The first season of Arcane is a masterpiece. The series combines the best of animation with a well-constructed and developed plot that leaves a lasting impression and moves the audience, even if not everyone recognizes the references to League of Legends. And the second season is no different: the technical excellence continues to surprise, and the script aims to bring the conflict between Piltover and Zaun to a conclusion.
At times, however, it feels like the series is racing against the clock to resolve and tie up loose ends from the characters’ arcs. Riot Games‘ ambitious project, in partnership with Fortiche Production, was originally planned to run for five seasons, but the $250 million budget was used for the first two seasons, making Arcane the most expensive animated series in history. (Be Aware: Spoilers Ahead!)
everything that happened so far
The first act begins with the aftermath of the missile fired by Jinx. Because of it, the peace treaty between the cities falls apart with the deaths of council members, including Cassandra Kiramman. Caitlyn Kiramman, in mourning for her mother and driven by a thirst for revenge, takes the lead in the battle between the twin cities. Caitlyn’s actions lead to many consequences, like her and Vi‘s relationship being strained by their uncontrollable pursuit of Jinx’s downfall.
Since season one, we’ve come to understand the power of the Hexcore, the fusion of technology and science developed by Jayce and Viktor. The Hexcore became a sentient and adaptive entity capable of rewriting biology and driving evolution, but it came with an unpredictable sentience: in an attempt to save Viktor’s life, Jayce fuses his friend with the biotech invention, and Viktor assumes an almost divine position by setting his sights on saving the people of Zaun. However, Viktor’s actions come at a terrible cost: many of those he has cured become mindless drones, enslaved to the Hexcore’s will in the name of the Glorious Evolution.
By the end of Act II, each character must confront the moral cost of their choices: Ambessa‘s selfishness contributes to Mel‘s capture and foreshadows her eventual downfall, while Jayce is forced to confront his friend in an attempt to end the chaos he has created.
On a lighter note, Jinx continues to be the heart and soul of the series, even when she shares the spotlight with other characters who become more prominent. Her narrative development and growth expands in these first two acts, as she becomes a Zaunian symbol of resistance and a “mentor” to Isha, a new character who happens to stumble upon Jinx, and she revisits moments of pain and suffering as she reunites with her sister and tries to rebuild what was once a family.
It’s hard to say goodbye to Arcane
The last three episodes of the series reveal a problem that, in my opinion, would have been solved if the story could have been stretched out longer. Throughout Arcane, characters from both Piltover and Zaun make mistakes and cause tragedies that are truly immeasurable. It seems to me that these events are not forgiven by the characters, but rather forgotten. In the end, it falls into the “everyone puts aside their differences to face the common enemy” cliché– Arcane stays on the fence and doesn’t choose a side.
This doesn’t mean that the ending of the story is bad, far from it: the battle scenes are spectacular, but the art direction doesn’t cover up for the lack of episodes that could have concluded the series in a smoother way. The direction of the scenes, along with the sound design, make the viewer believe that the animation is actually live action, because of how faithfully the series manages to capture reality.
However, just like Ekko in the seventh episode, I find myself thinking about what it would have been like if the series had taken a different direction. In the middle of the rush to conclude the plotline during the third act, there is a moment of rest, a pause in time, during the episode Pretend Like It’s the First Time.
“Can we pretend like it’s the first time?”
One of the most powerful episodes of the series, its central theme is possibilities as seen through the lens of the multiverse. Ekko and Heimerdinger find themselves in an alternate universe where Vi did not survive the lab robbery from season one, and Jayce did not succeed in creating Hextech. In this reality, Zaun has evolved free of Piltover’s oppression, and Powder never became Jinx.
One of the big revelations is that Ekko from this reality is romantically involved with Powder, making the fandom favorite “Timebomb” ship (Jinx and Ekko) canon in another timeline, not Arcane‘s. It also provided one of the fans’ favorite scenes, with the couple dancing to “Ma Meilleure Ennemie“, a song by Stromae featuring the French singer Pomme.
By comparing the two realities, the episode challenges viewers to consider how seemingly small choices can have monumental consequences. Again, I can’t help but think about how small changes, both in the show’s production planning and in the writing, could lead to a more cohesive and developed ending.
Still, Arcane continues to make history by combining compelling storytelling with a revolutionary visual style. Despite its flaws, this season solidifies the show’s status as a cultural milestone, raising the standard for animation and reaffirming the power of well-told stories: Arcane is a masterclass in how to adapt video games to audiovisual media.
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The article above was edited by Marina di Bernardo Babichak.
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