The Plot of Miraculous Season 4

By Lance de Selm

The plot of Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir is one that many viewers struggle to enjoy simply because of how episodic the show feels. There is a continuing narrative that completely takes over the show, but the show lives and dies by the many plots that take only an episode or two to be resolved, usually consisting of Marinette and Adrien going about their daily lives until one of Hawkmoth’s akumas strike Paris, which calls for them to save the day as Ladybug and Cat Noir. Oftentimes, this leaves very little change from episode to episode. However, the season premieres and season finales of Miraculous often carry significant weight to the overall plot, and season three’s two part finale carried the most weight of any so far in the series. In anticipation of the season four premiere this summer, it would be wise to think over each of the plot threads and wonder how they may be brought back throughout the entire season.

The first major plot thread that will likely be explored throughout the season would be the evolution of what fans have called the love square. In season one, neither Marinette nor Adrien had more than one another and each other’s alteregos as potential love interests. However, in season two, each was given a new love interest in the form of Luka and Kagami respectively. Season two introduced these characters and it didn’t take long before Marinette and Luka started bonding over their shared experiences as young creatives while Adrien and Kagami bond over fencing and similar family dynamics that neither are fond of. Season three continued this trend and had each pairing bond to the point where they may begin dating in the next season, a direction no one would’ve expected the show to take back in season one when Marinette was hopelessly in love with Adrien while Cat Noir was hopelessly in love with Ladybug. Cat Noir has always been very vocal about trying to woo Ladybug while Marinette has tried to form plot after plot to confess her feelings for Adrien, but these developments may make season four look drastically different in their dynamics with one another. It’s a prospect that may not be the most entertaining or exciting to watch, but it’s the most intriguing, I believe.

Another thread that has been explored ever since season two is the prospect of new miraculous users joining the fight. In season one, we only had Ladybug and Cat Noir against Hawkmoth, but season two had the heroes added Rena Rogue, Carapace, and Queen Bee while the villains added Mayura. In season three, we got even more, with Pegasus, Ryuko, Viperion, and King Monkey joining Ladybug and Cat Noir while Queen Bee turned against them and joined Hawkmoth and Mayura, who also have Lila at their beck and call should they manage to get another miraculous. What awaits us in season four?

For one, trailers for the season have already revealed that Rose will be getting the Pig Miraculous, and Hawkmoth will be using both the Butterfly and Peacock Miraculouses simultaneously. If the past two seasons have been any indication, season four will add more heroes, and we’re currently using the Chinese Miracle Box, with miraculouses based on the Chinese Zodiac. We know who has dibs on the horse, dragon, snake, monkey, and pig miraculouses, which leaves the mouse, goat, rooster, dog, ox, and tiger miraculouses without any clear owners, as well as the rabbit miraculous that has yet to be activated for Alix to use (of course, the Mouse miraculous was used by Marinette once as her main Miraculous for one episode, so perhaps that doesn’t count). With most of Marinette’s friends or classmates having received a miraculous by now, there aren’t many options left. Currently, aside from the aforementioned Rose and Alix, the only ones that have yet to receive a miraculous are Juleka, Nathaniel, Marc, Sabrina, Ivan, and Mylène. A perfect ratio of friends to miraculouses our young guardian has available to her.

Speaking of which, by far the largest development for the main plot will be how Marinette shapes up as the new guardian of the Chinese Miracle Box. Up until the season three finale, Master Fu has been the guardian and was the one Marinette and Adrien would ask questions of regarding the mysteries of the miraculouses. With his memory of being a guardian wiped, Wang Fu will no longer be able to provide the answers our titular characters are looking for. Further, Marinette will no longer need to find Fu to get help on particularly difficult missions. And lastly, Hawkmoth is no longer looking for Wang Fu when looking for the miraculous box, but is instead looking for Marinette, even if he doesn’t know it. The Miracle Box will be just down the street from his house, but Marinette needs to keep that a secret to win. Giving the box to Cat Noir would only make things worse as she’d be giving the Miracle Box in Hawkmoth’s own home. She needs to figure out how to be the guardian completely on her own.

The show will look very different in season four compared to what we’ve seen previously. And that’s precisely why, in a few months, I’ll be laying in bed, eagerly watching every episode that comes out, excited to see just how far the creators can push this show and what their plans are.