Arcaneseason 2’s latest clips and trailers hint at a character-driven story that will have consequences for multiple cities — and potentially the entire world ofLeague of Legends. The footage released for the new season as part of Netflix’s Geeked Week focuses largely on Vi in the aftermath ofArcaneseason 1’s explosive ending. Based on the long-running online gameLeague of Legends,Arcanedelves into the origins of several popular characters from that game, including Vi.
The Vi of the game is a far cry from the Vi seen in the clip and teased in a previously released trailer for the season. It also gives a good clue to the direction of the season, especially when compared to the trailer and the established lore ofLeague of Legendsthat the prequel series is presumably heading towards. Here are all the clues that can be gleaned fromseason 2 ofArcaneahead of its November release.
Arcane Season 2 Is Cleverly Setting Up A Dark Caitlyn Story That Will Change The Show
Caitlyn was one of Arcane’s most important characters in season 1, and the next installment looks to be putting her on a much darker path.
Arcane Season 2 Will Be Released In Three “Acts”
Netflix Is ReleasingArcaneIn The Same Way It Did Season 1
Arcaneseason 2 will debut in three “acts,“replicating the release strategy of the previous season. Debuting on Netflix in 2021,Arcanebrought the world ofLeague of Legendsto an entirely new audience. The critically raved series became one of Netflix’s most acclaimed animated shows, tracking the evolution of two young sisters as they grew apart and ultimately opposed to one another. Their feud seems to be the driving plot of season 2, as their conflict spreads out and encompasses the rest of the city.
IfArcaneseason 2 is the same length as the first season, then each act will include three episodes. Act 1 will release on November 9, while the subsequent two parts of the season will debut on November 16 and November 23 respectively. This means fans won’t have to wait long between episode drops, while also allowing the show to generate some additional word-of-mouth between the acts. It’s an exciting announcement, and one that hopefully does justice to the show’s many lingering plot threads.
Vi Isn’t Doing Well In Arcane Season 2
Arguably the closest thing to a central protagonist inArcane, Vi’s failure to stop Powder’s transformation into Jinx at the end ofArcaneseason 1 has left her in a dark place by the events of season 2. The teaser released as part of Netflix Geeked Week focuses onVi’s apparent self-destruction in the Piltover boxing league. Although Vi’s combat skills allow her to earn several apparent victories, the clip hints at the turmoil weighing on her and the impact her self-destructive attitude is having on her body.
Likely taking place early in the season, the sequence shows Vi earning several victories even while ingesting a dangerous amount of alcohol. She’s also notably haunted by visions of Caitlin, suggesting the pair have fallen out by this point in the story. This could be a mere admission of guilt for the character or could suggest that the sexual tension teased between the pair in season 2 is more prevalent in the new batch of episodes. Regardless,the Vi seen in the clip fromArcaneseason 2 is in a far darker placethan she was before.
Jinx Has Become A Dangerous Icon In Arcane Season 2
Jinx Has Become A Symbol, Whether She Likes It Or Not
Vi’s sister Powder is gone by the end ofArcaneseason 1, with her Jinx persona fully taking over. It seems like Jinx will be the overarching antagonist of the season, at least in the main plot. Jinx’s desire to “burn it all down” and the subsequent attacks across Piltover seen inthe season 2 trailer indicates that she’s going to amplify her assault on the city. These attacks could be further aggression from the young woman, but they have a deeper impact on the world at large.
Throughout the formal trailer for season 2 ofArcane, the aggressive response of the Piltover police force, as well as the apparent fury of Ambessa, seems to be escalating a conflict.Zaun in turn celebrates Jinx as a liberatorand an unsung hero, setting up an interesting thematic arc for a character who so far has only been driven by personal emotion. Jinx’s plans for Piltover will likely become increasingly dangerous as the season progresses, and potentially continue to push conflict.
I’m Confident This Arcane Season 2 Fight Will Be Even Better Than Jinx vs. Ekko
Jinx vs Ekko has easily been Arcane’s greatest fight so far, but I’m confident that one upcoming battle in season 2 will be even better.
Caitlin Is After Revenge (And Will Team Up With Vi)
Caitlin Is Gunning For Jinx In Season 2
One of the other outright heroes ofArcane, Caitlin formed a bond with Vi over the course of the first season that seems to have been severely tested. The fallout of the attack on Piltover’s ruling council seems to have pushed Caitlin to fully embrace her position within the city’s police force, including taking a more proactive leadership role.Caitlin seems to be leading the hunt for Jinx, openly declaring that she’d like to the renegade killed.
This suggests her mother, who was among the council and hasn’t been seen yet in any of the released footage, likely didn’t survive the attack. This fury could be the source of the drama between her and Vi, considering Vi’s lingering live for her estranged sister. However, the previously released trailer for Arcane season 2 revealed thatVi will eventually take up the uniform as well and join up alongside Caitlinto protect Piltover. This lines up with their eventual role as partners inLeague of Legends.
Ambessa & Sevika Are On The War Path
The War For Piltover & Zaun Escalates InArcaneSeason 2
The fallout of Silco’s death and the attack on the council also further the ambitions of two other notable supporting characters fromArcane. ForAmbessa, the attempt to hunt down Jinx and bring “order” to Zaun is likely personal. Ambessa’s daughter Mel was also among the council when it was attacked by Jinx. Mel’s potential death would likely be a strong motivator for Ambessa to throw herself and her forces into war against the population. It would also continue to push the aggressive stance of Ambessa’s nation of Noxus, but tinted with personal loss.
By contrast, Silco’s lieutenantSevika seems to be rallying support in the undercityto fight back against the Piltover forces for potentially more personal reasons. Sevika spent most of season 1 contending with Jinx’s influence on Silco, a figure she was genuinely loyal to. However, with the crime-lord no longer in the picture, Sevika could be using the chaos of the conflict between Zaun and Piltover to push her own agenda and cement her spot as his replacement. She could also have a genuine desire to fight back against Piltover, which would further complicate her motives.
I’m So Glad Arcane Season 2 Avoided Invincible’s Biggest Problem After A 3-Year Wait
Arcane season 2’s early footage offers a glimpse of what’s to come, and it already looks like it has avoided one big Invincible problem.
What Other Champions Are Confirmed For Arcane Season 2
The Show’s Other Main Characters, Explained
The trailer forArcaneseason 2 also includes shots of other major charactersfromLeague of Legendsthat played a part in the first season. Their appearances in the trailer confirm that Singed, Ekko, and Heimerdinger will factor into the plot of season 2. The latter two were teased to form a partnership at the end of the previous season, and Ekko can be seen in clips working alongside Vi. This sets up Ekko to continue fighting against the chaotic presence of Jinx in Zaun.
Ambessa
Ellen Thomas
However,there are still some big mysteries left to resolve in season 2, including the apparent introduction of Warwick. The monstrous wolf is a classic champion fromLeague of Legends, and while season 2 hasn’t show any clear shots of him there are several moments of action that tease his presence. This could beArcane’s chance to either confirm or deny thetheory that Warwick is a reborn Vander. The trailer also lacks any clear sight of Jayce and Viktor, who are both important champions inLeague of Legendsand whose storyline took a dark turn in season 1.
The Arcane Is Coming (And What That Means For Arcane’s Future)
ArcaneCould Be Setting Up MoreLeague Of LegendsShows
Perhaps the most enticing tease fromArcaneseason 2’s released footage isthe hint that “the Arcane” is waking up. In League of Legends, the term “arcane” has been used in reference to abilities from powerful magic users like Ryze, Kog’Maw, and Xerath. Coupled with the mystical imagery seen throughout the trailer, it appears that the more supernatural aspects of the League of Legends world will become prevalent in season 2, with the evolution of technology powered by magic known as Hextech driving major parts of the plot.
This could in turn open the door for further expansion beyond Piltover and Zaun, and help explain why Arcane is coming to an end with season 2. The expansion of mystical elements could open up the franchise to other focal points around theLeague of Legendsuniverse, setting up new settings like the Freljord, the Shadow Isles, Shurima, Ionia, Demacia, or even the Void that could become the focus of sequel shows. The Arcane awakening inArcaneseason 2 could help further expand the animated adaptation and set the stage for new adventures and shows set in the same universe.
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.
