Back in 2020, everyone was stuck at home and a goal for many was to find something to entertain them in their long hours of boredom. Some people started playing video games, some adopted pets and others picked up a hobby or two. However, almost everyone started watching more TV. Fortunately, there were lots of good shows released around that time. One of those was a show called “Arcane.” Now, four years later, the show is finally getting a second season, with the first act releasing Nov. 9.
Arcane is an animated series based on the video game “League of Legends.” The show follows sisters Violet (Hailee Steinfeld) and Powder (Ella Purnell) as they try to survive in a world bubbling with societal rage between the city of Piltover and its Undercity that threatens to boil over at any moment. The first three episodes of season one follow their childhood, where we meet their adopted father and siblings and introduce some key plot elements. Namely, Powder is technologically brilliant but not very physically adept. Violet, or Vi, is physically capable and takes care of her sister. They make a mistake during a theft, which grows exponentially and leads to the death of their whole family at Powder’s hands. Vi lashes out and calls her a jinx before abandoning her.
Fast forward a couple of years, and Powder, now going by Jinx and completely insane, works for the man who took her in after Vi left her, named Silco. Silco is the show’s villain, but also one of its most compelling characters because his villain arc is a personification of societal rage. He isn’t pure evil, just immoral and ruthless. Silco is also very relatable despite his nature. Another character, Jace, is now the most famous man in Piltover because of his Hextech — technology fused with magic. Jace is about to unveil a new form of Hextech, the Hexgem, but Jinx steals it. The rest of the plot revolves around this theft, attempts to find the gem, trying to protect the city, bringing societal change, and eventually, Jinx uses the Hexgem to destroy the city’s council tower with the council inside.
Though the second season has yet to be released, there is a lot of information to go off of. There are lots of trailers and clips of it, and the characters’ in-game versions’ backstory also provides many clues. What we know for certain is that the second season picks up right where the first season leaves off, immediately after Jinx bombs the council tower. Silco is dead, leaving his criminal empire and the Undercity in shambles. Jinx is once again, all alone, but the people of the Undercity see Jinx as a symbol of rebellion against the topsiders who have oppressed them for so long; a spark of hope in the darkness of despair.
Other than that, not much is told directly to the audience. However, several things can be inferred. Silco’s lieutenant Sevika, who didn’t like Jinx, now seems to be working with her. Vi has joined the enforcers, a group she used to revile. Former council member and founder of Piltover professor Heimerdinger is now helping an undercity gang after realizing their conditions. Mother of a council member who was either hurt or killed in Jinx’s attack Mrs. Medarda is planning on waging war on the undercity for revenge. Jace creates Hextech weapons, something he swore never to do, and Jinx seeks to watch it all burn to the ground. Theorizers think that the trailers are somewhat misleading, and that Caitlyn, Vi’s girlfriend, is going to be the villain of the second season. Her mother is likely killed by the explosion at the tower, and she spirals into a dark state of mind where all she cares about is vengeance and everyone is simply a tool to get it. It seems like Vi might get manipulated by her into joining the enforcers and oppressing the citizens of the Undercity, only to eventually draw the line and be sent away for it.
Arcane season one was an amazing show, with compelling characters, complex plot lines, stunning visuals, incredible sound design and fantastic writing. The show was so good that it has a score of 100 on rotten tomatoes. The second will likely be an emotional rollercoaster that explores what it means to be family, dreams and the reasons why we fight. I hope the season can expand upon the characters, development and relationships that made the first season magical, but I’m also a little worried that the people in charge will get so focused on trying to virtue signal or push some kind of message or agenda that they’ll forget to tell a good story. I highly recommend giving the first season a watch in preparation for the second season which will probably be just as good if not better. Arcane should absolutely be on top of your list of shows to watch, with the first act coming out Nov. 9.
