Arcane Review, Lore, and More
2021, while starting off slow, picked up the pace in the nerdy media with amazing films, shows, and games. Amongst such shows is the popular Netflix series Arcane, a heart-grippingly epic adventure based on the characters and setting of gaming studio Riot’s world-renowned MOBA (multiplayer online battle area) game League of Legends.
Arcane dropped on Netflix on November 6th, streaming on both Riot’s official twitch stream as well as the streams of popular content creators all over the world. It has received overwhelmingly positive reviews, beating the ratings of popular Korean drama Squid Game and taking over as the streaming service’s number one spot as the most watched show. With a score of 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and 9.3/10 on IMDb, this comes as no surprise. The show received high praise for the art style which was a mix of 3D animation with hand drawn effects, characters and their development, the world-building, soundtrack, as well as the performances from the talented voice cast. Arcane’s first season went so well that Riot announced a second season almost immediately following the release of the show’s final act on November 20th. Suffice to say, the show is amazing and well worth the time to watch.
It is an enthralling tale that centers around a handful of wonderfully developed characters canon in the League of Legends universe and thus became an instant favorite amongst avid, loyal fans as well as curious newcomers unfamiliar with the game, emphasizing the work of Riot’s stellar creative team in hooking eager viewers. It is by far the best rated video game adaptation series to date, but those who have yet to watch it have to ask- what is Arcane? Fair warning, some spoilers ahead (but seriously, everyone should have seen it by now)!
As mentioned before, the show is based around the characters and world introduced in League of Legends. Set in the fictional world of Runeterra, the region of focus for the show is Piltover, divided actually in two cities- the City of Progress, home to the upper class, the wealthy and powerful; and the Undercity, home to the oppressed, the less fortunate and struggling, which would later become recognized as its own independent city called Zaun. League fans will recognize some characters instantly while watching the show, but for those that are not gamers, here’s a list of characters to note- fair warning, spoilers ahead.
Caitlyn, a young aristocrat who took on the coat of arms in the side of law and justice; Jayce, the shining star of Piltover who aims to revolutionize progress in technology for both cities; Viktor, a genius who, although is stricken with an incurable illness at a young age, would herald progress in hextech with the goal to enhance life indefinitely; Singed, an unconventional resident chemist of the undercity whose methods go beyond humane; Heimerdinger, the founder of Piltover and an era-defining genius in his own right whose naivety would push his greatest students to bypass his ideals and beliefs; Ekko, a street kid with a penchant for time management who would grow to be a beacon of hope for the citizens of Zaun; and lastly, Warwick, the Hound of the Undercity who was once a former criminal trying to be a good man until tragedy strikes and turns him into a monster. That’s a lot of characters! How can anyone pack all of that depth in nine episodes?! Truthfully, one hardly sees these descriptions fulfilled to their fullest extent; instead, this season gives viewers a taste of every characters’ backstory and leaves them wondering with eager anticipation of what will happen next in their chaotic journey.
While all of these characters have captivating subplots, the main story follows the two sisters Vi, a brash young woman who answers with her fists more than her words; and Powder, an adorably precocious youth who would grow to become the popular and feared marksman in the LoL game- Jinx, the Loose Cannon and chaos incarnate (woops, spoilers). Powder/Jinx and Vi- tragedy falls on the two heroines when they become separated by a series of unfortunate circumstances that not only kills off their family but forces them to go toe-to-toe with one another on opposite sides of the shadowy war between Piltover and Zaun. Vi would go to great lengths to reunite with her sister after years of separation due to imprisonment while Jinx would fall deeper into insanity due to the trauma of the terrible things she has done unintentionally in her youth. Meanwhile, deeper plots unfold behind the scenes that introduce the coming of a new age of technology and magic within the two cities which would be introduced to the world as Hextech. While originally innovated to save lives and make living on Piltover prosperous, hextech takes on a forebodingly far deadlier design when the dangers of such revolutionary technology come into play in the wrong hands. As this is happening, down below in the undercity, an ominously luminescent biochemical component Shimmer surfaces through trade from a shadowy group that aims to help the people of Zaun gain power over their Piltover oppressors, augmenting the mortal body beyond physical limits at the cost of sanity and free will. With hextech and shimmer sifting through the seams of the political struggle for power, they effectively destroy the already crumbling ties between the two cities and start a new civil war by the end of the season. It becomes a symbol of the inevitable wedge between two forces similar to a Vi and Jinx’s relationship.
That’s a lot to take in, right? Fear not. Riot and Fortiche did an excellent job in gracefully portraying each individual as well as intelligently depicting the world-building around them without over-explaining any of it. Which means it is very easy to follow and enchanting to watch from start to finish. This decision leaves room for fans to interpret and enjoy the ride of each scene with a realistic and open-minded approach.
In celebration of Arcane’s successful release, Riot has collaborated with several other groups with new content, merchandise, and events. To name some off these…the popular MOBA Fortnite released Jinx as a new playable character, complete with a new skin as well as skill set unique to the character to match her in the series; gourmet chocolate franchise Compartes released two new flavors named after the sisters- Jinx, a swirl of strawberry and matcha to match the color scheme of her chaotic and deadly use of explosives, and Vi, dark chocolate covered in 24 karat gold (edible, of course) that really packs a punch (pun intended); and most notably Secret Cinema, a live experience event that brings the world of Zaun to Los Angeles for a limited time where attendees can become a citizen of the undercity, join a gang and perform tasks, as well as interact with the iconic characters of the show! For more info on all of this, check out the links below and remember to stay KindaGeeky!
Sources:
Season One Spoiler-Free Review
https://baylorlariat.com/2021/11/29/spoiler-free-review-of-netflixs-arcane-season-1/
Official Riot-Arcane site
https://riotxarcane.riotgames.com/
Arcane Official Netflix Trailer
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fXmAurh012s
Fortnite Collaboration with Riot to Bring Jinx to the game
https://www.epicgames.com/fortnite/en-US/news/from-league-of-legends-and-arcane-jinx-brings-her-aura-of-anarchy-to-fortnite
COMPARTÉS chocolates featuring Arcane’s Jinx and Vi
https://compartes.com/products/league-of-legends-chocolate-bar-jinx-swirl
Secret Cinema - Arcane: Enter the Undercity
https://tickets.secretcinema.org/arcane/