Arcane: League of Legends: The Final Season
November 25, 2024 2:02 PM - Season 2 (Full Season) - Subscribe
Season 2 is the second and last season of the series. It has 9 episodes divided into 3 acts.
The songs have been great this season.
Mick Wingert - “Spin The Wheel”
Stromae, Pomme - “Ma Meilleure Ennemie”
Royal & the Serpent - “Wasteland”
posted by Pendragon at 4:03 PM on November 25 [4 favorites]
Mick Wingert - “Spin The Wheel”
Stromae, Pomme - “Ma Meilleure Ennemie”
Royal & the Serpent - “Wasteland”
posted by Pendragon at 4:03 PM on November 25 [4 favorites]
As someone who loved S1, I was pretty disappointed in S2. It was still gorgeous, and still watchable, but for me it fell into a lot of adaptation pitfalls this season that they managed to avoid first season.
One of the strengths of the first season was the simplicity of the story, and while there were a lot of characters the focus was on the conflict between the rich and the poor, the power and the oppressed, Piltover and Zaun. There were sub-conflicts too, but everything tied back into the overarching struggle for dominance between the two cities and it all felt very cohesive.
SPOILERS FOR ALL OF S2 BELOW \/
This season structurally just did not work for me because the plotlines didn't feel like they had much to do with each other. Having Viktor and his quest for UNLIMITED POWER be the final villains of the season felt disconnected from the story that they've been telling so far, especially with so much focus on Vi / Cait / Jinx in the first two acts. Viktor's complete about face on the evils of Hextech felt half-baked, how does he go from viewing Hextech as the evil thing that killed Skye when he first revived to wanting to control everyone with Hextech in the last act? Why were Medarda and the Noxians given so much focus as villains in the first two acts only to suddenly switch up the villain in the last two episodes of the season? The alternate reality episode with Ekko was fun but it didn't really feed into the end outside of giving Ekko a cool little action sequence and an improvised weapon that he could throw at the final boss.
Did the Jayce and Viktor sequence remind anyone else of Madoka Magica? The whole two totally platonic BFFs being naked together in the astral plane sequence made me think the team at Fortiche must be big Madoka fans.
posted by C^3 at 8:35 PM on November 25 [3 favorites]
One of the strengths of the first season was the simplicity of the story, and while there were a lot of characters the focus was on the conflict between the rich and the poor, the power and the oppressed, Piltover and Zaun. There were sub-conflicts too, but everything tied back into the overarching struggle for dominance between the two cities and it all felt very cohesive.
SPOILERS FOR ALL OF S2 BELOW \/
This season structurally just did not work for me because the plotlines didn't feel like they had much to do with each other. Having Viktor and his quest for UNLIMITED POWER be the final villains of the season felt disconnected from the story that they've been telling so far, especially with so much focus on Vi / Cait / Jinx in the first two acts. Viktor's complete about face on the evils of Hextech felt half-baked, how does he go from viewing Hextech as the evil thing that killed Skye when he first revived to wanting to control everyone with Hextech in the last act? Why were Medarda and the Noxians given so much focus as villains in the first two acts only to suddenly switch up the villain in the last two episodes of the season? The alternate reality episode with Ekko was fun but it didn't really feed into the end outside of giving Ekko a cool little action sequence and an improvised weapon that he could throw at the final boss.
Did the Jayce and Viktor sequence remind anyone else of Madoka Magica? The whole two totally platonic BFFs being naked together in the astral plane sequence made me think the team at Fortiche must be big Madoka fans.
posted by C^3 at 8:35 PM on November 25 [3 favorites]
For me this season was about as good as the first - I'd give it a 7.5 out of ten, but this is the result of a 6.5/10 story being combined with 12/10 visuals and production values.
I do agree that they threw too many balls in the air. In a way it was structurally sound, and I suspect that many of the character arcs have clear explanations, but they all went by so fast that they were hard to keep track of and didn't have as much impact. I suspect Viktor's switch is mostly the result of have being taken over by hextech after Jayce fuses him with that ball thing... and we were reminded of this at at the very end when Viktor was shown breaking out of his metaphysical shell/hextech prison, but still, a some callbacks or "inner struggle scenes" over the intervening episodes would have make this clearer and more resonant.
There were several characters who I also just would have liked to spend more time with - Mel and Vi being the main ones. There were also "important" relationships between characters that I had to struggle to remember (such as Viktor's ghost scientist friend). And the final battle, while it had some cool moments, also felt rather weightless.
All that being said, I kind of feel like episode 7 was a low key masterpiece that justifies the whole thing. I usually get really bored during multiverse/time loop shenanigans, but this was one of the most brilliant uses of those tropes I remember seeing in a long time. For all the characters that didn't get enough time this season, I found Jinx and Ekko's character beats were handled well, and their alternate reality relationship was beautifully done. Moreover, rather than tempting Ekko to stay in this better timeline, it further drove him to fix his own. And although it wasn't emotionally as powerful, Jayce's adventures through the broken timeline were also key for the structure of the whole episode. Episodes 8 and 9 felt perfunctory in comparison.
posted by Alex404 at 12:22 AM on November 26
I do agree that they threw too many balls in the air. In a way it was structurally sound, and I suspect that many of the character arcs have clear explanations, but they all went by so fast that they were hard to keep track of and didn't have as much impact. I suspect Viktor's switch is mostly the result of have being taken over by hextech after Jayce fuses him with that ball thing... and we were reminded of this at at the very end when Viktor was shown breaking out of his metaphysical shell/hextech prison, but still, a some callbacks or "inner struggle scenes" over the intervening episodes would have make this clearer and more resonant.
There were several characters who I also just would have liked to spend more time with - Mel and Vi being the main ones. There were also "important" relationships between characters that I had to struggle to remember (such as Viktor's ghost scientist friend). And the final battle, while it had some cool moments, also felt rather weightless.
All that being said, I kind of feel like episode 7 was a low key masterpiece that justifies the whole thing. I usually get really bored during multiverse/time loop shenanigans, but this was one of the most brilliant uses of those tropes I remember seeing in a long time. For all the characters that didn't get enough time this season, I found Jinx and Ekko's character beats were handled well, and their alternate reality relationship was beautifully done. Moreover, rather than tempting Ekko to stay in this better timeline, it further drove him to fix his own. And although it wasn't emotionally as powerful, Jayce's adventures through the broken timeline were also key for the structure of the whole episode. Episodes 8 and 9 felt perfunctory in comparison.
posted by Alex404 at 12:22 AM on November 26
I think season one was a masterpiece. This season was more like a B or B+. Visuals, sound design, and music were amazing, but the plot and pacing were only a little better than an average high cost products show. Except episode 7 which felt like a season 1 episode, which is why everyone seems to love it. Episode 9 pacing was just bad. Still better than most of the dreck that is released today.
posted by KaizenSoze at 3:57 AM on November 26
posted by KaizenSoze at 3:57 AM on November 26
I enjoyed this season, but I agree, it didn't hit as hard as season one. I also agree that part of the problem had to do with the pace. I re-watched Season 1 ahead of Season 2, and that really stood out. Season one was essentially two time arcs, pre and post Vi striking Powder. Season two felt like it was combining two planned seasons and their associated time frames. I could easily see the Arcane reality jumps being the first part of a third season and the big resolution being the second part of a third season. We know that Arcane was one of the most expensive animated works on Netflix (and it shows, oh does it show), so I wonder if their ambition out ran their budget and they squished two potential seasons into one.
Season Two's theme appeared to be about power, whereas season one was about the haves vs the have nots. We have the ascendancy of Caitlyn as a virtual dictator (albeit, all done through Medarda seeking the power to crush the witches (Black Rose?)), Jinx turning away from the opportunity to be a leader, Jayce slowly giving in to the power Hextech gave him and others, and of course, Victor, who drew upon an absolute power to at first heal others, but then became corrupted along the way.
Ekko as a leader contended with his responsibilities as such, while our little furry professor, ended his arc of giving up the power through the prestige of his position and science in Piltover. What's noticeable is that in the ideal reality that Ekko ended up in, there appeared to be no contest over power. The episode wants to indicate the turning point is the absence of Hextech, but the friendship between Silco and Vander indicates the divergence occurred much earlier. Ekko benefited from his trip here not just to gain his six second time machine, but learning about himself, about how he felt about Powder, and having that knowledge to convince Jinx later not to blow herself up (well, that early in the show).
Jace's own experience became his gift that saved everyone once Ekko broke down that armor and offered to Victor a glimpse of the world he was about to create/destroy.
But yeah, because this is all being rushed, we don't get a chance to breath really except like Ekko's episode. I think Arcane is a pillar for lots of creators to look at in terms of what can be accomplished in the medium.
Miscellaneous thoughts: Claggor and Mylo were totally a couple in Ekko's alternate reality. I don't recall there being hints to this in Season 1.
Did we actually ever understand what Mel's mom did to tick off the witches? I think there was some vague reference to her taking something or? Was it her not handing over her daughter as promised or ?
The scene of Zomber (?) Vander ascending upward with Vi and Jinx in either hand at the end was incredible.
Cait being betrayed by her violation of HR rules on intimacy with subordinates was not all that surprising. Being dropped by her own bullet, dang, that was.
I don't know if Jinx had to die. I kept waiting for Ekko to somehow fly out of nowhere and scoop her up at the last second. This may be the one death I felt was just a bit too over the top because it wasn't necessary. It didn't achieve anything. She wasn't a barrier between Vi and Cait, as we know Cait set it up to allow Vi to try and jail break her sister. If it's to break a cycle of Vi being harmed trying to save Jinx, again, that just feels a little soft. Jinx's continual existence in a post-Hextech world doesn't seem like it would have been a major issue, especially when she could have just slipped away in the chaos after the battle.
posted by Atreides at 7:34 AM on November 26 [1 favorite]
Season Two's theme appeared to be about power, whereas season one was about the haves vs the have nots. We have the ascendancy of Caitlyn as a virtual dictator (albeit, all done through Medarda seeking the power to crush the witches (Black Rose?)), Jinx turning away from the opportunity to be a leader, Jayce slowly giving in to the power Hextech gave him and others, and of course, Victor, who drew upon an absolute power to at first heal others, but then became corrupted along the way.
Ekko as a leader contended with his responsibilities as such, while our little furry professor, ended his arc of giving up the power through the prestige of his position and science in Piltover. What's noticeable is that in the ideal reality that Ekko ended up in, there appeared to be no contest over power. The episode wants to indicate the turning point is the absence of Hextech, but the friendship between Silco and Vander indicates the divergence occurred much earlier. Ekko benefited from his trip here not just to gain his six second time machine, but learning about himself, about how he felt about Powder, and having that knowledge to convince Jinx later not to blow herself up (well, that early in the show).
Jace's own experience became his gift that saved everyone once Ekko broke down that armor and offered to Victor a glimpse of the world he was about to create/destroy.
But yeah, because this is all being rushed, we don't get a chance to breath really except like Ekko's episode. I think Arcane is a pillar for lots of creators to look at in terms of what can be accomplished in the medium.
Miscellaneous thoughts: Claggor and Mylo were totally a couple in Ekko's alternate reality. I don't recall there being hints to this in Season 1.
Did we actually ever understand what Mel's mom did to tick off the witches? I think there was some vague reference to her taking something or? Was it her not handing over her daughter as promised or ?
The scene of Zomber (?) Vander ascending upward with Vi and Jinx in either hand at the end was incredible.
Cait being betrayed by her violation of HR rules on intimacy with subordinates was not all that surprising. Being dropped by her own bullet, dang, that was.
I don't know if Jinx had to die. I kept waiting for Ekko to somehow fly out of nowhere and scoop her up at the last second. This may be the one death I felt was just a bit too over the top because it wasn't necessary. It didn't achieve anything. She wasn't a barrier between Vi and Cait, as we know Cait set it up to allow Vi to try and jail break her sister. If it's to break a cycle of Vi being harmed trying to save Jinx, again, that just feels a little soft. Jinx's continual existence in a post-Hextech world doesn't seem like it would have been a major issue, especially when she could have just slipped away in the chaos after the battle.
posted by Atreides at 7:34 AM on November 26 [1 favorite]
I don't know if Jinx had to die. I kept waiting for Ekko to somehow fly out of nowhere and scoop her up at the last second. This may be the one death I felt was just a bit too over the top because it wasn't necessary. It didn't achieve anything. She wasn't a barrier between Vi and Cait, as we know Cait set it up to allow Vi to try and jail break her sister. If it's to break a cycle of Vi being harmed trying to save Jinx, again, that just feels a little soft. Jinx's continual existence in a post-Hextech world doesn't seem like it would have been a major issue, especially when she could have just slipped away in the chaos after the battle.
Spoiler
Here is the fun part, she didn't die. Faked her death, so that Vi would be free of her. You can see a shimmer line dart off right before the explosion. Cait figured it out by looking at the dialog of the hex gate. Note the vents. Also the Jinx scribbles right before the credits.
posted by KaizenSoze at 8:53 AM on November 26 [2 favorites]
I wish they would have gone for a third season, but this wrapped everything up a lot better than I expected.
posted by Pendragon at 9:58 PM on November 27
posted by Pendragon at 9:58 PM on November 27
I thought it was beautiful, and that's enough, and there were some standout episodes, and I liked the out of order episodes but something seemed a bit off. Episodes always seemed to begin in media res, with big chunks of story just missing. I wanted to spend more time with gothed-out depressed Vi, less time with hex cultists and fascists. Also, re: the Black Rose, I didn't really understand who they were and what their deal was. Maybe that will pay off in some future sequel, but right now it feels like something I would maybe need League of Legends lore to understand, and that's disappointing.
posted by surlyben at 2:46 PM on November 29 [2 favorites]
posted by surlyben at 2:46 PM on November 29 [2 favorites]
I enjoyed it immensely. The animation was superb and the storytelling they did was excellent. I'm going to agree with the above comments that there was far too much plot for one season. I would have liked it split into two and given the story more time to breath.
I liked the quieter bits. Ekko's other world was charming, and I did not expect Heimerdinger the musician.
The episode wants to indicate the turning point is the absence of Hextech, but the friendship between Silco and Vander indicates the divergence occurred much earlier.
I kind of assumed that the change occurs in S1E1 with Vi's death in the explosion in the lab. The Piltover enforcers don't need to go into the Undercity to find someone to blame for the explosion because they have Vi's body and her distraught sister right there. So most of Act 1 doesn't happen. I don't know what happened next, but maybe a grief stricken Vander finally begs forgiveness of Silco because of the death of their mutual friend Felicia's daughter. They end up working together again and the result is what we see. Maybe.
The scene that sticks in my mind, and that I have watched through multiple times, is the flashback to the Last Drop where Felicia (Vi and Jinx/Powder's mother) declares the creation of Zaun. It is such a lovely scene. You can tell Felicia, Vander and Silco are close friends, just by the things they don't have to say. They know each other so well. The animation of expression and body language is superb. Silco and Vander's exchange of looks when Felicia tells them she is pregnant, Felicia hugging herself when she talks about her worries about raising a child and then how she rallies when she ropes Vander and Silco into making a better world for her and her daughter.
I am fond of generational stories like this, ever since the X files. I even liked it in Harry Potter (please don't hate me).
posted by antiwiggle at 10:19 AM on December 1 [3 favorites]
I liked the quieter bits. Ekko's other world was charming, and I did not expect Heimerdinger the musician.
The episode wants to indicate the turning point is the absence of Hextech, but the friendship between Silco and Vander indicates the divergence occurred much earlier.
I kind of assumed that the change occurs in S1E1 with Vi's death in the explosion in the lab. The Piltover enforcers don't need to go into the Undercity to find someone to blame for the explosion because they have Vi's body and her distraught sister right there. So most of Act 1 doesn't happen. I don't know what happened next, but maybe a grief stricken Vander finally begs forgiveness of Silco because of the death of their mutual friend Felicia's daughter. They end up working together again and the result is what we see. Maybe.
The scene that sticks in my mind, and that I have watched through multiple times, is the flashback to the Last Drop where Felicia (Vi and Jinx/Powder's mother) declares the creation of Zaun. It is such a lovely scene. You can tell Felicia, Vander and Silco are close friends, just by the things they don't have to say. They know each other so well. The animation of expression and body language is superb. Silco and Vander's exchange of looks when Felicia tells them she is pregnant, Felicia hugging herself when she talks about her worries about raising a child and then how she rallies when she ropes Vander and Silco into making a better world for her and her daughter.
I am fond of generational stories like this, ever since the X files. I even liked it in Harry Potter (please don't hate me).
posted by antiwiggle at 10:19 AM on December 1 [3 favorites]
I kind of assumed that the change occurs in S1E1 with Vi's death in the explosion in the lab. The Piltover enforcers don't need to go into the Undercity to find someone to blame for the explosion because they have Vi's body and her distraught sister right there. So most of Act 1 doesn't happen. I don't know what happened next, but maybe a grief stricken Vander finally begs forgiveness of Silco because of the death of their mutual friend Felicia's daughter. They end up working together again and the result is what we see. Maybe.
Also, in the "good" timeline, Heimerdinger mentions to Ekko that he has been there for over 3 years. Perhaps his arrival and inhabiting the body of that timeline's Heimerdinger allowed him to make changes while he was still on the Council, and work toward the greater good that we see when Ekko arrives.
posted by Fleebnork at 5:33 AM on December 6 [1 favorite]
Also, in the "good" timeline, Heimerdinger mentions to Ekko that he has been there for over 3 years. Perhaps his arrival and inhabiting the body of that timeline's Heimerdinger allowed him to make changes while he was still on the Council, and work toward the greater good that we see when Ekko arrives.
posted by Fleebnork at 5:33 AM on December 6 [1 favorite]
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posted by SPrintF at 3:54 PM on November 25