'Kingdom' Season 2 sees important characters die in each episode as zombies kill with impunity during daytime
Spoilers ahead for 'Kingdom' Season 2
'Kingdom' Season 2 sees zombies in Joseon rise in numbers as they are now able to attack during the day as well. In an attempt to stop the zombies, the plague that started the infection which led to humans turning into zombies ends up taking the lives of many important characters in the show. One episode at a time, one character at a time -- we see how each death propels the narrative forward.
Episode 1:
The first episode sees Jo Beom-il (Jung Suk-won), one of the few people on Crown Prince Lee Chang's side, choose to sacrifice himself when they flee from a town that is overflowing with zombies.
Chang, Ahn-hyeon and Young-shin are all together, but they are shocked to see that the zombies would only step out of the shadows in the night are now able to roam about freely in broad daylight as well. This is an unexpected situation and is one of the reasons why Beom-il was forced to sacrifice himself to ensure that the others can get away safe into Gyeongsang. He uses himself to block the oncoming barrage of zombies.
Episode 2:
The second episode sees Lord Ahn-hyeon (Heo Jun-ho) meet his end at Haewon Cho Clan's stronghold Myungyeong Saeje. Initially, the plan was to use the opportunity of fewer guards' presence to assassinate Hak-ju, the head of the clan and the man who started the plague in the first place with physician Lee Seung-hui's assistance. However, because of a spy amongst themselves, the Crown Prince and his allies end up walking into a trap.
While trying to help the Crown Prince before he was killed or was forced to kill his father, the King, who is also infected, Ahn-hyeon gets killed. This episode also sees Chang behead the King in an attempt to save himself and this serves Hak-ju well in framing the Crown Prince for treason.
Episode 3:
The third episode features the death of Mu-yeong, Crown Prince Chang's closest friend and confidante. He has been serving Chang as a security guard for years now but ends up betraying Chang to keep his pregnant wife safe. After betraying Chang, when he attempts to escape with a prisoner who would help him save his wife, Mu-yeong learns of the Queen's evil plans and this pushes him to face death itself to ensure that Chang is informed. He gets shot with many arrows, but yet, he gives Chang a weapon against the Queen in his fight to regain control over the throne.
Episode 4:
The fourth episode sees Haewon Cho Clan's Hak-ju suffer from a bite wound by a zombie but he doesn't seem to be infected in the same way as the ones in Dongnae or even Gyeongsang. Hak-ju serves a candidate for Seo-bi's experiment to find a possible cure for infection caused due to bites. Turns out, all one has to do is be submerged in water until the worms that enter the human body because of the resurrection plant can be removed. While he is cured of the infection from bite wound, he is betrayed by his daughter, the Queen of Joseon. Turns out, he did not realize that his daughter had plotted treason by faking the birth of a son. She uses a newborn baby of one of the many pregnant women housed under her protection as her own son so that she can serve as Queen regent.
She is sure that her father wouldn't agree to her plan and when he does learn of it, she poisons his tea leading to the death of Crown Prince's biggest enemy.
Episode 5:
Episode 5 sees everyone in the palace face death after zombies that were imprisoned by the Queen in her palace underground prison are released to help her fight the Crown Prince. Chang manages to enter Hanyang after setting up a distraction but instead walks into a palace that becomes a breeding ground for zombies in minutes. This takes out most of the important State Councillors and other palace workers, it is a frenzy that bleeds on to the finale episode.
Episode 6:
The Queen finally reaps what she sowed and is bit by a bunch of zombies. She dies, only to wake up as a zombie to be killed again in a breathtaking battle sequence. With the Queen's death, everyone who wanted to use the newborn prince to rule the country are dead, leaving Chang to make a very important decision.
'Kingdom' Season 2 can be streamed on Netflix.