Season 2, Episode 2, titled “Angel of Death,” directed by Sam Deats and Adam Deats and written by Testament, delves into Drolta’s backstory and the forces of darkness retaliating after the vampiric priestess is resurrected as a vampire-night creature hybrid. This episode reveals that Drolta, not Erzsebet, is the series’ main antagonist. For centuries, she has been orchestrating events to create the perfect vessel for Sekhmet, aiming to wage a global war and ensure that both humanity and vampires serve the Egyptian goddess for eternity.
The episode’s central theme is experience. This theme is embodied in the arcs of Drolta, Olrox, Alucard, and Juste. All four are veterans of the eternal war between humans and vampires, their survival into the Age of Revolution a testament to their adaptability and knowledge. Drolta and Olrox have honed their skills as vampires, learning to strategically pick battles and avoid unnecessary risks. Similarly, Alucard and Juste leverage their war experience to remain cautious and meticulous, avoiding reckless, direct confrontations. The message is clear: in war, if you encounter an enemy too powerful to defeat instantly, retreat and regroup. Victory over the unknown requires understanding its vulnerabilities.
Drolta’s Despair
In 1119 CE, Egypt, Drolta Tzuentes (Elarica Johnson) was a compassionate human priestess devoted to Sekhmet. She served as a healer and caretaker, safeguarding Sekhmet’s mummy, which housed the goddess’s heart and a fragment of her soul. However, tragedy struck when vampire tomb raiders ambushed the sacred tomb, slaughtering the innocents and priestesses. Drolta was the sole survivor, and to her sorrow, the raiders stole Sekhmet’s mummy to sell it for riches.
Consumed by despair, Drolta became delusional in her quest for signs of Sekhmet’s will. She interpreted the actions of a lone vampire—who stayed behind and was ultimately slain by Sekhmet’s statue during a scuffle—as a divine message. Believing it to be Sekhmet’s will, Drolta killed the vampire and drank his blood, transforming herself into a vampire. From that moment, she vowed to preserve Sekhmet’s legacy—not through humans, but through vampires, who she believed were more capable of fulfilling the goddess’s divine purpose.
Team Belmont Convenes
In the present day, Team Belmont recruits Juste Belmont (Iain Glen) to their group, enlisting his help to support Mizrak (Aaron Neil) in caring for Maria (Pixie Davies), who is struggling with despair after discovering her mother, Tera (Nastassja Kinski), has become a vampire.
While Maria returns home to gather supplies, Tera visits her daughter to reaffirm her motherly love. Tera’s heartfelt words aim to give Maria closure, reminding her that she is still her mother, vampire or not. This confrontation leaves Maria conflicted, as it challenges her belief that vampires are inherently evil.
Meanwhile, Drolta sends vampire spies to track Team Belmont. Richter (Edward Bluemel) and Annette (Thuso Mbedu) discover the trackers and engage in a duel. However, the confrontation goes awry when Richter inadvertently leaks the group’s plans to travel to Paris. A surviving vampire escapes with the information, jeopardizing their mission.
Drolta’s Massacre
The National Guard, led by their captain (Victoria Atkin), faces protests from the people of Machecoul, who have begun worshiping Erzsebet. Disillusioned by the atrocities of the French Revolution, the townsfolk see Erzsebet as a symbol of defiance. Drolta seizes the opportunity, arriving to massacre the captain and her troops. Their corpses are then reanimated as night creatures to serve her growing army.
The massacre is witnessed by Mizrak, who mourns the chaos he and Emmanuel inadvertently unleashed by allowing vampires into Machecoul. Their alliance with the vampires, intended to preserve the French monarchy and end the Revolution, now proves to have been a catastrophic mistake. Mizrak attempts to intervene in the massacre, but Olrox (Zahn McClarnon) stops him, warning that it would be foolish to confront a vampire-night creature capable of killing a human in the blink of an eye—especially someone who is neither a well-trained Belmont nor a demigod.
Rating: 9/10