by Terrazel

November 25, 2024

Arcane season 2 ending is weak: Rushed, Naruto jutsu, no stakes

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Arcane season 2 ending is weak, falling flat, undoing much of the series’ carefully built momentum. A lot of spoilers are ahead, so brace yourself!

Despite having near-perfect scores on Rotten Tomatoes for two Acts straight, Act 3 of Arcane season 2 left many fans with more confusion and disappointment than closure. If you enjoyed the season, that’s fantastic! But here, we’ll explore why Arcane Season 2’s ending fell so short of expectations.

Arcane Season 2 raised far more questions than it could have the time to answer. It tries to resolve too many problems at once. The result? A rushed and cramped narrative filled with convenient plot and conflicts resolved with what can only be described as “Naruto talk no jutsu.”

This isn’t to say the season lacked its highlights. With stunning visuals, incredible soundtracks, and emotionally impactful moments, Arcane Season 2 remains a worthy watch. However, it could have been exceptional if more time had been spent fleshing out off-screen moments and character relationships that deserved deeper attention.

This is a long read, so buckle up, and feel free to share your thoughts in the comments—after all, this is just one fan’s perspective!

Arcane: The acclaimed game adaptation of League of Legends

Arcane has been praised for its stunning animation, storytelling, world-building, and character development, resonating with both casual viewers and long-time fans. Season 1 was a global phenomenon, setting expectations sky-high for Season 2. In many ways, Season 2 lives up to those expectations despite occasional pacing issues. However, the final act took an unexpected turn, leaving the fanbase deeply divided.

While a faction of viewers continue to praise Arcane for what it offers, others are left bewildered by a rushed conclusion that defies logic and undermines the buildup. This has even led some to label Arcane Season 2 as disappointing. In this article, we’ll explore the latter perspective.

What went wrong with Arcane Season 2: Narrative and pacing

Let’s start with the most glaring issue: Arcane Season 2 feels overwhelmingly rushed. Season 1 ended with Jinx’s explosive pentakill, setting the stage for an even crazier, more menacing Jinx in Season 2, and plenty of stories to explore before the next chapter’s conclusion. And yet, Season 2 introduces a retired Jinx, along with numerous side characters and intriguing possibilities, only to sideline them after just a few minutes of screen time, never to be revisited. Take Smeech, for example. The cyborg Yordle is a fascinating character with a unique design that deserves to be added as a champion in LoL. Yet his only scene is the one cut to make the teaser for Season 2—then he’s killed off in the same episode.

Act 1 maintains the focus on the story of the two sisters and the growing conflicts between the twin cities. Yet, by Act 2, their dynamic is sidelined in favor of rushing to resolve their problems while cramming in too many new elements and multiverse possibilities. Though this expands Riot’s universe, it harms the pacing. The final act feels less like a cohesive conclusion and more like a chaotic trailer for future shows, unsuccessfully juggling too many characters and storylines with limited screen time all at once.

Additionally, the season is plagued by logical inconsistencies, especially in the portrayal of the relationship between Piltover, Zaun, and between characters. Since they are all connected together, let’s explore these issues through each main story arc.

Jayce and Viktor

The start of Viktor’s arc is actually intriguing, especially when Jayce confronts and kills him along with the society he has built. This is a strong nod to the original in-game lore where Jayce comes to Zaun and destroys Viktor’s work to augment the human body. However, I had hoped for more explanation regarding Jayce’s determination to kill Viktor in Act 3. While we get some context, it feels disconnected and, in the end, illogical, at least to me.

At first, Jayce is shown as feared, angry, and willing to kill Salo, then Viktor. But later, when he’s face to face with Viktor in their astral forms, Jayce suddenly goes all soft and mushy about getting his partner back and reveals to Viktor that an older Viktor has gone through multiple timelines, giving up runes just to find a version of Jayce who can stop Viktor by showing him the aftermath of his Glorious Evolution. If Jayce’s goal was just to show Viktor what would happen, why did he have to resort to killing Viktor in the first place? Why not attempt to converse with Viktor from the start? After all, the latter peacefully welcomed Jayce, and then Jayce just one-shot Viktor with his hammer.

To be honest, when Jayce first returns and begins seeing distorted visions of people, I hoped that Viktor’s actions of curing people might be an illusion. And perhaps Jayce, influenced by the Arcane, was the only one able to see the true form of those “cured” by Viktor, which would explain why he was so quick and determined to off Salo. But in the end, it’s not the case. And the victims of Viktor’s power actually can be freed and return to normal. So why was Jayce so adamant in swinging his hammer?

Also, the revelation that old Viktor was the one who saved young Jayce from freezing to death only adds to the confusion. After all, Jayce was the reason of Piltover’s involvement with the arcane. Without him, Viktor would never have discovered Hextech or pursued his “Glorious Evolution.” So if Viktor wanted to prevent himself from becoming the Machine Herald, why did he save Jayce as a kid at all? And why didn’t he go back in time and stop his younger self from taking that path altogether?

Ekko and Heimerdinger

These two just mostly AFK the whole season. Where is Heimerdinger after Ekko returns to Piltover? Many viewer say he’s sacrificed himself so Ekko can return to his world. However, while we see Heimerdinger disappear, we never actually see him die. Until the end of the show, his death isn’t mentioned either.

Also, according to in-game lore, Yordles are immortal “spirits who generally take the appearance of mammalian bipeds.” This makes it highly likely that Heimerdinger is still alive—unless Riot decides to retcon Yordle lore. He might have respawned in Bandle City, which could pave the way for introducing other beloved Yordles like Tristana, Lulu, Corki, Teemo, and more. Alternatively, he could have been transported to another dimension, timeline, or reality, much like other events in the series.

As for Ekko, his arc in the alternate universe is compelling, though rushed. He conveniently appears just in time to stop a depressed Jinx from killing herself and manages to talk sense into her. Despite being absent for a long time, he’s somehow up to speed with the Noxian fight and know exactly what the objectives are to stop Viktor. Also, his ulti has no cooldown. He can just spam it endlessly and the consequences only shows if he goes back more than four seconds.

Mel and the Black Rose

Mel’s mana pool is a question. One moment, she’s out of breath; the next, she’s fighting like a seasoned sorcerer. Her story and the Black Rose subplot should have been saved for another season to explain what the Black Rose is, give Mel more time to develop as a magic wielder, and focus on the main problems between the two cities. It’s understandable that the devs want to use her story to link the show to Noxus. However, it results in her rushed story that makes little sense: Mel’s assistant is killed, she herself is kidnapped, and tricked by a Black Rose sorcerer posing as her brother. While this is meant to help trigger her powers, it’s hard to believe she’d trust her kidnapper and turn against her mother, despite their differences.

Mel is then shown trying to convince Ambessa multiple times but fails. And when she does, she triggers the necklace to summon the Black Rose sorcerer to kill her mother. Despite their differences, isn’t Ambessa still her mother, who sacrificed her son to protect Mel? And how reliable are the words of the Black Rose sorcerer, claiming Ambessa saw Mel only as a weapon? The show attempts to portray Mel as a smart, self-reliant woman who isn’t easily manipulated by anyone, including Ambessa and the Black Rose sorcerer, by letting her kill the sorcerer. But this raises another question: How can Mel defeat a seasoned sorcerer so quickly after awakening her powers, while the sorcerer, who has practiced magic far longer, dies so easily?

Ambessa

Ambessa, the newly and gloriously introduced champion, is killed off too quickly, despite her promising potential and her role as the mastermind behind the fallout of the twin cities. Her death feels more like a plot device to check off the box of in-game champions dying. And what’s even more frustrating is that Ambessa, a seasoned warrior, struggles to overpower Caitlyn in their knife-pushing scene, despite being far stronger. It’s hard to believe, considering Ambessa has fought in wars all her life, while Caitlyn has been much more pampered. Cait does have some buffs and protection from Mel, but Ambessa struggles even before her daughter shields Cait’s eye from her mother’s knife.

Speaking of Mel’s buffing Cait, what are the Noxian soldiers doing? It’s understandable if they don’t want to interfere when Cait is 1v1ing Ambessa, but once Mel joins the fight with her magic, why does no one step in to keep the battle fair? It feels like the 2016 World of Warcraft movie’s Mak’gora all over again, where one party cheats, and the audience seems indifferent. Plus, Noxus is a military power, so it’s strange that aside from Ambessa and her lieutenant, no one else has the runes to absorb magic or knows how to handle a mage.

Jinx

Jinx’s character in Arcane Season 2 takes a sharp turn that feels both abrupt and unearned. Her mental illness seems to disappear, transforming her from an erratic, violent criminal into an almost harmless Powder who even cares for a child. Her recovery arc feels rushed, with the mass murderer who once killed without hesitation stopping her spree, thinking straight, and listening to Ekko’s reasoning. This pivotal conversation, however, happens off-screen, and viewers just have to accept that she’s a tragic protagonist without understanding what Ekko said to pull her from suicidal thoughts and reignite her will to protect the twin cities. It’s jarring, especially since Ekko’s reasoning didn’t work before, when they were still friends.

Throughout Season 2, the show seems to try to justify Jinx’s past atrocities through her healing relationship with Isha, her troubled childhood, and her mental illness. But can these factors truly excuse her actions? Does her tragic backstory undo the innocent lives she’s taken? How can someone who’s killed so many be allowed to recover, while countless others turned into beehives because of her gun? Her saying, “I didn’t know your mom was there,” doesn’t bring Caitlyn’s mother back. And Cait’s mom isn’t her only victim. So that line really doesn’t absolve her sins.

Jinx’s fakeout death doesn’t help, either. It’s even hinted that’s she’s still alive in the show itself:

• A a shimmer-purple streak moves away from the explosion.
• Caitlyn smiles as she sees the Hexgate schematics’ ventilation shafts that Jinx could have escaped into.
• The final scene with a blimp flying away, echoing Powder’s past when she dreamed of riding in one. It’s then followed by Jinx’s erratic perspective.

While it may please her fans, this just makes her sacrifice for Vi feel lackluster. Understandable that this is a way for Jinx to die, for Powder to live, for Vi and Cait to move on, and for Piltover and Zaun finally find peace. However, Jinx’s actual death could have served as a far more powerful redemption arc with far greater impact.

And then there’s the physics—how does a massive, heavy mechanical Vander/Warwick hanging from Jinx’s legs not tear her apart as Vi struggles to pull her up? Shouldn’t the opposing forces already rip her in two? And since we all know Jinx escapes and is still alive, how does she free herself from Vander’s grip and make it into the vent? “She has shimmer,” some might argue, but unless she can jump off the air, it simply wouldn’t be possible. In fact, it shouldn’t be possible at all, since she shouldn’t have been able to escape Warwick’s grip in the first place.

Vi

Vi’s story starts strong with her enduring immense suffering while keeping her kind heart. However, her reconciliation with Jinx feels rushed, and the narrative loses coherence. Vi constantly shifts her stance, caught between her relationships with Jinx and Cait without having any clear goal of her own, as if her entire existence depends on them. She recognizes Jinx is too dangerous and even tells Cait to shoot her if necessary. Yet after breaking up with Cait over Jinx, many pit fights, follow up with a quick slap and punch, the bond of Vi and Jinx is healed. Vi undergoes a complete 180, shifting from being incredibly wary of Jinx to trusting her enough to believe her claim that Vander is back from the dead.

Despite knowing little about Vander’s resurrection or why he’s now half-wolf, Vi teams up with Jinx. It’s hard to believe she’s truly over all the chaos Jinx has committed, particularly since it’s what made her say, “My sister is gone.” And yet, even after Jinx tried to kill her and her teammates multiple times, Vi accepts Jinx back with just a few questions, a few eye rolls, and very little hesitation, trusting her words enough to drop her guard when an enraged wolf-man lunges at her.

Then, when Vi learns that the Enforcers have jailed Jinx, she lashes out at Cait, as if Cait is to blame for the Enforcers imprisoning a mass murderer. She then goes on to free Jinx from her holding cell, only to later sleep with Cait in the same cell in a fan service moment, despite Jinx being on the run.

Two seasons, and it’s Ekko who brings out the good in Jinx despite their scarce interactions throughout the show. Meanwhile, Vi, who is Jinx’s sister and supposed to have a much deeper connection—fails to understand Jinx. As her conversation with Cait reveals, Vi once again, thinks that she’s an idiot for trusting Jinx. Only to team up with Jinx later on, again. If Vi had more time to develop her feelings, this might work. However, without that time, it feels like she’s simply being tossed from one situation to another, serving the plot without any deeper purpose.

Caitlyn and Maddie

Driven by revenge for her mother’s murder, Caitlyn’s hatred towards the Zaunites and, especially, Jinx began to brew. During the strike, Caitlyn and Vi clash over Jinx, causing the two Enforcers to fall apart. Caitlyn becomes Piltover’s military dictator, a puppet of Ambessa, and romantically involved with Maddie from the strike team. Her thirst for vengeance peaks—until it suddenly doesn’t. After a single “Cupcake” from Vi, Caitlyn betrays Ambessa, even fighting alongside Jinx, the very person who killed her mother and sparked her hatred towards the Zaunites.

This abrupt shift feels jarring. Surrounded by people who despise Zaunites and Ambessa’s hostile counsel, Caitlyn’s vengeance and hatred could only be reinforced. How could a single word change everything? If “Cupcake” can soften a dictator’s heart, why didn’t Vi’s earlier pleas have the same impact? It’s possible that while she spends time under Ambessa’s influence, Caitlyn slowly realizes the wrongs in her ways, but this shift definitely needs more time and more exploration.

And, of course, Maddie has to be a traitor planted by Caitlyn’s side, because how else could Arcane Season 2’s limited episodes justify the fact that Vi and Caitlyn sleep together in Jinx’s holding cell while Caitlyn is still in a relationship with Maddie-the-rebound? Cait did mention, “I saw someone else while you were gone,” which could imply that she and Maddie are no longer together. But honestly, with Arcane season 2’s pacing speeding like Usain Bolt, even if they did break up, it still comes across as incredibly rushed.

Also, Cait completely forgives Jinx after their brief time of alliance in Zaun and after Jinx says she didn’t mean to kill Cait’s mother. Just because Jinx didn’t know Cait’s mom was there doesn’t excuse the lives she took. Two other council members also died that day. But of course, Cait now “understands” Jinx. By the end, she’s even relieved to find that Jinx is likely still alive.

Caitlyn’s strike team: Maddie, Loris, and the green guy whose name I don’t even remember

Honestly, I expected much more from this team. They have a whole teaser! And yet, they only embark on one mission together, with little explanation as to why they were chosen. Other than Maddie, discussed earlier in relation to Caitlyn, the strike team is largely ignored, with only brief cameos until the final episode, where the big guy Loris dies protecting Piltover. The camera zooms in on him, but since he’s barely developed, the scene falls flat, attempting to tug at viewers’ hearts but missing the mark.

As for the green guy, his impressive appearance hints at a Bilgewater connection, yet nothing about him or Bilgewater is explored. His key moment comes when he runs through the battlefield to plant a bomb on Viktor’s shell, losing his mask in the process while surrounded by toxic fumes. He could have looted a mask from a fallen Enforcer to survive, or, if he hadn’t, his death could have raised the stakes—but he lives, bows to the Zaunites, and is never mentioned again.

Honestly, Season 2 feels more like a collection of flashy champion cinematics than the deeply developed narrative that made Season 1 such a masterpiece where every character matters.

The relationship between Piltover and Zaun

Zaun and Piltover’s dynamics are largely overlooked. The deep inequality and oppression Zaun faces due to Piltover’s actions, the consequences of Piltover’s research on Zaun, the conflicts between technology, humanity, and magic aren’t fully explored. By the end, it’s almost ignored as the pacing rushes to pit the twin cities against Noxus. There must have been important agreements or negotiations for the Zaunites to side with Piltover, but nothing is shown in Season 2. If feels like all the important story beats all happen off-screen.

The sudden shift in which Zaun agree to ally with Piltover over Jayce’s words to protect the cities from Noxus feels unearned. The Pilties also inexplicably begin to respect the Zaunites, despite their long-standing hatred. Given the twin cities’ animosity, I wonder why Zaun didn’t just strike a deal with Ambessa and let Noxus destroy Piltover, finally freeing themselves from Piltover’s oppression.

Sevika’s sudden promotion to a council member feels jarring. While it’s clear the devs want to show the two cities attempting to work together despite their differences, the moment would have been more impactful if there had been more time to develop the events leading to her council seat. Her background as a Zaunite and lingering animosities could have been explored more thoroughly rather than relying on just a few scornful glares from the other council members.

Arcane season 2 ending has no stakes and no emotions

If you’ve read everything up until now, then perhaps you have seen my points why the ending feels like a collection of epic moments hastily strung together and framed to seem emotional. Arcane Season 2 features numerous character deaths, including Ambessa, Jayce, Viktor, and other Season 2 NPCs like Isha, Loris, and Maddie, along with obvious fakeout deaths for Jinx and Heimerdinger.

The rushed pacing and lack of confirmations for some deaths leave the audience with a sense of ambiguity. While this approach might pave the way for future stories and leave room for potential character comebacks, it undermines the emotional impact and depth the ending should have delivered, especially as the culmination of such a long and sentimental journey.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Christian Linke recently revealed in an interview with Necrit that some characters aren’t dead after all. And others, who are supposedly deceased, might return in future shows. So, the only ones who truly die are a new champion players haven’t had time to connect with emotionally and some NPCs that only show up in Arcane Season 2. Here’s what Linke confirmed about the fate of the “dead” characters:

• Viktor will return in later shows
• Heimerdinger is not dead and other characters might come back to life

So, like, really, no one truly dies. We see Vander, dead for years, reappeared as Warwick, so there’s really nothing stopping Ambessa from making a comeback. With the creators openly admitting that characters might return, the bittersweet realities of war in Arcane feel completely undermined, leaving little to no emotional impact at all.

The beautiful moments in Arcane Season 2

The flashbacks involving Silco, Vander, Vi, and Jinx’s mother effectively deepen the emotional complexity of the story, shedding more light on the intricate relationships between the characters. The reunion between Vander, Vi, and Jinx is particularly poignant and emotional. And the “Remember me” scene is a powerful tearjerker, beautifully illustrated and accompanied by music that conveys the many layers of Vander’s life, feelings, and memories. And when Vander once again confronts the loss of his humanity, Fortiche brilliantly portrays his despair with the striking imagery of his lava tears, as he realizes he has reached the point of no return.

The alternate reality with Ekko and Jinx is both heartbreaking and beautiful, and it fits so well with the phrase “I love you in every universe.” It also opens up a wealth of possibilities for the multiverse and hints at what may lie ahead in future shows.

Also, Singed and Orianna’s backstories are well-developed, despite their limited screen time. Singed, in particular, is given more depth, with impactful lines that transform him from a mere mad scientist into a more complex character. In the end of Arcane Season 2, Singed is the true winner here. He’s the only one with a truly happy ending as he has accomplished all his goals, especially the one to bring his daughter back to life in her augmented form. And, he doesn’t have to suffer any loss. At least, not in Arcane.

Conclusion

In their rush to explore new regions of Runeterra, the developers accidentally weakened their own masterpiece. However, Arcane Season 2 is still enjoyable overall. And while I have criticisms of the finale, I continue to love the show as a whole. Season 1 was near perfect, and although Season 2 isn’t as strong, it still has its moments. I would rate Arcane Season 2 a 6 or 7/10. After all, many issues could have been addressed if given enough screen time.

But in the end, it’s important to remember that Riot isn’t a professional movie-making company. Yet, Arcane is a massive success regarding game adaptation. With time, they may improve in resolving the conflicts introduced while continuing to hint at the exploration of new regions in future seasons.

Arcane Season 2 FAQ

Arcane Season 2 ending explained. Here are some answers to questions you might have about who dies and who lives when the show arrives at its conclusion: