The Screen Scribe

I was going to leave this until tomorrow, but after finishing Act 1 tonight I just couldn’t wait. And just let me say first and foremost, that the first season of Arcane is one of the finest pieces of media I have ever had the pleasure of consuming. An animation style reminiscent of a watercolour painting. A banging soundtrack headed by an Imagine Dragons theme song. Complex, multifaceted and morally grey characters. A truly heartbreaking, tragic story. Like for God’s sake, how many times can you say that you’ve ever shed a tear (or several) for the main villain?

Simply put, it is a masterpiece. No, scratch that. It is an unmissable experience. If you haven’t tried it, drop whatever you’re doing and fire it on. Trust me.

So, fast forward three years after that haunting, emotionally devastating, gut punch of a season finale and season two is finally out. Was it a long wait? Achingly so at times. I must have rewatched season one at least, AT LEAST, ten times. Was season two act one worth the wait?

Fucking.

Hell.

Yes.

It matches the expectations set by the first season and absolutely smashes them, raising the bar in every department. The animation is even more stunning than before, which I honestly did not think was possible. These are animated characters in an animated world, but it’s created with such detail and precision, with small ticks and micro expressions that at times I genuinely forgot I was watching an animated show. Truly incredible.

The soundtrack is again full of catchy and infectious, if not immediately recognisable, tunes. As a Linkin Park fan, I’ve been loving their comeback, and was practically giddy with glee when their League of Legends single began near the climax of episode one. But it wasn’t just a blow for blow of the studio single. It was a new version especially for the show and it certainly lived up to it’s name “Heavy is the Crown”.

The story, much like season one, goes gauntlet in gauntlet (if you get it, you get it) with it’s characters. Vi. Jinx. Caitlyn. Jayce. Victor. I could stay going. They make choices, take action, and the consequences are felt in the aftermath. Everything in this story is driven by character, and I think that is why this series is so strong and the characters so memorable. It’s certainly why I love it so much. The best stories are often those driven by characters. It feels more realistic, emotional, and relatable. It adds depth to both the characters and the story. And everything in Arcane is full of depth.

Season Two, Act 1. Christ, what a strong way to start the new season. My jaw dropped, more than a few times, in the opening episode alone. There is a hell of a lot covered in these three episodes, which at times I felt made it feel a bit rushed in places, but not enough to bother me or distract from the pure enjoyment of it. I think some slower, drawn-out character moments would have helped with the pacing. But then again, Act 1 shows Piltover on the verge of all out war. Maybe the time for quiet moments is over.

It wasn’t the soul destroying, tear jerker end to Act 1 that we saw in Season 1, though that would have been difficult to top, and I’m so glad they didn’t even try. But it was a shocking end nonetheless on several fronts that left me with just three words.

What.

The.

Fuck.

Arcane Season 2: Act 1 is out now on Netflix. Do yourself a favour, watch it.

10 / 10 ✨ from the Screen Scribe.