Content Warning: This article contains spoilers for Arcane Season 2 Act 3 and mentions of suicide
All too quickly Arcane’s final episodes reached our screens as the war between Piltover and Zaun comes to a fatal end. After three years of waiting fans get to see how Jinx and Vi’s story ends in an explosive finale.
Releasing each act with a week’s wait in between greatly suited Arcane’s last season. It gave fans time to process everything that happened in each Act while keeping suspense fresh for the final moments.
Episode 7: What if?
Ekko fans can rejoice as his previously short screentime paid off for his centric episode. After messing with the Arcane, Ekko, Jayce, and Heimerdinger wound up in alternate realities. Jayce, unluckily, entered a realm of horrors as we see what will happen if he allows Viktor to carry out his plan – Jayce haters, how do you feel now?
While Jayce is quite literally clawing himself away from death, comedically-timed cuts show Ekko and Heimerdinger in a reality where Hextech never existed. Powder is still, well, Powder, and Silco, Vander, Benzo, Claggor, and Mylo are all alive and well. Zaun is thriving, painted with light and vibrance – much like this adult version of Powder is. Yet, such paradise came with a sacrifice. Vi died on the job the kids completed in the main reality in season one.
Seeing all these characters back alive, even if they’re not really the ones we know, is bittersweet. Fans know that such a display of happiness will cost them, especially with the finale looming closer.
In a spliced animation scene with Ma Meilleure Ennemie by Stromae and Pomme playing, Powder and Ekko dance together before sharing a kiss. Ekko drags himself away from this chance at happiness because his world needs him. With Heimerdinger’s sacrifice, he returns to the main timeline.
Episode 8
Building on Mel’s development from Act 2, Episode 8 displays her full power. She learns from another mage, possibly Le Blanc, exactly what kind of mage she is, as well as some family secrets.
We see a brief aftermath of the battle as Singed works with Viktor and Ambessa to create an undying army. A brief time skip later shows Vi waking up from her battle injuries, rushing to find Jinx. Caitlin, whose features have harshened with living through this war-torn time, reveals that Jinx is being held in a cell after voluntarily surrendering.
Isha’s death was never mentioned throughout the entire act yet we see the devastating affect it’s had on Jinx. Her hair is out of its signature braids, messily splayed behind her in her cell and her fingers are raw and bloody from her picking at them. She is deflated, no longer the upbeat, hyperactive Jinx we once knew.
“There is no good version of me,” Jinx realises. Shortly after we see a vision of Silco has finally materialised, comforting Jinx in her time of need. She tricks Vi and escapes her cell, vowing to “break the cycle” of killing which Jinx believes ends with her.
Meanwhile, Viktor confronts Jayce and Mel in a soulless humanoid-robot body – sparks literally fly as battle ensues.
One scene fans have been begging for actually made it to the final act – a steamy scene between Cait and Vi. With Fantastic by King Princess playing the two show their appreciation for each other, a needed moment of lesbian representation that media so often lacks.
As Ambessa is crafting “an army that need never fear death”, Piltover and Zaun rally whatever forces haven’t already fled the city as they prepare for battle. A moving speech from Jayce plays over these scenes and a sense of finality coats the episode.
In the final moments of this penultimate episode Viktor begins to wake his army as The Line by Twenty One Pilots ramps up. Warwick loses his final watercolour memories of being Vander – the sisters’ childhood burns to a crisp. Runeterra, once a beautiful, vibrant land has grown desaturated, twisted, and ugly as Episode 8 comes to a close.
Episode 9
Here we are after nine years in the making, Arcane’s final moments are splayed for all to witness. The 50-minute run time marks the longest episode yet, understandably so. Yet some fans were still disappointed, saying that it felt “rushed”. Personally, I think the pacing was worked to perfection. Opening events do seem to pass quick – Jinx burns down old memories, including The Last Drop, before heading to her lair to blow herself up. Ekko finds her in time and, with the help of his latest invention, rewinds time enough to save her (after witnessing her suicide multiple times).
As the team back in Piltover run through their battle plan, foreshadowing flashes show Vi in the heart of battle before the clips stop and we are launched in mid-fight. The majority of Arcane’s last episode is consumed with battle as the war rages on to a burning end. Ambessa showcases her weaponry skills in a spectacular scene littered with slow-mo shots that have you ducking back from the screen, afraid to be hit with her blade.
Warwick is released as the fight intensifies and quick mirrored-shots between characters clip together to highlight the speed of events. Many fatalities are shown, including fan-favourite Loris. In an unexpected twist, Maddie reveals herself as a double agent. She shoots to kill Cait before Mel steps in to deliver instant karma.
Come Play by Stray Kids, Young Miko, and Tom Morello smashes through the sound of violence as Jinx joins the war with no time to process. A battle of smoke and neon lights emerges as each character’s desperation oozes through the screen.
Ambessa and Mel swap chilling speeches with their usual dramatic flare before rushing into combat. Viktor confronts Jayce yet again, fully transformed and consumed by the Arcane.
As Ambessa falls to the hand of her daughter, Mel steps in to stop the Black Rose from killing her mother – doing it herself instead. This shows that Mel still had love and some ounce of respect for her mother, even in the end. Viktor begins his invasion anyway, with allies and foes from the war starting to be dragged into the space-like realm where Viktor resides.
It’s chilling, like a bucket of ice water down your back. You know that this is the end and all lives are up for grabs. The question is, who will emerge victorious when the dust settles?
“I’m always with you, even when we’re worlds apart” Jinx said to Vi, coming to her aid. It’s a cliche line yet the delivery stops you from cringing and makes you ache for these sisters to have a happy ending.
A zero-gravity battle begins with muffled, almost underwater sound effects as Vi, Jinx, and Warwick fight.
Coming to a climax, the war appears lost for Runeterra as citizens are controlled by Viktor. In another shock twist, Viktor is revealed to be the cloaked figure that saved Jayce back in season one, reaching out for him in every universe. Jayce joins him in the space realm and talks him down. Alongside Jayce, Ekko fights valiantly to save Piltover and Zaun, desperately pushing the boundaries of his time travel to reach Viktor and stop him.
Jayce stayed with Viktor until the end in a beautifully sketched and colourful scene.
For those two, that is where their story ends.
Back to reality, Vi and Warwick are on an unstable ledge as Jinx begs Vi to run. However, Vi can only sob and mourn all she has lost. Warwick awakens and attacks Vi in a moment that makes you jump out of your skin and subsequently makes your heart sink. Jinx shoots down to tackle Warwick, sacrificing herself for Vi.
Vi’s screams of agony lead us to the next scene, sometime after the war yet the damage is still visible. Sevika has gained a seat on the council and Singed gets his happy ending as his daughter survives (much to fans’ anger). Vi and Cait seem to be plotting something, perhaps we will see them again in the future.
“Our story isn’t over” leads us to the credits with some hints that viewers have taken as Jinx’s potential survival. No matter if Jinx is alive or dead, we know that creators are eager to continue creating stories in the League of Legends universe, so while this is the end of Arcane, it’s not the end of the legend it’s created.
The end of Arcane?
Summarising this act, like the others, is difficult. The beauty behind Arcane would take pages upon pages to jot down, if you really wanted to go through every detail. The team are experts at refining their art style, sneaking in little hints and easter eggs, and crafting careful parallels.
Character design is astounding, just when you think a character cannot become more ethereal the team manage to change your mind with upgrades.
The pacing worked perfectly. Golden moments played out with time for you to soak them in, times of mourning hung in the air enough to chill you, and battle scenes – the specialty of Arcane – leaves your adrenaline pumping. It’s a true masterpiece of a show. Every single second is worth watching and it unfolds as a true form of beauty. It’s comparable to walking through a gallery of masterpieces.
Arcane may be done, but it will stick with fans for years to come.
All episodes of Arcane are currently streaming on Netflix.
Featured Image Credit: Arcane / Netflix
Fourth year student journalist studying Bachelor of Arts with Honours in Journalism Studies.
Words at Brig, The Daily Evergreen, Alloa Advertiser, Discovery Music Scotland, and The Mourning Paper.
