Analyzing Arcane’s BEST Scene

#Netflix #LeagueOfLegends #Jinx
FIXED Version (higher volume, slightly higher resolution): • Analyzing ARCANE's Bes...
(Couple things messed up in uploading this vid (volume and resolution), so I’m leaving an unlisted version of the video here. Sorry about that!)
Guns for Hire is my favorite scene in the entire show. Not only the initial montage, but the reunion between Jinx and Vi, how it almost works out, how it all falls apart, the abrupt cliffhanger ending. This scene is a masterclass in writing EMOTIONAL POWER. Arcane used every tool available to them in creating an iconic moment for these characters: from the setting to the camera work to the pacing, the symbolism, the music, the themes--not to mention every feeling from Vi’s frustration to Caitlyn’s fear to Jinx’s sadness to Silco’s rage, literally every tool at their disposal. The writers delicately pieced it together into a cohesive whole and not a disorganized mess, it was overwhelming but not burdensome, moving but not cheesy, raw but not simple. There’s so much to learn from this.
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NOT a Cliffhanger video: • Why Ending SECONDS Lat...
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0:00 - Levels 1-5
5:02 - I lied…
7:41 - How to Use Emotions
9:08 - How to Use Symbolism
10:54 - The cherry on top
13:36 - Using the Levels
16:07 - Cliffhanger?
20:00 - My favorite line
21:30 - Any artists watching…?

[@HatOnAHat]

Hearing Jinx say, "are you real" was absolutely heartbreaking. She knows she's so far gone, she can't tell hallucinations from reality and she can't even feel joy at Vi's embrace until she can confirm Vi isn't another hallucination. So terribly sad.

[@jakec9522]

That scene hurt me, but in the best possible way.

[@Grizabeebles]

For me, the moment Jinx pulls out the flare is the moment that destroys me. I still hear myself saying "She kept it. And _never_ used it." Then she pulls the pin and everything gets blurry because of how much I'm crying.

[@juliabrown466]

I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO GASPED AT THIS

[@brokenw1ings273]

i've never been one to get super emotional watching movies/shows, but that line was the first moment in a show that made me tear up

[@flawles3893]

But would it really be better if she enjoyed Vi's embrace if she thought it was a hallucination? That she's so desperate for her sister's love she doesn't even care if she's actually there or not

[@ivanhunter6492]

I think that he scene is memorable because it shows that JINX reached out to VI and was willing to reconnect as sisters and try to form some type of relationship. However, Both of them want the IDEALISED version of their sisters with Jinx wanting Vi to love her unconditionally like before and Vi wanting 'Powder' to return

[@theratking9057]

A couple tweeks on this analysis. Vi does love Powder/Jinx unconditionally but the dealbreaker in the finale was that she wouldn't *enable* Jinx. Silco is one of the only unconditional loves Powder ever experienced besides Vi who eventually "betrayed" her, and Silco enables her negative impulses, her PTSD, and schizophrenia (I think that's what she has but correct me if I am wrong). If anything Vi's ideal sister was just one who could do parkour (The "my little sister could that when she was seven" comment at Cait"). Powder reached out to Vi to rekindle but her own trauma ended with her shooting herself in the foot. Not trying to blame Powder here tho it's all super sad :((

[@user-wi8yy3bf7m]

@@justacat869 Excuse me, but where did you see that Vai is outraged that Jinx is a terrorist? Should I remind you what Vai did before she went to prison? For Vai, it was a much bigger blow that her sister chose Silko.

[@Rampala]

True, but the execution of the scene is spot on. We're not even sure if Powder is going to use the torch until the moment she actually does. Just saying that Arcane didn't just have great ideas, but excellent execution and that makes all the difference.

[@ruby8718]

@@user-wi8yy3bf7m did you not see how scared she was of how Jinx was acting??

[@faanvugeincynicalassassin]

@@ruby8718 not exactly scared. More like worried and disbelieving. She didn't want to believe that was what Powder had become

[@AmazingMrMe123]

"is there anything more undoing than a daughter?" One of the most powerful lines in the whole show for me. I love that scene, I love silco's character arc.

[@greenlantern7959]

The musical score for that scene is titled “is there anything more endearing than a daughter”, which implies that Jinx (and us as the audience) misheard Silco and what he confessed to Vander.

[@fcayhr]

@@greenlantern7959 i had to look this up and i just got chills listening to it :')))

[@AmazingMrMe123]

@@greenlantern7959 I didn't know that. I don't think we necessarily misheard silco but that they're playing with the words, the endearment is his undoing. Vander's purpose is building the nation of Zaun, but then he endears himself to Vi, as a result he becomes a weak shadow of the revolutionary he once was who makes deals with enforcers. Then silco endears himself to Jinx. Because of that he rejects a fantastic offer to actually found the nation of Zaun relatively bloodlessy. But he turns it down. They are both strong revolutionaries undone by their daughters. If anything I would interpret the score title as Vander's response. Vander would ask if there's anything more endearing, silco feels the undoing. I respect that view though, jinx is definitely an unreliable witness.

[@faanvugeincynicalassassin]

@@greenlantern7959 Wow. That actually makes sense. Fuck.

[@ragnarian]

"are we still sisters" said in absolute darkness with a weak, cracking voice

[@sydneygorelick7484]

Concretizing example: Mulan, THAT scene, where we go from "A girl worth fighting for" to an entire town razed to the ground. We see Mulan mourn with the doll, something so small but incredibly momentous, representative of all the loss around them. I'm real surprised you didn't mention it! We have happy to devastated, loud singing to silence, bright and colorful to black and scorched, the doll as the small thing that stands out--a real punch to the gut overall.

[@maximeteppe7627]

yup, the song starts as the men are on the road, bored out of their skulls and getting tired, they start to sing about something else to get their mind off the walking, it's silly, they gently mock one another, but by the end they've reinforced their comraderie and... :-O

[@Enaluxeme]

It turns out that the girl the doll belonged to was the girl worth fighting for

[@Saga3647]

Loved this addition! Also something to add is that scene marks an abrupt tonal change in the movie. It goes from fun, classic childhood Disney musical to the gravitas of war and desolation. And it never really goes back. We get some thematic callback scores of prior songs but we never go back to being a musical.

[@maximeteppe7627]

@@Saga3647 true, I never considered that. It's kind of a shame though that the last song was this one since it's both silly and necessarily sexist. Like maybe if for the climax they had a full on reverse "like a man" rather than just a quick callback - or a triumphant version of reflections as a conclusion for Mulan's arc.

[@Rachel-og8jy]

“The bigger the issue, the smaller you write. Remember that. You don't write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid's burnt socks lying on the road.” - Richard Price

[@thefinalgirl6907]

Jinx remembering Vi saying "wherever you are, light it up and I'll find you" absolutely broke me, this scene brought me to tears because it showed how she kept that flare in a box all those years just in case Vi was still out there. She always wanted Vi back which is why she kept the flare. But she also knew that Vi could be dead like everyone was saying because when she saw Vi again she immediately asked "are you real?" Everything about this scene was incredible

[@quinnthefox3846]

My favorite is is very popular pick: the agni'kai with Zuko and Azula from Avatar the Last Airbender. It's a long awaited fight between siblings throughout the entire series, and when it finally happens, the music number makes it instantly hit you that this isn't a triumphant battle scene- its a tragedy that two siblings have been pushed to the edge and split apart by an abusive family and legacy.

[@nekoffeva7937]

my favourite scene in atla has to be the scene where they get firebending from the masters. it's just so emotionally packed. and the music just .. idk i tear up every time i see it

[@the_rabidsquirel]

Avatar's full of them. One of my favourites is Zuko's reunion with Iroh in the white lotus camp near the end. It takes him a while to go in, and then seeing Iroh sleeping he just waits. Knowing how Ozai would've reacted, Zuko is expecting the same, "I thought you'd be furious." Only for Iroh to embrace him and dispel all of that worry and tension, to see that Iroh has been more of a father to Zuko than Ozai ever was.

[@nekoffeva7937]

@@the_rabidsquirel yeah that scene is tearbending for sure Also a very powerful scene is when Zuko confronts his father and redirects lightning for the first time. It's a test of character of sorts, trope-wise. And it's so powerful to see a person stand up for himself and to be able to successfully defend from and deflect abuse

[@the_rabidsquirel]

@@nekoffeva7937 Also a great one. Other favourites of mine are when Iroh confronts Zuko as the blue spirit under lake Laogai, and gives the "who are you, and what do you want?" speech. Or when Aang realizes the sandbenders stole Appa, enters the avatar state, followed by the way Katara approaches and just grabs his hand.

[@mistdragon3009]

I think that's the kind of scene that arcane will have next season with a climactic Vi vs. Jinx scene.

[@livlyfe3272]

The thing that kills me in this scene is the score. Guns for Hire is a banger, and it kills you emotionally. Not to mention all of the audio is cut out. Meaning we only focus on the music plus the characters. It's brilliant and heartbreaking.

[@yooooo8600]

The entire soundtrack is a banger but guns for hire is probably top 3, top 5 at the very least

[@SourSourSour]

“The time to sing is when your emotional level is just too high to speak anymore, and the time to dance is when your emotions are just too strong to only sing about how you feel.” (this is in reference to musicals, but it def fits)

[@livlyfe3272]

@@SourSourSour As a theatre nerd, I appreciate this so much 🥲

[@Aisha_Luv]

@@SourSourSour this is a quote from sideways right?

[@maximeteppe7627]

@@Aisha_Luv I think it's just industry wisdom, just like show don't tell for movies, where if the quote can be attributes, I sure don't know who said it first. but yes, Sideways talks about it, lindsay ellis as well when she talks classic disney and probably phantom of the opera as well.

[@EndoScorpion]

Another note about showing Marcus: Not only is the brief scene a separation of Piltover and Zaun.... he was the one to separate the sisters. He took Vi away from Powder. The audience has been hoping for the sisters to be reunited and here we are shown the guy that tore them apart. It adds to the emotional overload as it helps remind us of the divide, and we resent and hate him for it.

[@meowth-yuting]

Smart!

[@s.oktaydonmez649]

He acted against Silco's order though. He spared her life by imprisoning her so Silco wouldn't know she was alive. He seperated sisters but not for eternity.

[@EndoScorpion]

@@s.oktaydonmez649 Dude, it's been a year, I don't even remember what this video is about or what my comment was referring to.

[@matrixinterface]

good catch!

[@AcesPrune]

The best part about it is that the show tricks you into believing Vi won't get there in time because of all the chaos in her way, but she manages anyway. And it hits so much harder because of that.

[@ameisweirdx]

Yes! I was watching it so ready to be led on and disappointed i genuinely gasped when she made it

[@Sometalllperson]

The fact that I found my father listening to Arcane songs and he never actually heard of the show was the moment it hit me that this show’s songs are masterpieces.

[@SkitsyCat]

Or maybe he likes Sting, found What Could've Been, then fell into the rest of Arcane's OST haha idk 😅

[@phila.e.779]

What I love about Schnee is that because of him, Arcane never truly leaves. It has been too long since I've watched it (currently occupied with Fargo (it's so good!)) but thanks to him the emotions and the connection to this masterpiece aren't fading away but strengthen because of his top tier analysation!

[@jondough9545]

I literally just watched Arcane last week. So finding Schnee is keeping me riding the Arcane high. The in depth analysis and breakdown also helps me appreciate the time and care that went into this show. The emotional depth of the character's and the way the world feels so alive is just insane! I've rewatched this scene probably 2 dozen times now, and it still gives me goosebumps.

[@jcspoon573]

What I hate about Schnee is that because of him, Arcane never has any distance, and I cry with every video. It will be too long until I can watch it again, but damn him, the emotional connection to this piece of art remains raw and unresolved. Wait, are you real?

[@chattycatty3336]

I completely agree, and im also watching Fargo (i started way before arcane tho) I'm not done, but its a good show 😂

[@mustard5382]

19:16 Something I noticed here is that the "bad cliffhanger" strategy was actually used in Arcane, at the end of episode 2 when Vi is about to turn herself in. The scene is set up to make us expect it's the Enforcers walking into Benzo's when it's actually Vander, but they don't reveal this until the next episode. But while this would be an example of a "bad" cliffhanger, I think it actually works because of the three act release schedule. If episodes 2 and 3 had been released a week apart, the fake out may have felt cheap. Instead, it was used to make us keep watching until the end of episode 3, which is the episode where *everything* changes. So in a way, I think even the "bad" cliffhanger was used effectively as a way to add connectedness throughout Act 1 and hook people in for the rest of the season.

[@anarionelendili8961]

I was thinking the same thing, but... ... I don't think Vi sees who it is until Ep. 3 too. So it doesn't quite qualify for the Bad Cliffhanger. :) Edit: I rewatched it, and yeah, the door opens and Vi's eyes widen. You are right: she sees it is Vander. I agree with your analysis on why it works, though. But see also schnee's answer to a similar comment below.

[@mathies3598]

@@anarionelendili8961 yeah but Schnee mentioned this under another comment... we are like 99% sure it's actually just the enforcers. There's practically no uncertaincy about it, so it's not like we miss anything by showing the enforcers come in... The fact that it ended up being Vander is a totally new twist but it doesn't take away from the certaincy we felt after the cliffhanger.

[@sebrussell]

This is a really good point. It would be interesting to see someone dissect the difference between a good chapter cliffhanger vs a good book cliffhanger. The former is trying to get you to keep reading, and you can, it's right there; the latter also wants you to want the story to continue, but it can't leave you unsatisfied because it risks souring before the reader has the opportunity to continue, perhaps causing them to decide against continuing in the intervening time.

[@ruby8718]

he made a short about you lol

[@carolinemcguire6224]

@@mathies3598 I also feel that had we known it was Vander in ep 2 instead of having the cliffhanger would flatten the emotions in the scene, especially because ep 3 is so emotionally intense right off the bat. If we saw Vander at the end of ep 2, we might think that everything is going to be okay - big strong father figure that has bargaining power with the enforcers comes to save his daughter who is about to turn herself in. Like you say, we think it’s enforcers. Its a scene with a little bit of emotional intensity, at the end of ep 2 when we’re anxious and scared for Vi, and at the beginning of ep 3 when we’re relieved but confused about what’s going to happen because we weren’t expecting Vander. It’s a touch of the same shock we get from the events of the rest of the episode, from Benzo and Grayson dying brutally and very quickly, to a similar shocking death scene for Vander + Claggor + Mylo later on. It’s a taste of what’s about to come, setting us up for more and more devastation: the beginning of the end.

[@randomdreamer5429]

i wish i could watch this scene for the first time again. an absolute masterpiece.

[@jondough9545]

I agree. I wish I could forget the whole show so I could rewatch everything fresh!

[@Iamnot_anartpersom]

Same! Unfortunately I saw the very end of the scene ( when Jinx holds up the smoke thing) and didn’t see the entire part so I kinda want to go back and pay attention more :(

[@SeyhawksNow]

Those "Levels" you discuss at the start perfectly applies to the Bomb scene and the Alleyway scene to go with it. Powder starts the scene completely ELATED that her bomb finally worked after so many times failing. But then we realize it caused all this misery to go with it. And that thing was a TOY before Powder turned it into a bomb.

[@tsu_suki]

This scene is so good, and it's my absolute favorite. I've always found Mylo represents the negative voice in Jinx's head, so the fact that his ghostly image is screaming in that part tells me that the negative voice is louder to Jinx than the more hopeful one Claggor represents. It paints this picture that she doesn't believe she will see Vi again but there is still a bit of hope left. It depicts the conflicting emotions she must be feeling in that moment, and it's really heartbreaking but visually stunning. What I love most about this scene though is that Jinx literally has lived with this idea that Vi abandoned her, and even though we know that's not true, SHE doesn't know that at this point. She probably thinks Vi hates her for what happened, and at the very least, blames her for the deaths of Mylo, Claggor, and Vander. We then get the part with Sevika flat out lying to her about why Vi is looking for her because she says Vi is looking for the stone and replaced Jinx, which we know is not true. And we, of course, have the fact that Silco has also told Jinx that Vi betrayed her. With all of this in mind, Jinx STILL uses the flare Vi gave her. She chose to believe Vi would keep her promise to come find her. With everything she knows to be true (no matter how false it all is), she has no reason to believe Vi would care enough to find her. But she places her hope in that one promise because she wants to see her sister again. And then we get the reunion, which is so satisfying and heartwarming. I love the moment Jinx hears Vi speak. She's so cautious about turning because what if it isn't real. All the anger disappears in a second and everything about her becomes soft. She's in such disbelief. And we, the audience, get what we've been waiting for with this reunion, and the characters do too. But it only lasts a few minutes before it's all turned upside down, which just makes it gut-wrenching to watch. This is all just my personal take, but this is why I love this scene so much. It's just sooooo emotional. Thank you for continuing to post about Arcane! I really enjoy all of your analyses, and it makes the wait less painful! XD

[@vyna_mel5726]

I know I shouldn't, but this scene is the main reason I don't love Caitlyn. She was really sweet and I really liked her personality from before that point, but after that scene where my mind told me "Caitlyn's arrival ruined it all" although it was definitely not her fault, my love for Caitlyn just deteriorated a lot.

[@lightspeedbubble7359]

"Are you real?" Dude, I didn't even realize that disconnection between how Vi understands it and how we do even though I still felt it. You put your finger on such interesting details, I love it. Makes me appreciate the show more each video you release.

[@Sometalllperson]

This is when you realise ALL the work that has been put into this show. Arcane’s truely a masterpiece!!!

[@andyaliaga3188]

Completely different medium... but this is how Musical Theatre as a whole _works_ It's the entire theory of "If your feelings are to big to talk, sing. If they're too big to sing, dance". It's how all MT songs are built up and make sense. Every song in every musical is, in and of itself, a Level 9 moment, particularly with showstoppers and eleven-o-clocks. You go from a scene that's usually quiet and unimportant to a sudden big emotion that evolves into this massive musical number and suddenly everyone's dancing along to the character's emotional state. It's beautiful and it gets me everytime.

[@martinw2235]

This scene is fantastic, but the whole ending from Vi waking up to the tea party to the missile hitting the window is 10/10. One of my two or three favorite scenes in anything ever.

[@dejavisitebk6060]

Curious how there's a skeletal fish in the background as Jinx lights the flare, giving us a looming foreshadowing of Silco's influence on her even during this supposed moment of reunion between the two sisters - then solidifying it as Jinx reverts to her manic/deadly self (the self Silco created) and making Vi realize how far gone her sis is and that she'll have to take all of Silco's empire down to get her back. The eye crashing down - the Eye of Zaun "blinking" - in a moment of distraction is not enough as Silco resurfaces more vicious and unhinged than ever before, also reminding us he'll do anything to keep Jinx - and keep her the way she is.

[@Marina-kd7qk]

keep in mind, Silco didn't create Jinx, Vi did

[@fromtheshadows7001]

@@Marina-kd7qk100% agree, I would say Silco NURTURED Jinx but didn’t create her

[@DLxxx]

​@@Marina-kd7qk Eh.. Vi planted the seed, but Silco was the one who grew the tree.

[@DianaDxD]

The Guns for Hire scene is the one scene that genuinely never fails to make me cry. I cried throughout multiple times during this show but that scene hits me so hard on an emotional level that if it ever just crosses my mind I'll instantly start bursting into tears😭

[@hurricaneofcats]

The emotional part of these scene is that it's this massive outpouring of feeling, but my favourite part of the construction is how it maintains tension. Like Jinx, you aren't sure whether Vi will be re-united with her. When Jinx pulls that flare, Vi is in the worst possible position, at the bottom of a pit, injured and cornered by Silco and some of the shots throughout seem to indicate that Vi might not follow the flare. So that moment after the flare is exhausted when you see Vi standing behind Jinx is a massive emotional gut punch

[@TurokRevolution]

The ending of Episode 9 with "What Could Have Been" is just perfection. The entire season build up to this moment, and then at the very peak... a sudden silence and the credits start to roll. When I first watched it I was left speechless, but with so many thoughts and not knowing where to start. What I like about the Guns for Hire scene, is that before Jinx pulls the pin on the flare, you can already hear the instrumentals of Guns for Hire quietly. But then Jinx lights up the flare and the lyrics kick in and it's just so beautiful. Arcane is just beatiful. I love this show! Although I had a really hard time understanding this video. Most of your other videos are rather simple and easy to understand while this one had a lot of technical jargon that was really difficult to comprehend. At some parts I just watched the video like: "What are you trying to say? No, like genuinely. Like what the fuck does that mean?" (Kudos if anyone got that reference)

[@EditedAF987]

“You made quite a non-binary fuss to save the world from intercontinental ballistic tweets!”

[@Flynnick]

one scene that always break me is from "good will hunting" when Sean ( Robin Williams ) tells : its not your fault. You can see the change in the face of Will ( Matt Damon ) and it just takes you along.

[@Selawen]

I think that scene is a great example of how expanding instead of contracting can also be used to great emotional effect. If the dams broke after the first "it's not your fault" the scene wouldn't nearly have been as impactful. It's the barrage and the slow breaking down of composure that gives the scene its strength

[@colinree6131]

The flare was my fav scene too. The interesting thing that WASN'T mentioned is that this "concretization" almost perfectly describes a motif. A representation of a feeling within a story element. These motifs don't have to be small things, like the mentioned achilles heel, or the ring of power, but they can also be dialogue, music, objects, people, animals, ANYTHING. Think of how emotional it feels when the avengers theme plays, or when Inigo Montoya says "you killed my father, prepare to die," or when we see the girl in red in Schindler's List. These symbols are established to represent heroism, revenge and innocence, so that when stories interact with those elements a second/third/fourth time, we feel what they represent. The flare is a PERFECT motif for the loving sisterly relationship. We understand EXACTLY what Powder is hoping to accomplish. It's not a trap or an ambush, it's because she longs for her older sister. And in lighting that flare, we feel the love that the sisters share. And then Arcane shows Mylo and Clagger, the two biggest motifs of her trauma, and we feel Powder's pain and guilt. And this shows us, in the most effective way possible, that this is a cry for help. And then we feel the anticipation and relief of Vi both seeing the flare and finally getting to Powder up on the tower. And finally, to cap off everything, Powder drops her current life, represented by the gemstone, and fully embraces her sister. This scene is such a rush of emotions because of all the setup with its different motifs (plus the banger music). The story hits us over the head with all the possible symbolism to make Vi and Powder's reunion emotional. And it succeeds. Perfectly.

[@Warwellington]

My god, reading that was like having a brilliant cup of tea. 👌🏾🫡

[@canaanitis6638]

While not necessarily a cliffhanger, the scene that broke me down the most and probably one of my favorite scenes was near the end of episode 3 where Powder releases the Hextech Crystal contraption to try and save Vander & Co. You have this great feeling of praying and hoping that her machine will work, followed by this explosion of excitement and promise as as it actually does. But then you're met with a slow tear down as we watch in horror as the negative effects of the explosion fall like dominoes. The second that I realized this wasn't just going to take out the villain in the scene I was covering my mouth and holding my breath, hoping that things would be ok. Then seeing Powder smile with pride that her invention worked as she fell while her friends were brutalized by the very same thing, just added to the heart-wrenching pain I felt about the entire scene. I was probably crying "No no no no no!" the entire scene and feeling this comforting sorrow for Powder who wouldn't even realize what would happen until after the fact. This was only compounded when she sees Vi and excitedly approaches her, completely oblivious to what had transpired. I thought the emotional build-up and release then subsequent reversal of emotions was so incredible in this scene.

[@gabrieladabrowska458]

Hm interesting, so if a bad clifhanger is "the door opens, the character sees who it is and is shocked, but we don't see the person, the credits roll" then is the ending to episode 2 a bad clifhanger? :D it ends with Vi waiting at Benzo's shop and the door opens, we see her eyes widen, then it cuts to black; we only find out that it's Vander in the next episode. The definition kind of leads to believe that it should be a bad clifhanger but it isn't because we expect that to be the enforcers but Vi's shocked reaction makes us excited to find out if we were right or wrong? Maybe it's more built up with emotions, the montage and the music? What do you think?

[@schnee1]

I was wondering about this too, it's a really interesting scene. I don't think it falls into Sanderson's "bad" category because when the door opens in that scene, we're like 99% sure we know who it is (...we're just wrong lol). Sanderson's case is the door opens and we have no idea at all, which basically makes it a waste of a scene. Here, they've already set a new course by having Vi allegedly turn herself in. Then in the beginning of the next episode, they undo that course and set ANOTHER different new course. Weird choice, I guess it works though.

[@gabrieladabrowska458]

@@schnee1 It definitely was a weird choice. Because obviously I was binging the episodes, I went from ep 2 straight to ep3 and found out immediately that I was wrong to assume it was the enforcers and the stress and fear over Vi's life was calmed down by the sight of Vander. And then he decided to sacrifice himself in Vi's place and the fear came back, this time over his life. It was a rollercoaster, even if the choice of how to execute it was risky, they definitely played with viewers' emotions very well

[@rowansjet]

@@schnee1 I think what might make the ep2 cliffhanger work is that the montage is all about uncertainty (and forgive me if I get some details wrong here with my own uncertainty). We saw Grayson get the message, but we didn't see from who. We see enforcers heading into the Undercity, but we don't know where they're going. We see someone kicking open a door, thinking it's enforcers, but it's eventually revealed to be Vi. We can infer she's giving herself up but it's never explicitly said so we can't be sure. We can infer Vander realises what she's doing, but we can't know for sure, because he's only reacting to a stuffed toy. And finally, Vi readies herself for the expected enforcers to walk through the door, but her eyes go wide at something unexpected, and cut to credits. Uncertainty. It's all feeding us a steady stream of uncertainty, to prime us for that final moment, and to really emphasise the uncertainty that everyone's feeling since the lab robbery.

[@victor-oh]

​@@schnee1 It's a very cliché "cliffhanger" but it's not like we're left waiting for the next episode. It's just the end of a scene, instead of the end of the act, and we're sure to know that whoever is behind the door is going to be revealed in the time it takes to click "next episode". I don't think we need to be very critical on the "cliffhangers" in between arcs.

[@juandyu9476]

@@schnee1 They were even rubing it to our faces, starting with the Vinyl scene, they kind of tell us to lay back and enjoy the music (also laidback and happy song) next with Vander having no idea even with a completly devastated Powder in front of him and finding out after we see Vi already at Benzo's, they didn't show us Vi straight away, was kind of a little mistery who was breaking in a house and breaking glass, making Vander's realization feeld even more too late.

[@Sheepfre9k]

That scene moved me to tears and this is a great breakdown as to why it did. Also what made it really tick for me is that from Vi seing the blue flare and being dragged away by cait (who doesn't know about this flare) until the very end of this we don't know if they actually do reunite. There is so much anticipation, we know Jinx is reaching out and Vi does see it, but until the very end we do not know if Vi is actually heading for Jinx. We do not see it, which makes the end of the scene and the hug so satisfying because it just releases all this tension and emotion and buildup from the scene.

[@jraqn]

i also love the tension that the montage creates BEFORE vi see the flare. we know that the flare has a limited time to be used, so were anxious and wondering if vi will even see it before it runs out, because shes busy climbing out of a ravine and running away from silco. I always get so anxious watching that part because im worried vi wont see the flare in time and i know if she doesnt then jinx is just gonna implode.

[@yourstrulys7035]

the "are you real?" line is so powerful. Also i have this feeling that when jinx FIRST ever started having the hallucinations, she probably also saw her sister alot. Now we dont see the transition of powder/jinx starting to have the hallucinations, but it kinda makes me feel like shes had hallucinations of vi coming back to her, but powder not realizing that shes a hallucination. So then she gets her hopes up to then be disapointed that shes not really there.

[@kirbysnap]

im pretty sure the emotional power in this scene was too powerful I haven't recovered as of yet :)

[@LilyShimizu]

Seeing Jinx pull the smoke signal is my FAVORITE SCENE.

[@collincutler4992]

Ella's Purnell is a HELLUVAN actress and she's been cast in the new Fallout series. I'm cautiously optimistic about it because it's got her and Walton Goggins..

[@Phoenix-cq6fn]

I love that this scene is almost a parallel to her burn it all down scene in ep 9, only its a scene where she choses powder not jinx. Everything goes quiet even the music stops for a second and the only voice she can hear in her mind is vi. Its not a scratching whisper or a taunt, but her sister reassuring her. She has a little hesitation moment where she has time to think, and she choses vi. The difference is ofc it was ruined by Caitlyn and the firelights but its still just a cool powder moment and it gives "what could've been" so much more strength because you know they were so so close. edit: i know this is super late im rewatching all your videos because i love them so much thanks for making awesome content

[@Karak971]

This scene gives me chills every time I see it

[@schnee1]

FIXED AUDIO + higher res version: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fpOoc2qbrJmfmcU NOTE: If you're curious about the Ep2 cliffhanger acc. to Sanderson's paradigm: kzbin.infoh_1X8hSDMl0?feature=share Hey everyone! Had some weird issues with both audio and video when uploading this. Might be able to fix it through youtube, but if not, I'll at least upload an unlisted version of the vid that's louder and has higher resolution. Either way, should be fixed by the end of the day, check back if you had issues with either. My apologies! Update: Made a short about my take on the ep2 cliffhanger since so many of you were asking about in the comments, linked above. Let me know what you think!

[@kentakyw1376]

Hey, it'd be cool if you make a video about how to properly k1ll a villain. Ive seen some good movies that end with a bad ending because the villan's death is disapointing. Sorry for bad english

[@jondough9545]

Thanks for the videos!

[@clxwdy]

One thing I love about Arcane is that the story is always moving. Some movies have great storylines but are boring to watch because they are moving too slow. Arcane keeps moving while still not confusing the audience too much, pausing only to build suspense but not for too long. One thing that annoys me a lot about movies are long flashbacks that aren’t significant enough to be taking so much time on, Arcane didn’t do this at all. The flashbacks keep up with the pace of the story, not unevenly switching between fast and slow, speed changing when it makes sense. Even in slower scenes, the story is always progressing, adding to the understanding of what’s happening. Slow flashbacks can be so unnecessary, look at how ekko and powder’s relationship was portrayed in mere seconds. But if used correctly, slower scenes can add so much to a story, such as vander’s death. It wasn’t really that slow, I probably could have thought of a better example but oh well. Arcane uses their slow scenes to build up feelings of tension and dread and realisation. When vander died, I might be wrong but I bet most of us were shocked that powder caused it and were both curious and dreading how vi would react when she found out it was powder. Pls correct me about this, I’m not at all an expert and this is probably inaccurate

[@wilhua3083]

I absolutely love your detailed analyses of Arcane, every video makes me experience Arcane stronger than the times I've watched it, it's insane! Love your constant output but do take care to not burn out. Loved the Mermaid as well, would love to see an on screen adaptation!

[@hwk_art2k23]

Couple scenes that could qualify as a number 9 came up to mind: Django's revenge, the very end øf Whiplash, Ahsoka vs Maul and the Clones vs Mandalorians

[@mathies3598]

Yup I also mentioned Ahsoka order 66.

[@MistyLose]

I'm pretty sure the VA for jinx British accent coming through wasn't intentional but The fact that it did realllllyyy makes that scene feel serious And love her for that

[@henriquebandeiradiaz1755]

My favorite level 9 scene is the very end of Adventure Time. Because, in my opinion, Adventure Time is an incredibly character motivated show. So the last thing we see has to be the characters we have grown to love so much continue their lives in this crazy and wacky world.

[@disconsolate3235]

Another Adventure Time level 9 scene that I think is excellent is the end of the Stakes miniseries where Marceline sits on her couch and sings her mother's song. The themes of the series is wrapped up in the song "everything stays" where the lyrics take on a new light that is mournful yet so hopeful with the weight of all Marceline has experienced so far. Adventure Time is so good and I feel like people brush it off because it's a "kid's show"

[@Drekromancer]

@@disconsolate3235 Well said. I think both of these definitely qualify. ...I have to say. I think Time Adventure does it, too.

[@sakurap95]

9:30 The flashes of scenes also builds tension because of the context it brings us about events happening elsewhere at the same time. The bullets going in the barrel in particular is a scene that tells us Vi and Caitlyn are going to face danger if they try to cross the bridge. Marcus is lying in wait for them. Those bullets could be for them. So we get worried about where Vi and Cait are going. But we realize Vi saw the blue smoke and we wonder if she’s going to follow it. To our relief, she was able to.

[@Wishram321]

Never realized this before-Jinx's tattoos are of smoke.*THIS* smoke. She's using those tattoos as a way to call out to Vi to be found.

[@obadijahparks]

The accent slip could have been silcos paranoia coming out through Jinx. She spends time with him, and my accent varies depending on my mood because of who was around me growing up, and how they reacted in different scenarios.

[@ElitePraetorian421]

I'm so glad someone is finally talking about this scene.. it's so good and woodkid smashes it out of the park with the score

[@VeeAndThings]

I get chills from just hearing you talk about these scenes jeez. Time to go watch Arcane for the 100th time lol. Great video :)

[@TheDoomKnight]

One scene that really gets me is the end of the Speed Racer film, when he's finishing the final lap. It's a CGI overload, throwing scene after scene with you, reminding us of just how far Speed had gone to overcome his challenges and not only destroy Royalton, but win the Grand Prix, with lots of loud music and noises, only to suddenly stop on an image of his tires melting and sounds faded out. Then it's just the sound of him breathing, and as he slowly takes his helmet off, the sound gradually returns and it's celebration time. I love it.

[@nancyjay790]

That movie is very underappreciated.

[@dancer_to_a_discrodant_system]

Dune has lots of level 9 scenes: the hand in the box scene, the Harkonnens' attack scene, the vision paul has before the sandworm almost eats him and Gorny scene, and probably a lot more.

[@thehutch1674]

Would the Forbidden Friendship scene from How To Train Your Dragon count as a level 9 scene? Montage, starts with fear and ends with companionship, and the music is just amazing. More emotional than in-your-face impactful, but still

[@naastyaaaaaaaaa]

This scene is everything.💙 Thank you!

[@riich.586]

Hearing Jinx saying "are you real" again after finishing the show months ago still instantly got me with watery eyes goddamn it. The whole video you are just here explaining how good writing comes to life and then Jinx comes around and just says 3 words and destroys everything 😭

[@tatedickson4796]

I loved Vander's last stand. The thing that made arcane so amazing is the sheer quantity of masterpiece scenes.

[@TheRandomYoYo]

I still get hit more by final episode of act 1. It's just so much more visceral. Besides the amazingly shot explosion to show how each character was irrevocably changed, coupled with the fact that we know they had a chance to get away had Powder not intervened, we have the moment after. When Powder finally realizes how utterly she fucked up. That specific moment when you know you've done something you can never take back, that this is now your life full of consequences, and you have to live it is just... so... breaking.

[@erinbathie-moore8478]

Thanks for walking us through the good vs bad cliffhangers. It actually gave me an idea for a story I've started collecting ideas for. I'll be sure to revise this again when I get there ❤

[@peepeepoopoo738]

I love your analysis of all of arcane

[@nadjaaj]

NO CUZ THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I NEEDED!!! I always wonderedhow do you make scenes emotional, and you explained it PERFECTLY ty you really help me with my stories

[@abstractbio]

Amazing analysis. Thanks for this astounding work.

[@amilcargonzales1643]

Literally watching ALL your videos, I wish to one day have a channel like this. Thank you for your content and perspective

[@krysbingham2501]

I think one of the most emotionally powerful moments for me is Encanto, and this movie yo-yos from happy to sad so quick and adds more and more weight until you're sobbing at the last song where it all pays off. Especially the scene where Mirabel is talking with her cousin and sucking it up that he may just get her fate but still not wanting it because she loves him more than the pain she feels herself, and it explodes out during Waiting for a Miracle like it should in a musical. Its literally perfect and I'm glad I have this to measure just why something gets me crying like a baby or extremely hyped when its exciting

[@carlosbermudez537]

brilliant breakdown of a brilliant scene. thank you.🙏🏼

[@user-ui2qq6no1n]

Just re-watched the show and still watching these videos. Ugh so good. So analytical. Much wow.

[@wolftrest]

Amazing video as always! I read your story and gotta say the ending line where he is counting her ribs really packed a punch!

[@isabelapereira8914]

now I love Guns for Hire even more. I can't tell the amount of emotions I feel when I listen to it - I'm very sensitive to music, it is basically my oxigen, I get too emotional the instrumental is heavenly heavy. Woodkid vocals reverberate softly, but you know it is loaded with sadness, deception, despair, begging...the chorus lyrically consists on some kind of advice, warning, sad news, accusation, shame...what is going on? and then when woodkid says "go play with your blocks", he shows some kind of acceptance, or even a try to rush his interlocutor to do what they're about to do, whatever it is - betray, give up, have his last chance to be happy or whatsoever. he's feeling the whole event with all his five senses. the scene and the song retrofeeds themselves with exponential wealth of elements and meanings. I could talk about it a whole day long. is just too much TOO MUCH, i love it so much

[@charlieflickinger7372]

Currently on my like 10th rewatch of Arcane and I posted about this scene last night on my FB...and then opened my youtube and saw this video today. Out of all your videos I've never seen this one, and you put into words every single thing I loved about it.

[@max-cj6zz]

I’m excited to implement this into the book(s) I’m writing, this was insanely helpful in figuring out why certain scenes work so well

[@TheJackMouse]

I love the segment on cliffhangers, especially your mention of Brandon Sandersons take on it. The difference between a good cliffhanger and a bad cliffhanger is a bad cliffhanger leaves you saying "Wait... What happened?" and a good cliffhanger "Wait..! What happens!?"

[@Jalugi1395]

Just dropping a comment to say I read your short story and loved it! Fantastic use of parallels, and the ending reminded me of (slight spoiler) Neil Gaiman's masterclass where he talks about coming up with new stories by taking a classic trope or tale and putting a fresh spin on it. Really good work. I love to write myself just as an occasional hobby, so I really like reading short stories from other people and learning how to improve on my own work through them. Thanks for linking it!

[@botanicalitus4194]

I think another reason they showed us marcus on the bridge is because during the scene we are so engrossed in the sisters' story that we forget that there are other factors and stakes outside of them. So when they show us marcus, we remember "oh shoot, i forgot about this disastrous plan that Jayce is doing!", before the scene drags us back to the sisters. I think what this does is adds a layer of anxiety and distress that is introduced with Marcus before being pushed to the back of our minds as we watch Vi and Jinx, and what this does is it sets the tone for their reuniting. Its not just pure happiness and joy, there is an undertone of fear and anxiety that things could go wrong at any moment idk if i explained that well

[@flylikeanowl8667]

This video helped me more than years of story telling classes when animating. I guess I didn’t rlly listen before. Thank you!

[@dylanlee1307]

Holy cow, I just read your short story and it gave me crazy chills! Did not expect it to end the way it did at all, and you did a fantastic job of setting everything up and giving depth and feeling in such a small amount of space. Thanks for another amazing video! I've been working through this series and it's clear how much work you put into each installment. Hopefully I'll have some art for you in a few days :)

[@marianamora4203]

Just finished my second rewatch of the show and man there is so much I didn't process in those quick montages because of how fast they go by!

[@danirogerc]

You just uncovered this level 9 scenes concept for me. Thanks Schnee :D

[@JCRPerez17]

This is so great!! I already know how I am going to use #5 in the scene I've been struggling with for a nice sucker punch at the end. Thank you!!

[@ginabrooks7424]

When we see the hallucinations of old friends like Claggor or Benzo showing up behind Jinx in this moment jam packed with emotion, blue smoke everywhere, so many different cut scenes, Claggor and Benzo are pictured so clearly. It's odd, considering the fact that all of Jinx's prevous hallucinations have been messy, manic, scribbled over, etc... but not now- Now it's like we're finally seeing it how Jinx does, the raw emotion from the blue smoke finally being lit, sparks flying everywhere, adding onto all of the overload of feelings we're getting. We now see that Jinx finds her hallucinations as real as real life- and we can finally see with our own emotions how they torment her, instead of just thinking she's crazy because of these hallucination's messy nature.

[@Smoses_senpai]

I gotta agree with you there. Its one of my favourite scenes and even now if i just think about it, I get goosebumps

[@shivpalpatine1660]

i have watched so many Arcane videos of so many content creators but man, i dont know how to say this, but your explanations are so point on and they way you tell it that the listener just gets trapped, hypnotized. You just have a way with words that keeps the audience glued to their seats... and its amazing how much work and effort you have put into your work, simply amazing as always...

[@rvantong]

Man, I really adore your breakdowns. They're incredibly insightful. Also, "Are you real?" shattered my heart into millions of pieces

[@nadjaaj]

My 2 favorite emotional scenes are in the same show called Violet Evergarden, one is episode i think 6 or 7 when Violet jumpes over a lake, and the other in episode i agein think 8 when she has a emotional moment. I recomend Violet Evergarden to everyone, it has story, characters and animation you will not regret watching it

[@ellieechodu9532]

Your short story is amazing-very efficient use of 812 words! I love seeing your writing after hearing so many of your methods and "how to write x" content!

[@alyssumflowers]

everything everywhere all at once has a scene that this applies to so well

[@KarinaPhipps]

this scene gives me chills and makes me cry every time I watch it it's just perfect

[@tychovries4286]

Great video, and I also really liked the short story.

[@TheLoserface45]

Great videos! Love a quality deep dive in storytelling

[@RyakoZenouka]

I found your videos like 5 days ago and i've been so into it. It fascinates me how much you intepretend out of every little thing. You open my eyes by it and give these moments in said series like Arcane a tons of more flavour to it. Im usually not too good into intepretending things, but damn, i learn so much from you and im so glad i found your channel. Im writing by myself and you help me there a lot of thinking how to make a good one. Wow. Thank you so much

[@rebeccaeason554]

Mufasa's death scene from the Lion king - definitely level 9 scene. The stampede, scar's betrayal, Simba's grief, the tiny roar that sets it off - omg I love that scene.

[@somebody3319]

ngl, i also loved the end of the first or second Episode were Silco takes powder in. like the whole thing with the happy to sad shift of powder, vanders death, vi being taken away and the song, oh. my. god! i love it! everytime i hear goodbye i think of that scene in an instant, you just KNOW you made a good scene when hearing the first notes of a song brings back the sad feeling of the scene it self

[@kammieceleek5113]

I have been WAITING for this one to crop up in your long-form or short-form content.

[@akokoloko5199]

same tbh

[@peblz7737]

I'm SO GLAD you made a video on this scene because ever since I first watched it a year ago I have been unable to stop thinking about it. It's actually peak animation, peak musical storytelling, peak fiction. Unbelievable how impactful a single scene can be on a deeply emotional level.

[@neptugaming7656]

For me I guess the finale of Avatar S1 when Aang goes into Water Spirit mode and destroys the fire nation fleet really ticks most of these boxes/levels. Pure goosebumps every time.

[@brawler8839]

Not sure if it perfectly fits but the first flight scene in how to train your dragon the moment he lets go of the cheat sheet and just trusts his instincts is so SO good especially with the them test drive blaring over it.

[@Navefreamo]

I Don’t even have watched it, but I know it will be good quality analysis. I mean just keep doing what you do it’s incredible.

[@calikova3735]

a HUGE emotional scene that comes to mind is the end of the clone wars s7, the very last few scenes of the finale episode. the mood shifts from 'relief-of-surviving-a-starship-plummeting-through-the-atmosphere' to 'mourning... everything.' the camerawork goes from fast-paced action shots to slow pans across the wreck of the starship, the music slows to something somber, and the audience takes in the clones' graves. it's SO quiet. we're not just mourning their deaths--but also the death of the republic, and everything we as viewers have come to know as "the clone wars." and then when ahsoka's lightsaber hits the ground to really drive the finality of it all home, and the music comes back in... literal goosebumps. love your videos btw, really amazing stuff :))

[@kibalev]

This channel is gold! Thanks for your amazing videos!

[@kpdkchristian2570]

dude these videos are fantastic, glad the algorithm suggested you

[@sabrina0013]

Thanks for the analysis! Most of it feels really obvious in retrospect, but still nice to see laid out this way. The thing I'd never realized before though is how it's always such a small thing concretizing the change. That's fascinating. And yeah, Ella's accent slips a couple times. The same thing happened in Yellowjackets (Which you should ABSOLUTELY watch if you're interested in her performance). I think the volume levels for the vid were a little low this time. I had to boost my speakers to hear most of it, so some people with lesser equipment might have missed some parts. But still great vid

[@edwintomane3044]

Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom man. Such an incredibly well made video. I wish you the best of luck with your own writing. :)

[@ordinaryperson7692]

I just read your short story and OH MY GOD JEHZGSKA I JUST GOTTA SAY I LOVE IT SO MUCH LMAO YOU GOTTA MAKE MORE OF THESE SHORT STORIES It was short yet an excellent execution and a prime example of AGHHH I LVOE IT BAHAHA✨✨✨

[@straythorn0117]

im so glad you mentioned two of the best scenes in one piece, another one that i think is incredible and iconic is the " say you want to live" scene, gave me chills twice, one reading it, and again when watching the anime. just such a good scene

[@readonlymemories]

THANK YOU. This scene always gets me crying and I still couldn't fully understand why that is, especially since even their reunion scene doesn't make me as emotional as this one (though of course it is still extremely emotional). Now I get it. It's a pure overload of every emotion and it all comes spilling out lmao Great analysis! I'm really appreciating the deconstruction of the methods and showing good and bad examples to help us understand the point better. Not only your analyses, but your presentation of them keeps getting better and better; now I'm even starting to take notes on how exactly you're presenting the content as well because of how brilliant it's becoming Keep up the good work!

[@grandowlz345]

The ending of Titanfall 2 is one of my favorite story moments of all time. I would absolutely classify it as a level nine. The build up, the emotion changes, the sensory overload, BT being amazing, it all makes it an amazing ending to one of the best games of all time.

[@particle4799]

even though that final scene of the show could never get topped for me moments like these for jinx will always be why i adore her character so much