How BEAUTY Builds TRAGEDY | ARCANE And Heroic Tragedy

[@justinchen785]

I do know one thing for certain. This has been an odyssey I won't forget.

[@justinchen785]

Also, welcome back peak

[@choombasaur]

Mid soon to follow leshgo

[@lockekappa500]

"You better not." -Powder.

[@imnotthatmatt6524]

Framing Jayce and Ekko’s journeys in this episode as “escaping a hell of his own making” and “choosing to leave heaven even though he doesn’t have to.” Is just 👌👌👌

[@Mazygolucky]

Crying crying crying 😭

[@choombasaur]

Glad that line paid off, spent way too long thinking of it 🙂‍↕️ good thing I didn’t go with the joke I was originally gonna write there lmao

[@montenegroafro4454]

The story did affect Ekko, considering he witnessed Benzo get torn to shreds as a kid, then the death of Vander and his best friends. Nevertheless, even if he wasn’t one of the main characters of the show, he represented a fully realized person who lived in a violent world and could’ve died a meaningless death like other side characters, but he didn’t. Not just because of plot armour, but to represent the exception! Unlike other side characters who also survived like Sevika or Ekko’s right hand man (Bat guy), what makes Ekko different is that he represents the best of all of us! The fact he got put into a perfect world (even Heimerdinger wanted to stay), he found the resolve to leave that paradise and go back to his own hell to save the lives of those who depended on him, to save the one he gave up on, Jinx. Even if he ended up alone and no one acknowledged his contribution, what matters to Ekko is he was able to save the people he cared about.

[@choombasaur]

you make some good points, wish I brought up how he differed from some of the other side characters now!

[@TheCranksterr]

The ekko sitting alone scene broke me so much 💔

[@choombasaur]

Whole ending left me broken but especially that scene :’)

[@ThorBridger]

Just as I hypothesized! This video truly demonstrated what an uncommon denominator Ekko was in the final act. What a wonderfully efficient video essay, by my calculations.... I put the scheme in schematic! Every problem solved is another revealed! *laughs in a frivolous and amused manner*

[@choombasaur]

You scare me

[@ArthurKnight737]

I heard this in Heimerdinger’s voice

[@flora6247]

great video, it is so interesting how Ekko the one who did it right and helped saved people got a tragic ending while Singed got a happy ending - which could make sense in that Singed was solely focused on helping himself while Ekko was focused on helping others so they both achieved their goals. Also, I think part of returning to his world is saving Jinx cause as he said he gave up on her but he realized he shouldn't have.

[@choombasaur]

Singed is such an underrated character too. The way he clings to being selfish mirroring Ekko as u mentioned is pretty interesting since he’s probably the only character to get a 100% fully happy ending for himself

[@r3ken172]

Ekko’s beta abilities was him being able to rewind the game state with his r, it wasn’t implemented because it would’ve been broken and not everyone will remember nor constantly making sure were they’ll be placed, so we got this ult instead

[@choombasaur]

Yeah that makes a lotta sense, I’d probably be losing it if it was like that haha

[@thorbridger8476]

"You can't stop me Jayce, I am the Arcane." Powerful... Truly amazing how one writer could gloriously evolve a character like Victor..

[@choombasaur]

Truely a magical moment, arcane even

[@marbleb33s]

10:05 Game Ekko does feel the damage he takes after the rewinds, atleast you can see it in the "Ekko: seconds | new champion teaser" video on the league of legends youtube channel. I love that they included that detail in the show. It adds so much to his character.

[@choombasaur]

Oh I never noticed the detail that he still felt the damage after his ult, that makes how his z drive functions in the show so much more interesting

[@MideXIII]

The scene of EKKO sitting alone in the final episode was true heartbreak.

[@choombasaur]

Left my heart sinking I can’t lie :’)

[@rustygear447]

If Ekko didn't leave the other universe, he would rob the "real" Ekko of his life. Powder was in love with the other Ekko, and she wouldn't appreciate our Ekko stealing his life like that. So it's not really an option to stay there forever.

[@choombasaur]

Could’ve always made the selfish choice to stay anyway though and with everything he went through before it’s pretty inspiring that he chose to leave anyway I feel

[@rustygear447]

@@choombasaur That kinda makes him a villain but yeah i guess he could just do it.

[@darkkiller1239]

Damn jayce escaping his hell and ekko leaving his heaven just hits different

[@choombasaur]

spent way too long trying to write that line :')

[@reallove4416]

First time watching. I dig it. Please continue.

[@ArthurKnight737]

Same, well done dude

[@choombasaur]

🫡

[@BloodyWater22]

Absolutely fantastic analysis and commentary of the show - I feel like you verbalized so many of our (the viewers) thoughts we weren't able to and you've highlighted the epic and yet gut wrenching moments in the show in such a beautiful way, you've made us feel like we are rewatching them again and not just looking at clips, if that makes sense. Truly a fantastic video man, I watched it while I was eating and sufficient to say, it has been captivating.

[@choombasaur]

Glad you could relate to the video :) Hope you stick around for more videos to entertain while eating

[@RapidRiflee]

Ekko always kept the damage when going back in time, in the game, even in his release cinamatic

[@cannonfodder4376]

This episode hit so hard for the reasons you explained. Truly such a standout episode in a series filled with them. At first I thought it seemed a weird direction for Ekko's episode to be in but as it progressed.... who knew happiness and beauty could become and make tragedy that much more painful? 😢😢😭😭 A fantastic explainer and analysis.

[@choombasaur]

Yeah arguably one of the most best episodes of the show even though it was kinda standalone. Glad you enjoyed the analysis :)

[@Mazygolucky]

Thanks for making me cry again😢

[@choombasaur]

We all weeping with the shows ending :’)

[@CSEliot]

Dude this analysis is AMAZING. It's so difficult to find content creators in nerd-dom that that articulate nuance and frame popular escapist media (videogames, anime, etc.) in a way that DOESNT sound like someone that needs to touch grass. Also hilarious editting.

[@choombasaur]

haha good to know I sound like I touch grass (promise i do), glad you enjoyed the video hope you stick around for more :)

[@vincentwu4084]

HE REMEMBERED HIS PASSWORD LETS GOOOOOO

[@gondoliano]

The video turned out great! Thanks for featuring my cover ♥

[@choombasaur]

Hey thanks man I’m glad you liked it, glad to have used your cover it’s amazing definitely felt like it made the end of that video hit infinitely better ❤️if you dont mind I’d love to use more later 🔥

[@gondoliano]

@@choombasaur Sure! Looking forward to your upcoming vids 🔥

[@jiffyb333]

Loved your recollection of events so much. This was incredibly cathartic. Thank you 😊

[@choombasaur]

I’m glad you enjoyed it :) hope I could help you relive some of the trauma 😔

[@MeteorRain553]

MY GOAT IS BACK!!!!!!!!!

[@choombasaur]

I got the milk… when’s the StarCraft upload

[@RiskyTW]

This was a very well structured video, nice!

[@choombasaur]

Glad you thought so :)

[@Batx0123LOLXD]

7:59 absolute banger video

[@choombasaur]

🔥🔥🔥

[@cooldoormat111]

this was so insightful! i appreciate arcane so much more now… choombasaur my goat 😍😍😍

[@choombasaur]

Thanks king

[@frankt.8561]

Great analysis. I just wonder why nobody mentions the song (and line) on which season 1 ended. "What could have been." This was playing over and over in my head during E2.07. And if you look closely, you can see the question asked all over Jinx's arc in season 2, from multiple perspectives... what could have been? It's such a powerful set-up with that haunting tune that just stays in your head, and I don't think it's coincidence that they got one of the greatest voices of our time to sing it. There is such a vibrant thematical backbone to Jinx's story, that makes her really stand out among the many well written characters in Arcane. I wish there were more producers and writers with the ambition (and license) to aim this high.

[@choombasaur]

Yeah it’s amazing how much detail there is in this show. Everytime you watch there’s something new you can notice, especially in all the lyrics of the soundtracks!

[@BobsterLobster-z2t]

YOOOOO!!! welcome back choombasaur!! hyped to see you back after nearly a 2 year break. your breakdown of arcane s2 was absolute fire. Ekko was such a stand out character this season and your analysis was perfect. can’t wait for more vids from you!

[@choombasaur]

Bouta start a glorious evolution

[@tigonstark1]

dude you are amazing you explained everything really well loved the video

[@choombasaur]

really glad you liked it :)

[@НеОлег-б8ц]

Arcane is push us to think, inspiring to do comething. This vid did inspired me to go back and rewatch S02E07 of Arcane!

[@choombasaur]

glad you it inspired you :) definitely my favourite episode of the season

[@aifonadrian2368]

Great video

[@choombasaur]

Glad you enjoyed it thanks :)

[@MeliDMR93]

Oooh Oooh we're still here aren't we? These two really left a mark 😢

[@choombasaur]

That ending shot of Ekko left me heartbroken :')

[@bestwitch2931]

The song mu milleure ennemie, my best enemy, is singing about how they are the are the light of each others lives but they can’t distinguish between the feelings of love and hate, and i think it works perfectly. For Ekko powder was his childhood friend turned enemy who killed people close to him and for AU Powder she still blames Ekko for Vi’s death in the apartment. it works perfectly because it’s also exactly how we feel watching it. The dance is beautiful and wonderful but heart wrenching and I think the song is also about how Ekko could be happy there and loves powder but hates more than anything the feeling of abandoning his own world and being an outsider there.

[@choombasaur]

i love your analysis of the dance scene, almost makes me wanna take another go at analysing the dance scene in more detail now, so much detail in every part of the show its amazing

[@zhenfan2942]

Great video, looking forward to the next one. 👍👍👍

[@choombasaur]

Thanks 👍

[@4Nomon]

His time reversal powers working like that is actually how it's always been in the lore. Ekko: Seconds, his champion trailer, shows him using it exactly like how it's used in the show. It's really only the games that mess with this (LoL has his ult work differently for gameplay reasons. It wouldn't be fun if Ekko could force your character back in time 4 seconds. And Convergence has his rewind reverse enemies AND restore health because in that game rewinds are basically just a healthbar but for cool people). It's not that fortiche did a good job re-inventing his power. It's that they did an amazing job recontextualizing his power and integrating it into the themes of the show.

[@choombasaur]

oh okay makes sense that its just a game thing, thanks for the clarification

[@samualbhuiyan2308]

Arcane and The Penguin are two of the best series this year to me

[@choombasaur]

havent checked out the penguin yet but heard nothing but good things

[@Padelhero11]

Great stuff!

[@choombasaur]

thanks :)

[@YamaguchiGroup]

Ekko always regretted the loss of Powder. Even in season oen when he pulled his punch and sees Powder in Jinx, he felt remorse, fully realizing what she had been through to become the monster. He was always a main character imo. Just like most people in the show. Jinx only has like 25 minutes of dialogue throughout both seasons, which by traditional standard would not make her a main character, but that is the magic of Arcane. Even Skye, who seemed entirely insignificant turned out to have a pivotal role in the development of Viktor.

[@choombasaur]

fair enough, I wouldn't personally call him one but with how important he is to the story it's absolutely valid to see him as one under a different definition. Love how every character throughout the show seems to have a goos reason for being present. Even the Jinx follower girl gets a little character building in episode 7 when we get to see her in the alternate universe!

[@YamaguchiGroup]

@choombasaur I would love for RIOT to release a short on thr ekko tries to save powder idea they may or may not hsve cut out of season 1. I think that may clear up a lot of uncertainty.

[@mkmc94]

Ekko barely got any screentime he one of the character with the less screentime

[@alw06git]

I like your name, and you seem to have good takes (I also watched your Edgerunners video). I also really liked this video, you should make videos more often. Thanks. Also, I want to give you kudos for playing that instrumental piano version of the song Ekko and Powder dance to in your video. Great choice and usage, it hit me right in the feels.

[@choombasaur]

Thanks :) I'll see about getting another one out as soon as I figure out a script. You can thank gondoliano if you liked the piano version of the song! He did an amazing job of covering it and he's got a few more covers on his channel if you wanna check out some more. www.youtube.com/@gondoliano

[@SuedTreeYT]

Great video 🙏🏼

[@choombasaur]

Thank you :)

[@hw2311]

I think him ending the story is very fitting, since he was the catalyst to start the story of arcane. Of all the characters making mistakes that change the course of peoples lifes, "little man's" tip was the first mistake that changes everyones life in the story we see unfold. Ekko must've felt a lot of guilt over that. After the timeskip he spends his time building a refugee outside of everything. A world seemingly outside of the world his mistake has created. Therefore escaping reality. Then he experiments with time in an attempt to fix his mistake. Culminating in episode 7. A character usually strives for a want but later realizes the underlying need. He thought he wanted the alternate reality but comes to realize he needs to go back to the reality he helped create, face it and help build something from it. Ekko didn't get a lot of focus but he did get an arc. And the point where he abandons his want and realizes his need was dedicated a full episode, which I found very fitting. Those writers did a hell of a job.

[@choombasaur]

Also love how episode 7 in both seasons gives Ekko so much focus with the bridge fight and dance scene, almost mirroring each other in their meaning with Ekko deciding to give up on Jinx and give up powder in each respectively

[@lockekappa500]

@@choombasaur "Always a dance with you, huh?"

[@edwardschmalz3171]

I don't think the whole story is a tragedy, but this is a tragic arch for sure! Thanks for making this video

[@choombasaur]

Glad you liked the video

[@edwardschmalz3171]

@@choombasaurIt was really well done :) And I learned a new word lol, so thanks for that! 😅

[@avielthealienfromplanetmex5679]

I would love to see more.

[@choombasaur]

Soon more to come hopefully 🤞

[@iceleafofalba]

Amazing 💝

[@choombasaur]

Thanks I appreciate it :)

[@marbleb33s]

12:10 it's almost impossible to make out in the episode, but if you pause at the right moment, you can see "der" written on the paper. It's not Jinx or Heimerdinger, he wrote down *Powder*. He's grieving the alternative version of Jinx and is finally letting her go. (he also didn't write down Jinx or Heimerdinger because they are not dead, i'm not coping, trust! We will see them again!)

[@choombasaur]

Damn it’s the little details in this show that make it stand out so much aye. Even after a few watchthroughs still learning new things thanks for sharing 🙂‍↕️

[@mkmc94]

or maybe he is writing Powder because that Jinx real name 🤷🏾‍♂️

[@jf9266]

My favourite part of this show is when John Arcane said - "Gentlemen, It is ARCANING TIME!"

[@choombasaur]

Truly one of the arcanes of all time

[@mp3_prod]

Brother... you might've just introduced me to something very important. What is my Hamartia?

[@choombasaur]

Glad to hear it man, I think we all got some kinda hamartia of our own to fix even if our potential tragedies aren’t as extreme as our favourite characters

[@damionjaynes7104]

this reminds me of Percy jackson when he got sent to Calypso’s island

[@choombasaur]

ooh can definitely see how they match in energy with the sorta removed feeling among the flow of the rest of the story

[@lightspeedbubble7359]

I don't think Echo going back is just heroic. I mean, in part sure, but also, as utopic as this timeline is, staying here would feel like erasing his past life and leaving everyone in it to live with their replacements. Even if he was selfish, he'd probably still have a sense of home that would draw him back to it.

[@choombasaur]

I feel like the heroism is in the fact that he could’ve stayed if he chose. I definitely agree about the sense of home but I feel like the sense of home was more of a sense of responsibility with how many times he kept bringing up “people counting on me” through the episode.

[@dzibanart8521]

Arcane is a show where the true hero is not the main character.

[@choombasaur]

absolutely, Ekko gave up so much for nothing

[@molodoshi6300]

THE GOATTTTTTT

[@choombasaur]

BAAAAAA

[@abudara9203]

AU Powder said that Ekko had "another identity crisis again". Does it means many Ekko from other universes have come and gone from this reality?

[@choombasaur]

Damn I didn’t pick up on that line. That could be an interesting theory seeing how powder didn’t react that strongly to Ekko leaving at the end of episode 7

[@enzoneillette9344]

Well that Hurt this is a great video I constantly watching video who talking about my favorite episode of Arcane episode 7 of the Saison 2 in all the episode I cry when we saw what could have been it is for me the best episode of Arcane , all the bonding moment we get the luck to see of Ekko and Powder feel like a dream mean to just be a dream a breath of fresh air before returning to the main Timeline I thruly feel like I was with them , it was perfect but my man Ekko had to go back because even if it was his dream with almost everyone Alive ( Rip Vi) he had to go back and give up his Happiness who does not belong too him but to the Ekko of this Timeline and That the Powder of the other univers who give him the courage to do so after fall in love for the second time with Powder ( ma meilleure ennemie from Stromae and Pomme is perfect as a French I'm so proud of Fortich and Stromae and Pomme they cook so much with Timebomb) damn everytime I rewach the dance scene and the kiss I cry .My man Ekko go back in is own Univers Thanks to Hamdinger sacrifice, and Jinx and his efforts and The POWDER of this Timeline and Ekko and shared one last Look at each other,💔and he go back save his girl and he did damn what a boy, what a man what an hero, sadly we did get to see Ekko and JINX bonding Time before the final battle it was said that a great portion of the 60 min cut in the final episode of Arcane were with them , too bad anyway see him alone at the end Hurt so much. I hope they reunite one day in a Futur , Show or, SPin-off or movie center aroud them, anyway Timebomb for life and EKKO and JINx/Powder (Timebomb ship) best ship and best Character.

[@choombasaur]

yeah it really is a shame that they cut so much from the ending, but I think they did alright with what netflix gave them :)

[@shalimj]

Purpose is more burden than glory, and sadly both our green heroes ended up alone, if ykyk😞

[@choombasaur]

trying to rack my brain ab the green thing

[@aridiraffe9610]

i was okay then i click on this now im sad...

[@choombasaur]

One of us one of us

[@cubeoid2763]

Ayyy lesgo, arcane got him back

[@choombasaur]

ayy nice to see you back in the comment section too

[@vrijpatel1182]

👍

[@choombasaur]

👍

[@piratetv1]

I have a channel that i also lost interest in. It's a tough place to be

[@choombasaur]

Yeah it’s pretty rough especially when you feel like you should but have no motivation, hope you find some soon too though :)

[@piratetv1]

@choombasaur it's been a year for me. I post things and notice not enough views, and give up for a while. By the way, this video is really good. Ive been watching a lot of arcane stuff lately

[@MICKEYrenraw]

oof, every time oof :C

[@choombasaur]

Oof indeed

[@Nara.Shikamaru]

“No fatal flaw?” It’s rage. The Firelights are his way to lash out at the people who took everything from him. Yes, the Firelights are also supposed to be about hope, but Ekko definitely enjoys fucking shit up.

[@choombasaur]

Rage is definitely a character flaw but from a writing standpoint it’s not a hamartia since it doesn’t cause any personal character downfall. Definitely agree that he does have flaws though I probably should’ve been more specific in the video while defining fatal flaws. What I was implying was that in traditional tragedy structure a fatal flaw must be foreshadowed and cause a tragic ending with no recovery. He doesn’t really have anything fitting this definition even though he still does have flaws.

[@mstrikerwildrift]

The only tragedy in season 2 is the horrid writing.

[@choombasaur]

i think the writings alright but cause of how it mighta been rushed a bit it probablt felt a bit off

[@thorbridger-f7b]

You fell off! Stick to making CP vids buddy!

[@BobsterLobster-z2t]

forgot to take your med lil bro?

[@choombasaur]

I’m still scared of you

[@Mooogai]

HANK!!! DONT ABBREVIATE CYBERPUNK!!! HAAAANK!!!

[@Isabella-wi4sl]

Look forward to the next CP vid! 🧏‍♀️🧏‍♀️

[@Diamanrouge]

You broke my heart pointing out how much Ekko wins NOTHING. No wonder I keep looking for TimeBomb fix-it-fics, he deserves some love please TwT (in reality, it's truthful of his characterization even before Arcane and in all his stories. Ekko IS the one Zaunite that is just good. The kind of good boy who is willing to take damage if only to honor the memories of the dead, if only to save one person. Again and again, I find his character thé closest from his original LoL concept and I just... Know that his whole concept is never to be truely rewarded for the good he does.

[@choombasaur]

Glad I could make u feel the same way, watching him sit alone after he gave up so much for nothing left me feeling empty myself :’)

[@OnMyFingerTips]

“Jayce’s explorations to Leyndell” 😮 He dropped down to the Subterranean Shunning grounds and climbed out of it 😂

[@choombasaur]

Bro had no lost graces either 😔

[@callmev3531]

3:09, It's no surprise that Ekko is the most traditionally heroic character in this show, the one who has the most positive and beneficial affect on the world in the end despite his link to the tragedies in the show, while the others are either villains/anti-villain or anti-heroes, individuals consumed by their flaws and egos, looking to the past for comfort or the future for answers, all at the expense of the present world around them. While others in the cast are defined by ambition, spite shame or grief, Ekko is defined by his focus on helping the people around him that are suffering at the hands of not just Piltover's neglect and cruelty, but also characters like Silco and his corrosive ambitions and exploitation of his fellow citizens. While others are completely shackled by what they want and what they lost, asking "what if?", Ekko is the one asking "what now?", the one who values the time he has specifically because of what he lost. It's that optimism and will to not just grief, but try to live in spite of it, that makes it fitting for him to the one to ultimately play a vital role in stopping Present Victor, who is unable to see beyond his ambitions, beyond the imperfections of the world, but above that, endure perhaps an even crueler experience of having to see the "what if" of his world and for it not to belong to him, but some other Ekko, that as much as he could try to pretend, it would have never been his world, his life would always be the one that was broken.

[@choombasaur]

Absolutely love the way you’ve used the “what if” and “what now” ideas to look at their characters. Makes me almost wanna make a part two to follow up on this now haha

[@callmev3531]

@ Eh, can't take too much credit, but I would be happy to see a part 2 if you want to do one. I really liked how this video put into perspective these characters and the flaws that connect them all, the flaw Ekko "The Boy Savior" is portrayed as the answer to. And while he is left in a sad place, alone, his world is not as broken as it once was, he'll just have to be willing to do what he's already been doing and continue to try moving forward in this new status quo in Piltover despite the grief he still feels, essentially, coming down from the high of being in "heaven" and going on living on his Earth, imperfections and all.