Blood of Zeus Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
Netflix's gory, action-packed animated series Blood of Zeus debuted in 2020 as a gripping take on Greek mythology. It introduced us to Heron (Derek Phillips), a young man whose fate is forever altered after discovering he's Zeus' demigod son. What initially presented as a paint-by-numbers tale about a "chosen one" developed nicely into a more substantial tale about Heron saving Olympus – and later, his misunderstood (and very misled) brother Seraphim (Elias Toufexis). Season 2 is a similarly satisfying affair, picking up after Zeus has been felled and Seraphim finds himself trapped in the Underworld ruled by Hades (Fred Tatasciore). Heron and Seraphim are afforded lengthy explorations of each other's opposite plights. Because of that, Season 2 easily matches and expands on the satisfying beats introduced in the first season.
Hades' search for the mysterious Eleusinian Stone in an effort to change his tragic destiny takes center stage. We see a different side to the deity when he takes a wayward Seraphim under his wing as well, just as Zeus did for Heron. It brings a much-needed sense of balance to a series that could have easily been a one-sided hero's journey. This change means that Season 2 shows "good" and "evil" as two sides of the same coin, with a villain who's easy to empathize with. Hades is conniving at times, but he's also heartbroken, calculating, and looking for answers. Easily the most compelling god of the entire pantheon of Blood of Zeus, Hades’ ambition and passion echo throughout all eight episodes.
But it's not just Hades and Seraphim who have grown since Season 1. Heron has changed considerably as well, with an increased edge that pushes him through the challenges thrown his way. He's come to understand the powers he wields and his responsibility to keep them in check. Heron is now a respectable, calm hero in contrast to Seraphim's tendencies to blow up and act rashly, a quality that ends up seeing him through some of the more difficult matchups throughout the series. Still, he realizes there's much he can't control even when it comes to his own powers, which leads him to both fear and appreciate them in equal measure. All of this plays out in a colorful, painstakingly detailed world inspired by shonen anime. Castlevania studio Powerhouse Animation returns with some of its instantly recognizable work, deftly animating battles and some absolutely beautiful looking, effective emotional sequences.
Balanced with that are some truly magnificent performances by an English dub cast. The seasoned performers give their all, even in seemingly smaller, more insignificant scenes. It's what we've come to expect from Powerhouse and Netflix when it comes to these animated series, but it's good to see them live up to those high standards as more of Blood of Zeus’ story is told.
There’s obvious setup for a Season 3 here, as the events unfolding throughout this set of episodes build up to what appears to be a new arc without wrapping up all of the old loose ends. There's plenty going on, with the option to delve more into Persephone's true powers before being banished to the underworld. Zeus’ death also begs for deeper exploration: Season 2 jumps right into a new dilemma without taking a beat to consider the impact his absence has on the world of the gods.
