Analyzing Arcane Season 2's Opening

[@SarcasticChorus]

Only now occured to me that the font for DOOMED makes this look like a Schnee video.... . . I've changed it to something more silly.

[@eliefhr]

SHOUT OUT TO SCHNEE WOAH!!!

[@jackspratt7264]

Who the hell is "Ikra"? You mean "Isha"?

[@blueivy_studios8762]

Isha. Her name is Isha

[@adrianatienza3483]

Ambessa is a champ in the game now, so I don't know about your prediction about her dying.

[@ribottostudio]

​@@adrianatienza3483just cause she BECAME a champ doesn't give her immunity. SOME of the big players have to bite it

[@IM-vv5dm]

I honestly interpreted that shot of Caitlyn of becoming slowly more like the monster Jinx sees her as, with her grief and anger slowly consuming her.

[@Fiddlefiddle5000-qv1ly]

I honestly thought she would turn into sauron. I mean she has the spirit at leats😂😂😂

[@valentinkambushev4968]

@@Fiddlefiddle5000-qv1ly well, Sauron also started small, but eventually became the second dark lord in Middle Earth's history.

[@FilipKaczorowski-b3m]

The first thing i tought of when i saw that Caitlyn scene was king Minos

[@danalynch118]

I interpreted as her being a ruler a leader of some kind and that’s breaking her which was actually scary accurate looool

[@bouboulroz]

McBeth is a clear reference, but it seems like the whole opening is a reference to stage play in general. I see Jinx with the banner and Viktor with the mask and can't help but be reminded about Les Misérables and Phantom of the Opera. Meanwhile Ambessa and Mel are in a greek tragedy.

[@kendyl8878]

yessss i was thinking the same thing with jinx and viktor

[@ashleypisarts]

I saw Ambessa and Mel’s sequence as the same. Their posing was reminiscent of a depiction of Greek goddesses - I just can’t put my finger on it.

[@natayle]

ambessa and mel are caesar

[@sunlessshadow9498]

Ambessa and Mel giving me more 'fall of the roman empire' type vibes.

[@leena9360]

Also Jayce squinting against a bright light in his eyes, almost like stage lights

[@s3nsation646]

The first instinct when seeing their new attires in the opening was that they were dressed for an old greek stage play. The staging also gives these vibes that they truly are acting out a tragedy in a theatre. Would further work with the parallels to greek tradegies

[@S0urmf420]

Along with jinx’s flag waving symbolism from Le misérables

[@gaclass]

That's exactly what I was thinking

[@talkingcowthatwasthereallalong]

My connection is a bit weak but all the good ideas have been had in this comment section: The mask that Viktor is pondering over is not the same he is about to wear, the first has a round/oval shape and protruding features, while the second has a flat line on top, more akin to the symbols of comedy and tragedy (sock and buskin or whatever) and has less features.

[@Halren]

Those like 3 youtubers talking about arcane and how they relate to Greek tragedies are about to have a field day

[@roblowe2714]

theres also a lot of references to opera and stage play in both seasons so far. the first season had the play of the slowly growing storm in the scene where jayce embraces the corruption of his position, and the first act of the second season had the demacian history play, specifically the crowning ceremony iirc.

[@rainbowstalkerthe2nd587]

Cait and Vi pushing each other away in the intro is also reminiscent of when Jinx shot at them on the bridge and they pushed each other back to dodge bullets

[@sophiagomez5619]

Because Jinx started the friction that ended in them breaking up.

[@jaceyhernandez7135]

oh my god ur right

[@gyummii3167]

they are against each other but still care for each other oh my god

[@fayevalentines]

i thought i was the only one who noticed this!!

[@moonlit_sky127]

+ ekkos jump in the trailer is the same move he did to dodge jinx's shot on the bridge

[@smokey5701]

That mask that viktor is holding honestly looks like Jaques Lecoq's "neutral mask" a technique we use in theatre to strip away the emotions of the face, so that the body can flourish. This could possibly be hinting at a loss of emotion that we are already seeing in viktor, replacing with only the action to make the world "Better" (Although i could be completely bullshitting)

[@liznesterova603]

No I think you are absolutely correct, since the lose of emotions is literally what is written in Victor's lore!

[@bard2555]

after all, he is missing inspiration

[@BrightBlueInk]

I ended up rewatching a KZbin short the other day (by amazing KZbinr TBSkyen) that analyzed Viktor's original character design with his backstory and... Yeah, the original version of Viktor purposefully took away his ability to feel emotions (or at least attempted to?) because he believed the capacity to feel emotions was one of the root causes of human suffering and he wanted to eliminate that suffering in everyone. So uh...I think you nailed what the symbolism is (and now I'm very scared).

[@Deleph]

Now that act 2 is out, this seems even more spot on

[@goregeous]

That’s exactly it after watching act 2

[@abigailaceves9230]

Something to point out is how Arcane has the writings and elements of a Greek Tragedy & the openings are a great reflections of it.

[@TzrcWolf_]

Yep, most of the characters already have the Greek aesthetic togas in the opening. Cool contrast to that of the stone statues as the ancient Greeks and Roman’s were famous for their statues. Now that the characters have been carved out and represented, now they are replaced with the real people in which the statues were made from.

[@DLxxx]

​@@TzrcWolf_​​This would actually explain why Vi is able to wipe away her tattoo, and why Jinx's clouds tattoos are missing. In the context of this opening, that's all bassically stage make up. The "costume" of the characters they're playing. And by stripping them of all those bells and whistles, we get to see the literal and metaphorical "humans" underneath.

[@wilczyca2678]

So less opening and more general, but it being based on pre-existing lore and characters fits pretty neatly into the concept of Fatum. No matter how much they try to avoid it, the outcome has been predetermined for them. Their future is a done deal, but they will still try to fight to make it just a smidge better.

[@valentinkambushev4968]

Imagine getting spoiled that your OTP is going to break up in the FREAKING opening!

[@alexisdogbo7958]

lol tbh I didn’t even pay attention the first time, so I didn’t even notice!

[@kasterkreep1264]

One Trick Pony?

[@HaydrogenBomb]

That's rough, buddy.

[@obara7366]

I didn't consider it a spoiler cuz it was obvious imo

[@ajnsztajnpoppymain4life881]

​@@kasterkreep1264 one true pairing I think?

[@siennasobott9805]

Ok I need to say it... That shot of Caitlyn stepping into the light makes her look like Steve Jobs about to give a talk about the next iPhone...

[@siennasobott9805]

Also I love the lighting but specifcally the slivers of light that are present throughout the intro. I don't know what they could symbolise but how they move and the colours they are seem interesting to me. I just haven;t seen a lot of people talking about it.

[@ianmiller6798]

Amusingly that was my thought the first time I saw the intro

[@abirdkilledmeh]

What does it mean? There has to be hidden meaning behind it. Is Caitlyn leaving her life as a dictator to steal hextech from Jayce in order to follow her life long dream: create app like gadgets for the people of Piltover?

[@missrebel634]

It’s that turtleneck

[@e.rje1]

this was also me and my brothers first thought

[@Bala_Niranna]

Something about that shot if Cait stepping into the light of leadership, because of her blue hair and the loose loc in front when she has it up in a ponytail, when you frame and light her like that she looks a lot like jinx. I fully predicted all the parallels to jinx we saw through act one based on that alone. She's becoming the monster she sought to destroy in her recklessness and bloodlust

[@abhilasha9608]

💯💯💯 tbh after ep 3 I felt that eventually there won't be much difference between Caitlyn and Jinx 🤔

[@matrixiekitty2127]

I had just watched a video about their parallels before watching the new season, so when I saw season 2 basically confirm their link I was HYPED! Scared, but hyped!

[@thatponighoul]

Mmhm, Vi even tells her that she's acting like her in ep 3. And her scene in the arcade where she perceives a threat, readies her weapon, and it turns out to be false but she fires anyway is just like Jinx with the bird in her arcade scene.

[@dreamer5959]

Fantastic analysis! I just want to add that Jinx waving that flag is a reference to _La Liberté guidant le peuple_ , a very famous painting by Eugène Delacroix representing the French Revolution

[@lilydapug5399]

That’s what I was thinking! Probably also a connection to Les Mis (another play to go with that theme), but so interesting that Jinx is put into this role of liberty. I think it’s clear how she is leading the people of Zaun now but I wonder if this is foreshadowing for the final political outcome…

[@ddm0147]

Exactly!!

[@Skozerny]

Except the banner is nothing like it in shape nor is the form of waving it.

[@deandredukes95]

This show is less about a girl who is doing miracles and more about the domino effect of this girl's life, and how everyone else is affected.

[@popsicIes]

Arcane is a silly little show about a little girl using magic to save her big sister!

[@joaovmlsilva3509]

Nothing should've happened if Jayce died in snow

[@Angie06-yt]

😂​@@joaovmlsilva3509

[@luckyduchesse8924]

I have a theory about the colors. In the first season, blue and pink were often used to demonstrate the internal conflic of Powder vs Jinx. Powder was blue and Jinx was pink. So that in the intro, a pink light is shown on the face of Vi and Cait can mean that they are being haunted by the acts of Jinx and she's the thing that separates them. However, Jinx is having a blue light on her. Maybe it symbolises her recent comportement where she doesn't really act like Jinx, she's more like her fomer self, Powder.

[@rayagala4336]

Yess!! I also noticed that color change in the lights but wasn't sure what it meant, that's an awesome connection!!

[@njivwathomassilavwe2056]

The Twink Jesus imagery is on point

[@kamota8523]

Implying Jesus was not a twink

[@njivwathomassilavwe2056]

@kamota8523 you are so right

[@colorless799]

the word twink has lost all of its meaning lol

[@emma2884]

​@@kamota8523 well, considering he was a carpenter and more associated with a hammer, I imagine Jesus was built more like jayce.

[@daniellins4114]

Jesus was a carpenter for most of his life, he was probably way more well built ​@njivwathomassilavwe2056

[@GiulianaBruna]

I love the lightning, it's like an interrogation or a stage. Appropriate for this Shakespearean tragedy.

[@erikbihari3625]

Difference between greek and Shakespeare tragedy? Many characters seem like greek nuts.

[@Jroobelucios]

Lighting*?

[@rainbownova85]

Sevika deserves a spot in the opening

[@DLxxx]

I was going to argue that only champions are in the opening, but then I remembered Mel is featured quite prominently (same with Silco in the season 1 opening). In that case, I think the problem might be her lack of screentime in the show as a whole? I dunno. Either way, looking forward to seeing more of her going forward. She's definitely one of my favorites!

[@11A.M.]

@@DLxxx Mel is supposedly becoming a champion in the future so ofc she'd be in the opening here

[@AppleBaron]

​@@DLxxxHeimerdinger is a champion and he is not in the opening for second season. Same with Singed and Warwick.

[@BlaxeFrost-X]

Guys... PROTAGONISM

[@11A.M.]

@@AppleBaron Actually they appear in some flashes (not in every opening tho), think only Singed doesnt appear in the opening at all. And Orriana ofc, she barely appears in Arcane :)))

[@s_spiritstar]

“Viktor flat lining every 10 seconds” Sounds about right

[@marilynbrammer8670]

This is the analysis I needed. … They better not kill Caitlyn.

[@jugemujugemugokonosurikire4735]

Playable champions cannot die.

[@ninjatoriumnova2483]

@@jugemujugemugokonosurikire4735 They specifically addressed that and explained that just because a character is in the game doesn't mean they're still around in the lore, ending with "be careful what you wish for". We'll see if they were just teasing or not, I guess.

[@pasta1998]

@@ninjatoriumnova2483 when did they adress that? and was it prior to arcane becoming canon? regardles no chance they kill any of the character from the show that could bring people to the game

[@DLxxx]

​@@pasta1998 During the big Arcane reddit AMA a while back. Can't remember if it was before or after Arcane was made cannon though. I think before? It was in response to someone asking about the characters' having plot armor, and hoping that champions wouldn't be immune to death. That way, it'd be easier to be immersed in the danger they find themselves in (and also keeps the stakes intact).

[@tswizzle-1315]

I WILL GO FERAL IF THEY DO

[@DjuraValtr]

5:03 one thing you missed is that there's an Eye in the shadow looking at Ambessa. This is imo definitely Leblanc the leader of the Black rose spying on her. Ambessa is staring at a black rose thinking she has them within her grasp but in reality Leblanc is the one in the shadows spying every move she does.

[@BrisketSurge]

I’d also like to point out that Heavy is crown, the song that plays when Caitlyn decides to take action on her own, the lyrics are a direct reference to another Shakespeare play having the quote “Heavy is the head that wears the crown” only hitting at the tragedy of Caitlyn

[@Kerlesh]

My way of seeing it is that the mask represents Viktor covering up the last part of his human characteristic. In the show only his face looks human now, and by putting on the mask he is choosing to willingly cover his humanity.

[@Muted_Mushroom]

as an art student, at the end I jus taught "mhm he didn't say anything about color even though that's the first thing I noticed" just for you to say something about it at 12:00

[@avix303]

10:24 Notice also how the lighting casts multiple shadows of Jinx in the back, conveying the imagery of a crowd of Jinxes following her into rebellion, hinting at her becoming a symbol and model for Zaunites (who will literally dress and look like her)

[@mikez4388]

7:50 I just realised that when Ekko reverses back in time, you can see film tape come into frame, as if Ekko paused and rewinded the show. I have a feeling time-travel, or some form of it will affect the climax...

[@ummmolly]

you got it so right

[@aliceandrade7164]

I would like to point out how both openings of the series had a form of art in them, in the first was statues and now the 2nd being theatre cuz there is a lot of elements present, to the lighting and shadows, clothes, even breathing and expressions looks like something from a stage play made today with a focus on delivering everything with subtlety and leave the audience guessing

[@A.M.Nassan]

I’ve noticed that too! When Jinx waves the flag, it reminds me of that one song in Les Miserables (stage musical)

[@ribottostudio]

Arcane is one of those shows where you're EXPECTED to overthink things cause much like George Martin, the writers of Arcane leave NOTHING to chance. EVERYTHING has a purpose. No scene meaningless. No word frivolous.

[@beegaynocrime]

9:10 I always thought about it as if Jace is being accused by the others. You know how the cops use the lamp lights to threaten the other? It felt the same here As if everyone is blaming Jace for every problem they have. Jace is trying to help everyone, creating hex-tech weapons? Well, hex-tech is unstable and now it's poisoning the ground itself. Jace refuses to create weapons? "How could you not help us defend our people? Yeah, we know that Arcane is dangerous (and we'll blame YOU for that), but we have to do something. If something goes wrong, it's your fault" Jace is in this state where he can do literally anything and people will be unhappy about it anyway

[@jeanner.4003]

I also perceived this scene like you did. But I personnally always disliked Jayce. To me he's dull, stubborn, kiinda greedy and gullible, but I agree with you for the other parts :) I mean he never listened to hermeidinger (dont know if I got it right) warnings since the beginning. He even betrayed him, dumped him without anything left and not giving a shit. As soon as he saw a battelfied he was shocked but became a scumbag racist (maybe he always was) Another time he tried to fight (the attack on silco's manufacture) and instantly became a coward, putting his head in the sand where it always was. (And sorry, when the fuck did he learn to fight?) And then! Breaking his promise to viktor, understandable to want to save your friend but yo... Viktor could have ended in endless pain, unable to ever die for what he knew... And then! Not giving a shit about what Mel wants or thinks, he build all these hextec weapons alone in like one night with his bare hands (what is he, a demigod?) because the suffering of people clearly doesn't matter to him anymore (did it ever?). Only with a word from caitlyn. And don't get me started on her... 😂 TL;DR: I dislike Jayce x)

[@felipecouto1102]

@@jeanner.4003 To be fair, Heimer's advice against the use of Hextech were not actually credible, they were a product of his trauma, his PTSD - he was so out of it he'd rather let Viktor die then even contemplate the use of it

[@felipecouto1102]

I really loved the talk he had with Viktor. Viktor was clearly less ''humane'' after his coma, so it was like talking to a wall, but Jayce let out some real gut feelings there - I myself was expecting him giving the ''I didn't ask for this!'' speech since S1, since he was never really after becoming a leader or a politician, he only wanted to tinker and build

[@jeanner.4003]

@@felipecouto1102 maybe, but it seems he was right all along, isn't it?

[@jeanner.4003]

@@felipecouto1102 I understand your point. But i did not feel empathy towards him. More to Viktor. For me, Jayce built his own pile of shit - out of youth dumbness should I say. He had good intentions but... Nah.

[@mothman-777]

11:32 oh my god. butterfly effect. Jayce was the butterfly effect that led to the whole show.

[@harrysimpson8008]

I like to think that when ambessa starts crushing the black rose and it cuts to mel being surrounded by shadowy hands, it's saying that the more ambessa tries to fight the more danger she is putting her family in even if she doesn't see it

[@imgonnabefrankhere]

Idgaf what ANYONE says, imagine dragon’s cameos SLAPPED. I love them sm for no reason and I was so happy to see them. 😭.

[@ONEPEAKFRFR]

Fr

[@Alacaelum]

I understand from where the sentiment comes... but why are people so salty with that? I was smiling when i saw it, is it so difficult to let for of the sarcasm and just enjoy a cameo for what it is? IM and Riot have been working together for years, one of the first music video Riot made was with them, one that is at a special place in everyone's hearts... but this need to see the "corporate bootlicking" in everything just takes the joy out of everything.

[@purpleheart3431]

Same, it’s so good and it gets hated on for no good reason!

[@ribottostudio]

Like it makes sense. A ton of bars have live music.

[@mushlii]

I honestly think it stems from the hate Imagine dragons gets, they are usually a meme and you dint ever hear anyone openly admit they like their music. Which sucks because I personally enjoy what they make and think they are pretty cool

[@goofygoob420]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who caught the Macbeth crown

[@NitherSpit]

Also note that at the beginning shot with Vi/Jinx, Jinx stands up past Vi and takes her shot while Vi is still crouched down and coping. It moves her up and away from her past with her sister, stepping into a new phase of her agency.

[@almessasorrow4950]

Another thing about that shot is them losing their scars/Tattoos is them giving up on their family. Vi's scar was a reminder to protect powder, while jinx's tattoos were a call for her sister and a way of mourning the family she killed/The flare

[@merlumili]

You wondered if the mask was supposed to be a specific character, but I think it's meant to represent the loss of identity Viktor is going through right now (if we assume the theory that the hexcore took over his mind is correct) And yeah, that would make the Sky he's been hallucinating a representation of the hexcore manipulating him through his guilt over her death.

[@AlexanderRychev-yg3xt]

I begg for at least 20 vids about arcane, cause I cant live without it. banger Video

[@Hakersmith]

Yep. Feels like Murder Drones Intermission epusode (who knows, they know)

[@AlexanderRychev-yg3xt]

@@Hakersmith Ye, I'm a MD fan too

[@Sevalithi]

Someone in twitter also showed that the butterfly/ moth appears both in jayce’s and viktor’s childhood flashbacks

[@fatimapalacios2292]

yo, your predictions were crazy accurate, nice analysis

[@adriankorozan8334]

I don’t know why but when I think of Caitlyn in arcane, it reminds me of a saying “whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster”

[@wowzerssmith5027]

WOW! You were SO right! SPOT. ON. On so many levels! Excellent analysis, especially coming back to this after finishing the series to see how many things you got right!😃

[@cipherthedisaster]

8:21 can't be too certain for the lack of detail but the mask lowkey looks like Janna :0 which is funny to think that now probably the people of Zaun will see Viktor as the literal second coming of their goddess

[@piccolo917]

The fact that the creators of this show spent this much time and effort on just the opening reveals how much love and work has gone into this show. You do not spent hours and hours creating this level of symbolism if you don't care.

[@memer_nerd21610]

Just some stuff about colors I noticed: Vi has a crimson / pinkish red colored ray. Jinx and Caitlyn have a Blue ray Ekko is linked with green (from the background in his shot in the op) For Viktor, the white ray of light bends off the mask into 2 rays, one Blue one red. Jayce also is linked with white cuz thats the only color that falls on him from the ray of light that transitions into arcane. Ambessa & mel have an orange ray so here is my analysis of it: - Red and blue are on the opposite side of the color spectrum, representing the contrast between jinx and vi (also another cool thing that might be coincidence is that red's wavelength bends the least and purple (or blue in this case) bends the most, which could represent the anount of things jinx has been through) - Caitlyn becoming the monster that jinx sees / simmilar to jinx (which also ties perfectly back to what silco said about letting the monster inside us out to gain power) also waht you said about the lighting making her fingers look like they are stained in blood seems to be a refference to how lady macbeth became insane and died (it said she felt that she had blood on her hands and that no matter how much cleaned, it would never go away) - The ones from here oneward are VERY out there: Ekko's ray is green, green is right between red and purple on the color spectrum, possibly showing his current somewhat neutral stance towards jinx and vi. - Viktor has white light fall on the mask, which is a combination of all the colors, possibly symbolising his divine nature. * The ray falls on the mask and splits into two, with the red and blue rays representing the war between zaun and piltover and the war between vi and jinx / caitlyn. But thats just a theory, an arcane theory also W attension span if you read the entire thing Edit: stuff to further note: When viktor appears the lyrics go "I wake up to the sounds, of the silence that allows for my mind to run around, with my ear up to the ground." with the image glitching to a blue tint when "ear up to the ground" is said (here the use up suggests this is talking about zaun / the underground) Here wake up to the sounds could be reffering to the hallucinations of sky he sees Ambessa appear during "I am searching to behold the stories that I've told" and Caitlyn during "when my back is to the world, that was smiling when I turned" Here could back is to the world literally mean she turned her back on piltover / abandoned them in a way when she went insane? also smiling when I turned reminds me of the girl from the enforceres that said to vi that caitlyn spoke highly of her, cuz she was smiling at caitlyn when ambessa called caitlyn to become the new ruler (sorry I forgot her name) "tell you your the greatest" for Jayce is kinda just about his status? tho the lines after it might mean he does something to make ambessa or Mel "but once you turn they hate us" "oh the misery" for jinx is just kinda there "everybody wants to be my enemy" for vi, as she has noone left, assuming she has beef with caitlyn now too "spare the sympathy" for caitlyn is just crazy, she becomes dettached and is therefore, not sympathetic (also her not sympathysing with Isha when she was about to shot {not sure that was her name, I meant the little kid that tried to save jinx during her fight with vi} not sure about "everybody wants to be my enemy" for Ekko "I swear I'll never be a saint no way" as a hand (presumably of jayce) goes over the light that represents arcane, showing how he is using the unnatural side of arcane, while viktor is using the "saint" side

[@Chibi04]

Both Jayce and Ekko being involved with time travel makes so much sense. Jayce started off all these events and now Ekko is going to try to fix them or prevent them in some way

[@thatoneguy5343]

I’d prefer if the consequences were permanent. I know Ekko has time travel, but him and maybe Jayce undoing all of the events of the show would be cheap.

[@effer-ves-cent]

i cannot even begin to explain how fucking well you analyzed this (upon watching act 2 and the 3, the finale). Great job!

[@Story_Trail]

Ah awesome! I wasnt expecting a video like this!

[@Nightshade550]

lol first two people

[@cc2345]

When Cait and vi split in the intro it looks like the same animation that was used on the bridge when jinx starts to shoot at them both. There Cait tries to bring in vi close but instead vi pushes her away

[@adamel-falou7581]

I'm only watching and reading the commends now and it's crazy how accurate some of your predictions are

[@jole5468]

The visual of jinx holding the flag is also a direct homeage to either the okinawa flag raising, liberty leading the people or victory flag over the reichstag. Probably all of them at the same time, but the flag is quite large so i think its foreshadowing how jinx is gonna win but victory is gonna wear heavy on her

[@theworldaccordingtokat678]

Why is no one talking about that old enforcer that Vi bumped into while getting that Hectech Hammer. It’s really cool to see Jinx eyes turn purple when she looks vulnerable or scared. Pink eyes =Bad and dangerous; Purple eyes= Powder, scared

[@SkittyMochi]

The only part I'm a little hung up on is Ambessa's fate. Since she was just released as a playable character, in the game it would be an odd choice to kill her off in this narrative. Champions who "die" rarely stay dead but there are usually big lore implications and effects afterwards. As an example, Gangplank's "death" was used to completely rework him during the Bilgewater event. He was briefly disabled, even having a tooltip saying "Gangplank is dead so you can't play him" in game for a little bit before coming back with his new look. I could see Ambessa being spirited away to a labor camp or some kind of mental torture prison by the Black Rose but straight up death doesn't feel right after her game release. (Not to mention that Legendary skin on release lmfao) :D We'll see what happens in the next few weeks! This could age poorly too.

[@lemonlimebats4095]

I agree. I was actually looking through the comments for something exactly like this.

[@SkittyMochi]

@@lemonlimebats4095 If Arcane has a 3rd season planned then we could see a fake out "death." For all we know, Ambessa could "die" for a portion of this season only to come back in season 3 with LeBlanc's head on a pike and another new legendary skin. xD

[@lemonlimebats4095]

@@SkittyMochi no third season is planned, but there is talk of other media in the same continuity.

[@DLxxx]

Same! I think it would make sense for her to die narrative-wise, but from a meta writing perspective, it'd be strange to kill her off in the same story she was introduced _immediately_ after making her a champion in the game.

[@matrixiekitty2127]

That was my thought too

[@ieuansmith518]

No bro, that's a hill A LOT of people will die on alongside you. 0:35

[@valentinkambushev4968]

@@ieuansmith518 Me amongst them. It will be a rather crowded hill.

[@bluedarkdarklin2552]

The rap part freaking ruins the whole song. And I like rap.

[@solumrat]

good news is that they're gonna be releasing the orchestral version of enemy on the season 2 soundtrack (at least on the spotify version)

[@solumrat]

@@bluedarkdarklin2552 respectfully, i gotta disagree on that one, JIDs verse was the best part of the song

[@Sean-ur4cb]

@@bluedarkdarklin2552jid carried

[@smily6319]

bro predicted alot damn

[@JohnDoe_jkt]

I think the light that Jayce and Viktor face is more like the literal arcane and the wild runes, how Viktor embrace it with the mask, and Jayce is triying to reject it, this would make a lot of sense, considering they are destined to become enemies, this would be like the final push to their enmity. Also, Jayce final shot, and the light showing the title card "Arcane"

[@ololamke3741]

Headcanon but Ambessa's Shadow might represent that she is the center of everything like an eye of the storm.

[@reallydrypie7080]

A color thing i noticed was how powders eyes are blue, and jinx shimmered up is pink. In this season they are a mix, purple, which hints to how she is not fully jinx mentally.

[@mra4521]

6:48 If Caitlyn goes the way of Anakin Skywalker, her nickname needs to be changed to poptart, be what do you call a cooked pastry?

[@gloomyscribbles]

Ah yes, Darth Matilda the poptart

[@mra4521]

@@gloomyscribbles to quote Papa Palpatine: “it was either that or Darth Mat, because what do you call someone with no arms or legs?”

[@mondaykim8690]

Awesome video. I want to note something else that when Cait comes on screen first the song goes SPEAR THE SYMPATHY and shows her realizing. Just foreshadowing exactly what she is going to do Having no mercy !

[@theabstractguy411]

Fun fact: Butterflies are actually a group of moths specialized for living in the day. Therefore, phylogenetically speaking, Jayce is symbolized by moths. :)

[@tambarys]

1:00 just think this time everything and everyone is set, fleshed out and in the motion, like in the first one they carefully sculpted arcs and characters and now is time for show time

[@savannahmosley7862]

Watching this after watching the show is insane

[@rustkarl]

Something I’d like to point out is how Ambessa crushing the flower changes to Mel being surrounded by the shadowed arms which seem to match with Ambessa’s fingers closing around the rose, which can be read two ways. (Or more.) The first is that in Ambessa’s attempts to crush the Rose, she’s only putting Mel in danger. Her attempts to cut out the threat only make them target her weakness, her remaining family. So Ambessa is accidentally causing the exact thing she’s hoping to prevent with her actions. The second is that these hands aren’t so much just the Black Rose but everything Ambessa’s influence is bringing down on Mel. From Ambessa’s ruthless ambitions and warmongering like how she let Renni into the memorial put Mel in serious danger. If that goon was carrying a gun with the intent to shoot a surviving counsellor rather than a flare to signal the attack, Mel would likely have died. Naturally it also extends to the feud with the Black Rose, they likely wouldn’t give a toss about Mel if Ambessa hadn’t antagonised them but now that she’s brought her feud with her, the Black Rose has targeted Mel because they know Ambessa cares greatly about family, despite the facade of enemies she said to maintain. But less literal is their familial ties and their loyalties. We’ve already seen Mel reject Ambessa at the end of season one, but Ambessa is installing herself into Piltover’s authority. Up until now Mel has been diplomatic with her mother, voting in opposition but not doing anything to remove her in any way. So it begs the question at which point does she reach that she would go to defy her, to cut across the semi-legitimate place Ambessa has installed for herself and remove her and her ambitions from Piltover. (Perhaps even cutting a deal with her presumed abductors to dethrone Ambessa in some way? That’s just speculation.) With this interpretation Mel’s rejecting scream seems to be a rejection of everything her Noxian origin is bringing down on her, but that includes Ambessa and as Arcane is so fond of showing, family will always have a hold on you. So by rejecting her, she’s left dejected and alone even if it was for the best.

[@cindyflorez8508]

I want to believe that Cailtyn in the end, will react and try to do the things right, I don't know, i get the Macbeth reference, but she later open her eyes, like realizing something, or whatching someone who may help her to heal her grieve. Maybe Vi, maybe her father even. I don't know, i just don't wanna anyone dies honestly.

[@theSeerofThought]

Un-fun fact but Embessa on the chaise/chair reminds me of the famous painting of the death of Socrates, it isn't one to one with the pose but the fact that they have the same hand reaching towards death Socrates with his poison and Embessa with what she wants to destroy, (which makes me think that it also will kill her), Interesting parraelle

[@Kiwibobps]

Why I like a lot about the usage of colour theory for jinx is in many of her artistic scenes she has pink stripes over her eyes which symbolise Jinx, but in this set up we rather have blue colours over her now pink eyes instead symbolising a re-rising of power instead.

[@karlosproductions2077]

there are very few pieces of art that make my heart hurt and leave a bad taste in my mouth out of agony, and the way this season started i can feel it, and it hurts really bad with fear of whats to come, i hope i am wrong to feel this way, and i don't know how i will be if i am not

[@ulyssecohenner9640]

in french (fortich language) moth are called "nightbutterfly" (papillon de nuit), so i think the moth imagerie isn't colliding with the one of the butterfly : it is just the darker side of the dream (butterfly) of Jayce.

[@johankazarubova7242]

You're feeding us the good content I love it

[@AlternativeIce]

I don't think that Ambessa's goal is just revenge, it sounds like she's looking for something in Piltover, possibly a way to bring her son back to life.

[@imjustasconfusedasyou]

i think it’s so cool how the petals that caitlyn keeps seeing are her grief for her mom, her moms memory, and the same ones that were buried with her. in the opening, i was like “oh cool, more grief symbolism” but then they change into the black roses’ petals. something something the black rose causing grief or mel’s mom causing caitlyn’s mom’s death and her following grief

[@gallen4796]

My interpretation on Mel is a bit different with the sofa part. I think Ambessa will survive till the end as there is a book that continues AFTER the events of Arcane with Ambessa as the main character. I think Mel sitting on the sofa symbolizes the path she will eventually choose, and it will be to follow her mother's footsteps. I wouldn't even be surprised if she ends up going back to Noxus to help her mother fight the black rose by the final episode.

[@bpie_ef3967]

Am I imagining the theatre piece aestetic of the opening ? It really feels like the characters are behind the scene curtains, vulnerably waiting for it to open, lightened by the slight ray of light filtering through their gap. The mask, the sofa, the spotlight-like lighting... the opening seems to have its characters sometimes behind the scene, sometimes on it. Its so interesting

[@gustavosousa8966]

The moth/butterfly makes me think of: The characters are moths The Arcane is the light They are drawn to the light. Everyone's life was impacted by the Arcane and the thin line of light of the intro could mean the influence of it on all of them. Especially Jayce, who decided to change the world with a power he can barely see.

[@Everf11]

The way vi smudges her name at the beginning was one of the first details I catched probably symbolizes her identity crisis and mental state in act 2 (pitfighter vi)

[@siastr5324]

Im so excited every time you upload, finally someone who matches my freak (arcane obsession)! I love your analyses, how the hell do you catch all these references/hints?? Keep up the good work, man ♥️ pumped to see what you'll create next

[@sylvananas7923]

Vi appearing alone by being close to Jinx is a nice pararel on how despite everything that goes on, Jinx is like Vi's own shadow for better and for worse and there is no way to get rid of her

[@jinxie_maude]

11:11 wait no hate but what name did you use for Isha? 😭

[@Allyduckling64]

They said ikra i think, tbf not many ppl ive seen have known shes called isha 😢

[@StarSeeker1]

To the person who said Cait looks like she's about to announce a new Apple product... I can't unsee it T.T

[@naz-hu8hw]

dude the caitvi part reminds me of smth but i srsly cant recall it !!! the lighting, the poses, the emotional tension. i get that the breaking apart is reminiscent of the scene on the bridge but the opening is just such a familiar scene from a different media i can't recall

[@LRomer0]

I doubt that Ambessa will end up dying considering she JUST became a playable champion in league, but considering Arcane is now the main canon i would very much laugh if they just pull a gangplank on her

[@ultrascouter203]

Now after act 2 I am guessing Jayce trying to reach/touch the light that turns into the title is Jayce touching the Arcane

[@savsquid]

I actually love Jayce's part in the intro, the way he walks into the word 'arcane' foreshadowing him later 'touching' (as viktor called it) or seeing into the arcane is such a cool detail for me

[@libraopal22]

Also to note that when mel is surrounded by hands we see a light that shows on the center of her face. The light toiching her lips is similar to her mothers gold lip tatto where its centered and her screaming after shows her rejection of this fate.

[@SwiftSN]

1:52 Dang. I get the whole "it's about the journey, not the destination," thing, but you have to acknowledge the stakes that get thrown out the window because of a predetermined ending.

[@marcofioretti6908]

The plain white clothes gave me classical painting feels and I now realise that might be an intentional step up from the statues; another classical art form

[@HaydrogenBomb]

Completely agree that OP Enemy is better than full Enemy. Edit I: The only characters I noticed aren't in the opening are Sevika and Heimerdinger. 🤔 Edit II: Also, 10:49 AGAIN?!

[@n0rthm0st]

someone on twitter said the hand holding up the mask to viktor’s face is jayce’s because it seems to match his squarish structure more, honestly it could just be a theory trying to cling onto their currently-falling-out relationship, but if it really is i think thats very interesting to think about

[@art_by_darney]

Thank you so much for this concise analysis. I really adore all the symbolism and foreshadowing that the writers and animators used to indicate events with such subtlety, while making a bold statement as well. I am so hyped for the Act 2 and 3.

[@violatyrant]

8:39 I think this theory is completely correct. My current interpretation is that the wild arcane magic assimilates organic material and is basically just using skye’s face to manipulate viktor to assimilate more people

[@rinlikestraps2485]

im ngl that mask looks WAY too familiar to Bel Veth's "face"

[@mushlii]

That’s what I also believe! The first shot we see of Skye this season (when Viktor is looking at her) she looks almost the same and has a caring look on her face like we’ve seen before. But when we saw her again when Viktor healed the men her glasses were gone like she had also been “healed”. She looked different, even her eyebrows and face shape changed a bit. I’m pretty sure her image will soon start to mold and change because it’s the hexcore manipulating Viktor into doing its will through his guilt for killing Skye.

[@draxxlie8311]

I noticed that Ekkos shadow was ticking like a clock on the second watch and I immediately had to tell everyone I knew

[@Uncreative_Username]

New season got me like: “Damn this is fire… But give me Warwick already”

[@coltonwilliams4153]

Don’t worry. Singed is almost done. The Monster is coming.

[@pekar43]

Ambessa is really giving me Julius Caesar vibes in the opening 😂

[@inkycorvid3248]

I thought Jinxs little Buddy was named Isha? thats what the subtitles call them.

[@whuizz6923]

Ambessa is probably not going to die. She's playable in the game.

[@Torchlava100]

I like that for each lighting dynamic, when it comes to the singular line of light that shines on each character, the character with the slimmest light is Victor. While for everything else that gets shown through a wider light, Victor's light is so slim in some takes that the only light is the coming from the mask he is about to put on his face. I don't know if he going to be hiding behind a mask or hiding his emotions behind a mask or he is becoming the light everyone can either see spectrums of or Jayce can see the bright light of but is blinded by it so he can't see it for what it really is.

[@GoblinTinkerer]

The shot of Victor sitting on the floor makes me think of how the shroud of the Virgin Mary used to be painted, it feels like a similar shade of blue and the light adding the yellow highlights to complete the homage.

[@Allyduckling64]

Btw, the little girl is named isha :)

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

Pretty sure this will be a great ride

[@asytippyy352]

Not a single champion from the game has died yet, so the big question mark for me is whether any of them will at all.

[@darlingfawn07]

I'm obsessed with Viktor being portrayed as the Messiah

[@TzrcWolf_]

I saw the shot of Caitlyn to be her frustrated only before her crown is shown in the frame which prompts her to calm down. Maybe referring to how she may have been lacking complete resolve or ability in Act 1 now leading into her having complete power to accomplish her goals with her new position.

[@thegoobshnoober]

anyone else notice at the end of act 1 w all the soldiers beating their chests caitlyn’s cape (??) thing REALLY resembles silco’s