The first part of Netflix and Riot Games’ new animated series Arcane took the world by storm. It gave us a look into the past of a few of our favorite champions and was artistically beautiful! While it focused heavily on Jinx (voiced by Ella Purnell) and Vi (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld), we also got the chance to see how Jayce (voiced by Kevin Alejandro) found himself on the path to greatness. Part one of Arcane kicked off beautifully, but how does part two rank? Does it live up to the expectations that have been set? Keep reading to find out!
DISCLAIMER: This review for Arcane contains spoilers for the first six episodes (parts one and two). If you haven’t gotten a chance to check out either, I highly suggest doing so here!
RELATED: Check out our review for Arcane part one!
Part two of Arcane takes us quite a few years into the future. The drastic change in tone can be felt right away. The first thing that struck me when we finally got the chance to see both the upper and lower regions of Piltover was how vastly different they are. Zaun has gone from that quiet, desolate feel to more of an underground nightclub light’s always-on attitude. But, it becomes clear that no matter how much it progresses, it is still being left behind by those above. This drastic change also plays well into the idea that Vander (voiced by JB Blanc) had always wanted a peaceful coexistence between them, while Silco’s view is that he wants to rival them and be something more. He has always been about power and that hasn’t changed.
What Arcane’s part two does well is showing off character growth. The events of part one had significant effects and we finally get the chance to see how those played out. Most notably, is how Jinx has grown. It is clear from the moment we see her that she has changed drastically. One, Jinx kicks major ass. Two, she is struggling with the loss of her sister and their friends. The way Fortiche and Purnell were able to bring Jinx’s trauma to life on screen is marvelous. You can feel and understand her pain of being left behind and constantly feeling like she was never good enough. Even when Silco (voiced by Jason Spisak) leaves her out of things, she finds a way to insert herself into the situation.
But, the character growth doesn’t stop there. We get the chance to see Jayce navigate this new world he has found himself in. Through his eyes, we can see just how corrupt the wealthier houses are and what has been going on. Watching him decide what path he is going to take and what matters most to him. We also get to see more of Viktor (voiced by Harry Lloyd) and explore his backstory and how it affects current events and future ones. I’m on the edge of my seat to see how the political scene of Piltover will play out in the third part of this story.
Finally, what I took away most from part two of Arcane, is Vi. Part one ended in such a dramatic way and we get the chance early on in part two to see how Jinx is handling everything. But, we have to wait to see how Vi is feeling. And while she isn’t as eccentric as her sister, you can see how the events have impacted her. And the idea that she has spent the last few years in jail being “kept safe” from Silco. Vi finds herself working with Caitlyn (voiced by Katie Leung) and the way they interact has quickly become one of my favorite things in Arcane. Seriously, I want Vi to call me cupcake. Plus, following Caitlyn’s investigation and how she navigates Zaun for the first time while also coming out of the shadow of her parents is delightful.
Just like with part one, part two ends on quite a cliffhanger and we have only three more episodes left in this series. Overall, part two was fantastic. It didn’t fall into the typical trope of being the middle section of a trilogy where you only get the journey. It has action and character growth that connects to part one and gives us ideas on what part three will bring. My prediction is that we are going to see a battle between Vi and Jinx before the final credits roll. I imagine that it will either be the climactic moment or right before the final fight of the series.
Arcane part two is available on Netflix now and part three will drop on November 20, 2021. What are your favorite moments from part two? Let us know in the comments below and on social media!
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Who I Am: A nerd by the strictest definition. I enjoy diving straight into my favorite fandoms without a care in the world. I live on video/board games, fantasy movies and TV, and all things geeky.
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