Overview of Arcane Season 2
As with season 1, Netflix is releasing season 2 of Arcane in three-episode “acts” every Saturday between November 9 and November 23.
The first season of Arcane was a masterpiece, a work of unparalleled animation and cinematography, with great characters and a poignant story that built a unique and lived-in world whether you recognized all the League of Legends references or not. Expectations are sky-high for the follow-up, and – based on the first six episodes, at least – it seems that lightning can strike twice. Acts I and II of Arcane season 2 build on everything that was great about season 1. Yes, this is still one of the best shows around, animated or otherwise.
If the first season was about the brewing conflict between the citizens of Piltover and the years of oppression that led to animosity and hatred, then the first two-thirds of this season are an all-out war. Lines are drawn and the escalates with each episode, showing how a leadership that chooses brutality leads to a radicalized populace. Arcane continues to pack a whole lot of plot into a short amount of time, with several storylines affecting the whole of Piltover – even reaching beyond the city’s boundaries this timex.
Character Development in Arcane Season 2
The story remains centered on its characters and their individual arcs, which keeps these episodes from feeling too overstuffed or overwhelming. Hailee Steinfeld gives a stellar performance, capturing Vi’s rage and vulnerability. In Steinfeld’s voice, you can hear Vi’s struggles to define her place in the conflict, and whether to ally with the very people that killed her parents or allow Jinx (Ella Purnell) to continue to torment others. Meanwhile, Caitlyn (Katie Leung) is forced to make some hard choices during difficult times, showing how hard it can be to maintain your ideals while also holding onto power. Leung is the MVP of the season’s first arc, portraying the subtle ways Caitlyn’s outlook has been impacted by her time in the Undercity, her time with Vi, and how they clash against a lifetime of prejudice and outside influences from the Noxians. Then there’s Jinx; Purnell’s performance continues to amaze thanks to the layers of conflict and grief it encompasses. Jinx undergoes the greatest transformation throughout Acts I and II as she becomes a symbol for Zaunian resistance, and must decide whether she’s a force of chaos or if she stands for anything or anyone.
Arcane’s Visual Spectacle and Action
As great as the story and the characters are, it’s the animation by studio Fortiche that continues to make Arcane a once-in-a-generation TV event. Not just in the action, but in the quieter moments of grief following the attack on the council: the way Caitlyn breaks down after bottling up so much pain and emotion, the subtleties of her facial expressions, her body language betraying her true feelings. This extends to the whole world of Arcane, with Fortiche applying live-action filmmaking techniques and influences to Arcane that make it unique among animated projects.
Still, this is a show full of action – which was exhilarating in season 1, and even more so in season 2. As Arcane takes us from street-level brawls to superpowered duels of titans (as more fan-favorite League of Legends champions enter the fold), the punches land harder, accompanied by the sound of bones crunching and bodies slamming on the hard ground. And yet, there’s also a fluidity of motion that captures the superhuman abilities and larger-than-life presence of many of the characters — particularly Jinx.
Arcane Season 2 Music and Worldbuilding
The tremendous leaps season 2 makes from season 1’s solid foundation are most noticeable with the music. Riot Games has a history of making music videos to promote their games; it’s part of what gives their characters and worlds a unique identity. While the first season of Arcane had a great soundtrack, this season is practically a musical. Though this can get distracting at times, a more inspired choice is the use of music to deliver exposition alongside cool visuals. This comes in handy because there’s not only a whole lot of plot to sift through, but even more worldbuilding, too – particularly surrounding the magic part of hextech and the consequences of messing with forces of nature, which expands Arcane’s horizons considerably.