ARCANE – Season Two

There’s a funny conundrum in the world of video game adaptations. While being some of the most universally appealing forms of entertainment, and drawing massive audiences of die-hard fans, they’re still often categorised as niche, or nerdy. That, combined with the tension between pleasing existing fans of the source material and still enticing new viewers, can often make the big Hollywood adaptations feel stilted and muddled.

Not so with Arcane. The League of Legends spin-off series burst onto the Netflix slate back in 2021 and enraptured both critics and viewers. Within a week of its initial release, it was the №1 ranked show on Netflix in 52 countries.

The series was developed by Alex Lee and Christian Linke, who’s also a creative director at Riot Games, and animated by French studio Fortiche. Arcane set itself apart from other entries in the genre with propulsive action sequences, staggeringly detailed world-building, and emotionally grounded storytelling.

Season 1 soared past the existing expectations for what an animated series based on a video game could achieve, particularly one based on a game with such an established reputation. But they did so by choosing their battles wisely. With such a maximalist visual presentation, an equally intricate story structure would have only frustrated and confused audiences. Instead, they chose to hyperfocus on the tension between the city of Piltover and its throbbing undercity, Zaun.

Through the eyes and diverging fates of sisters Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), Arcane touches on the pain of abandonment, the dangers of technological ambition, and the sacrifices we make to protect our loved ones. In this second instalment, the overarching message is about the power of redemption.

Season 2 gets off to a strong start, beginning just after Jinx’s attack on Piltover’s council. Vi is horrified that her sister could be capable of such heartless violence and vows to bring her to heel. This discord is mirrored by the clash between the undercity and the top-siders, forever locked in a battle to control the city that becomes an all-out civil war, dragging all supporting characters into the fray as well.

Each bond that was formed in the first season is tested. Mel continues to oppose her mother’s insatiable bloodlust. Cait (Katie Leung) is consumed by the need to avenge her mother’s death in the explosion, threatening her romance with Vi. Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) and Viktor’s (Harry Lloyd) partnership devolves into animosity as Jayce fears the power their Hextech inventions could unleash, while Viktor embraces it. Ekko (Reed Shannon) and Heimerdinger (Mick Wingert) wrestle with the balance between progress and justice.

It can be hard to follow these increasingly complicated strains after three years of not being immersed in the world the characters inhabit, and harder still to trust that they will all reconnect, but in the final episode, they all do. Ultimately, each character finds their way back to each other and to their higher purpose.

The conflict between Piltover and Zaun constantly undercuts the humanity of its characters, forcing them to make impossible choices for the sake of their goals. But in the end, the series takes a deeply humanist view, revealing a sweetly optimistic centre at the core of such a dark and violent offering. Only the characters’ love and commitment to never giving up on each other can solve the mess they’ve created.

But it really does take all nine episodes to get there. Arcane falls into the trap it avoided in the last season by overcomplicating its various stories to flesh out the episodes. On top of existing storylines, there are time travel conundrums, alternate realities, and dark magic secret societies.

Practically every episode this year features an extended montage that evokes the music videos Fortiche began making for Riot years ago, as the show attempts to power through a huge amount of plot. It bloats a series that is already stuffed to the gills with detail. The often abrasive soundtrack doesn’t do much to lighten these denser moments, but the show still manages to play to its strengths by refocusing on the emotional bonds between characters that hook the audience.

There’s plenty of riveting action sequences here too, rife with slick slow-motion moments and exciting clashes, meant to recall immersive gameplay; but it can be hard to discern where the focus is meant to be when so much time is spent accentuating a vibe over character development or story.

The heart of the show has always been the redemptive power of love and the importance of family. Arcane succeeds because it trusts the audience to be along for the ride in the more convoluted moments, knowing that the detours only work because the emotional payoff will make it all worth it.

It takes almost the whole season to congeal this message into something coherent, but the magic is still here. It’s easy for the audience to see where they are being led early on, and the extended sojourns away from the central plot start to wear thin by episodes seven and eight. Thankfully, the finale manages to stick the landing with signature bombast and emotional heft.

With a story grounded in emotional truth and socioeconomic conflict, the fantastical expanse of Arcane soars in the more intimate moments. A virtuosic visual style and engrossing tales of love and identity lay a solid foundation on which the show’s creators experiment and push themselves. This is bolstered by an exceptional voice cast, which can make or break an animated series.

The cast drives home the anguish that Piltover’s cycle of progress and violence has saddled them with. The desire for technological advancement above all else is at odds with their basic human desire for love and connection — perhaps echoing an existing tension in our own world with the growing presence of A.I. The imperfections of our human world may seem inconvenient, but it’s what makes our world worth saving.

We feel the heartbreak as the possibility of a peaceful reconciliation vanishes, and only devastating sacrifices can restore order to their world. The final episodes have an astonishing body count, with more than a few deaths that are orchestrated to achieve the maximum emotional sucker punch. And it’s this commitment to craft and catharsis that is the secret to the show’s success.

Netflix has made its reputation on sheer volume. There are thousands of original titles in its arsenal. Even with the spookily accurate algorithms that attempt to spoon-feed viewers content designed to please them, many projects struggle to find an audience amidst the ever-growing library. But Arcane broke through the noise thanks to a smart creative approach, a committed team of artists, and by creating a truly unique world.

Though this second journey into the world of Arcane lacks the focus and restraint that made the first season stand out, it still stands alone as a shining example of what is possible in the genre. This may be the end of the line for the characters in this corner of Runeterra, but Netflix and Riot Games will be trying to replicate the success of Arcane for years to come.

USA • FRANCE | 2024 | 9 EPISODES | 2.35:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH

Cast & Crew

writers: Amanda Overton, Nick Luddington, Henry Jones, Graham McNeill, Kristina Felske, Giovanna Sarquis, Alex Yee & Christian Linke.
directors: Arnaud Delord, Bart Maunoury, Pascal Charrue, Etienne Mattera, Marietta Ren & Christelle Abgrall.
voices: Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, Kevin Alejandro, Katie Leung, Toks Olagundoye, Harry Lloyd, Reed Shannon, Mick Wingert, Ellen Thomas, Brett Tucker, Amirah Vann, Earl Baylon, Robbie Daymond, Ashley Holliday & Minnie Driver.