Arcane season 2 review: Tensions escalate in gripping second instalment

Season 2 picks up immediately after that shocking season 1 cliffhanger - revealing the fate of the Piltover council members among the rubble and embers in the chaotic aftermath of Jinx’s targeted explosion.

With the death of Silco (Jason Spisak) leaving a tense power vacuum in Zaun and a divided council in Piltover, all talks of Zaun’s independence and an intended peace treaty are now over.

A further attack on Piltover citizens at the unveiling of a memorial statue signifies the dangerous escalation of conflict between the two nations - with the threat of an all-out war looming.

As Jinx (Ella Purnell) is now the symbol for the undercity’s growing rebellion, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) teams up with Caitlyn (Katie Leung) to help lead a strike team of Piltover Enforcers to help bring her to justice. But Caitlyn’s quest for vengeance will undoubtedly test Vi’s loyalties, leading Vi to question just whose side she is on.

Due to the incredible success of the animated series’s first outing on Netflix, many have questioned whether the second season will live up to expectations. And while there are undoubtedly issues with pacing and character additions so late in the game, Arcane season 2 is a more ambitious instalment which delves deeper into the fascinating cautionary tale at the heart of the show.

While the main driving force of the first season is the emotionally-charged conflict between the estranged sisters - and Powder’s tragic transformation into Jinx - the second instalment attempts to juggle three differing plot threads, all the while introducing more League of Legend characters.

It’s certainly a lot to take in, and the episodes hurtle by with breakneck pacing, sometimes at the cost of certain arcs and developing dynamics, predominantly Caitlin and Vi’s - sorry CaitVi shippers!

Steinfeld and - in particular - Purnell once again excel in the duality of these roles. It’s clear that Purnell is having a blast with her chaotic and kooky take on Jinx, and her delivery of the insult "overdesigned b***h mittens" is particularly hilarious.

Thankfully there are plenty more emotionally-charged moments (including an excellent gut punch of a flashback), shocking revelations and gripping cliffhangers to enjoy throughout the instalment.

A mysterious connection between Hextech weapons, the discovery of a wild rune anomaly and the threat of the awakening arcane proves the most captivating thread - excitingly appearing to tease LoL's Rune Wars.

Furthermore, the connecting continuation of Jayce and Viktor’s profound but seemingly tragic arcs exploring the cost of attempting to better mankind with the magic-infused technology continues to intrigue.

Viktor’s iconic line in season 1, "In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good," acts as a main motivator for the character in season 2, with his augmentation hinting at a similar arc to his LoL’s counterpart. Harry Lloyd once again shines in the role, bringing a more gentle and ethereal touch this time round.

While the series is not quite the same without the layered villain Silco, the shady Noxus warlord Ambessa Medarda (Ellen Thomas) certainly fills the nefarious role well - if not quite as nuanced as the Zaunite Chem-Baron.

Arcane truly comes to life among the outstanding fight scenes and action sequences, with French animation studio Fortiche once again utilising a number of different animation and art styles. A thrilling showdown in episode 3 is certainly an early standout, with unique visual identities in each character’s fight sequences truly impressing.

The anomaly also proves a fascinating new element, having a particularly intriguing visual effect on Hextech weapons similar to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Fans will also be pleased to know that a number of iconic weapons from the game are also finally included, with Jinx’s shark bazooka undoubtedly reigning supreme.

The soundtrack is once again excellently tied to key character moments and the story, too, with heavy hitters Linkin Park (Heavy Is the Crown) and Twenty One Pilots even contributing this time round.

As this is the final season, it’s difficult to imagine just how creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee will satisfyingly resolve all of the threads left dangling, but there’ll undoubtedly be spin-offs in the works to further explore the Runeterra universe.

With six out of nine episodes available to critics, the jury is still out on whether the creators truly stick the landing, but there’s no denying that they’ve built something truly special.

While the character work isn’t quite as impactful this time around - with certain arcs undoubtedly upsetting some fans - the second instalment is overall another gripping watch, deepening the world-building and further exploring the central themes.

Let’s just hope that fan favourite Ekko (Reed Shannon) will finally get his time to shine!

With an affecting narrative, an incredibly rich world and spectacular animation, Arcane - and series such as Blue Eye Samurai and The Legend of Vox Machina - truly are elevating animated projects.

Arcane season 2 will stream on Netflix beginning from Saturday 9th November 2024. Season 1 is available to stream now. Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream.

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