Spoilers ahead for Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1 and Season 2
The first season of Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End has been met with near-universal praise. With the inaugural season wrapped up, fans may wonder what’s next for the ancient elf and her traveling companions. With the manga still several volumes ahead of the anime, we can get a good idea of what’s in store. So, let’s look at what awaits us in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2.
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Unsurprisingly, the next leg of Frieren’s (Atsumi Tanezaki) journey involves many looks back into the past. While exploring the millennium-old elf’s history is nothing new, what the next season will explore is. We get to see Frieren’s past encounters with characters outside of Flamme and the Hero’s Party. We learn more about elves and the struggles of being nearly immortal through a glimpse at a new member of the Elven race. But most interestingly is the introduction of The Hero of the South.
They’re a great hero who fought the demon king before the Hero’s Party set out. What we learn about the character showcases that he was most likely a greater hero than Himmel when compared individually. However, unlike Himmel, this hero traveled alone. The Hero of the South’s tale reinforces the show’s frequent focus on the strength of friends.
When the party first learned of the First-Class Mage Exam, it felt like it might be a one-time plot point that would fade into the background once the party struck out for the Northern Plateau. However, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 will leverage Fern’s (Kana Ichinose) new status as a First-Class Mage to draw the party into new dangerous conflicts. We see the party brought into a mission involving a four-armed demon who is ravaging towns in the north. The foe is so powerful that we see the group teaming up with First-Class Mages Methode and Genau. The return of these characters brings a lot of great moments. Through Genau, we learn about the hardships of living in the Northern Plateau as he works with Stark (Chiaki Kobayashi) to protect the fallen. Methode brings back one of the first season’s most beloved moments of humor.
These two aren’t the only familiar faces we’ll encounter. Denken also returns as the group finds itself helping him confront the last of the Seven Sages of Destruction. This conflict presents another unique challenge to the party as the demon Macht’s particular form of magic is unlike anything else. And the demon has already beaten Frieren once before.
While there is plenty of focus on newer personalities in Frieren’s life, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 doesn’t forget her old friends either. Himmel remains a constant presence in the show, especially when Frieren gets the chance to discover a personal item of the late hero’s thought to be lost. This emotional moment brings the elf one step closer to her goal of knowing Himmel. It also crafts a great example of what a true fan of someone is really like.
A key element of Frieren’s journey has always been the world itself. Gorgeous vistas, dangerous woods, and icy mountains breath a special life into the travel montages of the show. These memorable places are delivered better than ever. Glistening cavers and unique golden landscapes promise to make the locations in season two even more memorable than what we got in season one.
While colorful encounters and majestic locations are great, the last point Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2 promises will be the biggest for many fans. When stuck in a town with nothing to do, Stark asks Fern on a date. I won’t spoil the exact details but it’s everything you would expect. The way the story plays out highlights the moment’s beauty while grounding it wonderfully. Some may be disappointed it doesn’t deliver more, but it feels perfect for the awkward teens.
These are just some of the narrative beats and characters fans can look forward to encountering in Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 2. If you are like me, you can’t wait to see more of this story brought to animated life.
Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.
