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| A still from 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE |
100 Years of Solitude is back for season 2, which debuted on August 5, 2026. Adapted from the renowned magical realism novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, it covers the seven generations of the Buendia family in the town of Macondo. In episode 2, a new character upsets the precarious balance of peace in the Buendia household. But first, we have to find out how Colonel Aureliano is still alive after his attempted suicide.
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We open from Colonel Bunedia's POV. Amaranta is hovering above him, looking worried. Interestingly, Aureliano can also see himself at the foot of the bed, his shirt clearly stained with blood. As he comes to, we realize it's just a vision or a flicker of how close he was to death. Aureliano finally wakes up, but he can still see a vision of himself standing by.
The doctor congratulates himself for saving Aureliano's life. He misled Aurelianio and told him that his heart was in the one spot he could shoot and not hit any vital organs. Aureliano is angry and fears that now, he looks like a fool.
In the streets, Aureliano Segundo and Petra are dancing. Petra draws a name for the raffle. We can see that it reads Marion Reyes. Petra lies and reports that the winner is Jose Arcadio Buendia. When she announces his name, of course, Aureliano 2 doesn't respond, as that's not his name. We learn that he still hasn't told Petra his true identity, and she's been sleeping with both twins for the past two weeks
Back in the workshop, the real Jose Arcadio Segundo is taken over by the spirit of his great grandfather. Jose Arcadio feels inspired to talk to Ursula. He wants to appropriate some of her savings for an idea he has to bring Macondo into the future. Ursula has seen this look before and is not willing to indulge his fantasies. She's worried what it could lead to.
The twins meet in the street. They decide to get a drink. Yes Aureliano Segundo is glad to see his brother, but as they navigate town, it's also clear he's eager to keep him away from further interaction with Petra. For his part, Jose Arcadio is turned on to this idea of using the river to navigate in and out of Macondo by water. Aureliano tells his brother he will support his ideas, no matter what.
After his long recovery, Colonel Aureliano manages to stumble out of bed. The crowds below in the street are ready to cheer for him as soon as he opens the window. What is causing this adulation? Is it the armistice? Last we saw, people seemed to hate the colonel. Aureliano steps outside of his room and finds soldiers from the conservative side taking orders from Ursula. Aureliano is angry to see all of these conservative soldiers in his house. Apparently the President has sent a contingent of men to protect Aureliano, and Ursula is happy to get the help.
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| A still from 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE |
When Aureliano tries to send them away, Ursula pushes back at his insolence. It's her house. She commands a soldier known as Martinez to get the laundry as she requested. Aureliano throws a fit and locks himself in another room. Martinez witnesses Remedios the Beauty taking a bird bath in the courtyard. This has given Aureliano the distraction he needs to find a rifle and send everyone away.
Jose Arcadio Segundo takes a work party down to the water to try and build a throughway and port for boats. They set to work moving rocks out of the stream but don't get far. Meanwhile Aureliano Segundo perfects the art of laziness and indulges in afternoons of hedonism with Petra Cotes.
All is not bliss, however. Next thing you know, Aureliano Segundo discovers he's sick. To be more exact, he's got an itchy crotch. Two days later, Jose Arcadio Segundo has come down with the same "ailment." He also reports that Petra Cotes has ended their affair. Aureliano Segundo finally reveals that Petra is somewhat innocent and that he has been fooling her and impersonating his brother. Amazingly, Jose Arcadio Segunod takes this fairly well all considering.
Together, they go to tell Petra the truth. She does not take it so well. Back at home, Amaranta sews on a machine, and Remedios the Beauty questions why she never got married. She teases her aunt a little about being a virgin. Amaranta kicks her out of the sewing room, and Remedios takes an opportunity to flirt with Martinez. She looks much like Rebeca here.
Martinez tells her that he thinks his heart might explode, but she listens to it and assures him it's fine. Right then and there, he dies from a scorpion bite. Aureliano congratulate her for killing her first Conservative and names her the brightest of the Buendias.
Aureliano is back in the workshop making the gold fish. Gerineldo tells him that the president has not respected his promise to treat Aureliano's soldiers as veterans of war. In addition, the President plans to visit Macondo in person to bestow an award upon Aureliano for his part in the peace treaty. It's a little like lemon juice on a paper cut as the President makes it look like Aureliano is complicit with the President's bad faith treatment.
Aureliano Segundo sadly plays his accordion outside Petra Cotes' house. He begs her to forgive him. And she wonders which brother was the one that was bad at sex. They make up (I guess the VD is gone?) and then discover that Petra's two rabbits have become a colony through the power of procreation. Aureliano wonders if this successful breeding could work with cows, which might pull in more money. The barn becomes aflutter with cows, roosters, pigs, and chickens, all with spring fever.
The money starts rolling in, and they are able to pay workers to repair Petra's roof. Aureliano Segundo becomes a very wealthy man.
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| A still from 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE |
Jose Arcadio Buendia hasn't given up his plans to connect Macondo to the world. He asks his brother to sponsor the clearing out of the river bed. All is granted. They dynamite the river, and the people of Macondo cheer, believing progress is imminent. Jose Arcadio disappears for a long time.
The Colonel's 17 sons arrive to accompany their father for his honoring ceremony. Aureliano Centeno (rye), Aureliano Amador (lover), Aureliano Arcaya (place of stone), Aureliano Triste (sad), Aureliano Serrador (lumberjack), and 12 others report for duty. He neither discourages nor welcomes their company. The President doesn't even show up. He sends his dignitaries in his place. They go through an Ash Wednesday service, a service that marks the beginning of Lent. This is only significant because Aureliano is not a religious man and has sworn off the authority of the church. A photographer takes what's essentially a family photo for Aureliano. With Aureliano Jose gone, he is now childless. These 17 progeny are his new quiver, for better or worse.
Aureliano makes a speech that he anxiously awaited the arrival of the President so that he could put a bullet in his head. But he also threatens that if he doesn't follow through with his promises to provide pensions to the soldiers that he just might re-gather an army of soldiers. With his new passel of puppies, he has enough to make it happen. The Aurelianos (new band name?) all go there separate ways, like seeds that scatter and take root all over the earth. Aureliano Triste stays behind and realizes that the stain of ash is permanent on his forehead.
In a different place, nuns do laundry at a convent. We meet Fernanda, a new character. It is apparent she has been summoned home from her stay there. She is escorted to a new location with a sign that reads "Funeral Wreaths for Sale." The courtyard looks similar to the Buendia household, but it's cold and no life. Upstairs is her mother, who appears close to death. Her mother tells her that her family is rich and powerful and that she will be queen one day.
At the river bank, Aureliano Triste is there to witness the arrival of a strange ship. It's Jose Arcadio Segundo arriving with a ferry full of mostly women. Aureliano Segundo and Petra receive the arrival with joy, and the whole town comes out to see the spectacle. It's like the old days again. The twins are happy to see each other. What will this new arrival mean? After the celebration ends, the camera pulls out to reveal the boat sinking into the ocean. This is the first and last boat to dock in Macondo.
At Catarino's, we learn the new arrivals are French. They have brought a gramophone that plays records. This causes a buzz, and people want a peek at it. The music reaches the streets, and people stop to listen. The narration implies that they realize it's fake and could never emulate the passion of a real band, but their faces tell a different story. Somehow electricity has also come to Mancondo. There is a new fascination with lightbulbs.
Meanwhile Fernanda toils away making funeral wreaths. A knock at the door interrupts her work. It's a few men asking Fernanda's father to take part in an act that will make him indispensable to the President and the Conservative Party. Fernanda is asked to pack her things for a trip. She believes this is part of her coronation.
Back at the Buendia house, Remedios the Beauty is getting ready for carnaval, She has shaved all her hair off. They talk a little about the woman she's named after. Aureliano smiles fondly at his niece.
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| A still from 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE |
At carnaval, people dress up in costume. There's dancing, music, and fireworks. Remedios is the carnaval queen. All is well, but then Fernanda arrives on a throne of her own. She is named the Queen of Madagascar, which is odd because Madagascar is in Africa. Aureliano Segundo, dressed like a tiger, is overwhelmed with Fernanda's beauty, and everyone seems a little awe struck. Next to Remedios though, Fernanda looks stiff and cold. Remedios is smiling, giddy, and warm.
Jose Arcadio Buendai is drawn to the new arrival. She introduces herself as Fernanda del Carpio. We can see Petra Cotes glowering at this new development. Colonel Aurelian shows up after all. It's announced that there are two queens: The Queen of Madagascar and The Queen of Macondo. Petra grabs the first available man and takes off. As the fireworks continue, we see sharpshooters above aiming rifles. As the music continues, the crowd is oblivious. Only the colonel understand the danger. He crawls through the crowds as person after person gets shot. Finally the crowd realizes what's going on.
Aureliano Segundo, Remedios, Fernanda, and Aureliano Triste hide under a table and then flee to the Buendia house. It's unclear whether she's innocent to this scheme or suspects what her father has done. Her hands are covered with cuts from making the wreaths. Colonel Aureliano busts in. He knows what's up. This new arrival has brought danger to Macondo. He knows people want him dead, and this girl has arrived with the men who are shooting.
Fernanda flees outside. The bedouins have disappeared. Ursula finds Aureliano Segundo in the parlor. She encourages him to find this Fernanda. She senses this is the girl for her great grandson. Aureliano says nothing about Petra. Aureliano goes looking for her. He uses her "moors accent" and her wreath making job to track her down. The episode ends with the two gazing at each other and a clap of thunder.
This episode kept me engaged. It had some fantastic segments like the arrival of the new residents from France and the gramophone. Also the assassination scene edited to music and fireworks was really dynamic and trippy. This generation of Buendias reminds me of their predecessors. There are times I can see Arcadio and Rebeca in their blood. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that some of these cast member are related. How will Petra Cotes feel about Jose Arcadio going off to bring Fernanda back? Will the President try to kill the Colonel again? And where is Rebeca?
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