Netflix’s pioneering animated adaptation of League of Legends lore, Arcane, has returned with its second season after a three-year hiatus, and as the three-episode premiere highlights, the intense conflict between Piltover and Zaun has only worsened ever since, moving in parallel with the broken relationship between the estranged sister duo, Vi and Jinx. The second and final season of Arcane is separated into three segments consisting of three episodes each, which will be released over the span of three weeks. The recently released first batch of three episodes mostly focuses on the fates of the characters after Jinx’s deadly attack in the final moments of the first season forever destroyed the possibility of a peace treaty between the privileged Piltover council and the persecuted residents of Zaun. However, with Hextech at play in different spheres, an unknown threat looms around the corner, which might change the equation between rival factions forever.
Spoilers Ahead
War is Inevitable
In the aftermath of the devastation caused by Jinx’s attack, the Piltover council is in total ruin, and Cassandra Kiramman has lost her life. An aggrieved Caitlyn copes with her pain alone, as Vi can’t bring herself to console her initially—but eventually, the lovers reunite. Knowing that under the present situation, it is natural for Caitlyn to call for war against the Zaunites, Vi tries to convince her to direct her focus to the person responsible for this crisis—Vi’s own sister, Jinx. Caitlyn requests Vi to join the enforcers, and understandably, given her past experiences at the hands of the Piltover enforcers, Vi rejects the proposal.
Meanwhile, Ambessa has effectively taken the reins of governance from her daughter, Mel, by using this tragedy to her advantage, as she is hell bent on obtaining the Hextech by any means, even if it means aggravating the already tense relations between Piltover and Zaun. Mel tries to counter her mother’s warmongering efforts by holding a sole deranged Zaunite, Jinx, responsible for the death and destruction, and needless to say, her voice of reason doesn’t impress the cunning council members. Ambessa has the support of shrewd Councilor Salo, who wants to see the Zaunites pay for their crime. Their agenda gets wind in its sails when, during the memorial ceremony for the departed, a group of Silco loyalist Chem-Barons launches a surprise attack on the attendees, which nearly costs Mel her life. However, Jayce, Vi, and Caitlyn manage to save the day using Hextech weaponry. Afterwards, Caitlyn assumes the responsibility of creating a task force, which includes Vi as well, and the main objective of the task force is to bring Jinx to justice, take control of Shimmer, and neutralize the Silco loyalists. Even though Caitlyn and Vi still think that capturing Jinx will mitigate the crisis, it is far too late for that. Later on, it is revealed that it was Ambessa who orchestrated the attack in the first place, as she needs the war to happen, by hook or by crook.
Viktor’s Transformation
In the previous season, Jayce had tried to use Hexcorp to save his friend Viktor, whose Shimmer-infected physiology resulted in the Hexcorp creating a tech-organic cocoon around his body. As the second season highlights, Viktor emerges out of the cocoon as a transformed, transcended being who firstly leaves Jayce, as it almost seems he no longer concerns himself with the feelings of mere mortals, and goes to Zaun to the Hextech corruption. Viktor’s elevated form as a techno-organic being will either mend Arcane’s greatest deformity or it will aggravate it—there is no in between. Speaking of Hextech corruption, the ending of all three episodes highlights Singed’s vile experiments using Shimmer as he kills and dismembers a couple of wolves to create a hybrid abomination, whom gamers will recognize as eerily similar to Warwick. Sooner or later, a reunion between Viktor and Singed—the two manic geniuses—is bound to happen.
At Ekko’s space, he and Heimerdinger grow wary about Shimmer infecting the sacred tree of Firelight, which prompts the duo to pay a visit to Piltover, where they come across Jace. Heimerdinger introduces his new student to his old, unruly one, and as they explain the crisis they are facing, Jayce brings them under the gemstone safe—as he believes the wild runes have something to do with this strange contamination. Quite suddenly, a wild rune activates and pulls the trio inside—into a space that seems to be a mix between a singularity and liminal space. It seems a transformed Viktor’s connection with this strange mystic connection to Arcane will be explored in upcoming episodes.
Black Rose Connection
The reason Ambessa is desperately trying to wage a war is because she needs to find a runic energy or primeval source of Arcane—something that will let her get free of her tormentors—the Noxian assassin group of Black Rose, who were responsible for the death of her son, Kino. One of the secretive cadets of Black Rose, Amara, a Piltover guild member, threatens Ambessa to give up her pursuit of the primeval source of Arcane, and a scuffle ensues between them, which ends with Amara’s death at Ambessa’s hands. Later on, Black Rose kidnaps Mel, who was close to finding the root cause of the present crisis, which was tormenting Ambessa.
Was Vi Able To Get Hold Of Jinx?
Similar to how Caitlyn is mourning for her mother, Jinx is shown to be lamenting the death of her father figure, Silco, who died by her own hand. From the second episode onwards, there are several scenes that highlight the scared, alone Powder hiding inside Jinx’s fractured psyche as she befriends a mute kid, Isha, by saving her from the dregs of the undercity.
With Silco gone, Chem-Barons of every kind have started gathering forces to assume control over the undercity, and Jinx, who is responsible for the power shift, has come under their radar as a result. As the greedy Chem-Barons attack Jinx, she finds an unlikely ally in Sevika, Silco’s trusted accomplice—who still has a score to settle with Vi. Eventually, Caitlyn and Vi manage to locate Jinx in the undercity, and an emotionally charged moment follows as Vi faces her sister, only to realize that Jinx is her true identity and that Powder is long gone. However, Vi is unable to bring herself to kill Jinx, and Isha, the little kid, jumps in front of her to defend Jinx, making matters even more complicated as her presence is a reminder to Vi of how badly she had failed her sister. Caitlyn, who is determined to take revenge, nearly shoots both Jinx and Isha—much to Vi’s dismay, who stops her. A disagreement ensues between Caitlyn and Vi, and it is quite clear that the ongoing season will show a much darker side of Caitlyn as she struggles to balance her identity and decisions.
The first part of the second season of fArcane ends with Ambessa taking matters into her own hands as she forces Salo to declare martial law, rallies the support of noble families to wage war against Zaun by blaming Amara’s death on Zaunites, and makes a grieving Caitlyn the general to guide Piltover in this time of crisis. Ambessa’s intentions are clear; she will operate from the shadows to ensure her search for primeval energy goes according to plan, and with a mentally disturbed Caitlyn in charge, a clash is inevitable at this juncture.Â
