Why Jinx is the Real Hero of Arcane

[@ScreenCrush]

Was Jinx right?

[@VZ1R]

lol no, I'm just waiting to see LeBlanc

[@ЛидияЖеглова-ч6н]

Silco was right, Vi has always been a villain, Jinx is mostly right, although she is not really devoted to the cause for now.

[@juancortes5274]

I've always felt bad for jinx. Who wouldn't go crazy after everything she went through.

[@ЛидияЖеглова-ч6н]

And from political science perspective, Jayce's peace formula could never work. He demanded shimmer, hextech and weaponmaster - all military might of the Undercity for a piece of paper promising some economic benefits. But without military might (provided by shimmer, stolen gemstone and Jinx's inventions) the Undercity can be reconquered by engorcers in a few days. The Council didn't lose anything allowing them to have independence for a while.

[@ramdelure]

Are you going to make the breakdown of What If...? Season 3 trailer?

[@dandyloona]

There was no hero, only different perspectives of their reality.

[@Jasterup]

Honestly, I don't know why both can't be truth: Vi is a good person and sister, but she obviously made bad decisions. Jinx has a whole background that builds into what she is now, but that doesn't exempt her from her actions. It's not as simple as X is the hero, Y is the villain. I mean, at this point it should be very evident that Arcane characters are all imperfect, all of them have dualities. Also, as an eldest sibling, it's really easy to empathize with Vi. Again, she made mistakes, but clearly she tried her best to be a good sister to Jinx.

[@srinidhirao]

Literally feel the exact same way :D

[@vikkidonn]

As a big sister she’s did a terrible job…. She left her when she was needed most, when she got out of prison she tried pretending nothing ever happened. Like she didn’t walk away after calling her Jinx. She not only made bad choices but she then continued to make them by essentially telling jinx who she was and what she’s been through didn’t matter. All because Vi had an enforcer girlfriend she wanted to keep happy and be with. You can’t have your cake and eat it too.

[@Jasterup]

@@vikkidonn Not sure if you're refering to the moment when Vi slaps Powder when you said she left when Powder needed her the most, if it is, I mean, she was a child. I'll say it again, Vi made bad decisions, but it was totally understandable to see a child, who literally just faced a trauma inducing situation, react like Vi did. That obviously builds up and becomes the reason why Vi has such a hard time to let go of the past, same as Jinx being what she is because of her traumas. Also, thinking about it, it amuses me that, for the general audience, it is so easy to come to Jinx's defence because of all she went through and say that Vi had absolutely no reason to act like she did. Just saying, if we want to be critical about character development, we should really consider both sides.

[@vikkidonn]

@ if jinx is a “monster” based on unintentional accidents that happened as a kid, then Vi as the older person is directly responsible and to blame for abandoning Jinx. That’s my entire point. If all is fair great but then that means we also are fair now that they have grown as well. Boi has helped to gas a city of her own people. A literal war crime. Jinx has committed acts of revolution/rebellion/ect. My position is have a favorite character but if we are going to go point for point about one being the good guy versus the other then objectively it ain’t Vi.

[@Jasterup]

@@vikkidonn Fair enough. I still think trying to elect a "good guy" is kinda pointless. Arcane is such an interesting story because it reminds us that the archtype of the ideal hero, and even the full stereotyped villain, doesn't really exist. As I mentioned in my first reply, there is a duality to all characters. That being said, everybody is free to pick a favorite character here, regardless of their role on the story.

[@SpammytheHedgehog]

Isha is like the young reflection of Jinx. She has what Powder had. And that's innocence.

[@rodan9773]

You mean younger Reflection Jinx ain't old yet.

[@ejstrunck]

This video seems to conflate "hero" with "protagonist." Jinx is certainly a- if not the- main protagonist of Arcane, but the whole point of the show is that there are no "heroes" or "villains." Just people.

[@lydiaezell6556]

The definition of hero is a great act of bravery.

[@ejstrunck]

@ “Hero” is a very subjective term. In Hellenic myth, a “hero” is a child of a god, whether or not they do good in the world. By modern standards, a hero is typically someone who accomplishes great things with courage and nobility. Through the eyes of some of the people of Zaun, Jinx is a hero in that sense because they view her terrorism as standing up for Zaun. What’s important to remember as an omniscient audience member is that Jinx performed all her terrorism out of utter selfishness, to make Silco proud of her. To prove herself. None of it was for the good of the people (in season one, anyway. I suspect she’ll grow more of a conscience in season two) so to us, as viewers, she should not be a hero as we know that she is behaving purely out of self-interest. The same way Caitlyn is, the same way Ambessa is. That’s the point.

[@Rootz2000]

🔥

[@rhynlock11]

they also mistake Villain with antagonist. not all villains are antagonist and not all antagonist are villains

[@danw91]

they literally explained in what way they are seeing jinx as a hero

[@ashbeernrahmat4792]

"All part of the plan I just made up!" - Jinx

[@Angaurwen]

I'm not sure I agree with you about Silco and hextech vs shimmer. Yes it's a great analysis as to the differences and the metaphors, but don't forget the basic fact that Silco shot first. He had made shimmer long before the council even knew Jayce and his work existed. It's a bit hard to rationalise that Silco was balancing the scales when he was the first one that brought them out.

[@vertiac]

Like Vi, Vander was also resistant to change. Under him Zaun was at peace and it's people looked out for each other, but at the price of being completely ruled by Piltover. Grayson was sympathetic to the Zaunites but when the council decides it wants a pound of flesh from the undercity over an accident, she still sends her enforcers to run roughshod over them. And Vander just stands by and lets it happen. We know he's doing it to prevent his people from getting hurt in a war that will devastate them, but ultimately that just means he's keeping them powerless and impoverished. He was unwilling to make the necessary sacrifices that could have brought about real change.

[@garyarnold7806]

Jinx could be interpreted as the protagonist of the story, but she's not a hero.

[@Eleyre]

Exactly. I think we're confusing protagonist with hero. Two different things.

[@JinxTheloosecanon-tw7sr]

NOT TRUE! lol

[@vikkidonn]

@@Eleyrethen what is a hero? Thematically she meets the criteria as explained here….

[@Eleyre]

@@vikkidonn The criteria he is using to call her a hero is what defines a protagonist. The protagonist is the primary character in the story that drives the narrative, but they are not necessarily the hero. Vader, in many of the comics these days, is the protagonist of the story. But he will never be the hero. A hero is someone who is admired and idealized for courage, noble qualities, and selfless and outstanding achievements. You could make the case that Jinx has courage, but noble qualities? I love the character, but she was closer to the Joker than to Captain America.

[@vikkidonn]

@ Batman is a hero yes?? He’s not captain America and also uses extremely unethical means at times but is loved for it. Because they are actions that help the people. Jinx is regarded as a hero of Zaun no? After Caitlin and Vi flood the city with poison gas she clears Zaun of it. Is that not a heroic action…..? When Jace shut down the bridge angering and disrupting the Zaunites she went and blew it up ect…. Was that not a heroic act of rebellion?? These actions commited by any number of labeled heros in various works would be seen as heroic. We see them as negative because she’s shown to suffer with her mental health. That sets a strange standard as far as I can tell. But again if that’s a protagonist then what’s a hero?? What makes someone a hero? Because based on what you explained shortly Joker is also a hero it just depends on the person

[@meredithwhite5790]

The real hero is Ekko.

[@IsaiahWayne2104]

Jinx: Jey, Sevika. You wanna gamble? Sevika: Yeah... 🎰

[@adriankorozan8334]

Let’s go gambling

[@jimihendrix23456]

Oh my god. The translate switched "Sevika" in your comment to "maid" and that just makes too much sense with her character arc. Turns out it's Hindi for "maid" or "female servant"

[@TheUnkGamer]

@@adriankorozan8334awe dang it!

[@claudiaw2078]

Watching this makes me realized that arcane characters feel so human, and i love that!

[@DeloFFF]

Jinx has terrible impulse control. Hero’s don’t go through that . If you wanted to go with Anti - Hero I would understand more

[@theventhatiqtho8112]

I'm sorry deadpool literally shot a guy and he's considered a hero

[@theventhatiqtho8112]

Tom's peter literally tried to kill a guy. Heroes are people just like you and me with extraordinary abilities.

[@DeloFFF]

@ got to add context. Deadpool is a whole other concept. Storyline , motives , etc

[@DeloFFF]

Ok after finishing the whole video …. I disagree .. I don’t get the logic .. there is no “hero” in this .. everyone has their own idea of what is right and wrong . Trauma is the only thing going on right now .. Vi didn’t “abandon” her

[@khandimahn9687]

I can understand the argument that Jinx is the hero, in the sense that she is a primary protagonist of the story. But that doesn't mean she's a "good guy." Lots of stories center around a "bad guy," criminals, murderers, thieves, etc. Jinx is not a "good guy," she is a troubled soul, full of trauma, and lashing out. But she is written so well we can sympathize with her. Vi also is troubled, has her own traumas, and is lashing out in her own, different ways. And we can sympathize with Vi also. There is no absolute "good" or "bad" in Arcane, just various shades of grey, and that's one reason I love it so much.

[@1Naenie1]

I can sympathize with both sisters but more with Jinx. she was younger than Vi when the trauma started and the younger you are when you loose your parents the more serious is the damage on your mental health and it didn't stop there. Vi is in many ways better equipped to handle these situations but all she does is hurting Jinx all over again. I also wouldn't undererstimate Jinx. She is some kind of (criminal) genius after all. She made it really deep into the tunnels and it seem she understands the ventilation system and what they do to Zhaun. After the 3rd. episode of season two I start to hate Caitlyn. By what she has seen by now she must have realized how disgusting Piltover realy is and how they poison Zhaun. She is so entiteld... I hate people like her. Even comparing Vi loosing her innocent powerless parents as a child to herself loosing her powerfull, entiteld and powerhungry mother as a grownup speaks volumes.

[@theventhatiqtho8112]

Are all heroes superman? To be a hero isn't to be good. To be a hero is to be just. That's why batman's a criminal being chased by the cops.

[@ireidanisk]

Jinx isn't a hero yet, but It looks like she'll be forced to take on the role in the next arc.

[@ПауПау-ф1я]

​@@1Naenie1"Vi is so much better equipped to handle these situations" - how? Where are you getting that from? "but all she does is hurting Jinx all over again" - it's Jinx's paranoia that hurts Jinx, not Vi. Vi did everything she could to help. In fact, Jinx could have stopped all of this if she had made contact. But she doesn't. SHE is the one who keeps hurting Vi. I love Jinx myself, but please stop making her look innocent and putting all the blame on Vi.

[@fee3262]

my god the level of reach, this is just so wrong

[@ToppledTurtle834]

You misspoke protagonist. We don't follow a hero in stories we follow a protagonist

[@twincast2005]

I wish he were merely misusing terms, but his argument isn't even that we're following Jinx (which isn't exactly true, either, she's arguably the central character everything else revolves around, but I'm pretty sure we've been spending about as much time with at least Jayce and Victor - and with Vi more than any other character) but that "Jinx is right" (WTF) and that she's going through the archetypal hero's journey (which I suppose is true but as per usual fits a lot of characters on the show - and I'd argue Vi most traditionally so).

[@karolinask_cz]

In the League of Legends universe, which is made up of four "dimensions": 1. Void; 2. Celestial; 3. Spirit realm and 4. Physical in the form of the planet Runeterra, there are no infinity stones. But different types of magic and Rune = Runeterra. At the very beginning there was only the Void and the Watchers, but then the light appeared and a reality emerged that awakened the Watchers and since then they have been trying to destroy it. In reality, the death of Gray man/Pale man, which later becomes Kindred, two aspects of death, Lamb peaceful death and Wolf brutal death, appeared/originated. In the universe = Celestial Realm, the dragon of Twilight as Aurelion Sol created the stars around which the planets were formed. And later on, celestial beings and gods also began to engage in reality manipulation. The celestial gods created constellations that serve as predictions and guidance for people, and with the help of world runes they created the planet Runeterra in one of the regions, they pulled the mountain Targon out of the earth, which serves as the Gateway to the Celestial realm Targon Prime = "Universe". One of the Celestial Gods, for some unknown reason, later hid the world runes across the Runeters, which over time caused magical radiation, thanks to which Spirit Gods such as Anivia, Ornn, Volibear,... which reshaped the surface of the planet by ghosts, demons, and later created magical beings; Sky giants; Yordles = Heimerdinger from Bandle city which is in spirit realm; Vastayashai'rei (Shapeshifting Spirit race) + Humans = Vastaya Spirit Race and Humans and then Animalistic Humanoids races. Later, the Targionians people together with the help of the celestials created a crown for Aurelion Sol, whom they enslaved and thus became forced to listen to orders from the Celestial aspects to seal/destroy the void rifts with their Celestial fire. Over time, it is clear that various types of magic appeared or arose on Runeterra: Celestial, Spiritual, Shadow, Runic, Elemental, Temporal, Necronatic, Blood,... Runeterra is supposed to serve as a place where super powerful beings of Ascended aspects = Celestial demi-gods are to be created by, for example, a person climbs to the top of the mountain Targon and one of the Celestials chooses him as a suitable guest. Or, with the help of the Sun disk, I reflect celestial magic into the chosen people to create Ascended Shuriman golden god warriors where some failed and The Baccai = Ramus were created and others were Ascended sunborn Nasus, Renekton,... And later the fragments of them were created after the Void battle Darkins. All of this is to serve as a defense shield against the Void and its watchers, who are trying to destroy reality by creating Void rifts through which void born creators and monsters can pass and which devour and destroy. Or by controlling and corrupting the minds and bodies of beings on Runeterra.

[@milham975]

Also, Silko would never have given Jinx to them, not for anything, meaning peace would never have happened and Jinx blowing the council up didn't hinder the peace from happening, it never would have.

[@KenjiXSamurai]

I disagree with the use of the term "Hero", I think you mean to say 'protagonist'

[@vikkidonn]

To Zaun she’s the hero, to piltover she’s the villian

[@chatolo1]

​@@vikkidonnnot quite lol if it wasn't for her. They would've been an independent nation and would avoid all the blood shed that will happen in this season

[@vikkidonn]

@@chatolo1 this is a false statement. The events of season 1 when she was a child happened during…. Peace…. This video, several commenters, and anyone has explained why what was offered was bull crap and would have solved nothing nor helped anyone but piltover. Zaun with no official leadership, military force, real economy, no clean air, no clean water, ect wouldn’t have been fixed. Hextech and piltover are literally crapping garbage into Zaun. That wasn’t peace whatsoever. Jinx is the first since Vander and silcos generation to do anything meaningful to try and end the elitist xenophobia that is their governing system. Fireflies weren’t getting anything done at all whatsoever. You can like Echo but he wasn’t doing anything that made an actual difference for anyone in the long run. 🤷🏾

[@bruvh29]

​​@@vikkidonn The barrons of zaun doesn't think that she's a hero tho? Sevika only thinks that she can continue what Silco started but I'm pretttty sure that she's not gonna go and call her the "girl savior" or the "omnisiah". Vi thinks she's gone mad so no. Not sure if Ekko thinks she's a hero tho. Only person I'm seeing that maybe thinks that she's a hero is Isha. Ekko's group are the ones classified as heroes here, honestly. Not sure about Viktor tho. He's more like Tech Jesus than a hero, lmao. Edit: you're right that she's a menace piltover at least lmao.

[@vikkidonn]

@ the problem with the fireflies is that that don’t do enough. They are literally just pests that buzz around and that’s about it. Piltover didn’t feel any heat till silco/his juiced up robot things and jinx started getting involved. As for how these very specific characters view Jinx, it’s literally just a difference in methods. It’s like saying MLK wouldn’t label Malcom X or the black panthers or the rainbow coalition as civil rights leaders because they disagreed on use of violence. They all saw the same problem and had different methods to solve it. Jinx at the moment is the only option that has successfully leveled a blow to piltover to effect any change. Season 1 we saw how piltover wrecked an entire army of zaunites. Jinx by herself essentially cased the same death toll on the bridge. Once word spreads that jinx cleared out the grey and sent it back up she’s going to be seen differently by the general population of Zaun. People like Sevika who want more but aren’t willing to play nice especially are going to side with her methods. The question is if jinx will step up to the responsibility. Unlike Ekko who sees himself as a hero fighting for good she doesn’t. She simply sees herself doing what’s right even when it might not be the best course to take. She sees herself as a screw up and monster.

[@EricDKaufman]

You referenced Milton.... and made it work. my hat is tip to you today. And yes Arcane is THAT GOOD!!! LETS FUCKING GO!!!!

[@tonyderosa5921]

You guys are reaching with these takes. Stirs the pot. Grabs views. Catalyzes engagement but…some bad guys are just bad guys. Hero’s can certainly be both-but typically at the sacrifice of being “bad”.

[@ireidanisk]

People are so hard on Vi. She isn't a villain in this show, and she didn't abandon Powder. She had just barely lived through a massive trauma in which both of her brothers and her father were killed. And then learned her little sister had killed them. Whatever Jinx thought, Vi's "abandonment" was walking 50 ft away in grief. Vi was only 15 years old when that happened.

[@ToraXII]

Facts. Finally! I said the same. She had a change of heart after and was captured. Vi is human

[@cencent2189]

She didn't abandon Jinx but that is how Jinx sees it and saw it for her whole life

[@meredithwhite5790]

Yeah Vi got arrested pretty much immediately after Vander died and she almost immediately tried to find Jinx when she got out. That isn't abandonment. I am more sympathetic to Zaun than Piltover overall, but Jinx is a terrorist and that amount of violence is not morally justifiable. She escalated the conflict between Piltover and Zaun and even went after firelights, who were trying to stop the drug kingpin she worked from destroying the lives of people in Zaun. Vi's actions and cooperation with Piltover have always been to stop Silco and now Jinx. Jinx isn't a hero, she is a sympathetic villain.

[@ToraXII]

@@meredithwhite5790 facts

[@jessmith7324]

I respectfully disagree. Vi abadoned Jinx two or three more times when she listened to Cate or chose her over her. Not to say Vi didnt try but to your argument, theyre adults at that moment. And one compounded upon the other. Team Jinx

[@hjqw1pe]

Vi has always tried to calm every situation and even wanted to give herself up to save the others in S1 before Vander found out, while Jinx has been causing more chaos and escalating every situation to the extreme. Mylo was the first to notice Jinx's chaotic nature in Powder, which resulted in his death.

[@TheSpartannnn]

A terrorist is never a hero .. everyone is corrupt doesn’t mean you will make a terrorist a hero

[@Denevive]

I'm going to disagree. Perspective is incredibly important. To most of the Middle East, the United States is a terrorist country.

[@twincast2005]

​@Denevive Yes. And? All that means to people with non-hypocritical morals is that all sides have been lacking in heroes (largely because bad guys keep getting rid of the occasional good guys that rise to prominence on their respective own side).

[@RicardoPetinga]

"terrorist" is a very relative term and it's pretty meaningless in part because it's usually used by people with the privilege to not empathize with the people whose imposed conditions lead them to resort to violent means of resistance and of fighting off those who impose those conditions, and by people who have fallen for the manipulative narrative written and spread by those in power that those who defend the status quo, i.e. the maintenance and perpetuation of that power, are the heroes. We see this all the time in fiction, when those that want change, justifiably so, are presented as villains, and to make it so they make them do some unrealistic random acts of violence apparently disconnected from necessity.

[@ana-alyciajuarez5958]

Been waiting for arcane content

[@luisalfredopaco4282]

Yeah I mean this logic is just dumb

[@rusudenes8549]

it's not and he has a point. I'll give u an example, u live as a slave and then fight back and kill your masters, are u a villain? I wont say Jinx is a saint but she's definitely a hero in the eyes of Zaun.

[@WyllBG3]

Her action were justified when she killed all those firelights?

[@DugNick3]

I think at that point in her journey she's still very much a pawn of Silco, and only truly following his orders. She's delivering Shimmer, which to the Firelights, is simply accelerationism and poison. Now, they're not wrong in their assessment, save for the 'only' part. As mentioned by Ryan, Shimmer is also a tool transforming helplessness into raw, "base power for control". It is the deeply unfortunate requirement for Zaun/The poor, poisoned undercity to be able to fight back. In S2:E3, we see that the Kiramaan family legacy was a well-intentioned, but poor attempt at equalizing the situation. "The people of the Undercity deserve clean air" is really, truly, BASIC, but they laud themselves for it. This is juxtaposed by the immaculate garden directly above on the Kiramaan estate grounds, where no fighting was ever allowed between Cait and her mother. That line symbolizes the rather tenuous existence between Piltover and Zaun and how peace has to be broken in order to resolve issues; not talking about your issues doesn't make them go away. My mother's family *loved* not talking about issues, just papering over them and burying them and the truth, only to have those bubble up, explosively to the surface later. Trust me, the symbolism is PEAK during that Ep.3 scene and I couldn't miss it if I tried. The Firelights dying is deeply regrettable, and Ekko et al are trying to eek out a sort of middle ground existence; they have a safe, clean place to live and they try and prevent things from getting worse because they know war will spill over into their home. This is followed up by refugees from Zaun coming into their area in Ep.3 as well, as we see that the wheels were too far in motion for them to have ever controlled the situation. They have to get into the fight, not simply try and live on the outskirts. It's why Ekko, in his journey, does attack Jinx, who he sees (along with Silco) as the instigator of all the problems. He, like Jace, see a peaceful solution that exists only if we smother the rights and opinions of others. It's why they fail: they can't see beyond themselves. It's why all 3 of them, including Himmerdinger, having now had the revelation about the true cost of Hextech, have a better understanding of how their actions (or inactions) have affected the world around them and thus, they have choices to make based on new information. How they'll react depends a lot on who they were before all this, but it's safe to safe all 3 of them will arrive at different, albeit more similar than ever before-conclusions.

[@ejstrunck]

@@DugNick3 At that point in the story, she was explicitly disobeying Silco's orders at every turn. Silco was grooming her into the perfect weapon, yes, but she still very much had free will. Silco's whole deal was about how he'd failed to create a soldier, and instead raised a daughter.

[@WyllBG3]

@DugNick3 Great essay(I'm not being ironic ahah)but i wholeheartedly disagree with the comparison between ecko and Jayce. Ekko didn't agree with Vi trying to work with Piltover. He, better than anyone, saw the how much the corruption from Piltover, in the form of Marcus, was causing damage to Zaun(and endorsing Silco). You have to remind that the firelights were guerrilla fighters. They didn't have the numbers and they were hunted by bout Silco and the corrupt officers from Piltover. What did you expect him to do considering how much children have at his side? From all characters he was the only one able to change how Hermedinger saw the world. And again, white the first act, season 1, ended he was the only one that didn't had NO ONE by his side.... Agree with most of your points but Ekko is a totally different issue. I don't like the sentence "Ekko could not see beyond " or you implying he was acting to "smoother the ideas and opinions of others". How can you affirm that? It's exactly the opposite. He shows other side of Zaun, a side that didn't control people, like Silco do, but at the same side didn't side with Piltover(like Vi and her father)... Ekko symbology is going against all the prejudice, and stereotypes, that Piltover has against Zaun. At the same he goes against Piltover, he don't forget his roots and he does his best to gave HOPE to those at his side.

[@WyllBG3]

And dude, if Silco knew about the tree Jinx would be the first one to destroy it along any children in the place....

[@DugNick3]

@@WyllBG3 absolutely not. Silco isn't a true villain, as Ryan mentioned. He wouldn't have burned the tree or attacked those people; they have no power and nothing he wants. They're no friends of his, but he saw them as a mere thorn in his side, far removed from the true enemy, Piltover. No, neither Jinx nor Silco cared about Ekko or saw him as a significant threat. They're not true Zaunites, in his mind, but they live underground and they have literally no power. They were rather easily dispatched by Jinx as well, so no, that simply would not have happened, children or no.

[@jarvisvision280]

Its not about heroes and villains always sometimes the line gets blurry

[@francisrodriguez2369]

I think protagonist and antagonist are better terms here. Hero and villain connote a more binary moral judgement of who is good and who is bad, and this show has the complexity to blur that line. But from a storytelling POV, yeah, i can see how Jinx may be intended as the protagonist who's taken the "hero's journey" but the end of the show.

[@guillermocantu8939]

Heros and villains are a matter of perspective. Was Heisenberg a villain for being a druglord that murdered people, or was he a hero because he saved people and his intentions were always good towards his family? It depends on who you ask and which side you see it from. Jinx is a hero of Zaun for uniting its people and showing Piltover the truth behind their government, but it’s a villain because of her methods and the perspective of the show so far. In reality, everyone is always both a hero and a villain, and no one is one side or the other. As you said, Jinx is started to be represented by an amalgamation of colors, and that’s how humans (and characters) are. It’s never black and white, dark and light, it’s always a mix of colors and shades, and guess what? That’s how you know you have a great character. All characters in the show are heroes and villains.

[@sambell5972]

Love the channel usually but this just feels so far off the mark, if Jinx can be preserved as a hero then we are back in that “every villain is a misunderstood good guy” cliche that is currently killing Disney

[@dragb9284]

Yeah I wouldent say hero but anti hero kinda fits. I mean let’s be honest jinx is the monster everyone helped crest and she the fo part of the dogs everyone zaun and piltover have been asking for. Jinx literally would not exhist without the curruption of both zaun and piltover along with piltover oppression. The people do zaun and piltover both helped create this monster and at this point it’s hard not to understand why she does things because we see how everyone shaped her into this.

[@sambell5972]

@ actually that’s an amazing way to think about it! She’s the child of the old regime, like yeah we do understand her and why she does them (due to some f**king fantastic character work), but calling her a hero implies chaos and terrorism is sound😅 and the child of Vander and Silco and their views too. Vi being the villain implies the last of Vanders deciples is evil too and no body can disrespect the big dog like that. Such an amazing series!

[@meredithwhite5790]

Yeah I view her as a tragic, sympathetic, and likable villain.

[@Crazyjay6o1]

Yeah, i feel like the analysis of this vid also ignore the corruption of Zauns leadership. My prediction is not that Vi is the villain, but rather Caitlyn. I suspect Vi and Jinx will reconcile to face Caitlyn and her growing authoritarianism (or possibly Ambessa, i suspect one will betray the other to consolidate power by the end)

[@sambell5972]

@ yeah it seems that way! I think Caitlyn will become obsessed with catching Jinx even more when she becomes a beacon of Zaun’s rebellion and Vi will see that and have to choose between protecting Jinx and helping Caitlyn. Full circle to the first season! Ambassa is honestly a fantastic sub villain, she’s gonna use Caitlyns anger, become a dictator to the underworld AND use Caitlyns guilt against her to get the hex tech. Not big on the lore but those black rose things were so so cool 🥀🥀

[@theoxymoron97]

People REALLY like to mix sympathize with justified

[@hadrianhexe9603]

They do, but in this case, it's understandable. Zaunites have been suffering for decades, so yes its justified after a certain point they will start fighting back.

[@cencent2189]

It is justified what the Zaunites are doing. If another country pumped deadly gas into your country, if they polluted your water, if they sent a militia to kill specific citizens, among many other things that Piltover does would it not be justified. Zaun is trying to live and not be killed by Piltover, which Piltover has been doing for generations.

[@aronm5329]

​@@cencent2189You just explained Israel-Palestinian in 3 sentences

[@GenerallDRK]

​@hadrianhexe9603 Sorry to burst your bubble, but killing innocents that have no involvement with the main problem isn't justified.

[@cencent2189]

@@GenerallDRK I agree, Piltover sending enforcers that gas Zaunites with toxic grey smoke while searching for Jinx is not justified.

[@terrancesellington]

This video helps because this will be my 4th attempt at watching this show. For years, i thought it was boring and confusing, but I heard good things about it

[@MothProject]

Using this logic, The Penguin is also a hero? 🤷‍♂️

[@Planag7]

He's a hero in his mind c;

[@Quandryification]

We're all the hero of our own story...but Penguin is an absolute villian. You can make a case for Jinx being an anti hero and a victim.

[@TheLanach]

Protagonist might be a better word.

[@dragb9284]

@@Quandryificationjinx is weird because she’s a direct result of piltover abuse of zaun. You literally can’t get her without that abusive and oppressive regime but at the same time she does hurricane stuff to her own people. Hell even that could be said that she’s giving the zaun the monster they themselves helped create when they abandoned Zander dream. I guess my take is jinx is a weird anti hero who is the results of the abuse and curruption of both cities she’s the monster everyone helped create and the due everyone has been calling for. For piltover and zaun the fa time has ended and the fo time has started. Fafo

[@Joe-zx7bf]

No, I think by that logic, Sofia Falcone is the hero of that story

[@AntonioSantosAlves]

No. But nice try.

[@TwinToWin101]

Enjoyed the video but I'm going to propose the idea that jinx and vi are both hero and villain adding to the theme of duality

[@mentar1048]

I think that this is one of the stupidest positions I've heard in a long time. Jinx is not "right", because she has no opinions or beliefs. How is "boom!" supposed to be right or wrong? At this time, she is still purely reactive and impulse-driven, she has got no cause beyond "we'll show them!". Vi a "villain"? Her core beliefs are still human and intact, but she is torn by unfavorable circumstances. Might this change? Not impossible, but unlikely. The point is that trying to identify "the hero" or "the villain" is nonsense in Arcane, because the point and strength of the show is to point out that all sides in this conflict have a certain degree of justification. The Hero/Villain setup postulates an objective truth as measuring stick which _does not exist_ in this show. Sorry guys. I think you don't get Arcane at all.

[@NixieiLosh]

"Here I am, your big fat *hero*!" - Jinx

[@ireidanisk]

Right, Jinx certainly doesn't consider herself a hero and she thinks is absurd that anyone else does.

[@mra4521]

10:47 Silco is the Drug Lord that Walter White and Pablo Escobar wanted to be.

[@tsevere]

I hope you don't dislocate your shoulder with all the massive reaching going on here.

[@thetinkeringman4662]

For real bro wtf is this dude on 😭😭😭😂😂😂😂 defending the joker and el chapo it’s wild

[@Planag7]

​@@thetinkeringman4662any story the main focus character is seen as the hero hell even the penguin as some other comment pointed out is a hero in his own story despite everybody hating them at the end

[@tsevere]

@@Planag7 there is a difference between a protagonist and a hero.

[@thetinkeringman4662]

@@tsevere exactly

[@gabsworldwarder84]

Great video about this. Hope you guys make more videos about Arcane as Act 2 of Season 2 is coming in a few days. In my take in this video. I don't take Jinx to consider her to be a hero nor a villain neither. But a very complex, tragic character. Which in my opinion yes you can tell she's a crazy cold murderer, an anarchist who commits terrorism or she the one that ruins everything. Although thats what we see her so far as we, the audience, see her in Season 1. And we feel sorry for Jinx because she's mentally ill and how the trauma that she received will shape her to become who she is now as she grows up and changed completely as time passed by. Jinx is the protagonist in this story alongside her sister Vi. Despite Jinx's arc of her descent into madness throughout season 1 and her and Vi are about to fight each other in Season 2 Act 1. Jinx in Arcane is like the catalyst of the show that moves the story going forward. No matter how horrible she's doing next. Although I still hoping that Vi and Jinx will finally reconcile somehow in Season 2. There is more to reveal to this story in Act 2 and next week in the final Act.

[@mr.cantplayaninstrument8402]

"If this myth is tragic, that is because its hero is concious." -Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus

[@GhostEmblem]

I think people are forgeting the heros journey is something that fits stories, not that stories are based on.

[@EsphanKamau]

What a wonderful review. Thank you Ryan, this was very insightful. I am now digesting Arcane differently now. Wth.

[@Mdougherty8054]

I think this just illustrates that depending on your perspective every hero is someone else’s villain. The best villains imo are always the ones that you can identify with or even sympathize with on some level.

[@joshuahecht6866]

Everyone is a hero of their own story. Morality is morally grey in a world that can be dark and cruel by the choices we make. Once you made some of the most life changing choices, there’s no going back. Because some transformations are permanent. Anyone can be bigger only if they can be.

[@rockchinainbox]

finally some arcane content! but that was not what I had in mind... I understand people liking jinx but how far can you go do defend her? To the point of villainizing vi and defending silco...

[@vikkidonn]

Vi became a villian when she put on that badge and helped has her own people 🤷🏾🤷🏾 people are having….. strange discussions about how Cait is justified and doing what’s best…. But jinx was wrong…. People are getting wild. If someone has to be a hero between vi/cait and jinx I’m team baby blue

[@Reelglad]

​@@vikkidonn Right!? It's like the real world right now, WTF is wrong these people?

[@vikkidonn]

@@Reelglad it’s telling isn’t it??? And it’s the same people cheering on the penguin and we’re shocked by him being ….. a villian…… and we’re hating on Sofia for trying to take him down it’s just clown world right now.

[@JansenGlasc]

Honestly, pretty good perspective, I like it. Still, I don't think we can blame Vi for acting as she did. She was trying to protect her little sister as any of us would have too (especially in a city like Zaun). With that being said, I think her true mistake was trying to force Jinx into becoming Powder again. Why just those 2 options? Vi's stubbornness led Jinx to also be stubborn and not contemplating more "identity" options. Also, Jinx could've felt validated if Vi just said she understood her, and that her actions were always with good intentions.

[@hadrianhexe9603]

I have to agree, Vi is a villian, atleast in Jinx's character arc. No, shes not malicious but her (like fans) dont realize what Jinx is. They think its a mask, they think its something that can just be stripped away. No, Jinx is Powder, its the result of growing up in a shit situation and experiencing very very dark things, that's not something you can get rid of. If Vi truly wanted to help her sister, she needed to ACCEPT her and only then try to guide her, try to help her so she'd learn how to control her more distructive tendencies.

[@danielguinea2971]

Powder used to bring misfortune while acting with good intentions, Jinx maybe brings fortune to Zaun while acting without any agenda except for random revenge. Jinx has brought misfortune and misery for many Zaunites (directly or indirectly) but also she's maybe their key to freedom. She feels guilt but it doesn't drive her to become better or correct her mistakes, rather she punishes herself and lets go the little good inside of her. If she's in the heros path, she needs to start redeeming (forgiving) herself because she has the power but not the heart or the will

[@danishfauna3398]

Hmmm... I'm not really happy with the thought of calling a murderer a hero, but this is beautiful art and story-telling so what the hell *shrugs*

[@ReticulatedJig]

The fact that you label either of them as heroes and villains tells me hou missed the point completely

[@daz97]

I agree that John nx isn't evil But st this point Vi isn't bad Mistakes could lead to bad but i don't think we have enough episodes left lol

[@itstessen]

Jinx is a really unique character in my opinion, they made this really unhinged character who’s struggling with her sanity and tragic background, all whilst dealing with a really oppressive system. Most comics, books, or shows would have characters like this commit more terrorist acts and make them a clear 'bad guy.' Somehow, as unhinged as Jinx is, she never really steps out of line. She never (rarely? correct me if I'm wrong) targets or kills innocent Piltover civilians or their infrastructure. she always targets the system (the Council and Piltover Enforcers). A lot of people argue that she loves chaos so she's clear terrorist. It's true that she loves chaos and has no issue with killing but it's rare for such a chaotic character to not cross the line and yet she hasn't. The only reason Piltover ever brought up a deal with Silco was because they saw Jinx as an equal threat that was balancing the playing field and wanted her gone immediately. Nothing would have stopped them to carry on with their oppressive system after removing who they feared the most (Plus shimmer they also wanted also shimmer gone)

[@philipdaviddavies9478]

Jinx is portrayed as a monster… confirmed by Christian and Alex… how tf is vi a villain? Cuz she became a cop? I’ll finish the video but I got to the we used to watch videos of cowboys and Indians and was dated out… I’m in my mid 30s and we didn’t watch that shit in the 90s so maybe this guy is just way older than me lol

[@theindexfinger3434]

Jinx has a tragic story, she is a product of how they've been treating her since she was a child.

[@DankBlitzwing]

With how complicated the series is (which I love), I'd say that, given the morally dubious actions every major character partakes in, there no heroes, or villains for that matter.

[@weweweLit]

nah bro victor is Jesus end of story

[@MadeInHeavenCIK]

Thats a grave misunderstanding of Paradise Lost.

[@TheatricsOfTheAbsurd]

Team Vi ain't gonna like this video. Been telling them Vander called her out on her leadership but Noooooooo😂😂😂. I still love you Arcane Fans.

[@joshuahenderson3444]

I would say both Jinx and Anakin Skywalker are tragic heroes and turned villains of their own story

[@ZeroGravityTKS]

I LOVE how yall are covering arcane

[@latishabuckner8231]

I'd say Ekko is the only hero of the show. He is actively helping people without hurting anyone. Vi raiding the undercity while weaponizing the Grey on the people, took her off the hero list in my book.

[@manuelosorio301]

I am a Mexican and I have to say, the story of Zaun and Piltover sounded just like the USA and Mexico tbh

[@karolinask_cz]

Riot Games Lore Universes The main universe Arcane, Legends of Runeterra, Riot Forge League of Legends Universe Site_Full Canon skins. Secondary are Non-Canon lore alternative skins such as: Project, Star Guardians,... [Ps KDA, Heartsteel, True Damage, Pentakill are in the same music bands Universe] Completely out of space is VALORANT.

[@justinrodriguez5957]

Kind of sounds like we're confusing protagonist with hero. One can be a protagonist without being a hero.

[@mra4521]

Vi in Season 2, Episode 3: “Hans, are we the baddies?” (But like it’s dramatic instead of comedic.)

[@shamanahaboolist]

I think you're conflating hero with protagonist. Heroes save other people and sacrifice for others. Jinx isnt a heroine.

[@KyleSorenson1234]

How many more seasons will there be

[@GoldTurds]

0. This is the final season.

[@jhinwick5251]

0 for this series for this studio till another animation studio takes over

[@KyleSorenson1234]

@@jhinwick5251 that’s dumb. I mean this is like one of the best shows out there. Do u mean that there could be a potential third season if a new company makes one?

[@jhinwick5251]

@KyleSorenson1234 It's the last season that studio Fortiche is doing

[@timothylangston3560]

It is sinful the way you Ignore the show FROM.

[@haiyadoin2622]

Not buying it. Good video, but no.

[@shyzunk]

protagonist, not a hero.

[@jonk3714]

Damn Jinx is literally Divergent 💀 everybody else in color factions but she’s all of them

[@tomhearty4035]

I think in war theyre are no heroes and villians, only victimsand thats what arcane shows. Power corrupts and vander beong a collaborator is him beong a villain to his own people to avoid his people becoming victims, he understands power corrupts and tells Vi to keep her good heart to avoid it happening to her. Many wars have been fought for love but war is still war and the cause never justifies the means. Peace to all of you ❤️

[@Planag7]

Very fun. Honestly with some of the beginning set up a kind of reminded me of a certain scene in Heretic c;

[@carlosdelgado8970]

Yea!!!! She is my PERFECTLY imperfect misunderstood hero

[@0BSCUREE]

everythings caitlyns fault tho, she's the real problem here not vi herself

[@rockchinainbox]

vi didn't reject jinx because of change but because jinx killed her friends

[@Huevos007]

We need a Necrit cameo

[@timothylangston3560]

Donald Sutherland asking his class if Milton was asking if being bad was more fun than being good in the film Animal House is all i know about Paradise Lost. Man. Stork was right.

[@shannarong3475]

yep a person who has lost both father and best friends, has been imprisoned for almost ten years despite being innocent, yet still tries to be a good no matter how cruel the world is to her, is the villain. Meanwhile, the mentally ill person who works for a drug lord and has killed many people is the Real hero. MAKE SENSES

[@Jaddort]

He is using “hero” and “villain” here in the context of story writing. You could use protagonist and antagonist, baby face and heel, etc. to describe the way the characters are written. If you use hero and villain it’s more inflammatory and gets clicks so I imagine that’s why those terms were used. But this is the beauty of great writing.. any two people could interpret the story two different ways and who’s to say who is right or wrong? There is ambiguity there. Just like there is good and evil in all of us.

[@banano-bread9864]

@shannarong3475 idk, watering down the MENTALLY ILL PERSON, who has been RAISED by said druglord who BROUGHT OUT THE WORST in her since her VERY EARLY CHILDHOOD, to a straight up villain isn't right either. she's lost her mind and it's not like it's completely of her own accord. and you say "a person who has lost both father and best friends" as if that isn't what happened to jinx as well. that's the main reason she started to lose her mind in the first place. yeah, it was her fault, but she saw them in a dire situation, she was afraid for them and afraid of losing them, and she was only trying to help them. there is no true hero and there is no true villain, either

[@Jaddort]

@banano-bread9864 I think you’re getting mixed up between the literal “good vs bad” debate and what I’m referring to which is the art of storytelling. Nobody is sitting here saying Jinx is a “good guy.” But in the art of storytelling, one could argue that Jinx is being written as the “hero” of this story. One could also argue the inverse, obviously. But that’s part of why this particular story is so compelling. It’s a true Shakespearean tragedy and a masterpiece.

[@banano-bread9864]

@@Jaddort oh huh, I was replying to the original comment. idk why it didn't @ them but I'll see if I can fix that. I totally agree with you. I think you may have misunderstood what I was saying, which was that the original commenter seemed to want to water down Jinx's character to the villain, yet it's so much more nuanced and complex than that, as it is with pretty much every character, hence why I said there is "no true hero" and "no true villain" either

[@Jaddort]

@ ima be honest, I thought you were op 🤣

[@gerosky77]

I don't know if she is the hero! But I do know this series is baaaadddd assssss!

[@kitcoakley1357]

I'm not going to lie, I really wanted to see Caitlin's head on that platter.

[@jer103]

Jinx is more of an Anti-hero. She does bad things for the greater good.

[@mra4521]

14:44 sucks that Vi had to parent a 7 year old when she was 14. This is why ultimately Piltover created Jinx, specifically everyone on the Piltover Council.

[@mx9226]

Jinx is a hero to Zaun. Vi will be a hero to Piltover. They will be each other’s villain. Edit: Eh no. Even though I love Silco’s character, he is definitely a villain. And Vi never meant to abandon Powder. She walked away to cool off and was then locked away.

[@pango8808]

I agree with you, and Jinx and Vi are not even the "center of the world" in this second season, they are villains to each others but not that important without all the other people of Zaun or Piltover

[@DeloFFF]

I disagree . Zaun doesn’t see Jinx as a hero. They think she is unhinged and crazy . It’s a bounty on her head anyways .. no one likes Jinx . That what makes her ptsd and trauma worse . She is far from a hero .. Vi isn’t a hero either … we could say not yet but her motives aren’t hero based

[@mx9226]

@@DeloFFF Trailers and previews say otherwise

[@DeloFFF]

@@mx9226 I don’t go off those . They don’t add context like actually WATCHING the show .

[@DeloFFF]

@@mx9226 but I have watched the trailers and you may have to elaborate because I don’t see what you seen

[@thecerealkiller5326]

Jinx is a tragic protagonist who is 100% and anti-hero as shown in the first act of S2. Most of what she does is to make a point or out of spite. She does evil things, yes. But it’s not seen like this by Zaun because the world she lives in is worse than she is. It’s the whole “necessary evil” concept.

[@mra4521]

4:28 I love this metaphor. I was either or going to compare Piltover to a country in the Middle East. This was the better choice.

[@DracosDiabolis]

this theory has the same flavoring of the Batman vs Joker (Dark Knight) theory what Batman Batman fights crime but there is relitively no change. when Joker sweeps in and cleans the city up basiilly overnight. or the joke of "the differance between being a kid or being a adult, is when your a child, Batman makes since. dress up in pajamas, out all night fighting crime. clear cut good guys n bad guys." when you realize your a adult is when Joker makes more since than Batman." Vi would be Batman, and Jinx would be Joker

[@PRATZP28]

I used to cheer of penguin on penguin show 😔 so I know what you are saying I understand!

[@grandmyotismon]

Lol no 😂😂😂 what an absolute stretch. 😂😂😂

[@bekzodabdusalomov1718]

Woe to those who call evil "good", good "evil", darkness "light", and light "darkness".

[@qwert46651]

The title really missed in Season 1. And should have been posted after the first season ended.

[@jorshhh]

You got protagonists and antagonist confused with hero and villain

[@GringoEtEva]

i wonder whats the perspective that youre basing your opinion on, is it justice as it is? is it the population in general? id really like to know

[@MomoDh-e9w]

Viktor is the true change and ekko is the real hero for his people

[@Ove08]

Jynx and Vi will probably team up again

[@M1gs]

You don’t need to reach this hard for views my man. We still gonna watch your content. This is just too much.

[@LadyDnMiller]

Ekko is the real hero 😅😂. We understand Jinx but her method causes more violence. She is a "villan" but not out of evil but what the world made her to be. For what is shown on season two she is going through her heros journey now. We love Jinx, but shouldn't agree with her...doesn’t mean I'm not rooting for her. But I think people are missing that Ekko is the hero.