WARNING: The following contains brief discussion of sexual assault.
It's hard to believe it's been almost three years since Season 1 of The Rising of the Shield Hero ended. Given the isekai anime's jam-packed run, as well as the hectic few years the world has had since its conclusion, it's understandable that even its most ardent fans may have forgotten some of its key bits.
That being said, with Season 2 set to begin airing in April 2022, hype is high for Shield Hero's long-awaited return. To get ready to rejoin the campaign of this underdog turned victor and his companions, it's time to recap where things left off toward the end of Season 1.
Naofumi's Name Has Been Cleared of Wrongdoing
Shortly after being summoned to fill the role of the Shield Hero by the Kingdom of Melromarc, Naofumi Iwatani was betrayed by his party member Myne, secretly Princess Malty Melromarc. Falsely accused of sexually assaulting her, he became a pariah throughout the country, making it difficult to foster cooperation with the other three Legendary Heroes or to find people to join his cause. Nevertheless, his good deeds across the land slowly earned him the respect of many of its citizens, even if he did so begrudgingly.
Naofumi eventually exposed the many crimes that Myne committed, including perjury, arson and treason, in addition to King Aultcray Melromarc's withholding of the Heroes from the rest of the world. By uncovering these transgressions and protecting Princess Melty Melromarc from her sister's schemes, Naofumi was cleared of all previous charges. Not only did his proven innocence restore his reputation throughout Melromarc, he advocated to spare Myne and Aultcray from execution, creating a persona of benevolence for himself.
The Church of the Three Heroes is Gone
One of the major antagonistic forces of Shield Hero Season 1 was the hierarchy of the Church of the Three Heroes. In addition to the rumors about Naofumi, their teaching that the Shield Hero was a demon led to enemies hunting him at every turn. However, it was revealed that the the Church's ultimate goal was to usurp the throne of Melromarc from the royal family and eliminate the Four Heroes.
By thwarting their plans, Naofumi gave Queen Mirellia Melromarc reason to disband the sect, replacing it with a new religion that recognized all Four Heroes. This acted as one of the most concrete catalysts to helping Naofumi forge bonds of cooperation with Motoyasu Kitamura, Ren Amaki and Itsuki Kawasumi, the Spear, Sword and Bow Heroes respectively. Yet while the new teachings of the Church of the Four Heroes will help Naofumi avoid the negative perceptions of the population at large, there may still be remnants of the previous religion hoping for revenge against him.
Filo is on Her Way to Become a True Filolial Queen
When Naofumi hatched Filo from a randomly selected egg, her speedy growth and ability to shapeshift made it clear that she was no typical Filolial. Still, the nature of her abnormal abilities remained a relative mystery until about halfway through Season 1. Naofumi and his party find only discovered Filo's real potential through their encounter with Fitoria, the true Queen of the Filolials.
Though Fitoria initially derided Filo's immaturity and Naofumi's lack of resolve to reconcile with the other Heroes for the world's sake, she challenged Filo to a duel. After this trial was overcome, Fitoria named Filo as her successor, unlocking many latent abilities within her. While this was no simple feat as Filo is still a fledging in terms of age and experience, she has a long way to go before she can fully fill the role as sovereign of her Filolial brethren.
Naofumi is the Governor of Raphtalia's Village
As a reward for all he did for Melromarc and the world at large, Naofumi became governor of a region that included Raphtalia's home village. Initially, he attempted to set up the territory as a place for Raphtalia and Filo to settle in once everything was over, thinking he would naturally return to his own world when the time comes. By working to rebuild the village, he tried to make it self-sufficient and bring new prosperity.
Seeing his designs to essentially leave them behind one day, Raphtalia confessed that she could not imagine life without him around. Since Raphtalia was not only his first ally in the fantasy realm, but the first person to ever truly believe in him, Naofumi was moved by her pleas. Now that he has played such a critical role in the lives of so many -- especially Raphtalia, Filo and Melty -- Naofumi has something to be personally invested in. He is no longer just training to survive in Rising of the Shield Hero; he is fighting to protect people he cares about.
There Are Other Heroes to Fight Against
Early on in Season 1 of Shield Hero, the Four Heroes were surprised to find themselves facing off against a human warrior named Glass during one of the Waves threatening the world. Though they initially found her to be an oddity, her presence raised questions about the truth behind the Waves. However, Naofumi and company gave her little robust thought until they met L'Arc and Therese during a grinding quest in Cal Mira.
While first presenting themselves as adventurers, and even befriending Naofumi and his allies, L'Arc and Therese were shown to be in league with Glass when an unexpected Wave hit. Amid the struggle, the three of them explained they were Heroes of a parallel world, who must fight to kill Naofumi's Four Heroes to save their own reality. This revelation changes the entire dynamic of the Waves as Naofumi and the others are now not merely working to save one world, they are essentially at war with another -- a conflict that's sure to play a larger part in Season 2 of Shield Hero.