EFAP

[@sol-hunter2332]

I feel like they made grogu mute because they couldnt characterize her. If they made her like a child it would take away from her more adult decisions, and if they made her more mature it would feel off for her being 6.

[@JekPorkbricks]

Just like the actual Grogu :)

[@captbuckyohare5585]

"Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?" Season 2 writers: "Hold my crayon."

[@thedoobieshrew0244]

Season 2 writers: "What's a crayon again?"

[@sognurT]

No they eat their crayons.

[@albertocruzado2899]

​@@thedoobieshrew0244"Food" they wold answer.

[@mixedcuts1895]

I think, like Homer, they keep their crayons up their noses.

[@jonbaxter2254]

At least Silco is fucking dead so they can't retard him with bad dialogue.

[@joshfdesigns]

Just forgive terrorists - Arcane Season 2

[@moe5020]

you've gotta do better councillor

[@Martijn_Steinpatz]

Season 1: Jinx is the reason why everything fell apart Season 2, episode 7: Actually, it was Vi.

[@bc-cu4on]

Vi **and** Jayce. But this last one is an actually defensible point.

[@nhagan001]

That will never stop being hilarious to me. “Vi is the source of all our problems”.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@bc-cu4onJayce is literally the cause of the apocalypse all because Mage Viktor couldn't let go. Literally sadism at this point

[@albertocruzado2899]

Pretty sad. S1 made a beautiful sutile point about marginalization and deteriorating communities. Jinx is a problem to everyone, but we get to see the broken environment she grew up, where violence is normal and aproved. The sadness of knowing why she doesnt have a properly developed moral compass or emotional stability, but acknowledging it is what it is. She is the source of problems to almost everyone, even if we know that there are factors that escape her control that mafe things that way. Apparently now it wasnt her, but the family member that was willing to eat up all the shit without complain if only her sister got to have it better than her. Thats the real source of instability now or something? Wasnt even Silco's radicalism, also a byproduct of the environment he grew up.

[@Jdudec367]

Wrong in both instances, they dono't ever just blame it all solely on one person.

[@bleeters5984]

"Ever wonder what it's like to drown? Story of opposites. There's peace in water, like it's holding you, whispering in low tones to let it in and every problem in the world will fade away. But then, there's this thing in your head, and it's raging, lighting every nerve with madness to fight, to survive. And all the while this question lingers before you: "Have you had enough?" It's funny. You could pass a lifetime without ever facing a choice like that. But it changes you forever. For that I thank you... old friend." Ok season one Silco but have you ever considered that forgiveness is really cool? Didn't think so.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

What's hilarious is that Amanda Overton wrote that dialogue...and wrote the letter scene in S2.

[@slei4676]

@@blacktigerpaw1 I guess she got replaced by her copy from the "bad writing timeline"

[@theirDevil]

@@blacktigerpaw1 did she? she only has writing credits for episode 5 in S1. She was the executive story editor for the whole season though, but I don't think they usually write dialogue, just approve what we do get.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@theirDevilIIRC she pushed for that scene. Amazing how he turned out in S2.

[@robertselagon4277]

​@@theirDevilshe wrote s2e7

[@whimsybridges]

Can’t believe they passed up the opportunity to name Smeetch’s dating show “Smeetch’s Smooches”

[@HeckDescender2184]

Hosted by Goatman

[@rollrcoastrbacon2725]

That sounds like an inter-dimensional cable show from Rick and Morty

[@HeckDescender2184]

Biggest character assassination in episode 6 was Jayce coming from the shadow realm to kill Viktor... We all know the REAL Jayce would have killed that kid and Isha. We know he ain't above kid deletion!

[@Red_Cap5]

Jayce knew that by killing Viktor, all of the children at the village would also die as a result. Jayce also predicted that Isha would blow herself up in the end because of what he did. Jayce made the calculated move to kill as many children as possible. It wouldn't be character assassination. If anything, it would be character development.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@Red_Cap5I'd fully support this vs the "oh wow you're beautiful" speech he did at the end

[@HeckDescender2184]

@@Red_Cap5 okay that is a very good point. You've clearly seen the bigger picture ahahah. Yeah very true, Jayce unaliving Viktor led to a village full of dead kids

[@jonbaxter2254]

Remember when Jayce killed a kid, and Vi was like lol. Then Caitlyn was gonna kill a kid and she was all like, "You've got to do better, Enforcer."

[@TheRetroRenegade]

@@HeckDescender2184 Never would I have ever guessed this show would eventually get me to the point that I would be actually rooting for more “youngling casualties.” I know Discount-Newt/Grogu was supposed to evoke Powder to the audience, but ironically by the end she was nothing but powder lol

[@drdabdo2763]

"You can't have a nightmare if you never dream." "Forgiveness is a powerful thing." One of these lines is from Silco. Another is from a My Little Pony song. That's where season two of Arcane is at.

[@sammoore2082]

Bruh...

[@jonbaxter2254]

That first one absolutely slaps.

[@Vario69]

​​@@jonbaxter2254 ah yes, sang in a song by a season 5 villain, who's basically a manipulative communist unicorn, tricking an entire community to believe they're all equal, while she was the one in charge, the only one with her talent / magic intact.

[@ridleyroid9060]

I wish I was in an alternate timeline where season 2 was as good as season 1.

[@jeggsonvohees2201]

Unfortunately, in that timeline Penguin was bad.😅

[@ridleyroid9060]

@@jeggsonvohees2201 Well it's between my favorite show of all time and my favorite superhero IP so...shit.

[@Vario69]

You are. You just gotta quit watching these videos.

[@jeggsonvohees2201]

@Vario69 So deny reality, got it. 🙄

[@mixedcuts1895]

I honestly believe Ash Brannon really is the missing component from Season 2. He wrote episode 3 of the first season, which many would argue is the most important and even possibly the best episode. He was also co-executive producer and co-producer of the first season. As far as I am aware, he was not involved in the second season.

[@JulianDoe]

Timestamps 0:00 Trading Cards 1:56 Starting Up 4:08 Where We Were 5:00 Viktor 16:30 Ambessa & Caitlyn 33:11 Warwick 37:37 Addiction To Shimmer 49:45 The Elephant In The Room 48:56 Weapons 52:50 Warwick & Grogu 54:12 Viktor & Vander 1:11:37 Music Video 1:21:35 Viktor Evolution 1:38:28 Invasion 1:42:00 The Triangle 1:43:17 Singed & Viktor 2:08:14 Contrivance 2:14:42 Plotting 2:17:35 Vi captured! Jayce returns! 2:20:40 Duels: Ambessa v Vi, Caitlyn v Singed, Jayce v Child, Jinx v Rictus, Rictus v Warwick 2:39:18 It’s All About Family 2:43:02 Jayce Kills Viktor 2:45:44 Rictus Dies & MVPs 2:49:50 Viktor’s Last Words 2:51:44 Battle & Sacrifice 3:06:50 Ratings 3:08:31 Episode 7: The Happy Dimension 3:22:30 Heimerdinger & Ekko 3:35:33 Jayce 3:42:18 Ekko & Powder 3:47:50 Music Video 3:56:33 Jayce 4:01:18 Save The World 4:05:49 In A Hole 4:09:18 Vi Sanctuary 4:12:42 The Swamp 4:14:25 Music Video 4:21:26 The Limit 4:31:21 Platform Game 4:32:18 Ekko 4:36:00 Forgiveness & The Problem With The Alternate Universe 4:47:40 Ekko & Powder 5:05:10 Multidimentional Travel, Meme, Death & Consequences 5:26:22 Last Analysis & Conclusions 5:46:15 Closing

[@alexadamson9959]

Jesus Christ dude, it’s been 6 minutes.

[@coolvibesradio3267]

The latest timestamper in the west

[@palerider9952]

The absolute speed on this lad

[@Thatdeadpenguy]

Jayce v Child got me

[@brandonontama2415]

Thanks

[@Of_infinite_Faith]

I hate the ppl that say "eko gave up heaven" no he left a psychological horror umcanny hell. Everyone he loved in his own universe is completely different here, they're wearing the skin of the ppl he loved except altered. He has already dealt with this grief, now he's seeing all his dead ppl alive again but different. That's not heaven, that's FUCKED UP. If i was in his place id try to leave immediately, doesn't matter if my own universe was bad, at least id belong there and wouldnr have to deal with psychic horrors of the uncamny valley.

[@brat7489]

What pisses me off the most about the Vander history retcon is that Mylo and Claggor were also his adopted children. Vander didn't adopt Vi and Powder because of a pre existing relationship but because he felt responsible for orphaning several children through his action. The conversation that he has with Vi on the bridge made it clear that the main difference between Vander and Silco was how much they were willing to sacrifice for their dream of a nation of Zaun. But no. This flashback implies that the reason he decided to stop is really just cause he wanted to save his surrogate daughters. The writers really don't understand what the had with season 1

[@za-ir5ni]

You're just whining about nothing because there's literally nothing wrong with that. It was never explicitly said or even hinted at that Vander didn't know Vi and Powder. That's an assumption YOU made. You even acknowledged that he adopted the other kids so that definitely doesn't matter towards his character at all lol.

[@TheRealZeke2003]

​@@za-ir5niYou understand the words said but somehow missed the point

[@brat7489]

​@@za-ir5ni obviously he knows them. he would know their parent as well as citizen of Zaun. that's not the issue. its the way that its framed. it's a shift in motivation for his character. it exchanges the conflict between Vander and Silco based on their values into a fairly generic father protecting his daughter shtick. Not something i would necessarily call a straight contradiction but a lame retcon.

[@za-ir5ni]

@TheRealZeke2003 The point was dogshit. Like most of EFAP's content.

[@za-ir5ni]

@brat7489 His motivation doesn't change one bit. This argument is just a personal preference and not bad writing. You'd have to also ignore everything else he did to say this as though his character hinged on adopting kids he didn't know. There is no tangible difference and since S1 never said he didn't know their parents this works just as well.

[@eras1066]

(Reposted from unlisted) I gotta say, of all the fantastic characters from the first season who either got cast aside or put through the ringer this go-around, Jinx's flanderization is the one that sticks with me most. She has more screentime by a slim margin in season two- Season One: 1hr 32m Season Two: 1hr 41m But it feels like she's not only lost a lot of the depth everyone remembers, but also a lot of tiny things which add up and make her feel like a real person. A big thing that's remarkably absent from season two is that mean streak she used to have. Jinx had a brand of sadism that I perceive as really childish? She'd scare or hurt people who may be on her team for no other reason than she's bored, she'd bite her lip in anticipation whenever she pointed a gun at something alive and pulled the trigger, she'll mock people trying to save a kid in a burning building before blowing them up and giggle about it later. She felt like a child soldier. No reason to learn empathy on a battlefield so blowing someone away just feels like winning. (Not getting into whether or not she had a sadistic streak pre-Silco, considering her eagerness to use a nail-shrapnel grenade in a street fight with other kids). A great example is the scene where she confronts Silco in his office. She's angry and works herself up until she's mad enough to stab him, then does it again whenever he irks her. She loves the man like a father but she doesn't think to do anything but hurt who she percieves to be the source of a problem until he directs her elsewhere cause that's all she knows how to do. In season 2 she doesn't really like making things pop for the sake of it, doesn't habitually hurt anybody, doesn't get violent during arguments. With the added screentime she doesn't have any of the scenes like Season 1 where we navigate her fractured emotional state to understand any leaps in logic or deluded vendettas she makes when she's alone. Also lost a few tiny quirks like her old man-isms that would show up sometimes ("Sevika's a real Johnny-on-the-spot,", "I'm in no mood," "You're a class-act, Sister," "Ten outta ten, toots,") Which made her sound different from the rest of the cast even in casual dialogue.

[@gathenhielm9977]

Jinx was straight-up menacing in season 1. In season 2 she's just a bit quirky. The final scene of the first season hammers home that she is now going to be a rage-filled phantom of vengeance but in season 2 she's just... not. Are we supposed to believe that this character who we last saw screaming her hatred into the night while nuking the seat of government then just went home and stopped giving a shit?

[@KalhyphenC]

@@eras1066 I swear the writers took that one scene with Jinx jamming out to get jinxed and made that her entire personality/vibe in season 2

[@19Ledor]

Underrated comment

[@gathenhielm9977]

@@KalhyphenC It's like eating a t-bone steak and baked potato with a cold beer followed by a slice of cherry pie with whipped cream; giving you compliments to the chef; returning to the same restaurant later and the only thing on the menu is a gallon of whipped cream. "That's what you liked, right!?"

[@Jdudec367]

I mean there is a reason she changes though she develops a lot herself as a person in season 2.

[@slei4676]

"DiD YoU KiilL HeRR?!??" has to be one of the most dumbfuck moments of the whole season. Writers for real brought Ekko's social skills down to the ground with this one. He acts as if he was still in his dimension and thought Powder was acting differently to troll him or smth. And even if it was true that Powder killed Vi in this timeline, what would asking her directly accomplish anyway? Did he think she'd go like "Ah yes I killed my sister, kinda forgot to tell anyone, now you know haha" like bruh?

[@jonbaxter2254]

@slei4676 I'll give Ekko the benefit of the doubt as he had just met her, and was still a bit jumpy around someone who looks just like the terrorist that has been hampering him

[@za-ir5ni]

Dumbfuck criticisms like this is why most people don't take this channel seriously lol. Like actually autistic and making up a problem that isn't there. He literally just surprised Vi is dead and blurted that out in the heat of the moment. You're embarrassing.

[@Vario69]

If you were in Ekko's place, you'd be out of your mind too. Plus he's had intense history with her, they almost killed each other on that bridge..

[@KelShu]

RIP Rictus, the Don of Arcane

[@jonbaxter2254]

I love big, bruiser types who actual have a brain and are wildly competant.

[@comeatmebro8120]

@@KelShu Poor Rictus, all the man wanted to do was prevent a war but sadly he was surrounded by idiots

[@dire213]

the reason Rictus wants to end the conflict fast is because he really needs to go back to Noxus so that he can take care of his wife that has cancer. This is so sad. Press F.

[@19Ledor]

@dire213 And after his national service, he was going to become director of an orphanage, like his father before him. F

[@SillyBrigade]

@@dire213it’s now up to the Don to guide him through the afterlife.

[@devilonyourshoulder4732]

One easy way to make Caytlin flip (again) is to make her aware Ambessa staged the memorial attack. Does she ever even learn that? Still wouldn't have forgiven Jinx so easily, though.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

Nope. No one ever learns that was an inside job. It was conveniently forgotten.

[@jonbaxter2254]

@@devilonyourshoulder4732 Hinx still killed her mum, I would throw hands for that

[@blacktigerpaw1]

Nope. That was deliberately forgotten.

[@za-ir5ni]

She didn't forgive Jinx easily actually

[@duchessofdementia]

​@@za-ir5nithe curious thing is that Vi went from "my Sister is gone" and "of you see an opening take the shot" to screaming that jinx has changed and being outraged that cait arrested her.

[@ghostprojekt]

I loved the part when Vi said to Jinx: "It was you! You were the Arcane: Fractured Jinx" all along! And then turned her into a 200$ skin for LoL.

[@jonbaxter2254]

She didn't say that. This is a greentext I'm playing along with, relax guys...

[@scottishcelts2040]

😂😂😂😂

[@TheRetroRenegade]

If I were Silco, I’d prefer to live in the timeline where I end up getting shot by my unstable adopted daughter.

[@s.p.1434]

Imagine being the other Echo, having had your body hijacked for weeks, and essentially used to start a relationship with a girl you may or may not have even liked suddenly returned to you. You are then told by essentially everyone around you that you came up with this amazing invention (who knows if you actually have any memories of it or not), and even *if* you are actually okay with the idea of dating Powder, there's the very real and non-zero chance she ends up dating you more as a consolation prize instead of the version of you who helped her invent time travel and then went off into the multiverse completely at random. You lads be saying they did poor Heimdinger dirty, but at least he got vaproized. It's like someone deliberately wrote the ultimate cuckhold fetish fan fanfiction for poor Echo.

[@PartofHistory214]

I'm pretty sure they were already dating. "Can we kiss like it's the first time?"

[@Dr.Pelican-bw2zs]

Love it when Warwick said “It’s Warwicking time” in the trailer, and then Vanders all over the show

[@HectorLopez0217]

The cope of shipping Jayce and Viktor it’s the same thing that happens to Frodo and Sam where two guys can’t be platonic friends

[@blacktigerpaw1]

You have not seen Arcane Twitter and TikTok losing their minds over that. The people who believe in the Wachowskis saying the Matrix was a trans allegory won't accept the co creator here, and will use animators who think black women are beards as proof it was canon all along. arcane Twitter is 1488 at this point.n

[@TheNoonish]

I'm fine with people who want to entertain that perspective. The problem is the people who pretend their headcanon is the only possible interpretation, as if men can't have meaningful relationships with anyone that aren't based on sexual attraction. Jayce and Viktor have an intensely deep connection. They both risked everything, their own lives and reputations, out of an intense desire to do what's right. Together they literally changed the world with the invention of HexTech, dragging the entire world forward into a new era-because HexTech has implications that carry far beyond Piltover. The mere existence of the Hex Gates redraws the world map. And the two of them did this together through sheer force of will and shared vision. It's why, despite how terrible it is, I really felt something in the finale. I was doing all the work in my head, and it's a shame. There's a great story to tell about two men who work so hard to help others, doing what they think is right, only to end up with diverging visions that put them at odds with each other. Having them become enemies and then reconciling is a fantastic story because of how impactful they were as a partnership. The show just skips the process of both the division and the reconciliation and yet it's so easy to write in my head that it still gives me the feels. If fanboys and fangirls want to layer a shipping narrative over top of all of it, it's fine, as long as they recognize it's their own view. The story doesn't require it.

[@mrmeme5984]

@@TheNoonishgood point. Shipping is fine as long as people don’t view their head cannons as reality.

[@jonbaxter2254]

I'm watching BoB again, and the amount of brotherhood and closeness - without a hint of the gay - is incredible. So many guys fought and died together, that fortifies a real relationship that is in no way sexual.

[@jaredhumpherys8335]

@TheNoonish It's sad but true about a lot of the writing in this season, promising setups that didn't earn the payoff.

[@KelShu]

Possessing the body of your AU self, and making romantic advances with the AU self’s love interest is some next level NTR. And to add insult to injury, AU Powder might have feelings for OG Ekko, instead of her Ekko, and AU Ekko has no idea; that certainly complicates things.

[@Hitman-cq2yw]

Shh, the twitter mob said that this is romantic and you should not delve into the details. Obey, mortal

[@Chirishman343]

idk why, but i got it into my head that OG Ekko had explained to AU Powder who he actually was. probably just my brain desperately filling in the massive holes left by the plot in some vain attempt at self-preservation

[@Red_Cap5]

@@Chirishman343 On my first watch, I thought so, too. Surely, during the time Ekko, Heimerdinger, and Powder were talking at the table or whenever they were building the machine, they would mention that they are a part of a different timeline, right? But, that kind of information would be too important to leave out without the audience knowing, so it's hard to tell whether or not she was actually told this.

[@Hitman-cq2yw]

@@Red_Cap5 Well, if she was told and she still went for the kiss... well good to know that the perfect version of Powder, is a cheater, LOL. Either way, you don't get the best characterization for both of these characters. Either Ekko is a creep, or Powder is a cheater. Add to that the fact that none of them gave a shit about Heimer dying.

[@KelShu]

@@Hitman-cq2yw Imagine AU Ekko's reaction to all of this. "I was a different person for x amount of time, Heimerdinger is dead, and you hooked up with a different version of me while he possessed my body?!"

[@Phoenix0F8]

Did, uh, did baby Grogu have any reason to believe Jinx' stun gun can be overloaded that way in the first place? Christ that scene was cringe

[@Of_infinite_Faith]

It was. The way they act like her pointless death was sort of plot twist...

[@wubmasterdubdub8455]

This show's got us droolin' for a squeaky

[@jonbaxter2254]

@@wubmasterdubdub8455 I think I had a cringe stroke

[@silverstriker5254]

The philosophy of Occam's razor dictates that the simplest explanation is most likely the correct one. Therefore, the simplest explanation as to why this season sucks so much is that the writers of season 1 were replaced with body snatchers who are trying to replicate the talents of their hosts... and failing.

[@Alex_Fahey]

On a serious note, I assume there was some brilliant writer who is no longer part of the project and likely left it before season 1 was completed. He either was some kind of bid writer who did a lot of the groundwork to set this up when it was still super early in production or he was some kind of anti-wormtongue whispering in the ear of someone with a lot of power of the production. If the first, he was probably dropped before they had more than a half-dozen people involved, but they just followed his outline almost exactly. If the second, he probably lost that influence by the time the second season work started.

[@TheRetroRenegade]

@@Alex_FaheyI still stand by my theory that I explained on the first EFAP for Season 2 that it probably came down to being forced to wrap up the story in just one season and having next to no time to rewrite before getting started on animating in half the time as Season 1… but again, that’s only a theory and I’m more invested than ever to find out what led to this abomination…

[@Alex_Fahey]

@@TheRetroRenegade That seems reasonable, but a lot of the prominent people involved seem to not realize just how flawed this was rather than excusing their own actions by arguing that they didn't have enough time. Rather than the writing team being really skilled but just screwed over, I'm guessing there was some member of the team who was far more important to the project than anyone realized. It just seems inconceivable that this good idea fairy could still be on the team and not kick up a fuss over all the story decisions of season 2.

[@TheRetroRenegade]

@ Seems reasonable, but keep in mind I don’t think anyone who worked on this is going to publicly share anything that could violate any sort of NDA or diminish the property. They might just have to bullshit their way out of things in the public eye and try to convince people that it’s all good - like that comment about Vi and Jinx: “Either they team up or they don’t” (paraphrasing). Whether they truly think this is quality or not, they have to play it up, especially if the majority of people so far still seem to insist this is good…

[@Alex_Fahey]

@@TheRetroRenegade I would agree in the case where I think the team just got lucky. However, if we think the team is really good and just screwed over by time constraints, then I would expect the leaders of that team to be able to come up with better lies if contracts are requiring them to come up with bs saying season 2 is actually good.

[@rustyslug2943]

Hearing LOL Victor makes me sad... I would've much, much preferred mechanical evolution Victor, spurred on by his disability and his dying body, than... well, than Arcane-oid, an emotionless magical dude who is spurred on by magic because he is fused with magic. Jayce's final speech also reads way more like it was directed towards other Victor, even though it'd still be ass with him anyway.

[@predatorasap5040]

You know in retrospect Silco was really dumb in season 1 , all he had to do was use the power of friendship Why did he even try to use violence ?? doesn't he know it's cringe and that friendship is based ?? Happy to see season 2 is course correcting

[@TheRetroRenegade]

I can taste bile in my mouth just reading this… mission accomplished

[@Dr.Pelican-bw2zs]

Friendship so based, Silco so sillky

[@TheRetroRenegade]

@ you know that video of the dog walking out of the pond gagging on pondscum water? That’s how I feel right now…

[@comeatmebro8120]

The base violence necessary for change? More like the base friendship necessary for change

[@PartofHistory214]

If only he read a short letter, him and Vander would be best pals smh

[@Dr.Mandingo]

People were happy with ep 7 because our ekko finally got to drool a squeaky with jynx from another timeline

[@nhagan001]

And without the consent of Powder and Ekko at that! Double points for other Ekko!

[@jonbaxter2254]

Meanwhile, Punished Jayce is straight up not having a good time.

[@rabbittv8399]

@@nhagan001 Well they're basically the same person and Powder and Ekko would have drooled the squeaky anyway so I don't think it matters

[@rabbittv8399]

@@jonbaxter2254 Yeah, didn't Jayce know he can upgrade his Estus flask?

[@nont18411]

Meanwhile, alternate Heimerdinger not only got his body hijacked but also was forced to commit a suicide bombing without his consent.

[@PaladinLagnir]

"It's a sad truth that those who burn brightest often burn fastest." - Heimerdinger

[@felizeumida4374]

You know what two things have been proven to suck in fiction? Multiverse and timetravel (especially time loops). We got both in one episode.

[@jonbaxter2254]

Also sequels, most of the time they suck.

[@nont18411]

Also sexual assault after the body got possessed by someone else

[@gathenhielm9977]

Even in stuff I like that have time travel in them (Ocarina of Time, Terminator, Back to the Future) the actual mechanics of the time travel makes no goddamn sense.

[@puggietaur]

@@gathenhielm9977In Terminator 1 they make sense. It's a simple time loop

[@gathenhielm9977]

@@puggietaur Stable time loops are inherently paradoxical.

[@enigmaticchickenmcnobody]

🔴 "There are many sides to the Infinite sided triangle pyramid" - Famous Scientist Ambessa Medarda

[@matthewcollins4773]

"Many goat people died to bring us this knowledge"

[@lordofthepizzapie9319]

@@matthewcollins4773 Rictus is still cleaning up the ashes

[@rustyslug2943]

I can't wait for them to get to Jayce's grand final argument to try and convince Victor in episode 9 He had the choice between telling him the future, or telling him that being a dying cripple isn't something that should be fixed. And Gollum won the argument.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

The best part? People think that's a beautiful piece of dialogue. Go to that scene and see the comments on it.

[@Jdudec367]

@@blacktigerpaw1 I mean...they arent really wrong tbf.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@Jdudec367Yes, telling someone who was dying that they should've accepted the disease they were born with as "who they are" is pretty f.ucking tone deaf..

[@Jdudec367]

@@blacktigerpaw1 Being disabled isn't a disease and is tone deaf itself to say.

[@jonbaxter2254]

@blacktigerpaw1 There is beauty in imperfection, but my broken down, cancer riddled body don't look so fresh

[@jonbaxter2254]

Really liked Ambessa's big, brute henchman. He looks like a dumb guy, but he is crazy capable, and I liked his runes he can use to absorb power.

[@reactiondavant-garde3391]

RIP Rictus. Best character in Seasen 2.

[@jonbaxter2254]

@@reactiondavant-garde3391 Him and Ambessa, they got shit done, and I respect it.

[@Vario69]

In true fashion, EFAP ends up rooting for the most minor of characters

[@androidd4478]

I REALLY dislike how they’ve essentially made it that all Hextech things are evil and eventually will lead to some world ending nonsense. Especially when they’ve made it seem like all OTHER magic stuff is perfectly ok and safe to use, unless they’re going to have Mel also become corrupted and twisted by her weird golden magic.

[@slei4676]

It's really tragic. One of the most interesting threads in season 1 was the moral dillema of using a power that can be constructive but also destructive depending from it's use and whether the benefits of that power are worth the risk and consequences of it's missuse. But naaaah turns out there is nothing to think about here it's just plain evil and btw Heimerdinger is not even fazed by this realization (His whole conflict with Jayce and Victor did not in fact come from his fear of Arcane being dangerous)

[@androidd4478]

@slei4676 Exactly! You took the words right out of my mouth!

[@johannesseyfried7933]

​@@slei4676I mean, the Hexcore already started becoming weird in S1, but I assumed that was because it was accidentally corrupted or contaminated, not that it was always evil.

[@Justanidea5976]

It's not that Hextech is always evil. It's partly humans use of it and how powerful it really is. It's like the atomic bomb. The science behind it could help millions with renewable energy among other things and progress society by hundreds of years but we researched about it during a war and created a bomb. It's basically to powerful in human hands. And your point about Mel. You might as well have an issue with fiction in general. Elden Ring ATLA, Naruto, etc all do similar things.

[@vivander807]

Season two absolutely broke my heart. I really loved season one and loved following the EFAP crews loving dissection of each episode. It is such a shame that season two’s reviews has evolved into a gripe session. I was really hoping for another great season of viewing, alas. And I was really looking forward to nerding out with some people about it.

[@mixedcuts1895]

Seeing the Silco cameo in Episode 7 - and how it was presented - really solidified my belief that the writers really wanted this season to have the same tone as a Marvel movie. Any nuance or subtlety has been completely tossed out and replaced with gimmicks, quips, contrivances and retcons.

[@illyria7756]

And musicvids which didn't quite hit the mark in atmosphere, seems they just wanted to force a certain kind of music.

[@mixedcuts1895]

@@illyria7756 Style over substance. The first season was stylish too but at least had the decency to have some depth, too.

[@TheNoonish]

In season 1, basically all the musical sequences (and I would even include the main theme) inform the audience of a character’s perspective. It puts you into their mindset so you have extra context for what’s happening in the plot. And even when plot stuff is happening, it’s showing us more about the characters so we understand why things are happening. In season 2, the musical sequences generally aren’t in touch with the characters. I’d say the one in episode one is good for giving us Caitlyn’s situation, but often they are just stylized plot summaries that give you general vibes. They don’t contextualize anything for the viewer, so you only get a visual representation of what’s happening in the story with none of the “why.” And at times the musical sequences are utterly at odds with what’s going on from the perspective of any character.

[@jeggsonvohees2201]

You can hear the absolute hearbreak in MauLer's voice the longer he goes on.

[@federicoarmada8775]

Old Viktor looks like an old Marvel villain while the new Viktor looks like the MCU's attempt at making a gray "realistic and threatening" take on the character

[@paolobiasini1019]

Old Viktor is Dr Doom Arcane Viktor is Fant4stic Dr Doom

[@wilder11]

"...attempt at making a gay* realistic and threatening take..."

[@DrNiradino]

Viktor was always the most inconsistent character in LoL. In the game he used to be a Saturday morning cartoon villain, spouting catchphrase left and right. In lore he was a reclusive scientist/medic helping willing people transcend their organic limitations. In card game he's a gang boss robbing bank. So for him to be mecha Jesus in the show is quite on brand.

[@wilder11]

@@DrNiradino Shut the fuck up bro. The argument has never been "oh it doesn't match the lore/game/card game." The main problem here is that Viktor doesn't match SEASON ONE VIKTOR, and is even inconsistent with himself in S2. Quit coping.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

@@DrNiradino Inconsistent as he was, he was the Machine Herald. His new form is the complete opposite and acts the way Viktor never would in S1.

[@benchristensen1526]

The cheating of going into the multiverse can't be overstated. They used it to bring Ekko and Jinx back together for later episodes. They could have used it to get ANY OUTCOME they wanted! They could have shipped Ambessa and Heimerdinger by sending her off into the right universe instead. To also take the opportunity to show this idyllic world with mostly everyone alive and happy is not only unearned, it's a betrayal of the whole story of season 1. "Wasn't it so sad to see this happy family torn apart by tragedy? Here's an episode where we pretend none of that ever happened." The first season was beautiful BECAUSE of the tragedy. Undoing it is walking all over a masterpiece.

[@duchessofdementia]

Silco's line about the power of forgiveness gave me an aneurysm. it's straight out of My Little Pony

[@kcrr]

"But Ekko, me and Vander are friends! And friendship? Friendship, is magic!"

[@JoshuaKevinPerry]

Forgiveness is a trait missing from the woke

[@angrynapolean3820]

Are you really surprised when friendship saves the day at the climax?

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@kcrrlemme just say the ending took that and made it so much worse

[@kcrr]

@@blacktigerpaw1 yep :/

[@terrasur4168]

This season feels like a fever dream. Things just kinda happen with no real explanation why and then your off to some completely unrelated sequence of events without time to breathe. It also feels like it’s play acting at being mature, everything feels a bit too desperate at forcing gravitas and importance in dialogue making the ROP parallels very unfortunate as RFT pointed out. Also the bouncy movements when people talk started to get on my nerves. Like their whole body just moves so much in every frame it’s distractingly busy. It’s like that Chinese Beaver meme. (Edit): Also I would have paid to have Caitlyn freak out during the cringe family reunion scene with Warwick/Vander only for him to proceed to smear her reactively to protect his 'daughters' turning that seemingly overly convenient sudden innocence on its head. It would create a division again between Vi and Jinx over protecting Vander, made him a legitimate threat and tragic without resorting to mindless beast mode again, been actually shocking, and pissed off the shippers all in one move.

[@TheNoonish]

Characters just aren't allowed to have perspectives that last longer than a single decision. It's how Vi went from actively working to kill Jinx, to just waking up with her in the room and going on an adventure with her. Her mind didn't get changed by anything that happened, she just was dragged into the next plot situation.

[@jonbaxter2254]

Holding out for Andor and that is it.

[@davidphilips4736]

Loris is underrated. That one scene when he walks away from the newly appointed Commander Caitlyn is the best character moment of the season.

[@KalhyphenC]

True, but he's cool, so fuck him

[@Calvinosaur]

It could have been, if he'd had any characterization.

[@cuthalion4281]

You know, the alt timeline flashback in ep 9 makes Jayce's actions in ep 6 even worse. Alt Timeline Viktor: "you are the only one who can change the other me's mind" Jayce: talks past Salo-Viktor with a few vague lines, then immediately goes to murder Viktor, thereby almost causing the exact scenario alt-Viktor sent Jayce back to stop. (Originally posted on the unlisted vod. My thoughts are in 2 separate comments since they concern different topics)

[@DrNiradino]

I think show was trying to imply that he was "corrupted" after Arcane touched him in the wrong place. That why his face was twitching half the time and he had strange visions. Maybe he even got an cyberpsychosis after he traveled to the future.

[@illyria7756]

"Jayce, can you show me on the doll where the arcane touched you?" Yea they didn't show us how or what made Jayce snap the way he did, his vision didn't seem to be that idk, agressive or corruptive.

[@sol-hunter2332]

They also have Viktor say to Jayce "you could never give up on me" and I laughed because the writers forgot they had Jayce give up on Viktor twice. I had assumed that Future Viktor was going to tell Jayce to kill him, but he didn't. I am so confused what they were doing with Jayce.

[@cuthalion4281]

@sol-hunter2332 . . . I had forgotten about that line. Somehow, when I think it's as bad as it could be, it manages to get even worse.

[@professormallard4348]

In episode 6 the writers make the audience root for Ambessa to kill Vi. In episode 7 the writers make it so that if Vi had died the world would've been much better for everyone, even Powder. On top of hating Ekko and Heimerdinger, the writers apparently don't like Vi either.

[@Of_infinite_Faith]

Same with Jayce

[@illyria7756]

Embessa explaining the Noxus qualities to Cait sounded like the Spanish Inquisition from Monty Python "Our three main weapons are..."

[@Hitman-cq2yw]

3 years of waiting, just to see Arcane degrade into a cheap Spiderverse parody. Welp, serves me right. This is what you get when you believe in a multi-billion company, nowadays.

[@sawysauce1256]

It probably would’ve gone on to be relatively good if it hadn’t become so popular. Once the investors saw the money and popularity they got their grubby hands all over it.

[@wilder11]

Never again.

[@dire213]

did you just make the Spiderverse comparison because Ekko and Miles are both..... animated characters?

[@Hitman-cq2yw]

@@dire213 More like, I made this comparison, because the Jinx x Ekko shippers have been making these comparisons for years. This fact left me perplexed, because I couldn't believe a fan of Arcane, would wish for it to devolve into something less special, as Spiderverse. But here we are. Now we have multiverses too. And the entire conflict between the 2, was erased, to facilitate the shipping. Nerdrotic and Mauler are right. Shipping in killing great works.

[@madisonlee2203]

Yeah. They screwed this season to start there new show i guess. Well, you can bet i WILL NOT be watching their new show.

[@sognurT]

You're not allowed to bring coins in the writing room, due to the staff constantly swallowing them.

[@androidd4478]

Heimerdinger: I WILL have the Hexcore destroyed Jayce! Jayce: Come on…I need a professor. Better yet, a partner. Heimerdinger: Alright, carry on making your demon cube! I’ll ignore it completely! If only Jayce has said that to Heimerdinger in Season 1, then so much drama could have been avoided.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

"Heimerdinger...your imperfections made you what you are... you're beautiful" "My boy what the f.uck are you talking about"

[@androidd4478]

@@blacktigerpaw1 ​​⁠Don’t even get me started on that Jayce line. “Your imperfections made you what you are.” While he is technically correct, if I had a horrible mystery disease that meant I was going to die in like a few weeks like how Viktor was before he merged with the Hexcore, I CERTAINLY wouldn’t accept that part of me. I would do everything in my power to stop that “imperfection” of mine from killing me.

[@charlesruteal9062]

​@@androidd4478Victor: What was I supposed to do? Just let myself die? Jayce: Maybe.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@charlesruteal9062*Insert Miguel eyebrow raise here*

[@blacktigerpaw1]

@@androidd4478 It was absolutely tone deaf and everyone is saying it was heartfelt. It isn't. He's basically telling Viktor he was in the wrong for daring to overcome his illness and that he should accept the fate handed to him.

[@chuckleshelicopterwigwamjo6305]

"Release the hound!" -Mr. Burned

[@christinao1528]

episode 7 was my favorite because it’s the only one that finally slowed the fuck down

[@VespoLiveGaming]

In Noxus, all triangles are 4-dimensional hypertriangles

[@SgtAbramovich]

The most stupid thing BY FAR was making the Arcane itself dangerous and not what was hinted at in season 1 that it's too powerful for humans to use responsibly. The whole anomaly subplot annoys me to no end and it feels like an excuse to put Jayce out of the picture.

[@Of_infinite_Faith]

That's pretty much what it was. They could've done any number of interesting things with Jayce considering how big his role was in s1. But they took the easy way and wrote him out. They also needlessly killed him.

[@romainf3780]

5:36:24 The reason for the drop in quality could be that creating a masterpiece and sustaining a masterpiece are two VERY different set of skills. - The 'hard' way is to build on the existing characters and expand on the world in a logical and consistent way. - The 'lazy' way is to appeal to the character-shipping, Twitter reacting crowd for cheap "omg" moments, regardless of pace or consistency. Game of Thrones shifted from one to the other over the course of 8 seasons. Arcane is not there yet (thank god), but it definitely picked many elements from the 'lazy' path to sustain itself in season 2.

[@TheNoonish]

Just the style of writing is fundamentally different. Arcane S1 wasn't afraid for characters to have conversations where they share their viewpoints and attempt to sway people over. Season 2 does the Rings of Power thing of just setting up to a dramatic line, and then cutting away from the actual conversation. "We tracked some sort of new chemweapon down here. A bloodthirsty, murderous beast. What are you doing here?" "Trying to save...my dad." (end scene) That's so dramatically insufficient for Cait and Vi healing their rift and Cait deciding to stop being fascist, but it's all we get. Whereas, look at any conversation Vander had with Vi in Season 1, where he shares his values with her and tries to lead her away from his own mistakes. Or the work Heimerdinger does when he's trying to convince Jayce about the dangers of messing with the arcane. Characters actually have viewpoints and are willing to argue and articulate them.

[@KEAisNOTaParrot]

Arcane season 2 keeps having the problem of the narrative voice perpetually overriding the character voices, reducing and compromising how the characters were previously written. it makes the characters so much worse

[@pedrokantor3997]

Just wait til episode 8 and 9. They will have a field day with that.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

I'm still seething over that ending, especially since Mage Viktor was the man behind it all and the fact Jayce and Viktor got yoinked out of existence in a shipper bait scene.

[@TheRetroRenegade]

That scene with Vi and Caitlyn doing the thing in the same cell Jinx was contemplating game-overing in was like staring into the infinite void and witnessing the death of God… [being a bit melodramatic, but still… that was disgusting]

[@androidd4478]

@@TheRetroRenegade. Same here. That scene might genuinely be one of the worst written scenes that I’ve witnessed in my life. Vi knows that Jinx plans on ending herself, so when Caitlyn gets her out of that cell, Vi should be like: “Thank God you got me out of there! Come on! Jinx is going to do something stupid! We need to hurry!” But instead, Vi’s just like: “OMG! You’re so hot Caitlyn, let’s have sex, RIGHT NOW!” And then they waste almost TWO MINUTES making out, completely ignoring Jinx entirely. This season is utterly abysmal.

[@comeatmebro8120]

@@androidd4478 But you must understand we NEED to see Caitlyn and Vi scissoring! Its integral to the plot dammit!

[@androidd4478]

@@comeatmebro8120 That’s certainly what the writers thought.

[@jaredhumpherys8335]

Episode 7 is sadly another example of the writers putting feels and spectactle before good writing. When you stop and think about it, that altermate universe makes no sense. So many questions need answering, and they just aren't. If the timelime diverges after Vi dies, that means that up to that point Vander and Silco are irreconcilable enemies, Sevika is Silcos top lieutenant, Singed is producing Shimmer, and Zaun is a sketchy shit hole. Somehow, Vi dying not only causes Silco to make up with Vander, but to shut down Singed, and fire Sevika. Vander not only accepts this, but necessarily must forgive the crimes Silco has committed up to this point, not to mention the rest of Zaun must accept and forgive his crimes as well. What could have been a good episode is reduced to mere fanservice and shipping wish fulfillment because it's clear the writers cared more about getting from A to B than HOW they got there.

[@sockpocketpre-alpha8258]

I thought it was implied that Heimerdinger getting there a hundred years ago managed to fix some of the Zaun stuff? I've only seen it once.

[@jaredhumpherys8335]

@sockpocketpre-alpha8258 I'd have to watch it again too, but yeah I think he did imply he was able to help with some of the problems with Zaun, but it's leap to assume he had anything to do with bridging the gap between Vander and Silco. When the two acknowledge that Vander tried to kill Silco, Silco just says some blah about forgiveness. So unless Vander and Silco immediately made up on the spot, a the height of their animosity toward one another, then Silco would have continued down the path we see him on I'm Season One, in which case yeah it doesn't make any sense how we go from that to Silco and Vander broing it up. Just doesn't make sense.

[@ethanfox8979]

​@@sockpocketpre-alpha8258Heimerdinger has been there for less than 4 years.

[@johannesseyfried7933]

​@@ethanfox8979Wait, really? Didn't he say something about that even with his long lifespan, he was starting to wonder if Ekko would ever turn up?

[@Hitman-cq2yw]

@@johannesseyfried7933 He said that he's been here for like 1128 days. And of course he will start to doubt Ekko appearing here, because 4 years is already a lot. You'd start assuming that Ekko ended up somewhere else.

[@uttrik]

I just realized, Ambessa knows Viktor and his partnership with Jayce. Like, not only should she be extremely interested in a miraculous healer, but she would've also found out he is Viktor, the co-creator of hextech, and the only scientist around who could actually make the weapons she wanted.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

She doesn't actually know Viktor was the co-creator of Hextech, because she would have mentioned him by name during the goat scene. Viktor was routinely overlooked as the second hand. But she never discovers this nor brings this up.

[@uttrik]

​@@blacktigerpaw1 You're literally describing the problem with the writing. You're trying to tell me, Ambessa, the political mastermind that was in the middle of taking over Piltover in season 1, didn't know hextech had two people to its credit? That Jayce never credited Viktor in the creation of the hexgate?

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@uttrikYeah. Because she only ever mentioned Jayce to Rictus, and never Viktor.

[@uttrik]

@@blacktigerpaw1 I see, so you think Jayce snubbed his partner, and the person that basically saved his life, out of the scientific discovery of a life time, where over the course of years of working on hextech together, no one documented Viktor's contributions, because Ambessa didn't mention him to Rictus. Do you think this is more likely, or that the writers dropped the ball?

[@dire213]

@@blacktigerpaw1 you're trying to justify season 2 writing with season 2 writing. season 1 Ambessa is more clever so she should know that Viktor, Jayce, and Heimerdinger(to a certain extent) is involved in developing Hextech.

[@rhade3845]

I guess milo and clagger didn't mean anything to Vander. Hell, even powder is clearly not his favorite either. Watch it somehow turns out Vander is actually Vi's bio father, and somehow silco is powders. I wouldn't put it past the terrible writing on display here. Vi and powder had a hoe of a mother and a cuck for a claimed father.

[@rabbittv8399]

That's a nice argument Senator. But I don't think this was anywhere in the season. So how about you back it up with a source?

[@rhade3845]

@rabbittv8399 I'm talking in reference to the discussion of the Vander water color flashback Viktor brought out. How this damages Vander so badly. Vi, and her mother were the main focus, with powder in the background, with only a flash of milo and clagger. And as far as the bio parent comments, I am speaking hyperbolically and sarcastically, making fun of the terrible writing this season. I don't literally think vi is vanders bio daughter, and powder is silcos.

[@rabbittv8399]

@@rhade3845 Oh, good. From your comment I couldn't really tell.

[@miltonfine947]

This season and season 1 are like oil and water. They got the quality difference of GoT's first and final season in just one! That is insane!

[@gathenhielm9977]

At least GoT was on a steady decline for half a decade. Nobody was *that* surprised season 8 was shit. Arcane season 2 just kicked us in the dick out of nowhere.

[@andreaven2287]

Viktor : from ad mech horror to tea cup Ultron.

[@Red_Cap5]

On my first viewing of Episode 7, despite the flaws that I found with it, I thought it was the best episode of the season. And in retrospect, I would still consider it the best, it's just no where near as high as what I put it as originally. Which I suppose says something about the quality of the other episodes of this season.

[@Anteflop]

I felt the same way and it made me angry/sad thinking about how emotionally impactful this idea would have been in the context of a great season.

[@jonbaxter2254]

@@Red_Cap5 it is the best episode, but flawed in many ways

[@rustyslug2943]

Hearing them talk about Jayce, I think they've forgotten that he's probably killed himself like he was going to in season 1. Which raises bigger problems with Hiemerdinger not bringing this up, and him not thinking that the anomaly teleported into his corpse. But, you know, it's something.

[@jonasl9068]

Wrong, its nothing. Its not in the show. Please dont write the story for them.

[@jonasl9068]

Also random talks about jayce at 4:44:47

[@rustyslug2943]

@@jonasl9068 it is entirely reasonable to conclude that Jayce killed himself, it is not writing the show for them. Jayce was moments from killing himself in the original timeline, when something less bad happened. Would one not expect killing a child to make things worse for him?

[@ShapBro]

If we follow the Logic of the show, i'm 100% convinced that all Characters in Season 2 (besides Rictus

[@honijn3]

I like how in the good timeline, the aggressive lesbian was dead and everyone had a good life.

[@wilder11]

These degens can't help but own themselves.

[@comeatmebro8120]

@@honijn3 Moral of the story: Do to lesbians what Ambessa does to goat people

[@robertselagon4277]

Lol it doesn't matter, it could be Powder or Milo and the world would still prosper thanks to Hextech for not being developed.

[@jonbaxter2254]

@@comeatmebro8120 I'd let Ambessa crush me...

[@lordofthepizzapie9319]

@@jonbaxter2254 Si- yeah, me too...

[@jameshumber1602]

Hoping the segment about game Viktor’s redesign gets a highlight clip

[@andethidialbubabibub3261]

I didn't even get that Isha is dead 😅 I thought they forgot her writing wise and that she definitely survived because of plot armor...

[@illyria7756]

Her wearing the Teemo hat and later in flashbacks everyone wearing Teemo hats annoyed the fk out of me.

[@wisecontragio172]

what did they do to jinx???😭character assassination at it s finest

[@Hitman-cq2yw]

They wanted to make her good, which is not something unachievable on it's own, but you'd need at least 3 seasons to make that a believable continuation to what was build in season 1. Doing this transformation in just one season, was never going to work.

[@albertocruzado2899]

​@@Hitman-cq2ywYep, they needed at least one season of Joker Jinx just unleashing chaos because "fuck everyone", then do something big happen, something decisive and climatic with her sister that forces her to come out of her self- impossed role of monster and do something good that actually works for once. Then through s3 and s4 you maybe work out a Kratos type of story in the modern games: she goes away where no one knows her, and a story centered about her maturing, searching for peace of mind, and accepting that there is no redemption for what she has done. Sometimes doing something normal well just works. Imagine Jinx in a western style village doing tech stuff for the community, and she is appreciated for it. Some outlaws come to town, and she is so anxious, fearing the voices will come back if she picks her weapons again, even if its for a good cause. That she would loose her cool as always. You can do whatever there, from keeping up the drama of her life because she looses her cool again , or she actually has gain some discipline over herself, ironically finally becoming more like Silco wanted her to be (a beast, but a self-controlled beast). Now she can trust herself when she didnt before, a small step into self-improvement. You then made something about The Jinx, about that persona being whatever she makes of it, not just a ragging beast, then S4-5 you have a return of an antiheroic Jinx that want to blow some shit up, yes, but with standarts this time.

[@Hitman-cq2yw]

@@albertocruzado2899 Well, they are clearly trying to do the whole western type spin-off thing with her, in some other region, which is why they left her alive and sent her away. And if they learn something, after season 2, they might even make a good story. The issue is that they completely messed up her character, even removed her iconic braids, to give her a f**king side shave for "character progression". And I fear that with all her problems basically gone, she has very high chances of just turning into some comic relief cameo in the future projects. And if that will become true, then they might as well just have her die, ffs.

[@jonbaxter2254]

She was irredeemable after series one. Now she's good again and people look up to her, despite barely any of Zaun knowing her.

[@kaydenmcdonald9305]

​@@jonbaxter2254she killed 3 members of the council. Her wanted posters are everywhere. The issue is the people that idolised her for her terror attacks against piltover choose to fight in a war alongside Piltover

[@myplace4play]

In the pursuit of great they failed to do good...

[@maxemiloddmoland5476]

After season 2 I feel like I'm drooling for a squeaky.

[@Of_infinite_Faith]

If someone drew my older sister (who died when she was a teen) as an adult, I'd give them a black eye at least. What ekko did was really weird and fucked up. That stupid episode was bad fanfiction

[@princestarfy4098]

Wouldn’t be it cool if all the characters that died on the best episode of season 1 were alive!?!?!? Me:… No why would you do this?

[@blrieder]

This was my most anticipated show of 2024. Arcane Season 1 was my favorite piece of media in the last 5 years and I was so looking forward to a great follow up from the team that brought me Season 1. And instead I got a heaping pile of shit. I've never been more upset at media than this show. OH THE MISERY!!!

[@Gloomy_Knight-dw5pm]

You and me both. "What could've been."

[@drdabdo2763]

Imagine this instead if they really wanted to do an alternate reality episode. Before it happens Jayce is essentially feeling he never should have invented hextech and that things would be uniformly better without it. He also blames himself for getting Viktor involved in Hextech. Then they get warped somewhere else by the Arcane and it's a reality where Vi and Jayce died, and hextech never came to be. Because of this Jinx is good and still Powder. Milo, Clagger, Vander and Benzo are still alive, but they are all essentially in hiding like the firelights because due to the lack of Hextech, Silco was actually able to overtake topside with shimmer and he's essentially overthrown the council and runs Pilterover and Zaun. This world's Viktor could also be in league with Singed and be keeping himself alive with shimmer/body modifications. Ekko could get the same opportunity to see who Powder could have been without it being so ruthlessly juvenile. Heimerdinger could realize there is a price to being overly cautious and refusing to take risks, as if you don't someone else will. And Jayce could realize that while Hextech is dangerous, many other things are as well, and he could really accept his role as the "man of progress" and realize he can't stop hextech, but he must take on the responsibility of safeguarding it's use. Seeing Viktor in this reality could also make him realize that regardless of meeting him Vicktor could have ended up on a terrible path. This could also be a chance to see what Silco would have done if he had risen to power. As the writers had once said he never would have been satisfied. I'm usually pretty hesitant about suggesting alternate reality episodss, but if you're going to do it actually use it to progress characters or reflect on the motivations of characters that have died. Not just for some stupid, hand holdy, juveline fan service bull.

[@eren__morwen5947]

The worst part is that the general public fucking loves this atrocity

[@kcrr]

4:31:21 This explains everything, Arcane season 2 was a gollumlike all along...

[@g4sper112]

When I first saw Victor’s commune in EP 6 my inmediate thought was that Sevika of all people would absolutely go there to fix her missing arm. And not only that, she would also take with her a los of people, since she would have so many contacts in Zaun and she’s fully aware of the current chaos that is the undercity. But nope, the writers forgot she was a character in this show.

[@Justanidea5976]

Why would Sevika go there? She wouldn't trust anyone there, let alone someone from Piltover. Even if Viktor did fix her arm, she'd just get picked up and mind-controlled. She'd be leading her ppl to doom.

[@Tripleat117]

Yea I think that's a bit of a reach, knowing setvika and how the commune were all acting. She seems entirely fine with a mech arm she could maintain herself. I don't think she would go but honestly if she had known any shimmer-addled people she'd still might let them know about the commune existing, but just warning them like "be aware it might come at a cost." Basically if you have no other options. You know cults and all.

[@dire213]

Correct me if I'm wrong. Silco's initial plan does not include the invention of hextech. I thought hextech actually delayed some of his plans because Piltover won't progress fast enough without it. Piltover would have a hard time trying to counter the shimmermen. So no Hextech means Silco wins, right? This is all under the obvious assumption that Vander's letter would not be enough to make ammends with Silco.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

No, Piltover was advancing too fast, leaving Zaun in the dust. He needed an equalizer and Jinx was it.

[@lesserknown5138]

​@blacktigerpaw1 But without Hextech, how would Piltover counter Shimmer?

[@blacktigerpaw1]

@@lesserknown5138 Silco talks about the issue in Ep 4 of S1, that the Hexgates are leaving Zaun behind. He's aware he needs more than Shimmer to even the playing field.

[@lesserknown5138]

@@blacktigerpaw1 If Piltover doesn't have hextech, they don't have hexgates.

[@dire213]

@@blacktigerpaw1 why did you say "No" when your next statement agrees with me? The hex gates open a lot of opportunities for Piltover to progress real fast. It opened up a lot of trade routes. So if there's no hextech in the AU that Ekko went in ep7, Silco wins in that timeline.

[@DrNiradino]

I love how insane the alternative universe is in regards to what cannon events actually happen. We're shown that the world got better, because Vi died during the raid. Kids weren't jailed for some reason, presumably Jayce was instead, and everything got better without hextech. Why though? Silco's plans weren't related to said event. His shimmer research wouldn't go away, there's no reason for him to abandon a dream of Zaun, end of act 1 of season 1 should've happened regardless. Some people would say that Heimer was messing with this timeline and actually improving lives of the people. I have one counter argument - Silco has his eye injury. Meaning, revolution, driven by horrible living conditions in Undercity, happened regardless of Heimers actions and played the same way. There's actually a third thing. Both Heimer and Ekko were tossed in the same alternative past and present respectively. Jayce was tossed to the future. Problem is, in the alternative hextechless universe future that he was shown couldn't exist. Viktor should die from plotivitus without hextech research the Jayce provided, meaning he couldn't nether create a hexcore nor become a science Jesus. This problem becomes even bigger with season 9 "Ryze" reveal, since show establishes that there was a timeloop, where none could be formed.

[@brat7489]

Yeah, the only thing that would change is that the undercity wouldn't be massively filled with enforcers looking for the kids and Vander could still be alive and jinx wouldn't join Silco. But with the shimmer being developed eventually it would end up in a similar situation considering that Vander's team would be severally under matched. Best case scenario is that the war is contained in Zaun and doesn't affect Piltover as much. Also if i'm not mistaken Heimer enters the timeline about 4 years after the events of ep 1. So he might be able to change something but not enough to prevent all the events that unfold

[@DrNiradino]

@@brat7489 If I remember correctly, Heimer said that he went back a thousand or so years in the past. He kinda was there for a while.

[@brat7489]

@@DrNiradino 1128 days, so almost 4 years before Ekko comes in. a tousand years would be insane. in that scenario he would have been in that universe long before the creation of Piltover

[@dire213]

Heimerdinger was only transported in that AU 3-4 years ago. Season 1 Act 1 would have already happened when he arrived.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

​@@brat7489No one I've seen praising this episode brings up Shimmer or Singed. I guess it's assumed there was no need because the two cities reconciled or something?

[@jasrianna]

They kind of get a full bingo card of ruined characters by episodes 8 and 9, because I have to wonder what Singed thinks is going to happen when he helps revive Viktor. He knows about Viktor's potential goals, he's seen elements of the mind control process, so how can he see any outcome other than Viktor eventually turning on him if he succeeds? Surely even if he manages to revive his daughter, they will both be assimilated into Viktor's army. He had no way of knowing that events would turn out the way they did, so his happy ending is just pure luck. Had Viktor won, he would just be another puppet zombie.

[@3timeszero]

Blah-blah, Singed made a deal with Viktor, trading his help for Sky's essence (hence she disappeared from Viktor's OUTER SPACE or whatever) to resurrect Orianna and free her from Viktor's will. YAY! SUCCESS! This and about 10 thousands other stories writers forgot to tell us. What a bullshit writing, to be honest. To hell with S2.

[@Justanidea5976]

With Singed, we already know he's willing to take insane risks. How does this ruin his character? It's like with Frankenstein. He knows that this monster will more than likely hurt ppl or get killed himself and that it could get brought back into him, but he still goes on with the experiment anyways. He's a mad scientist.

[@iefap6426]

In the alternate arcane universe it must have been Anakin who destroyed the death star thats why everything is so floompy

[@HeckDescender2184]

I would like to have seen Goatman survive too

[@3timeszero]

Grogu's parents fixed Zaun, i bet my ass on it.

[@ethanbird2117]

Jayce is also probably dead from drinking the cave water.

[@michaczarnocki181]

2:31:00 . Also whats the point of even capturing Vi at this point? If they didnt want to kill ambessa (cause vi didint when she had chance) then why even capture her. Just let her go and attack the big guard dude, singed with combined forces of Vi Cait and Jinx?

[@ingrowsmith5148]

The correct title should read, Arcane: Breaking Down - Episodes Staying in my garagae and Letting the car engine run.

[@dire213]

Ambessa's triangle bullshit is just the same with Acolyte and Ahsoka force mumbo jumbo.

[@surobyk]

Ambassin?

[@ShakalakaKing]

"Have you had enough?"

[@carmandirda]

I kept wondering when Silco would show up in episode 7 since the pristine lanes felt like a huge beacon screaming he'd be there somewhere (and friendly). Somehow, I still expected them to reply that Vander never attacked Silco to begin with when it came up, but alas. The theme this season is emulating MLP.

[@joshfdesigns]

I was expecting Jayce to see and go through some eldritch arcane shit, messing with his mind. When i saw him fall, I just realised they were stalling for time.

[@FrankRalol]

it's so over bros

[@lusasedoux479]

1:20:00 this upsets me massively. In Apex Legends, when the character of Revenant got a full kit rework and brand new Default look to him, they didn’t Then go and Change all his Old skins that fit his Old Frame, they just started making New skins to fit around the new model. Because they’re not fucking stupid. They’ve remade Lifeline recently and are keeping to this set standard, appreciably. I expect plenty of Robot Arm themed skins for Lifeline, as they’ve not touched her old ones. Because why would you.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

I play Apex and yeah that's a great example. He's still very much the same character and personality, just in a new body.

[@alexhayden219]

Season 1: Hextech is potentially incredibly destructive in the wrong hands, but incredibly useful for the betterment of society in the right hands. Season 2: Hextech is basically Skynet or a placeholder for any other AI Apocalypse story and will always cause the destruction of the world if it's not prevented or destroyed.

[@19Ledor]

You know I am a bit of an under appreciated character enjoyer. So, if you asked me who was my favourite character from Arcane season 1 I would have told you Marcus cause I think he is really neat. I never wanted to end up in a scenario where after season 2 it is still Marcus because they ruined everyone else. Arcane only has 1 season. Whatever this is it is not canon.

[@lesserknown5138]

Marcus and Silco were my favorites, and it helped that their stories were pretty much done. Unfortunately, they added more to Silco, which means that Marcus is the Arcane MVP for me.

[@MaxRovensky]

3:11:40 May I recommend the Netflix TV show "Travelers", where the key premise it "how do these time travelers deal with the fact they've supplanted someone's consciousness" Also the only time travel story I've seen that (at least up to a certain point lmao) strictly adheres to it's own established rules

[@Omega-rn4xo]

So we just aren't going to talk about how Vi and Jinx just happen upon the ruins of their house in the same place Viktor set up shop?? Like??? WTF

[@alexhayden219]

2:35:30 As is said in chat, if Roctus was sent out in order to follow Cait because Ambessa no longer trusted her, why did it seem that Ambessa had no idea Vi was there as a trap?

[@nont18411]

5:00:57 Don’t forget another thing. Hailee Steinfeld is the lead in both media. She plays Gwen in Spider-verse. She plays Jinx’s sister in Arcane.

[@dire213]

can i also draw a parellel to Pitch Perfect 2 because Hailee Steinfeld is also a character there?

[@nont18411]

@@dire213 Maybe

[@Of_infinite_Faith]

I disagree with Viktor being able to crack hextech by his own. The notes weren't enough. Jayce had to use his memory of the mage in order to fully finish the project. Viktor didn't have that memory and he never would have.

[@blacktigerpaw1]

They don't meet without Ekko's tip anyways, so the "in every timeline" thing is wrong.

[@oinkleberry]

The idea that this season's writing had zero intereference happen to it is simply a violation of the laws of physics. It's like saying up is down or left is right. You don't get lightning in a bottle in S1 and then have the exact same writers create S2 without any interefering factors. It's literally impossible. Someone or something interefered and caused this to become a shitpile.

[@3timeszero]

Bcuz the writing team for S2 isn't the exact same writing team for S1. 4 writers left, one of the Fortiche co-founders, Pascal Charrue, who co-directed every episode in S1 and who was a supervizing director barely touched anything related to S2 (I guess he was busy planning their next thing - "Penelope of Sparta").

[@marcthomas5949]

4:36:25 Lady's and gentlemen arcane just did the black panther talked down Thanos bit from what if