To follow Black Clover Season 2, the key is to remember that the Dark Triad seized control of the Spade Kingdom, attacked Clover and Heart, and captured Yami Sukehiro and William Vangeance. Asta, Yuno and their allies must respond before their enemies complete a ritual connected to the underworld. The new season began on October 3, 2026, on Crunchyroll, with South America, including Brazil, among the announced territories.
The anime's original run ended with episode 170 in March 2021. The continuation starts with episode 171, The Battle Begins. This guide lays out the factions and events needed to understand that point in the story without revealing later developments.
Spoiler warning: the following sections reveal events from the original run of Black Clover, through episode 170. Nothing after that episode is revealed.
Who is on each side of the Spade Kingdom conflict?
Spade is one of the continent's kingdoms, but not everyone born there belongs to its ruling group. The central division is between the Dark Triad and the Magic Knights trying to stop it. The Heart Kingdom's involvement expands the conflict beyond Clover.
| Group or kingdom | Key characters | Position at the end of episode 170 |
|---|---|---|
| Dark Triad, ruling Spade | Dante, Zenon and Vanica Zogratis | Antagonists wielding devil powers who seek to open a passage to the underworld. |
| Black Bulls, from Clover | Asta, Noelle, Yami and Nacht | Fought Spade's offensive; Yami was taken and Asta is preparing to rescue him. |
| Golden Dawn, from Clover | Yuno and William Vangeance | The squad suffered a devastating attack by Zenon; William was abducted. |
| Heart Kingdom and allies from Clover | Lolopechka, Undine, Noelle and Mimosa | Resisted Vanica's assault and the threat posed by Megicula. |
Some people from Spade also oppose the Triad. Ralph, for example, seeks out Yuno and brings information about his origins. That does not make every Spade resident an enemy, nor does it mean these people had already formed a single army by the end of the original run.
What did Dante, Zenon and Vanica do?
The three members of the Dark Triad operate on different fronts. Remembering who attacked which group makes the unresolved personal conflicts easier to follow:
- Zenon: leads the assault on the Golden Dawn headquarters. Yuno faces the invaders and realizes how far his strength falls short of a Triad member's power. William Vangeance is eventually taken to Spade.
- Dante: targets the Black Bulls and fights Yami and Asta. Their battle requires Yami's Dark Magic to work alongside Asta's Anti-Magic, but Yami's subsequent capture turns the confrontation into a rescue mission.
- Vanica: attacks the Heart Kingdom while wielding Megicula's power. Lolopechka, Noelle and their companions try to stop her. For Noelle, the threat is personal because of Megicula's connection to her mother's death.
Spade's subordinates, often called Dark Disciples, help carry out the wider assault. They should not be confused with the Triad: they are fighters serving the rulers, not three additional leaders.
Why are Yami and William's abductions so important?
The Triad's goal goes beyond defeating the Magic Knights in battle. Yami and William are needed for the Qliphoth ritual, introduced during the original run as a way to open the gates of the underworld. Losing both captains therefore creates an emergency much greater than a single squad's defeat.
Yami leads the Black Bulls; William commands the Golden Dawn. Their comrades want them back, but the rescue also aims to prevent the enemy plan from advancing. By the end of episode 170, the ritual is a looming threat, not an event viewers have already seen completed.
Why does Yuno have a special connection to Spade?
Yuno grew up alongside Asta at the church in Hage and became a leading member of the Golden Dawn. Late in the original run, Ralph arrives from Spade and reveals details of Yuno's birth and his connection to the kingdom's former royal family. The discovery changes what the war means to him: besides opposing those who attacked his squad, Yuno has a personal history tied to the territory controlled by the Triad.
Origin and allegiance are different things. Being born in Spade does not mean Yuno serves Dante, Zenon or Vanica. At this point in the story, he remains associated with Clover's Magic Knights.
How do Asta, Liebe and Nacht prepare for the counterattack?
Asta cannot use conventional magic: his swords and five-leaf grimoire channel Anti-Magic, a crucial weapon against opponents strengthened by devils. After the attacks, he begins training with Nacht Faust, the Black Bulls' vice-captain, who understands devil-related techniques and offers a path to developing that power.
In episodes 169 and 170, the training involves a ritual that forces Asta to confront the devil linked to his grimoire. The creature, named Liebe, gains a history and identity of his own. Rather than treating him solely as a tool to dominate, Asta seeks a cooperative relationship. The original run ends with this agreement and preparations for the mission; there is no reason to assume every later technique has already been mastered.
Meanwhile, Noelle and Yuno also seek greater strength following their respective confrontations. What unites these threads is not a decisive victory but the need to assemble enough power to challenge the Triad.
Which episodes should you revisit before Season 2?
Anyone unwilling to rewatch all 170 episodes can use three stretches of the final run as a guide. This is an editorial selection, not a mandatory special viewing order:
- Episodes 160 and 161: explain Yuno's origins and show the impact of Zenon's attack on the Golden Dawn.
- Episodes 162 to 167: cover the Triad's offensive, the battles in Heart, and the fight involving Dante, Yami and Asta.
- Episodes 168 to 170: establish the rescue plan, Nacht's role, and the beginnings of Asta and Liebe's partnership.
If the characters are already familiar, episodes 168 to 170 provide the most direct lead-in. To refresh the reasons behind each rivalry with the Triad, starting at episode 160 offers more context.
Where did the story resume in October 2026?
Crunchyroll listed Brazil among the territories receiving the new season and lists episode 171, The Battle Begins, as released on October 3, 2026, with Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. Its official description places Asta in training with Nacht while the Magic Knights prepare an operation to recover Yami and Vangeance.
In its seasonal lineup, the platform indicated that a dub would follow but did not provide a specific date there for the Brazilian Portuguese version. That should not be confused with schedules for other languages or with the availability of the preceding 170 episodes. This guide stays focused on what viewers need to recall from the original run.
Sources and references
- Crunchyroll: October 2026 seasonal lineup
- Crunchyroll: episode 171, The Battle Begins
- Official anime website: episode 160 synopsis
- Crunchyroll: episode 161 synopsis
- Official anime website: episode 165 synopsis
- Official anime website: episode 167 synopsis
- Official anime website: episode 168 synopsis
- Official anime website: episode 169 synopsis
- Official anime website: episode 170 synopsis
- Omelete: preparation guide for Season 2
- VIZ Media: publisher synopsis of Black Clover, volume 25
