If you are in search of an adventure fantasy shounen series with intriguing world-building, a diverse set of characters, engaging fight sequences, and fan service but do not have the time to bear with cumbersome classics like One Piece, then Nabaka Suzuki’s Seven Deadly Sins might be right up your alley. Set in the fictional world of Britannia, which is the mangaka’s attempt to redefine English mythology and Arthurian legends in his own mold, the series chronicles the relations, conflicts, and shenanigans of mystical knights, giants, goddesses, celestial beings, demons, humans, and talking animals (mostly pigs). Sure, there is a central plot involving the titular seven legendary knights trying to clear their names and banding together again to save the world from the threat of the Demon King, but it is the journey and exploration motif that is the USP of the series. After the anime adaptation of the series completed its run after five successful seasons, the mangaka decided to continue the story with a legacy arc, which resulted in the series The Four Knights of Apocalypse. The sequel series captured the essence of its predecessor with ease, making it a fan favorite as well in no time.Â
The first part of the first season of Netflix’s anime adaptation of The Four Knights of Apocalypse, consisting of 11 episodes, premiered earlier this year, with the second part consisting of the remaining 13 episodes scheduled to be released later this week. Let us take a brief look at the events that transpired in the first part to catch up with the upcoming installment.Â
Spoilers Ahead
Ominous Prophecy
The events of the sequel series take place sixteen years after the ending of the original series, Seven Deadly Sins. As the series begins, viewers are introduced to the happy-go-lucky teenager protagonist, Percival, who lives with his grandfather Varghese on the isolated mountaintop known as God’s Finger. Catching sky-fish, frolicking in the meadows, and sparring with his grandpa is the definition of the best life for Percival, but his grandfather wants him to venture out into the world and see the beauty and terror the land of Britannia has to offer, just like his late father did. It is hinted that Varghese was part of an honorable creed, and as he occasionally mumbles the oath of the creed in his drunken state, the teachings have been inculcated into his grandson as well. A day after Percival’s 16th birthday, a mysterious red-armored knight arrives at God’s Finger and introduces himself to Percival as an old friend of Varghese from back when they were Holy Knights.
To Percival’s absolute shock, the knight brutally attacks Varghese after accusing him of betraying their master, and a vicious battle ensues between the two, which ends with Varghese getting fatally injured. Percival’s effort to intervene results in him sustaining grievous injuries as well. The knight reveals that an ominous prophecy has foretold that his master, King Arthur, is in mortal peril as four knights of the apocalypse are destined to bring his doom. Which is why he and other enforcers like him are taking care of any potential threats, which in this case include Varghese and Percival. As the knight leaves, a dying Varghese reveals that the knight was none other than Percival’s father, Ironside, and with his last breath, he asks his grandson to seek Ironside out by venturing to larger Britannia. A distraught, confused Percival decides to honor the words of his late grandpa, and wearing Varghese’s helm, he descends into God’s Finger to begin his journey.
Percival makes new friends and encounters new enemies
Percival meets Sin, a talking fox, and befriends Donny, a member of a wandering group of performers. Donny and Perci encounter another Holy Knight, Pellegarde, who is an associate of Ironside and is seemingly curious about Perci’s unnatural strength. While battling Pellegarde, Perci unwittingly awakens magical powers, and later he and Donny get saved by Sin, who transports the duo away. Sin reveals that Perci is one of the Knights of Apocalypse whom Ironside is hunting at present, and to track Ironside down, they have to go to Camelot, the seat of Arthur Pendragon. However, since the city is in ruins after sustaining damage during the climactic conflict between the Demon King and the combined might of the Sins sixteen years ago, their primary destination becomes the kingdom of Liones, from where Perci will try to find a way to enter Camelot.
Along the way, Perci meets a kid named Nasiens, an expert in venom-mixing who is trying to save his herbalist friend, Ordo, who has been turned into a monster by another of Ironside’s associates, the amber knight Talisker. Perci, Donny, Sin, and Nasiens battle Talisker, and as Perci’s power is enhanced even further, he manages to defeat the knight and break Ordo free of his curse. Nasiens joins Donny and Perci on their journey to Camelot. Later, as the band of young adventurers reach the town of Sistana, they come face to face with Ironside, who is trying to orchestrate a genocide by sacrificing the townsfolk to perform a ritual that will unlock the seal of the Coffin of Eternal Darkness, thereby unleashing the demon clan on Britannia once again. However, Nasiens, Sin, Perci, and Donny find assistance in Anne, a brave, fierce, kind-hearted daughter of the town Lord Kaden, and they manage to thwart Ironside’s plan. A mysterious warrior aids the young guns, forcing Ironside to retreat. It is revealed that Anne’s mother used to be a Holy Knight as well, and to follow in her mother’s footsteps in the future, Anne decides to join Perci and his friends as well.
The Young Guns Get Introduced to the Legends of Britannia
Anne shares the exploits of the legendary seven knights, the Seven Deadly Sins, with her new friends, chronicling how they once helped Arthur Pendragon and also ended the threat posed by the Demon King. The band reaches the town of Cant, where Donny has a terse reunion with his performer buddy, Howzer. A group of bandits, led by Howzer and Donny’s old accomplice, Edlin, try to rob the band of adventurers, and trouble escalates further as Edlin’s past crime of stealing a dragon egg results in a massive fire-breathing dragon attacking the town to seek retribution. Eventually, Howzer, Edlin, and Donny make amends with each other, Perci and his friends save the town by returning the dragon’s offspring to her, and the journey to Liones resumes once again.
The first part of season one ends with building up the fellowship, which makes it seem the upcoming second part will focus on revealing the true identities of these young adventurers. Make no mistake, all of them are associated with the Seven Deadly Sins and carry their legacy without even knowing it. The overarching connection will be unraveled in the second part of the first season, and we will get further continuation with the second season, which will be released later this year.
