The highly anticipated sophomore and final season of Arcane sees the war between Piltover and Zaun escalating to dire new circumstances, with both personal and political conflicts being hinted at in the season’s unique introduction, once again accompanied by Imagine Dragons & JID's "Enemy." Following Arcane season 1's shocking ending, Jinx (Ella Purnell) is the crux of the impending final battles, driving the armed conflict as well as the emotional storylines. Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) can't let go of her sister no matter how much she might like to; Caitlyn (Katie Leung) is emboldened by a newfound hatred for Jinx.
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Meanwhile, characters like Mel (Toks Olagundoye) and Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) are more embroiled than ever in the politics of keeping Piltover from tipping over into chaos; but Jayce also shares storylines of otherworldly discoveries with his friend Viktor (Harry Lloyd) and newfound ally Ekko (Reed Shannon). Ultimately, no one in Arcane's cast can escape the profound power and burdens falling upon them, pushing their arcs in new directions. Arcane is nothing if not an artistic masterpiece, and the musical intro allows the creators a minute to foreshadow the remainder of the series in a less literal fashion.
The New Arcane Intro Shows Vi & Caitlyn Clashing, Jinx Becoming A Leader & Mel Fearing Becoming Her Mother
Arcane Season 2's Conflict Drives Vi Further Apart From Jinx & Caitlyn While Bringing Mel Closer To Understanding Her Family
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The new intro again begins with a shot of Vi and Jinx back-to-back, reestablishing the fraught relationship that is at the center of the story. Vi wipes away the "VI" tattoo on her face; Jinx makes a handgun gesture. Their standoffish attitude towards each other is just one interpersonal conflict illustrated in the sequence, as Vi and Caitlyn, the subjects of a burgeoning romantic subplot, are seen literally running into each other and ricocheting off one another.
Vi erases her own name, Caitlyn appears distressed with her head in her hands, and Jinx wields a flag.
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As the series carries on, the sisters are almost past the point of aggravated fights, moving into acceptance, while Vi and Caitlyn's relationship buckles under external developments. Yet all three young women are dealing with issues of identity and responsibility; Vi erases her own name, Caitlyn appears agitated with her head in her hands, and Jinx wields a flag. In season 2, Vi feels more and more like she can't help anyone, Caitlyn is thrust into a volatile leadership role while dealing with terrible grief, and Jinx becomes a symbol among the people of Zaun.
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The intro also shows shadowy hands reaching for Mel, symbolizing the mounting danger of her work and enemies closing in around her, while her mother lounges on a couch. Later, Mel is depicted screaming in frustration, before the shot backs out to show her sitting upright, apparently distressed, sitting on the couch where her mother was before. In Arcane's final stretch, Mel continues to advocate for as peaceful of a resolution as possible — but as Ambassador Medarda (Ellen Thomas) gains more influence, Mel is forced to reckon with her vicious mother's past.
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Jayce & Viktor Make Discoveries In The New Intro, While Ekko Remains The Most Focused Character In Arcane
Jayce, Viktor, & Ekko Are All A Part Of Arcane Season 2 Storylines About The Boundaries Of Science & Magic
Jayce is seen much less frequently in the new intro, holding his hand up to shield himself from a blinding light. As quickly becomes clear in the second season, Jayce is working towards more discoveries about the Arcane and the lasting ramifications of what he has been doing his entire life. Viktor's arc of becoming only more mysteriously powerful is foreshadowed by his enigmatic presence in the intro — he reaches for a mask, is shrouded in a cloak, and reads from a glowing book.
Both he and Jayce have been tampering with the arcane for years and are now delving into untold depths of this force.
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Interestingly, the transformations of Viktor's body in Arcane season 2 do not appear here yet. The intention may be to show a less literal version of Viktor, who, at heart, is one of the most intellectual and caring people in the show. However, both he and Jayce have been tampering with the Arcane for years and are now delving into untold depths of this force.
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The last major character shown in the new intro is Ekko, standing perfectly aligned with a beam of light before doing a flawless flip over it. This actually might be an intentional illustration of Ekko being the most grounded, focused character in Arcane, with a much clearer idea of what is doing and why than the rest. The intro always shows his movement happening in reverse for a moment, hinting at Ekko being able to travel back in time. Going forward, Ekko will continue to protect his people, with far fewer dilemmas than his peers, but no less complexity.
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Arcane Season 2's Intro Showcases New Magic, Conflicts & Inner Turmoil With A New Art Style
Arcane Season 2 Plays With Different Animation Styles As The Black Rose Enters The Story & The Emotional Stakes Are Higher Than Ever
Arcane season 2 delves into debates about forces that are beyond humanity's understanding in their entirety; relationships that are so complicated no one knows if they can be salvaged. Season 1's intro showed statuesque versions of the characters, decked out in their signature attire. The new intro is much more fluid, as they are the standard iterations of their animated renderings, surprisingly devoid of armor and gear (and in the cases where it can be seen, barefoot). It conveys a season that makes the characters even more vulnerable and alludes to how they will face this.
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Both the updated intro and the continued use of different animation styles in the main show, for elements such as musical sequences and explosions, show a new and volatile chapter taking shape. The arrival of the Black Rose in Arcane is a wild card, transforming the landscape into something even more tumultuous. On top of being a stellar series overall, Arcane boasted an entrancing intro in season 1 — a segment it leverages in season 2 to set the stage for deeper stories.
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100 9.4/10
Arcane
TV-14
Action
Adventure
Sci-Fi
Animation
Set in the League of Legends universe, Arcane focuses on sisters Violet and Powder (later Jinx) as they end up on opposite sides of a growing conflict between the wealthy utopia of Piltover and its dark undercity whose citizens wish to break away from their oppressors. Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, and Kevin Alejandro star in this animated adventure.
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
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*Availability in US
- Cast
- Hailee Steinfeld , Ella Purnell , Kevin Alejandro , Katie Leung , Jason Spisak , Toks Olagundoye , Harry Lloyd , JB Blanc , Reed Shannon , Mick Wingert
- Release Date
- November 6, 2021
- Seasons
- 2
- Franchise(s)
- League of Legends
- Directors
- Pascal Charrue , Arnaud Delord
- Showrunner
- Christian Linke , Alex Yee
