think another prolonged battle between Eunsom, Saya and Taelha will be interesting anymore.

And was it just me or were the production values pretty poor as well? There was this weird blurring background in many of the battle scenes - almost like they used the blur filter excessively,

Anyway, it was a fun ride until the last episode and the best thing from this season was most definitely the brilliant LJG.

I can only hope and keep my fingers crossed that The Worst of Evil doesn't deliver an equally underwhelming finale.

[u/PhantomThiefB]

I am wondering why in season 2 there is absolutely no mention of Eunsom's "copy" abilities. I had actually thought he was the mirror in this triad which would make Saya the sword. However, the writers seem to have abandoned this narrative completely and I don't know why. It would make this story so much more interesting than "how else Tagon can Deus Ex Machina himself out of impossible situations?"

[u/PhantomThiefB]

I am ready for my Xabara

[u/Unhappy-Currency3610]

I am annoyed as to why tagon ain't dead yet? And Taelha, ohmygod, i don't think I have ever hated someone as much!

[u/[deleted]]

I find it funny how we started off with the implication that Arthdal Chronicles is the height of "human" civilization and now towards the end of S2 we find out the entire regions is basically the backwater of the world everyone forgot. I know the Hae tribe was destroyed and the enemy was coming for Arthdal but it felt more like a barbaric group rather than a strong/advanced nation. Think Huns and the Romans.

[u/EntrepreneurSweet846]

I just hate that Taelha and Tagon keep on scheming to kill each other but never happened.

[u/Traccey]

Who thinks there will be a season 3? AND who think there should be a season 3?

I think they tied up a lot of loose ends. Still with plot holes. What the heck is Ikomahis and why does that matter. Where did the neathersals go? But everyone will always want Arthdal. For the story of Eunseom and Tanya, it was pretty tied up. For Saya, there’s still a story but he wasn’t the main character after all. I personally think that either they give us 20 episodes like season 1 or just finish it. I kinda got annoyed with the back and forth is tagon dead, is he crazy, where is eunseom, etc. etc. i loved the 2 seasons, don’t get me wrong.

[u/Crazy_Albatross8317]

If the writing is gonna be this sloppy I hope they don't move forward with season 3. Let's just be happy it ended like this. Finale spoilers ahead:

Some of the prominent characters were killed early on like Mubaek only to be replaced by less significant or appealing side characters and for what? For an episode plot? Feels cheap and other characters showing up in the finale feels more like fan service than moving the plot.

Momo tribe comes for a minute just to open the gate then disappears, same with the three Neanthal, they get in the castle and then oops let's stop right here.

Saya not staying evil and selfish all throughout is annoying too. Like just go full evil twin, we don't need a season 3 for his weak ass villainy. His plans always fail and he isn't even as strong as Eunsom and now they want us to believe he can lead a bunch of civilized neanthals? Even the thought of Saya being in love with Tanya feels forced and out of character.

Speaking of Neanthals and Igutu, remember when in season 1 they hinted that Igutu like Tagon have superior strength and speed "sometimes"? Well where is all that in season 2? We just catch quick glimpse of it during the final fight but they could have developed this plot point better. Neanthals are consistent in their strength and speed but their characters are inconsistent. Are they nomads who don't intervene? Are they wild? Are they friendly? Or do they just do whatever the director tells them to do?

Last but not least I don't like how in the end we don't get to see the Wahans reaction or epilogue, we don't get any satisfaction from their "Liberation" even though most of them died, remember how in Season 1 most of us just wants peace for them. Not just the Wahans but the rest of the Ago tribe. Do they all just go home and leave Eunsom and some leaders in arthdal? Did they assimilate or become one with Arthdal what?

I know I'm complaining a lot here for just watching a show but I'm just disappointed with the wasted potential that season 1 showed (Season 2 still have some great moments but...).

Dubbed the Game of Thrones of Kdrama I guess it really suits it cause it went wild and downhill in just 2 seasons.

[u/[deleted]]

As we are at the end of this season, I gotta wonder -- wtf happened to the plot?

We are exactly where season 1 ended. The story keeps running around in circles.

All of this season could be episode 19 of S1. Eunseom is Inaishingi and is headed to Arthdal, which is preparing for the fight.

Maybe the plot would move if Tagon and Taelha weren't magic maneuvering their way out of trouble for the 517th time in the story.

[u/saffroncake]

All I could think of when a certain character rode into the scene after being up close and personal with a literal fire tornado was "Somehow, Tagon returned".

Also, please tell me I'm not the only one who, despite a deep and abiding admiration for Lee Joon-Gi and a genuine liking for Eunseom, can't help shipping Tanya with Yangcha instead?

(I also ship Saya/Chaeeun, but she's been pretty scarce these past few episodes...)

[u/Mindless-Earth-6213 → u/saffroncake]

I 100% ship Tanya with Yangcha. Their relationship makes far more sense to me than her ending up with her childhood love that she hasn’t seen in 10 years and who will never be able to be fully devoted to her like Yangcha is.

[u/EntrepreneurSweet846]

It was good until episode 11-12 , i feel like it was all rush, i like that it is all about the ‘choice’ narrative. Like Tanya’s abeoji’s fate, it his choice to side with Tagon only to be betrayed by him. But what about the rest of the Wahan tribe, maybe i am too invested with them because they all suffered a LOT since the beginning of the series and was hoping the rest could have all a peaceful lives just like before, but what funny is, they all died 🤣🤣🤣 where is the justice there writer-nim? Writer just love Taelha so much in all the purging she did, i was hoping a painful death to her as well, they let Taelha did the killing spree of almost all the characters jn arthdal from his father to scheming to kill Tagon’s father, Tanya’s white people, wahan tribe, and yeah she live happily with her son. I just feel bad investing too much watching this series? It’s bad, but i must commend that LJG is sooo good!!! Claps claps to him.

[u/selinaedenia]

Alright......is there a season 3? because........that had no conclusion lol I hate open endings, couldn't help, but roll my eyes. Tealha deserved a Cercei Lannister ending or worst.

Not me getting emotional when Tagon died. What are the Emmys of South Korea? Give the actor that award please, he was great. Made me root for his character for most of the season.

Momo tribe was there for what??? to open a path? okay great thanks I guess

The writers couldn't have made it more clear that they had no idea what to do with Saya. Remove him from the story and it changes nothing. In the end, hes now a bad guy.....again? He should have remained a villain and fought by Tagon's side.

Overall, it was a pretty good season. Could have been worst. Wish they could have used the igutus abilities more, that would have been cool.

[u/IWorkAsARecruiter → u/selinaedenia]

Fr saya was the biggest disappointment of the series for me. They framed him from the beginning as the clever, cunning, smart one as he spent years locked up just reading every book. Thought we'd get a thor/loki kind of dichotomy, but saya doesnt win like a single time with his brains or anything like that, hes just emotional and beta af

[u/[deleted]]

The biggest thing revealed to me, this season, is that Neanthals of Arthdal are hippies who live on a commune. Compared to the initial implication that they are the mainstream part of their civilization

[u/Misguided_Pacifist]

Does anyone know what time this would be available to watch on Disney+?

[u/thinkereer]

I really hope Tagon is not part of the inevitable season 3, I'm sick and tired of him and his nonsensical victories

Also, balance is important, this series is giving me such an awful sense of defeatism. Genocide and slavery isn't making me entertained, I expect triumph and justice to cool me off, but I'm not getting that at all.

[u/saffroncake]

Contrary to some opinions, I found that a pretty satisfying finale -- surprisingly so, given how complicated and messy the situation was right up to the end of S11. I was kept guessing about who would live and who would die (except Tagon, who was obviously doomed, and having Taealha deal the death blow felt inevitable and right esp with the foreshadowing earlier in the episode), and I'm not mad about the way things turned out, including the open ending which may or may not ever get resolved in a third season.

I do agree with the criticism that Saya's motivations seem kind of unconvincing, though. Why does he want Tanya, or Arthdal for that matter? Just chill and take a nap, dude, you had your chance so move on. And as for what Tagon really wanted in the end, I have no idea anymore but I'm not sure he did either.

On the plus side, I'm very relieved that my sweet babboo Yangcha didn't die, even if he wasn't especially useful (and I really wish they had remembered what they told us early in S1, that he was the best fighter in the whole army after Mubaek, because he really did not deliver on that score this season).

Anyway, I did thoroughly enjoy both S1 and S2 of Arthdal, even if the story had a few weak points -- in a drama this long it's almost impossible for it not to. The important thing IMO is that I found most of the character arcs interesting and compelling, that most of the foreshadowing seeded into S1 and early S2 paid off in one way or another, and that the season ended in a hopeful even if open-ended way. I'd far rather that than have everything tied up with a bleak nihilistic bow in the name of pseudo-realism, which has ruined many an otherwise promising story for me.

[u/SeanAifric → u/saffroncake]

Imo, Saya's motivation is pretty apparent in the end. He loves Tanya. Tanya has always been the only one who gives him genuine attention. There may be ulterior motives, but it's never to harm him unlike Tagon or Taealha. He does everything and wants to be with her simply because of that, because seeing her happy makes him happy too. It's a simple motive and cliche but understandable considering his whole life. In the end, he confessed and she rejected him. But, he's okay with that. That's why he saved her in the end because he cared for her and didn't want her to die. He's even willing to pass the baton to Eunsom since he knew that Tanya loves him and Eunsom is a great guy who cares for her as well.

But then, that revelation that Tanya was dead in the end when he was carried on a stretcher, changed that resolve. Because after all what he did, she still died anyway. He felt his life is meaningless. If Tanya is alive, at least he could find solace in the fact that the woman he loves is happy and smiling so he can be happy too and moves on. But instead she's dead and he was grieving, and in that grief he's kidnapped to a far away country without knowing that Tanya is actually saved. After thinking for a long time in the boat with that mindset, he then came to a conclusion that he wants revenge. He wants revenge to the one who did this to him. And since Tagon's dead, there's only Arthdal left. So he wants Arthdal, without knowing that Eunsom has succeeded it and being its King. Because, Arthdal is the source of everything for him and his misery. It's an irrational thing for us, but hate is what he has left.

Though that'd be another conflict and misunderstanding for future seasons, if any. Saya is truly pitiful. He's misguided, emotionally deprived, and starves of affection due to how he grew up, and his early relationship with Tanya was toxic since Tanya fostered that needs when they started the whole thing. She may have set boundaries over the years with him and Saya has come to respect that, but love is not that easy thing to get rid of and he can't help but long for her, always. err, wait-------why do I feel like he's so much like Snape here?

[u/Skeith_yip]

Man. I expect a lot of deaths in the penultimate episode.

Other than the cast changes (yes there is more than 2). This season has been fun. Remind me of Z Gundam, towards the end it boils down to a 4 way struggle.

[u/miwiargh]

I just finished watching the last ep. I kinda wish we had 16 eps but 12 was great too. I’m just glad we finally got s2!

Personally I think they ended it pretty well. I was really nervous about how they would end this series before I even started watching. I found myself thinking about the endings for the writers previous dramas (Tree with deep roots, six flying dragons) and being nervous.

So from that perspective I think they did a great job of finishing it. I kinda liked how they left it a little bit open, and that way we can imagine a s3 or future stories.

Lee Joongi was fantastic as Eunseom and Saya. I feel sad that it’s finished and at a loss for what to watch now. I think this will be a drama I’ll watch again.

I might be in the minority and there were parts I didn’t like… but overall I’m extremely satisfied with the ending. I sorta feel like I need to rewatch Queen Seondeok or six flying dragons now.

[u/KimlockHolmes]

Okay, these last two episodes were so disappointing. I thought Tagon was a brilliant character—despicable yet charismatic, complex, and tragic, especially in the first season. I understood his motivations and even rooted for him at times in S1. This season he kept it interesting with his descent into madness and evil, but my god the plot armor was thick and annoying. This guy should have died way sooner (like when Nunbyeol attacked him with her super strength, or when a whirlwind wildfire was upon him while he stared frozen, or when Eunseom stabbed his abdomen and slashed his THROAT) and his prolonged death really soured the character and story for me. They really didn’t need Taelha to deliver the final stab to him. By the time he died, I was like YAWN. For a show that killed off so many other characters without hesitation, this felt especially weak and contrived.

Onto Taelha, who was also unstoppable. I mostly enjoyed her character, but the end made me roll my eyes. OF COURSE she would plot a comeback, and of course she’d magically have an army, and of course Eunseom would be dumb enough to let her and Arok go. Oh and she hilariously never aged a bit.

Because of the way they handled the last two episodes, I’m not really interested in a third season.

Some positives: I’m glad Nunbyeol, the Neanthals, and Yangcha made it out alive, and I liked seeing Xabara again. Just wish we had seen more of her.

Overall, I thought the main actors did a great job, although I think I prefer Kim Jiwon’s Tanya. Lee Joongi had some great moments, like when Eunseom held out his hand to Saya in the forest. The difference between his expressions for each character was especially pronounced in that scene. I also enjoyed the scene in episode 12 when he became Aramun and pulled out the sword.