Arcane: The Cost of Ambition

[@FashionableCrow]

22:19 -to clarify: Powder dies the night she loses any sense of family connection she has left. Silco’s literal death and Vi’s metaphorical abandonment of her by choosing Cait. 16:31 “Tool” is too intense of a word to describe Silco seeing Jinx. An instrument of his revolution? A soldier to his cause? He thinks of her as a daughter yes, but he also sets her on a path to directly fight for his cause (something she had minimal personal interest in) and encourages her to channel her hatred/insecurities to work towards his goals. Basically, caring for her never asks him to give up his castle until the deal. Edit: chopped out the intro of the first 2 min. Timestamps may be wacky for that

[@joseystrife8780]

Because she is what Zaun needs

[@afgusti4269]

All parent try give pass their beliefs to their kids. Zaunites are oppressed, therefore Jinx is oppressed. While Silco may have had personal interest in Jinx joining the cause, Jinx was never not affiliated. Especially given her own family legacy.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@afgusti4269 yes, but the contrast is Vander who also knows their oppressed but tries to keep the kids out of “adult jobs” and separates his political moves from his children while still giving them his beliefs. He prioritizes building a life for them and giving them space to grow vs Silco who employed Jinx in his mob dealings as a kid instead of investing in maybe schooling or community (the gap Ekko fills). Not to say Vander is right to submit, but that he tries to keep the kids as uninvolved as he can.

[@afgusti4269]

@@FashionableCrow I agree, im not saying silco is perfect and above reproach. But I understand Silco more than Vander who I think caused more damage by trying to protect and refusing to see that sometimes you have to fight back. When we meet Vi and powder they are kids working, they are stealing, sneaking in Piltovers houses tosteal valuables to sell. The difference to me is that with Vander's approach you only react, you are neve the master of you own actions because you are playing someone else's game. Which is my same issue with ekko. Ekko creates a safe space away from the damage silco causes, but he is still avoiding the central issue. But anyways this a very big debate we probably wont solve in youtube comments

[@FashionableCrow]

@ thanks for the clarification. I def also agree btw. Not trying to morally judge the guy, just say it’s a mixed motive. And I also agree on your Vander and Ekko take. Their positions of reactivity didn’t address the larger issue.

[@RedPGX]

"Jinx doesn't want to climb up to the castle. She wants to destroy it" You cooked

[@grigorikarpin]

Saw someone on social media say “Arcane is a series about two sisters who have a very different understanding of the phrase ‘fuck the police’” and that’s just perfect haha

[@jirehtheprovider]

For as horrifying as what Jinx Did, there is that underlying tone of satisfaction of destroying and letting out your unadultered rage to the political figures that ruined her entire life as a kid.

[@johnsonyip1127]

"In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good" is such a great and powerful scene, despite how short and quiet it is. Words cant describe how good that scene is.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@johnsonyip1127 that scene is one of my faves with just how wonderfully it wraps up both Jayce and Viktor’s arcs

[@RockFia1]

Yes

[@bleysingram7789]

"We will show them.We will show them all."

[@aranthur]

The fact that Dynasties & Dystopia has the lyric "I came back and brought the crown with me" is so fitting for this, since it tells you everything you need to know about Ekko's opinion on the castle and how tearing it down to bring what it holds to the people is more important than reaching anything in it himself

[@FashionableCrow]

@@aranthur I skipped over Ekko, but my boy! YES! The verses after “let me switch up the optics” DESTROY ME

[@aranthur]

@FashionableCrow Fighting that good fight Also! I'm kind of curious where Caitlyn would sort of fit into this framework... In a way, she was almost born in the castle thanks to the sacrifices the previous generations of her family made, with her only desires being to see what was outside the castle walls and to prove that she was useful and had worth beyond just the wealth and power she got from being born there. Then, the second she does step outside and see the bodies other people have piled to get where she is, her desire changes to "No More Bodies" It'll be interesting to see if she can hang on to that now, and if so, what else is she going to sacrifice to achieve it?

[@FashionableCrow]

@ Caitlyn is fascinating to me because her personal ambition is pretty altruistic. Like, she wants to feel like she’s making a good difference in the world and doesn’t quite recognize that she is in a castle, reaping the rewards of others ambitions, until she steps out like you said. Like you said, with the new season, after the rocket tho-I am so curious how they’re going to develop her from there and her relationship to Piltover/her own ambitions.

[@aranthur]

@@FashionableCrow Yeah, if I had to make any sort of guess/hope, I would personally be most interested to see even the darker turn they are obviously going to go down with Caitlyn still come from a place of wanting to help, wanting to protect, but struggling to reconcile that simple desire with a complicated reality?? Like yes, she wants justice for the attack on the council, but maybe she also hopes that stopping Jinx will be enough to prevent a war that would probably hurt the undercity more than anyone else. Only, when she goes there, she finds the people all hate her for trying to protect them and love Jinx, who is putting them in danger for selfish reasons. A bit like Vander, she struggles with the fact that the people there WANT a fight that is against their best interest (in her opinion), and like Heimerdinger she is hurt to find that even though she came to offer assistance to the citizens of the undercity, she is unwelcome And eventually this (combined with maybe some deterioration of her relationships and ability to trust in others?) leads her to the decision that in order to stop the Zaunites from deciding to get themselves hurt, she has to take the ability to make that decision away from them, by force if necessary

[@FashionableCrow]

@ v dark turn but I like the pitch! 😁I feel like with Vi’s trailer that kind of dark range of emotions wouldn’t be that far off! Loved this whole prediction. We’ll see in a few days! Ahhh!

[@megafire7]

I don't even think Jinx particularly *wants* to destroy the castle. What she wants is for the castle to stop hurting her, for the pain to just stop, because she just can't understand why the pain *doesn't stop*. She doesn't want to be the boot, she just wants it to stop stomping on her face and the only thing she has on hand to make that happen is a gun. It's the violence that has traumatised her even as she resorted to it. And in real terms, that trauma, that violent attempt to end the violence and pain, takes the form of a giant rocket aimed right at the halls of power, of those who've stayed ignorant of the damage that flowed down from them, and refused to do anything to stop it.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@megafire7 I’m tearing up. Aghhhhh 🫠

[@lorettabes4553]

When S2Ep3 context. Oh yep.

[@Hawkido]

"the only thing she has on hand to make that happen is a gun." "Topside won't listen to anything else" -Silco 1x3 It is amazing how right both Vander and Silco were, while both were equally wrong.

[@KeitieKalopsia]

Very well described

[@MrDragon7742]

The idea of Vi and Jinx, basically the main characters of the story, not being any of the people heading towards the castle but being the bodies under foot, gave me chills.

[@-just-so-]

I'd offer a counterpoint - when we cut to Act 2, Silco is absolutely not content where he is. It's a major part of his reintroduction for that arc. At the end of Act 1, Piltover unlocks hextech, giving them a major technological leap forward, while at the same time, Silco's entire Shimmer & arms stockpile is destroyed in the blast, an unclear amount of his followers are killed, and his chemist survived only with some extremely gnarly burns which we can probably assume - with Shimmer still being in its early, crude form - took him out of commission for some time. That's a huge setback, and he's still playing catchup when we meet him again in Act 2. The scene in which he's reintroduced is partially about this: how Piltover is pulling further and further ahead, while he struggles to close the gap, and now Jinx's screwup will set them back yet again. We can assume his plan is still largely the same, just broader in its scope; "I don't need to beat them. I just need to scare them." Make Zaun a force to be reckoned with, and spook Piltover badly enough that it scares them into coming to the negotiating table. Make them see that, while they might win the fight to continue to enslave Zaun, it will be ugly, and bloody. But he's falling further and further behind, stuck spinning plates - the smuggling business, the Firelights, the sheriff, the Chem-barons' dissent, Jinx, and everything else involved in simply keeping Zaun ticking along - while Piltover's progress is only accelerating. He's not satisfied where he is, not at all. That's why everything changes when Jinx steals the hex-gem. Suddenly, the prospect of their own technological leap forward is within reach. Suddenly, the possibility of mounting that one, big, game-changing strike against Piltover, of scaring them badly enough to negotiate, is back on the table. I also don't think Silco ever saw Jinx as primarily a tool. When Sevika is complaining about her in that same scene in Act 2, she says, "She's a problem, and we all know it." The Chem-barons find the idea that Silco can control Jinx risible. Jinx is completely unfazed when Silco tries to explain to her why blowing up six enforcers is just a mite inconvenient, and might just be a teensy bit of bad optics at a delicate time. It's clear from the start of Act 2 that not only does Jinx cause as many problems for Silco as she solves, if not a great many more, but that it's been that way for some time... and _everyone_ knows it. Jinx wants to feel useful, or else she starts spinning out, so Silco tries to direct her energies towards things that will let her feel useful. He assigns her to guard the cargo on a routine smuggling operation - and she trips out when the Firelights show up, shoots her own crewmate, and the entire cargo goes up in flames. So rather than put her back out on another mission when she's spiralling, causing her to screw up again and feel even worse about herself, he gently but firmly takes her out of the field and tries to redirect her to focus on her gadgetry. You know, something that she enjoys and that she's good at, and that will let her feel productive and useful. He's trying to give her a W. But of course, Jinx takes this the wrong way, and goes on an explosive little field-trip to Piltover. When Silco baptizes Jinx, he's trying to pass on his own maladaptive coping mechanisms. As unhealthy as, 'instead of falling apart, let your old self die, double down on your trauma, turn it into your new life philosophy, and make it everyone else's problem,' is as a strategy, it's also the only thing that kept Silco functioning through his own extreme trauma, and he's trying to teach Jinx the lessons he feels helped him. To stop punishing herself and living in guilt, and embrace who she is now. Also, like... in Act 2 - or is it 3? - there's ashtrays and mugs on his table, full out in the open while he's having business meetings, covered in Jinx's doodles. He might not have ever verbalised it until the finale, but that man was her dad.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@-just-so- oh, I def agree on Silco not being happy still under Piltover. I knew the content line was gonna be annoying for me because yeah that scene with him saying Piltover leaves him further behind is him still climbing. For where he is in the undercity, tho, I think he’s content in his position of power there. And Jinx, yeah I think he was always her dad but I think sending her along on smuggling and those operations is where he still put her in a position that her worth came from helping him achieve his goals and where her tinkering was geared toward violence instead of channeled to something mundane. Like Silco gave her something productive to do, sure, but it also is helping him in turn. She’s in the one position in the Undercity where she really doesn’t have to participate in violence but she’s encouraged to help in that way. It’s a choice Vander distinctly locks his kids out of when the Undercity talks about revolution/dealing with the enforcers. Vander gets mad at Vi for trying to do “a real job” and she’s maybe a couple years younger than Jinx is in act 2? Like he was trying to keep them uninvolved until they were adults. Powder is still a teenager with an implied history of being involved in a lot of jobs of this capacity. And I think Silco knew he cared for and probably loved Jinx long before the Jayce deal, I just don’t think he ever had to pit jinx directly against his ambitions. Like I def agree on your water scene bit. I interpreted Sevika saying she’s a problem as the trouble she got herself into was consistent (edit: but I also think she was good at being a henchman given how the fireflies react to her and Silco sent her expecting to get good results). I also thought that jinx screwing up was never so severe as it is in act 2. When Silco comes running into her room shouting “enforcers dead!” its that one step too far. Like we’re watching the long-term fallout culminate after the time-skip was how I interpreted it, but Jinx was never so severe of a problem before that Silco couldn’t make it go away with a stern word. Him confidently offering up the Fireflies to the Enforcers and them refusing to sweep it under the rug is where I think I saw a change in the pattern for Silco.

[@-just-so-]

@@FashionableCrow The thing is: even Vander explicitly forbidding Vi & co. from having a 'real job' didn't do shit to stop them. They went out and did heists and got into fights anyway. And we see what happens when Silco tries to steer Jinx into just staying home and tinkering with her gadgetry - she does the same thing. She wants to be useful, she wants to feel like she has a purpose, and she feels like being moved away from participation in Silco's operation is him telling her that she's *not* useful. And when she feels like that, she acts out. He's not the one that gave her the idea that not being able to participate in what everyone else is doing, keep up, and be useful is tied to her self worth - she had that complex before she ever met him. And he tries everything in that scene to try and reaffirm that he still values and trusts her, wholly regardless of how she did - he doesn't let Sevika shit talk her, he doesn't get mad, he lets her explain, he gives her the injector to let her stab him in the eye(!). This clearly isn't the first time something like this has played out. Silco's options literally are: A) allow Jinx to participate by just standing guard, under Sevika's supervision, B) convince Jinx she's 100% useful to him just staying at home and engaging in her favourite childhood hobby, making animal-themed bombs, or, C) Jinx decides she'll find some other way to be useful, and puts herself and everyone else in way worse danger.

[@FashionableCrow]

@ a good point, my only partial disagreement is that I think silco allowing her to participate is not 100% simply concerned with her. If she was no good at these jobs, I think he would have found a a way to sideline her sooner or put her on less important business. You’re right that he makes her feel as comfortable as possible but my line of thinking is that I think he also got a pretty efficient henchman out of a daughter from this and guided her through her issues in a way that he felt was best but also suited him and his goals. There’s no way to prove a negative but jinx having no other option for school or community is something Silco could have invested in providing for her instead of attaching her worth to doing well on his jobs. And until the fountain scene I don’t think he fully registered how much he was willing to give up for her even tho he did think of her as a daughter.

[@t.h.mcelroy6597]

14:47 a subtle, but very relevant detail in Viktor's flashback with his toy boat: the little girl that climbed down to watch him and was called away to play WAS Sky. They grew up in the undercity together, and she likely followed him to Piltover. She talks about how much he inspires her just before she dies 😣 Whether he shared her depth of affection seems unlikely, given his obsession with work, but his clearly did care about her; only realizing how much he had lost out on after losing her 💔

[@FashionableCrow]

@@t.h.mcelroy6597 fair, but I think him not knowing where to bury her and their gen lack of interaction speaks to his general lack of interest/attachment to her. Not as like a bad thing for him or like he thought nothing of her, just that they feel like work colleagues and acquaintances more than friends

[@t.h.mcelroy6597]

@FashionableCrow I read his not knowing where to bury her as neither of them being attached to the Undercity, and given how the lower levels have fallen to wastes, it's believable that they no longer have much of a home to return to. But I definitely see where you're coming from, and you're probably closer to the mark 😅 hopefully we'll get some more backstory for them this coming season! I have a feeling that the Hexcore might use her essence as a way to manipulate Viktor. Perhaps speaking to him in her voice. Maybe worse 😬

[@FashionableCrow]

@ it’s a reasonable interpretation tho. I like it as a headcannon. Because she does end up their assistant somehow and I like that maybe he had a soft spot for her, ya know? From like knowing she came from the same place and had the same struggles

[@Finalslashes]

That scene is also like a miniature version of season 1 victor as well he’s unable to keep up with his inventions and because of it he’s injured

[@ridwana4037]

(Spoiler) Victor: I'll miss Our conversation Sky: No. You won't. Welp, that settles that.

[@ReaverARC]

Great essay. A lot of fans get caught up in the morality of these characters actions, how likable they are, or whether they're going about things the right way. Those are fine topics but it's nice to see a tight focus on their desires and what they're willing to sacrifice (or not) to achieve it.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@ReaverARC thank you! I like the passion spawned from people debating if something was done the “right way” even if I don’t have much personal interest in that convo, because I can feel the investment people have in the characters and their choices in the world. But, yeah, Silco isn’t my fav character because he “did everything right”, but because I love his storyline when thinking about internal motives and power.

[@BlinkyTheSpaceCadet]

As a fellow Berserk fan, any video essay that brings up Berserk gets a thumbs up in my book!

[@FashionableCrow]

I gotta fawn over the themes or I’ll start crying over the story 🥲

[@BlinkyTheSpaceCadet]

@ yea… I wish they’d get a happy ending but that’s not possible… and thinking about that chokes me up instantly.

[@void-creature]

12:18 a crucial but easy to miss detail about this scene is that as he prepares for the experiment, he notices he's run out of Shimmer, but goes through with it anyway. Meaning that, had Sky not interfered, he would have almost definitely died

[@ma_cherri]

Do you know what sucks about this ? Singed was the only one truly willing to sacrifice anything to climb up to the castle. A true monster. And hes the only one with a happy ending, reunited with his daughter.

[@Midwestemoisme]

a monster by ur definition, he is just a man at the end of the day

[@ma_cherri]

@Midwestemoisme the average man doesn't do war crimes and torture for a living

[@MrDragon7742]

@@Midwestemoisme He's both. Not all people are monsters, but all monsters are people.

[@Allanvre]

one thing to note, is that jinx is the cost not willing to be paid to "reach the castle" for many characters. you mentioned vander and silco, but also Vi was willing to turn herself in instead of being a revolutionary after considering she could lose powder. Jayce on the other side of that deal, was unwilling to broker zaun's independence unless she is paid. piltover's willingness to give self-determination to zaun, was initially unwilling, because jinx (though they never met her) to them was the idea of hextech being weaponized against them, which was a cost they weren't willing to pay in trust, until the final moments of season 1.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@Allanvre THATS SO GOOD! AGH!

[@Steven9567]

wasn't that jaynces terms though not pitover? either way its not unreable she is a loose cannon even her side thinks so also i don't think jinx knew what about terms just wanna to know who to side with

[@ArcaneMelodies82]

The second Powder entered his life Silco’s freedom at any cost philosophy was doomed. Once he cared for Jinx more than anything else,that was his priority,Sevika saw this and tried to keep Silco’s mind on the main Goal, however Silco could not help but Shield Jinx from all her critics and shrugged off her mistakes that were worthy of being reprimanded. Silco couldn’t do it. He never set any boundaries for her. Then when the final choice was. Given to him Zaun’s Freedom in exchange for his daughter,he couldn’t do it. Just as Vander offered himself to go to StillWater instead of Vi. Silco does the same with Jayce,but Jayce didn’t take that deal. Jinx or Zaun’s Freedom. Silco chose Jinx. kzbin.info/www/bejne/sIjKlqyKq5uNsLMsi=nxAoED528IF3KfmF ❤❤❤❤

[@Steven9567]

Then when the final choice was. Given to him Zaun’s Freedom in exchange for his daughter,he couldn’t do it i wouldnt say choice he was capture by her and when did her speech it remind of his trauma

[@MistenMix]

Best character and theme analysis of Arcane I’ve seen so far. Direct and straight to the point, no yapping or over analyzing at all. Amazing analogy used in the intro to set the structure of the video. You explained everything very well, this was very insightful to me as it helped me realize a major theme of Arcane. Would love to see your analysis of season 2 when it’s finished! Great work and rest well :)

[@FashionableCrow]

Thanks. I’m glad you liked. Hopefully I’ll have something noteworthy to say on season 2 when it ends, for now, it’s a sad/fun ride so far 😅

[@yesianyeha7479]

Wow you just the nailed what i love the most about Arcane: the human factor. Every character have their own goals and dreams, some of them have been wronged and their actions are a response so that, others don't even realize they live over the wrong doings that people before them did, and when they see the truth, they decide to stop the cycle, and for some others their family, or their people are the most important thing, no matter what. Also, i've always been a huuuge fan of League's Lore, game may shit, but the stories and universe they have crafted are beautiful, like the void, the ruination (not the event lol), the regions of runeterra or people like Braum, Jhin, Ryze and many many others are just beyond amazing, and Arcane hit right in the nail, as some characters needed a much better characterization, and piltover and zaun is always welcome. Great video with very interesting ideas, i'll be definitly thinking about this when i go to bed!

[@FashionableCrow]

Thanks so much! I love your breakdown of what you love on the show, because yeah, that human element is so beautiful to me too. I haven’t been that deep in the lore for a while but I’m appreciative that they capitalized on what they had to make this show! Thanks for your thoughts 😊

[@eddykagia4212]

Your assessment of Ekko and Jayce is right on the money, especially after watching the last 3 episodes. And it appears that the Arcane agrees, because it sent Ekko and Jayce to the timelines that would ensure that both of them worked towards the appropriate end for Zaun and Piltover!

[@blank4069]

I love the idea that Berserk has such good writing and archetypes that it's looked to when analyzing shows. Peak recognizes peak

[@lewilbur]

"Unexpexted TB third act" having just played through Red Dead Redemption 2... it's way more common than I thought! 😅 Love your videos! 💕

[@FashionableCrow]

Arthur! My heart ❤️ 😭

[@Toto-95]

it's not that Vicktor didn't care for Sky, it's that he didn't realize it until this happened. He's so guilty, he imagines her all season 2

[@FashionableCrow]

@@Toto-95 I’m not saying he doesn’t care about her death, I’m saying he didn’t have a deep personal connection before her loss. She’s presented as mainly acquaintance, but Sky’s loss, of course, plagues him with guilt. That’s why he calls off hextech because he realizes this person’s life is gone. He pours over her notes in grief and yeah then she literally haunts him

[@alonzonzo]

Piling up bodies to reach the lofty goals of couch. I have seen what they go for… I get it

[@FashionableCrow]

It def came from an estate sale

[@SIMPLYDEVON]

omg everywhere i look i see berserks influence truly a masterpiece i start the video about arcane and want to talk about bersek for the next hour

[@davidmauriciogutierrezespi5244]

One thing worth of notice for me is why Jinx chooses to be Jinx, that her view on unconditional and unflinching love is skewered. The way it's depicted Powder grew with someone who enabled her worst traits as well as communicating a very possesive us vs them _"Everyone betrays us Jinx"_ that left Powder to believe that Vi would kill Caitlyn no questions ask the same way she and Silco have done for each other while also enabling all of her violent behavior. When Vi doesn't, she feels that Vi just doesn't love her. And to put the final nail on that coffin, Silco doesn't encourage anything but more violence, he doesn't even makes any note of being shot "You're perfect" so now Jinx is useful the only way she knows how.

[@EduSolsa]

Meanwhile, Ekko looks at the castle and think: I'm gonna make my own away of this mess

[@FashionableCrow]

@@EduSolsa my fav kid in this whole show. He loses as much as Vi and Powder and his response is to form community and prioritize life and loved ones as he climbs

[@badconnection4383]

With this poignant metaphor of the castle, and the bodies stepped over to reach it, that would mean that Season 2 is ultimately about the castle's destruction with its rubble serving as the new battleground. That's why all the belligerents are either victims like Vi, Jinx, Caitlyn, and Ekko or Ambessa because everyone who has fought to reach that castle has either died or abandoned it entirely.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@badconnection4383 given what we’ve seen so far of Vi and Jinx in trailers, it feels v fitting. I’m so excited!

[@badconnection4383]

@@FashionableCrow Me too!

[@AlphaHenriksen]

Singed and his daughter are left standing on the shoulders of every dead giant throughout the runtime of the show.

[@ritikamudabidri7680]

15:03 I feel like Jinx complicates this a little bit. Silco has an attachment to her that you’re unsure if he wants to give up or not. I mean, you could lean more towards not giving her up but it’s a little up in the air even when he dies (atleast to me).

[@Mary-JFD]

Clicked the video for the interesting crossover, stayed for the great analysis

[@mari.art1999]

Stellar analogy!! I never heard of Berserk before but this path of bodies to reach the castle analogy was badass!!

[@Friano7]

We need a revision of this after s2 act 2

[@ladymoon7327]

An amazing video essay! And the part at 21:10 - chills! And you're so, so right - Powder was already sacrificed, she was long gone. The castle metaphor is pretty amazing, a great idea on your part! And what's really interesting is that you mentioned how Mel is basically Piltover's Silco. I don't think I have ever thought of it that way but what an interesting train of thought, I like it. I love both Silco and Mel, and it's curious to view them as a mirror to each other (in a way)

[@FashionableCrow]

@@ladymoon7327 TY. And I love both Mel and Silco and think their moral lines are vastly different, but it does feel like if they were in each other’s places they wouldn’t be exactly the same, but they’d make some pretty similar moves.

[@aeroxsoft]

this is the first time in a while i had no problem sitting down listening to an analysis video. i found this very interesting keep it up

[@FashionableCrow]

@@aeroxsoft thanks!

[@AtelaLafford]

>opens up arcane video >its berserk joking ofc this was a delight i absolutely loved the use of the castle analogy in response to how everyone views the importance (or lack thereof) of power

[@Hawkido]

Season 1 Act 1- Vi only ever gives Powder the opportunity to Fail, but never the opportunity to Succeed. She places Powder in situations where failure is catastrophic and success is unnoticed. This is how you break a brilliant mind.

[@UnDefinedLegacy]

This essay was everything! Thank you.

[@FashionableCrow]

Thanks for watching :)

[@K1ngGambit]

I was not expecting a berserk reference in this video but thank you for the pleasant surprise 😂

[@FashionableCrow]

@@K1ngGambit gotta sneak in my other hyper fixation😂 I do appreciate that some people may flat out know about Griffith and I wonder how this metaphor comes off to them 😅

[@K1ngGambit]

@@FashionableCrowit got me thinking about it as well! Griffiths transition from selling his own body to generate money for his cause so others would not have to fight and die, to him ultimately sacrificing everyone to get what he wants. Super good metaphor!

[@twentysecondcenturywoman]

Arcane is so good. I watch hundreds of videos of people coming to their own conclusions. It truly makes people think. Your vid was great!

[@BatGaming]

As the Strokes said, "I am not trying to build no dynasties". People matter more than any ideas. Always for me. Makes me want to read Berserk. Maybe if I finish my current book. This was a fun video Crow, you are doing a great job.

[@FashionableCrow]

@@BatGaming thanks! It felt incredibly specific to use Berserk but I love that Arcane is about how people matter

[@acr2517]

They have done it again, berserk fans will go to any lengths to try and prove that once again, everything is a berserk reference. As a berserk fan well done I couldn’t be more amazed

[@eimeard5343]

im gonna say a lot here so apologies in advance: first of all, excellent video, i love the analysis and the metaphor of the castle and the bodies, i think you did a really good job unpacking and verbalizing the theme of ambition in the show. its something that i sort of picked up on as a viewer but had no way of verbalizing. one of the only points i disagreed with you on is silcos understanding of how much he cares for jinx. in the video you said that he didnt fully realize how much she meant to him until he was directly faced with the threat of losing her, and i kind of disagree. the relationship between jinx and silco is one of the most complicated in the show, and i think theres a lot of room for interpretation, but in my opinion, he was very concious of how much she meant to him. as you said, when he first adopted her, it was out of a sense of both sympathy and ego, but i believe it very quickly evolved. one of the most telling things is his trust in her. he allows her to sit on his lap, inject shimmer into his eye, which he would never let anyone else do. silco is a hardened man who keeps himself cold and distant, creating a very clear line between him and his subordinates. but with jinx, he shows her a side that nobody else gets to see. he defends her every step of the way, protecting her as much as he can. his manipulation of jinx, his creating her dependence on him, shows his care for her. its deeply toxic, obviously, but i think he created her dependence on him out of a desire to protect her from what he believes to be a deeply corrupt world. he doesnt trust anyone but himself to take care of her, not even jinx herself. its abusive and manipulative, but his relationship to her is born out of the deepest love he can manage. hes a man who has been betrayed by those he considers family (vander) and he never wants to experience that again. hes obviously selfish, but at the end of the day, i think hes fully aware of how much jinx means to him, and it terrifies him profoundly. the other thing i wanted to talk about here is the dynamic between zaun and piltover. as you said in the video, season one is constantly showing us these tensions between the two, building it up until it reaches a boiling point at the end of s1. this video made me realize what was disappointing to me about season 2, which is that i feel like we never fully got to see the consequences of that boiling point being reached. in act 1 of s2, we see the collapse of zaun after silco gets taken out, and how cait rises to become a dictator of sorts, unleashing violence against the undercity. but we never got to see the full clash, the full conflict of it. only some flashy images of cait and the enforcers storming zaun with the Grey. like you said, arcane is a war story, and a story about the cost of ambition. but the war ended up being not about the conflict between zaun and piltover, but about piltover and noxus. i think a far more satisfying course of the story would gone something like: zaun and piltover go to war, revolutionaries against opressors, with jinx and cait at the helm of the conflict. but then, as the story progresses and noxus enroaches on piltovers territory, the tide turns. and suddenly, the greatest enemy of both becomes noxus, rather than each other. jinx loses isha to noxian soldiers, and cait witnesses the destruction that they are willing to commit. we couldve gotten a story where zaun and piltover negotiate between eachother, brokering peace to be able to face a much larger threat together. that way, the conflict between piltover and zaun couldve had a definite resolution while still exploring the horrors of all-out war that noxus brings. i loved season two but i just think it had a lot of untapped potention story-wise. sorry for writing a whole ass essay lol. again, really loved the video, and i thank you for letting me yap away about all of this

[@FashionableCrow]

Not at all, love to see your thoughts. Yap away. That Silco line haunts me because I meant to imply not a lack of care for Jinx, but that his care was never tested nor compromised before that point. She was someone who would help him to get to his ambitions, building his bombs, helping on jobs, but she was his daughter. So, I do concede he loved Jinx and obviously was aware of it. I mainly mean at the fountain he sits and goes "I finally understand" making me think the blunt choice of Jinx vs what he wants had never been so clear and hadn't forced him to make a line in the sand before that. And, I do love your season 2 thoughts. I cut a beginning out of this video to shorten it, touching a bit on the city's relationship, but it seems like the complications of actually making a city with such horrific history forgive was compromised. I feel like there was an especially large missed opportunity not capitalize on what Vi would feel like trying to actually be a cop in her home town, how Ekko and his group were handling the political fallout, or even how Mel as a politician who grew up outside the city and without prejudice may try to sway her peers towards a peaceful resolution. Noxus is interesting in premise, but I do think your shift in focus would have been the story I preferred, given that I felt more invested in the relationship between the two cities above all else.

[@woolgatheringjane2793]

I loved this essay so much!!! It feels like you're explaining themes in classic literature, and tbh I think that's exactly the kind of analysis arcane deserves

[@AtsukaWolfcat]

The timing of the ad for Lowes to pop up right after Viktor's part is hilarious, but love the overall coverage of the ambitions of each character and what made them truly human in their own right.

[@obliviousbadger7905]

This was an incredible essay! The analogy used was a perfect fit

[@FashionableCrow]

Thanks so much ☺️

[@atlanta2076]

Brilliantly put. It gave me even more clarity about Arcane. Subbed.

[@hughakston3518]

You are so friggin cool. Your video is very well thought out. I cant wait to see what else you blow my mind with. Cheers!

[@FashionableCrow]

Thanks a ton! Hopefully what I do next will be just as appealing 😅

[@hughakston3518]

@FashionableCrow went through your previous videos and they were also enjoyable. Wishing you the fewest bodies on the way to your castle!

[@dusk696]

I really love this. Awesome take

[@FashionableCrow]

@@dusk696 thanks! We’ll see where season 2 takes it 🥳

[@agustinra1007]

I remember a phrase: "when you are able to get what you wanted at the beginning, will you be the same person?"

[@Cegorahsprankcaller]

There is one point with Vander and Silco that I think matters; Vander betrayed Silco first. Vander saw Silco as a danger to the safety of the children he took in. So Vander’s castle moved, but still has bodies

[@FashionableCrow]

I think it’s the same castle but Vi and Powder were the bodies that woke him up. Silco he was willing to step on

[@Steven9567]

and he was right look how vander ruled vs silco

[@mc-inversal7069]

Shows like Arcane, and movies like Spiderverse - really just do speak to a newfound structure of narrative messaging that I am LIVING FOR at the moment. It's the new generation's constant upheaval of the status quo, the deep-seated unrest that's so intrinsically woven into that generation's being - it isn't merely the revolution, the mission, the objective future that's a do-or-die demand; detatched from the individual's comprehension of morality, of inherent worth. No, the stories depict ambition, self-actualization, and evolution as all so TIED to the internal will to lie. The new generation's inherent desire to bring themselves forward, to reflect their experiences and perspectives; and see that world made in their image, is a VALID point of view. They DO NOT compromise on this messaging; and it leads to a genuinely fascinating merging of the archetypical power dynamic/structure systems we see in worldbuilding for these sprawling, megascapes of political and war-ridden societies - and the dynamic growth and advancement of the younger generations' necessity to move forward. Not knowing what will happen next, facing each step they take iwth IMMENSE consequences. And the drive is only ever delved into, worked upon moreso. And of course, those consequences ARE FLESHED OUT. They are made DAMN clear, what the limits of dogmatic ideology, of advancement without refrain, can bring. EVERYONE is given equal meaasure and share of the responsibility for their respective roles, and are made to fulfill their own selves in the reality around them; if the indivdual's self-motivation, their passion and drive to enact change is so fundamentally reliant on their own natures (unlike what older generations would have advocated against, with cynicism and dispassion) - then the world will reflect their personal failings. These entries treat the development of their characters, and the development of their worlds, as a symbiotic relationship; key term, RELATIONSHIP. EVERYTHING and EVEYRONE, is interconnected. No nihilistic dissociation from the state of being you're entitling yourself to. We all bear that cross, in order to move forward. It's one massive metaphor, for maturity, for growth, and progress within our generation as a whole.

[@Donnendet]

“Stay with me here” Ma’am, you brought up berserk while talking about Arcane… Id stay with you through anything, my queen.

[@Kumo_nl]

0:14 yes but no summuners rift is not cannon and hasn't been for some years now

[@FashionableCrow]

@@Kumo_nl I should have just gone with “continuous capture the flag” 😂

[@MrDragon7742]

"Stay with me here" - Oh my friend, you had me hooked at "Berserk"

[@nubocerbo]

Phenomenal video 😀 I find it interesting that the two elders in this scenario (Vander and Silco) were the closest to achieving their ambitions but both died attempting to protect what was most precious to them. Silco especially. Silco was ready and willing to take out the Chembarons himself at the cost of slowing down his Shimmer business. But the moment Jinx is in trouble, She's immediately priority #1. I'm interested in seeing your take on how the characters changed in season 2! It seems like Jayce, Viktor, Mel, and even Caitlyn suffer heavily for pursuing their ambitions.

[@jonahduesman4779]

2:33 GRIFFITHHHHHH!!!!!!

[@wartyrant8627]

Reunion of the Hill of Swords 🥶 I’ve read those panels so many times. His rage is so visceral.

[@darklightimages]

Her: Silco wants taxation with representation. Me: By getting his own people addicted to anime Heroin ?

[@hughakston3518]

America.

[@zenzenitha]

Those heroin technically a medicine too so maybe anime canabis (?)

[@darklightimages]

@@zenzenitha Heroin is made from Poppy seed plants. So the plant comparison still stands.

[@Gh0stdin0saur]

Berserk and arcane analysis together tysm algorithm gods 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

[@zedcastillo5758]

This gonna be a million views in the next few weeks

[@FashionableCrow]

Oh I hope not 🫠 but thanks

[@yaaseenm]

Great title and thumbnail made me watch, stayed for the in-depth analysis and comparison with berserk kept me engaged. Keep making these now S2 it’s out, there’s soo much to analyse especially with jinx starting to find her true self! Keep up the hard work ❤

[@crimiusXIII]

Viktor. Also Viktor. Science *for Viktor. Sky in the Sky. Perfection. 21:08 I stand corrected. Very well done. The setup with that final scene before the Eclipse, the delivery, the line itself, a parallel I didn't see coming until you shot us through the heart with it. Again. OOF😭

[@FashionableCrow]

My friend’s fav joke btw. And thanks! I’m glad it resonated! It’s really nice to hear! 😊

[@jordanpickering6912]

This is so good with S2 Act 2 release with Ambessa's speech about how 'Sacrifice' enhances strength

[@sophiacozzo8964]

The Viktor part becomes more interesting when you finish season 2: Viktor starts to climb again when he convinces himself that the bodies he is pilling up are not bodies, they are just... changed

[@TheOniphoenix]

Fantastic video! Great work.

[@FashionableCrow]

Thanks ☺️

[@Jacksonforeversprout]

"I've discovered a fourth principle, one that heightens all others. Sacrifice" - Ambessa Medarda

[@tiazoh]

It's funny the person who talks the most about sacrifice doesn't know what the fuck she's talking about

[@spartan1879]

What a bizarre line that was. Like really Ambessa? You ""discivered"" sacrifice? How does sacrifice "heighten" guile? Seriously, how is sacrifice even a "principle"? Worse still how is sacrifice not a fundamental constant in Noxian society? You telling me the violent warmongering culture isn't intimately familiar with the high costs of certain wants? Season 2 was miserable...

[@blueblack3591]

What a great analysis. Especially on Mel.

[@avezmar97]

I really loved the analysis, it's going to be intresting to see where they take the next season. TBHH I'm not to hopeful going by stuff I've seen circulating abt it, but anyways!! that aside I really loved your takes!!

[@FashionableCrow]

Thanks so much for watching! Hopefully season 2 delivers…if not, I can just rewatch 1 on repeat 😂

[@kimjw001]

6:35 "Jase gets more expelled"😂

[@MRdrPROkeithSR]

6 seconds in and already referencing Berserk Subbed

[@RoboThePanda]

first video from you i’ve seen and i would love to see your take on season 2 after it’s all out!

[@EdWuncler3rd]

Great analysis!

[@FashionableCrow]

@@EdWuncler3rd thanks!

[@antondevyre9969]

to be "unserious" I find your analysis very deep and in some cases strictly on point ^^

[@shawn.brumfield]

Wow! What a satisfying analysis.

[@BeyondMediaAnalysis1]

I can’t escape Berserk.

[@stephanhenry9205]

I’m not sure if Vi lost Powder because she refused to give up Caitlyn for her. I think Vi lost Powder because she couldn’t let go of or even properly understand Powder. When she’s (Vi) calling out to her (Jinx) about Mylo and Claggor and Vander and even her (Vi) she doesn’t understand that they all haunt Powder. And when Powder kills Silco to save her, Vi doesn’t understand that Jinx loved Silco. Vi doesn’t understand this new young woman in front of her and how yes it’s still her sister but shes changed. And how could she when she was locked up for years in a prison

[@FashionableCrow]

@@stephanhenry9205 yep. This is a better articulation because that lack of connection is what matters more than Vi’s literal choice. Their estrangement, which is a consequence of everyone else moving chess pieces around them.

[@Steven9567]

well yeah she hasn't really got to talk for real and really jinx wanted to be told it wasn't her fault (witch it was) and it was accident and she meant well (doesn't matter)

[@yoshiadmirer]

If you have watched The Good Place, Vander also solved the Trolley Problem. He was forced to choose between The Lane or his daughters. However he chose to sacrifice himself, hoping that he would save all of them.

[@alphajackal6648]

Except this didn't really solve the problem - Vander's death ultimately caused massive upheaval and his daughters came out of it arguably more traumatized than if they'd just been locked up. Trolley problems have uses, but ultimately they fall apart in more complicated situations because nobody can ever have perfect information and thus be sure that the choices presented to them are all of the choices, and that their consequences are what they are.

[@DuckysTales]

Vanders fall lead to Silcos rise and the Shimmer epidemic and Jinx's creation.

[@owenrice1756]

Great video! One place I disagree is I think to a degree Jinx IS Silco's castle. Similar to Vander, they both have ambitions around building something for others around them. It is unclear how much Silco is seeking power for powers sake versus seeking the means to make change, but Silco is more clear through his treatment of Jinx about her being something of a representative of the nation of Zaun - chaotic, troubled, capable, given up on, a jinx... "perfect". That is why he adopts her. He sees himself in her as much as he sees in her their people's struggle. Some of his bodies to climb were her family, but that makes her even more a Zaunite, and himself even more attached, responsible even. I think that is why he can't ever give her up. She is a version of his castle that he is more emotionally connected to. I think he sees her as more fitting to liberate Zaun. Season 2 seems to be about Jinx filling his shoes a little bit in a new generation of struggle where the fight is on more equal footing. Excited to see where it goes!

[@arcangel879]

4:00 still makes me cry, damnit!

[@Echlon-Bong]

Hot chocolate and stairing at the ceiling sounds like a shout

[@Tomyj9]

Berserk was mentioned & I instantly subscribed

[@Largentfan80]

And that's why arcane SEASON 1 is amazing

[@SodapopLeonard]

Came for Arcane, hard opening of Berserk IMMEDIATELY sold on this video

[@slawd7351]

I’m excited for season 2 :)

[@FashionableCrow]

@@slawd7351 one more day! 🥳

[@hallewest772]

Well this just makes me want to re-read the stormlight archive again

[@beatrizgoycoolea3947]

MY GOD THE ALGORYTHM... BERSERK AND ARCANE IS SUCH A GOOD MIX

[@charlotteburbano7391]

Absolutely loved this video!!!

[@sunset3240]

I like how it all makes sense

[@ariaemami7958]

Berserk in the beginning? I'm sold

[@Nikkska]

Awesome video, very well done!

[@cassiopeiasfire6457]

This perfectly fits the "Hellfire" lyric from the S2E3 intro: "I ain't afraid to lose a life or ten // if it means that I get to win in the end."

[@DeltaTrion]

Amazingly spot on title. Wonderful work 💙

[@drbanemortem4155]

Thank you algorithm-sama,very underrated channel

[@juandiego1993]

0:14 that was really needed to keep me in xD and seeing Berserk, more then ever haha

[@dorianmckenzie9888]

Aaaaaaand........subscribed. Very well done video. To use that story piece from Berserk is brilliant and so fitting. With Arcane, I love how all actions have consequences/after effects, be they good actions, bad actions, acts with good intent or act with bad intent. And then we get to see each "side" or person experience what the other side or person(s) are going through or have gone through. It makes ya wonder though. Where is everyone really trying to go... or better question, what is the point of where everyone is really trying to go and do they fully understand what that means for the cities as a whole?

[@FashionableCrow]

@@dorianmckenzie9888 thanks and ya know, welcome to my corner of the internet. I like that “ambition” here is fairly neutral. Like I’d say both Vander and Silco wanted their city to have its own identity but what they prioritized on the way up made the difference. Season 2’s just started but it’s given me a lot to think about regarding your question of what it’s all for…

[@jedikoops]

I'm watching this after arcane S2 Act 1 and Vi and Powder/Jinx being casualties is so true. (and makes that specific scene that you know what I'm talking about even sadder)

[@gradis13]

amazing essay you have a new fan.

[@tvr430]

10:10 Viktor's intro 💀😂

[@SuperAllMovies]

Loved this video! Subbed

[@FashionableCrow]

🥳 thanks and welcome

[@benjaminbraillard7531]

I really like how you do this video. Saludos desde Argentina

[@ElJorro]

Dreams require sacrifices but sometimes the cost is too much.

[@brodiemann78]

this is Brilliant. Thank You.

[@hannybanany8536]

WOWWWW okay this was really good

[@FashionableCrow]

@@hannybanany8536 TY, happy almost season 2!

[@hannybanany8536]

@@FashionableCrow Hahahah you too :)