Dark Desire season 2 takeaway: Modern Eros and Psyche

Netflix's Dark Desire takes a stroll through the darkest recesses of love. In that aspect, there isn't much difference between the first and the last season, which makes this Mexican series a triumph.

The crux of this murder mystery is a formidable love story, one that not only burns in its fire of passion but also burns anyone who comes along in its proximity. Alejandro Speitzer as Dario Guerra and Maite Perroni as Alma Solares return as the doomed pair of lovers in the second season of Dark Desire.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers and reflects the writer's opinions.

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Analyzing the myth of Eros and Psyche in Dark Desire season 2

The first episode of the second season of this Mexican crime-thriller is named "Eros and Psyche." The episode gives a full arc of the relationship between these two individuals and how they become synonymous with the ancient Greek pair.

Professor Alma's world turned upside down the night she met Dario Guerra. She found herself falling for this twenty-five-year-old student, despite having a daughter his age, Zoe, from a stable marriage with her husband, Leonardo.

The relationship centered around the murder of her best friend Brenda and soon found its roots extended to every aspect of Alma's life. The erotic passion shared by the couple not only sets the screen ablaze but her life as well.

Season 2 of Dark Desire opened with a disheveled Alma trying to make sense of her life without Dario in it, as he had disappeared under mysterious circumstances.

She is trying to get hold of her stability with her marriage over and her strained familial relationships. Dario haunts Alma in her dreams, who sees his imprint everywhere.

A mysterious middle-aged woman by the name of Lys joins Alma's support group and brings up the myth of Eros and Psyche through a painting and a poem. Alma, looking in retrospect, identifies the similarities between their relationships.

Dario returns, with a purpose to marry the love of his life Julieta, just two blocks away from where Alma lives now. Seeing another woman in the arms of Dario scathes Alma's heart, who still burns for his love and is under no circumstance willing to share him.

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The myth of Eros and Psyche

Lys' story is similar to that shared by Alma and Dario. Eros, popularly known as Cupid, is the male god of love in Greek mythology. Psyche is a mortal woman, who is blinded by passion for her deity.

Each night, Eros makes passionate love to Psyche under one definite condition - she can never see his face. But curiosity gets the better of her, as she can't survive a day without seeing Eros.

Even risking damnation, Psyche brings an oil lamp close to Eros' face one night, hoping to discover the mystery. Contrary to finding a monster's face, she beholds the face of the most handsome man in front of her, which maddens her even more.

But when a drop of oil from the lamp falls on Eros, Cereberus, the hound of Hell appears to pull Psyche into the gates of Hell forever.

In Dark Desire, Dario stands in Eros' place, evoking erotic passion in the heart of Alma. Psyche also represents the "soul" in humans as Alma burns with such deep desire that she is ready to sacrifice everything for staying with Dario.

As Psyche had embraced death for the desire for Eros, Alma does the same and loses her family, her best friend, her job, and her sanity forever.

All episodes of the second season of Dark Desire are streaming on Netflix.