SPOILER FREE REVIEW

The long-awaited second season has closed out Netflix’s popular animated series, adapted from ‘League Of Legends’ characters and lore.

Synopsis: The series tells the story of two League of Legends champions, sisters Vi and Jinx, and the war between their cities, as they face off as rivals.

Where do we truly even begin? In just two seasons, the creators of ‘Arcane’ have done the impossible, and ended an extremely popular story before it dragged on for many, many seasons.

At the end of season one, audience were left with a cliffhanger at the moment of impact from Jinx’s Hextech missile blast toward the capital — an extraordinarily tragic ending to the first season. In season two, we carry on immediately as we left off. All the council members have died except two: Jayce and Mel. This begs the immediate question, how did they survive from a point-blank attack?

We’re also thrusted back into the core and beating heart of this complex story: the sisters, Vi and Jinx.

Jinx is in hiding in the underbelly city of Zaun after the attack, grieving the loss of her adopted (and manipulative) father-figure Silco, and deeply wounded by her sister’s “betrayal.” It’s here that a young “apprentice” known as Isha (a crucial character to Jinx’s story), finds herself running into Jinx’s protection. Jinx’s schizophrenic hallucinations have all but calmed in this season (though they flair up at certain moments), as she goes through further identity crises, questioning what “Jinx” really means. Her actions from season one, as unhinged and monstrous as it seems, sparked a movement in Zaun, with people being inspired by Jinx’s uprising and rebelling against the higher city of Piltover.

Meanwhile, Vi finds herself in Caitlyn’s company, joining plans of going after Jinx. Vi, like Jinx, is hurting after seeing her sister turn into a monster. She’s testing her belief that Powder (Jinx’s prior and younger self) is still buried deep in Jinx’s core, though all directions point to giving up this notion. Could Powder truly be dead? This is the pivotal question Vi coninues to ask herself and be bombarded with by her companion Caitlyn.

Both characters enter season two with trauma, grief, and a rising sense of new purpose in their respective cities.

Like our two leads, other characters (who take a good chunk of screen time) such as Mel, Jayce, Viktor, Ambessa, Caitlyn, and Ekko, all have pivotal arcs than help shape the story’s overall theme — hammered home by Vi and Jinx.

Jayce continues to uncover the dangers of Arcane magic while Viktor is fully consumed by its power, leading to elevated stakes throughout each episode, all the way to the grand finale where it all comes together.

Within this complex narrative, the animators of ‘Arcane’ have truly turned in another masterpiece. Oftentimes, it’s easy for the animation to underwhelm the performances given by a lack of facial movement. The animators for ‘Arcane’ pull no punches, as you’d be convinced of seeing each muscle strain and twitch — whether a character is in shock, crying, smiling, or weeping.

This is a strong statement to make, but a fair one at that: this is the best an animated show has ever looked. By the way, there are tons of “blink and you miss it” moments this season has to offer, which will likely result in multiple viewings for hardcore fans of the show.

Voice work across the cast is once again flawless in season two. Of course, much of the credit goes to the astonishing and heartbreaking performances by Ella Purnell who plays Jinx, and Hailee Steinfeld who plays Vi.

*Jinx ‘Arcane’ Season 2, Courtesy of Netflix.*

Purnell has pushed her chaotic and captivating vocals further than ever in season two, while Steinfeld provides a raw, unfiltered performance throughout — both hitting the highs and lows of their characters to perfection. Both actors elevate the story to new heights, and easily stand-out as main attractions in this complex world.

Vi and Jinx have developed throughout these two seasons of ‘Arcane’ as two of the most well-written characters ever placed on the small screen. Both characters are put on journeys that challenge themselves, each other, and world around them — with positive and negative implications on the people they indirectly bring into their lives. We want nothing more than to see them together again, but we also feel the tension of their probable violent interactions when they do — two worlds with two morally different ideas. Corruption and guilt.

*Vi ‘Arcane’ Season 2, Courtesy of Netflix.*

Much like the first season, ‘Arcane’ season two follows the three-act storyline, where each act is divided into 3 episodes.

The second season writing by Amanda Overton, Nick Luddington, Henry Jones, Graham McNeill, Kristina Felske, Giovanna Sarquis, Alex Yee, Christian Linke is nothing but intriguingly complex and relatively flawless throughout all nine episodes. One could claim the story feels rushed during the season’s third-act, and that would be valid if the writing wasn’t up to par. As an immersed audience member, it would be easy to watch another three episodes in a fourth act. Then again, this kind of work takes time. Riot Games CEO Nicolo Laurent said it took six years to make the first season of ‘Arcane’ (2021) with the second season releasing three years later (2024).

One of the standout and unexpected points in the show was episode seven (season two). No spoilers here, but we get a very well thought-out “what if” episode involving Ekko and Jinx (Powder). Perhaps the most heartbreaking episode in the series, and something that has proven quite difficult to shake off — driving Jinx’s character into deeper development.

‘Arcane’ expands the lore, world, and characters in the second and final instalment of the series, all while doing something vastly unique than it’s predecessor (and yet staying familiar).

The voice work is some of the best you’ll ever experience, backed by masterful animation to tie everything together. This show is one of the highest rated shows in streaming and TV history for a good reasons. A complex narrative, moral dilemmas, and characters you can’t help but love (even in their villainy), create a stunning conclusion to the Netflix animated spectacle.

Do we want more of our beloved ‘Arcane’ characters? Absolutely! Do we need a third season? Of course not. Ending the series in two seasons is a bold move for something so acclaimed and popular, and one that has certainly paid off. Everyone involved with ‘Arcane’ should be proud of what they’ve accomplished — a satisfying ending worthy of 9 episodes.

We’re sad to see ‘Arcane’ end, but grateful that it’s gone out on the highest note possible.

Our score: ★★★★★
(out of 5 stars)

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