A Mastery In Visual Storytelling - An Arcane Video Essay

What makes a good story great? Join me in diving into the amazing new animated series, Arcane, based on the League of Legends Games. This video essay & review of Arcane focuses on the how the series uses visual storytelling through act 1, act 2 and act 3, telling the story of Jinx, Vi, Silco, Caitlyn, Ekko and a large cast of characters over the course of several years through many episodes. I analyse and theorise some of the key moments in the series, including it's use of foreshadowing and metaphor. There are so many small details you could miss in Arcane, and I touch upon a few of them here.
If you want more Arcane content, like an Arcane review or Arcane reaction, please let us know in the comments. After all, Arcane Season 2 is confirmed with a teaser, so we aren't done with this world yet. What might happen next?
PATREON: / scottishyang
TWITTER: / xiaolongyt1
/ cenizacaer
INSTAGRAM: Littlesundragoncosplay
ceni_xo
Music in the Cait/Vi section:
Merry Go - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon...
Source: incompetech.com...
Artist: incompetech.com/
Royalty Free Music from Bensound

[@kellyxiaomedia]

The Caitlyn and Vi video is now live! kzbin.info/www/bejne/l6Wof5qKntCfrLc

[@maxmustermann-zx9yq]

still not really a video game adaption, like this has nothing to do with the experience of playing the video game, you could take pretty much any lore of any game and use it to create a good story LoL has the advantage of being a MP game with gameplay in the foreground and not a real story compare that to resident evil: single player, every game with a story, any kind of retelling is pointless rehashing and new stuff contradicts what the fans know about the universe

[@JJR93]

Guessin' this'll be y'all's next cosplay duo besides Bumbleby (Yang/Blake).....

[@sakattodesign9927]

i am really wondering what application they use to this cell shading? Unreal? Blender? Maya? Unity?

[@jk3jk35]

are you a fan of return of condor heroes?

[@nts4906]

A detail I haven't heard anyone spot is in episode 8, when Jayce and Vi break down the giant door to the shimmer factory a worker gets trapped underneath the giant, broken door. You can see his body briefly before Jayce poses heroically right in front of him. Jayce had already killed an 'innocent' person before the battle even started and he didn't even know it.

[@DarkCyberElf]

Good eye, and this element of Jayce's role is brought to the forefront in the form of Vi's dialogue when she tells him he's been involved long before he ever set foot in Zaun and unintentionally killed a kid. The moral lesson that our choices have consequences, regardless of the intent behind the, even if we're never made aware of the extent of them, is a hard lesson to swallow.

[@ClockMonsterLA]

Which of Silco's workers are we regarding as "innocent"? All of them?

[@basketballaholic_5818]

@@ClockMonsterLA I guess whoever doesn't fight? Actually let me rephrase that.. whoever doesn't fight GOOD? because the kid is innocent but fights against the enforcers to trigger the alarm and og course he's innocent I mean it's a child doing what their parents tell them so there might be more like them but there might also be some not like them

[@princessthyemis]

Wow! Never noticed that before!

[@ameliaw4987]

​@@ClockMonsterLA I don't know if innocent is the right word but certainly exploited

[@hustler3of4culture3]

At the moment that the rocket launches, Sting sings "whyyyyyyyyy, can't you love who I am" , is a moment that I can't undo in my mind. Great timing makes this scene such a work of visual art.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

The got the music so right with this series, but I think that scene and the bridge scene with Ekko are best examples of it, they really add to the mood of each moment

[@hustler3of4culture3]

@@kellyxiaomedia oh yeah the bridge is definitely an example of excellent visual story telling

[@noclue4108]

I know a paycheque is a paycheque, but, for some reason, my mind is still blown that they got Sting for this.

[@hustler3of4culture3]

@@noclue4108 totally agree!

[@alex0589]

The songwriter made a video about this, they wrote the song to the image. Check his video, it’s great. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lXXImH6En5tlY9k EDIT: link added for an easier day

[@knwr]

The puzzle that Mel gifts to the old guy is hilarious. When she buys it you have no idea what she's doing, we just know she's pleased to buy a simple one the seller refers to as a "childs toy". Then she gifts it to that guy saying it's for sharp minds and after the time skip he's still fiddling with it lol. I never noticed Viktor's cane that was a good one too. Now I think there's more I missed and I want to watch it a 3rd time...

[@kellyxiaomedia]

I loved that little touch, the man was treating it like the world's hardest rubix cube, and it's basically the equivalent of a dog toy 😂

[@kanyerahming]

Exactly, that councilor never knew what he was holding. Mel was too chadess in that scene. You haven’t watched it a third time yet? THE DISRESPECT IS REAL

[@jeremyblack1929]

One I love to point out, but Jayce and Mel are wheeling and dealing at the concert hall, while Heimer is just eyes closed listening to only the music. The next episode the council votes him out. That is some fantastic foreshadowing. Re the Viktor/Boat sequence. I think this is actually a smidge deeper. In the first shot of young Viktor, it's HIM unable to CATCH UP to his inventions. In the latter, it is his Inventions propelling him forward. Lastly my favorite Vander bit is that even though he knows shit just went down with his adoptive kids, and they've caused huge trouble, his first words to them are "Are you alright?" Priorities.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Ughhhh that last line you wrote about Viktor hit be straight in the heart

[@RepstarVixen]

And the music performance depicts an oncoming storm heimer is not seeing cause he has his eyes closed

[@Todesnuss]

The fact that they are listening to a violin and it all overlapping with Vi eating and then proceeding to take Cait to the brothel can't be coincidence either. They even hid the ship name in there and I suspect there's quite some awareness for the disappointment of Korrasami right up to the exec/writing team.

[@yeungscs]

@@RepstarVixen also, heimer shows 'weakness' by having a ground floor seat alongside the commonfolk while the council members do realpolitik with balcony seats above everyone else

[@tschakatschada]

For me Heimer in the concert hall depicts him perfectly as a leader. He is just oblivious of what is going on behind his back, which in turn leads to him being voted out. He is wise and smart but blind to what is happening in and also to what is needed for Piltover & Zaun.

[@JustAlex2000]

There are two scenes, both in episode nine that are just incredible visual storytelling. The first scene is when Jinx takes aim for the council. We cut between Mel and Jinx, both thinking about making a very crucial choice. Mel looks at her ring, while Jinx hears Silco's words, and puts her finger on the trigger. Jinx, being the one who made her choice faster, pressed the trigger, launching the rocket, to which the episode cuts to Mel, showing her taking off her ring, forsaking her Noxian ways of war and bloodshed and starting the vote for peace. The reason this scene is so amazing is because even if the council wanted to vote for peace, it's too late. The trigger was quite literally pulled. A lot of people draw contrast to episode 3 of Jinx fucking up something good once again with a big explosion, but in my opinion there is another undertone below it. It shows how negligent and ignorant the council has been. They had years, decades to make the decision for peace, but they didn't. They continued their oppressions, which eventually ended up creating characters like Silco and Jinx. Even if the council decided to vote for peace now, it was all too late. Their mistakes and ignorance came back to bite them. The second scene is with Sevika and her lighter. It has been an obvious metaphor for allegiance for a few episodes, with Finn offering to light up Sevika's lighter, to Sevika doing the same for Silco right after killing Finn. Not only that, but offering Silco the flame wasn't just her proving her loyalty to him, but also giving him a flame of life, one she could have easily snuffed out just moments ago. But then at the end, as Sevika tries to light up her own cigarette, the lighter doesn't seem to work, both showing how she has no allegiance left, and that Silco's fire that she offered him has been snuffed out.

[@bookbook9495]

It actually seems that smoking is how deals are sealed in the undercity, a very intimate act, as compared to the handshakes of those above. Lighters, cigars, and pipes form the complex dealings of this undercity. Those above have a completely different mode of communication, they’ve drifted so far apart. It’s neat!

[@xRaiofSunshine]

Skdjsjakshsj

[@inazuma-fulgur]

Also Finn still calls correctly that Silcos gonna die. Sevika had a Deal with Finn, or at least had accepted that to some extent not everything was going well as he said, and then she bets on Silco and doesn't betray him like she did with Vander once he started caring about his kids more than the liberation of the underground, just like Silco does here. And this time it's the "wrong" choice, again ending with the death of Silco instead of Vanders.

[@clara4680]

:0

[@look4thestarss]

I’m was so happy when Embessa pointed out that the council was the problem and not Piltover. She was the only one to point that out. The council loaded the gun and Jinx pulled the trigger (literally) Also we were told that Sevika quits smoking in s2 idk if that symbolizes anything but I have seen some theories on that

[@DeadlyLazer]

Arcane has to be the absolute best example of "show don't tell" That Ekko Jinx fight. So much information is conveyed in such a small amount of time using nothing but subtle gestures and body language. The amount of things that need to be perfect in production for that to work is insane. And yet they pull it off soo effortlessly

[@noobtube5555]

Pretty cool how they subvert the firelight scene on the bridge by cutting away from Ekkos hideout where the firelights are on full display and are supposed to give a sense of easy and alliance. So when they swarm the bridge for the first time it almost seems like the firelights are about to help out until we see they were mechanical and very much not what we expected

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Yup! They made them seem tranquil and peaceful in that episode which only adds to the shock when they are shown to be mechanical

[@DarkCyberElf]

The use of the firelights as "weapons" is also foreshadowed in an earlier scene when Jinx is patching up her injury from the Firelight ambush and struggling with her inner voices, as towards the end of this sequence she points a fingergun up at one of the creatures and goes "pow", giving a visual clue she is inspired to create her own "firelights" as bombs, and can also be seen to foreshadow her showdown with the leader of the Firelights, Ekko.

[@Jackie_Tikki_Tavi]

They kind of put my guard up. Besides showing up many times throughout the episode/act, they showed up in some bad places. In some cultures too butterflies signify the coming of death and passing on. Never trust the cute things, only the soft (watching this after watching the Vi/Cait vid).

[@jovalleau]

@@Jackie_Tikki_Tavi Nobody ever suspects the _butterfly_ .

[@sudonim7367]

Throughout the video i just had chills watching all the parallels i missed, like past Silco and Powder both falling peacefully to their 'deaths', and daughters being the downfall of Vander, Silco, and Marcus. Superb analysis

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Thank you! Honestly, there is so much more you could cover than I was able to, but I do love how all 3 of those characters make choices they wouldn't to protect their daughters

[@mathies3598]

@@kellyxiaomedia add to those Ms Medarda, who banished Mel, because seeing the look in her eyes hindered her from making tough decisions, And the Kirammans, who got Caitlyn fired from the Enforcers because they were afraid to lose her in the field after Jinx's terrorist attack.

[@Merlincat007]

@@mathies3598 Nice one! Caitlyn's firing from the enforcers must have helped lead to Jinx's weapon - the one that I'm assuming will be Mrs. Kiramman's undoing. I'm not sure of the exact link and I'd love to hear any expansion on this since I'm sure I'm missing an important connection. She did have an impactful presence in the story, without which Jinx may not have aquired or fired the weapon. So now we just have to wait to see how Ms. Medarda will meet her undoing because of her actions around Mel. I'd wager it'll be by Mel's own hand. I mean, she has already experienced a sort of undoing in the form of feeling weakness due to Mel, but I think it's going to get more Shakespearean.

[@mathies3598]

@@Merlincat007 it doesn't have to be their undoing, sometimes it's as simple as this character UNDOES something because of their daughter. The kirammans "undo" her career, Ms medarda was atleast tempted to undo her cruel actions because of Mel.

[@Flippokid]

And Mel's mother, hadn't she cast her out.

[@neilweaver2356]

Another metaphor I picked up: the scene where Victor collapses in the room with the hexcore with shots of the Jayce and Mel romance scene seemed interesting to me. It’s like the writers were trying to associate the process of Viktor’s bond with the hexcore with the “revelation” of sex. Essentially, it’s an epiphany of the merging of two separate entities into one.

[@noahraab2429]

Or maybe life and death? I don't know much about LOL but I looked up the Champion Victor will turn into. Debatable if he's actually still alive. Reminds me of the swamp monster theory. How much of you would you have to replace in order for you not to be 'you' anymore?

[@xRaiofSunshine]

Yeah, that was pretty on the nose 😐

[@oliversmith8098]

I read this elsewhere, and thought it was worth sharing: "There are crows everywhere in Arcane. Jinx keeps shooting them, there are a "murder" of crows in the background during the scene where she kidnaps everyone for the table scene. Crows are a symbol of change and adaptability in literature. She keeps shooting, them in previous acts, resisting change. She proves this resistance by lighting up the flare Vi gave her years ago, proving that even after all those years all she wanted was her sister to find her. In the table scene, though, the crows are all gathered on the roof of the building as if waiting for it to happen. Finally, she sits at the "Jinx" chair, which is decorated with the crow feathers she collected from the ones she shot. She finally accepts change, as Jinx, and the hope of getting Powder back is gone."

[@jk3jk35]

Crows are also Swain's symbol. It's implied that the Medarda family is up against Swain, so all those crows might also foreshadow that Swain's faction in Noxus will get involved in the coming war.

[@filmface8772]

I loved how silco is building a LITERAL house of cards with marcus’s daughter, it’s so delightfully on the nose lol

[@teradul2480]

Mel and the Smearing of her painting is the visual metaphor that comes to my mind. That shit is just SO GOOD

[@AuraSight]

Destroying something you've put so much time and energy into because you realize it was just a fantasy that would never bring you real happiness Yeah, it's an amazing display of someone letting go of their baggage and moving on

[@broadwaybroad]

She paints it in gold … like she told her mother the next person on the throne should do.

[@hansjeff9110]

Another point i think everyone missed is, that in ep 1 the parents of vi/powder have purple hair, which is the result if you mix blue (jinx) and vi(red/pink)

[@xuleques4967]

I thought it was quite interesting that in the one scene as jinx steals the hexcore her walkie talkie roblt things says “im a helpless little girl and I’ve set the building on fire” i think that also tied into how she blew up the building in ep 3

[@ferni0307]

yesss "totally by accident'

[@LyonEnigma]

Thanks for enabling me to watch Arcane again so soon after I finished it

[@kellyxiaomedia]

You can never watch it enough times ☺️

[@toastghost9145]

@@kellyxiaomedia Really tempted to go into my third watch through.

[@inknfire2431]

Here's another one that I have seen being thrown around by the fans that I ABSOLUTELY LOVE. The parallel between the blue smoke from the signal flare Jinx lights for Vi to find her and her blue smoke tattoos. This is both amazingly beautiful and really sad parallel.

[@xRaiofSunshine]

Omg I never realized that 😭 😭 😭

[@missa4112]

Yes, I actually realized this too when i rewatched it the 2nd time cuz I want to see more small details and i pick the two together I cried again when i realized it 😭😭😭.

[@wincent77420]

sooo well spotted ! I went on and asking me what was the reference. Dreams of clouds and blimps? ... And i thought she only had her nails as homage to vi. how wrong.

[@rimurutempest4945]

My favorite bit that I don’t see many people mention is the scene with Silco and Vander’s statue. If you look closely, even before we are shown that Jinx is there, you can actually see her hiding behind the statue if you look closely. That was such a neat detail that they didn’t have to include but still did.

[@artemon121]

Same in Caitlyn shower scene

[@gabrielbastos18]

Why, yes, I would love a video on Caitlyn and Vi - or Violyn - or Piltover's Finest - or Blue & Red Lesbians. Bonus points if we get a few seconds of Ceni screeching about them. Great job as always Kelly - the script and editing were on point! Also, Jinx needs a hug.

[@chickenx777]

can we please stop calling characters lesbians the second we suspect/know that they are sapphic? ಥ‿ಥ

[@gabrielbastos18]

@@chickenx777 I mean, we can, and I do so quite frequently. I just headcanon them as lesbians.

[@ymir6286]

@@gabrielbastos18 The writers and animators say they're lesbians soooooo it's not really a headcanon, it's just canon.

[@chickenx777]

@@ymir6286 hot a source to that? all i can find is people saying vi, at least, is bi, but not one official statement.

[@chickenx777]

@@gabrielbastos18 that's kinda harmful tho. at least when you never mention its a headcanon

[@ericjohnson6120]

Another thing I liked about the Firelight bombs is they showed the real firelight bugs right before. It tricks the audience into thinking the real firelight bugs have come to save the day.

[@a-world-torn-asunder9728]

This was a wonderful essay, you have a way of distilling down all the pieces of the show that work to make it damn near perfect. I’d put my vote in for another video about Vi/Cait, as a spiritual successor to your phenomenal Bumbleby essay from way back when.

[@tokaku7azuma33]

Up up up

[@Jaden-lv7kx]

I only just realized when you touched on the topic that green, ekko himself, and the firelight bug all represent the sanctuary. The sanctuary represents new life, peace, and hope, the beginning of something better. And then Jinx comes in and uses that very specific imagery to actively prevent the crew from doing the sole act of good will possible. The only thing able to bridge the gap between piltover and the undercity. She literally uses the image of the firelight bugs to burn the bridge. While doing so she kills a player keeping the peace (the corrupt cop) and distorts ekkos image. After all, the leader of the firelights just walked up to captain of the guard and then coincidentally thousands of firelight bugs just came through and killed everyone. Its entirely too easy to blame that on the ekko and the sanctuary. I'm absolutely certain that was on purpose. I wonder how that's going to play out in season two. On a semi related note I love jinx but she really is a menace. And this is probably the only time I've ever seen a single character literally ruin every single good thing in a series and still have my support by the end. Vanders escape, ekko building bridges, Zauns independence. Every single time something goes good its HER that breaks it. This is probably the most tragic part of this entire series cause she is hardly even aware of what she's ruined. In fact most of the time it's something she would have wanted to go as planned.

[@DarkCyberElf]

Personally I think that her acceptance of "self" (that being, her persona "Jinx") is that she no longer intends to nurture the detracting voices in her head that tell her she's a "screw-up". She turned her character flaw into her defining identity (which remains a flaw nonetheless): that being, her ability to screw things up. At the end when she fires the "weapon" (Fishbones, the last remaining will and legacy of Silco), she is very much knowingly doing what she now understands she does best. Silco needed to die to get through to her on that account: she's perfect (in her own way). In this way, Arcane perfectly illustrates her character: she (Jinx) exists the way that she does because she was broken, and now her greatest talent (at first unintentional, then ultimately weaponized) is to break things. "Rules were made to be broken. Like buildings! Or people." - Jinx

[@MALICEM12]

This also runs with the overall theme of science/technology being a bastardization of nature. The hex core and shimmer are shown to be unnatural often, and here Jinx uses mechanical inventions that were foreshadowed at the progress day celebration to stop progress. Mechanical inventions that were imitations of natural beings. This is also were she is injured and required to go on Shimmer, this her tech lead her down a path of becoming unnatural just as Victor's did.

[@FriccK]

At 10:38, they did the same slow motion scene in episode 1 when they were fighting Deckard. Funny enough, both scenes have the same soundtrack. Powder was mesmerized of what was happening in front of her. In her eyes, violence and explosion are a piece of art. Therefore, I believe 'Jinx' has always been a part of Powder since the beginning. Agree. Arcane is a masterpiece. Nice video!

[@mehressagreen4615]

Agreed! The same goes for the scratching over other's eyes, and dirty film filter which cover's Powder's dissociation, panic, and later more intense hallucinations. She already had them at the time of the traumatic death of their parents (perhaps even before?). I don't believe that you can become an entirely different person, but I do believe that thinking of yourself as "reborn" or renaming yourself is a form of moving on/becoming more authentic/becoming more of who you are. So, once again, what's most interesting at the heart of it all is the human condition behind it.

[@CrimsonXE]

While I wouldn't want to burden anyone, I would absolutely love to see a vid analysis/exploration of Piltover's Finest/CaitVi/or Violyn (since I know some don't like the first name for understandable reasons). Love these types of analysis vid essays

[@MiraPacku]

what's wrong with their first names?

[@CrimsonXE]

@@MiraPacku Huh? "Caitvi" and "Violyn" if that's what you mean are alt. ship-names for those not too happy with either the idea of Vi being an or being tied to Enforcer(s) (given her history in the slums) or irl issues. A way to separate that aspect from the ship, for those w/o that there's PF. Both camps happy

[@MiraPacku]

@@CrimsonXE I see also, wouldn't it be Caitlet?

[@CrimsonXE]

@@MiraPacku Probably just comes down to personal preference, like with most name combos for ships. Personally for alt names I like "Violyn" cause there's a certain romantic notion to it via connecting it to violins; but that's me.

[@mariaaguileramedina3361]

@@CrimsonXE same, I love "Violyn"

[@disco_slime_]

I’ve already watched Arcane twice, which is saying something as I binged all of it for the first time a week ago. And yes I absolutely have Arcane brain rot. I love watching videos like this!! They really help me notice certain things I missed on my first watch, like Powder’s symbolic death mirroring Silco’s. And, while I loved this scene the first time I saw it, I never realized that Victor’s run down the pier was mirroring him being outpaced by his toy boat as a child. Great video!!

[@kellyxiaomedia]

It's such a binge worthy series, but it's packed so full of details and lovely touches like this that it's worth so many rewatchs!

[@__-fm5qv]

Honestly I love how they've done Caitlyn and Vi. So much of media for some reason wants to focus on the "ooh they're gay" aspect of a gay relationship and subsequently fail to actually portray the nuances and progression in said relationship. Here, its just a relationship, and they're gay. Like I wouldn't have thought that would be difficult to do, but apparently it is? Nonetheless it makes it believable and real which is far more rewarding.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Truly, it's been such a breath of fresh air that it almost doesn't feel real 😅 it makes my very hopeful for what they'll do with them in season 2

[@asmodian5125]

Amazing video as always! One of my favorite visual foreshadows is during episode 6 when Vi is hurt we see her have a quickly flashback to powder drawing the crab monster and slug monsters on the wall, then later in episode 8 Vi talks to Caitlyn about the monsters ;-;

[@oxenfree6192]

One of my big favs too! Took me THREE watch-thrus to get that one.

[@matthewknudson8610]

Also in that Viktor flashback in episode 6, the water hole he’s playing in is overlooked by the high point he sits in after the time jump. The reason why it’s such a weird and out of the way spot is because it’s overlooking the where he use to play, and it has now become some kind of water purifier, judging from all the pipes and blue water shown flowing down whenever they pan out. One of my favorite quiet visuals, about what he cherishes, striving for a better future.

[@mattball8622]

This was amazing. I'm always a big fan of the way you break down visuals in your reactions, so this was basically that dialled up to eleven and I'm here for it. As for my favourite visual metaphor, I keep getting stuck on Powder's monkey bomb going off. We see it from multiple angles multiple times, because it's THE formative moment for these characters. It's so rare we get different perspectives highlighted so clearly in tandem and it absolutely melted my brain how well it was done.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Thank you so much! 100%, that moment has such a huge impact on so many characters so it was amazing they took the time to show the consequences to basically everyone there!

[@nightworg]

Yea it is probably the best animated series I have ever seen. This is art and story telling on a very high level. Don't know anything about the game League of Legends. Good work on this video, and please do a Vi /Caitlyn video.

[@ThatKaitoDan]

Lovely job with this, always eager to watch a video brought on by passion and if your many tweets haven't expressed obvious enough already, it's clear Arcane deserves this kind of praise after making such a strong impact in just this one area.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Thank you Dan!!! 💛

[@r2bot]

Wow i totally didn't realize she was working on them during the "get jinxed" part of the show where silco yells at her fucken crazy detail! Saddest part is that some people probably would have never noticed this i watched a bunch of reactions and noone knew who made the butterfly bombs till jinx showed up stepping on one of them a scene later.

[@kira-dk2mx]

I only just noticed that earlier myself.

[@jasonco2]

The pattern on their wings is the monkey smile, that was my confirmation. Haha.

[@MrDisphoric]

They pop up even earlier too. They first show up at progress day, there's an old guy with a stall showing them off.

[@missa4112]

When I heard the song I always felt it's very familliar song I just forgot the title and where I heard it lmao 😅😂.

[@teamstone4639]

A really great assessment of the series. I devoured it one sitting. Have to do a rewatch most definitely. Never played the game, but loved the series. Have to say Jinx/Powder is my favorite character. Her tragedy, pain and complexity are both enjoyable and heartbreaking to watch.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Thank you! Honestly, she was so compelling, the combination of the voice performance for her and the way they were able to give her such detailed expressions, so hard and enjoyable to watch in the same moment

[@missa4112]

I main jinx btw and after watching arcane now whenever I played Lol or Lol: wildrift i always remember her tragic story and it makes me sad again 😭.

[@manessuarezserantes9269]

9:50 without a doubt my favorite part is heimer vibing to Enemy, laughted so hard. Also, as animator myself, incredible video, what a wonderfull way to explain it.

[@autumngross2397]

powder's fall in the end of act 1 looks a lot like an angel falling from heaven.

[@autumngross2397]

also, this is such a great video essay! i really enjoyed it :)

[@jessiewrubel6371]

Brilliant as always Kelly

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Thank you for your support Jessie, absolute Queen 👑

[@beyondviolet]

For me it’s “What Could Have Been” that’s been on repeat. That song just makes me feel empty inside but I can’t stop listening to it lol

[@sealgaming4563]

@@beyondviolet i love it so much but feel so bad when listrning to it

[@randerson06]

This was a great analysis! I love the editing and overall presentation, and a Caitlin x Vi video would be a welcomed addition.

[@TheRedcat14]

7:18 I also love the foreshadowing provided just for Seveeka’s arm alone! When Jinx has her first appearance in ep4, after the time jump, where she attacks the Fire Lights on the shipment blimp - you see Seveeka’s vial of shimmer protrude from the cloth that hides the mechanical arm, even emitting a purple glow. Something that is so satisfying to see on second watch, as I didn’t catch it the first time. Then they show us how it works during the Vi v Seveeka scene discussed at ^ the time stamp; Seveeka utilizes the shimmer injections TWICE before the ending scene comes, where Seveeka’s about to mega punch Vi’s face. Seveeka says “I’ll give her your regards.” And if you’re paying attention, you’ll notice the shimmer is just about to “activate” or inject JUST as Cait shoots through the vial and denies the “power up” all together, yet sparing Seveeka’s life so they could possibly subdue her for questioning. The animators didn’t. Miss. Anything.

[@Reallyshouldachanhed]

Wonderful video! I adore the analysis of this show that you’ve done, I didn’t even catch the parallel of Powder and Silco’s deaths! But, while it’s silly to say, my favorite metaphor and foreshadowing was the SexTech scene. Of how it foreshadows Victor’s turn to transhumanism and the machine, while forgetting the parts of us that make us human. All the while, it humanizes Jayce more and connects him deeper to the human roots of his character, and his development in the last arc and how he sees Zaun.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Thank you! It's okay, you can say the SexTech scene 😂 it was a really stunningly put together and it was super clever of them to juxtapose the two events side by side

[@queenvictoria9378]

Which scene are you talking about lol

[@sharkmessiah1018]

We do need a Caitlyn and Vi video, i need to hear the screaming about how gay they are lol. Also as someone who is up to date with the lore you are not ready for season 2

[@clairegranier2428]

WHAT IS THE LORE wait no don’t tell me

[@sharkmessiah1018]

@@clairegranier2428 your not ready.

[@stitch1088]

Bro dont tell me vi or cait dies

[@sharkmessiah1018]

@@stitch1088 Your not ready.

[@TheAnimeAlliance]

Screaming?

[@hanzibeanlj4999]

the intro is so, so amazing, easily the best intro to a show I've ever seen. each character is introduced in a way that rly cases their setting and meaning, eg: young vi and powder are back to back, carved out of the same stone material that emphasises their connection in their youth and how they only had each other, and caitlyn is portrayed as a mural on a wall, literally framed. this clearly references her life, trapped in piltover with a desperation to do more than sit pretty in her golden house. she is meant to be admired, though her holding the gun and refusing to smile is a clear rejection of her upbringing!

[@maisieaverie6424]

Please do a video analyzing Ekko's story line and the potential guilt he carries for being the tip that started this entire storyline. The fact that he was both the quite literal undoing of the Undercity by giving Vi the tip on Jayce's studio and is now the growing symbol of hope for the Underground is just *aggressive chef's kiss*. The irony of the situation is stunning to me and I really hope that season two tells us if he does have some guilt there and if he does, what its effect on him is. Either way, an absolutely amazing analysis on the elements here, I hope you do make a series touching on every type of element cause aahhhhh yesyes your style plus the shows content are *more aggressive chef's kiss*

[@WilliamIcenrose]

I would happily watch a video on Caitlyn and Vi! Also, any other subject on the show that calls out to you. It's neat to see all sorts of different perspectives on a show that deserves the amount of praise lavished upon it ^^

[@missy2105]

I'm on my tenth rewatch and STILL picking up details I haven't noticed before. This show is an absolute masterpiece from the very first shot to the last

[@MiraPacku]

I'm really glad you wrote about this as an old League player I'm really glad more of the world finally got a peek at the many stories and worlds of Runeterra it's not really a Metaphor but as a League player it excited and yet broke me when I realized what her Ult (Ultimste ability in the game) the Rocket Launcher was/would be. and at the same time was stunned by it's beauty and the power of the animation and emotions in that final scene.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

I do love how what looked like a bit of gag weapon to me for so many years actually turned out to have such an emotional origin. I've seen to many Jinx cosplays over the years with that weapon and just thought that looks fun, now it's just awww that's sad 😅

[@originelly1568]

I think the security system in The Last Drop was installed by Powder. The entire style has her name written all over it! Which is yet another layer of depth to her character and the story, because her contraptions DID WORK ALREADY! She was great at fixing stuff when she was a kid (The alarm system, the broken shooting range, probably even Vi's exercise gear). Destroying things was the problem. Powder didn't have a clue how to be violent, thus her bombs never worked. Only later does she turn entirely to destruction and then, the very theme is reversed by her turning the Progress Day's Butterflies/Firelights into explosives, thus making an innocent child's toy into something deadly.

[@The_Isaiahnator]

This. 👏

[@martinhain]

Man I can't get enough of these summaries. So much more is to discover about this masterpiece! This analysis was extremely good thank you :)

[@No-Kung-Fu]

That was great! Really well written and does the show justice. Thanks for making it. Long live Arcane!

[@kellyxiaomedia]

I don't if it's possible to do it justice in a short video, but thank you!

[@Hyster1calWatch5r22]

Holy shit, all these little aspects and visuals talked in this just make me enjoy the show even more

[@sqxbarto9229]

My favorite scene visually is still when Jinx holds the torch and the two boys attached to her. Funny you mentioned, the band in the show, I think for me that was a bit forced scene, they didn't fit in there. I would like a Vi Caitlyn video, but also Jinx's mental problems could be a separate video, maybe including her relationship with Silco.

[@aperson9847]

I love the way Arcane plays with audience expectations. The writers know exactly when surprising us will be most effective, but also (like what you mentioned with Caitlyn swooping in to save Vi) when giving us exactly what they've set us up to expect will be more satisfying. Not one single person was ever underwhelmed by that moment with Caitlyn because it was expected. If anything, this makes the "HELL yeah" that much better. So many shows act like twists and shock value are the only way to tell a good story and that's just not true at all.

[@Supernaturlisch]

I hadn't even picked up on the boats in the background of the Viktor running shot, and how it mirrors him trying to keep up with the small boat during his childhood. Amazing!

[@christina-ib9jq]

For me watching arcane the first time is like getting a super solid foundation where once you rewatch it you can really notice and appreciate the details that you would’ve missed

[@MudstarAwesome]

An amazingly thought out video that pointed out things I didn’t even realize! Would also love a Piltover’s Finest video, there’s a lot to notice/discuss about their relationship and how it ties into the story.

[@dragonk6910]

arcane was one of those shows i watched where i was really floored the whole time by the visuals. not only are they really impressive, but like you demonstrated here they arent all just for show -- theyre used really well to push the story along!!

[@jjstarrprod]

I'm discovering your channel through this breakdown and damn ! What a great job you've done ! I'm working in animation (in 2D, to be honest), and this series absolutely exploded my eyes ! And you really did it justice with your essay. Instant sub !

[@laurenwadas5668]

The note about the boats was brilliant! I'd even go so far as to say that the boat out-pacing young Viktor was foreshadowing of being out-paced by the power of the Hexcore.

[@fennekufoksu8822]

i absolutely adore how in-depth this video has gone as an appreciation as well as analysis to arcane. keep up the good work i am LOVING this.

[@dr.hemlock5909]

I’m so glad you pointed out jinx’s firelight robots and when they pay off! When I saw those firelights on the bridge I knew exactly who made them and what was going to happen and it made me so excited! I had so much fun remembering all these little crumbs of stuff I thought would pay off in the show and they all ended up doing so!

[@RichieW]

When youtubers say "to avoid this being an 8 hour video" I always think "Nooo.. do an 8 hour video" lol

[@sharkrancher282]

For the record, I would absolutely watch an 8-hour video of you discussing this, or any, show. Fantastic analysis!

[@c.w.3103]

I am so so glad I am not the only one who noticed the similarities between Arcane and Dishonored. I thought I was biased because the Dishonored franchise holds a special place in my heart. It's just nice to be able to nerd out like this with people on the internet since I can't do it in real life.

[@The_Isaiahnator]

Steampunk.

[@AFgleek]

What a pleasant surprise to see another video essay from you! It seems the Arcane brainrot has come for us all haha; it truly was fantastic wasn't it? I still can't stop thinking about it! So happy to see y'all loved the show as much as I did and I'd FOR SURE watch more Arcane videos, especially a CaitVi one 👀

[@isaw9969]

one of my fav shots (even tho it's not cinematic) is when viktor and jayce are on the bridge and are arguing. When Jayce looks at Viktor, we see him from _Viktor's_ eyes. Jayce looks directly at the camera as he says 'You didn't tell me they were from the undercity', and when Viktor replies 'What difference does that make', the sound is kinda muffled, almost as if _we_ are the ones saying it. When Jayce replies 'they're dangerous', the camera completely stills : Viktor's shock at what Jayce says

[@revisitedgrunt3706]

Great stuff! Really enjoyable and interesting to watch. I consider Arcane to be literal perfection, so I'm so happy everyone absolutely loves it. Another video on Vi and Caitlyn would be amazing! I cannot get enough Piltovers Finest content and a video from you would make my day. Also, something I've noticed, which I'm pleasantly surprised by, is the vast majority of the fandom seems to be on board the Vi/Cait ship. Sure there's the odd homophobe here and there, either denying it's romantic or complaining about it, but virtually everyone accepts they have romantic feelings for each other and are fine with it. It's just nice to see after so many other animated fandoms I've been in.

[@radjhidisenia8234]

This is one of the best animated series I’ve ever seen!

[@envi33]

Best video I've watched about Arcane so far. Not only was I pleasantly surprised at some of the subtle parallels that I missed, I also giggled like an idiot because you're funny lol. PLEASE, if you have more content for Arcane, make more videos on this!! Thank you, this was so enjoyable to watch

[@kellyxiaomedia]

That's so kind of you! There are more videos on the pipeline! 😁

[@wojtekperales8830]

hmmmm the timing of the "what's my sexuality" ad when vi and caitlyn are on screen together... i love it

[@kellyxiaomedia]

I take my editing very seriously 😅

[@ktntwireless]

YES please talk about the gal pals my heart needs it. I loved your commentary on all the visual clues and you definitely informed me of some stuff I had missed! Powder’s death scene correlating to Silco in hindsight seems quite obvious as that’s how the episode opened, and that’s ABSOLUTELY what the animators and creators were going for, but something ELSE I noticed in watching your video is that shot of her falling also foreshadows the blue rocket in The Scene™ in the final episode. Genius level creation. Can’t get enough of this show.

[@Water3Monkey]

Amazing video essay on Arcane! :D And yes I'm sure everyone here would love a Vi/Caitlyn video essay too. XD

[@Pasaim]

If I haven't rewatched? I binged Arcane three days ago and still haven't recovered. I'll rewatch till I'm recovered, thank you very much.

[@goblincavecrafting]

After finding this one, I’d watch any number of hours of your video analysis on this amazing show. Really great video, thanks for making it!

[@올이브]

One of the most painful moments for me was in the episode 4, just as Jayce was about to go on stage to do his speech, he put down his mug, and the angle allowed it so that his mug covered up Viktor’s form completely. Not only that, but the mug had Jayce’s face on it, all smiling and heroic, the face of Hextech-while Viktor stays backstage, crippling, small, and left behind.

[@hroses]

Haven't watched the full video yet so you might mention it, but notice how in the first episode we see the kids (Vi, Powder, Mylo, Claggor) running through the city, allowing the audience to get a sense of the atmosphere, scenery, and people, while also getting an action sequence. And in the beginning of the sequence, we are in the upper city, and by the end we transition into the under city. We noticeably see a contrast once they reached the other of the bridge.

[@Iranzuque]

Congratulations for your efforts to make this amazing video! And yes, of course I would like a VI a Cait video where you analyze the relationship between them.

[@wincent77420]

Hi . I loved your idea of a third meaning for powder's diving: the foreshadowing of her metaphorical death, and preparing the audience to loosing her, step by step.

[@arcadianlampshade5078]

Something that still blows my mind is how they used the firelights (the bug) and it’s robo counterpart. Earlier in that episode we: 1) Find out who exactly the firelights are as a group, and 2) are introduced to the bugs of the same name. This helps us keep these things fresh in our heads for the bridge scene. So when we see them on the bridge, you’re at first like “oh wow, that’s pretty. But why are the bugs here?” Then you realize they are robotic, which you’ve seen before in the show, but you’re still a touch confused, as now you’re asking “why are the robotic?” Which is of course you see Jinx’s normal art tag she uses. It was so brilliantly thought out. And if we really want to go deep, in the music video they made for “Enemy”, the firelight bug makes an appearance along with a young Jinx, which is just a fun foreshadow/reference to put in.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

The way they foreshadowed that scene should just be the template that other shows follow to do it right. It was so, so well done 😄

[@xRaiofSunshine]

Yeeee it reminded me a LOT of Dishonored too! It’d be so cool to see a series like this but for Dishonored; especially without the crunch and giving the animators certain amounts of freedom :p Another teeny lil bit of visual storytelling I noticed: When Silco has to do that thing to his eye (poking it with something, dunno why he needs to do that tho) he was perfectly capable of doing it himself before but after he finds Powder and decides to err, adopt her for lack of a better word, he grows to depend on her too much and struggles with something he was perfectly capable of doing himself :0

[@xdj2a2]

This is one of those shows where every scene is a painting, or better yet background wallpaper.

[@denisemajeski5105]

This was a beautiful video essay! One of my students sent it to me. Now I am trying to figure out how I can create an assignment for a video essay. I love to hear what matters to them, and this would be a good way to find out. Thank you. I will be following you! Looking forward to watching the Arcane series, which I haven't yet seen, and to watching your video on Caitlyn and Vi.

[@kibert135]

This was a wonderful essay. And of course I would love a video about Caitlyn and Vi!

[@contentstarved991]

I’m definitely enjoying my second watch of this series better. Things that I thought weren’t explained were simply missed because it was subtle.

[@woebeballer-phridge6739]

THE ICARLY "A SMOOTHIE" LINE I HEARD THAT YES CHEF THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE LOOLLLLLLL

[@Nata-ch2bk]

This video deserves more views, well done

[@Batman-bh6vw]

Something I thought I'd add: the shot at 11:06 is a reference to the painting The Fallen Angel by Alexandre Cabanel.

[@daiselol]

Good catch

[@Infinity-has]

Your voice is extremely calming great analysis video

[@Specter177]

Uh yeah we ABSOLUTELY want a Cait/Vi video.

[@hasmhas]

You made an interesting point about the Yin Yang positioning of Vi and Cait in that shot, but I think it's also in reference to the record images we see throughout the series.

[@t.h.mcelroy6597]

Excellent breakdown! Arcane is absolute gold, and I am so grateful for it. Can't wait for season 2 😍

[@KhalilKhan-kg9ox]

Vi and Caitlyn relationship was the best part of the series, please make video on it.

[@bluedragon1200]

Thanks for making the time to do this. Your video is excellent!

[@reedehinger2636]

Holy wow she pointed out things I had never even considered. This video rocked!

[@Ava-gr1nr]

Some of these comments are unusually exhausting for such a good video

[@danc1513]

Great video. Never made the connection with Powder falling during the explosion and Silco in the water. Good eye! And yes my shipper heart would love a Piltover's Finest video.

[@4c_aperture]

for visual metaphors: thethirdbill pointed out “the hex gems are powder” - capable of great beauty and great violence, but always ALWAYS explosive and dangerous also the shot of her falling and drowning in the explosion parallels jayce and viktor managing to float in their own hex experiment

[@DiegoEagler96]

I am so happy I found this channel

[@1timemelody1]

This is a fantastic video and I can't believe I never connected how similar the steampunk oil painting aesthetics of Dishonored are to Arcane. Shameful really, it's one of my favorite game series ever. I also want to thank you for making me choke on my own laughter not once, but twice. First on the flash of Matt Mercer on the screen at the word "critters" and then at the use of the "a smoothie" meme. Kudos to you.

[@kellyxiaomedia]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kamalotalot1204]

The green color that they tied Ekko to is big eye candy, stg it’s such a pretty color.

[@Ellie-hm3zy]

Another thing i noticed about the costuming was some of the parallels that were represented, specifically in Vi and Jinx’s costuming in act 2 and 3. Both are wearing stripped pants (which actually can be seen on powder in act one as well) that are in only slightly different color palettes, which I though was a very interesting choice.

[@Shax22132]

I would love a video essay on Vi and Caitlyn, or on Powder/Jinx. You did a great job with this video.