'Alchemy of Souls' Ending Explained: Do Mu-deok and Jang Uk die? Is Naksu back in her original body?
SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA: Netflix and tvN's extremely powerful and gripping K-drama 'Alchemy of Souls' has finally come to a tragic but exciting end. With the season finale premiering on August 28, fans went through a plethora of emotions through episode 20 before the show ended as the story took an unpredictable turn. Knowing full well that there is another season left to the story that will premier in December 2022, fans are left wondering what will happen to Jung So-min's Mu-deok as Go Yoon-jung will return as Naksu.
The 20-episode season 1 of 'Alchemy of Souls' follows the journey of an elite assassin Naksu, whose would is trapped inside the body of a servant named Mudeok who is rather weak in comparison. Set in Daeho, a fictional country, the show is a supernatural fantasy drama that follows the journey of young magicians who overcome their twisted fates due to a dark magic spell that allows souls to switch bodies. 'Alchemy of Souls' has been seeing a rise in its ratings from its beginning and now after what happened to Jang Uk in the finale, fans are eagerly waiting for a new season. Wondering how 'Alchemy of Souls' ended? Here is the recap of the season finale.
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What happens in 'Alchemy of Souls' Episode 20?
After Dang-gu and Cho-yeon’s wedding celebrations, Jang Uk asks Mu-deok to marry him. With no response but a smile from her, we move into the season finale of 'Alchemy of Souls' which starts with Park Jin and Maidservant Kim talking about the upcoming wedding. She hints that she would like to live in a small house with him but Park Jin thinks she is asking for a gift. She is upset that he does not understand her feelings for him and rushes to her chambers.
Jang Uk finds her crying and enquires about what was bothering her. He revealed that he too will soon marry someone but Maidservant Kim thinks he is talking about Yoon-ok. Upon clarification, Maidservant Kim is shocked to learn that he will be marrying Mu-deok. Mu-deok converses with Ju-wol, letting her know that she has decided to marry Jang Uk. However, after a fun discussion about the rumor around Jang Uk's impotence, Ju-wol wishes Mu-deok well for her future with him.
Does Go Won learn about the King's Star?
At the same time, Jin Mu promises to help Go Won kill Jang Uk but Won claims that since Uk is now powerless, Jin-mu should worry about his past mistakes coming to haunt him back with Jin Woo-tak alive and guilty. He asks Jin-mu to confess and come clean but Jin-mu states that Jang Uk might still be hiding his power. Jin Ho-gyeong taunts Jin Woo-tak for ruining their family and mocks him over falling for Jun-mu's lie.
Meanwhile, Jin-mu plans to kill Woo-tak for the fear of being exposed and tries to use one of Queen Ha-sun's soul potions to finish the job. Meanwhile, Jin-mu also holds possession of the bells used by Shaman Choi which hints that Jin-mu would use them against Jang Uk.
Do Jang Uk and Mu-deok get married?
Jang Uk and Mu-deok are at the ring maker with the yin and yang jades as Jang Uk's former wedding prospects make Mu-deok jealous. She bickers with him for a bit but after he reassures her that Mu-deok is the only one for him, she lets go of her anger.
With Yul still healing from his wound, he continues to experience pain. Yoon-ok tells him that it was So-yi's blood that was used to treat him. Yul asks her to keep his condition a secret and wait for him to recover soon. Present-day So-yi still feels guilty and hopes Yul gets better soon.
Meanwhile, Maidservant Kim accepts Mu-deok as Jang Uk's future partner and also tells him about Park Jin's nonchalance about her feelings for him. Jang Uk finds Park Jin deep in thought when he confesses that he and Maidservant Kim will be leaving the capital after Dang-gu's wedding. His threat about leaving with Maidservant Kim for an indefinite amount of time makes Park Jin sad.
Jang Uk asks him to confess his feelings and just make her stay. Maidservant Kim is crying and contemplating staying back when Park Jin arrives and gives her some balsam seeds as a promise of a future together. Master Lee watches them from afar and after a while, sobs when he's by himself.
Does Jin-mu find out who Naksu is?
Worried that Jin-mu will expose the secret about Jang Uk being the Crown Prince, Park Jin pledges to kill the mage. However, the mage is plotting to cast a Soul Ejector curse when he is informed that Jang Uk plans on leaving the city. Jin-mu finally puts two and two together and realizes that Mu-deok is Nak-su (Naksu). He attempts to test Naksu's powers by casting a spell and ringing the bells but he learns that Mu-deok does not have her powers.
Jang Uk also confesses to Master Lee that he no longer has the power of the Ice Stone. Master Lee tells Jang Uk that Mu-deok will be fine until she unleashes the power of Naksu which he states is impossible in Mu-deok's frail body. So-yi is caught when she tries to steal Woo-tak's pain relief medicines for Yul. Ho-gyeong is shocked when So-yi reveals Bu-yeon's (Mu-deok) blindfold claiming that her real daughter was still alive.
With the condition of walking away safely, So-yi promises to tell Ho-gyeong more about Bu-yeon's identity. Park Jin confronts Go Won revealing the truth about Jin-mu. He lies to Won stating that the King's star must be him given that he was there the night the ice stone was unleashed. Won believes that it was Jang Uk that unleashed its power but Park Jin tries to misdirect him by lying further.
What happens to the Crown Prince in 'Alchemy of Souls'?
Go Won meets Mu-deok and he expresses his rage about her leaving with Jang Uk. He wishes them ill and asks her to be gone far away. Three out of the four seasons sans Cho-yeon gather for drinks before her wedding with Dang-gu. Yul and Jang Uk tease Dang-gu about him being controlled by Cho-yeon's family but he states they are both envious. Yul reveals that the person he truly has feelings for is not Mu-deok, while Jang Uk reveals that he's planning his move. Yul is still in pain when Ju-wol brings him some medicine and a message that So-yi left for him.
Learning that Go Won is still unaware of Jang Uk's power, Jin-mu reveals the truth about Jang Uk to the crown prince which infuriates him. Jin-mu convinces him to destroy Jang Uk. Jang Uk is bemused to learn that Maidservant Kim and Mu-deok have had some drinks. In her state of drunkenness, Mu-deok is close to revealing that she's Naksu but Jang Uk takes her away. That night before falling asleep she tells him she likes him a lot before kissing Jang Uk.
Who kills Jin Woo-tak?
As she is passed out, Jang Uk pledges to tell Mu-deok what Master Lee said when they have left the city. However, later that night, Jin-mu starts ringing the bells that wake Naksu up inside Mu-deok's body. On the day of the wedding, Jang Uk tells Yul that he does not know about Mu-deok's whereabouts. Meanwhile, Mu-deok's body has arrived. Jin-mu casts a spell to unleash the assassin's powers. Mu-deok's body is no longer able to contain Nak-su's soul as she is getting ready to go out on a mission.
With Jin-mu's instructions to kill Jin Woo-tak, Naksu (as Mu-deok) sets out on a killing spree. She is on the verge of killing Woo-tak when Cho-yeon intervenes. Woo-tak states that Mu-deok is the assassin Naksu. Both Dang-gu and Cho-yeon are not able to stop Naksu before she kills Woo-tak (Mu-deok's father). Naksu starts getting flashes from her memories as a child but moves on to her next target - her father's killers.
Jin-mu walks into the wedding with bells ringing when an injured soldier rushes in to let Park Jin know about Mu-deok/Naksu's killing spree. Jin-mu declares that Mu-deok is Naksu and that she is a soul shifter. On the other hand, as Naksu is on the verge of killing Dang-gu and Cho-yeon, the soldiers arrive and she is otherwise occupied with them as the newlywed couple runs.
Who kills Jang Uk?
With the soldiers from Park Jin's team, as well as Jin-mu's team out to kill Naksu, Park Jin is about to shoot an arrow at her when Jang Uk sheathes Mu-deok. Unbeknownst to her own actions, Mu-deok stabs Jang Uk with her sword. Instead of letting her go, Jang Uk holds her close to himself. He tries to reach out to Mu-deok who wakes up to realize what she has done. Holding his hand, she sobs until the bells start ringing again sending her into a trance as Naksu's soul takes power over her body.
She flies away as Cho-yoeon mourns Woo-tak and Park Jin sobs over a lifeless Jang Uk. Just like Naksu's at the beginning of the season, Jang Uk's body is preserved. Dang-go and Cho-yeon are determined to kill Naksu and Yul seeks to find So-yi. Jin-mu tells King Go and Prince Go Won that it was Naksu who performed the alchemy of souls and they assume that she is here to avenge the death of his father.
What happens to Mu-deok? Is Jang Uk alive?
In the forest, when she is all by herself, Naksu (in Mu-deok's body) is plagued by Jang Uk's voice. Maidservant Kim sobs as Park Jin tells her that Jang Uk was cremated in her absence. Everyone mourns the death of Jang Uk, while Mu-deok is standing at the end of the cliff as the bells have stopped ringing as her Mu-deok's body starts decaying.
Master Lee looks at Jang Uk's funeral pyre and promises that he, the King's Star will be back. Meanwhile, Jang Uk steps out of the funeral pyre unscathed as Mu-deok downs herself into the water as two people try to bring her out.