The Psychology of Arcane: Ekko vs Jinx (Bridge Fight) - Therapist Reacts!

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Psychotherapist Georgia Dow discusses the interaction of Ekko and Jinx during the bridge fight in Arcane!
#Arcane #Ekko #Jinx #LeagueOfLegends
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[@GeorgiaDow]

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[@Farlyn_]

Yo a lot of this is about me

[@blacBroly2]

Another thing that made this fight sad was how we know Ekko already tried to mourn the loss of Powder. You can see that he already had her face on the mural that was made for the dead, trying to resolve himself to taking out Jinx if he had the chance. But in the end it wasn’t enough to convince himself. Same with Jinx. Remember when Vi noticed there were more fire lights then there usually were outside of Ekkos hideout? She knew where Ekko was and that he had the gem. She could have used her fire light bombs to attack him at his base and get rid of the fire lights (which may have been her original plan). But she didn’t attack him directly with them

[@liabstract1403]

ok now do the GIRLFRIENDS: Vi and Caitlyn ❤️❤️❤️

[@uncannytheos2454]

Omg im looking forward to you doing one of zamasu from dragon ball super. I've seen my far share of mentally broken characters but that one needs to have a serious session with you one day.

[@sanad2267]

it would be really interesting if you could analyze relationships from the witcher netflix series especially yenefer and geralts relationship

[@anabelloc98]

The fact a psychologist can analyze faces and movements in arcane’s animations as if they were real people.

[@dizzyheads]

That's just how high quality this production is

[@mischr13]

Honestly, it's one of the only animations I've ever seen that uses non-verbal communication like real people. There are several instances where the character just makes a face instead of a one-liner and it's SO much more accurate to how people act it has changed the bar (in my mind) how animation SHOULD be.

[@chipstarshine8150]

@@mischr13 that was explicitly something the developers worked hard on was making the faces much more accurately expressive and the detail in the quality shows.

[@grandsome1]

If you can't make faces that are easy to read you failed your animation career. It's one of the first thing they teach you in animation school make easy to read body language, stances and faces. It's all about amplifying what's real, that's why so many mêmes come out of animation and comics because not only you can blank Slate into the 2d character but also the 2d character has the most pure expression onto them. I'm not saying this to shit on Fortiche's work, their thing is truly next level, but the facial animations being easy to read is not what makes it so.

[@chipstarshine8150]

@@grandsome1 well it’s the micro expressions specifically what I mean, other animations may have general expressions but they specifically include micro expressions which say a lot even though no words are spoken. That’s what other animators/developers are currently fawning over

[@DrewTeter]

I don't think that grenade pin was a "I'm going to take you down with me." If that's what she wanted she could have attached the grenade to Ekko's clothing with the jaws. Instead she smiles in a solemn way, shows him the grenade, and then lets it roll to the ground, giving Ekko enough time to get away. That was a "You win" and a "Goodbye"

[@jaylenetea9421]

WOW I was thinking about this too, because if I were jinx, I would’ve clipped it on his shirt and pushed him off of me. Obviously she didn’t, and notably her face looked almost bittersweet, like if she died at least he would remember her as Powder.

[@GeorgiaDow]

nicely said

[@judofry]

If you listen closely you hear a “dink!” Noise that Ekko’s club makes when it hits something, he knocked the grenade away so Jinx wouldn’t be killed (or himself)

[@dragonlady3779]

she gave up. that was the last straw. once she pulled the pin. powder died on that bridge that day.

[@DrewTeter]

@@dragonlady3779 I disagree. "Jinx" doesn't give up. "Jinx" would have taken Ekko with her. Giving up shows that she's still in pain. It proves that Powder's still in there somewhere. Powder doesn't truly die until she kills Silco.

[@artstudent1255]

You know they did this show right when a therapist can make 3 videos involving one character, and there is still room for another one about her! There were great points brought up in this one about Jinx and Ekko. Them facing off was one of the more powerful moments of the show, not because of the action, but because of their face expressions saying so much more than the fighting itself ever could. Would it be possible to discuss the potential dissociative issues that Jinx seems to have in a later video?

[@wtimmins]

While episode 3 is obvious a heart scorcher, this is the second most ... hard-hitting moment in the show. The life they should have had. The childhood taken from them.

[@jansonshrock2859]

when Jinx turns the switch on her pistol, I can't tell if she is just switching off some kind of safety, or switching her pistol to non-lethal

[@xl3251]

Before Arcane we had some hints of their relationship from their interactions in games. Whenever he meets Jinx he says that he used to have a crush, until she went bananas but this is outdated. The new two lines were added this year : "Man., i miss u so much" and "Powder! I.. Nevermind." it so heartbreaking damn

[@nope__331]

EXACTLY. They were childhood friends and he used to have a crush on her and now that she’s changed he was so disappointed and lost all the hope. That’s why he told Vi that powder was never coming back and it’s just jinx. Because he was disappointed and sad, and he didn’t wanna accept the fact that Jinx was working for silco by her own choice. Gosh and when he looked at her like that, when he pinned her to the ground he remembered of powder and all their memories and all of the feelings he had for her. Damn I swear they would be the perfect couple..

[@dinneyney4043]

“Until she went bananas “

[@knightowl2165]

@@dinneyney4043 the voice line is i use to have a crush until you started talking to the guns

[@somebodyto2]

i hope you'll make a video about the finale sequence in the season finale, explaining what kind of mental issue Jinx developed and if she got it already since she was a child or got it from all the traumas. ps: you're amazing!

[@techno0suck3r]

she explained it in her vi&jinx video no?

[@emppa3138]

@@techno0suck3r no shes going to do part 2 where she will focus on voices and her mental state.

[@brunoverasferreira6263]

It's art. I think it's a representation of mental illness and not accurate enough for her to give a diagnosis.

[@AleximvTV]

I hope too.

[@AmericanIlluminati]

The season finale really just cemented her issues. Before she had a torn personality, "Am I Jinx, or Powder?" After the finale she accepted the trauma(negatively) & actually became more stable.

[@cosmicklutz1675]

When jinx pulled the pin on the bomb I took it as her deciding in that moment that it was okay to just die right here like this. She’s been plagued with doubt her whole life and feels abandoned, but having ekko take her back to her childhood like that gave her something she hadn’t felt in years, just the pure, innocent fun of them playing as kids. The knowing smile she gave Ekko as well tells me that she’s saying "sorry for what I became, I wish we could go back but I’ve killed so many people you care about, I’ll just end it here, come with me if you want."

[@JimTheSane]

"Oh, look who it is! The Boy Saviour!" Said with such venom and bitterness, and I wonder how much she's saying, and how much she might be unaware of saying, "You never tried to save me."

[@GeorgiaDow]

damn good one ! yes

[@mkmc94]

I don't think she meant that way, she probably mock him because he try to save undercity people from Silco and her. It more like "look the guy who think he's a hero !"

[@ry.0]

I think she said it with envy, not as if she was admonishing him not to save her (although it could be both). "Look, the savior, that I never became"

[@ry.0]

"I always had the best intentions but I made everything worse. i'm a jinx" recurring thoughts, trauma and guilt.

[@The_Story_Of_Us]

I think an important bit of context for Ekko in this moment is that prior to this, Ekko insisted repeatedly to Vi that Powder is gone, it’s just Jinx now, this evil person he doesn’t know anymore who just works for Silco because she wants to, she’s just bad now, that’s all there is. He’s hostile towards Vi when he meets her again, assaulting and kidnapping her, not trusting her, even asking whether she works for Silco, the man who murdered her father. Ekko sees the world in such a black and white way now because it helps him rationalize everything he’s suffered and lost, these are the bad guys, it’s me and the Firelights vs the world. On that bridge though, he’s having to confront the truth that Powder isn’t gone at all, it’s the same person and she’s hurting inside in a way he probably can’t even understand, but he can see the pain. I think beyond all his repressed feelings coming back to him is this sense of guilt not just over what he just did to his childhood friend, but also guilt that all this time he thought of her as a monster, like what kind of friend would do that? His whole world has been shaken to its core by just looking at her. Ekko talks about how he’s changed, but now he’s had to grow up, to see the world as the complicated, heartbreaking mess that it is. It’s fitting that the next time we see him, he meets Heimerdinger, a famous topsider, people he yesterday thought were the enemy, and he empathizes with Heimerdinger, he takes him back to his Haven and the two start forming a friendship over their shared interest in tinkering. Like Vi because her experience with Caitlyn, his fight with Jinx on the bridge opens his eyes to the world as his prejudices are challenged. It’s wonderful to see.

[@user-pt7lh7jg7p]

Claims to take care of the children. But he takes advantage of the children to satisfy his own needs to avenge Silco. Just claiming morals but using children to fight and kill violence.... They are no different from those who use children as soldiers.

[@The_Story_Of_Us]

@@user-pt7lh7jg7p ”Zugo”?

[@user-pt7lh7jg7p]

@@The_Story_Of_Us Sorry ..Wrong 😁😁

[@The_Story_Of_Us]

@@user-pt7lh7jg7p what? Ekko is using children? How?

[@HighPhoenix1754]

@@user-pt7lh7jg7p gonna ignore all the evidence we have to the contrary? Even during the fight scenes with the fireflies we see Ekko looking out for his allies and even fly into a rage when one of them is killed. But sure. Let's paint the morally neutral person at worst, to be more villainous than he already is.

[@BrokenDarkFire]

Your argument of why Jinx’s expression is real makes so much sense! She’s horrible at hiding her feelings, she always breaks out into laughter or raises her voice. She can’t hide anything. And I think Jinx would probably rather die in an explosion, trying to take down an enemy that it hurts her to defeat, than live with the feeling that he beat her. That she was helpless again. That if she’s survived, it would’ve been because of his mercy and pity.

[@watercolortshirt7261]

Horrible at hiding expressions like when she interogates Sevika? I dont think so. Also she said it herself that Jinx is bad at it

[@GeorgiaDow]

Thanks I agree and yes she is good at anger but I think that is her actual feelings towards Sevika. Can we have some Sevika love also she is pretty awesome as a character also

[@LCaaroe]

@@watercolortshirt7261 She wasn't very affected when she was interrogating Sevika. She was also in full control of the situation. I think the point was that when she is emotional, she can't hide her feelings.

[@Haymee]

@@LCaaroe exactly. She didn't like the situation but at that moment Jinx had the control, felt powerful. So that's why she wasn't reacting she usually does when she's having mental breakdown.

[@nostalgicbliss5547]

Completely wrong. She literally gave a farewell smile. I don't think Jinx was making that decision based on ego. She is tired and ready to end it. Vi coming back and then abandoning her again (from her perspective) was the straw that broke the camel's back.

[@jasonco2]

In my mind, Jinx's smile at the end there is sort of a non-verbal "well played". He beat her, fair and square. It's unclear if he ever had before. I think she was almost proud of him, as the Enemy music video and episode 1 shows he wasn't exactly a good fighter. No matter her feelings though, for Jinx, if she's going to get taken out then she's going to go out with a bang! Another interesting thing that Arcane doesn't touch on directly but also doesn't fully dispute is that in official League lore Ekko had a crush on Jinx 'until she started talking to the guns'. Obviously she hasn't started talking to her guns yet in Arcane and Ekko doesn't seem to be harboring too much of a crush. However it is possible that his feelings for her are still canon. It might even explain his insistence that Powder is "dead". It's much easier to just pretend she's a different person now than to confront who she has become. He can kill Jinx, but Powder? Not so much... In the League card game when both Ekko and Jinx are on the board he'll say things like "Man... I miss you so much." or "Powder, I... nevermind." Which only seems to fuel the idea that he both cares and struggles to move on.

[@Manaphy0882]

The simple fact that she agreed to do the game thing tho. I wonder if Ekko did it on purpose so he could gain the advantage or was it more like "let's do it one last time" or something

[@jasonco2]

@@Manaphy0882 I think Georgia nails the reason, it provides a familiar and nostalgic mental framework for Ekko to have this otherwise tragic and traumatic experience through. He can't know he has an advantage, if he can learn so can Jinx. The alternative is that they just brutally go at it in a no-holds barred, violent grudge-match; which isn't something I think he wanted. So he challenged her to an old familiar game. One last hurrah between old friends. There is a degree of escapism to it that I think Ekko needed. At least that's my take. I think both the games and Arcane make it clear he still cares for her, even if he can't bring himself to accept who she is now.

[@Manaphy0882]

@@jasonco2 yeah, maybe. But it also gave him the advantage as he knew Jinx's pattern in the game

[@jasonco2]

@@Manaphy0882 Agreed! Or so he hoped at least. In theory Jinx could have used the same trick to just hit him in the chest first shot. Luckily, she didn't! Who knows? Maybe she didn't want to hurt him either! Thematically though, I do believe the scene is designed to function as an introduction to Ekko's mental skillset ie. his memory and ability to replay events in his mind to improve his performance. This obviously becomes important later in life when he designs the z-drive. So I suspect the scene is more intended to show off Ekko than Jinx, but we may never know! haha.

[@Ashemore]

She does actually talk to her gun in Arcane, or at least it appears that way. In the scene where Vi finds her again and she says "Sister, thought I missed her, but I bet you wouldn't miss her." and looks down and spools up the weapon like she's about to fire- she's talking to her chaingun. Albeit I feel like that's the only instance I can think of.

[@bulletproofwhale5869]

I've always loved this fight for a couple reasons. The first couple ae what you pointed out about Jinx and Ekko's connection. I've always seen this fight as Jinx's suicide attempt. Because she'd rather go out having fun with her *best freind*, rather than be as damaged as she is. That look when Ekko has her pinned, the smile, and the grenade... it all screams: "Thank you for giving me something fun. Thank you for not being like her."

[@jaylenetea9421]

Oh god that made me sob, I thought that way too! It seems like if she died there, at least she would be seen as Powder instead of Jinx to Ekko. Even for herself too, that she felt happiness and fun like back when they were younger.

[@bulletproofwhale5869]

@@jaylenetea9421 Exactly. When we heard that little "no," I broke. Ekko is the only one who never betrayed her. All because he never threw the final punch. If there's anyone who can get through to her now, it's gotta be Ekko. Vi is too tainted in Powder's mind.

[@mkmc94]

@@bulletproofwhale5869 No. She would never try to kill Vi but she didn't hesitated with Ekko only Vi can reach her.

[@bulletproofwhale5869]

@@mkmc94 True... But I still think Ekko and Jinx's connection will play a big role in her redemption.

[@mkmc94]

@@bulletproofwhale5869 there will be no redemption i think.

[@blubala5893]

In the enemy music video are a lot of scenes where we see them play together. Im still mad they didnt include any of those scenes in the first act (probably cause there wasnt enough room). The scenes where they played and hung out together would have been to key to set up the tragedy of this fight between them

[@ElPeTryNeRiol]

Enemy ocurre antes de final de opening de Arcane ep.1

[@maem7462]

I do agree. While I understand they likely didn’t have enough time for them play fighting as kids in the first act I think it would have helps there be more emotions to the scene. I also would have liked if they developed Ekko a bit more in the first act especially his friendship with the whole crew

[@blubala5893]

@@maem7462 true just a bit more chill scenes where we get to know characters, know what kind of relationships theyve built, etc.

[@julio1148]

The pace of the show was crafted to such perfection (in my opinion) that I'm sure they tried an edit like that and it didn't work

[@wtimmins]

Yeah, that video adds a LOT of context.

[@troikas3353]

Ive been thinking there’s also another component; Silco has effectively isolated Jinx from any even superficially positive bonds other than with him. He’s the only source of any affection or approval she can get and she’s deeply invested in those things. She fundamentally needs them just to function. She can’t let herself, in her own mind, be seen as weak or a disappointment by him. He needs the gemstone and to get it she has to kill Ekko here. So she will even though you can see in her eyes she remembers their friendship as much as he does. In the last moments though I feel like she saw an out. She can die fighting, something she feels Silco would accept, and can finally just make all the pain and fatigue end. She’s portrayed throughout the show like she never has a moments peace. the critical voices in her head are always there and tearing her down. Feeding her own doubts and paranoias in an endless cycle of internal self harm. But in this moment there’s an opening for her to do what Silco needs her to do and finally quiet those voices. A chance for her to rest.

[@spookypilgrim]

the misery

[@HappyAspid]

Exactly my thought. An "easy" way out.

[@rociopaoloni5080]

Yes this is very accurate and takes into account both Jinx relationship with Silco and Powder's memories of other relationships. Both are meaningful but opposites that are constantly clashing, something we see when she finds out Vi is alive and in Zaun looking for her and gets angry at Silco seeking explanations to why he didn't ever told her (nor that he knew either but she fears being betrayed by him). At the end she rejected everyone to be jinx, a lose bullet.

[@lyssao.8308]

even if it wasn't malicious, and it was his natural reaction, that is true.

[@FreeTheRats_]

I don't think Silco isolated her, because Ekko (in canon lore, where Silco doesn't exist yet) just, accepted that she's crazy and that there's no point in trying to change that.

[@BlizzardofKnives]

In Arcane we repeatedly see characters find something that breaks their otherwise unshakable resolve. Silco wanted independence for the Undercity but couldn’t turn over Jinx. Vi wanted Powder back but couldn’t kill Caitlyn. Ekko kept insisting Powder was gone, but then he saw her face.

[@dizzyheads]

There's also the fact that Vi also thought Jinx would be a Jinx like cut off Caitlyn's head and instances where she believed she would have done things Powder wouldn't do Despite denying to Ekko that Powder has changed

[@anisaaga4704]

....now i'm a believer🎶(im so sorry i saw the opportunity and couldn't resist😭)

[@alexdavis-mann8513]

its ironic that Silco in the end turned out to be Vander , unable to give up the girls to the upper city.

[@hielyr]

Jinx was also ready to give up on her "Powder" side but when she locked eyes with Ekko, just wanted to die as Powder.

[@totalfree8740]

​@@hielyrBut Jinx Lived till the end

[@danomau]

When ever I see that clip of the Ekko vs Jinx fight, it always seems to me that Jinx has a clear killer shot on Ekko right before he strikes her. and that she hesitates, deep down she doesn't want to kill Ekko. She just wants it to be over, the pain to end and if Ekko can't finish her, she decides to end it herself. She let's Ekko know what she is doing with the bomb, which allows him to get away, she does nothing to stop him from getting away. She just wants the pain to end, not Ekko's death.

[@missa4112]

Yes, i saw in jinx abilities is that she's also a master of escape then she could have escaped when ekko pinned but she didn't 😭

[@xxxxxxcx156]

I dont think so, I think Ekko tricked her into playing that game bc he knew what was her pathern of shooting

[@missa4112]

@@xxxxxxcx156 well you're right too. Ekko's a genius of course he could remember specially since all jinx stanced and shots were practically the same as they were kids so he just made a new move to counter it. Kinda cool but it was heartbreaking at the same time 😭😔.

[@Flatrid]

@@xxxxxxcx156 It is seen in combat when they are children that Powder shoots 4 times. In reality only 3. The last shot with which she hits him in the memory, in real time she does not fire.

[@ssj4jw]

@@Flatrid you hear the fourth shot when the scene shows her surprise when he jumps in the air. She's not deliberately avoiding shooting him.

[@ObliqueReference]

I have a theory that Ekko and Jinx have interacted much more in the 7 year time skip than we're seeing. The way Ekko talks about Powder being lost, the bitterness in Jinx's voice-- I suspect they have has many other interactions that we haven't seen, and not all of them bad.

[@deaghaidh7807]

I'm late to the game on this, but I agree. During the time skip between acts one and two, Ekko has been playing out his own superhero story of sorts, complete with secret hideout, a big bad who killed his mentor, animal themed mask, and in Jinx he has a nemesis who used to be a friend. Firelights have been fighting Silco for a while, and they recognize her style of graffiti on sight. They know to be scared when they see it, and we see a few of them get taken out by Jinx herself. No way this is Ekko and Jinx's first time. Her delivery of the "boy savior" line drips with contempt and rage. "Couldn't you just stay out of this? This isn't about you. But you always have to swoop in and be the hero, dont you?" It's not just on the bridge either, the Firelights wrecked her long awaited reunion with Vi and took her away! Ekko keeps getting up in her business, and she is just done with it. I think that this is probably the first time Ekko thought to do the 'game.' Jinx is surprised and despite how hurt and angry she is she has to laugh. She's into it. Why not play it like the old days? She plays right into his hands. As a result this might be the first time he's got her totally beaten and at his mercy. In that moment he's got a chance to kill Jinx, the monster who's killed friends of his and helps the big bad flood his community with drugs. But it really hits him he'd also have to do that to Powder, his childhood friend. Classic heroic dilemma. Kill her and live with that, or don't and be responsible for all the people she hurts from then on. Jinx sees it. The way she smiles isn't smug. She's touched. And since she's lost everything anyway, she decides to solve the problem for him. The bombs got a timer, Ekko gets a chance to escape (that's why he's just limping while she's nearly dead). It's my read on it. It's 99% non-verbal, and depends a lot on the realization that Ekko is a pretty perfect example of Hero of Another Story. Hell, Ekko's story could have made a beloved long running animated series. Even has a wholesome anti drug theme that's more than a psa tacked on the end!

[@gilbertdiaz8930]

I can't remember where I saw it but I believe a Rioter confirmed that in the series, Jinx isn't afraid to die. She would have been fine had she been killed but that sadness in her eyes comes from the thought of her being hurt and killed by her childhood friend. That would have hurt her more than any death she'd experience.

[@Creaform003]

One thing here is the reflection of Silco and Vander. When Silco was drowning he found peace, in that moment he took Vanders knife to stab him. In this moment, Jynx is pinned by her friend, in that moment of peace she reaches for a weapon with a calm clarity.

[@michalovesanime]

Damn you are sharp!!

[@padawan7756]

I don't think that's right. If Jinx wanted to kill Ekko, she would attach a grenade to him.

[@artfaist]

Not the same she didn’t want to kill him she wanted to end herself

[@aurweon]

@@padawan7756 give her time. Silco stabbed Vander with the knife years later.

[@kykis9]

The difference here is that Ekko hesitates. He stops fighting. Their struggle ends there; no need for finding calm when Ekko provides it himself. The opportunity provides Jinx any number of options even speaking to Ekko to further influence his retreat. Instead, she smiles at him b4 giving him a chance to avoid death. I think there's an actual parallel with their childhood game here as the loser (Ekko in the flashback) dies. It's like she sees it as a fitting way to end her life; being bested by her childhood friend and as punishment for what she's become. The boy savior wins but as a gesture in remembrance of what they shared as kids, Powder wants to remove him from having to kill a friend - an act that haunts her every waking moment.

[@HK-gm8pe]

I love how empathetic you are with every character you talk about and you really help people to understand what is going on in their heads , so people can be less judgemental , keep up the good work :) Love your videos :)

[@siiri4564]

this is exactly what I wanted to say

[@The.Doctor2]

empathy is a treat that we all should learn

[@gmailhmmm2850]

@@The.Doctor2 exactly.

[@Mediados]

People have forgotten to emphazise even with the worst of people. We have to understand everyone, especially our enemies.

[@MerlinTheCommenter]

Since it’s fiction, I don’t think judgemental argument applies here since it’s been proven that people treat fictional characters and real people with the same conditions quite differently. For example: a despicable character in a book who abuses children might gain more sympathy as we learn their own tragic backstory vs an actual convicted felon who was charged with abusing children whose backstory is then revealed in court. It’s just not the same.

[@unclebobboomergames]

In her suicide attempt at the end...I dont even think Jinx intended to live past this fight. Just the look she gave ekko at the end. Also I'd love you to check out bojack horseman. The things someone of your caliber could dissect from the show seems endless. And im not even halfway through it myself.

[@Merlincat007]

Seconded on Bojack Horseman!

[@padawan7756]

Jinx wanted to blow up only herself. We saw the explosion from a distance. Ekko was very close to Jinx at the moment of the explosion. After the explosion, he injured his leg. At the same time, Jinx was on the verge of death. So, before the explosion, Ekko had enough time to escape. Maybe he jumped into the river from a bridge.

[@dylans3833]

There's a clank sound right before the explosion, it seems likely that Ekko batted the bomb away from himself with his club, causing him to avoid the brunt of the explosion

[@padawan7756]

@@dylans3833 Jinx would not have been hurt if Ekko had thrown the bomb.

[@dylans3833]

@@padawan7756 Depends on where it ended up

[@elijahjames8178]

There's no way you take a blast that close and get to keep all you limbs. Ekko knocked it away from her. If you listen closely you can hear something getting hit by Ekko's pipe before the grenade goes off. The shockwave must have knocked him over the bridge, I don't think he would just leave Powder/Jinx injured and bleeding to death.

[@momsspaghetti9970]

@@padawan7756 Seeing how powerful her grenades are now its fair to say the grenade was far enough after Ekko batted it to critically injure Jinx and not kill her. If she was that close that explosion she probably would be human paste and not when Silco found her.

[@kindalikeyuh1388]

I think the important part of their fight is the look they give eachother at the end, there are so many unspoken words within this glance and also very subtle facial expressions. As if they were saying their last, very heartbreaking, goodbye. As if jinx was saying "this is it, this is who i have become, i'm sorry, we can never come back to what we had, although i wish none of this ever happened" and ekko just accepts the reality but he can not comprehend just why it all had to end this way

[@LittleSprout73]

One of the things that stuck out to me in that scene is jinx "Well look who it is, the boy savior". Her tone sounded like there was some spite? a very angry grudge? And I think that maybe Jinx felt like Ekko gave up on her as soon as she started working with Silco, that the "boy savior" never tried to save her, at least that how she sees it.

[@victorortiz8536]

He was too busy saving all tbe chindren from silco, he knows he anandonded power in hidms way but he had a good readon and they both know it. That is heartbreaking

[@ArturVeralius]

I also felt that she on some level treated it as a full game and was surprised when it wasn't anymore. But most of all, knowing abandonment, I felt that one reason she tried to kill them both is if he died with her he couldn't leave her in some twisted way. It'd be something they did together.

[@aanyamallick7747]

Good analysis

[@theredbun2487]

"I had a crush, until you started talking to the gun"

[@emppa3138]

In Enemy music video you can see more of Ekko's and Powder's relationship, when big kids went on a job they were keeping each others company. And in the game there is a voice line with Ekko that says: I miss you so much Powder. Ekko was ready kill Jinx but not Powder, in ep.4 she may have possibly killed he's girlfriend that was a lieutenant of the group.

[@mariosoadfan]

"i had a crush on you...before you started to talk to your guns"

[@sia5926]

Lol if there is a woman in his group it's should be his girlfriend?😅 I dk but it seems very likelt that he still has a crush of powder/jinx even if he try to convince himself that she's not the same + writer of show is shipper of their pairing and said there would mpbe more scenes of them in season 2 and we maybe even will see his attempt to save her from Silco before

[@Eponumon]

One correction, though. If she really wanted to take down everything with her, she had better ways to do it. E.g. just stuck the bomb to Ekko's chest or something, as they are hard to remove. Instead she takes her time to activates the bomb and is putting it in the open for Ekko to see. The entire section between that moment and Ekko having his ankle busted is missing. The creators of the Arcane like to withhold crucial information without making it feel like they intentionally aren't showing you everything. I'm leaning towards this being a suicide attempt. She wanted to "end it all", rather than "take everything with her". A subtle difference, but... stays consistent with other clues throughout the show. Great work, once again!

[@smiley4842]

This was my take also. They play with jinx's eye colours throughout the series as another indicator of her mental state. At the start of the fight her eyes are bright blue but when ekko wins and she stops fighting back her eyes are colourless as though she's completely given up on everything and there's no more life or motivation behind her eyes. She would rather die than have to keep living this recurring nightmare. Also my take was that final moment when ekko knocks her down it looks like jinx holds her last shot so she doesn't hit him.

[@maem7462]

I think u might be right

[@Dilligff]

My take as well. My only gripe with the show is that you HAVE to watch the Enemy video to fully grasp how close Ekko and Powder actually were. Her entire arc was about finding acceptance and seeing that hate in his eyes when he struck her was more than she could bear. In that moment all of her reckless anger had been stripped away and she just wanted to end the pain. Next to the final scenes in episode 3, this one brings me to tears nearly as bad. That look of defeat and self loathing on her face hit hard for me.

[@LuiBuh2010]

I absolutely agree with this being a suicide attempt, which makes her getting "saved" by Singed afterwards so tragic. As Singed himself states, "Sometimes death is a mercy."

[@Haymee]

​@@LuiBuh2010 ​she didn't want to kill Ekko, but didn't want to disappoint Silco. In Jinx's mind, since she felt like Vi abandoned her, dying there probably was the closer to peace that she could have find.

[@catcat6427]

Ekko's Voiceline in league of legends:"I had a crush until you started talking to the guns..."

[@RCIB]

The Enemy music video really shows Ekko and Jinx's past alot more than the show does. I didn't realize how close they were until I saw the music video (and there's other stuff to be learned from the music video if you pay close enough attention).

[@manakakisaragi9121]

Your Arcane videos are great. Obviously super interesting on the human level, but also showing how well constructed this series is. The level of its attention to detail, up to the miimal gestures and body language, it all reflects the care put into the characters and the storytelling.

[@empty_bag_of_life]

the fact that powder's insecurities make her see abandonment where it doesn't exist. ekko and vi never abandoned her, she was just in no place to realize how much they loved and fought for her, 'for she was blinded by her trauma and everything she had been through. she sees enemies everywhere even if she doesn't have any which is really special since the theme song and it's lyrics "everyobody wants to be my enemy" fit so perfectly to this, jinx's personality and the showin general. god how can arcane possibly be so great

[@renascienza.bazarclub]

Ekko always had a thing by Powder, since childhood. He "hates" she now, because the friends that she killed (the boys and girls on 4th episode) and the fact that she betrayed them, she is on Silco's side now, but when he make her defenseless, everything he felt was "I'm about to murder the girl I love". And this terrified him and he froze.

[@AmericanIlluminati]

A little gem from the lore outside of Arcane. Ekko had a crush on Powder when they were kids. So, at the bridge he was fighting the girl he loved.

[@dankbudew4830]

It hurts even more when you take into account Ekko had a crush on Powder during their childhood. While Vi was imprisoned, Ekko grew up surrounded by death and loss, watching his old family fall apart and his new family being killed off by the girl he used to love. The reason he tried so hard to convince Vi that her little sister was gone, it's because HE tried to reach out to her, hoping she would come to her senses and he wouldn't have to fight her. But it never happened. She slipped further and further into madness and never truly moved on from her grief. Maybe she also hoped Ekko would save her from herself, but it wasn't meant to be. So she burned all the bridges that connected her to her old self: Powder, by making Ekko hate her, aka, Killing the Firelights, and indirectly causing the Undercity's rapid growth of Shimmer addiction and violence through the streets, orphaning or killing many innocent people and children.

[@ssj4jw]

I really hope Ekko and Jinx has another interaction in the next season. It will be pretty tragic if this is there only meeting throughout the show.

[@reachelglasser544]

In my point of view, that scene is very interesting because in the show the relationship between Ekko and Jinx has not been developed much, but it is understood so well. Ignoring the symbolisms, the firefly as Ekko and the raven as Jinx and how Jinx hums the song that she sang scared at the beginning of the show. I think that Ekko manipulates her with the game, perhaps to buy time, he challenges Jinx because she is emotionally attached to the ritual of the game, she respects the game so she accepts (again i see that moment as a challenge from Ekko, Powder just to win the game so he knows she is gonna be confident about winning she has this "so you want to play so let's gonna play" attitude ). the scene transitions from fun memories to the harsh and bitter reality the contrast of not longer playing, now the bullets are real and Jinx's expression is one of pain while shooting, that is why I think that at the last moment she is in shock and cannot shoot the last bullet (in the game she shoots 4 times but in the scene she shoots 3 and later what we heard is the weapon charging instead of the shot) giving Ekko time to reach her (and the fact that he has grown and what was previously an insufficient jump now reaches Jinx perfectly) And at the moment when Ekko is beating her she seems to understand, she sees what they have become how violence has changed them, she looks directly into his eyes, hurt, shattered to have to face Ekko and that's when Ekko also understands, instead of seeing Jinx he sees Powder (here is the incredible detail that in that scene Jinx's eyes are more gray like when she was little, when we see her as Jinx, her eyes are clearly blue and then pink, in addition to the music we hear is from of the scene of Ekko's memorial because Powder is not gone she is a victim, a person destroyed by the violence she has gone through like him) he's in shock, he is going to kill who was once his best friend but Jinx activates the bomb without giving him time to assimilating those feelings. I like to think that she does it out of pain and sadness because Ekko and Powder just to be friends and now they have to kill each other and it destroys her to see that her friend would kill her and how the violence has changed them ("betrayal, that pain that seems to eat you from the inside out It can either break you or forge you into something greater" - Silco told her that she had to let Powder die but here she understands that Powder has not died and that she is part of her) so she makes the decision to kill herself as a way to remove herself from all of this and with her Ekko, even though, I don't think she actually wants to kill Ekko, I think that at that moment she has decided that she doesn't want to live that she has had enough , her expression is calm of acceptance a sad last smile like given in, she slides the bomb, she does not hide it and she does not care if Ekko survives or no she is beyond that... (I think that from a narrative point that moment fits very well with Silco's speech in ep 3. I find it very interesting to think that what changed Silco was the betrayal of Vender, his attempt to kill him and how he decided to fight to survive instead Jinx decides to die what changes her to continue living is the Shimmer is Silco, I don't know if this is relevant but I find it interesting...) For me what makes this scene so emotionally powerful is the loss of that innocence that "what have we become, what have we done to ourselves, to each others" moment. This is how I interpret it thanks to this and other videos that analyze Jinx (sorry for my english).

[@GeorgiaDow]

love this insight. It is wonderful thank you for your input and being part of my community.

[@jacobe3051]

I definitely don’t think he manipulated her with the fight ;-;

[@od3910]

I'm not a league player but I know enough to know that Ekko has a line that literally says he used to have a crush on Jinx (before she started talking to her gun). Which is even more tragic

[@andrewmcqueen9312]

"Children have never been very good at listening to their elders but they've never failed to imitate them." James Baldwin. I say this because you're spot on about child soldiers mimicking adults.

[@brendanbeardy9190]

In the lore there’s a very subtle love story between Ekko and Jinx, and it gets a little nod in the fight scene between the two. I really hope the attention to details holds up in the following season.

[@andrewlemerond4688]

The fight sequence here is actually really good at showing off one of Ekko’s greatest strengths: learning from his mistakes and adapting as a result. This is part of what makes him a great inventor, but it also helps him in repeat combat scenarios. In this situation, he knows things can get heated really quickly and one of them might end up dead before they can react, so he decides to cool things down by essentially challenging her to a duel, the rules of which are conveyed wordlessly as he knows she’ll recall the game they played in childhood. However, in doing so, he sets a trap. Jinx is paradoxically both a slave to the past and estranged from it, causing her to often fall back on old habits when she feels stressed. Ekko, on the other hand is fixated on the future; he wants to create a better tomorrow for all the people of Zaun, so that they can be free of both the Piltovan council and the oppressive chembarons. This leaves him in a constant state of flux, always learning and changing to meet new possibilities. When he challenges Jinx, she believes it will result the same way it always has, but Ekko knows that that is exactly the mentality that will doom her.

[@skybeam3674]

I think echo was a person who didn’t abandon jinx it was the other way around jinx abandoned echo. Not only did jinx join forces with silco who from his knowledge was responsible for the death of many of his closest friends and two of his mentors. Echo also probably tried over and over again to help her and jinx rejected his every attempt (probably out of guilt for what happened and silco’s influence) which is why jinx calls echo the boy saviour. Over the years of watching jinx’s downward spiral into madness echo by the we see him after the time skip he convinced himself that his friend was no longer there. Jinx had in her mind abandoned him before he could abandon her.

[@grimm516]

This scene is my favourite in the whole series it's filled with so much detail in everything, would is shock you to know that's its all key frame animated so someone took the time to manually add all the micro expressions like the tiny smile jinx made just before pulling the pin on the chopper. Anyway really enjoy your video so informative and helpful & Entertaning as well been looking at your older video's because im new well have a Merry Christmas Georgia looking forward to your future video

[@cynthiameyers7529]

I love how you touched upon the abandonment issues felt by Jinx. It's something I didn't notice before and it explains her source of rage and malcontent with the world.

[@jey6779]

If the redemption arc is ever possible i think Ekko is the only one who can bring Powder back (or atleast make Jinx less evil)

[@gwgwap]

a redemption arc, even though most of us want it, would completely ruin Jinx as a character in a way.

[@Treck533]

@@gwgwap You want her to stay crazy? Her getting help isn’t bad for her character. Arcane Jinx is not another shitty Harley Quinn clone like in the game

[@xylypotatohead3947]

@@Treck533 even Harley gets a redemption arc in a lot of stories.

[@cyrillesu]

I might be overanalyzing things but I think Riot Games might be actually building something between the two of them, from their interactions in Runeterra to Arcane retconning them to be around the same age and many other more subtle details. Call me crazy, but I think they're building up for a possible Jinx x Ekko relationship in the future.

[@xylypotatohead3947]

@@cyrillesu I agree

[@simonn611]

At the end of act 1 everyone who Ekko was shown to care about is either dead or no longer in his life. I think a great scene for season 2 could be a rematch between Ekko and Jinx where Ekko tells Jinx that when she decided to go with Silco, she was the one who actively abandoned him. It would be a powerful scene because Jinx sees herself as being abandoned by Vi, but she probably doesn't realize that she did the same to Ekko and that he likely has trauma similar to her own because of it.

[@mrhoapro1]

To me, ekko was betting. He bets that Powder is still in there. Therefore, she would understand what is he trying to do, but also he could predict how Powder would shoot. IF she is still in there

[@Manaphy0882]

Someone commented somewhere: "Ekko won because he believed that Powder is still in there but also lost because he believed that"

[@IhateU43]

"I had a crush, until you started talking to the gun" She's more than just an old friend. Also, you might wanna tweak the aspect ratio on that new cam :P

[@ADCArtAttack]

This was awesome... thanks for making this. Very much enjoyed the insight.

[@seicchanart1832]

this is such a good video and puts it into words so well! this scene definitely is my favorite scene in the entirety of the show, especially paired with the enemy music video. and "cause when we're a child, we're vulnerable, we're trying to find our safety, and for jinx and ekko, their safety was with each other" really hit me hard, because yeah, and that makes it all the more hard for them to suddenly find each other on different sides. what i also really like about this scene is that ekko jumped in originally because he was sure vi wouldn't be able to finish off jinx, but he was sure he could do it - because he'd already buried and mourned powder on the mural of the firelights base. but then, when the confrontation really rolled around, he couldn't do it either, because no matter how horrible his childhood friend/first love had become, she was still the woman right in front of him and he couldn't ignore that any longer, or pretend they're two different people.

[@tenaciouslily3758]

Anyone else practically start sobbing as soon as they showed them as kids and have to pause the show once he hesitated and she smiled? I just cried again watching it here. So powerful and heartbreaking.

[@ufukborucu5877]

I love your mature and professional takes on the characters in this series (unlike others that see inappropriate sexual tension between Jinx and Silco or Jayce and Victor, or reduce Jinx to being a calculated crazy person). I'm also impressed how deep each character in this series was created and how much thought they put into their emotional states. Your analysis makes me appreciate the series even more.

[@Bin1aggin]

While I took the breakdown differently personally. I appreciate your breakdown. I took it more as Ekko sees Powder, and she sees him. Her heart breaks by recognizing the fact that she's lost her self. And decided to end it all. For her friends and family.. But I really like your break down I think I will have to ponder your side of the conversation. Appreciate the video.

[@bigfootg1036]

Something I’ve thought is that that something else Ekko see’s in her eyes ,is how if the situation had been a little bit different, he would have ended up in the same position as her. The reason he’s so upset with VI when she claims powder is still there is because, that would mean that the weak little boy who couldn’t do anything to protect anyone he cared about was still in him. He has to see her as “The Enemy” because otherwise it would break him to know , that when they were both alone he couldn’t do anything for her. An example is when she calls him the boy savior it causes him so much pain,because what savior can’t protect or even help the ones they love. Also I love ur breakdowns of the characters and their actions it adds a lot to the shows/movies and the characters.

[@najex1]

To be fair, I also just think Ekko was making a strategic choice here. He challenged Jinx to a game that she would feel comfortable in. That she hadn't ever lost before. This would make it easier for Ekko to predict what Jinx was going to do. As indeed, he did. It wasn't just that Ekko was trying to make the experience less painful for himself.

[@Bananakin501]

Its even more tragic when you realise that Ekko had a crush on Powder when they were kids.🥺💔

[@TyCat42]

I love these Arcane videos so much! They always make me cry, but in the best way possible!

[@YesNo-eh2jm]

The fact that ekko used to have a crush on jinx though

[@JC_rusher_arts]

Awww 🥺 this makes me wanna rewatch everything again, I really love these explanations of the series, they make me so emotional 😭

[@GeorgiaDow]

welcome =)

[@--Paws--]

The bridge as a location made it even more meaningful in the literal sense of "burning bridges".

[@jetismaili6391]

Best way to start the week?.....definitely watching gieorgia's arcane videos!!....love how she explains and gives us more perspective on these beatiful and heartbreaking scenes...

[@ry.0]

in that scene of Jinx looking at Ekko, she is saying with her eyes: "Look, here we are, I am Powder and I am still going to destroy everything. I bring bad luck so I will bring it"

[@GAMEH0R5E]

This scene is so amazing. So exciting, beautiful, yet sad. Definitely my favorite episode of the season. So happy you covered this!

[@arson55]

Yay! More Arcane videos. I just found your channel a few hours ago from these Arcane videos, and I love them.

[@TheAnscarii]

Actually at the end of this scene I kinda feel jinx is somewhat relieved. I have this theory that she want somebody to stop her and end her suffering. That's why when she activates the grenade has this peaceful and relaxed expression

[@ragnarstark4887]

So beautiful and so tragic scene at the same time. Two exbestfriends fighting to death bcs of Unfortunate events. The best scene I have ever seen in my life.

[@yt49ab6p5]

Yet another treat from you. Really appreciating this videos because they let me comprehend the motivations of every character even further.

[@crystals.7161]

This was so insightful. I love your take on these! Looking forward to more!!

[@damianstarks3338]

Happy Monday great to see you analyzing another scene from this epic Netflix show.

[@StevenJQuinlan]

Man, as always I'm blown away by your analysis. I ironically saw this confrontation very differently. I saw it as Ekko very deliberately invoking that childhood memory because he's not actually trying to kill Jinx, he's trying to buy time for Cait and Vi to escape. So the appeal to ritual in their game is his way of buying as, much time as possible. Still, loving your insight. Gonna have to rewatch this one again I suppose. Still pitching for a solo Vi episode and how her time in stillwater has affected her emotional development and causes her emotionally closed off behaviour

[@marie0935]

and this video made me cry again. im so glad i found ur channel or ur videos found me)) i felt all of these emotions along with characters but i would never be able to put them into words. and then u appear with ur reactions and explaining 💛. my heart breaks thinking about how much of pain jinx relived over and over again. now i understand why she activated that bomb 🥲💔. so thank u, Georgia, i come in on ur channel to rewatch ur "therapist reacts to" series bcz it soothes me in a way nothing could these days🥺

[@SupportMainSpartain]

I want to say thank you for your videos! One of my favorite parts of Arcane was how I can see a few of my own mental issues in Jinx and seeing your videos kind of elaborate on those feelings had made me realize I've needed professional help for a while and you've inspired me to start looking for some so thank you!

[@scottwest2069]

Could you do a video on Caitlyn and vi?

[@Eviekaii]

yes please :c

[@j.t1221]

Not just his childhood friend ma'am. She's also his childhood crush.

[@DzinkyDzink]

Just wanted to say thank you for enriching our understanding of the show. You really showed how deep it is and helped put the words on the tip of the tongue into coherent ideas!

[@TheMaazTube]

This is so wholesome. I really enjoy these breakdowns, looking forward to more.

[@asterios1928]

Damn I’m early for once honestly though arcane is amazing I would love to see an analysis on Vi her trauma is overlooked just because she expresses it differently then jinx

[@mackincheez8647]

Ekko was ready to kill Jinx... But was not ready to kill Powder.....

[@GeorgiaDow]

i really like that statement gave me chills

[@chloemartin8213]

i absolutely love your videos! ever since i found your channel i’ve been binge watching a lot of them. i’m a psych major and i love sharing my videos with my classmates because it’s a fun way of learning through you! i cant wait to see more!

[@recep36]

I was literally wanting you to react to this scene. Thank you so much for making this video!!

[@fattyratty7611]

I feel like when jinx calls ekko"the boy hero" she's almost mocking him, and is also angry at him for not saving her, as he did so many others.

[@GeorgiaDow]

very well said =)

[@user-zt8uk4gl4x]

I’m pretty sure he did try to Ava ever but jinx refused

[@Voitan]

That scene hits really hard, because I see resignation and a genuine suicide attempt. Jinx's circumstances are too tragic, it really seems impossible to see any light at the end of her misery.

[@ReignierAvon]

You are quickly becoming one of my favorite KZbinrs! I love your breakdowns of Arcane characters SO much! Keep up the amazing work you do!

[@BoredxISxI]

I gotta say: I LOVE the emotional breakdowns that you do for the show AND the low key cosplays put on for each video

[@shirs5353]

I love your Arcane videos, I watched all of them so far :) I would have LOVED to see one about Jinx and Mylo's relationship. I'm interested in finding out if it's just sibling rivalry, if they truly hate each other or if Mylo was being a plain bully to her for her entire life. The way she hears him say every negative thing she thinks about herself when she's older is truly fascinating to me and I'd love to get your take on it.

[@GeorgiaDow]

jinx and milo will be amazing and yes it is happening, promise

[@aurweon]

Maybe as part of the video discussing her mental illness(es)?

[@shirs5353]

@@GeorgiaDow Awesome, can't wait!

[@rotemsinai5929]

Hi Georgia, first of all i wanted to say that you're doing great work, keep it up and it made me genuinely happy to see you blow up from 19k on KZbin to 40 in few days. Secondly, i wanted to give you a little tip in the "social media arts" like youtube and intsa to u could reach more people, basically people will click on video that are more relevant to them, this is why videos like arcane and dune did better then other shows, cuz u released them right in the middle of the hype over the actual movie. Its important in your early/growth stage because the youtube algorithm loves consistency, and it will promote channels more favorably that do above average consistently then channels that gets one hit wonders. I think that video like "are you mentally tough" is great cuz its spikes interest while being relevant to many people (as apposed to the group therapy one). Of course those are important subject but you need to focus more on growth first so those videos will actually get watched, maybe imposter syndrom could be interesting, but call it, are you good enough? So people will understand and will feel the emotional spike needed in order to make them click. Thats kind of a text wall 😅 hopefully it helps, keep up the good work

[@georgeandfriendsadventures5073]

Love these videos! I would have never thought there was this much complexity and emotion displayed in as little as just a second of a shot in the show. Mel and/or Jayce would be awesome to do next.

[@alex4833]

I held off on watching Arcane videos until today because I just finished watching it yesterday (I was very busy). The show is awesome and so is your analysis! I get a better and deeper understanding of characters and their dynamics after watching your videos. This is no exception and I look forward to watching your other Arcane videos too. I hope you are having a nice holiday season :).

[@elam3654]

Good analysis. I got a slightly different interpretation, which I want to float here (mainly because I find Arcane analysis wildly entertaining): A lot of what I've seen with the plot and how it handles binary perspectives, the audience is pretty much as well informed as Vi is, at any given moment. This makes the events after the time skip, almost as alien to us as they are to Vi, as a sort of 'fish out of water' arc for her. When we see the scene between Ekko and Jinx, its kind of communicated similarly to how Vi would understand it, if she was present for it: "Her younger brother and sister are doing a muuuuch higher stakes game of what they did as kids." What's heavily implied in both of her 'reunited' scenes with Ekko and Jinx respectively, is they're *very* familiar with how things are now. Its Vi that isn't. Both Ekko and Jinx agree they're in a civil war. Vi doesn't. What we kind of see with the fight, is I imagine Ekko is extremely bitter and feeling betrayed. We know from immediately after the time skip, Jinx killed someone very significant to him (the girl that looked like Vi). She also might not been the first of Ekko's crew Jinx killed. His laugh at the beginning, felt like him asking himself "How could I have been so naive? omg, you suck. ...fml." Then Jinx responds: "Its 'The Boy Savior.'" Its kinda implied they already 'agreed to disagree' a while ago, and diverged wildly since then, in an extreme form of the 'idealist vs pragmatist' debate. The symbolism also supports this: How does Ekko fight? With a 'sword' (its a club with a hilt). How does he show up in the scene? On his 'steed' hoverboard. He's basically ticking off "knight in shining armor" tropes. Meanwhile, Jinx 'takes a gun to a sword fight.' She understands the cost of 'chivalry' (and the costs Ekko bore up to this point) and switched to modern 'shock and awe' ambush tactics to win her fights. Instead of getting into direct confrontations, she preferably takes out her opponents before they even know she's there. Her earlier 'drone strike' on the bridge pretty much lampshades this. She fights like someone who knows direct confrontations are too risky. It also hints that while she's exceptionally good at ambush tactics, she's significantly less confident on a level battle field. Hence, why when any encounter slips from her control she goes full 'bullet hell' on her opponents. I don't think that behavior is actually her being a 'badass,' I think that's her panicking at being caught 'out in the open.' (additional note: in the fight where Ekko ambushes her and Vi, we start seeing her 'insanity' effects, suggesting the actual conflict is triggering a manic episode) I think when the fight starts, both of them intend to kill the other. Jinx thinks she has the advantage, because she can begin firing immediately. Ekko knows Jinx's attack will kill him in a single hit. His restraint doesn't actually appear until after the sight of her in close proximity triggers his 'empathy.' Every time I see this scene, it looks more like he knocked out one of her front teeth. i.e. Those weren't 'love taps.' This is both where he realizes: His 'zealous crusader' act doesn't hold up, when at 'empathy distance.' And Jinx reminds us: They're fighting a civil war. Some notes about the actual fight: There are two animal motifs: the cicada, and the crow. Both are symbols for change. The cicada incorporations elements of 'reflecting on the past.' Considering Riot made the effort to incorporate both of these into the conflict, its supposed to symbolize that this encounter 'changes' both of them. Then we wind up with two 'coincidences:' - Ekko's injury forced him to stay on the bridge, resulting it: "The Boy Savior" and the "Most Ethical Council Member" crossing paths and *immediately* nerd-bonding. - Jinx gets a massive power upgrade, despite having blown herself up. Her "SE7EN" moment + act of terrorism, soon after, pretty much takes a wrecking ball to her relationships. My guess for how they got to this point... Pretty much at the time Vi was imprisoned, Ekko and Jinx were in the exact same situation: everyone they knew was lost. Jinx, as we know, 'defected' to Silco. I think at some point, Jinx wanted to extend the same opportunity to her Ekko. It probably went down about as well as the "Vi! It finally worked!" scene, with each party reprising the role you'd expect them to have. Why the conflict was probably a boon for both of them... Ekko was being ineffectual. He tried to stop the shimmer trade. Failed. He tried to ambush Jinx. Failed. Now he has Heimerdinger. Jinx is a lot more difficult to pin down here, but I kinda think... Jinx's co-dependency blocked her introspection. As Powder, everything was fine because 'Vi said so.' As Jinx, everything was fine because 'Silco said so.' It was a simple heuristic: she didn't need to worry about her actions, unless her go-to compasses said otherwise. Now, the 'crutch' doesn't exist anymore and she needs to put actual thought into what she does, which will make her ask extremely uncomfortable questions.

[@xylypotatohead3947]

She also seems to lack the ability to think about the consequences of her actions first, before doing anything she is very impulsive, everything seems like a game to her, maybe because of her trauma idk, whereas Ekko over thinks his past constantly

[@kehu79]

ah yes another arcane video awesome! Hope there will be more. There is a lot to analyse in these characters and I would like to know more about Jinx's schizophrenia and the ghosts that she sees, thanks for the video!

[@beyondviolet]

I’m so glad you did a whole video on this scene, it really did deserve it

[@briannafrances2508]

Everytime I see Georgia tear up I tear up too!! 😭 Thank you for all the work you put in to this series!! I'm a psych major so I send your videos to my uni friends who are also into Arcane/Legue so we can all gush! 😊💜💙 I love them so much and learn even more/apply my learning! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! 🥰

[@NLoett]

There's one important detail about the relationship between Ekko and Jinx that Arcane didn't bring up. In League, there's a voice line from Ekko that says he used to have a crush on her "before she started talking to the gun". I'm no therapist, but I imagine that that must've made it even harder for Ekko to keep fighting once he had Jinx pinned and he started seeing her as Powder again instead of just Jinx.

[@ishanvirao5177]

CATLYN and vi pls 😭

[@jakebrennan1209]

Literally yesterday i was thinking that you should do a bridge episode and here it is. Love your analysis and breakdowns of this show.

[@top-notch8277]

I really love how you take the effort to look like the characters you are talking about

[@zollie4327]

AUGU IM EARLY

[@miintybiscuit]

Ayy, me too! :D

[@edenpk8541]

I agree with what people are saying, that it's not purely a feeling of defeat when she pulls the pin on that grenade. I think the way she even smiles (almost?) at Ekko *right* before she sets off the grenade is a sign that she almost feels a weird sense of comfort seeing him. And we see the affection in his eyes when he looks at her in that moment. Maybe she wasn't only trying to escape bad feelings, but to preserve good ones. Here she is, in a moment of extremely rare contact comfort, with a familiar face, having been defeated, yes, but by someone who genuinely cares about her. I think she wasn't even really thinking of destroying Ekko, she just wanted to die feeling that contact comfort

[@TrKzGuardian]

I Love these Videos the way ur explaning everything with such a passion its so awesome

[@MazorKuziaki]

The way she says "the boy saviour", it's almost as if she's mocking him. "They call you a saviour, but you never saved me."