Video game adaptations have had a long history of failure. Many only reach an audience of the game’s players or fail to adapt the characters in a way that appeals to a broader audience. People were skeptical when Riot Games announced an animated series based on their hit game League of Legends in 2019. However, when the show was finally released in November 2021, it shocked the world with its beautiful animation, mature themes, and elaborate characters. The series quickly became Netflix’s most popular animated show, spurred tens of thousands to try League of Legends, and won multiple awards, including an Emmy.
The show’s success lies in the fact that the series stands on its own apart from the source material, enabling one to understand and enjoy the characters without having played League of Legends. The series is essentially a tale of sisters, Jinx and Vi, separated and trapped in vastly different environments. The city of Piltover is technologically advanced and prosperous, while the undercity of Zaun is impoverished and run by an ambitious crime boss. Jinx was separated from her sister Vi and left alone in Zaun as a child, while Vi was unjustly imprisoned in Piltover for seven years until her release for colluding with law enforcement. The first season chronicled Vi’s attempt to reunite with her sister despite being on opposite sides of a war brewing between the two cities. However, seven years in the undercity at the right hand of the crime boss has sent Jinx down a dark path, and the first season shows the events that set the war into motion.
Matthew Sasso ‘25 said, “The animation in the first season was incredible, but season two makes almost every frame a work of art. Every scene feels impactful, and I’m always on the edge of my seat because I’m so invested in these characters and where the plot will take them.”
The new season presents an ethical dilemma for some of the main cast to work through concerning the use of magical-powered superweapons in the war, as they spiral deeper into the dangerous realm of the arcane. Meanwhile, the sisters fight on opposing sides of the ongoing war involving even more factions this season than just the two cities. The commentary on classism and the evils of war displayed in the first season are amplified in this second, painting the heroes on both sides of the conflict in a more nuanced light. Every decision has consequences, creating a compelling and unpredictable plot that keeps viewers invested throughout.
Chase Greenspan ‘25 said, “The creativity in how they choreographed and animated the action scenes is unreal. There’s a fight in the second episode of season two that is insane and a spectacular feat of choreography and animation.”
With the final three episodes of the show releasing on the same day as this edition of The Loyalist, now is the time to give Arcane a chance if curious about the animation, story, or concept. This series has been nothing short of a masterclass of television, and the final three episodes are sure to give fans a thrilling conclusion that will solidify Arcane as one of the greatest Netflix originals of all time.
