Welcome to the Ending Explained for Record of Ragnarök, Season 2, Part 2. The controversial anime series returns to Netflix with a new batch of episodes and a new fight to experience. For those who are following the plot of the series, the story tells the events of Ragnarök, the end of the world, and how the gods and humanity have decided to resolve their conflict through a tournament where champions from each side will fight to the death. The series has gathered a cult following since its debut, and it is pretty much one of those love-it-or-hate-it kinds of shows.
Leaving aside the many controversies thanks to the series’ depictions of several religious figures, the show has also been heavily criticized for its lack of quality regarding the animation. Season 2, Part 2, will not be the exception to the rule. The series still has many moments when the animation quality just drops, and the character designs feel all but professional. It is still a lot better than in the first season, but at this point, it is better not to expect a lot from the team to improve the animation’s quality in any significant way.
The following paragraphs contain spoilers for Record of Ragnarök, Season 2, Episode 2. Read at your own risk.
Who Is Zerof*cku, The God of Misfortune?
Like in previous seasons of the show, Part 2 of Season 2 of the show is focused solely on the fights between gods and humanity. When this new part begins, we were just witnesses to the defeat of Hercules at the hands of Jack the Ripper. The match-up was singular, but the fact that the infamous serial killer managed to defeat such an imposing and well-beloved figure as Hercules was a surprise. The toll for the tournament stands at two wins for humanity and three wins for the gods. And so, the next match is about to begin, but there is a gimmick to it.
You see, for the next fight, the gods have chosen to send Buddha, the illuminated one. Buddha is certainly one of the most powerful and important deities in real life and on the show. However, the version of Buddha we see on the show is not only quite zen but also quite strange and mysterious. So far, Buddha has shown that he might have his own agenda. This suspicion comes true when, at the start of the new match, Buddha decides to play on the side of humanity. He says that if no other gods will save humanity, he will have to do it.
This creates an opportunity for another god to fight on the gods’ side. A new god volunteers to fight against Buddha, and that god is Zerof*cku, the god of misfortune. Zerof*cku seems like a very obscure god, so we get to see some of their backstories. If one thing is for sure about Zerof*cku, it is that he hates Buddha. But why? We are shown how Zerof*cku grew up, and for a time, there was the potential for them to become a god that the people would love. Zerof*cku helped humanity and made friends with them. Sadly, they started to turn against them with the arrival of Buddha, who gained humanity’s devotion with no effort.
Zerof*cku believes that Buddha took everything from them, so this is the perfect opportunity to fight against and kill him. However, Zerof*cku, while quite strong, is no match for Buddha. At this stage, the fight is a bit unfair because Buddha has the power to see into the future. So Buddha can avoid Zerof*cku’s attacks with ease. On top of this, Buddha is also quite strong. The combination is just too much for Zerof*cku to handle. Buddha defeats Zerof*cku with ease.
How Does Buddha Defeat Zerof*cku?
We learn that Zerof*cku was robbed of the possibility of being a god of fortune because of Buddha’s appearance. However, while fighting, Zerof*cku realizes why people followed Buddha so easily compared to them. And so, they arrive at the truth that they have always wanted to be like Buddha. Buddha understands this, and instead of defeating Zerof*cku by killing them, he defeats them by disarming them. Buddha assures Zerof*cku that there is still time and that they will be able to become the god they want to be. For the first time in thousands of years, Zerof*cku smiles, finding a new purpose for their godhood.
However, at that moment, Zerof*cku is possessed by another forgotten god, Hajun, the god of the Sixth Heaven. This ancient god is something akin to Hades in Greek mythology. This god is powerful and angry, and he is ready to destroy Buddha, who, for the first time, cannot read into the future movements of his enemy. The battle drags out, and the rest of the gods and humanity watch as this god of the underworld will possibly defeat Buddha. It is pretty gruesome; Buddha loses his left eye during the fight.
However, we are also reminded that Buddha is not like other gods; he stands alone in his pantheon and is incredibly powerful. On top of that, it would be foolish to forget that Buddha was born a human, so he has that stubbornness that only humans have. Hajun cannot believe that after all the punishment he has delivered upon Buddha, the god still stands up, over and over again. Buddha grabs the discarded sword of Zerof*cku and uses it to defeat Hajun, once and for all. The two gods have worked together for that purpose.
There is celebration, of course, but now the toll is 3 wins and 3 losses for each side. Hades decides that he will fight in the next match to take revenge for Poseidon’s death. Buddha is taken to the infirmary, having been gravely wounded. Meanwhile, Odin keeps moving in the shadows and confronts Beelzebub, who has also been interfering in the tournament. Part 2 ends with introducing a new champion for humanity, who will fight against Hades in the seventh round of the tournament. Qin Shi Huang was the founder of the Qin Dynasty and the first emperor to unify all of China under his command.
