Arthdal Chronicles: THe Sword of Aramun (2023)

November 19, 2023

Our Take: There is an impressive amount of lore incorporated into the drama, however, the execution falls short.

The Sword of Aramun resumes eight years after Ta Gon's (Jang Dong Gun) coronation. Under Ta Gon's leadership, Arthdal quickly colonized its neighboring tribes, expanding the kingdom's reach and prowess to new heights. As Arthdal grows, Ta Gon increasingly resorts to leveraging fear to rule his kingdom and conquer the rest of Arth continent. Meanwhile, his relationship with Queen Tae Al Ha (Kim Ok Bin) grows strained as she pressures him to do her bidding and install their biological son, Arok, on the throne. Simultaneously, Ta Gon's adopted son, Sa Ya (Lee Joon Gi), serves as the commander on the frontlines and seeks to become the heir to the throne.  

Only a few tribes remain uncolonized, most notably the Ago Tribe led by Eun Seom (Lee Joon Gi). Prophesied to be the reincarnation of their savior Inaishingi, Eun Seom convinces Ago's 30 warring clans to reunify and defend themselves against Arthdal after 200 years of brutal in-fighting. With a looming invasion ahead, he uses his wit and tactical strength to attempt to secure the Ago Tribe's future.

Back in Arthdal, Tan Ya (Shin Sae Kyeong) strives to fulfill the Sword, Bell, and Mirror prophecy. Formerly an enslaved Wahan Tribe shaman, Tan Ya is now the Head Priestess of Arthdal. As a direct descendant of Arthdal's sacred Great Mother, she uses philanthropy and psychic powers to win over the kingdom's citizens. With her influence and power growing, Tan Ya seeks support from Eun Seom and Sa Ya to overthrow Ta Gon and bring peace to Arthdal. 

One of the main concerns for this season is the shocking departure of Song Joong Ki and Kim Ji Won, who played the main characters Eun Seom/Sa Ya and Tan Ya, respectively. While there is a significant time jump from the prior season, Lee Joon Gi and Shin Sae Kyeong's portrayal of these characters and the new character development didn't quite stick as well as their predecessors.

For the first few episodes, it's hard to differentiate between Eun Seom and Saya's personalities, motivations, and mannerisms. At times, it feels like they are the same person rather than two distinct characters. Additionally, they seem to lack the essence that made these characters endearing in the first season. 

Whereas Eum Seom was previously kind and soft-spoken, he's now a hardened and ruthless leader — a seemingly 360 change. As Inaishingi, Eum Seom's heroism feels one-dimensional, and he seems to have completely given up on the ideals he previously shared with Tan Ya and the Wahan Tribe. From the start, he's a charismatic leader beloved by his people and remains one to the end with little development or real setbacks. 

On the other hand, Sa Ya gets relegated to the side in favor of pushing Eum Seom to the forefront. Under Ta Gon's iron grip, Sa Ya lived in isolation most of his life. Previously, he was portrayed as highly intelligent, giving him an innocent but sly aura. However, despite being a child of the Sword, Bell, and Mirror prophecy, he comes off as inferior to Eun Seom this season. He frequently runs away from his enemies rather than fighting them head-on and has lost the spark that made his character alluring.

Like Eun Seom, Tan Ya has matured significantly over the past decade. She's no longer a naive and inexperienced shaman, but an independent and tough leader who can bend people to her will. Though she still holds onto the ideals she learned from the Wahan Tribe, she is more willing to use her soft powers to sway public opinion and manipulate people if necessary. However, like Eun Seom, Tan Ya's character feels stiff, and the pair lack genuine romantic chemistry.

Though they are the main antagonists, Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha are the heart of the show and carry Arthdal on their shoulders. We dive deep into Ta Gon's psyche and how his upbringing, particularly his father, shaped his motivations and behaviors. As an Igutu, Ta Gon spent his entire life hiding his identity to win over the public. Now that he's at the top, he struggles with coming to terms with his identity and still feels like he can't be himself. 

Ta Gon's astronomical rise has also negatively affected his relationship with Tae Al Ha. Despite their strong bond, they endure struggles, betrayals, and anger. Still, even with the problems brewing, Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha put up a united front when necessary and even team up to save their son Arok when the world is quickly collapsing around them.

Like Ta Gon, Tae Al Ha is vicious and cunning. Despite her wrongdoings, you can't help but sympathize with her. Like everyone else, Tae Al Ha is simply upholding the societal norms of a cruel kingdom. Everyone, including ordinary citizens, participates in enslaving others and committing various war crimes. Rather than putting her faith in the gods, Tae Al Ha uses her strength and willpower to protect her loved ones. In this way, she is no worse than anyone else, making you want to cheer her on and see her succeed.

Arthdal does a great job of delving into the moral dilemmas of modern society, religion, and politics. Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha are charismatic yet savage leaders who will stop at nothing to expand their kingdom. Like many successful politicians, they are adept at controlling public opinion and getting people to do their bidding.

Similarly, Tan Ya wields religion like a sword, using it to protect herself and those she loves from harm while spreading her ideology far and wide. Eun Seom also has a strong presence and knows how to win people over through war and high-level strategizing.

However, without bloodshed and loss, no one can get their way. With the rise of civilization, many lives are lost, and sacrifices are common. Ta Gon and Tae Al Ha only win by conquering neighboring tribes and uniting the continent under Arthdal, including enslaving those who resist them. While Tan Ya fights for a more equal and peaceful future, she must dethrone Ta Gon and all his supporters to do so, as does Eun Seom.

Our Verdict

While Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun has great lore and potential, much of it gets squandered this season. The introduction of several new plot points was initially promising, but they ended up being shallow and underdeveloped. The decision to take a character-centered approach over having more tight-knit world-building fell short as the supposed villains had more heart and emotion than the main protagonists. It's unclear if the show will get renewed for another season, but the finale ultimately leaves a trail of plot holes in its wake.