Warning! This article contains spoilers for Arcane season 2, Act II.
Arcaneseason 2, Act II somehow tops the fantastic episodes of Act I, overcoming “middle chapter syndrome” with endlessly beautiful animation, a personal story filled with exceptional characters, and lingering mysteries that promise an epic finale.Arcaneseason 2, Act I’s endingleft off on a big cliffhanger with Caitlyn enacting martial law against Zaun as Piltover’s general and the mysteriousArcane/League of Legendschampionknown as Singed creating a giant werewolf beast. Myreview forArcaneseason 2, Act Iwas somewhat glowing, with my only worry being that the last two acts had much left to cover.
Arcane
Cast
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
Almost immediately, Act II proved my worries were unfounded. The show only continues firing on all cylinders asArcaneseason 2’s ending— and thus, the ending of the show — draws nearer. With a more personal story than I was expecting, fascinating continuations of the show’s many characters, and an agonizing cliffhanger,I was left in awe byArcaneseason 2, Act II, as my worries were replaced with wholehearted trust inArcane’s creators to finish this story satisfyingly.
Arcane’s Stellar Animation Doesn’t Skip A Beat
Words Continually Prove Not Enough To Praise Arcane’s Animation
Once more,Arcane —and French animation studio Fortiche — continue to prove that animation has never operated at a higher level in Western cinema. As I alluded to in my review of Act I,Arcanecould be stopped at every single second, and the freeze-frame onscreen could be made into a picture anyone would be happy to hang on their wall. Thankfully, for my sake, Fortiche packs its (somehow) more standout animation efforts into specific sequences ofArcaneseason 2, Act II’s episodes that I can highlight.
The opening of episode 5 details what Vi has been up to since Act I, with flashing lights and freeze-frame fights beautifully, yet intentionally harshly showing her descent into depression and self-punishment. The climax ofArcaneseason 2, episode 4 unleashesArcane’s werewolf beastand the stunning red palette used to showcase his bloodthirstiness. Then there is the visualization of Hextech, Viktor’s powers, Mel’s kidnappers and their abilities, and the caves that light up with sound beneath Zaun, all showcasing just how beautifulArcaneis with its animation that is often too stunning to praise adequately.
Arcane Season 2, Act II’s Story Is More Personal Than I Expected (& All The Better For It)
One of the elements that surprised me the most was how focused Act II’s story was on the show’s cast of characters. Admittedly, I may have been silly to expect anything else, given thatArcaneseason 1 was about as personal a story as one could get. However, with the escalation of the Zaun-Piltover conflict that presented itself at the end ofArcaneseason 2, Act I, I assumed the character work would take a slight step back in favor of exploring the scale of the war that has long been at the show’s center.
I could not have been more wrong and subsequently could not be more thankful that I was.Arcaneseason 2, episode 4 picks up after a lengthy time-skip in which the martial law status quo has long been in place. While this allows the broader scale political tensions I was expecting to be explored to a degree, the show tightens its focus due to Jinx’s connection with the young girl Isha, the reveal that Warwick is actually Vander, how that ties Jinx and Vi back together, and how this leads to Viktor’s new Hextech utopia.
Who Is The Kid Following Jinx In Arcane Season 2?
A mysterious kid started following Jinx in Arcane season 2, but little is known about the new character, like their identity and role in the show.
This means thatArcaneseason 2 never loses sight of its characters and the emotion linked to themin favor of the larger themes it explores. Instead, the characters and their journeys, which are so much more emotionally affecting because of how personal they are, inform the broader messages of the show as opposed to the other way around. As a result,Arcaneseason 2, Act II is somehow even more compelling than its predecessor, proving that the middle chapters of stories are not always the weakest.
Arcane Season 2’s Characters Remain Endlessly Compelling
The more personal story of Act II reaffirms how excellently written the show’s characters truly are. The decision to move Jinx away from becoming like one of her fathers, Silco, and having her become like the other, Vander, via the inclusion of Isha, was a masterstroke that allowed her and Vi to hash out their sibling differences in a way that did not involve punches, bullets, and rockets. When tying this with Vander’s resurgence, one of my personal favorite characters from season 1, Vi and Jinx have their characters developed in a way I was not expecting.
Jayce’s character transformation inArcaneseason 2, Act II is entirely unexpected and thoroughly compelling as a result, and something tells me he holds the key to the show’s entire conclusion…
Then there is the new Viktor as part ofArcane’s cast of characters, whose biblical depiction is stunning and makes his journey endlessly intriguing. The development of the relationship between Ambessa and Caitlyn is also fascinating to see play out, as the two rely on each other for strength yet refuse to allow full trust to be part of the equation. Above all, however, there is Jayce. Jayce’s character transformation inArcaneseason 2, Act II is entirely unexpected and thoroughly compelling as a result, and something tells me he holds the key to the show’s entire conclusion.
