TW: Spoilers Ahead!
The phenomenal hit Netflix series “Arcane” draws to an end on November 23, 2024.
Airing for two seasons, “Arcane” was a favorite for fans and critics alike with a unique animation style, brilliant story, and beautifully written characters that resonated with the audience.
The French animation company, “Fortiche”, is based in Paris, Montpellier, and Las Palmas, Spain.
They are known for their passion and the amount of details they put in every aspect of their productions. Their masterpiece, Arcane, stands as a testimony of their dedication to their work.
When the show first came out, many were uncertain of it as most adaptations of video games proved to be less than their expectations.
However after season one, many claimed the show as one of the best adaptations of a video game.
The show follows the story of sisters Violet, “Vi”, and Powder/Jinx. Set in the League of Legends universe, the two sisters found themselves on opposite sides of the growing unease in their city.
The first season was released on November 6, 2021 with a total of nine forty-minute episodes divided into three acts.
The story is told through multiple characters set with a backdrop of the growing unrest between the twin cities Piltover and Zaun, centering around the sisters Powder/Jinx and Violet “Vi”.
The sisters were orphaned in a failed uprising against the wealthy city of Piltover, but were adopted by Vander, one of the leaders of the failed revolution.
The two grew up really close as Vi was incredibly protective of her younger sister, Powder. The sisters as well as their adopted brothers Mylo and Claggor would often sell their stolen goods for profit.
It was during one of these exploits that Powder stumbled upon a mysterious blue gem that would eventually become the world changing Hextech discovered by scientists Jayce and his partner Viktor.
The crystals intrigued Powder who was a sweet and curious girl with a love for inventing even if her creations often failed.
However the crystals would bring disaster, unfolding in a series of tragic events that would end up killing their adopted family.
Shocked and grief-stricken, Vi tells Powder “You’re a jinx, do you hear me? Mylo was right,” before leaving her little sister on her own crying and hysterical, screaming for her to come back.
That’s when Silco found the girl and adopted her.
He was another leader of the failed revolution turned leader of the chem-barons; an organization that silently controls Zaun and distributes the deadly drug “Shimmer” to Zaunites.
She goes on to work alongside Silco for many years, suffering from a major identity crisis often shifting from her past self as Powder to Jinx, the new version of her who has been developing ever since her sister abandoned her.
Vi on the other hand had spent the last couple years in jail for a crime that she did not commit.
The story picks back up when Caitlyn, an enforcer; the police force in Piltover, is searching for the suspect responsible for the attack in the city on the annual Progress day, a celebration of the founding of Piltover as well as the city’s scientific and technological advancements.
Her search leads her to partner up with Vi who she recruits in her hunt for Jinx.
The two sisters reunite after many years in an epic battle between Vi and Silco’s loyal henchman, Sevika. After winning against Sevika, Vi searches for Silco next but never gets the chance as she was knocked out from behind.
When she resurfaces, Vi finds herself tied up at a table alongside Silco and Caitlyn. There, Jinx reveals herself to her sister.
Jinx is torn between two worlds- her sister is desperate to get her back, promising her that everything will be just like it always was while Silco, her adoptive father pleads for her to stay by his side, saying that she was like a daughter to him.
In the end, Jinx reemerged differently, fully accepting that she was now the monster Vi had created.
With the explosive ending of the first season, the show left many fans in awe and impatient for season 2.
The second season had a lot to live up to as the first one was met with wild enthusiasm from their fans. The characters felt real to the audience with their own personalities and brilliantly written stories. The animation style was incredibly pleasing to the eye with detailed illustrations and frames flowing seamlessly from one movement to another.
The second and final season picks up with the aftermath of Jinx’s explosive attack on Piltover. While most of the characters in the first season were morally straight, the second season challenges them to change their views and change them from their very core.
Jinx’s decisions further encourages the rivalry between Zaun and Piltover as her actions makes the possibility of the twin cities reconciling even slimmer.
One of the main themes of the show is that sometimes a person will make decisions that they won’t always be able to predict the outcomes of which they usually can’t change.
While she was torn between two identities in season one, between the strong, powerful daughter Silco raised and the sweet little sister Vi knew.
Now she is a hollow shell, a cursed “Jinx” that ruins everything.
Vi has finally accepted that her sister was truly gone and that she must handle the monster that she created. She accepts Caitlyn’s offer, donning a badge as an enforcer to hunt down her sister turned terrorist.
Although many fans of the show were impressed with the storytelling and the animation quality, many claimed that the story felt “rushed and unjustified”.
Arcane ended with Jinx sacrificing herself and the death of a fan favorite character, Viktor. Although it was sad for fans, many say that the ending was “underwhelming”.
Many fans are begging for a non-existent third season, though there are three shows in development based in the three regions in League of Legends.
Despite it all, Arcane is held in high esteem and is often considered the best adaptations of a popular video game.
Scoring a hundred percent on Rotten Tomatoes, Arcane is a show that anyone can enjoy and love regardless of whether or not they play League of Legends.