Episode 2 of Queen Woo unfolds with a poignant flashback, transporting us 28 years back to the vibrant Goguryeo Dongmaeng Festival. Amidst the bustling crowds, we encounter a youthful Woo-hee, her bravery shining as she shields Eul Pa-so from a cunning swindler. In this festive atmosphere, Go Na-mu, a youthful prince, catches her gallant act and is captivated by her prowess, inquiring curiously about her.
The narrative shifts seamlessly to another, more recent flashback, eight years prior. Here, Woo-hee stands as a young woman, her heart afire with aspirations to become a warrior. Her father, watching her train with a mix of pride and apprehension, fears the magnitude of her dreams as a woman in their society. But fate takes an unexpected turn when the royal family requests the Woo family to surrender Woo Sun, the eldest daughter, in marriage to the second prince. Woo Sun, harboring dreams of marrying the Crown Prince and ascending to the throne as queen, refuses. Fear grips the Woo household, and Woo Do, driven by desperation, threatens Woo-sun's life. To safeguard her sister and family, Woo-hee makes an extraordinary sacrifice, volunteering to take Woo Sun's place and marry the second prince, banishing herself to the remote Northern Region.
Days pass, and Woo-hee is escorted to Go Na-mu's side, where they forge a bond of love amidst the harsh yet beautiful landscapes of the North. Go Na-mu, known for his fierce demeanor, embraces Woo-hee's spirit, allowing her to continue her training and cherishing her for her true self. Woo-hee, in turn, comes to adore both her new home and her husband, realizing beneath his rugged exterior lays a heart deeply devoted to his people's welfare.
As we draw closer to the pivotal moment of the King's demise, tensions mount as we unravel the enigmatic circumstances surrounding his death. Shortly after his heartfelt meeting with Woo-hee, the King retreats to his chambers for a soothing bath. Among the attendants preparing his ablutions lurks Woo-sun, Woo-hee's head maid, her true intentions concealed beneath a veil of deceit. She harbors a secret desire to bed the King, a scheme that Go Na-mu is keenly aware of and repeatedly thwarts, much to Woo-sun's chagrin.
Enter the sinister Great Shaman, Sa-bi, like a slithering serpent, whispering sweet promises to Woo-sun. Sa-bi offers her a potion, a love elixir, that will turn Go Na-mu's affections towards her. Driven by desperation, Woo-sun agrees to aid Sa-bi in her quest to become Chief Priest, should she ascend to the throne. Sa-bi, convinced by her prophetic visions that Woo-sun will be the next queen, imparts the elixir, cautioning that but a single drop suffices. Yet, consumed by greed, Woo-sun douses the drink with three drops, cunningly dispatching it to the King under the guise of Woo-hee's gift. She instructs the maid to deceive Go Na-mu, weaving a web of lies that entangles them all in a deadly dance of power and ambition.
Woo-sun, enthralled by the alluring aphrodisiac, finds herself in the throes of vivid hallucinations, imagining intimate encounters with Go Na-mu. Her senses reeling from the potent potion, she indulges in a passionate interlude with Sa-bi, only to awaken from her reverie and prepare to visit Go Na-mu's chambers.
As she approaches, a foreboding chill creeps up her spine when she overhears the King's maid's heart-wrenching sobs, echoing the discovery of his lifeless body upon his bed. Alarmed, Woo-sun hastens to her quarters, where she conducts a desperate experiment on her beloved fish, dropping three fateful drops of the elixir into their water. To her horror, the fish writhe in agony before succumbing to the poison's deadly embrace, a tragic omen of Woo-sun's unintended crime—she has inadvertently slain the King.
Eul Pa-so and his trusted lieutenant arrive on the scene, swift and decisive. With cunning strategy, Eul Pa-so dispatches his man to discreetly inform the Queen, ensuring that Woo-hee learns of her husband's demise in a controlled manner. Gripped by grief and shock, Woo-hee rushes to the King's chambers, her eyes confirming the devastating truth.
The remaining members of the Woo clan, united in their loyalty to the Queen, converge on the chambers, their minds racing with strategies to safeguard her from the impending storm. Together, they plot and scheme, determined to navigate the treacherous waters ahead and preserve their beloved ruler's legacy, all while grappling with the unintended consequences of Woo-sun's fatal mistake.
The gravity of the situation looms large as they deliberate on the Queen's precarious choices. With no heir apparent, the King's demise has left her vulnerable to the lurking threats of his adversaries. Eul Pa-so, Woo-so, and Woo-do devise a clandestine strategy to safeguard their beloved family, entrusting their hopes in a delicate balance.
Should Prince Bal-ki ascend the throne, he would bolster the power of the Jwa clan through his marriage to their daughter, reigniting their vendetta against the royal couple. Conversely, if Pae Eui, the exiled Crown Prince, were to reclaim his throne, the Woo family's plight would plunge into darker depths. Their only glimmer of hope rests on the loyalty of the Wanddang army, once sworn to the King and Queen, yet their allegiance remains a perilous gamble.
In a moment of profound insight, Eul Pa-so proposes a daring solution: the Queen must flee or embark on a levirate union with Bal-ki, a prince seeking legitimacy to claim the throne. This union, he reasons, could provide the necessary justification and the Woo family's backing. Bal-ki's reputation as a ruthless figure prompts Woo-so's immediate rejection, yet Woo-hee, with unwavering determination, accepts the fateful arrangement. Woo-sun's futile attempts to dissuade her sister are met with Woo-hee's shrewd perception, uncovering a hidden agenda within her sibling's objections.
As the plot thickens, Eul Pa-so dispatches his trusted agent to silence those who witnessed the King's final moments, shrouding his death in secrecy to buy the Queen precious time for her escape while unraveling the truth. The Queen's journey to Bal-ki's realm, a mission to persuade him into this unconventional union, is fraught with peril, yet necessary for their plan's success. She must return with Bal-ki by dawn, preceding the pivotal Jega conference. Woo-so's anxiety over the treacherous trip is tempered by Eul Pa-so's assurance that Mu-gol, the King's faithful warrior, will shield the Queen every step of the way.
Mu-gol emerges from the confines of prison, only to be greeted by Eul Pa-so with the solemn news of the king's demise. His mind instantly drifts to the possibility that the king succumbed to his wounds, prompting suicidal thoughts. However, Eul Pa-so's voice, echoing the king's final directive to safeguard Queen Woo, snaps him back to reality. With renewed purpose, Mu-gol embarks on a mission to recruit a new steedmaster, Mo-chi, a fallen member of Wangdang, now drowning in a sea of gambling debts. Mo-chi, desperate for redemption, agrees to join Mu-gol's cause, his services procured with a generous payday.
Before their departure, Queen Woo liberates Go Na-mu's messenger bird, attaching a note that speaks of her unwavering optimism to return and conclude their unfinished chess game with Eul Pa-so. Amidst a flurry of hurried preparations, the Queen and her loyal Woo clan devise a plan to smuggle her out of the palace's confines before nightfall. Anxiety lingers, as they grapple with the challenge of convincing Bal-ki to take Queen Woo as his bride. Woo-do, unyielding in his resolve, assigns Woo-sun the task of ensuring that Queen Woo seduces Bal-ki, using every means necessary.
With every detail meticulously arranged, the queen, accompanied by Mo-chi and Mu-gol, slips silently from the palace's shadows. As their shadows fade, Eul Pa-so issues swift commands, sealing the gates and flooding the palace with Wangdang soldiers, his mind racing to unravel the mystery behind the king's death. His investigation uncovers a sinister truth: Go Na-mu was poisoned. He summons the captive royal physician, issuing a dire command to uncover the perpetrator.
Meanwhile, whispers of betrayal linger in the air. Eul Pa-so anticipates a leak, ordering his men to silence all messenger birds fleeing the palace. Yet, one nimble bird escapes the net, carrying a message etched in vinegar. Eul Pa-so intercepts the message, deciphering its contents with a sinking heart. Realizing that a traitor lurks within their midst, he realizes the queen's life hangs by a thread.
The fugitive bird, a messenger of doom, soars towards Myeong-rim, delivering the grim news: the king is dead, and the queen has fled to meet with Prince Bal-ki. The letter's chilling instructions implore Myeong-rim to dispatch an assassin, tasked with nothing less than the queen's demise. The stakes have never been higher, and the race to protect the queen from the shadows of treachery has just begun.
