For a long time, video game adaptations were considered shallow cash grabs that leveraged the game’s popularity without delivering substance. That perception changed in 2021, when Riot Games and Fortiche Productions set out to create the Arcane TV series based on their most popular game, League of Legends. The show was a critical success—winning multiple awards and captivating both avid fans and non-players. In just nine episodes, Riot’s excellent storytelling and Fortiche’s stunningly beautiful animation proved that video game adaptations can become truly compelling works of art.
Fast forward to 2024, Arcane returns for a much-awaited second and final season. The simmering animosity between twin cities Piltover and Zaun has fully erupted into an all-out war. As Zaun responds to oppression with terror, Piltover grapples with a foreign totalitarian takeover. Be prepared to say goodbye to Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, and the rest of the beloved Arcane cast as they pick up the pieces of their breaking world.
It’s safe to say that Arcane: Season 2 has successfully recaptured the magic of its first season, with each of the nine episodes rating above a 9.0 on IMDb and yet another nomination for Best Adaptation in the coveted Game Awards.
Paint the town blue
Arcane’s world of Runeterra is littered with nations deadset on wiping each other off of the map, and the plight between Piltover and Zaun display this grim fate well. A sense of duality can be felt by viewers while watching, as the portrayal of polarity is evidently intertwined with its characters. In its second installment, the writers did not cut corners in displaying what lengths the characters will go to forge their own paths, blurring the lines between heroism and villainy.
Despite the amazing world-building of the series, this season seemed to have struggled with pacing. While Acts I and II delivered a literary masterclass in building tension and setting the stage for the inevitable clash between the warmongering Noxian empire and the dual city-states, Act III leaves a lot to be desired. With the exception of Episode 7, the few breadcrumbs that viewers feast their eyes upon is still not enough to make up for the sudden—and arguably forced—climax. Noxus’ attempt to conquer Piltover and weaponize the man-made magic of Hextech, the series’ Macguffin, feels underdeveloped.
Inconsistency aside, one particular aspect that deserves praise is Fortiche and Riot’s meticulousness in displaying the humanity in their characters. There is no Mary Sue among the cast as they all had their own faults—Vi was prone to ignorance, Caitlyn was consumed by vengeance, and even figures like Jayce, Viktor, and Heimerdinger were blinded by pride despite their good intentions.
Season two especially shines in its execution of fan-favorite League character, Ekko. The video game giant and French animation studio spared zero quarter in giving one of the best storylines to the young firelight from Zaun, who displayed what it means to truly be a hero. Drawing inspiration from the Spider-Verse series of films, Ekko’s subplot simultaneously weaves tragedy, romance, and redemption. Even when presented with an alternate timeline where everything goes his way, Ekko still chose to return to his own world in the hopes of saving everyone he cared for—despite losing everything for himself.
Watch it all burn
Arcane has always been a playground of twists and turns. Following the aftermath of Jinx’s attack, the cast finds themselves pulling switcheroos as they reevaluate their loyalties and the values they once held so dearly. Much like the now-eerie rendition of its iconic opening, some of the characters undergo a chilling transformation, quite literally becoming the Enemy they once despised. Vi embodied this trope after she joined forces with the wardens of topside, the people responsible for the death of her parents.
Though the tides have turned, Arcane revisits Viktor’s words from the previous season: “In pursuit of great, we failed to do good.” What follows is a snowball of events spiraling into an amalgamation of greater forces, posing a threat far beyond the life of the cast. Heimerdinger’s warnings about the dangers of fiddling with magic come full circle as the arcane’s destructive power reaches its zenith. Albeit crammed into the nine-episode run, the stellar animation vividly captures the unfolding chaos. As the conflict between the two cities rages on, it is soon overshadowed by the mystical force that looms over them both.
In the storm of it all, however, the League series intricately explores themes of love and loss by drawing parallels among the characters. Even after Vi concedes that her beloved Powder is lost to her, her deeply buried sisterhood with Jinx remains ever-present. Similarly, the once inseparable duo of Jayce and Viktor cross paths once again as they grapple with the consequences of Hextech despite their diverging ideals. The series unapologetically shows the characters in their most vulnerable states—moments filled with passion and warmth, offering viewers a glimpse of what could have been.
But alas, Arcane has always been a tale of tragedy. Juxtaposed with the emotional bonds of its characters, every episode puts and leaves you on the edge of your seat, fully aware of what’s at stake.
In a league of their own
As the dust settles in Piltover and Zaun, it’s clear that season two of Arcane once again knocks it out of the rift. Thanks in no small part to Fortiche, who continue to blow the animation industry out of the water with their jaw-dropping animation. This, coupled with the stellar performances from Ella Purnell, Hailee Steinfeld, and the other voice actors, creates a recipe for one of the best shows in recent memory. But what truly makes Arcane generational is its writing—an incredibly compelling story of love, loss, and political intrigue that sinks its hooks in the viewers and refuses to let go. Top to bottom, Arcane is a masterpiece lovingly crafted by those who really paid respect to its source material.
While it’s time to bid farewell to Caitlyn, Ekko, and the rest of the cast, it’s only the beginning for Riot. During season two’s production, the game developer acquired a significant share of Fortiche, setting their fictional worlds up for a larger push into the multimedia space. Showrunner Christian Linke teased that Arcane is only the first of a series of projects with the production studio, with another already in development. For fans of Runeterra, regions Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia have been hinted as possible sites for future projects.
Arcane: Season 2 marks the series finale for the cult classic, signaling the end of a beloved story that has captured the hearts of millions worldwide. It has somehow managed to catch lightning in a bottle twice, breathing fresh air into a genre of animation that desperately needs it. In an era where consistent animation is often unseen, Riot and Fortiche defied the odds and proved to the world that they’re in a League of their own.
