Article contains spoilers

In its second season, Netflix’s original TV show “Narcos” focuses heavily on the complex and often conflicted nature of one of history’s most brutal men.

The show follows the exploits of Pablo Escobar and the members of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) tasked with the impossible job of teaming up with the Colombian government and bringing him to justice.

Anyone familiar with the history of the Colombian drug trade knows just how polarizing a figure Escobar was. Upon first glance, he checks off every box describing an absolute psychopath, having plunged Colombia into a state of perennial violence during his reign as kingpin of the cocaine trade. However, upon further investigation, it becomes abundantly clear that these sentiments were not shared by everyone. In fact, to the downtrodden masses at the bottom of Colombia’s societal totem pole, Escobar resembled Robin Hood, taking from the rich government officials who had allowed them to exist in poverty and giving to the poor areas he hailed from.

This season of “Narcos” begins right where the first left off, with Escobar completing his daring escape from his self-made prison “La Catedral.” With Escobar seemingly surrounded and capture imminent, it almost appears as if the season is going to end before it even begins, as the DEA completes its long-standing pursuit of the drug kingpin.

Unfortunately, as major character and narrator DEA agent Steve Murphy solemnly states, “Pablo is never more dangerous than when you almost have him.” This turns out to be painfully true, as Escobar and his men intimidate a squad of Colombian soldiers into allowing him to pass through their checkpoint, fleeing the scene before the government’s jaws could snap shut.

Following this confrontation, Escobar’s trademark violence is put on display, as he embarks on a blood-soaked conflict with both the government and a death squad named Los Pepes, a coalition of rival narcos, or drug traffickers, who want nothing more than to see Escobar dead.
From a coordinated massacre of countless Colombian police officers, to the detonation of a bomb that kills multiple children, Escobar makes it abundantly clear throughout the season that he will go to any length to make sure his crown as the cocaine king is retained.

At many points in the season, you can’t help but find yourself rooting for the man responsible for such widespread carnage. This can largely be attributed to the scenes that follow Escobar’s home life, and in particular, his tender relationship with his wife, Tata, and their two children. In those moments, Escobar’s nature doesn’t just conflict with his actions in the Colombian drug war — it points to an entirely different person. The care and kindness he displays while interacting with his family reveals just how complex an individual Pablo really was.

On the other side of the clash, Murphy and his partner agent Javier Peña continue their long-standing efforts to capture the elusive Escobar. Both characters’ cliché cop personas carry over from the opening season of Narcos, yet their storyline and portrayal of the United States’ involvement in Colombia throughout the entire war remain as riveting as ever.

While season 2 did contain numerous recurring characters, there were some notable new storylines too. In particular, the audience is introduced to Limón, and his rise through the ranks of Escobar’s crime network.

An innocent street kid at the offset of the season, Limón is initially recruited to be Escobar’s personal driver. However, he quickly manages to gain the boss’ trust, partaking in more and more heinous crimes until he is just as deadly and vicious as the rest of Escobar’s lieutenants. The corrupting nature of the pursuit of power played a major role throughout the entire Colombian drug conflict, and Limón’s evolution from innocent civilian to cold-blooded killer is the perfect embodiment of these notions.

Overall, “Narcos” season 2 is a gripping second installment in what should go down as a notably successful series. Its straightforward writing and breathtaking special effects are more than enough to satisfy viewers looking for entertainment, making multiple deeper statements on the nature of humanity in the process.