One defense for Jayce and Viktor getting hextech to work so quickly is the seemingly lengthy bit of time Jayce had to work with it. I think it's stated that "all his research" is gonna be destroyed, and you can see Jayce's apartment is cluttered with notes, papers, and contraptions. If he's on the right track or even relatively close, then two scientific minds could plug in some missing pieces and finish a project that's already been started relatively quickly. Clearly Jayce has been working on it for a long time, and he perhaps had no access to the required scientific tools because he's been keeping it on the down low.
So far, and I think I agree, it's been highlighted as the weakest part of the story. That being said if this is the biggest flaw in the writing, that still puts arcane miles ahead of tons of the shows that are out there.
i kinda wish arcane didn't retcon jayce and viktor into being the creators of hextech and instead just kept them 2 very skilled hextech engineers pushing the limits
True. Jayce was also close to a breakthrough and definitely had done actual experiements on the crystals before visiting Benzo's shop to buy equipment. We see the contraption that one of the crystals was mounted onto with wires going into different directions during the break-in by Vi's group. And let's not forget: That break-in was happening while Jayce and Caitlyn were returning from Benzo's ! Jayce had also thought that he needed to dampen the ozillations of the crystals to harness their magic, while Victor came up with the idea to do the opposite. All of this combined makes me forgive the short time frame of Victor's and Jayce's scientific break-through when also taking into account the volatilty of magic.
@@Nr4747 the fact that this is what we are agonizing over as one of the more noticeable problems with the show in the first arc is a good thing. If this was a Disney show or something it would be low on the long list of horrific writing contrivances that we would be discussing
I‘ve always heard praise for the show but never actually came around to watch it. After hearing that you want to cover it, I decided to watch it. Thank god I did, I watched the whole season in one sitting and don’t regret a single second of doing so.
I had heard praise and decided to give it a watch. Ended up not leaving my bed, watched it all in one sitting, and was emotionally wrecked for three days. I love that show.
New subscriber here! Thought I could give some insight to something. 1:46:20 This is actually pretty realistic in terms of how scientific breakthroughs can happen. The example I'll use is Enrico Fermi: In 1934, by firing neutrons at Uranium he thought he had created two new, hitherto undiscovered elements, and was awarded a Nobel Prize for it. It was only in 1938 that it was discovered that, rather than two new elements, he had split Uranium into Barium and Krypton, and had therefore inadvertently invented Nuclear Fission. It _then_ took several more years before the discovery lead to a practical application. The point being, Jayce and _especially_ Viktor have intimate knowledge of the theoretical framework describing magic. Any such framework will have implications: by testing those implications, if the theory is sound you can create a new phenomenon - sometimes you can even do this completely by accident. The actual discovery of a reproducible phenomenon simply requires a test that exploits those implications - if you're right, you'll get the expected results. Under the circumstances it's far more likely that the knowledge of how to do what they did existed already for some time, but Heimerdinger was preventing people from doing tests that would confirm it. Once the phenomenon is confirmed, _then_ it takes several years to find practical applications for it. And, unsurprisingly, the first thing it gets used for is murdering people. Honestly it struck me as unrealistic at the time myself, but it was only learning about the hunt for the heavier radioactive elements that made me realize it checks out.
Your take on Arcane is great, and your delivery of this breakdown was also impressive -- there's a note in your voice of ... enjoyment? ... that occurs rarely in some of the other videos of yours that I've watched, and I hope you can find more series like this one!
I actually now watch your series instead of the actual ones, at first I thought that was specific to bad shows ( rings of power), but now I think it is a more keen enjoyment of how you dissect stories, characters, and the overarching plots. You are in my top three subscriptions that I am honestly glad I found. On another note, thank you for improving the ad situation I mentioned last vid. It is so much better now and I can enjoy and follow your thought process much more smoothly. Appreciated!
I made no changes to the ads, I have never done any micromanaging of ad placement. TH-cam has actually taken that control away from creators, so those that did can no longer do so. So it is good to hear that YT may have got their shit together in terms of automating it!
@@randomft What do you think of the idea that the reason why Jayce and Viktor were able to invent hextech within a day and why other could not is because, Jayce witnessed magic in person when the magician saved him and his mother and that key insight which he alone has helped him in solving it and why no one else didnt. So Jayce and Viktor are genius and they are motivated to solve (Heimerdinger might be able to dsolve but has no motivation) and Jayce has the key insight after witnessing magic up close which gave him the required insight for the "eureka" moment and he probably thought about how the magician did it for all these years. All these factors separate him from everyone else and maybe this is why they were able to solve it so quickly while others couldnt. Do you think this fixes the tiny flaw?
It definitely makes it more plausible, and I am not sure I would call it a "flaw", just something that could have been presented in a more believable manner.
Thanks for covering Arcane. Bit late to the party but very glad you did. Just like you, I was in awe of the opening sequence. I watched it several times immediately after watching the first episode for the first time and showed it to several people as a master class in world building, character development and emotional investment, all through visual storytelling. One of the finest examples of show, don’t tell.
1:13:00 The reason why Silco opts to not immediately knife Powder is because he intended to get info on where Vi was/use Powder as bait to get Vi. That's why we see him hide the knife behind his back (deceit), rather than just put it away (genuine). And the reason why he embraces her is not because of respect for Vander. It's just because he empathised with Powder. Silco is a very simple man.
Awesome analysis. Love you're not straying away from pointing out flaws and thoroughly inspecting what others have perceived as flaws. You clearly liked the show, but manage to maintain a lack of overbias that tends to happen with praising works.
When Random started talking about how knowing about league’s lore made him anxious, I got so excited. I was NOT expecting him to mention Mundo, that threw me for a loop. I totally thought he was gonna talk about how Warwick and Vander’s backstories were WAY too similar for comfort, and that we could probably expect a murderous furry in the next season.
Arcane is amazing, if not awe Inspiring as to what is POSSIBLE if writers actually CARE about telling a good story. This will be a nice break from the drudgery of most current show reviews because let’s face it: it’s depressing when you think about the state of storytelling anymore. Thank you *RFT* . I’ll go back to laughing at your Final Autopsy of Rings of Power tomorrow, but tonight I will succumb to the HOPE that things will get better!
It's crazy how much better this show gets upon repeat viewings. It just gets more and more tragic the better you understand the characters. Let's use storytelling to dial your empathy up to eleven and then use that to devastate you.
This ultra low note droning in the background of THAT scene just increases the anxiety to 120%. Just the masterful melding of character, plot, visuals and audio. Also, after the initial shock and thoughts after watching the show was exactly your words: this show has no right to be this good.
I'm not very interested by the negative reviews your channel covers (even though i'm really convinced you argue your points really well there based on this video) because it's just an analytical genre I've grown mostly tired of. These positive analysis breakdowns, however, are very rare and therefore feel incredibly refreshing. I can't get enough of them. I really hope this video of yours does well because I'd love to tune in for another breakdown like this both for the other two acts of Arcane or any other film or show deserving of the praise.
Can't believe it took me a month to watch this but I wanted to rewatch the series before sitting down for your analysis. So I am finally back and enjoying this so much, as I always do with your vids. They're always so well detailed and I am already excited to go watch part 2 once done with part 1. Thanks for another great breakdown!
I liked your explanation of Mylo. I understand why people hate him, but he was young and died watching his own brother die too. He probably thought none of them were going to make it out. It's hard for me to hate him when I take into account his age (he's like 14) and that he was clearly jealous of Powder. Jealous of the attention she gets and that she is secretly good at a lot. While he isn't great at anything. Mylo would've (imo) changed had he not died as a child. Spoiler: Very sad that he's the taunting voice in Jinx's head years later still. Deep down they all cared about each other as children.
Arcane is easily the most well crafted thing I’ve seen in decades. My reaction after finishing it, was that it reminded me that truly great storytelling still exists.
I'm really happy you've chosen this series to highlight what makes a good show. I enjoyed Arcane a lot and think it deserves the attention you're giving it. It's fascinating to see how much Arcane does right. I hope the video does well, negative videos - while somewhat fun to watch - shouldn't be the only successful videos. 🙂
It's been some time since I last watched this show but I remember really enjoying it, I also remember Marcus being one of my favourite characters; well written antagonists are usually the thing that I look forward to the most when it comes to most media.
Thank you so much for covering this show in-depth. It’s one of my favorite shows ever and possibly my favorite animated story ever and I love seeing you using your analysis skills on something good for a change.
I don't know how I ended up on the channel of a guy who mashed up Yzma's face on Kronk but I'm not gonna pass on the opportunity to hear an analysis about my favorite piece of art
I just wanted to say I love your videos and enjoy a well thought out breakdown, be it on a "good" show or "not very good" show, I find your content very entertaining. Your Rings of Power series made me laugh from the gut many times, which was very welcome in my day-to-day. I wish you good health and success in your work. I will be around to enjoy whatever you may make.😁
I imagined that sitting down with a critique that is working with an excellent show would be a nice change from the bad shows. I was wrong; this wasn't just nice, it was awesome! Looking forward to Part 2! :D
um used to watching all your content long after the full series was complete, i was devastated to realize i cant see the rest of your review on the series right away.
I wasn't expecting anything at all before watching the arcane series. To say i was shocked while and after it would be an colossal understatement. This is not really my type of genre, world and theme, but even 2 years after the release i find myself thinking about this show, of its characters, of its drama and dilemmas, what might go better or how different it would go if some character made a different decision or be at a different place, at a different time, and so on. There is so much to explore in this show, i bless the day i decided to watch it. Arcane now turns out to be even better than i thought because all the things i have missed during watching are discovered and thoroughly investigated in your analysis. Since i am more of a casual watcher who pays attention to the little things - fast emotions, vivid visuals and sound effects - it is extremely interesting for me to explore everything i've missed. Thanks to you, i have one of the best ways to do so. Can't wait for the next parts 💛
I think you overlooked something about Silco sparing and adopting Powder. She "is" him. Her dynamic with Vi strongly mirrors his own with Vander, and its clear that he sees a lot of himself in her - the overlooked and the forsaken, abandoned by their "better" sibling and forced to fend for themselves with whatever tools were available
I think the difference between Heimerdinger and the Computer Guy is that the former has first hand experience, while the other only knows about it after the fact. The implication behind Heimerdinger’s remark is that he alone understands the full scope and breadth of the horror magic - or rather the _ARCANE_ - presents, whereas everyone else whom might claim to understand the damage can really only do so from having read old stories or listened to old people talk about it. And that’s a very significant difference.
Regarding the "why did Victor take Jayce to steal the equipment when he could have just walked there with his keys", I didn't really give it much thought when I watched Arcane, but during this analysis, one thing occured to me: Victor wanted to make some kind of discovery, yes, but in the end, it was Jayce's dream they were trying to make true. Stealing that equipment would presumably be met with a huge punishment, and if it was just Victor who would be caught, Jayce wouldn't really risk anything. Yes, his dream wouldn't come true, but he would not be punished. So I'm thinking Victor taking Jayce with him is a way of implicating him, making sure they are both in it for whatever may come if they are caught. That Jayce is not just depressed about him dream disappearing, but also willing to do something to change that - even if that something is highly illegal and could be punished by banishment by his city and/or his family.
About 2 things you talked: 1.The reason why this show has been made is because Christian Linke and was pure passion, not for selling skins. I recommend watching the docuseries bridging the rift on youtube. (of course i guess the owners from riot had that idea in mind to promote the game to earn more money selling skins) 2. The Vander, Mundo thing had me laughing so loud. In case you want to know (Spoiler season 2): Vander will be Warwick which i think it has lot of sense in his character arc and will be so scary and tragic at the same time (we end with him still chosing his love ones (Vi and the kids) and peace instead of fighting.
This show really made me believe that there is still hope for good writing and characters. You said it well with this video and for part one i want say much ill keep mine till the end due to the spoily nature. For now looking forward to part 2
Really enjoying the format for this! I do miss the note taking, since I was interested in seeing that used in a positive light, but this works really well too! I look forward to more positive analyses after Arcane!
I'm very pleased with your perspectives in general. I was concerned you were over complicating Benzos shop, as it seemed reasonable to me the message tube system went to his shop directly, as he did business with topsiders at least enough for Jayce to know of the shop, but you further reinforced the plausibility for me.
1:27:00 It's worth noting that Viktor is still a cripple and probably wouldn't have been able to transport everything they need out of the academy alone, let alone discreetly.
Marcus is such an underrated character. it's clear he wants to do good, though he is a complete ass. as someone who has ties to several people involved in law enforcement, i can 100% see his view point and how someone in his position can form it, as flawed as it is. people who say his character is bad and one dimensional just cause "cops are evil" are severely misunderstanding that side of the isle that the show was trying to portray through him. his dealings with Silco in the rest of the series isn't unreasonable to understand. he understood that Greyson was trying to keep the peace, though only after it was too late. he didn't have someone with proper morals like Vander to work with. instead, he was stuck with Silco. we also can kind of see that his view points seemed to have shifted a bit in the time skip now that he truly knows what is going on, and the regret of disrupting the balance that Greyson and Vander held. he knows he was wrong, and wants to stop it, shown by saving Vi, him wanting to blow up Silco and himself tho hesitates due to his daughter, as well as hesitating to stop Caitlyn. he's just way too in over his head sadly. he isn't evil. he's a cocky idiot being pulled around by forces he severely underestimated while trying and miserably failing to keep things stable, but he's not evil. and not every character has to be a proactive, driven personality to be a good character.
I think there is a reason for Silco not killing Powder that you didn't explore: He thought he could get information out of her. He had no idea Powder was present. He did not know what caused the explosion. He did not know where Vi was. And Powder was just a small child, perhaps easy to manipulate into telling him where her big sister was - certainly it couldn't hurt to ask a few questions before stabbing her. He had nothing to lose from waiting for a few seconds to interrogate her. I don't think adopting her came into his head until he pieced together why Powder was abandoned, and his heart broke for her.
i think the criticism about jayce and victor figuring out hextech in one day can somewhat be explained if you consider jayce may have been working on that since he first was teleported by ryze, which are probably several years. additionally jayce has the somewhat unique advantage of having actually seen what magic looks like when he was teleported. it is also implied that some sort of "calculations" are involved in the magic harnessing, so one could think that maybe jayce was already basically on the right path after years of research but just not good enough in the "math" involved, having a second pair of eyes in the form of victor helping to solve the "equations", which like in the real world may be abstractly independent of the actual physical subject matter they describe, so victor being good at that worlds "math" is absolutely believable and can also help explain why after just a day of teaming up they were able to succeed so while it still may be somewhat rushed, i don't think its entirely unfounded that they could achieve what they did.
You know I don't always agree with you not necessarily on cinematography but sometimes just simply your stance on society or philosophy, or even political views. And I used to get a bit offended by that. But you know what? That's okay. I do not have to agree with everything you say and still can enjoy your content. Hell I'd say the fact that you do not pander to the biggest common denominator and are sometimes unfiltered, even if in a way I disagree with is a reason I appreciate you. You are very unapologetic you and that is a good to preserve nowadays, even if the underlying ideologies do not align. So thank you for being the unfiltered you (as far as TH-cam's allows it at least...)
Really good review of the show. One thing that I feel you missed at 1:12:00 when talking about why Silco put away his knife instead of killing Powder, I think it was just to appear less threatening to her, to get her to tell him where Vi went so he can finish them both. I think only after Powder hugs him, does he change his mind, cause he emphasizes with her.
Interesting, I thought Silco wanted Vi not kill her. Silco did say "candidly,I thought you were Vander's prize but Jinx,she is more than I ever could imagine". I do see Silco being an anti-hero of Arcane. He had a Villain to Loyal Father Arc. He became the very thing he despised. Vander. He finally understood why Vander did what he did. "Is there anything more undoing than a daughter" which makes it all the more tragic that Jinx misinterpreted what Silco said and believed Silco was going to turn her in because up to this point Silco believed he would do anything to achieve The realization of The Nation of Zuan. Jinx did not think she was worthy enough that someone would give up they're dreams for her until that "I was never going to give you to them,not for anything don't cry,you're perfect". scene. I think Arcane was about how Silco would grow to understand why Vander did what he did and because of Powder in his life. I am excited for the continuation of this Great Analysis of Arcane
On general storytelling nitpick on Heimerdinger - he literally witnessed the near extinction event of councillor race and/or ancestors, as I derived from story. Quite a difference.
I've seen a lot of reaction videos and there's a common conception/misconception that when Vi is pinned under the door after the explosion at the end of Act 1 and sees the head of one of Powder's bombs on the floor, horrified, realizes that Powder was responsible for the explosion. I do not believe this is the case. This is another example I think is worth pointing out, of a character connecting the dots, based on the information that they have and that Vi's worst fears have been realized. Powder followed her to the warehouse against her wishes and was caught in the explosion along with Milo and Clagger. Powder is dead. Up to this point, Vi doesn't know what caused the explosion in the apartment in Piltover and Powder only recently just put 2 and 2 together herself when she throws a fit for being left behind. As you said, for all Vi knows, Silco caused the explosion to blast open the door to the warehouse and since Powder's bombs never worked, it would be inconceivable to Vi, especially with how powerful the explosion was, that Powder, in any way, could have caused this. This makes the scene all the more devastating to me because at one moment, Vi thought her sister was killed but then only to learn that it was Powder who caused the explosion that led to the deaths of Milo and Clagger and, ultimately, Vander by circumstance. Now go back and think about the last thing Vander said to Vi, "Take care of Powder", just before she lets out an agonizing, primal scream. A double gut-punch all around.
And like with Nuclear physics Theoretical research tends to discover principles far before the experimenter finds ways to test those theories. Your critique that the hextech twins were able to discover a reaction for first experimenting with the crystals is valid. I just can't help but think that's how they would start out discovering hextech; Vague and with great reactions
Keep up the great work man. I know positivity usually doesn't do as well as the negative vids as you said but I love your analysis and that even though you admit from the off you love the show you still will admit and point out its flaws.
One interesting thing to note is that Marcus intended to arrest Vi. When he arrives and sees the situation he understands thar Silco will kill Vi. And based on time skip approximation, he should have a newborn daughter about now. As a father with a daughter he can understand holding Vi accountable, but could not possibly condone her murder.
As a LOL Player since launch; I watched Arcana as soon as it was out, and I am commenting to push attention to tis video and ultimately one of the best TV show in years.
Thank you so much for this. I have never played the game buy I loved the show, really a gem in the Netflix (and other content service) sh*t stream. I got so inspired to write myself, but I am too exhausted for that now sadly. Looking forward to the rest!
I loved Arcane and I was honestly a bit scared when you said you would cover the series in your Barbie video, but I am pleasantly surprised that you are able to cover a show you deem good with the same level of detail than you would a show you dislike. You taught me something new! (and your rando mascot freaking out will never cease to be funny)
I agree with a lot of this, but have to admit that your view of Viktor seems pretty narrow, but I can't fully go into why without spoilers. Particularly when you factor in Legacy which is something that matters to both Mel and Viktor. Mel wants to craft Piltover in her image to prove her mother wrong and Viktor doesn't become fully invested in his own treatment until it becomes clear he will be prevented from achieving the legacy he wanted. And for Viktor that legacy is tied directly to his desires for Zaun.
You are absolutely correct, and I have quite a bit to say about this in part 2. My view of Viktor presented in this video is taking ONLY episodes 1-3 into account.
Quick context from having read other things with the word mouser in them. A mouser is if I understand it correctly a cat. It's a cat that is made for hunting mice. So I think quite literally that bomb is meant to kill mice if it works and thus she gave it ears and eyes because cats kill mice.
I eagerly await part 2 It always confused me why they shutdown the trading stuff when they got attacked when increased security was the simpler solution
I have never watched this channel. TH-cam, for all that is holy, stop sending my ps4 to this channel. Every single time I wake up to youtube still playing it’s on this channel about 99 times out of 100. I follow hundreds of channels, WHY is this the one you always send me to.
Main things I'd say Arcane does poorly is adequate worldbuilding for Piltover. You never get a full sense of the city, what's where and who owns it. The difference between the slums across the bridge and the higher society, and Zaun below it all. Like there being other areas of Zaun, but all we see are the Lanes. Or what exactly is lost with Zaun being independent, especially when you see how angry the Council gets over it. The Slum area especially gets very little, since most of our time is spent with the Elites or down in Zaun. We don't get much detail on their goings ons. We just get glimpses like the attack at the warehouse or Heimerdinger's visit. And we end up getting little on how the bridge closure effects them, outside of the fact that Silco's business specifically is hurt by it. Other than that, I'd say Violet and Caitlyn's romance is pretty underdeveloped. More or less a minor point overall, but it does feel rather forced. Like they should've waited until a later season to start building it up and drop hints. I'm not even sure if Violet would care enough about a relationship or even know her own sexual tastes given how much of her life revolved around her family, specifically Powder, then spending so much time growing up isolated in prison. Unless there are some unmentioned shower scenes with Vi and other female inamates... Jaws might not be the only things she broke in prison...
Arcane is a masterpiece, possibly the best series I've ever seen. Unlike Marvel and Disney, it requires its audience to pay attention. It's the complete antithesis of something like the Mandolorian, which actively punishes you for paying attention.
I was heartbroken when Riot removed the amazing Journal of Justice from the Game client, it was one of the best things they had going. They have amazing Lore and Worldbuilding, everything character driven as League of Legends is all about the Characters. And Arcane takes that approach and hell do they deliver. As for Yasuo, I recommend you try him out. He is impossible to suck with. Just draw the game out long enough to reach your 0/11 powerspike aka. Infinity Edge and then roll your face on the keyboard. I guarantee you're going to win at least as many games as you lose.
He's not, though. There are people in the Undercity that are smarter and more capable than Viktor. He got lucky enough to be "discovered" and given an opportunity. For every one supposedly "successful" person, there are at least a million people in this world that are more intelligent, more skilled, more talented, and more driven...who ultimately accomplish nothing...all from blind stinking luck. For example. Musk is an idiot and a thief capable of really nothing at all. But he doesn't care about anyone but himself, and he's lucky.
I don’t know how you can state any character “grows into one of the best characters” when literally every character in this show deserves the gold medal.
Jace was best in the first few episodes, but he did sort of complete his arc prematurely. In the later episodes he's one of the weaker characters, which is like saying Captain America is weaker than the Hulk but you know, everything's a matter of perspective Still better characters by far than any other show I have seen in the past few years.
@@epicfail3167 he is being manipulated, he’s getting his hands dirty by middling with other senators, he becomes a politician, a brilliant man, scientists, finding himself in a position of power that he’s not ready to wield, and he gets a taste of how important any decision he makes is and the cost of war, he’s character arc is far from over and I think he’s a brilliant character with a lot of potential.
I believe you missed Silco's actual motivation for "putting away" (or more likely, temporarily hiding) his knife. When he purrs, "where is your sister?" he is being predatory, attempting to gather information. He's seen Vander's body and suspects Vi is still out there somewhere. Look at his minions' body language. Silco and his entourage are still willing to kill Powder should that be necessary. Silco isn't cruel for the sake of cruelty, of course, but he IS practical. As you rightly point out, Silco's motivation for killing the children is to tie up loose ends, and at this point he wants to make sure Vi is done away with. It isn't until Powder tackles him with a sobbing embrace, that his feelings suddenly shift. He is both literally and figuratively taken aback. Remember, this is a man who uses everyone, who keeps everyone at arm's length. He clearly doesn't think of himself as a "family man," and he probably hasn't experienced real human touch in years. This is why Powder embracing him is shocking because he didn't expect that behavior from her, but also because he feels a bewildering stirring of pity and tenderness. When she describes her abandonment, watch his face - it changes from dissonance to understanding. The feelings make sense to him. I think it's only at that point, when he's being embraced, that he gets those paternal feelings about caring for and raising a child, and those feelings initially surprise him. Other than that, spot on analysis.
Agreed! I don't think Silco had any interest in Powder other than as a source of information until she tackled him. It's really striking on rewatches how completely his facial expression changes in that moment. Before, he's still very much the Silco of Act 1, fully in control, arm holding the knife at the ready and his body ready to pounce. Very catlike, as you mentioned. But as soon as Powder grabs him, and *especially* once she says "She is NOT my sister anymore," there appears a softness in his eyes and face that we've never seen before, accentuated by genuine shock. Silco FEELS something incredibly powerful for this poor little girl in that moment, and the fact that he is still capable of doing so is as much a surprise to himself as it is to the viewer. His sudden moment of intense, absolute empathy leads to him doing the first impulsive thing we see him do the entire season, as he (scarcely seeming to believe what he himself is doing) wraps his arms around Powder and comforts her. And so the first domino drops for Silco's arc for the rest of the series.
Silco isn't overcome with a natural paternal instinct. He is manipulating her. He's using her. Every minute he's known her, he uses her. He projects his own insecurities and traumas onto her as a means to manipulate her motivations. Even in his death. That last line, "you're perfect", is his last laugh. Silco loves himself more than anyone. Whatever affection he holds for jinx is selfishly motivated. Even if his motivations change when confronted with turning her over. He is never concerned for her wellbeing. He isn't concerned with her healing. He exploits her vulnerabilities every single interaction he has with her. I will never understand why people hold any sort of adoration for their relationship. He is a groomer. He's an awful human being.
@@dra2521 I kind of disagree. I don’t think he’s intentionally making Jinx worse. He sees himself in her, and rather than recognize she’s a different case, assumes that the right thing to do is what he did.
Gracen was taken so aback by Marcus going into the last drop that it tells us that's a HUGE deal. If people don't know Gracen and Vander have an arangement, this tells us that Gracen does NOT go into the last drop as well. An amicable meeting with an enforcer commander in the last drop would undermine the carefully cultivated image that Vander NEEDS to maintain to keep order. This all being evident, the very clear meeting point would be the location of Vander's second in command. Additionally this is backed up by the most level headed kid being chosen to guard the door and told "No one" enters, because the only person he wouldn't try to stop would be Enforcers. This makes the whole meeting appear unscripted, when Vander could have easily realized that there needed to be a meeting with his enforcer ally in the wake of what had happened. All of this further maintains the secrecy of the meeting, Vander's character, Claggar's character, and the lengths that Vander goes to to avoid making it public knowledge that he is collaborating. Vi and Vander going to that same spot is because its where Vander and his second in command meet the enforcers. This was how I viewed the seeming coincidence at least, given the writing in the rest of the series, I'm more inclined to believe something to this nature than something coincidental, but regardless, if this were the case, it should have been more firmly implied to appear less like an oversight. But then, that is the glory of looking too hard at anything in this, you always find a valid answer.
Holy shit you're fucking smart. I understood the last drop part, but I never put together that that casual meeting wasn't casual coincidence of a meeting wasn't casual at all.
This is gonna be wild. I sincerly wish these videos to blow up. Because Season 2 is comming in November, and it'd be crazy to have you cover it as it comes out.
@@William2669 Every available piece of evidence points to the writers having deliberately crafted season one to be as good as it is. There are clips and interviews where they discuss their approach to writing for Arcane, and everything they say appears to align with what we see in the show, i.e. character driven storytelling, a strong focus on logical coherence, respect for the source material, a desire to create meaningful payoffs, etc. That's not to say they are incapable of screwing up season two, but it's encouraging to know that season one wasn't just a fluke. The writers appear to care deeply about their story and good storytelling in general. *_God I hope they get it right..._* 🙏
@@justsomeredspy id hope they care about it. Riot themselves are the ones making the show. Season one was in production for like 6 years or something. I remember reading about it years ago in one of the articles they do from time to time in the league client.
Regarding the disbelief that they woud be able to solve the problem of Hex-tech in one day: After rewatching, there is one point in episode 3, at 17:45 where a few things become quite clear. Victor in his pursuits of scientific advancement resembles in a lot of ways Silco in his quest for power. He will take whatever risks are necessary, and his failure to take anything seriously translates into risking their lives to prove a theory. At this point, you can see in Jayce's reaction that he NEVER would have completed that experiment, he would have shut it down on the spot and never achieved his goal if not for Victor. It wasn't that they solved the problem in a single day, but that Victor, upon reading Jayce's notes realized that the work was complete, but Jase refused to step out of his comfort zone. This also exemplifies the difference between trenchers and topsiders. this scene has many parallels to the scene where Vi and Caitlyn enter the trench, and Vi parkours her way in with ease, and Caitlyn responds by telling Vi that she nearly got her killed. Trenchers are raised taking risks to survive, but topsiders are rarely willing to step outside of their comfort zone. It wasn't that they solved it in a day, its that Jayce already solved it on his own, he just needed to push from Victor to do what needed to be done to stabilize the crystal. At that point at 17:45 in episode 3, Jayce would have shit it down if not for victor, and though the tech was ready, its Jayce's fear that held him back. The look on his face says it all.
Around 36:42, so cool that you too pointed out Clagger's fightinig ability. Especially at that point he's arguably always been the fat/timid one trope of the group... but even on first time my reaction during the fight scene was "holy shit, he's the only one who's actually winning!"
While I do delight in bad media getting torn apart, I find more satisfaction in seeing great media being dissected so as to learn just WHY it was so effective. I learned a lot about pacing, character development, and world building watching Arcane than if I had just read a “how to write stories” book or something. As someone who wants to publish my own stories someday I really appreciate you taking the time for these kinds of analyses. Looking forward to future installments!
Yeah the base game is trash, but the character and world building they’ve done for it is amazing. Obviously Arcane is a good start, but if only they’d do more with it like make crpgs….
Its not tho. Is THE most popular game of all time at 160+ million active users. The haters are just really vocal about it. Unless ofc you talk about the people hating the *player base.* That might actually be true. Thats not the game tho.
a bit you may have missed about the metal gauntlets that Vander used is that they were initially made as digging tools, specifically made to break rock. The under city of Zaun is mostly mines, mines that Piltover exploited for most of its wealth. They show the bridges that split the city in two often but its less the bridges that separate them and more the dam. A giant wall holding back the flood, looming over the underground casting them all in shadow.
How do you know? When did they say that? I have watched this series thousands of times and the only scene i can remember where they talk about the miners is while jayce introdruces the Hextech Gauntlets.
@@juma12114 between Silco's monologue when he's talking to the chem barons and Jayce's innovations on mining technology, you can infer that the "cast iron's" are mining gauntlets. You're right they aren't directly referred to as mining equipment, but with the history of the underground it makes sense.
I had no prior experience with League. My first impressions of Arcane from the trailer was "oh boy, another modern show with strong kickass women with dyed hair". But my sister and I were sitting around doing nothing one day while we were waiting for my father to get out of the hospital following a second heart attack. She was flipping through various streaming services in an effort to keep herself occupied while i sat on a nearby seat playing a game. I happened to glance up when she was moving through Netflix and saw the banner card for Arcane, "hey, they keep harassing me online with ads for that show, want to check it out"? I asked, thinking we would have a laugh over how mediocre/bad it was and would move on. That first scene seriously blew me away. Every preconceived notion of what this show might be was completely obliterated one by one. We ended up cleaving through four episodes in that single night and finishing it the next day. It seriously is one of the best shows I've ever seen. Im glad one of the long-form film critics i enjoy watching is finally doing a proper breakdown on why this show is so damn good, keep up the good work. I'll eagerly be looking forward to part two of your series.
I had no experience with league. I was seeing videos and references from people like Mauler and Shadiversity show up with words like "masterpiece," and I was a tad confused. Wasn't this based on a video game that I hadn't heard any good things about? I saw the trailer and was unimpressed, but I gave it a go one day at a hotel during a business trip. I saw the opening scene on my laptop and called my sister over (we were staying in the same room as we were working together) and asked if she wanted to watch it. She wasn't interested, but I got her to watch the opening. She was very, VERY interested after that. It was obvious that this was something special.
Back when Arcane first released I didn't play or know anything about the League verse or even that Arcane was based on League. So the first ever thing I had seen of it was powder holding up the crystal and my first thought was "Oh is this a DnD animated series?" Because the crystal Looked like a 20 sided die to me I guess.
That's what happens when people who have a passion for the material (in this case the people who made the game and the film studio they have a history of hiring for their music videos) actually do the work instead of those looking to make a quick profit off of something.
1:53:10 I have point out, as a person with low self-esteem, that when you stumble upon people talking negatively about you - especially someone you respect - Your first instinct would probably be to get away as fast as you can, even if that means not hearing the entirety of the conversation. Because you don't want to hear that conversation. Powder leaving before hearing Vi defend her is absolutely a common movie trope of "hearing only part of the conversation"... but it also makes a lot of sense for Powder's insecure character: She heard enough to confirm her insecurities, that Vi thought she was useless - was convinced that was what Vi was saying, and left because she didn't want to feel the hurt of hearing any more.
The algorithm be damned, this is probably the best video I've seen covering Arcane, which is my favorite series of all time. Your work on part 1 is truly outstanding, and I genuinely hope these videos receive the recognition they rightly deserve. Can't wait for part 2!
Don’t worry about the algorithm, Random. This series is your Arcane. Negativity and champion skins sells, but you’ve got a story to tell and it’s for sure worth telling.
@yamochanchan Woah, Woah, whoa, let's get one thing straight: I love my wife. I wouldn't subject her to Madam Web unless I had made an arrangement to watch a cringe movie. Even then, it's not even near the top of my list. I've heard it's boring, and boring is worse than the most exquisite cringe.
One defense for Jayce and Viktor getting hextech to work so quickly is the seemingly lengthy bit of time Jayce had to work with it. I think it's stated that "all his research" is gonna be destroyed, and you can see Jayce's apartment is cluttered with notes, papers, and contraptions. If he's on the right track or even relatively close, then two scientific minds could plug in some missing pieces and finish a project that's already been started relatively quickly. Clearly Jayce has been working on it for a long time, and he perhaps had no access to the required scientific tools because he's been keeping it on the down low.
So far, and I think I agree, it's been highlighted as the weakest part of the story. That being said if this is the biggest flaw in the writing, that still puts arcane miles ahead of tons of the shows that are out there.
i kinda wish arcane didn't retcon jayce and viktor into being the creators of hextech and instead just kept them 2 very skilled hextech engineers pushing the limits
True. Jayce was also close to a breakthrough and definitely had done actual experiements on the crystals before visiting Benzo's shop to buy equipment. We see the contraption that one of the crystals was mounted onto with wires going into different directions during the break-in by Vi's group. And let's not forget: That break-in was happening while Jayce and Caitlyn were returning from Benzo's ! Jayce had also thought that he needed to dampen the ozillations of the crystals to harness their magic, while Victor came up with the idea to do the opposite. All of this combined makes me forgive the short time frame of Victor's and Jayce's scientific break-through when also taking into account the volatilty of magic.
@@Nr4747 the fact that this is what we are agonizing over as one of the more noticeable problems with the show in the first arc is a good thing. If this was a Disney show or something it would be low on the long list of horrific writing contrivances that we would be discussing
@@lolbuster01Absolutely agree.
I‘ve always heard praise for the show but never actually came around to watch it. After hearing that you want to cover it, I decided to watch it. Thank god I did, I watched the whole season in one sitting and don’t regret a single second of doing so.
I had heard praise and decided to give it a watch. Ended up not leaving my bed, watched it all in one sitting, and was emotionally wrecked for three days. I love that show.
Ita quite something, isnt it 🤗
You gotta watch it, it’s genuinely good. Though none of the characters are Skarner so it can only be so good.
Correct
@@misanthropicservitorofmars2116 When will hollywood realise all we want to see is a butt twist realised in glorious cg!
New subscriber here! Thought I could give some insight to something.
1:46:20
This is actually pretty realistic in terms of how scientific breakthroughs can happen.
The example I'll use is Enrico Fermi: In 1934, by firing neutrons at Uranium he thought he had created two new, hitherto undiscovered elements, and was awarded a Nobel Prize for it. It was only in 1938 that it was discovered that, rather than two new elements, he had split Uranium into Barium and Krypton, and had therefore inadvertently invented Nuclear Fission. It _then_ took several more years before the discovery lead to a practical application.
The point being, Jayce and _especially_ Viktor have intimate knowledge of the theoretical framework describing magic. Any such framework will have implications: by testing those implications, if the theory is sound you can create a new phenomenon - sometimes you can even do this completely by accident.
The actual discovery of a reproducible phenomenon simply requires a test that exploits those implications - if you're right, you'll get the expected results. Under the circumstances it's far more likely that the knowledge of how to do what they did existed already for some time, but Heimerdinger was preventing people from doing tests that would confirm it.
Once the phenomenon is confirmed, _then_ it takes several years to find practical applications for it. And, unsurprisingly, the first thing it gets used for is murdering people.
Honestly it struck me as unrealistic at the time myself, but it was only learning about the hunt for the heavier radioactive elements that made me realize it checks out.
Love this reply, good history share.
A 2h40 video essay on season one of Arcane? Yes please and thank you!
Correction: the first three episodes of Arcane. We have so much more coming.
Just part one of a 3 parts season...
Your take on Arcane is great, and your delivery of this breakdown was also impressive -- there's a note in your voice of ... enjoyment? ... that occurs rarely in some of the other videos of yours that I've watched, and I hope you can find more series like this one!
Invincible might give him a similar excitement.
aracen season 2 is this year XD
I actually now watch your series instead of the actual ones, at first I thought that was specific to bad shows ( rings of power), but now I think it is a more keen enjoyment of how you dissect stories, characters, and the overarching plots. You are in my top three subscriptions that I am honestly glad I found.
On another note, thank you for improving the ad situation I mentioned last vid. It is so much better now and I can enjoy and follow your thought process much more smoothly. Appreciated!
I made no changes to the ads, I have never done any micromanaging of ad placement. TH-cam has actually taken that control away from creators, so those that did can no longer do so. So it is good to hear that YT may have got their shit together in terms of automating it!
Well thank you anyway and sorry for misunderstanding
@@randomft What do you think of the idea that the reason why Jayce and Viktor were able to invent hextech within a day and why other could not is because, Jayce witnessed magic in person when the magician saved him and his mother and that key insight which he alone has helped him in solving it and why no one else didnt. So Jayce and Viktor are genius and they are motivated to solve (Heimerdinger might be able to dsolve but has no motivation) and Jayce has the key insight after witnessing magic up close which gave him the required insight for the "eureka" moment and he probably thought about how the magician did it for all these years. All these factors separate him from everyone else and maybe this is why they were able to solve it so quickly while others couldnt. Do you think this fixes the tiny flaw?
It definitely makes it more plausible, and I am not sure I would call it a "flaw", just something that could have been presented in a more believable manner.
@@randomft I see yeah I understand. thanks
Thanks for covering Arcane. Bit late to the party but very glad you did. Just like you, I was in awe of the opening sequence. I watched it several times immediately after watching the first episode for the first time and showed it to several people as a master class in world building, character development and emotional investment, all through visual storytelling. One of the finest examples of show, don’t tell.
1:13:00 The reason why Silco opts to not immediately knife Powder is because he intended to get info on where Vi was/use Powder as bait to get Vi. That's why we see him hide the knife behind his back (deceit), rather than just put it away (genuine).
And the reason why he embraces her is not because of respect for Vander. It's just because he empathised with Powder. Silco is a very simple man.
Awesome analysis. Love you're not straying away from pointing out flaws and thoroughly inspecting what others have perceived as flaws. You clearly liked the show, but manage to maintain a lack of overbias that tends to happen with praising works.
I am so ready for this to kick off. I love Arcane and I really like what you did with the Hobbit
Yeah, his Hobbit videos were so good!
When Random started talking about how knowing about league’s lore made him anxious, I got so excited. I was NOT expecting him to mention Mundo, that threw me for a loop. I totally thought he was gonna talk about how Warwick and Vander’s backstories were WAY too similar for comfort, and that we could probably expect a murderous furry in the next season.
You can see him in the last episode of season 1 when it cuts to singed. Also, the season 2 trailer basically confirmed it.
Arcane is amazing, if not awe Inspiring as to what is POSSIBLE if writers actually CARE about telling a good story. This will be a nice break from the drudgery of most current show reviews because let’s face it: it’s depressing when you think about the state of storytelling anymore. Thank you *RFT* . I’ll go back to laughing at your Final Autopsy of Rings of Power tomorrow, but tonight I will succumb to the HOPE that things will get better!
It's crazy how much better this show gets upon repeat viewings. It just gets more and more tragic the better you understand the characters. Let's use storytelling to dial your empathy up to eleven and then use that to devastate you.
This ultra low note droning in the background of THAT scene just increases the anxiety to 120%. Just the masterful melding of character, plot, visuals and audio.
Also, after the initial shock and thoughts after watching the show was exactly your words: this show has no right to be this good.
I'm not very interested by the negative reviews your channel covers (even though i'm really convinced you argue your points really well there based on this video) because it's just an analytical genre I've grown mostly tired of. These positive analysis breakdowns, however, are very rare and therefore feel incredibly refreshing. I can't get enough of them. I really hope this video of yours does well because I'd love to tune in for another breakdown like this both for the other two acts of Arcane or any other film or show deserving of the praise.
Can't believe it took me a month to watch this but I wanted to rewatch the series before sitting down for your analysis. So I am finally back and enjoying this so much, as I always do with your vids. They're always so well detailed and I am already excited to go watch part 2 once done with part 1. Thanks for another great breakdown!
I liked your explanation of Mylo. I understand why people hate him, but he was young and died watching his own brother die too. He probably thought none of them were going to make it out. It's hard for me to hate him when I take into account his age (he's like 14) and that he was clearly jealous of Powder. Jealous of the attention she gets and that she is secretly good at a lot. While he isn't great at anything.
Mylo would've (imo) changed had he not died as a child. Spoiler:
Very sad that he's the taunting voice in Jinx's head years later still. Deep down they all cared about each other as children.
Another banger from my fastly approaching favorite media reviewer
Arcane is easily the most well crafted thing I’ve seen in decades. My reaction after finishing it, was that it reminded me that truly great storytelling still exists.
I'm really happy you've chosen this series to highlight what makes a good show. I enjoyed Arcane a lot and think it deserves the attention you're giving it. It's fascinating to see how much Arcane does right.
I hope the video does well, negative videos - while somewhat fun to watch - shouldn't be the only successful videos. 🙂
So glad that this is back! Haven’t gotten to watch Arcane (no netflix) and have been wanting a deep dive into it like this for a long time
It's been some time since I last watched this show but I remember really enjoying it, I also remember Marcus being one of my favourite characters; well written antagonists are usually the thing that I look forward to the most when it comes to most media.
Thank you so much for covering this show in-depth. It’s one of my favorite shows ever and possibly my favorite animated story ever and I love seeing you using your analysis skills on something good for a change.
I don't know how I ended up on the channel of a guy who mashed up Yzma's face on Kronk but I'm not gonna pass on the opportunity to hear an analysis about my favorite piece of art
Very happy to see this new series from you! Always a fan of hating, but an even bigger fan of loving. Thanks for putting your time into this for us.
I just wanted to say I love your videos and enjoy a well thought out breakdown, be it on a "good" show or "not very good" show, I find your content very entertaining.
Your Rings of Power series made me laugh from the gut many times, which was very welcome in my day-to-day.
I wish you good health and success in your work. I will be around to enjoy whatever you may make.😁
I loved the very detailed look at Arcane, and I can't wait for Part 2 and 3!
I imagined that sitting down with a critique that is working with an excellent show would be a nice change from the bad shows. I was wrong; this wasn't just nice, it was awesome! Looking forward to Part 2! :D
um used to watching all your content long after the full series was complete, i was devastated to realize i cant see the rest of your review on the series right away.
I wasn't expecting anything at all before watching the arcane series. To say i was shocked while and after it would be an colossal understatement. This is not really my type of genre, world and theme, but even 2 years after the release i find myself thinking about this show, of its characters, of its drama and dilemmas, what might go better or how different it would go if some character made a different decision or be at a different place, at a different time, and so on. There is so much to explore in this show, i bless the day i decided to watch it. Arcane now turns out to be even better than i thought because all the things i have missed during watching are discovered and thoroughly investigated in your analysis. Since i am more of a casual watcher who pays attention to the little things - fast emotions, vivid visuals and sound effects - it is extremely interesting for me to explore everything i've missed. Thanks to you, i have one of the best ways to do so. Can't wait for the next parts 💛
I think you overlooked something about Silco sparing and adopting Powder. She "is" him. Her dynamic with Vi strongly mirrors his own with Vander, and its clear that he sees a lot of himself in her - the overlooked and the forsaken, abandoned by their "better" sibling and forced to fend for themselves with whatever tools were available
fuck next paragraph has you cover that, my bad, the "thats all the reasons" threw me
I think the difference between Heimerdinger and the Computer Guy is that the former has first hand experience, while the other only knows about it after the fact. The implication behind Heimerdinger’s remark is that he alone understands the full scope and breadth of the horror magic - or rather the _ARCANE_ - presents, whereas everyone else whom might claim to understand the damage can really only do so from having read old stories or listened to old people talk about it. And that’s a very significant difference.
Regarding the "why did Victor take Jayce to steal the equipment when he could have just walked there with his keys", I didn't really give it much thought when I watched Arcane, but during this analysis, one thing occured to me:
Victor wanted to make some kind of discovery, yes, but in the end, it was Jayce's dream they were trying to make true. Stealing that equipment would presumably be met with a huge punishment, and if it was just Victor who would be caught, Jayce wouldn't really risk anything. Yes, his dream wouldn't come true, but he would not be punished. So I'm thinking Victor taking Jayce with him is a way of implicating him, making sure they are both in it for whatever may come if they are caught. That Jayce is not just depressed about him dream disappearing, but also willing to do something to change that - even if that something is highly illegal and could be punished by banishment by his city and/or his family.
About 2 things you talked: 1.The reason why this show has been made is because Christian Linke and was pure passion, not for selling skins. I recommend watching the docuseries bridging the rift on youtube. (of course i guess the owners from riot had that idea in mind to promote the game to earn more money selling skins) 2. The Vander, Mundo thing had me laughing so loud. In case you want to know (Spoiler season 2): Vander will be Warwick which i think it has lot of sense in his character arc and will be so scary and tragic at the same time (we end with him still chosing his love ones (Vi and the kids) and peace instead of fighting.
I love every character in this show. So damn unique, layered and tragic
I really liked your analysis and occasional league references. Can't wait for parts 2 and 3.
Arcane is fucking incredible! I also love that the best tempo map maker in the business is doing a Film Talk YT channel... fuck yeah man!
It’s back! I got to watch the second video but the first one was removed.
"Hello, I'm father figure and I'm here to father your figure." Is weirdly funny to me.
Deserves way more views 👏
This show really made me believe that there is still hope for good writing and characters. You said it well with this video and for part one i want say much ill keep mine till the end due to the spoily nature. For now looking forward to part 2
Really enjoying the format for this! I do miss the note taking, since I was interested in seeing that used in a positive light, but this works really well too! I look forward to more positive analyses after Arcane!
Great work on the video. Cool to know that You allso play this game that haunts our dreams
Woo! It's back 🎉
I'm very pleased with your perspectives in general. I was concerned you were over complicating Benzos shop, as it seemed reasonable to me the message tube system went to his shop directly, as he did business with topsiders at least enough for Jayce to know of the shop, but you further reinforced the plausibility for me.
1:27:00 It's worth noting that Viktor is still a cripple and probably wouldn't have been able to transport everything they need out of the academy alone, let alone discreetly.
Marcus is such an underrated character. it's clear he wants to do good, though he is a complete ass. as someone who has ties to several people involved in law enforcement, i can 100% see his view point and how someone in his position can form it, as flawed as it is. people who say his character is bad and one dimensional just cause "cops are evil" are severely misunderstanding that side of the isle that the show was trying to portray through him. his dealings with Silco in the rest of the series isn't unreasonable to understand. he understood that Greyson was trying to keep the peace, though only after it was too late. he didn't have someone with proper morals like Vander to work with. instead, he was stuck with Silco. we also can kind of see that his view points seemed to have shifted a bit in the time skip now that he truly knows what is going on, and the regret of disrupting the balance that Greyson and Vander held. he knows he was wrong, and wants to stop it, shown by saving Vi, him wanting to blow up Silco and himself tho hesitates due to his daughter, as well as hesitating to stop Caitlyn. he's just way too in over his head sadly. he isn't evil. he's a cocky idiot being pulled around by forces he severely underestimated while trying and miserably failing to keep things stable, but he's not evil. and not every character has to be a proactive, driven personality to be a good character.
I think there is a reason for Silco not killing Powder that you didn't explore: He thought he could get information out of her. He had no idea Powder was present. He did not know what caused the explosion. He did not know where Vi was. And Powder was just a small child, perhaps easy to manipulate into telling him where her big sister was - certainly it couldn't hurt to ask a few questions before stabbing her. He had nothing to lose from waiting for a few seconds to interrogate her.
I don't think adopting her came into his head until he pieced together why Powder was abandoned, and his heart broke for her.
i think the criticism about jayce and victor figuring out hextech in one day can somewhat be explained if you consider jayce may have been working on that since he first was teleported by ryze, which are probably several years.
additionally jayce has the somewhat unique advantage of having actually seen what magic looks like when he was teleported.
it is also implied that some sort of "calculations" are involved in the magic harnessing, so one could think that maybe jayce was already basically on the right path after years of research but just not good enough in the "math" involved, having a second pair of eyes in the form of victor helping to solve the "equations", which like in the real world may be abstractly independent of the actual physical subject matter they describe, so victor being good at that worlds "math" is absolutely believable and can also help explain why after just a day of teaming up they were able to succeed
so while it still may be somewhat rushed, i don't think its entirely unfounded that they could achieve what they did.
The bonus yasuo play was very funny. Great video.
Arcane is indeed very good! i highly reccomend the cyberpunk show as well and blue eyed samurai!
Disney could only dream of this good famales !
"pours the drinks" is very symbolic oh his style of leadership. He doesn't necessarily tell people what to do but he keeps order so everyone prospers
You know I don't always agree with you not necessarily on cinematography but sometimes just simply your stance on society or philosophy, or even political views. And I used to get a bit offended by that. But you know what? That's okay. I do not have to agree with everything you say and still can enjoy your content. Hell I'd say the fact that you do not pander to the biggest common denominator and are sometimes unfiltered, even if in a way I disagree with is a reason I appreciate you. You are very unapologetic you and that is a good to preserve nowadays, even if the underlying ideologies do not align. So thank you for being the unfiltered you (as far as TH-cam's allows it at least...)
Really good review of the show. One thing that I feel you missed at 1:12:00 when talking about why Silco put away his knife instead of killing Powder, I think it was just to appear less threatening to her, to get her to tell him where Vi went so he can finish them both. I think only after Powder hugs him, does he change his mind, cause he emphasizes with her.
Yup. He doesn't put it away, he just hides it.
Interesting, I thought Silco wanted Vi not kill her. Silco did say "candidly,I thought you were Vander's prize but Jinx,she is more than I ever could imagine". I do see Silco being an anti-hero of Arcane. He had a Villain to Loyal Father Arc. He became the very thing he despised. Vander. He finally understood why Vander did what he did. "Is there anything more undoing than a daughter" which makes it all the more tragic that Jinx misinterpreted what Silco said and believed Silco was going to turn her in because up to this point Silco believed he would do anything to achieve The realization of The Nation of Zuan. Jinx did not think she was worthy enough that someone would give up they're dreams for her until that "I was never going to give you to them,not for anything don't cry,you're perfect". scene. I think Arcane was about how Silco would grow to understand why Vander did what he did and because of Powder in his life. I am excited for the continuation of this Great Analysis of Arcane
On general storytelling nitpick on Heimerdinger - he literally witnessed the near extinction event of councillor race and/or ancestors, as I derived from story. Quite a difference.
Am so close to Jinx you can't imagine, the show made me cry so much
I've seen a lot of reaction videos and there's a common conception/misconception that when Vi is pinned under the door after the explosion at the end of Act 1 and sees the head of one of Powder's bombs on the floor, horrified, realizes that Powder was responsible for the explosion. I do not believe this is the case.
This is another example I think is worth pointing out, of a character connecting the dots, based on the information that they have and that Vi's worst fears have been realized. Powder followed her to the warehouse against her wishes and was caught in the explosion along with Milo and Clagger. Powder is dead.
Up to this point, Vi doesn't know what caused the explosion in the apartment in Piltover and Powder only recently just put 2 and 2 together herself when she throws a fit for being left behind. As you said, for all Vi knows, Silco caused the explosion to blast open the door to the warehouse and since Powder's bombs never worked, it would be inconceivable to Vi, especially with how powerful the explosion was, that Powder, in any way, could have caused this. This makes the scene all the more devastating to me because at one moment, Vi thought her sister was killed but then only to learn that it was Powder who caused the explosion that led to the deaths of Milo and Clagger and, ultimately, Vander by circumstance.
Now go back and think about the last thing Vander said to Vi, "Take care of Powder", just before she lets out an agonizing, primal scream. A double gut-punch all around.
And like with Nuclear physics Theoretical research tends to discover principles far before the experimenter finds ways to test those theories.
Your critique that the hextech twins were able to discover a reaction for first experimenting with the crystals is valid. I just can't help but think that's how they would start out discovering hextech; Vague and with great reactions
Keep up the great work man. I know positivity usually doesn't do as well as the negative vids as you said but I love your analysis and that even though you admit from the off you love the show you still will admit and point out its flaws.
One interesting thing to note is that Marcus intended to arrest Vi. When he arrives and sees the situation he understands thar Silco will kill Vi. And based on time skip approximation, he should have a newborn daughter about now. As a father with a daughter he can understand holding Vi accountable, but could not possibly condone her murder.
I enjoyed this video more than the negativ ones tbh, nice to see something great being analysed for once.
Holy shit it's back! Time to get this thing burnt into my memory for when TH-cam inevitably decides to do something dumb again.
As a LOL Player since launch; I watched Arcana as soon as it was out, and I am commenting to push attention to tis video and ultimately one of the best TV show in years.
Thank you so much for this. I have never played the game buy I loved the show, really a gem in the Netflix (and other content service) sh*t stream. I got so inspired to write myself, but I am too exhausted for that now sadly. Looking forward to the rest!
I loved Arcane and I was honestly a bit scared when you said you would cover the series in your Barbie video, but I am pleasantly surprised that you are able to cover a show you deem good with the same level of detail than you would a show you dislike. You taught me something new! (and your rando mascot freaking out will never cease to be funny)
Great video, can’t wait for part 2.
I guess you need to review the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners. Another masterpiece.
Great now I feel the need to watch this series for the 100th time 😫
I hope in next parts you show off how episodes 1-3 and episodes 4-9 are litteraly mirrored in plot points, aesthetics and even characters
I really enjoyed this video with all the detail in it.
Woh, this video was almost better than the show itself o_o
I agree with a lot of this, but have to admit that your view of Viktor seems pretty narrow, but I can't fully go into why without spoilers. Particularly when you factor in Legacy which is something that matters to both Mel and Viktor. Mel wants to craft Piltover in her image to prove her mother wrong and Viktor doesn't become fully invested in his own treatment until it becomes clear he will be prevented from achieving the legacy he wanted. And for Viktor that legacy is tied directly to his desires for Zaun.
You are absolutely correct, and I have quite a bit to say about this in part 2. My view of Viktor presented in this video is taking ONLY episodes 1-3 into account.
Quick context from having read other things with the word mouser in them. A mouser is if I understand it correctly a cat. It's a cat that is made for hunting mice. So I think quite literally that bomb is meant to kill mice if it works and thus she gave it ears and eyes because cats kill mice.
Amazing, this were 2,6 hours?? :D
Damn it. I had forgotten how long until it premiered and came home hoping it would be up. But alas
Thanks for this video. I loved the show. One thing that I think that you should talk about is the animation
I eagerly await part 2
It always confused me why they shutdown the trading stuff when they got attacked when increased security was the simpler solution
Love the Teemo-hat
I have never watched this channel. TH-cam, for all that is holy, stop sending my ps4 to this channel. Every single time I wake up to youtube still playing it’s on this channel about 99 times out of 100. I follow hundreds of channels, WHY is this the one you always send me to.
Sometimes the algorithm recommends something good.
I imagine you got recommended this channel because RFT also streams games on his Playstation.
Main things I'd say Arcane does poorly is adequate worldbuilding for Piltover. You never get a full sense of the city, what's where and who owns it. The difference between the slums across the bridge and the higher society, and Zaun below it all. Like there being other areas of Zaun, but all we see are the Lanes. Or what exactly is lost with Zaun being independent, especially when you see how angry the Council gets over it.
The Slum area especially gets very little, since most of our time is spent with the Elites or down in Zaun. We don't get much detail on their goings ons. We just get glimpses like the attack at the warehouse or Heimerdinger's visit. And we end up getting little on how the bridge closure effects them, outside of the fact that Silco's business specifically is hurt by it.
Other than that, I'd say Violet and Caitlyn's romance is pretty underdeveloped. More or less a minor point overall, but it does feel rather forced. Like they should've waited until a later season to start building it up and drop hints. I'm not even sure if Violet would care enough about a relationship or even know her own sexual tastes given how much of her life revolved around her family, specifically Powder, then spending so much time growing up isolated in prison. Unless there are some unmentioned shower scenes with Vi and other female inamates... Jaws might not be the only things she broke in prison...
Arcane is a masterpiece, possibly the best series I've ever seen. Unlike Marvel and Disney, it requires its audience to pay attention.
It's the complete antithesis of something like the Mandolorian, which actively punishes you for paying attention.
yesssssssssssss, one of my favorite shows
I was heartbroken when Riot removed the amazing Journal of Justice from the Game client, it was one of the best things they had going. They have amazing Lore and Worldbuilding, everything character driven as League of Legends is all about the Characters. And Arcane takes that approach and hell do they deliver.
As for Yasuo, I recommend you try him out. He is impossible to suck with. Just draw the game out long enough to reach your 0/11 powerspike aka. Infinity Edge and then roll your face on the keyboard. I guarantee you're going to win at least as many games as you lose.
That is so wrong. The 0/11 powerspike is just a meme. If you fall behind as yasuo you will be useless.
Describing Victor as “entirely self-made” takes on a new meaning when you think of what he eventually becomes.
He's not, though. There are people in the Undercity that are smarter and more capable than Viktor. He got lucky enough to be "discovered" and given an opportunity.
For every one supposedly "successful" person, there are at least a million people in this world that are more intelligent, more skilled, more talented, and more driven...who ultimately accomplish nothing...all from blind stinking luck.
For example. Musk is an idiot and a thief capable of really nothing at all. But he doesn't care about anyone but himself, and he's lucky.
G L O R I O U S E V O L U T I O N
He gonna get corrupted but becouse of him not entirely. He is not forcing evolution on others 👀ツ
I love Viktor in the show, and I'm scared what messages like this might mean
@@jonbaxter2254if you really wanna know google Viktor LoL character design.
Then you will understand (and probably get scared and hyped for him)
I don’t know how you can state any character “grows into one of the best characters” when literally every character in this show deserves the gold medal.
The fish chef is my favourite character. Followed by Jace.
@@lefteron6804 The fish chef is named Jericho and he's indeed best boi
@@lefteron6804 Jace is so underrated honestly.
Jace was best in the first few episodes, but he did sort of complete his arc prematurely. In the later episodes he's one of the weaker characters, which is like saying Captain America is weaker than the Hulk but you know, everything's a matter of perspective
Still better characters by far than any other show I have seen in the past few years.
@@epicfail3167 he is being manipulated, he’s getting his hands dirty by middling with other senators, he becomes a politician, a brilliant man, scientists, finding himself in a position of power that he’s not ready to wield, and he gets a taste of how important any decision he makes is and the cost of war, he’s character arc is far from over and I think he’s a brilliant character with a lot of potential.
I believe you missed Silco's actual motivation for "putting away" (or more likely, temporarily hiding) his knife. When he purrs, "where is your sister?" he is being predatory, attempting to gather information. He's seen Vander's body and suspects Vi is still out there somewhere. Look at his minions' body language. Silco and his entourage are still willing to kill Powder should that be necessary. Silco isn't cruel for the sake of cruelty, of course, but he IS practical. As you rightly point out, Silco's motivation for killing the children is to tie up loose ends, and at this point he wants to make sure Vi is done away with.
It isn't until Powder tackles him with a sobbing embrace, that his feelings suddenly shift. He is both literally and figuratively taken aback. Remember, this is a man who uses everyone, who keeps everyone at arm's length. He clearly doesn't think of himself as a "family man," and he probably hasn't experienced real human touch in years. This is why Powder embracing him is shocking because he didn't expect that behavior from her, but also because he feels a bewildering stirring of pity and tenderness. When she describes her abandonment, watch his face - it changes from dissonance to understanding. The feelings make sense to him. I think it's only at that point, when he's being embraced, that he gets those paternal feelings about caring for and raising a child, and those feelings initially surprise him.
Other than that, spot on analysis.
Agreed! I don't think Silco had any interest in Powder other than as a source of information until she tackled him. It's really striking on rewatches how completely his facial expression changes in that moment. Before, he's still very much the Silco of Act 1, fully in control, arm holding the knife at the ready and his body ready to pounce. Very catlike, as you mentioned.
But as soon as Powder grabs him, and *especially* once she says "She is NOT my sister anymore," there appears a softness in his eyes and face that we've never seen before, accentuated by genuine shock. Silco FEELS something incredibly powerful for this poor little girl in that moment, and the fact that he is still capable of doing so is as much a surprise to himself as it is to the viewer. His sudden moment of intense, absolute empathy leads to him doing the first impulsive thing we see him do the entire season, as he (scarcely seeming to believe what he himself is doing) wraps his arms around Powder and comforts her.
And so the first domino drops for Silco's arc for the rest of the series.
@@peteryang5056 Very well put. Arcane really is absolutely brilliant.
G. V g. G g by 😢u 😢 v😢 my b bun v thy u j j I😮mmhI’m😮 bmih ughh hun nmmb
Silco isn't overcome with a natural paternal instinct. He is manipulating her. He's using her. Every minute he's known her, he uses her. He projects his own insecurities and traumas onto her as a means to manipulate her motivations. Even in his death. That last line, "you're perfect", is his last laugh. Silco loves himself more than anyone. Whatever affection he holds for jinx is selfishly motivated. Even if his motivations change when confronted with turning her over. He is never concerned for her wellbeing. He isn't concerned with her healing. He exploits her vulnerabilities every single interaction he has with her. I will never understand why people hold any sort of adoration for their relationship. He is a groomer. He's an awful human being.
@@dra2521 I kind of disagree. I don’t think he’s intentionally making Jinx worse. He sees himself in her, and rather than recognize she’s a different case, assumes that the right thing to do is what he did.
Gracen was taken so aback by Marcus going into the last drop that it tells us that's a HUGE deal. If people don't know Gracen and Vander have an arangement, this tells us that Gracen does NOT go into the last drop as well. An amicable meeting with an enforcer commander in the last drop would undermine the carefully cultivated image that Vander NEEDS to maintain to keep order.
This all being evident, the very clear meeting point would be the location of Vander's second in command. Additionally this is backed up by the most level headed kid being chosen to guard the door and told "No one" enters, because the only person he wouldn't try to stop would be Enforcers. This makes the whole meeting appear unscripted, when Vander could have easily realized that there needed to be a meeting with his enforcer ally in the wake of what had happened.
All of this further maintains the secrecy of the meeting, Vander's character, Claggar's character, and the lengths that Vander goes to to avoid making it public knowledge that he is collaborating. Vi and Vander going to that same spot is because its where Vander and his second in command meet the enforcers.
This was how I viewed the seeming coincidence at least, given the writing in the rest of the series, I'm more inclined to believe something to this nature than something coincidental, but regardless, if this were the case, it should have been more firmly implied to appear less like an oversight. But then, that is the glory of looking too hard at anything in this, you always find a valid answer.
That answers that whole question. Good stuff.
Holy shit you're fucking smart. I understood the last drop part, but I never put together that that casual meeting wasn't casual coincidence of a meeting wasn't casual at all.
This is gonna be wild. I sincerly wish these videos to blow up. Because Season 2 is comming in November, and it'd be crazy to have you cover it as it comes out.
I’m so hyped for it but also scared cause I loved season 1 so much that I’m worried they’re gonna drop the ball.
@@William2669 Every available piece of evidence points to the writers having deliberately crafted season one to be as good as it is. There are clips and interviews where they discuss their approach to writing for Arcane, and everything they say appears to align with what we see in the show, i.e. character driven storytelling, a strong focus on logical coherence, respect for the source material, a desire to create meaningful payoffs, etc. That's not to say they are incapable of screwing up season two, but it's encouraging to know that season one wasn't just a fluke. The writers appear to care deeply about their story and good storytelling in general. *_God I hope they get it right..._* 🙏
@@justsomeredspy id hope they care about it. Riot themselves are the ones making the show. Season one was in production for like 6 years or something. I remember reading about it years ago in one of the articles they do from time to time in the league client.
I hope even more for a good season two, with a focus on writing quality to match S1.
@@nickl9461 writing should be at least on the same level, since they mentioned starting writing on the second season while writing the first.
Regarding the disbelief that they woud be able to solve the problem of Hex-tech in one day:
After rewatching, there is one point in episode 3, at 17:45 where a few things become quite clear. Victor in his pursuits of scientific advancement resembles in a lot of ways Silco in his quest for power. He will take whatever risks are necessary, and his failure to take anything seriously translates into risking their lives to prove a theory. At this point, you can see in Jayce's reaction that he NEVER would have completed that experiment, he would have shut it down on the spot and never achieved his goal if not for Victor. It wasn't that they solved the problem in a single day, but that Victor, upon reading Jayce's notes realized that the work was complete, but Jase refused to step out of his comfort zone.
This also exemplifies the difference between trenchers and topsiders. this scene has many parallels to the scene where Vi and Caitlyn enter the trench, and Vi parkours her way in with ease, and Caitlyn responds by telling Vi that she nearly got her killed.
Trenchers are raised taking risks to survive, but topsiders are rarely willing to step outside of their comfort zone. It wasn't that they solved it in a day, its that Jayce already solved it on his own, he just needed to push from Victor to do what needed to be done to stabilize the crystal. At that point at 17:45 in episode 3, Jayce would have shit it down if not for victor, and though the tech was ready, its Jayce's fear that held him back. The look on his face says it all.
Around 36:42, so cool that you too pointed out Clagger's fightinig ability.
Especially at that point he's arguably always been the fat/timid one trope of the group... but even on first time my reaction during the fight scene was "holy shit, he's the only one who's actually winning!"
While I do delight in bad media getting torn apart, I find more satisfaction in seeing great media being dissected so as to learn just WHY it was so effective. I learned a lot about pacing, character development, and world building watching Arcane than if I had just read a “how to write stories” book or something. As someone who wants to publish my own stories someday I really appreciate you taking the time for these kinds of analyses. Looking forward to future installments!
It'll never cease to surprise me how an animated show based on one of the most taxic and hated games of all time managed to turn out so good.
Because the lore of this game is S tier
Yeah the base game is trash, but the character and world building they’ve done for it is amazing. Obviously Arcane is a good start, but if only they’d do more with it like make crpgs….
"taxic" just makes me imagine that the game is loaded with bad taxation.
There's a show about Raid Shadow Legends?
Its not tho.
Is THE most popular game of all time at 160+ million active users.
The haters are just really vocal about it.
Unless ofc you talk about the people hating the *player base.*
That might actually be true.
Thats not the game tho.
a bit you may have missed about the metal gauntlets that Vander used is that they were initially made as digging tools, specifically made to break rock. The under city of Zaun is mostly mines, mines that Piltover exploited for most of its wealth. They show the bridges that split the city in two often but its less the bridges that separate them and more the dam. A giant wall holding back the flood, looming over the underground casting them all in shadow.
How do you know? When did they say that? I have watched this series thousands of times and the only scene i can remember where they talk about the miners is while jayce introdruces the Hextech Gauntlets.
@@juma12114 between Silco's monologue when he's talking to the chem barons and Jayce's innovations on mining technology, you can infer that the "cast iron's" are mining gauntlets. You're right they aren't directly referred to as mining equipment, but with the history of the underground it makes sense.
I had no prior experience with League.
My first impressions of Arcane from the trailer was "oh boy, another modern show with strong kickass women with dyed hair".
But my sister and I were sitting around doing nothing one day while we were waiting for my father to get out of the hospital following a second heart attack.
She was flipping through various streaming services in an effort to keep herself occupied while i sat on a nearby seat playing a game.
I happened to glance up when she was moving through Netflix and saw the banner card for Arcane, "hey, they keep harassing me online with ads for that show, want to check it out"? I asked, thinking we would have a laugh over how mediocre/bad it was and would move on.
That first scene seriously blew me away.
Every preconceived notion of what this show might be was completely obliterated one by one.
We ended up cleaving through four episodes in that single night and finishing it the next day.
It seriously is one of the best shows I've ever seen.
Im glad one of the long-form film critics i enjoy watching is finally doing a proper breakdown on why this show is so damn good, keep up the good work.
I'll eagerly be looking forward to part two of your series.
I had no experience with league. I was seeing videos and references from people like Mauler and Shadiversity show up with words like "masterpiece," and I was a tad confused. Wasn't this based on a video game that I hadn't heard any good things about? I saw the trailer and was unimpressed, but I gave it a go one day at a hotel during a business trip. I saw the opening scene on my laptop and called my sister over (we were staying in the same room as we were working together) and asked if she wanted to watch it. She wasn't interested, but I got her to watch the opening. She was very, VERY interested after that. It was obvious that this was something special.
Back when Arcane first released I didn't play or know anything about the League verse or even that Arcane was based on League. So the first ever thing I had seen of it was powder holding up the crystal and my first thought was "Oh is this a DnD animated series?" Because the crystal Looked like a 20 sided die to me I guess.
That's what happens when people who have a passion for the material (in this case the people who made the game and the film studio they have a history of hiring for their music videos) actually do the work instead of those looking to make a quick profit off of something.
1:53:10 I have point out, as a person with low self-esteem, that when you stumble upon people talking negatively about you - especially someone you respect - Your first instinct would probably be to get away as fast as you can, even if that means not hearing the entirety of the conversation. Because you don't want to hear that conversation.
Powder leaving before hearing Vi defend her is absolutely a common movie trope of "hearing only part of the conversation"... but it also makes a lot of sense for Powder's insecure character: She heard enough to confirm her insecurities, that Vi thought she was useless - was convinced that was what Vi was saying, and left because she didn't want to feel the hurt of hearing any more.
As much as I love a good breakdown of terrible shows, it’s awesome to see you gush about something you love.
I’m stoked for parts 2 and 3
The algorithm be damned, this is probably the best video I've seen covering Arcane, which is my favorite series of all time. Your work on part 1 is truly outstanding, and I genuinely hope these videos receive the recognition they rightly deserve.
Can't wait for part 2!
Don’t worry about the algorithm, Random. This series is your Arcane. Negativity and champion skins sells, but you’ve got a story to tell and it’s for sure worth telling.
I gotta wait 41 hours? Valentine's Day is ruined. What am i gonna do now, spend time with my wife?
I hope you made her watch Arcane for Valentine’s 😊
As long as you didnt bring her to watch Madam Web all is fine. Otherwise you might be set on fire 😂
@yamochanchan Woah, Woah, whoa, let's get one thing straight: I love my wife. I wouldn't subject her to Madam Web unless I had made an arrangement to watch a cringe movie. Even then, it's not even near the top of my list. I've heard it's boring, and boring is worse than the most exquisite cringe.
@@yamochanchan nostalgia critic moment