As a longtime fan of League of Legends, I must say that Arcane has truly outdone itself with this second season! Having grown up playing the game and following its lore, it’s been an absolute delight to see these beloved characters come to life on screen.
Warning! This article contains spoilers for Arcane Season 2 Episode 2.
Key Takeaways
- The undercity of Zaun has fallen into chaos without Silco, with chem-barons at war and Jinx despondent.
- Sevika and Jinx form a tenuous friendship as they bond over Silco’s absence.
- Arcane Season 2 continues to experiment with new visual styles to great effect.
The second episode of Arcane Season 2 continues the narrative from the first episode in an exhilarating manner, shedding light on characters who didn’t take center stage in the series finale.
In the second episode of Season 2, titled “Watch it All Burn,” the focus shifts from Piltover after the council attack to the undercity of Zaun, depicting its current state in the absence of its leader. The premiere of Netflix’s League of Legends animated adaptation had previously highlighted Piltover. In this second episode, the studio continues to refine and expand upon the animation style introduced in Arcane, showcasing a wider variety of visuals while introducing new character dynamics and disrupting old ones.
Zaun: A Lawless Land
What’s Happened to the Undercity Since Silco’s Demise?
| Arcane Season 2 Episode 2 “Watch it All Burn” | |
|---|---|
| Cast | Ella Purnell, Amirah Vann, Kevin Alejandro, Harry Llyod, Reed Shannon, Mick Wingert |
| Creatives | Nick Luddington (writer), Barth Maunoury & Marietta Ren (directors), Alex Yee & Christian Linke (Creators) |
| Based on | League of Legends |
| Streaming on | Netflix |
At the start of Arcane Season 2’s second episode, Jinx expresses that the undercity has spiraled into chaos following Silco’s death. Rulers of the chemical empire are engaged in a power struggle, children are endangered on the streets, and widespread poverty prevails. Yet, this isn’t the only aspect left in disarray; Jinx is adrift without her paternal figure for the first time in her existence, as she lacks someone to guide her. The artwork cleverly reflects this through Jinx drawing in the water and clinging to Silco’s corpse, mirroring how Arcane’s last episode portrayed Caitlyn’s sorrow using distinct animations and visual symbols to convey how both characters grapple with the same emotion.
Fortiche further flexes its animation prowess in a montage showing the new world order in Zaun. A series of movie poster-style shots and grainy film clips set to Marcus King’s “Sucker”, introduce the new players who are causing chaos in the Lanes. All the while Jinx walks through the chaos, she is an outcast, wanted by topside and ostracized by both her people and her self-hatred. Sevika attempts to bring the chem-barons to heel by uniting them against topside, a role that once belonged to Silco, but they’re all consumed with their ambitions for power, and a yordle named Smeech suggests they solve their problems by handing over Jinx.
Sevika and Jinx: Enemies to Friends
In Silco’s absence, there arises an emptiness that encourages Sevika and Jinx to grow closer, yet their goals differ significantly; while Sevika intends to carry on Silco’s mission, Jinx seeks its destruction. An uneasy alliance forms between the two when Jinx is apprehended by Smeech’s gang, only to be saved later by Sevika. In a touching moment, Jinx presents Sevika with a unique prosthetic arm she had been concealing throughout the Lanes – a replacement for the one destroyed in Season 1. This new limb has some of Jinx’s peculiar traits and effectively functions during the ensuing battle. The show Arcane consistently excels at action sequences, but this particular fight scene continues to demonstrate the series’ penchant for creativity, incorporating vibrant hues, manga-inspired frames, and clever humor into its high-speed combat.
Caitlyn’s Plan To Infiltrate Zaun Is Revealed
Episode 2 focuses less on Piltover’s side of the story, but it hints at Caitlyn’s early strategies as she guides the enforcers into Zaun amidst a thick, green smog called “the grey.” From Jinx and the Zaunites’ point of view, the enforcers appear more intrusive than ever. Interestingly, a scene reminiscent of Jinx’s past from Season 1 occurs when she hides in the rafters to escape investigating enforcers. However, this time, she grapples with the fact that her sister is among them.
Viktor Finds Enlightenment
Following minimal appearances by Viktor in the season opener, Episode 2 sets up a captivating narrative arc for his character. After miraculously surviving the council explosion, Viktor is discovered enclosed within a Hexcore cocoon. Upon regaining consciousness, he finds himself in a hybrid organic-mechanical body. Jayce’s joy at Viktor’s revival is contrasted with Viktor’s disapproval of Jayce for disregarding his wish to destroy the Hexcore. Saddled with a mysterious new mission, Viktor informs Jayce that their destinies must part ways, a moment that stirs emotions among fans of their relationship. Scenes like this one showcase the exceptional animation in Arcane, making it effortless to believe these characters are entirely computer-generated.
In this fresh route, Viktor finds himself back in the subterranean city that calls home. Almost instantly, drug-struggling Shimmer addicts from the Alleys set their sights on him. Huck, the addict who aided Caitlyn in procuring medicine for Vi during Season 1, is among the Zaunites who encounter Viktor first. However, an unusual power manifests when Viktor touches him, curing Huck of his Shimmer addiction and converting him into a fervent devotee. The scene is richly symbolic; the Hexcore within Viktor has healed his own body, and now it grants him the ability to heal others as well. Overwhelmed by gratitude, the Zaunites pay homage to their newfound savior.
You need not suffer anymore.
Arcane Finds New Ways To Iterate On League of Legends Lore
In Season 2, Viktor’s character development clearly incorporates religious symbolism, but he’s still quite different from the League of Legends champion fans are familiar with. Since Arcane is produced by Riot Games, who also created League of Legends, the show generally adheres to the game, although it often does so in unusual ways. This episode underscored that Arcane continues to offer unexpected twists as it interprets and transforms its source material, which keeps fans, whether they’re veterans or newcomers to the League of Legends universe, on their toes.
Arcane Season 2 Episodes 1-3 are available to stream on Netflix.
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2024-11-10 09:53