This is the most traumatizing Arcane Season 2 scene and it’s not even close

❘ Published: 2024-11-16T09:00:00

Netflix

In Arcane Season 2, a single scene cuts deeper than the rest and feels like the emotional equivalent of a gut punch from Vi’s gauntlets.

Make no mistake, there have been a lot of traumatizing moments in the League of Legends series so far (the moment Vi abandoned Powder will never leave my brain). Riot Games and Fortiche take their time to ensure the emotional beats land, which is impressive given Arcane is just 18 episodes long.

Season 2 is just as packed with heart-wrenching moments, with Part 1 culminating in the emotionally wrought fight between Jinx and Vi. And let’s not forget “Baby Jinx,” Isha, whose path in life parallels Powder’s in regard to the trauma she’s had to deal with at such a young age.

But Part 2 raises the stakes as the battle between Zaun and Piltover intensifies, with one scene in particular akin to going 12 rounds with a prized undercity fighter: exhausting. Warning: spoilers ahead!

Vi and Jinx are (finally) brought together by hope

In Arcane Season 2 Episode 5, ‘Blisters and Bedrock’, Vi and Jinx put their differences aside and are reunited by Warwick, who (after much speculation) is revealed to be Vander. But their reunion isn’t just about shock value – it’s a deep exploration of love, loss, and desperate hope.

Up until now, we’ve known Singed has been experimenting with chemicals to create Warwick, a werewolf-like beast from the League of Legends games. The leading theory was that the mad scientist stole Vander’s body after he was killed saving Vi and co in Season 1, and spliced him with monster DNA to create the bloodthirsty killing machine.

His evil plan appeared to work; in Season 2 Episode 4, ‘Paint the Town Blue’, the beast was unleashed and charged into the prison to find Jinx. But just as he was about to go in for the kill, Warwick recognized Jinx’s contraption. This triggered a memory, which in turn awoke the Vander side of his brain.

In the following episode, Jinx hunts down Vi and tells her Vander’s alive. The scene opens with a glimmer of hope: the sisters, alongside Isha, set out to find Vander, marking the first time they’re reunited with pure intentions.

Sure, there’s plenty of bickering along the way, and their shared resentment is clear, but they’re not there to kill each other. They simply want to find their dad, even though he might not be the man they remember.

When they finally encounter him, the realization hits hard – Vander has been twisted into an unrecognizable, snarling behemoth. So unrecognizable, in fact, that Vi powers up her gauntlets and fights him off.

Jinx tries to get him to remember while begging Vi, “Don’t hurt him.” But as he charges towards them, Vi has no choice but to protect them. “Vi, it’s him. You have to believe me,” Jinx says, holding up her gun.

What makes this so poignant is the inner torment that’s palpable even amid the chaos, and what this means for Jinx. For so long, she’s been consumed by mayhem, weaponized by Silco, and haunted by her own fractured psyche.

Yet this moment, as she sees what’s left of Vander, awakens a part of her she thought she had lost – her vulnerable side, her “Powder” self. The pain on her face is unmistakable, desperate in the hope of reclaiming everything she’s lost. Right now, she only has one thing on her mind: getting Vander back.

“He’s your dad too”

The conflict reaches a crescendo as Warwick recognizes Jinx, who’s standing in front of Isha to protect her. In Warwick/Vander’s eyes, she’s another Powder, and his violent urges are superseded by his need to protect and be the father he once was.

The torment he experiences is painful to watch as his two psyches battle it out. But the scene’s true emotional punch comes when, as Warwick charges, Vi screams out the name “Vander.”

This single word triggers a memory, which we see play out in a flashback showing a young Vander and Silco celebrating the news of Vi and Jinx’s mother’s pregnancy. This was before Silco and Vander became sworn enemies, at a time when there was still hope for Zaun.

The juxtaposition with the ongoing conflicts and heartache in Arcane Season 2 only highlights how much has been lost up until now, and how Silco and Vander’s rivalry shaped the lives of everyone around them.

At the end of the flashback, Vander eases the mom-to-be’s concerns, telling her he always liked the name Violet. When we cut back to the present, they’re engulfed in darkness.

Jinx holds up her lighter, protecting Isha behind her, as she slowly moves forward to find Vi and Warwick/Vander – but rather than carnage and destruction, she finds the pair embracing.

When she realizes what she’s seeing, tears stream down her face, at which point Vi turns to Jinx with her arm reached out. “What are you waiting for? He’s your dad, too.” Jinx’s vulnerability shines through; letting out a cry, she runs to them, and they hug tightly.

For the first time since Season 1, Vi, Jinx, and Vander are reunited in a way that feels painfully familiar yet irrevocably changed. The love they shared is still there, but so much else is gone, creating a sense of both relief and sadness.

It’s arguably the most beautiful yet tragic moment in Arcane so far and one that is unforgettable, no matter how much it hurts to watch.

Arcane Season 2 Parts 1-2 are streaming on Netflix now, with Part 3 set to drop on November 23. While you wait, be sure to check out these other great animated shows, our ranking of the most powerful Arcane characters, and the Season 2 soundtrack.