Warning: This review contains spoilers for Act 2 of Arcane’s season 2 (Episodes 4-6)
Overwhelming grief.
A family reformed.
I don’t think anything could have prepared me for this arc. After the emotional onslaught of Act 1, I was excited and terrified to open Netflix on Nov. 16.
However, Act 2 was worth the anticipation.
With its intricate backgrounds, fleshed-out character designs and amazing animation, each frame was a work of art that could easily have a spot in a museum. I could feel each character’s emotion in every scene, forcing me to the edge of my seat, my breath catching during every high-stakes fight scene.
Act 2 was more of a transformational stage for each character than Act 1. From Caitlyn becoming a “dictator ” to Vi becoming a professional boxer and Jinx raising an orphan, I felt mixed emotions watching them embrace their newfound roles. Although these roles were important to their character growth, it was hard to see them change.
The act drops us in the middle of the martial law taking place in Zaun which adds fuel to the political tensions in the Zaun-Piltover conflict. Backdropped with the catchy song “Paint the Town Blue,” Zaunites and Jinx supporters are shown fighting back against the law. Amidst the chaos, the focus on the relationship between Jinx and Isha pleasantly surprised me. Watching Jinx become more mellowed out and treat Isha like a little sister was a pivotal change. Since Jinx is usually defined by her unstable mental state and impulsiveness, their relationship heals Jinx’s wounds of the past and perfectly shows her character growth.
While Jinx was playing the big hero and “busted half of Zaun out of Stillwater,” Vi starts to lose herself the more she spends countless nights in the boxing ring. She’s so consumed by her grief that she starts to look unrecognizable. She takes on a new, dark look sporting black, “oil-slick” hair with messily-applied face paint to match. While it was difficult to see her battle loneliness, I loved that Arcane explored a different side of her, adding more to her character than in “League of Legends.” It perfectly represented her downward spiral from losing Caitlyn and her sister Jinx.
Vi and Jinx’s reunion was highly anticipated and exciting, but it felt slightly rushed. Act 2 could have delved more into their acknowledgment of their trauma instead of including it in one throw-away line. Nonetheless, I loved how the three of them started to grow close and become a family with the addition of Vander.
Since his supposed death back in season one, the last thing I expected was Vander making a comeback revived as Warwick. It was surreal to see him interact with Vi and Jinx again as adults. I feel Vander’s connection with Vi, who has grown and changed since his death, was extra special since they were so close. It made the scene of them reuniting even more moving.
I think Vi and Jinx deciding to go to Viktor about healing Vander was an interesting choice since they had never met before, but it was a good opportunity to introduce all the characters to each other. It also serves as a chance to see the full extent of Viktor’s powers. And oh boy, I understand why he started a cult now. The realm where he lives is vast, beautiful and celestial. Viktor takes on a god-like persona, unburdening him from the struggles he faced in his previous life. It also serves as a reflection of his conscience. He resides there alongside Sky, his late lab assistant. His scenes with her are so painful because it’s clear how ashamed he feels about her death. I felt that her presence in his realm was a tool to soothe his guilt.
Seeing Jinx and Viktor interacting for the first time after one full season and one act was insanely weird, yet they complement each other very well. In my mind, they are from two completely different universes due to how distinct their characters are, which is another example of Arcane’s remarkable writing. I was heavily entertained watching them match each other’s sass; they were an iconic duo.
Transitioning to what is going on Topside, Caitlyn is declared the new leader of Piltover, replacing the previous governing body, the Council. She made a lot of choices that felt very rooted in classist ideals, which is something she was super against in season one. However, I was glad to see her redeem herself in episode eight. It was refreshing to see a female character written in such a complex way, and although some of Caitlyn’s actions hurt to watch, she doesn’t deserve the amount of hate she is getting from the fandom.
It was also intriguing to see how Caitlyn and Ambessa interact. Ambessa is a very complex character because she is portrayed as a ruthless, cunning warrior and a mother who often worries about her daughter, Mel. She serves as a mentor figure to Caitlyn and shapes her into a more cutthroat leader.
Like her mother, Mel is also written as a complicated character. It’s revealed that Ambessa once sired a child with magical powers born to be a weapon, which happened to be Mel. All of this led to Mel’s arc being one of the most surprising. Her alliance with the Black Rose against her mother and her manifestation of new power was unexpected and kept me anxiously guessing what would happen next.
Besides the beautifully intricate graphics that blessed my screen, the Arcane soundtrack perfectly elevated each episode and complimented the character’s stories. I think incorporating songs sung in languages other than English was a really nice addition. They honestly moved me more than the songs in English due to how well-produced they are, such as “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” and “Isha’s Song.”
Overall, this act exceeded my expectations since it delved deeper into each character and I became even more attached to their different storylines. It sent me on a rollercoaster, laughing in one scene and crying in the next. I was thrilled yet terrified by all the shocking developments that took place during these episodes. I’m super eager to see how this iconic series will wrap up, as many plot points still need to be covered and squeezed in the last three episodes.
I guess I’ll wait to see for myself.
