The Beginning After the End Season 2 concluded on June 24, 2026, with Episode 12, the season finale — a finale none of us expected, especially from Studio A-Cat. From the outset, the episode leaned into a confrontational tone rather than the usual laid-back opening we’ve seen throughout the series so far.
TITLEThe Beginning After the EndCREATORTurtleMeEPISODE 12 RELEASE DATEJune 24, 2026IMDb RATING (As of June 24, 2026)5.8/10WHERE TO WATCHCrunchyroll
That being said, the overall animation struggled throughout the season, which makes the finale feel more polished by comparison. Now, with that out of the way, here is a quick recap and review of The Beginning After the End Season 2, Episode 12, the season finale.
Spoiler Alert !!!Spoilers from The Beginning After the End Season 2 Episode 12 ahead!
A Fight With the Hooded Man That Pushed Arthur to His Limits
Episode 12 began with Arthur entering the empty church, where he was met by the mysterious hooded man we saw at the end of TBATE Season 2, Episode 11. Almost immediately, the man began revealing everything about Arthur — from the time he was born and awakened his magic to the more recent moment when he defeated the Elderwood Guardian. He kept persistently asking Arthur how he had defeated the Elderwood Guardian until the conversation turned into a confrontation.
Arthur leaped toward the man, only to be thrown back by his sound-magic barrier. Then the man took control of the fight and attacked Arthur with every kind of elemental magic, keeping the protagonist on his toes. However, when the man grew cocky and started talking too much, Arthur chopped off his right hand, showing just how powerful he truly was. The hooded man then made a desperate move: he used the strengthening potion on himself, a potion that grants overwhelming mana power at the cost of one’s will.
The man transformed into a colossal mana beast and began wreaking havoc on Arthur’s hometown, destroying streets and buildings. However, with the powers granted to him by Sylvia, Arthur went toe-to-toe with the titan and managed to defeat him. In his final moments, we saw that the hooded man was the same person who had manipulated Lucas earlier and pushed them toward the Elderwood dungeon.
With him dead, the battle finally concluded, and we then saw Arthur and the others attending the inauguration at Xyrus Academy. There, we finally saw Tessia and Arthur come face-to-face after a long season defined by distance.
The Beginning After the End Season 2 Episode 12 Overall Review
The Beginning After the End Season 2 Episode 12 | Credits: Studio A-Cat
Compared to the rest of Season 2, the season finale was far better than anything we had expected from the series, especially in the animation department. The battle choreography felt more polished and less choppy, which is a major improvement, especially considering Studio A-Cat’s track record with the franchise.
Narratively, there is not much to critique — we already know how well TurtleMe wrote the original novel series. Needless to say, this was one of my favorite arcs adapted in the anime. While the series stumbled quite a bit in its earlier episodes, it did not stray far from the original story progression and plot, which is always a positive sign for a modern seasonal anime adaptation.
Did you get a chance to watch the season finale yet? If so, what are your thoughts on it, and what do you think will happen in Season 3 of the anime when it is released? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.
All Episodes of The Beginning After the End Season 2 are available to watch on Crunchyroll, and Episode 12 aired on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, at 9:15 am Pacific Daylight Time (PDT).
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