Upamanyu Biswas
Netflix’s action-fantasy series ‘Arcane‘ was an instant hit following the release of season 1, which offered an array of incredible visuals and a complex story that captivated in equal measure. The story of Piltover and Zaun’s main players was set up in a way that mirrored seminal works like ‘The Tale of Two Cities’ by Charles Dickens, except with a high-fantasy twist that never fails to sparkle the imagination through its immaculate design and artwork. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that season 2 follows that same trend, with strict adherence to style and flair when bringing to life the next and final phase of Vi and Jinx’s story. However, the stakes are even higher this time, as no time is wasted before jumping straight into the action in the first three episodes. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Jinx’s Missile Starts a New Wave of Anti-Zaun Sentiment in Piltover
Right from the get-go, season 2 begins by answering the burning cliffhanger question of season 1 – What happened after Jinx fired the missile at the Piltover council chamber? Viewers are given a glimpse into the debris left behind after the missile’s explosion and the survivors who made it alive. Jayce, Mel, and council members Salo and Shoola are the key characters who live through the destruction. Viktor also survives, albeit a bit worse for wear than the others. Fortunately, Jayce is able to save his friend and fellow researcher by letting the Hexcore engulf his body in a stasis cocoon. It temporarily keeps him breathing but goes against Viktor’s wishes from the previous season, as he was adamant that Jayce helped him destroy the Hexcore after it tragically killed his assistant, Sky.
Following the missile explosion, a wave of negative sentiment rises amongst Piltover’s residents and its fearful aristocracy. With tensions already at breaking point with Zaun, people are at the precipice of an all-out civil war. Mel tries to dissuade her mother, Ambessa, from taking any drastic measures in the immediate aftermath. However, things are not looking so good. Vi finds herself in a particularly invidious position, having to choose between her allegiance to Caitlyn, whose mother tragically passed away in Jinx’s council attack, and her loyalties to the undercity. Unfortunately, the matter gets taken out of her hands when another attack takes place at the memorial event for the fallen councilors. Subsequently, Vi joins the Piltover enforcers, led by Caitlyn, and heads into Zaun.
Zaun Falls Apart After Silco’s Death and Jinx Becomes Wanted by Both Sides
Contrary to expectations, the situation in Zaun worsens after the death of Silco. Small-time chem-barons suddenly have free reign to impose their authority and muscle over the undercity residents, who are driven out of their homes due to the terror on the streets. In the dire situation, Jinx faces a mini-crisis of her own as she contends with Silco’s death and the loss of her father figure. Meanwhile, his lieutenant, Sevika, tries to maintain as much order as possible but faces opposition through one particularly insistent chem-baron named Smeech, who is hell-bent on handing Jinx over to the topside to gain some reprieve from the Piltover forces. Thus, Jinx becomes public enemy number one in the higher echelons of Piltover and in the lower rungs of Zaun.
Although they are both suffering from Silco’s loss, Sevika and Jinx manage to achieve some level of understanding as the pair have a heart-to-heart about their former leader and what he meant to them. The latter even gifts Sevika a new arm, which she constructs herself, almost as a peace offering for everything that had happened previously. It turns out to be a timely present because Smeech shows his true colors by ambushing Jinx and trying to have her apprehended. His efforts nearly come to fruition before Sevika appears and takes on Smeech in an alley showdown that boasts some impressive visuals, especially as she is decked out with Jinx’s new arm. The chem-baron has the living daylights beaten out of him, but things do not look good elsewhere.
Viktor Finds a New Purpose in a New Body
Amidst the developments in Piltover and Zaun’s rising conflict, a more subdued but equally fascinating story plays out for Viktor. After Jayce has him encased in the Hexcore cocoon, arcane magic starts taking a more permanent residence in his body. Jayce is left with no option but to allow his friend to heal by staying merged with the Hexcore, recording every movement and change. Still, there is very little to do as Viktor remains unconscious while his body recuperates. In episode 2, he finally awakens and emerges from the cocoon, sporting a new body that is half-machine and pulsing with magic. The new look gives him a more intimidating aura but also causes him to fall out with Jayce because the latter failed to destroy the Hexcore as promised. Consequently, Viktor leaves Jayce to follow his own path.
Garbed in a cape that keeps his metallic body hidden from view, Viktor returns to his roots by traveling to Zaun’s nether realms. There, he runs into several dark-dwellers who are suffering from their Shimmer addiction and living in a horrifying state. One of them threatens Viktor to hand over his belongings, but it does not faze him. Instead, he places his hand on the man’s forehead and performs an extraordinary miracle that transforms the man to his original state of health and vibrancy. The piece of magic causes Viktor to lose some energy, but the surrounding watchers fall to their knees in reverence for their new savior. Meanwhile, Viktor sees an apparition of Sky standing next to the man, showcasing that he may have found a calling as a messiah of the grieving and suffering.
Ambessa’s Conspiracy Attracts an Old Family Enemy
Although Piltover’s attitude towards Zaun significantly worsens in season 2, a large part of it is primarily driven by Ambessa, Mel’s mother, who is revealed to be the person behind the memorial attack. The Noxian leader seeks to spread her influence and handprint on the political matters of Piltover and uses every method possible to do so. However, it leads to a new organization calling for her head, the vaunted Black Rose. Ambessa faces them for the first time after a Piltover Merchants guild member named Amara requests her audience. However, it turns out to be a distraction ploy to get close to her and murder her. Ambessa manages to deal with the situation, but it causes trouble for her daughter, Mel, who is abducted by the Black Rose using some form of magic.
Before she was kidnapped, Mel found out that her mother had faced certain difficulties back home that had forced her to travel to Piltover and start anew. She also learned that her brother’s death might be linked to something bigger at play as well. It all seems to connect to the Black Rose organization, their animosity towards Ambessa’s bloodline, and the Noxians in general. The Black Rose has its own importance within the ‘League of Legends’ video game universe, and it will likely become pivotal to Ambessa and Mel’s story. It will also require the former to show more leadership and motherly instincts, as her daughter is seemingly in grave danger and in need of help.
Vi and Caitlyn Join Hands as a Big Battle Beckons Between Two Sisters
Perhaps nothing embodies the first three episodes of season 2 more than the conflict between Vi and Jinx. After the events of the first season, Vi has given up on Jinx and views her as someone who is no longer her sister. The same attitude is reflected in Jinx. Therefore, Vi decides to throw her lot with the Piltover enforcers when push comes to shove, as everything she has done so far has led her to take the side of the topsiders. It also makes a lot of sense as she has spent most of her life in Piltover following her incarceration in prison. However, the primary reason for her joining the enforcers comes through a conversation she has with Maddie Nolen, a lower-rung enforcer who views Vi as some sort of hero. She also feels loyalty towards Caitlyn.
The Kirammans’ heir is determined to avenge her mother by killing Jinx. Vi seals her relationship with the sharpshooter through a kiss after they infiltrate Zaun. Not long after, a massive fight breaks out between Vi and Jinx in Zaun’s underground ventilation system. The intense battle takes on a life of its own as sibling rivalries and vendetta causes play out to complicated outcomes. Ultimately, Vi gains the upper hand on Jinx with Caitlyn’s help but finds herself unable to finish off her little sister. A disappointed Caitlyn then breaks up with Vi and returns back to Piltover alone. Jinx’s handiwork in the underground ventilation system causes a gas attack in Piltover, which finally boils over into a feeling of animosity for the residents. Caitlyn is appointed as the person to lead them in the ensuing war against Zaun.
The Boundary Between Arcane Magic and the Real World Starts Breaking Down
During Jinx and Vi’s fight, Jayce, Ekko, and Heimerdinger make a significant discovery in the depths of Piltove. Earlier, Ekko and Heimerdinger were alarmed after finding that the tree in Ekko’s Firelights base was showing signs of Hexcore magic that was slowly taking a toll on its life. Looking to learn more, he and the former council member take a trip to Jayce’s research laboratory, where they try to search for the reasons behind the underground tree, which shows signs of Hex magic tampering when there are no sources nearby. However, after a bit of research, Jayce realizes that something called “wild runes” was starting to take effect as the use of Hextech in and around the city was starting to degrade the veil separating the world of Arcane magic from normal reality.
They travel down into the basement of Piltover, where the Hexgate is located, only to find something strange. A mysterious anomaly takes over, and Ekko, Heimerdinger, and Jayce experience a multitude of eye-watering illusions that distort their body into fragments as more and more unstable magic starts creeping through the barrier. It also has an impact on the fight between Vi and Jinx as the Hextech weapons start malfunctioning. Jayce manages to stop it but realizes that he has unleashed something beyond the pale by harnessing Hextech and turning it into a commodity for the city’s people. He and the other heroes have to play their part in stemming the flow of magic and making sure devastation does not follow on a massive scale.
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