Caitlyns Dark Arc (Arcane S2)

[@anaisrussell6090]

What a fantastic analysis! The style of Arcane as a show really requires these deep dives, as so much of what is going on is not explicitly stated (which I love, makes for much more interesting story telling), which leaves so much room for these analyses, but also leaves equal room for misunderstandings, especially where the emotions are as intense and complicated as they were for Caitlyn during this season. A little addition to Caitlyn's deep sigh before she kisses Vi in the tunnel before the fight with Jinx: My reading of that when I first watched it was that Caitlyn was sighing because she knew, deep down, what Vi was asking for was no longer possible, as Caitlyn was already changing, and indeed, had already changed a lot. There seems to be a bit of regret to me in that sigh, where Caitlyn knows she cannot give Vi what she is asking for, so instead chooses to kiss her. I really loved your conclusion on why Caitlyn so suddenly struck out against Vi. My immediate reaction to that scene was shock and outrage on Vi's behalf, but when I discussed it later with my friends and after a lot of careful consideration on what Caitlyn must have been going through, I came to a very similar conclusion that you did, except that you laid yours out a lot more eloquently. I can't wait for your future videos, really interested to see your take on Vi's side of this and whether it will be similar or different to my own :)

[@FiggyG11]

When the world needed her most... SHE CAME BACK

[@tildaowen]

Precisely! 😂

[@KnugLidi]

@@tildaowen Wonderful to have your views!

[@ivonniemaheswaran2291]

I laughed every time you put the ban sign on Maddie's face hahaha

[@tildaowen]

🤣 she’s definitely not wanted in my line of sight!

[@vertyTrades]

@@tildaowen Can you do a deep dive in how the hell an average chick like Maddie got her way with our Cait!? WTF! She's nothing on Vi!

[@tildaowen]

@@vertyTrades I will definitely look into Ambessa’s manipulation of Caitlyn and how Maddie fits into this. I don’t think Cait was looking for much with Maddie, definitely not someone like Vi, that would be too painful and emotional for her (there’s no one like Vi). I also think Maddie basically threw herself on Cait, and Caitlyn let herself be distracted physically…

[@vertyTrades]

I'm looking forward to it! By the way, I really love your accent!

[@johnwolf2829]

@@tildaowen Well, you are he one tha convinced me to watch season one, and I wasn't if Kaitlyn was going to be killed.... so thanks for that! But there has been a big drop-off with viewership. I can't see this series unless I buy the DVD, so honestly, how does 2 compare to the first one?

[@holey_donut9096]

I almost love Caitlyn more after S2. I don't think she's flawless, nor do I think she lacked any agency in the bad decisions she made, but that's exactly why I find her such a compelling character - because she IS so flawed! Because she let her anger and thirst for vengeance cloud her judgement and drive her decisions! It's so human and so gripping to watch. Thank you for coming back and I can't wait for your future analyses!!

[@tildaowen]

@@holey_donut9096 Yeah, I agree, she’s flawed just as everyone else in the show is, and that humanity and capacity for doing wrong, makes it so much more sweet, when she does something right 😍

[@beepboop2842]

its so refreshing to see more appreciate how caitlyn in season 2 stepped her game up compared to season 1, yes she went evil villain mode. she honestly fits darth vader's character a bit, both of them embraced evil because they thought it was the only way yet caitlyn lost herself in the process. she had an internal battle with herself after losing her mother, she believed her nativity and not being able to act fast is why her moms gone. it was bound to happen for caitlyn to slowly snap, especially after what jinx put her through. you guys are allowed to correct me on parts i wasn't quite accurate on grasping her character, this is what ive observed so far.

[@tildaowen]

@@beepboop2842 I wouldn’t quite call her an evil villain, she is antagonistic yes, and villainous, but she’s very specific about it, and though she more careless and callous in that sense, her motivations aren’t ambitious, she doesn’t want to “win” or gain influence, but to alleviate her own guilt and anger. Ambessa appointing her commander is after the fact and never her intention… But I like your point about her naivety and not being fast enough, is what was to blame. I definitely think she uses Ambessa to get more speed and stamina in close combat, for that very reason 👍😊

[@HunterKing3200]

I hope you go over Caitlyns "redemption arc" or how she came back to the light. Cause I never felt like Caitlyn fully made the transition to evil, dictator zaun killer. I felt like she was lonely and lost. Everyone jokes about how Cait folded immedietly after Vi called her cupcake but I feel it's exactly what she needed. Caitlyn herself admits she doesn't trust Ambessa or the Noxians. Vi's presence is what Caitlyn needed to take that step and fully transition back to the old Caitlyn, and betray Ambessa. She couldn't before cause she was surrounded by people clouding her judgement. She admits she grew tired of hating Jinx, it made her hate herself. Caitlyn in season 2 is one of the most natural and well written characters I've ever seen

[@tildaowen]

I agree, in episode four she’s well on the path to finding herself again, so meeting Vi again is the the ally she needs to go against Ambessa. I’ll definitely look into that, but probably as a Violyn deep dive… Next video is the love scene 😊

[@aranthur]

Also, an interesting detail I hadn't thought much of before: Jayce and Mel are both aware of Cait's pain and her inner struggles, and they both have a chance to step in and potentially help stop her downward spiral in episode 1... but they don't. After the memorial, Jayce makes her the rifle and Mel hesitates to use her power as a councilor to overrule her strike team idea

[@tildaowen]

Excellent point! They’re both not clued in enough to see where she’s going, and they have enough on their own agenda… Vi doesn’t stop her either, but she does try to follow and protect her somehow

[@aranthur]

@tildaowen Yeah, their fears after the memorial push all 4 of those characters to cross a moral line they had insisted literally earlier in this same episode that they would never do. Ambessa sure knows how to push people to the brink

[@bluevitriol5128]

I always thought the strike team was the better of 2 evils. It's better to send a small, well armed group after Jinx herself than send a full on enforcer invasion into the lanes, where many people will end up getting killed (that's literally how Vi and Jinx's parents got killed in the first place)

[@bluevitriol5128]

That's *literally* why Vi puts on the enforcer uniform. Better a strike unit to take out Jinx, than the full force invasion of Enforcers. Jinx is a terrorist that murdered half of the council as they were voting for peace! And their memorial was a massacre also. A strike unit for "one deranged individual" sounds very reasonable to me.

[@tildaowen]

@@bluevitriol5128 I agree, lesser evil!

[@aranthur]

It's an interesting trend that in this act, the scenes where Cait is at her hardest or angriest are the scenes where she isn't looking at Vi, and the scenes where she's softest are when she is. And in scenes where she does both, you can literally see the moment where she looks at Vi and calms or looks away and goes cold as she goes back to seeing the other two faces stuck in her head. ESPECIALLY in the post kiss scene, where Vi is now out of sight behind her and Cait's warm smile slowly falls away And then in their final scene, Caitlyn refuses to look at her at all, because as you said Vi makes her weak and soft and she can't afford to be that if she's ever going to take down Jinx. If she was looking her in the face, Cait never could have gone through with hurting her, and there's only that second or two after Vi is on the ground that Cait finally turns to look at her, and her cold shell briefly cracks and shows her remorse and her inner desire to take it back, to apologize, to be soft and weak and comfort Vi... But instead, she accepts that this is who she has to become, she turns, and she walks away

[@tildaowen]

Ouch, a heartbreaking interpretation, but it makes sense! 👍 In the scene with Heenot, though, when we gets in between, I’m quite sure Cait gives her a stern look, but it’s actually a little hard to see, who she’s looking. But imo she’s looking at Vi, not understanding why Vi would step in the middle. Also in the talk after the memorial attack, she is looks at Vi some of the time with not so soft looks, but most of her anger is not directed at Vi. But in general I think your reading is good!

[@aranthur]

@tildaowen See, what I saw was that during the Heenot scene, once she looks at Vi, she hesitates and is a little confused and unsure, but then she turns around and puts her back to Vi to continue being Commander Caitlyn And during the memorial scene (I could be misremembering) she may be talking to Vi, but she spends a lot of the conversation looking at the floor, then it's after Vi touches her and gets her to make eye contact again that Cait finally stops and takes a breath and softens again

[@tildaowen]

@ He he, yeah, we don’t exactly see the same things, but that’s ok 😊

[@sashab4873]

Absolutely loved every minute of this. Can’t wait for more from you. These women are so complex, so easily misunderstood. I love them so much. Another amazing analysis. Thank you.

[@tildaowen]

Thank you so much! And I agree, part of the thrill of Arcane is unwrapping everything they put in every character and scene ❤️ And especially Caitlyn, she’s so hard to read sometimes!

[@pbeans5]

A full 51min of Caitlyn! You spoil us, Tilda. This was a such a thoughtful and thorough analysis of what was going through Caitlyn's mind in Act 1. The poor girl was certainly pulled in so many directions. I particularly appreciated your breakdown of the rifle butt scene. That scene itself is so heartbreaking that it can be difficult to parse one's thoughts together without being overcome by strong emotions! Amazing quality content as always, big thanks ❤

[@tildaowen]

Thanks a lot, beans! I had lots to say, lol… And still so many more things I could’ve looked into! And yeah, why Caitlyn would do that to Vi was unfathomable the first time I watched it, it took some digging to make sense of it!

[@epronovost6539]

Got to love the little flair in the script of the video. I think my favorite is "how did the lonely vampire spawned from the cupcake". Also, I giggled a little too much at the constant blocking of Maddie's face with a giant "nope sign".

[@tildaowen]

Thanks, I try to give it some humour and flavour, that’s what I like to watch myself 😊

[@mkraulis]

Twice, Caitlyn posed to Vi if she was sure she could go after Jinx (the kissing scene and before Vi says "take the shot.") Caitlyn knew what sacrifice Vi was being asked to make. This is the look given in the pause before the kiss. When Vi was on top of Jinx, on the altar, Caitlyn lowered her gun, indicating that Jinx is finally in custody..Caitlyn only raises her rifle after Isha points a gun at Vi. Caitlyn shoots the gun out of Isha's hand when it looks like she is about to pull the trigger. This is not the action of somone who is out of control. Then, Caitlyn gestures at Isha , with her rifle, and tells her to get away from Jinx. Vi jumps off of Jinx, effectively releasing her from custody,.Then Vi gets in between Caitlyn and Jinx. Caitlyn doesn't know if Jinx is going to harm Isha or not. As far as Caitlyn knows Jinx has no scruples in harming anybody to get her way (she thinks Jinx is too far gone). When she shoots at Jinx, with Isha on top of her, it is to stop a deranged terrorist in Caitlyn's mind. Vi was obviously affected by what Jinx said on the altar (it had to be you) and wanted time to figure things out. She didn't know her sister was suicidal. (We see that it was Jinx's plan to get taken out by Vi, and have the Gray released, with paint or dye bombs to colour Piltover, possibly taking Vi in the process). Ultimately, I think Caitlyn formulated her three objectives, presented to the council, as she felt taking action would help her resolve some of her grief. Notably, Caitlyn says that they need to locate Jinx, which implies kill or capture (this is a reasonable assumption from Caitlyn's perspective as interactions with Jinx indicate her derangement, and unpredictable nature) Accepting the role of Commander of Piltover was probably motivated by several things. 1.Caitlyn could finish her 3rd objective and hopefully ensure a more secure situationot 2. Caitlyn could take a leadership role, in her mind part of the Kiraman legacy. 3. It was her duty as an enforcer.

[@birdyang]

I do agree with most of your analysis. Psychologically, I do agree with Tilda that Cait is just a laser-focused person (you can see that in S1). My take is Cait is an emotional mess in S2 Act 1, she was losing control, but I don't think she was out of control until the very end when Isha used her body to protect Jinx. Every step along the way, she still prioritised her love for Vi imo...until she feels she cannot continue on with her objectives if she loved Vi. Tragically romantic

[@mirelaanghel6155]

@@birdyang I also agree with both of you, but I would like to point that that rather than Isha protecting Jinx, it is Vi failing to keep her promise to Cait that pushes her over the edge. I see very often that people forget there two promises made before the kiss, one from Vi (to get Jinx) and one from Cait (to not change). Neither knew at the time that they won't actually keep them. I do genuinely think they both thought they could keep their promises

[@beepboop2842]

@@mirelaanghel6155 true but at least caitlyn leaves her response ambiguous and up to vi rather than flat out saying, "i promise." she says, "i won't" which yes she did change but she didn't mention PROMISING about not changing. a lot of people are focused on caitlyn not keeping her promise but neither did vi, vi's last minute decision to back away was what frustrated cait from successfully carrying out her plan she carefully sketched out in hopes its successful. plus caitlyn missing her shot AGAIN, she feels like she let herself down because shes so passionate in her precise aim. anyone would feel defeated realising they performed poorly at what they're often skilled at, caitlyn showed a toxic side of her and vi failed to take jinx down. they both mutually messed up basically.

[@Ficon-ed.]

Words cannot express emotions i felt when i saw notification... sooo worth the wait

[@tildaowen]

Thank you!🙏

[@aljmayr4826]

vi's awkwardness at the initial grief-collapse hug is so fascinating to me, both her awkward fists, and that strange flinch when cait's hands slide down her back - her whole body draws up like she's trying to get away from the touch. i (for once) didn't see it as romantic or lustful, but more as how unused to this sort of thing she is. it feels like a little touch of physical foreshadowing to her adorable panic breathing when she realizes that cait is going to kiss her. while i love the battle couple stuff during the memorial attack you can already see the cracks. vi spots the zaunite tattoos on the fake enforcer, and tries to get to cait to alert her but cait either can't hear her, or doesn't register what the fuss is. and after vi takes out the chemtank barehanded (!!) she reaches for her hand when cait offers it, but cait refuses that, and turns it into a wrist grab. great essay, i swear cailyn is the most deliberately misunderstood character on the show, with everyone always taking just the worst possible interpretation of the actions of a grieving and traumatized 23 year-old. and i really do love the crumble of the burgeoning relationship, you can so clearly understand and sympathize why they're both acting like this and it still manages to be such an awful shock when cait, who has been nothing but tender with vi, hits her, then leaves her there.

[@ginal.c6820]

I agree Caitlin is missunderstood and hated by many, which is just annoying due to people not looking deep into the story to understand her. People love to excuse Jinx behavior and etc (from what I’ve read on social media), but fail to see that Caitlyn and Jinx parallel each other a lotttt especially since two. So why do you hate one and love the other? When they are the faces of the same coin?

[@aljmayr4826]

@@ginal.c6820 exactly, and fwiw i find jinx actions - particularly in s1 - a whole lot more unforgivable than i do cait's.

[@masterofpuppets7586]

Gosh, we are blessed! Two Caitlyn videos by Tilda and StopMeOh within one day! I am in heaven! Thanks a lot Tilda! 🧡 Our fav Mongoose needs some love!

[@tildaowen]

Absolutely, she does, all the hate she’s receiving is undeserved… All characters in Arcane act badly one time or another… I did see Stop Me Oh was making sth similar, she beat me to it, lol!

[@masterofpuppets7586]

​@@tildaowen Both videos are a cure for our broken hearts really . 🧡 Thank you! I especially loved that you mentioned a thing I hear not enough, but point out wherever I can: Vi saved Caitlyn from herself when stopping her from shooting Isha. She would never have recovered from this. And for Vi taking the badge: while others call her a traitor for this I think it is the most "Vi thing' to do actually. Putting herself in second place to protect both Caitlyn and Zaun. She knows the only way to call off the invasion is the strike team and she has to be part of it. Despite her knowing what this would mean for her reputation in Zaun and her feelings about being an enforcer. What more can one sacrifice?😢 I see you decided to spared the whole "gassing" topic (or held it short) which was certainly good for the video . 👍 Do you plan on addressing this in a later video? Very complicated ofc and heavily deviding the community.🫤

[@birdyang]

@@masterofpuppets7586 this is a very interesting perspective on Vi! never thought of it that way but definitely a legit interpretation. I also noticed that Tilda stayed away from the "gassing" topic, but i think it works for this video coz i think Tilda was exploring the psychological journey of Cait and not trying to defend her actions.

[@masterofpuppets7586]

​​​@@birdyangAs a Vi fan this season was.. complicated for me. I had hugh expectations that got pretty much floored after the first watch. It took me several rewatches to change this. Many are conplaining about Vi's loss of agency in S2 and this is partially true. But she still has her scenes where she shines. Problem is these are not "loud" and at first even may seem like weakness. Her whole arc is about protecting the people she loves. And she succeeds in this. She saved the lifes of Caitlyn, Jinx, and Isha multiple times this season. She saves Jayce in ep 1 and so indirectly Piltover itself. But these are not necessary big hero moments. Imo she was also the driving force to prevent a full scale invasion on Zaun. Everyone else got their big hero moments, but for me she was the silent (broken)hero this season. She even grow to me through her vulnerability in the end. She is just as traumatized as Caitlyn and Jinx, but so far she managed to still function in a way (unfortunately by caring for herself the least). Cait and Vi both were the ones who suffered the most from this rushed season imo. Especially as they were robbed of their "redemption arc" by cutting ep 9 so heavily. This leat to a huge decrease of popularity as you can see in every poll on this topic. CaitVi shippers are still standing strong, but among the "neutral" viewers they lost a lot. Their characters are simply too complex to understand their actions and motivations at first sight at this tempo. I hope either the Director's Cut or follow up shows (or game?) will do them some justice. Let them both build the new and unprejudiced wardens for Piltover AND Zaun and by this help the cities grow together.🧡 I also think that Vi letting go the responsibility and guilt for Jinx and accepting to be cared for/protected by Caitlyn is actually a big character development for her...

[@birdyang]

@@masterofpuppets7586 i'm starting to understand more of Vi's arc myself. know of any good video or youtubes that can shed some light?

[@hydrangea6588]

A thoughtful (and thought-inspiring) essay, as always!

[@tildaowen]

Thanks a lot! 😊

[@stelmaria-mx]

I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this imperfectly beautiful season!

[@tildaowen]

Thanks, hope you like my thoughts!

[@aranthur]

I tend to view the kiss as both of them sort of lying to themselves, you know? Caitlyn desperately needs to believe she won't feel like this forever. That if she takes down Jinx, gets justice for her mother, the hate and pain that is tearing her apart will finally start to heal and Vi will still be there beside her through it all And Vi can't handle change. She never has been able to. It's one of her biggest struggles in the show. For example: the Powder she knew can't have changed, she must either exist as Vi remembers her or she is dead and Jinx is just the person who killed her... So if Cait also becomes someone new, does that mean the person Vi fell in love with is dead too?? No wonder she's terrified and desperate for reassurance, even if all the signs tell her life doesn't work like that

[@tildaowen]

I agree completely! Very nice interpretation 👍

[@GailyFix]

Yeees, this! I think that's what Cait's sigh just before the kiss is about. That she's battling her own darkness and, possibly more through Vi's reactions than her own introspection, she's becoming aware of the dark changes inside herself. The sigh is more of a "I don't want to change for the worse, to see the disappointment and fear in your eyes. I hope you'll help me tether myself to my good side. Maybe if I promise it to you now, this will help me win my own inner fight."

[@ginawhatyoudoin8058]

Thank you so much for the analysis. So much of her character arc is being boiled down to her actions instead of her motivations which is a diservice to the media. The writers are telling a story which should absolutely be disected and appreciated even during its more rough moments.

[@tildaowen]

I agree completely! Motivations matter so much!

[@holey_donut9096]

"So much of her character arc is being boiled down to her actions instead of her motivations" - Yes!! So true! Not only that, I think a large portion of the audience sees "cop" and "wealth" in Caitlyn's background and therefore decide that she is not deserving of any sympathy. What especially irks me is that a lot of the same people who pile hatred on Caitlyn are huge fans of Jinx. Cait certainly became a monster of her own right in S2 - but Jinx made her that way! Jinx is basically 100% responsible for starting Caitlyn's descent into darkness. To hate on Cait for her actions while refusing to acknowledge the events that led her there is so beyond infuriating.

[@ivonniemaheswaran2291]

Thank you for all your in depth analysis, you make me love and appreciate even more these amazing characters and stories. I'm so in love with Caitlyn so I was very heartbroken and mad the first time I watched Caitlyn's transformation, just like Vi lol. Her empathy and compassion is definitely one of her characteristics that made me love her and stand out, so it was very hard to watched all that go away and flip very quickly, but it’s so fitting once you understand her and what’s she’s going through, but still very painful to watch 😢

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! Yeah, it’s hard to watch, and so much more fulfilling when she returns to herself in the end ❤️

[@maztear98]

I love this analysis SOOOOOO MUCHHHH AHHHHHHHHH Finally things are starting to click together and make sense for me. The jinx and Cait parallel arc continuing in season 2 went over my head when i first watched the show but now i feel like an idiot how hell did i not see that its right there plane as day.

[@tildaowen]

Yeah, they parallel and contrast each other all the way!

[@Sheren0133]

I love Caitlyn as a character. Deep, rich, flawed human being, yet all in all, perceptive and have a good heart. Thank you so much for your deep dive, great analysis !

[@tildaowen]

Thank you, ou are so welcome! Well said!

[@maximgorki9798]

excellent analysis looking for next video on Act 3 and Caitlin coming back to herself

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! Well, I think I’ll go straight for the love scene and then do a more general breakdown of either Violyn or Vi 😊

[@beepboop2842]

yes we need this because fans find it so rushed how caitlyn just switched up like that

[@tildaowen]

@@beepboop2842 yeah, it’s show don’t tell, it’s hard to figure her out and the show is so packed it sometimes feels rushed

[@TheWeiWuWei]

The thing I felt most in my gut when I saw the CaitVi vs. JiVika fight was that line way back in season one when Vi was damning Cait with faint praise: "You're an alright shot." As you say it was natural if not by any stretch of the imagination justified for Cait to blame Vi for stopping her from firing into a little girl acting as a human shield, particularly when her rifle was already malfunctioning. Still, I felt that old line coming back to haunt Vi as a sort of tipping of her hand that she didn't trust Cait's marksmanship. For a woman like Cait whose ability to fire accurately is so central to her identity, being second-guessed by someone so close to her must have stung.

[@mirelaanghel6155]

The fact that people never seem to acknowledge this is also so disappointing. It's so obvious why Caitlyn would be overwhelmed in that moment. Not to excuse her actions towards Vi, yet from her pov it doesn't look that good for Vi and even she knows it, after she forcefully grabs Cait, she realizes and immediately softens, but it's already too late. Cait needed a moment to recover, to get back to her senses, but Vi is not used to this. All she knows is to fire back when you're fired at...

[@tildaowen]

That would definitely sting Caitlyn, like I said being a marksman is such a big part of her identity. But I think Vi trusts Cait's skills with the rifle in general (though in fact she hasn't really seen the good shoots, so...), but she distrusts Caitlyn's state of mind in this moment.

[@tildaowen]

I do think Vi is bad at handling emotional and mental stress in others, like in the Tea Party where she almost drives Jinx over the edge "remember who you are!" and then tackling CAit head on after. But I do think Cait would be in the offence no mater what...

[@amberpriceLiS]

I loved that she got an Othello/Hamlet/ Shakespearean like arc. There was a lot of Shakespearean aspect to this season and it was perfect.

[@MenisBustamante]

I think Vi makes the decision to accompany Caitlyn as an Enforcer because she is right, if they go alone one of the two will return in a box. So she decides to accompany her and take care of her, if they are going to return in a box it should be both of them.

[@beepboop2842]

this! vi is someone willing to risk her life but cait is in charge of this mission, instead of just vi or just cait. they went together, cait cant live realising she lost vi like she lost her mother, vi cant live realising she lost cait like shes lost nearly EVERYONE. so they were willing to BOTH take the bullet.

[@anjinanhut]

First: I love how like the most minor of details has been a meaningful choice on the side of writers/animators that contributes to the story and full characterization of the characters in teh show. Sure, I would love to have "more Arcane" but on the other hand I also belive that this density of meaning is a product of the high velocity storytelling they decided to go with in only 2 seasons. And I love how this makes amazing videos like your's possible. Great deep dive! Something I recently stumbled upon is the paralelle between Ambessa and Cait in regards to loved ones making them weak. Ambessa has banished Mel because Mel made it hard for Ambessa to "make the right decisions to keep the family safe" or something similar, explictely stated in a dialogue. I think this makes the relationship with Caitlyn interesting. I think she can project a lot onto Caitlyn here, since she knows that Vi "captured Caitlyn Kiramman's heart" as she once stated. On the flipside it shows Caitlyn is actually better at this then her newfound mentor: Ambessa completely hyperfocusses on her quest and fails to even once "get distracted" by the fact her daughter was abducted. While Caitlyn on her own learns to juggle these competing values in her head, allowing the absent Vi to creep back in bit by bit as a priority. This is why Ambessa wants to kill Vi, because "Caitlyn must not be distracted". I think you are 100% on point with your reading on teh end of act 3 here. I love Caitlyn. Really looking forward to your follow up video on this. KZbin edit tip. this edit always gets me in a "Let's go, Caitlyn!" mood: kzbin.info/www/bejne/baTSlXmArdhkfJI Thank you.

[@iavarra]

Крутой анализ, со всем согласна!)

[@polhar09]

Very in-depth take! Its such a shame such a little amount of people talk about Cait's character, its terrible how most view her as some knock-off-Mussolini. Thank you so much for the hard work making these vids must be!

[@UniBlue1000]

I had a different take on Caitlyn saying "Animals" when having the post memorial attack discussion. I don't think she ever fell so far as to consider every Zaunite party to what happened. It was more an exclamation over the fact that anyone at all was so morally bankrupt that they'd attack a memorial service. And her anger is focused on those people. After all she makes several efforts to avoid an all out war with Zaun. Something the Council was fully prepared to do.

[@tildaowen]

Yeah, she’s very focused on Jinx and her actions are about going to war with her, not all of Zaun. So no, she doesn’t generalise that much, but still some. Her care for them certainly deteriorates, she doesn’t seem to have problems with letting other Zaunites get hurt by the grey…

[@UniBlue1000]

@@tildaowen Oh yeah she's certainly had her opinion of them deteriorated. I just think it's important when analysing Caitlyn's 'dark arc' to take in to consideration just how much worse things could've gotten without Caitlyn holding back. Even when it comes to things like using the Gray she intentionally had it directed with pin-point accuracy towards the chembaron lairs (as shown in Hellfire, and also confirmed by Amanda later). At heart she's a good person, and even at her very lowest she's unable to go all out. I think that's commendable personally and one of the reasons why I respect her as a character.

[@birdyang]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but i think it is human nature to generalise in such circumstances. What i admire about Cait is she is smart and self-aware enough to realise she is generalising and snaps herself out of it without the help of someone reminding her (at least the generalisation part).

[@Lacuneko]

​@@UniBlue1000 I agree, the grey was targeting the criminals, no civilian is shown involved. Where did Amanda confirm it?

[@beepboop2842]

basically her alternative to all out war was just as awful but i guess you could say ones worse than the other. her weaponising gray was a BAD option, yet the war that ambessa planned is WORSE. im not sure if im right on that so correct me if i didn't miss the mark with that comment lol

[@self_mythology]

Absolutely beautiful video and analysis! Contrary to many people, season 2 Caitlyn is definetly my favorite (season 2 is my favorite overall, in fact), not because of her actions - her villain arc is very sad and hard to watch - but because we could see her go trough hell and back, and watch her realize how her biggest quality was able to turn her into her worst version (isn't it exaclty the point of viktor's speech in s2 ep6?). I do believe some things are really supposed to be hard to watch and even a little difficult to understand (like her arc in season 2), and this is what makes a story and a character really remarkable, like Caitlyn is, in my opinion.

[@jamakaya1332]

On your last point: Oprah Winfrey once interviewed Nobel Prize-winning writer Toni Morrison. She confessed to Toni that reading her novel "Beloved" was really hard. Toni replied: "Of course, it's hard! It was hard to write. Why should it be easy to read?" I'd never thought of that before. Good books and movies can be challenging, some are intentionally so. It's great to have YTers like Tilda and commenters helping us all to understand great stories and characters.

[@self_mythology]

@jamakaya1332 Totally agree!

[@7hkey]

@@jamakaya1332 mhh, but it's like saying an app is hard to use because it was hard to program...

[@self_mythology]

@@7hkey not exactly, because when she said it was hard to write, she was referring to the message, not the code. It was hard to write because it was probably a heavy subject, not because she used hard words to comprehend.

[@7hkey]

@@self_mythology ah. Makes sense :)

[@animepabu5526]

Finally! I’ve been waiting to see your thoughts on S2!

[@tildaowen]

Thanks, hope you enjoyed it! 😊

[@luana_pdl]

Amazing video as always, Tilda, the wait was totally worth it!

[@tildaowen]

Thanks, Luana, I’m glad you enjoyed it 😘

[@katelyn1297]

41:38, I think another intresting part is that Caitlyn was willing to accept it all in that moment and just walk away, allowing Vi to follow her (if Vi never chose to say anything). But hearing "then why are you the one acting like [Jinx]?" makes Caitlyn furious because she doesn't want to even think that. Caitlyn fully belives in her cause; she is right and everyone who doesn't agree is wrong and against her. And at this point, all her feelings for Vi are so conflicted and she doesn't know what to think. But her breaking point was those last two exchanges. "It's her blood in your veins" / "then why are you the one acting like her?". Caitlyn is acknowledging that Vi's actions were a result of her still loving Jinx. So to Caitlyn, Vi has betrayed her on multiple fronts. She made her miss, she made her hesitate, she didn't agree with her on how to proceed, and she still loves jinx (to Cait = Vi lied to her). And now Vi has just made a personal connection between Caitlyn and Jinx. As I said earlier, Caitlyn believes in her cause and that she is just. So to hear that she is behaving like her enemy, the girl that murdered her mother, the villain who is wrong and evil and causes destruction everywhere she goes, is a straight up attack to Caitlyn (on her "new" identity, beliefs, goals, etc.). Which lines up with what you said with Vi not being a good influence anymore. So now Caitlyn must get rid of anyone who is getting in the way of her goals. And paired with her increasing tendency to 'react' first, think later, is not setting her or their relationship up for success.

[@mariabrilmt]

totally agree. That "why are you the one acting like her?" must have been an emotional gut punch to Cait. I first heard this from Dan Pyxel on tt that while ppl make memes of Vi being all brawl and no brains, she is one of the most verbally and emotionally articulate characters arround. Though true to her nature, she has a tendency of going to far/saying to much and ends up poking (punching) people exactly where it hurts them the most. She did it with kid Powder, Cait, Jayce

[@AgentVolkat]

Gut punch to the feels right out the gate here! Still canNOT get through that song/funeral scene without crying. I was also so focused on Cait in that scene I didn't even NOTICE Vi was at the top of the staircase (I'm sure Cait likely didn't either tbh)! Grief definitely does have a tendency to overpower the senses and leave people tunnel visioned. I feel quite a bit of Cait's emotions. For context, I lost my mother unjustly and it was the worst thing I've ever felt. It really skewed a lot of my own perceptions and threw me into a place I wasn't ready for. I really felt what you said about Cait basically shutting off anything that may bring her happiness in the midst of grief because I had always felt like it was wrong to feel any joy or positivity after what happened to my mother and if I did it would be in poor taste or would be insulting to her memory. Like if I wasn't focused on grieving or helping my dad cope that I was being selfish or pushing her and the injustice aside. Flat out felt guilty! It took a loooot of therapy to get over that hurdle. So that bit of the video really resonated with me. I would hope Cait gets a bit of mental health care herself cause yeah, girl went THROUUUGH it!

[@photogenicoctopus]

Wow I loved your analysis, thank you so much! :) 💖 Caitlyn is my favourite character (closely followed by Vi), and I loved the depth the writers gave to her character this season. Upon rewatch, I see the rifle butt scene at the end of S2 Ep3 as Caitlyn’s version of the oil and water scene in S1 Ep8. In both scenes, one of them has a goal (Vi going after Silco, Caitlyn going after Jinx), that they know the other will try to stop. So, they feel like they need to push the other away in order to succeed, even though they still love them. Where Vi uncharacteristically uses words to push Caitlyn away (as well as physical distancing), Caitlyn knows that no matter what she says, Vi will loyally stay with her and may even persuade her out of it (when Caitlyn says “it’s her blood in your veins” Vi still reaches out to her). So, she uncharacteristically uses physical violence instead, something she knows will harshly impact Vi since it contrasts their incredible tenderness and likely reminds her of Stillwater. Just like Vi in the rain, Caitlyn turns away to protect herself from what she has just done, but you can see the range of emotions that cross her face: anger, shock, sympathy, remorse, resolution, determination. She didn’t want to do it, but she believes it’s the only way she can avenge her mother. I look forward to seeing more of your videos! :D

[@tapiovalkama3413]

Absolutely briliant ❤, hope there's more to come in near future.

[@tapiovalkama3413]

Again Tilda's analysis opens up the first act to watching it with new thoughts 💭. Yeah, I did pick up some of Caitlyn and Violet's character arc from the near and queer podcast, but this widens the view more.

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! More to come! First there will be some podcast episodes coming out before anymore of my videos are out :-)

[@JoeLyce]

Isha has a remarkable way of calming things down and helping people get their act together. Not just during the fu’ed showdown between Caitly, Jinx, and Vi, but also when Vi and Jinx start fighting. Even Warwick seems to settle in Isha’s presence. It’s amusing how she treats him like a buddy-almost as if he’s her little pet. And even Jinx calmed down quickly, when “attacked” from above by Isha. That first look from Jinx, though, promised something esle… Isha ❤

[@pulsarofficial4588]

Hi Tilda! I love your analysis on Caitlyn. One detail that highlights Caitlyn's arc out of the darkness is her sleeping space. Caitlyn kept Vi after she was stabbed in her room. But it’s not the room Cait is sleeping in season 2. We can see this in the beginning of episode 204. The bed is facing a window, and this room is huge. Caitlyn at the time of episode 204 isn't sleeping in the place where she could be herself, she is sleeping in Cassandra Kirraman’s room. I think this right here is the key to Caitlyn’s arc. Throughout season 2 we see Cait go through many of the stages of grief, but we see two most prominently. During Act 1 we see Cait mostly in the anger stage. All she wants is revenge. She uses all the resources for her to get to Jinx, and most of her decisions are purely based on that hatred. But I think what is so easy to miss, and what completely alluded me on my first watch is that by episode 4, Caitlyn is almost completely out of the anger phase and into bargaining. At this point, her decisions are less about getting to Jinx but more about doing what she thinks her mom would do. Something of note is that Amanda Overton said that one of the reasons Cait goes for Maddie is because she is someone her mom thinks she would approve of. So Cait is sleeping in her mother’s bed which is physically distant from her safe space, with a woman she thinks her mother would pick out for her, as she continues working with Ambessa because she believes her mom would choose to do so, and pursues due to habit and shame rather than burning hatred. This is a very different state of mind than in Act 1 and this state of mind is a lot more open to reason and morals. This clearer outlook causes her to reevaluate Ambessa. Ambessa asks Cait in 204 “You don’t trust me?” which is worthy of note because this is likely the first time Ambessa was getting those vibes from her in months. With these clearer eyes she is finally able to see that Ambessa isn’t to be blindly trusted, making Warwick/Vander into a weapon isn’t the greatest idea if she wants to preserve her morality, and gassing the undercity was not merely clearing the streets. With this in mind, Caitlyn working with Vi in 206, feels more believable. And to go further with this, Caitlyn’s old room was the place where Cait could be herself. It was where she mapped out her theories, where she didn’t have to pretend to appreciate her pity flowers, and it's where she allowed herself to love someone not considered to be of her status. Due to her guilt regarding her mother, she forced herself away from that room, away from her safe place, and away from herself. But who does she put in that room? Injured Vi. She put Vi in her old room because the part of her that cares for Vi is deeply and uniquely Caitlyn. Not just the part of her, her mom approves of. She also wanted to put Vi in the safest place she could think of, and to Cait that was her old room. Cait hasn’t allowed herself to sleep in the safest place on Earth for her, but deliberately (her house is massive) made sure Vi was put there.

[@Sisyanor]

Much-needed analysis. It's incredible how your ability to highlight the beauty and intricacy of this show makes it even more appealing. Looking forward to the next part!! 😏

[@tildaowen]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks 😊

[@tinyamoebainallthiscosmicv5422]

😂 at the block sign everytime Maddie's face comes up on frame

[@gyudon370]

caitlyn analyzing caitlyn

[@tildaowen]

😂

[@mariabrilmt]

I only discovered this channel like a week ago but I've been loving the analysis videos and am glad a S2 vid is out! One neat detail I would like to add to that moment Isha makes everyone reign back their violence except Caitlyns. It is known that Jinx's character model has 2 face structures, there's the one for normal Jinx face (mostly angry and unhinged looking) and the Powder face (innocent, scared and younger looking). Now, when fighting, Jinx tends to use her "Powder face" to throw people off and make them drop their guard. One instance where she uses it is the mad tea party scene. Cait frees herself and points the minigun at Jinx, but between Vi's pleading and and Jinx apparently surrendering and putting on her scared Powder face, Cait hesitates and Jinx knocks her out, closing the window for Cait to take the shot. In the ashes and blood fight, when Isha comes out, Powder's face also makes an (imo involuntary) appearance in Jinx's face. While I do believe Cait could have made that shot without killing Isha, I also think Cait's desperation and willingness to shot though Vi's gaunlets comes as a sort of trigger response to seeing Jinx's "Powder face". In her previous experience, seeing that face means Jinx is trying to confuse, stall and get back her upper hand. It also means that her window to take the shot is closing because something big is about to happen. And Cait was correct, while not entirely according to Jinx's plan, the window closes when Sevika sets off the bombs right after. I think that ends up being additional frustration for Cait against Vi, as if asking "how many times do you need to see that face before you realize it's a trap?" and realizing it is super easy for Jinx to manipulate Vi, thus concluding she wont be able to make that shot with Vi close by. I dont think that's the reason Vi stopped her though, my read is that from Vi's perspective, even if Cait nailed her shot, that type of violence should not happen in front of a child. It hits way too close to home for her.

[@theseal6099]

I was anticipating your videos the most after I finished season 2 😁

[@JoeLyce]

Now I've watched your 'Caitlyns Dark Arc' video - all 3092 seconds of it. And this is the ‘less good’ version of it? I’m speechless! You’re just so good at analysing and bringing this complexity to light for us. I’m sure even Fortiche and the creators could discover something new! Wow!! 🤩 Now there’s a lot to process. I guess this will take even more time to do so than it took to make the video 😅. In particular, the 'rifle in the gut' scene was especially challenging for me to grasp-and I still haven’t fully. I hope your next video won’t be released tomorrow!! Need to think… Thank you so much! Your videos really reach and touch a lot of people out here, helping them with their AWS issues. Just look at all those comments!! 🥰 And yes! Fortiche is great (brilliant! fantastic!!) at showing what’s inside on the outside! (I liked that one!)

[@tildaowen]

Thank you, you flatter me! I'm glad that you liked it, and that you need time before the next one, because god knows it'll be a while, lol (but it IS coming!)

[@JoeLyce]

@@tildaowen You're welcome! Looking forward to the next one! But I’d better leave you to it now - wouldn’t want anyone accusing me of delaying the next video! ;-)

[@tildaowen]

@ Oh, I’m just so slow… Men din støtte hjælper 😊👍

[@isabellahhamilton2410]

This is such a great video! I was super excited to see your thoughts on Caitlyn during S2 and I was not disappointed. Caitlyn became one of my favorite characters during S2 because of how complex and misunderstood she is, especially by a certain portion of the Arcane fandom. You’ve done some great work and I love your insight on the topic!

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! Yeah, I really thought her arc this season was great and too misunderstood by a lot! Apparently she was held to much higher standards than the rest, because she started out as such a good person…🤷‍♀️

[@isabellahhamilton2410]

@@tildaowen there is a lot to unpack with the unnecessarily hateful comments she has received as a character. To me it seems like people want to feel morally superior and watering down a complex character like Caitlyn to a “rich cop” to then justify their hate has astounded me. It’s weird sort of digital activism with a fictional character. The most concerning aspect has been the comparison of Caitlyn to real-life horrific events/people, nicknaming her “KKKiramman” and “Kaitler” to name a few. They are played off as jokes but are super problematic and unfunny. There is also the palpable feeling that she (along with many of the women characters in Arcane) are held to a higher standard. Other characters do some equally if not more messed up things but people justify and explain their actions while not extending the same grace to others. It’s strange to say the least.

[@tildaowen]

@@isabellahhamilton2410 I totally agree, standards certainly vary and some are judged more harshly than others, apparently female cops. I think it’s also because she’s such an enigmatic character, hard to read and difficult to understand. I had trouble figuring out why she was acting the way she did, but I certainly get it much more now… 😊

[@jasonmkc7797]

So glad for your perspective on this arc. I did not enjoy it as it was so painful but I certainly appreciated the story and Cait's development. So many of our fellow fans immediately judged Cait harshly, without your perspective, and often without much forgiveness. I impatiently and eagerly await the rest of your analysis.

[@tildaowen]

Yeah, apparently people hold her to much higher standards than anyone else and therefore judge her more harshly. More videos featuring Caitlyn coming up, but be paitient!

[@mirelareich5099]

I need more videos!!! Excellent analysis. Love from Brazil

[@tildaowen]

Thank you 😊 Working on it!

[@Zeta13]

!! I MISSED THIS UPLOAD SOMEHOW AND JUST NOTICED IT. And I just got so excited to see a new video from you and then got even more excited when I saw it's over 50 minutes runtime lol Guess my afternoon is taken care of!

[@Hop3.]

Another brilliant analysis! You make me appreciate things about the show I didn't even notice

[@tildaowen]

Thank you so much 😊

[@OphéLie-h2f]

I love your videos so so so much Tilda!! It was so good and amazing to have your point of view on Caitlyn in season 2! She is so lost and it's heartbreaking... and I am sure Vi knows it deep down, even after the 'break up' scene. I can't wait for your video about CaitVi ❤ I am obsessed with them, I keep watching the scenes when they are together 🥰 I love the ban sign you put on Maddie, I laughed so much 😆 You are so talented, and I love how organised and calm your videos are! Thank you so so much for all the work you put in these videos. We can feel the love you have for our favourite couple ❤

[@tildaowen]

Thank you so much! I do love them a lot, and also spend a lot of time rewatching certain. For analytical purposes of course (cough) 🤣🫠

[@kiomi8659]

I’ve been waiting for this one AAAA ❤ Just watched your analysis, and they never fail to amaze me and bring up new points and perspectives I had not realized before. I think Arcane is one of those shows which you can watch heaps of times, and still you note new things that you’d have completely missed before. To add to that, I think it is easy to misinterpret these characters and these analyses really help putting them into a broader view! There also isn’t a ‘real’ enemy in the show, everyone has their own flaws and motives for why they act the way they do. It is mostly circumstances that fuck them over, to say crassly. Where Ashley from ‘ur internet mom ash’ in her reaction videos also marked that in this show, you can ironically ‘live long enough to see yourself become the enemy’, and I wholeheartedly agree with that. Caitlyn’s such a good written out complex character which makes it so heartbreaking to see her spiral into darkness. I am however very pleased with how they circle it all back to the beginning in the end and how all is ‘forgiven’ and addressed.I love this show so much and the way all the character arcs are written is just phenomenal. I can’t wait for your other videos and am also madly excited for the Noxus spin-offs and seeing more of Mel and hopefully so also Caitlyn and Vi!

[@mikaelaslaveykova2102]

We are so backkkk!🥳. Been waiting for this. Act 1 is probably my favourite of the second season because it really took the time to delve into the emotional states of so many characters, vi and cait especially, which really helped to explain their paths at the end of episode 3 and at the start of act 2. The amount of small details to show how vi and cait were feeling during each moment were so good. In the 3rd episode i think disarmament was used to show vulnerability, like vengeance is put aside for a moment. We see cait and vi both disarm during their tunnel kiss. But during their break scene vi disarms almost immediately, while cait for the first time does not let go of the weapon(which she wouldve previously traded readily during season 1for Vis life)showing visually the shift between the two. (Vi grabs caits arm and then tries to slide it down ,maybe to hold cait's hand, but cant because cait is clutching the weapon instead)

[@mattsmith8160]

Like you I also find the Jinx, Vi and Caitlyn interactions to be the most compelling and moving part of the show. So much so that after several rewatches I find myself skipping past the Jase and Victor scenes and pretty much everything else just looking for the next Jinx/Vi/Cait scene. Because of that, out of all the KZbin channels I've been watching to satisfy my Arcane itch yours is the one I most want to compare notes with so while you were hard at work on your script I've been taking that time to collect my thoughts and compose this post ahead of time so when your video drops I'll likely just paste this right into your comment section before I even watch your video so forgive me if I ekko much of what you already said. ;) That said, while I was waiting for the last three episodes to drop I had a real fear there was not going to be any happy endings for anyone. The whole show has been so dark, every time someone tried to do something good it would go horribly wrong or have disastrous consequences, it very much had an everybody dies kind of vibe to it. Not only did they manage to pull of a happy ending but did so spectacularly for the most part. As much as I love to go on about Jinx/Vi/Cait I've got to talk about Ekko first. Way back in episode two of season one when Ekko spilled the beans to Vi about Vander's deal with the enforces without even needing any arm twisting I thought to myself, 'Oh, that's why he's called Ekko. He can't keep a secret. Want something spread around town? Tell it to Ekko. He'll repeat it like echoes do.' so in episode seven when Ekko got his little time loop ability my mind was blown by the new meaning that gave his name. Now he's like a time echo getting all these little do-overs which pretty much made him the MVP of the final battle. In Episode Eight we hear Cait say "The only thing Jinx cared about was getting you to safety. Then she just surrendered. I didn't even have time to think before they hauled her off. She's being held in a bunker while I decide what to do. I was waiting for you to recover." That last part is important. Then when Cait visits Jinx in her cell I think Caitlyn's love for Vi would have made her want to forgive Jinx but since Cait is also a skilled investigator and accustomed to thinking logically that alone would not be enough so perhaps the reason for her visit to Jinx's cell was to try to find some other reason, any excuse to justify forgiving her mother's killer. So when Jynx said "I didn't know your mother was there." that was apparently enough. I'm not sure it would have been enough for me but I guess it was as close as Jinx would ever get to saying "I'm sorry.' Then when Cait finds Vi locked in the cell she said "I had a feeling I'd find you here." and then after Vi's lines she said "Did you really think I needed all the guards at the Hexgate? Sorry to say, You've grown a bit predictable." If I read between the lines there I hear Caitlyn saying "Look I'm 100% behind you reconciling with Jinx and will help anyway I can but since I can't just release her and have the charges dropped the best I could do was to give you the opportunity to bust her out by sending all the guards to the Hexgate and then make sure you knew she was unguarded knowing full well what you would do with that information" hence the you've grown a bit predictable part, and as soon as it dawns on Vi what she's implying Vi is instantly overwhelmed with gratitude and love and so of course smooching would ensue. That was an absolutely glorious moment. About the only thing I might have done differently is I think I would have cut that scene right when Caitlyn's shirt hit the floor. Fade to black and move on to the next scene. At that point we all know what comes next and I just want them to be happy, I don't need to see it. They could take that extra time and use it at the end to give us a less ambiguous ending for Jinx than a single frame of a pink streak heading away from the explosion and Cait looking at some blueprints showing possible escape routes. Like maybe right after Vi says "I'm the dirt under your nails. You're never cleaning me out." Jinx could burst in "Here I am, your big fat hero!" since she did just recently save Vi's life. And maybe even a little scene with Cait and Jinx bonding over a friendly competition in her family hunting grounds/shooting range to see who's a better shot. Who do you suppose is a better shot by the way? One thing I don't get is when Caitlyn says "Are you still in this fight, Violet?" What fight is she refering to exactly? I mean this is after the epic final battle has already been won and it's the end of the last episode so what the hell is she on about? Also, That awesome entrance when Jinx and Ekko and the rest of the Firelights return in that hot air balloon thing to join the fray was so epic I can't help but wonder if that would have been enough for Caitlyn to be able to justify formally issuing a full pardon for Jynx. I mean I know it was enough for me forgive everything and totally change my view of her. The attitude in her stance at the ships wheel when she showed up just like the cavalry had me cheering "Yeah, Jinx! You go, girl!" Okay, I know I'm wandering off into silly fan-fic territory but I can't help it. I want happy endings for all, well, except Maddy and Ambessa. The hell with them. Side note, I did like how badass Mel turned out to be and I also liked how they dealt with Maddy. Just to stamp out any last dregs of affection the audience might have for Maddy they slipped an extra betrayal for good measure before immediately killing her. Talk about efficiency, lol. When Maddy points that rifle at the back of Cait's head, in the span of about two seconds way go from "NO! You bitch!" to "YES! YES! YES!" I always wondered where that little nail that was jamming up the explosive came from. I guess it was Maddy. Another side note. It's too bad they didn't have time for another episode or two because with what they did with Ekko and Powder in the alternate universe I'm thinking in much the same way Isha gave Jinx an understanding of what it's like to be the older sister, Ekko pursing a relationship with Jinx might have helped Jinx understand how it's okay to have a love interest and a sister at the same time.

[@kmrazSilverSimmer73]

Everything about this video was perfect. The analysis. The wit. The amount of times you showed Cait & Vi kiss (for the sake of the analysis of course). Chefs kiss 💋 So worth the wait and well done. Thank you for all the time I’m sure you spent putting this together. Great excuse to have to keep watching certain scenes 😉

[@tildaowen]

Uh, yes, definitely only watch those scenes over and over for analytical purposes, of course! :-D Thanks, I'm glad you like it :-)

[@atomka5274]

ahh I was waiting, waiting, waiting... for your analysis. I liked it very much and I would give you more likes if I could haha (but for sure I'll check the podcast). & very nice choice of songs along the whole video and with nicely put edits/humor too

[@tildaowen]

Thank you so much! 🙏😊❤️

[@pamelad54]

i`ve been waiting for this video since act 3 came out

[@anthyshimemiya]

It's finally heeere! I listened to your podcast and really loved all of your insight about Caitlyn. As a Caitlyn fan, seeing all of the bad takes about her has been slowly driving me insane so I was waiting for your full thoughts and input! Will edit this comment once I actually have time to sit down and watch it later!

[@tildaowen]

Yay, thank you!

[@l.jalderson5137]

Thank god you're back! I've missed you, Tilda ❤

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! 😊

[@JoeLyce]

Oh… almost forgot! Here’s a little token of appreciation for all your hard work-not just in words. Thanks so much!

[@tildaowen]

OMG! Tusind tak, det er meget pænt af dig! 😍 (noticed the currency, so I decided speaking Danish to you 😁)

[@JoeLyce]

​@@tildaowen Vær så god, bare hyggelig! 🙂 (that was a bold move of you, so I decided to boldly respond in Norwegian 😊)

[@tildaowen]

@ Vi skandinaver må holde sammen 😊 Tak skal du have, F 😉

[@JoeLyce]

@ 👍😊😉

[@JoeLyce]

. . . har forresten posted et lite innlegg som ikke er direkte relatert til din video. Hvis du synes det er helt "out of place" er det bare å kaste det ut igjen 😉😊

[@neverlandgirl22]

Fantastic analysis Tilda! It definitely put things into much clearer perspective. I especially loved your explanation for why Caitlyn turned on Vi like she did with her rifle. It makes so much sense! Caitlyn still being stuck at the tea party? Brilliant observation!! Thanks so much for making your videos, they’re a joy to watch! Kelsii

[@tildaowen]

Thanks a lot, Kelsii! I read your comment wrong for a moment, thought you said, "Caitlyn turned on Vi with her rifle" in a you know, dirty way, ha ha, I'm bonked all the way back to the server!! :-D But yeah, why Caitlyn would do that has baffled me, it took some digging :-)

[@neverlandgirl22]

@@tildaowen Oh gosh I'm in stitches!!😂🤣I'll own up to my awkward phrasing and take the bonk in your stead hahaha!! I just couldn't stop thinking about all the possible reasons why Cait reacted that way, and you connected the dots beautifully!

[@tildaowen]

@@neverlandgirl22 Lol 😂 And thanks 😘

[@madameshahira4483]

I love her character more after season 2 so I cant wait to hear your analysis!!!

[@thejeeh2323]

Perfect essay as always! Your videos are so good, that 50 minutes passed by so quickly. I must say, I laughed every time a Ban sign was on Maddie's face (couldn't agree more hahah), although I think she really liked Cait and probably was manipulated by Ambessa too.

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! Nah, she was a duplicitous little spy from the start, "I did appreciate your warmth" was her telling Caitlyn she enjoyed doing her spy work precisely because she had her way with her, ack!

[@nishattasnim7651]

#teamcaitlyn

[@tildaowen]

Absolutely!

[@iavarra]

First of all, dear Tilda, thank you again for your hard work and consideration. Your pleasant and deep voice calms me down. It's super cool. And these emotions of yours towards Caitlin are just ARRR!)) And secondly, I would like to add something. It seems to me that during the kiss in the duct, Caitlin uses her typical touch move. She touches Vi first, and she opens her eyes in amazement, and only then kisses. We literally see the actions that are familiar to Caitlin. She's trying to show Vi her usual self. There was no right moment for this kiss, everything in the Arcane is out of time) But that's the point) But much more important is her facial expression AFTER the kiss, when they are already walking towards the hall where Jinx is hiding. Vi is walking in the background and her face is worried, you noticed very correctly that Vi did not expect this kiss, her speech did not pursue such a goal. And she's worried about Caitlin. And Caitlin is in the foreground, and in the first moments she has such an expression on her face - oh la la - as if she was grounded for a moment, felt love and a little... happiness? But very quickly, her expression changes back to hard and stern. By the way, I also noticed something about the scene in the office between Ambessa and Caitlin. When Ambessa sits by the fireplace and tries to stir the firewood, she speaks for Caitlin, but as if about herself. She doesn't look so much into the fireplace as into herself. And it seems that it is with this speech that she involuntarily pushes Caitlin to seek forgiveness, to find the strength within herself to move on.

[@Okaiö_Kat]

All of your analysis videos help me think about my own writing in a completely different way - and for that I say thank you! Love this video.

[@tildaowen]

Thank you, that’s really cool! I write sometimes to, I hope I’ve helped 😊

[@Okaiö_Kat]

@ you certainly have! I’ll let you know if I ever publish anything 😂

[@tildaowen]

@@Okaiö_Kat Sure thing, just catch me on Discord 😊

[@SkyeArrow222]

I never figured that Cait would kiss Vi to distract her and get her mission done. Definitely was lost to darkness in that moment. Her grief and guilt consumed her so much she used the one she loved to almost get to Jinx.

[@tildaowen]

I actually don’t think, I say this? I think I mention it as a possible motivation, but it’s not one I believe to be the most likely… But I agree, she’s in a dark place and her emotions are off! Not a good time for a kiss…

[@elsabeaulieu]

What a wonderful treat. Thank you Tilda! I love love love your Arcane video essays, and I can't wait for your next ones - especially about Vi, and about what happens next in act 2 and act 3.

[@tildaowen]

Thank you so much! ❤️ I’m glad you like them 😊 I think my next one will be a deep dive into the love scene, and then we’ll see where I go. But I’ll definitely do an analysis on Vi and then deep dives into act two and three (a Violyn deep dive I think) 😊

[@Kay-ib1pg]

Oh I was really looking forward to you uploading a new video, I've loved all your videos, it's clear that it's not just a fan opinion but that it's well founded and analyzed, I see the dedication and time, I'm really happy that your first video after S2 is about Caitlyn's arc since your characterization of her was perfect, you're the only person I think managed to really understand her and I loved your video so much, I hope you can bring us other videos about Caitvi or separately and about other scenes in particular like the one in the shower.

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! Yes, plenty more videos to come, but be patient. Podcast episodes will be out sooner, though :-)

[@vividesu9943]

i just sat down with food and this is here, i'm so early and you've arrived jst wheni needed you, how did you know i was looking for something to watch while i lunch!

[@tildaowen]

Hope you enjoyed it :-)

[@cattievogelsong96]

I really connected with the funeral scene in the first episode. After my grandfather passed, i was constantly confronted with the reality that no one had the relationship i had with him. No one else was in my position and experiencing the exact feeling pf loss. My family, sinlings, cousins, aunts uncles nephew….. no one else was in my place. What was worse was all of the strangers. People who know my grandfather in ways i dis not but were not family the way i was. I related to Caitlyn’s blurry images. Just a few things like one person and a flower or two in color. Her father in the shadows too speaks volumes. It is what i related to the most. In a way i can’t describe. So much of media is about reaching people. Funeral scenes never got me. They are about coming together and grieving loss together even when people have some differences in what they thought of the deceased. They never spoke to my experiences. My grandfather’s funeral was alienating. Isolating. For years i just accepted it. That moves and tv would always show other people’s experiences. I thought i was an anomaly because i couldn’t find anyone real or fictional with my experience (no i haven’t seen all media). But this show…. Was validating. What i am trying to say is, i didn’t know how much i needed this. To feel seen. To have a non-verbal depiction of what it felt like. After years it was this show that brought me closer.

[@tildaowen]

Grief responses are very subjective and different from person to person. The beauty of art and fiction, is that it can create and approximation of reality that we can relate to and in a sense experience real emotions based on fiction. This is called catharsis, putting your own reality in perspective because of the art, giving you a better understanding of yourself and your own feelings, and through that cleanse you so to speak. I'm glad Arcane could help you with that!

[@bpie_ef3967]

All the video ending made me think about Jayce when he went wild in the attack against Silco's drugs facilities. In this moment he had no one to stop him from killing a child, and he regreted it later. But yeah the circumstances are really different between Jayce and Caitlyne acts of violence

[@tildaowen]

That’s a nice parallel, hadn’t spotted that! Circumstances are different, but the type of situation are similar with different outcomes. Caitlyn would have blamed herself so much more, because she was so much worse than her usual self, so out of control, but Jayce was more controlled and it was an accident…

[@alana.d]

Tilda, it was all I need! Intrigue analysis with depth, respect and spark. Are you an academic? It seems to! You deserve the extended cell scene, for sure. Thank you! ❤

[@tildaowen]

Ooh, thanks, I would to be stuck in a cell with Caitlyn 😍 But no no, I’m an academic (I actually am), so I don’t act that way 😜

[@alexbaker4056]

In the sewer scene it almost seems a little naïve of Vi when she asks Caitlyn not to change, given her own experience with grief, how it made her lash out at Powder and all the destruction it caused (though i understand it was important plot wise in setting up their divergence.). It was also an interesting tonal shift, even as recently as season 2 episode 1 we'd seen VI continue her avoidant style of coping with events, but here she's initiating the conversation and seeking reassurance. To me Caitlyn's face almost seems a little sad before they kiss, her apology and acceptance that Powder is gone (ticking some of those boxes you mentioned) is one moment (and sadly the last for a while) where Vi manages to break through the grief and reach the empathy and kindness that Caitlyn's buried. She's still in that mindset as they approach the confrontation, asking Vi if she's really sure about "take the shot" but the desperation of the fight and her rising anger send her spiralling again

[@calamare7]

So relieved that you are back with your videos of season 2! You're hand-down the best analyzer of the show!!

[@tildaowen]

Wow, thank you! 😍

[@collardcow4183]

WE ARE SO BACK!!! This was incredible and I need more, ‘cause those 51 minutes absolutely flew by

[@tildaowen]

Lol, more coming, but it’ll be slow going as per usual 😊

[@MogwaiToboggan]

Yay! You’re back!

[@birdyang]

So much discussion and videos/essays on Cait that I was wondering if there is still a new take on it, but you have once again smashed it with an in-depth look that examines what Cait was going through psychologically. I must admit it was the most painful to watch out of all your videos and podcasts, but I admire you explored this thesis without defending Cait. A few lingering questions: 1) what did she mean by “one of us coming back in a box” when she told that to vi? I feel that means she was signaling she didnt want to kill jinx at that point and deep down she still knows that vi is her conscience? 2) why did cait lower her rifle when vi cornered jinx (no isha yet)? Why didnt she take the clear shot when everyone was still, if she was laser focused to the point she didnt care about Vi? 3) why didnt cait kill or shoot jinx anytime before isha used her body to cover jinx? Instead of shooting jinx, she shot at ishas gun to protect vi. My wishful thinking to some of the answers above is that Cait still always prioritised her love and protection for Vi throughout this whole tunnel visioning. Even though she was getting darker, she always listened and prioritised Vi's opinions. As you pointed out, Cait is like an enigma who never explains herself. But that's why we love her. Thanks so much for this content and can't wait for your next video on that scene and Caitvi!!!

[@iavarra]

1. In my opinion, this phrase is about a box (read coffin) It just shows that Caitlin came to kill. 2. She raises her rifle and commands Vi to leave, she doesn't aim at that moment just because Vi is there, but she doesn't intend to wait long. 3. She fears that at this moment Isha will shoot Vi.

[@CupCaithere]

Love your analysis. I hope to see more videos here on YT!❤

[@tildaowen]

Thanks 😊 More on the way, but it takes time for me…

[@rhovanredd6872]

I’ve been waiting for your analysis on Caitlyn’s arc! 🥹 you have such a deep understanding of her ❤

[@tildaowen]

Hmm, yes, I may be a little obsessed with her… 😂😳🥴

[@ja-almanubag661]

This is worth the wait really. Thanks Tilda! Caitlyn had the most compelling character arc in all of Arcane for me. She's as human as she can be that I sometimes think of her as a real person somewhere in the planet.. but I'm scared to meet her i dunno. 😅

[@tildaowen]

Thank you, yeah, I engage with her as if she is real sometimes too!

[@sylviakiramman]

Thanks for making great content about Cait!🧁I’ve been waiting for this, and it did not disappoint at all! Looking forward to more and loved the little bit of humour you added to the video! 🤣

[@tildaowen]

Omg! Thank you so much!! ❤️ I’m glad you liked it, it took me a loooong time to make 😂

[@bluevitriol5128]

I also have to say WOW for this video! I very much appreciate the effort and time it took for you to make this. Your analysis is amazing, and i can't wait for the next one ❤

[@polly2526]

Absolutely fantastic video, thank you so much, Tilda! I’ve given it two watches already and I’m sure I’ll be back again! Loved the line about Caitlyn never really leaving the mad tea party. I wonder too how much the experience of being taken (naked) from her shower and tied up for that tea party (and what might have happened during the time in between) had an influence on her. Looking forward to the future videos 😊

[@tildaowen]

Thanks a lot, I’m really glad you like them 😊 Currently working on more video projects!

[@annamariabalov8987]

Man I was waiting for this! Thank you so much I love your essays!

[@tildaowen]

I'm so glad!

[@dariaelbadewi]

THE WAY IVE BEEN BINGING YOUR VIDEOS OVER THE PAST 2 DAYS AND NOW U SHARE DIS 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@tildaowen]

Yay!🎉

[@IceGamerification]

I’ve always loved your analysis videos. Great job!

[@tildaowen]

Much appreciated!

[@TOMKIV]

Caitlyn is easily my favorite character in S2. As some people already pointed out her story is just so tragic and she is so lost. Her behavior seems very human to me and the mistakes she makes are understandable. Show me a person who's never done something cruel in the moment of rage only to regret it later once their head clears up. I don't condone it, but I understand and I'm sure a lot of people like Cait for this reason, that she had a hell of a journey and still managed to get on the right track, to make the right choice when it mattered and to sacrifice so much to try and right her wrongs. I'm pretty sure she's going to be seeing nightmares from this stage of her life for years to come, gasping in the dead of night crying... Only to be cuddled and consoled by our darling Violet xD

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! I really like the image you paint in the end, not that Caitlyn has nightmares, but that Vi can help her through it ❤️

[@DARTHWISDOM]

Phenomenal analysis, thanks for that! It feels like entering the mind of the writers while developing the characters, witnessing the amount of thought/process they put on this project. Caitlyn is perhaps the best characters of the series and her story portrays perfectly the main theme of the show!

[@tildaowen]

Thanks a lot!!

[@deltarios010]

This was such an amazing video! Thankyou so so much for this and hope to see more. We need to see a video on her redemption / her coming back to the light and Violyn making a comeback

[@fixedya]

I was waiting for this for so long ❤ good to have you back

[@tildaowen]

Thanks for being patient!

[@vertyTrades]

Thank you so much for releasing this! I only recently discovered you and Arcane! Looking forward to more of your content / deep dives :D

[@tildaowen]

Welcome aboard!

[@LazyMarmotPresent]

Yeah! Another great video . I was waiting for this . Thanks for the time you put in to this . Hope to see the others ( note the plural ) .by the way love how Maddie gets censored in the video , got me laughing every time .

[@tildaowen]

Thanks! And don’t worry, more videos already being planned 😊

[@Editarian]

This made my night. I was waiting for it patiently and then it popped up. Very good analysis, as usual. Looking forward to more.

[@tildaowen]

Glad to hear it! More to come 😊

[@Editarian]

@ I absolutely loved the 1st Act of this season and was so affected by episode 3, it’s nuances and Caitlyn’s descent. But then I got very disappointed by the next Act because I wanted to see her lost in darkness for longer and then come out of it. I guess the show showed it with more subtlety, I suppose I just wanted more Caitlyn time.

[@keelelovesscifi12]

Been waiting for a s2 analysis from you! You're one of the few arcane creators on YT who creates cait content. And you never miss 🙏 love all your points in here. I thought I had acknowledged all i needed to know about caity cat this season, but you proved me wrong!

[@tildaowen]

Thanks a lot, I’m glad I could add to your experience 😊

[@finalfantasy8VIII]

Glad to see you back. Great analysis 😍

[@lrkeisager236]

Oh my godness, I love, love, LOVED your video about Cait! You really make a good case about understanding her motives, emotions and inner struggle. I love Cait as a character because she has so many layers and she is therefor complex. Of course I also LOVE Vi (and especially them being TOGETHER 😅), so I am happy to be able to spend a little more time with Caitlyn and understand her even better through your videos, so thank you. Please make more videos about Cait and Vi from eason 2 - I WILL watch them all ❤😊

[@tildaowen]

Thank you! Oh, I will, it’ll just take a while 😊

[@lrkeisager236]

@tildaowen worth the wait ❤️😉

[@thaovannguyenle9187]

Thank you so much for the video. I enjoyed every second of it. Your analysis is so spot on and detailed and... ugh I really need to watch this again and I will recommend this video for all of my homies who love Cait and Arcane. I do wish you would make a video about Vi, if you have the energy and time ofc. My girl she has been through so much but it seems not everybody who watched Arcane appreciated that and sympathized with her grief and trauma. Again, thank you so much for a great video.

[@tildaowen]

Thank you so much, please share 😊 I will definitely do a Vi deep dive, but it’ll be a while, though. We are discussing her on our next podcast episode, though, which should be out in a few weeks 😊

[@Ms_Buka]

Perfect. Absolutely. The best analysis I've ever seen. Please keep this passion!

[@tildaowen]

Wow, thank you! 😍

[@AylineDanaeMartinezBarcenas]

I WAS WAITING FOR THISSS, thank you Tilda

[@pluviumpingk]

YOU'RE BACK!!! OH MY GODDD!!!!

[@paupok]

Omg this video is honey to my ears!!! Sooo so good and detailed as always, can't wait for the next one (and specially the analysis of THE scene). Already subscribed to the Podcast, muchas gracias Tilda! 🩷🧁

[@tildaowen]

Thank you so much!! ❤️🙏