Netflix has been home to plenty of animated video game adaptations, but one that stands out from the rest of the pack isArcane. Based on the popularLeague of Legendsgame,Arcaneserves as an origin story for two of the game’s most iconic characters: anarchist Jinx (Ella Purnell) and the mechanical-fisted Vi (Hailee Steinfeld).Arcanequickly gained critical acclaimfor its layered, tragic story and unique animation styleand wound up landing a number of awards — including the Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program,a first for Netflix.
Arcaneis slated to return fora second and final season, which will continue to explore the dynamic between Vi and Jinx while also fleshing out the world ofLeague of Legends. Before theArcaneSeason 2 premiere,here’s everything major that happened in Season 1 ofArcane, and how it’ll shape the series going forward.
‘Arcane’ Season 1 Explores the War Between Two Cities
Arcane’s main narrative explores the class struggles between the cities of Piltover and Zaun. Piltover is where the rich and powerful live, while the citizens of Zaun have to fight for what they have. This war leaves Vi and Jinx — or Violet and Powder, as they were known back then — orphans until the revolutionary Vander (JB Blanc) takes them in as his adoptive children. Years later, a teenaged Powder steals mysterious crystals that belong to Jayce Talis (Kevin Alejandro), who grew obsessed with magic after it saved his life. Jayce is approached by Viktor (Harry Lloyd), an assistant at Piltover’s academywho wants to help him stabilize the crystals. Faun’s resident crime lord, Silco (Jason Spisak), also utilizes a mystical substance called “Shimmer” that mutates its test subjects but drives them into an unstoppable fury.
Everyone’s paths start to cross when Silco holds Vander captive; in an attempt to save him, Powder sets off a bomb with the crystals that ignites the Shimmer and kills her adoptive brothers Mylo (Yuri Lowenthal) and Claggor (Roger Craig Smith). Vander also dies saving Violet; in her grief, she hits Powder and calls her a “jinx” — a name that will have a lasting impact. Silcowinds up taking Powder under his wing,while Violet is arrested by the enforcer Marcus (Remy Hii).
Every Season 1 Episode of ‘Arcane,’ Ranked
Season 1 was truly anime perfection!
‘Arcane’ Is Built on Exploring – and Dissolving – VI and Jinx’s Bond
Years later, Powder - now going by the name of “Jinx” —is one of Silco’s trusted lieutenants, helping him and his gang smuggle Shimmer into Piltover. Meanwhile, Jayce and Viktor perfect their magic-based technology, which they refer to as “hextech”. Caitlyn (Katie Leung), a young Enforcer who is also childhood friends with Jayce, starts tracking down Silco; she frees Violet, now a hardened fighter going by the name “Vi”, to help her navigate Faun’s streets. Vi and Jinx eventually reunite, but things go south when Caitlyn arrives. Vi and Caitlyn are eventually kidnapped by the Firelights, a group of rebels that oppose Silco’s criminal activities. The Firelights' leader is Ekko (Reed Shannon), one of Vi and Jinx’s childhood friends who grew into a hardened warrior.
Jinx and Ekko eventually get into a fight, which ends with Jinx detonating a grenade that severely injures her. She’s found by Viktor,who subjects her to a healing procedure that causes her to hallucinate Vi leaving her for Caitlyn.Ironically, Vi had parted ways with Caitlyn after growing immensely frustrated with how Piltover’s ruling class seemed unwilling to do anything to fix the conditions in Faun. She and Jayce launch an assault on Silco’s Shimmer factories, with Jaycegifting Vi her signature ‘Atlas Gauntlets’. But the fight claims the life of a young boy, and Jayce is stricken by this loss.
‘Arcane’ Season 1 Ends With the Promise of War
Driven mad by Viktor’s treatment,Jinx kidnaps Vi, Caitlyn and Silcoand brings them to Silco’s old workshop; she then attempts to force Vi to choose between her and Caitlyn by pushing a gun into her hands. Vi refuses, but when her attempts to reach Jinx fail, Silco breaks free and tries to shoot Vi —and Jinx shoots him through the heart, mortally wounding him. Finally accepting that she and Vi can never truly repair their sisterly relationship, Jinx walks off with Viktor’s hexcore crystal. Meanwhile, at Piltover’s council, Jayce has convinced the government leaders to grant Zaun its independence — but while they are conducting their votes,Jinx uses a rocket launcher powered by a hexcore crystal to fire at the Piltover council building, utterly destroying it.
ArcaneSeason 1 might have ended on scenes of fire and destruction, but theSeason 2 traileris teasing that Jinx’s actions will have serious consequences. While Zaun sees Jinx as a symbol to rally around, her attack is causing Piltover to declare martial law. It will also lead Vi down another collision course with her sister. It looks like Ekko and Caitlyn will also get hexcore-powered weapons, pushing them closer to theirLeague of Legendsincarnations.
‘Arcane’ Won’t Be the End for ‘League of Legends’ on TV
ArcaneSeason 2 will end the story of Vi and Jinx, butit’s only the beginning forLeague of Legends-related projects.Riot Games' president of entertainment,Shauna Spenley,told theLA Timesthat there are more plans to expand upon the world ofLeague of Legends —including more television shows and even movies:
“I don’t think Hollywood realizes how massive this all is…I think we have a huge opportunity to build amazing organic stories inside this world [Runeterra] and for it to quietly build and become the IP that defines a generation. We’ll be here a while: it’s going to take a little time.”
Arcaneis also bringing something new to the table:an official aftershow calledAfterglow,with Purnell and Steinfeld discussing everything that happens in each “act” (or every three episodes per season).ArcaneSeason 1 laid the foundation forLeague of Legendsto thrive on television, and Season 2 has some pretty big boots — or metal gloves — to fill.
Season 1 ofArcaneis available to stream on Netflix.
Set in Utopian Piltover and the oppressed underground of Zaun, the story follows the origins of two iconic League Of Legends champions and the power that will tear them apart.
