Victor is not saying that perfection can't be reached. He is saying that once you do, everything becomes meaningless and existance will become pointless.
Wait I'm new to this channel, she did not get that? You don't need a background in philosophy to understand that! Maybe I'm being picky but I'll find something else to watch
Hey, you want to hear something tragic about Viktor's fate? Viktor, to Heimerdinger, in season 1: "I suppose your legacy has been well-secured." "My contributions will be short-lived, even in your memories." In season 2, Jayce is the only one who knew what happened in that final confrontation, and the only one that understood Viktor and saw him change in the end. And Jayce disappeared with him. Because of that, Viktor is seen by Piltover as a villain. His name has been removed from the Hexgate blueprints (when Cait is examining them, you can see that only Jayce's name is on there). In his desperation to become something greater and to leave behind a greater legacy, he destroyed the one he had.
I don't really blame Viktor for anything that happened to him in season 2 because what he became was caused by others. He spent the first season running away from his death and then he finally accepted it in the season finale, and then it was taken away from him by Jayce and then Singed. He was denied his fate three times.
19:17: Right? it's gorgeous, AND the blanket is STILL part of it 🤣 But also, the bones in one leg, and the echoes of lungs and ribcage in the body, shadows of the braces Viktor wore, disability still haunting him even in this form... Aaaaaand then you said it, lol, glad we're on the same wavelength. I have EMOTIONS about this whole image. "And they were roommates ..." in a thousand timelines 😆 I've really enjoyed going on this journey with you, thank you for sharing your thoughts and emotions with us!
1:30 It's a subtle (or not so subtle, depending on the circles you're in) touch but if you notice, Jinx's outfit following her stint in jail is missing her choker, the criss-crossing straps at the front of her top, her shoelaces, etc.... Basically, any rope-like component that could be used as a ligature. In other words, Jinx had been put on s****** watch whilst in jail.
My headcanon is that Jinx was on that airship as it was flying away. Everyone seems to agree that Jinx isn't dead lol even her own voice actor😂 Fabulous reaction to Arcane season 2. Have tremendously enjoyed your reactions. They are amongst my favourites I've seen on YT😊❤
Even the theme playing during that scene is the same as the one that plays during that scene in S1E1. I think they left it a little ambiguous on purpose but heavily implied that could be one interpretation.
During he last explosion of Jinx se can see a ray of purple Light dashing away. Next scene Cait look at the exhaust pipe of the Hexgate. And the last scene is an aircraft flying away from piltover mirroring the first scene of season 1 ep 1 when Powder say she’ll go on one of these one day… (Only deduction no fact but many people think it’s the meaning of the end)
Silco in Jinx´ head also said that the only thing one can do to is to walk away, so she did just that: fake her death, walk away, knowing Vi can finally find closure and happiness
I loved your entire reaction series. Your insights and comments were interesting and fun to watch! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the hard work you did entertaining us!
IMO the message behind Jayce and Viktor's conversation is the idea that imperfections - in Viktor's case, his illness and disabilities - shaped him but he did not allow them to define him, and _that_ was what Jayce admired about him. Yes, Viktor was a "poor cripple from the Undercity" but he also "simply believed in [himself]" to be more than what those limitations in life might have otherwise suggested what his life should be.
14:22 I hope you will also watch the "Welcome to Noxus" Arcane sequel cinematic and other amazing LoL cinematics like "Awaken", "Warriors" 2020, "Still Here", "The Call", Gods" and so on.
32:29 Welp, they did it guys: They broke Kyra! In all seriousness this as been a hell of a ride. I struggle to think of more than one or two other reactors who have done such an insightful job of breaking down Arcane, and you've found new things to love in a show I didn't think I could love any more than I already did. With Arcane now over, I would like to humbly suggest Castlevania as the next show you watch (if you haven't already seen it). The animation is gorgeous, and it is chock-full of the kind of complex, multifaceted characters you so clearly enjoy. Thanks for such a wonderful series.
Thank you so much for this, and for all your arcane reactions. Your analysis has been so insightful and it's been wonderful to experience this show again through your videos
The comment about disability and society makes me think of Shanidar Cave a Neanderthal burial. One of the bodies was of a 30 to 45 year old male who was disabled in various ways, some from birth some from later in life. He would not have been through his own power been able to walk for long or at all, his right arm was likely amputated, he was likely deaf due to bone growths in the ear canals, his left eye was either partially or totally blind, and his teeth were worn down to the point where they could not be used for chewing. Yet he survived to 3 to 4 and a half decades as a disabled person in the Paleolithic era. The Windover Archeological Site also another example of care from people who had way less technologically power than we do. It had many bodies including a 15 year old who was born with Spina bifida. He may have been paralyzed from the waste down and he was taken care off to the best of the ability of the hunter and gatherer society that the kid was born into. My point for saying all of this is to say that taking care of and trying to give everyone a place in society is a choice. If people with only Stone Age tools who were highly mobile were able to try to try to take care of people who disabled in such a way that they were not mobile then our society doesn’t do the same because it does not want to. It’s a choice of our society.
Thank you! Such good reactions and thoughtful insights throughout your Arcane journey!👌 I loved this season a lot - it made me emotional so many times. The characters went on a wild journey & I totally got them. It was nice to see you liked this season too. Can't wait for more Arcane or Arcane related content you'd like to share with us. 🙏
3:22 There apparently was a scene after this at the very start of production which showed Jinx and Ekko gearing up for war, painting each other and him telling her of the other timeline as an inspiration to do good, the way she looks like at 8:13. That outfit also look like Spider-Gwen's Venom suit btw.
Not to quibble with your interpretation of Viktor's final moments, but here are mine: - "There is no prize to perfection, only an end to pursuit" - This is a philosophical position, the idea that if you achieve perfection you have actually lost something vitally important. I interpret this as Viktor saying he got all the knowledge he wanted, but it was an empty victory because the joy was in the pursuit of it. - "In all timelines, in all realities, only you can show me this" Viktor seems to have been repeatedly creating new timelines by going back and giving Jayce a different rune, every time hoping this one would result in a Jayce who can stop him and create a reality where he does not cause the apocalypse. To me he was saying that this Jayce in particular, the one carrying the acceleration rune that lets Ekko create the Z drive which becomes the bomb which cracks open Viktor's face and allows him to stop and see the truth... only that Jayce can show him the future. - "You were never broken" A lot of us disabled folk need to hear this. I don't like the way this line is juxtaposed to make it seem like it is a dismissal of all the suffering that Viktor's disabilities caused, but when it's interpreted that way I think it's because people confuse the "your" and "you" distinction. Viktor's leg and Viktor's lungs were never who he was, they belonged to him. Having a broken leg doesn't make the person broken, just the body they possess. The representation of disability in this series is certainly fraught (as any representation in media is like to be) but it was still amazing to have one of the most well liked and fleshed out characters be a disabled person. - "Are we doing a Madoka Magica right now?" Actually I think we were doing exactly that. And just like Madoka there are all kinds of people saying "They weren't romantic!" lol. But seriously, Viktor time looping endlessly until he can get Jayce to stop him is so Homura coded.
It only just dawned on me how similar the "the joy was in the pursuit of it." is to something Frieren says at some point during the anime of the same name. The mentioning of it there was nice but nowhere nearly as impactful as in Arcane. Maybe this link will actually elevate the quote there for me, so thank you for that. 😂 Also I really, really like your way of interpreting Jayce's "You were never broken". I feel similar in that regard, but you've been very eloquently putting it.
I love this ending. The whole show has been older Viktor casting a spell showing younger Viktor he made the wrong choice so he can change it. One of my favourite things about it is what it means for Ishas sacrifice. When we hear Viktor talking at the end of episode 6 I think it's OLDER Viktor speaking, because young Viktor is dead - he is saying that for people to become their absolute best you need to also allow them to be their absolute worst. Or, Isha saved everyone. Viktor can stop people becoming as awful as Ambessa but in the process it also stops them being able to be as good as Isha. Viktor rightly concludes in the end it isn't worth it. Also, the rune shape on Jayces wrist appears often in the show, in character designs and background art in both seasons. Just incredible depth and beauty.
I've said for years that imperfections are what make people beautiful, and youre right, our society is not made for people with disabilities. I have a disabled client that i drive for and the number of times we cant even use the disabled spaces because theres no room for his wheelchair ramp is ridiculous
It appears to be the exact same *model* of airship as the one Powder saw in S1E1. They might as well have it towing a banner that reads "guess who finally got her wish."
I think you talked before about Jayce going through a symbolic version of Viktor's story in episode 7, but we realize now that we also saw the opposite that episode as well. Viktor had to go through the experience of far outliving Jayce, so he now understands the fear of losing his partner that drove Jayce to defy him in order to save his life in episode 1 Also! Cool detail: The chair Sevika sits in at the end used to be Cassandra's! Meaning it was probably meant to go to Caitlyn as head of House Kiramman, but she gave it up in order to make sure Zaun had a seat at the table
I'm gonna miss your reactions and your commentary so much. Not many reactors go into deep analysis of what they're watching, but you obviously do, and that's so precious. I wonder what you're gonna react to next! So, Jinx is alive (yes, she is!) and I'm sure she will be back some day to reunite with Vi and Ekko; Viktor and Jayce are confirmed soulmates in all timelines and all possibilities who now exist beyond time and space; and CaitVi managed to survive and stay together no matter what. I consider this ending as happy as it can get with the show like Arcane :)
I suggest giving "Alec's Scattered Thoughts" (th-cam.com/play/PL8smMDDIilOK4v2R0-QlZ3G5Evj819atd.html) a look. His is another reaction that I really enjoyed because he's very insightful and noticed a thing or two that I hadn't noticed even after several rewatches. Just like I did with Kyra's reaction. Will definitely keep an eye on this channel. 😃
Others will explain, I'm sure, but yeah, some pretty heavy implications Jinx is still alive. She just has come to believe that in order to heal and grow, she needs a fresh start outside of Piltover, and that in order to heal and grow, Vi needs to stay with Caitlyn. And Vi would never actually do that if she had any idea how to follow her sister, so for now at least, she is letting everybody believe she is dead. But I have confidence we'll see them reunited eventually, maybe in a sequel show or a game or series of comics or novels perhaps? Also, Ambessa was right, in the end. Even when she was offered her daughter's forgiveness and her daughter's love and cooperation, if she would just walk away from causing more harm in Piltover, she couldn't do it. She didn't have the strength to give up a chance to win her feud with the Black Rose when it was nearly in her grasp Unlike Caitlyn, who did find that strength within herself, choosing her love for Vi and for this city over her hatred for Jinx, even when Jinx was basically begging her not to
A podcast about arcane season 2 by the TH-camrs Frame of Mind made a great analysis of the whole season and the storytelling of Arcane. A great watch in my opinion especially having just finished the finale, personally helped me “fill the empty pit” once knowing Arcane has ended.
wait no i didnt realize she'd been building a balloon the whole time. wanting to leave by her own ability but never having the will to fly until isha and ekko
Thanks a lot for watching this, it’s been amazing and I love your insights… I can’t wait for the discussion, and whatever you watch next, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it just as much. This episode means a lot, to me. It has given me perspective on something I’ve been struggling with for over a decade now… and I owe it all to Viktor. I’ve always identified with Viktor in many ways. I’m a (soon to be) physicist, so I’ve always felt like I share a lot of Viktor’s passions and struggles. In particular, I am a perfectionist… obsessively so, and in a way that it becomes an impediment to both my studies and my daily life. In the past, I have spent countless nights up writing, correcting, _perfecting._ It is harmful, but I always found “the pursuit of perfection” to be an integral part of me. Then Viktor came and said the phrase that changed it all: “…when every equation was solved, all that remained was fields of _dreamless_ solitude. There is no prize to perfection, only an end to _pursuit._” People around me have been telling me similar things all my life, but for some reason I had to hear it from someone who I _kew_ shared my flaws. Viktor saying it made something click inside of me, and I think I found the key to dealing with my perfectionism. I enjoy the pursuit of perfection, and yet I spent my days seeking to end it. And it won’t end with a bang, but with a whimper… there’s no prize waiting at the end of the road, all that awaits is a world with nothing to strive for.
I’d give this a thousand little hearts if I could. When fiction is able to change our perspectives inside and out, that’s why I think it’s so important and so great to talk about. Best of luck with your wonderful career that will be, hopefully, fulfilling yet not perfect. 😊
I just had a realisation.... Arcane's main characters are essentially Jinx, Vi, Caitlyn, Jayce, Viktor, and maybe Mel. However, as a testament to how fragmented the show is, I don't any of them has actually had direct interactions with all the other main characters with the possible exception of Vi (if you exclude Mel as a main character).Jinx never met Jayce, Caitlyn never directly interacted with Viktor onscreen, etc.
It’s an issue! I want to a video talking about some of the ways s2 could have been improved actually, and more time for character interactions is definitely near the top of the list!
@@kyratries The unfortunate downside of the quality of the art, the time it takes to make it, and the franchise being such an expansive universe that people want to see adapted. Proof there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. 😅😅
Aww, you don't need to erase it from your brain. Like a good mystery novel, live it again and you will find so many things that you never noticed the first time! ❤️
I never understood why Jayce was having a secret council meeting about the impending attack, explaining that he needed time to shut down the Hexgates when he could've been shutting them down right then and there. It's not like the Hexgates were 50 miles away. It's literally just down the street. He could've neutralized it before Ambessa's army even boarded their ships. I also didn't care for sudden leap from Ekko talking Jinx out of killing herself in the beginning to suddenly showing up in a retrofit air balloon with a new minigun, the firelights and an entire revolutionary army of Zaunites. They either needed one more episode or they shouldn't have wasted 45 minutes on Ekko dicking around in an alternate universe. We have no sense of how much time has passed since Ekko returned to the main universe and when Ambessa began her attack but Jinx sure as hell couldn't have McGyvered that ship and rallied all of Zaun overnight.
lmao yeah I was laughing at that part when I was the editing the video like….jayce I know you aren’t famous for your great decision making, but there seems to be a solution here 😂
I would suggest watching the "Welcome to Noxus" cinematic Riot released just a few days ago as of this posting. It's kind of a little bridge to what may become a new show set in the same universe (i.e. Runeterra) and Arcane playing just after the events in Arcane.
When it comes to Jinx, what they did is left her fate open ended. If they don't want to use her in the spin off series, there is enough evidence to say she is dead. If they do want to use her in the spin off series, there was enough justification to say she survived. Did you catch AU Powder in this episode? At the name burning ceremony, a girl with blue hair, with a streak of pink, tied up in buns, wearing clothes similar to Powder's can be seen. We don't see her face, and it is more likely they just used her model for a crowd shot, but they could make it canon that AU Powder followed Ekko to find Vi. As for Cait calling Vi "Violet" to me that is her showing affection. Even though it is her real name, everybody just calls her Vi. Cait is the only one that used her full name. It is a nice parallel to everyone using Cait's full name. Vi and Jayce are the only ones who call her Cait. Also, if you want to see something funny. Go watch the Chinese edit of the final Cait and Vi scene. The animators put the absolute least amount of effort possible into conforming to the Chinese "No Gay" doctrine. As for Sevika, did you notice she is sitting in Cait's seat? As the head of the Kiraman house, Cait had every right to take her mother's place on the council, but now Sevika has her spot to give Zaun a say in what happens.
40:30 how is singed walking out of all this? This man have absolutely nothing to lose and do anything for his goal and ONLY CARE ABOUT HIS GOAL that the different between him and others in show and that the reasons why he got everything he wants
Watch the explosion that ‘kills’ Jinx. Watch it frame by frame. For two or three frames there’s a streak of Jinx’s purple running out of the explosion in the upper right. That wasn’t some mistake by the animators.
Singed got away with it by 1 simple reason - he ultimately decided what is the most important thing for him - his daughter. All other characters had one goal then attached to someone and that is became the main source of their suffering - a desire to get what they wanted for a long time AND what they started to want just recently. For Vi it's Powder (long time) and Caitlyn (recently), for Silco it's Zaun (long time) and Jinx (recently) and etc. While Singed doesn't let himself to get attached to somebody on a same level as his daughter. Yes, he feels sympathy to Silco (as father) and to Viktor (as scientist), he is kind to everyone as long as he can allow himself to be so. BUT Orianna matters most. Summarizing it - just decide for yourself what you want MOST, people! Also Singed wins because that's how real life wars are - the true winner is one who was loyal only to THEIR OWN goals, not goals of some war sides.
Arcane is a tragedy. That is why Singed walks away with everything he wants after destroying everyone else's life. It's the only fitting end for him, the actual villain.
Thank you for the great reaction! To me it does not really seem to be the case of "perfection can't be achieved" - it's something more like it very much can be achieved, but once achieved it turns out to be quite a shitty thing with no inherent value, and, on top of that, one can't actually now go anywhere further from achieving that endpoint. Also yeah, Singed achieving everything is very funny =) Seems like one just can't hit good ending in Arcane without commiting a couple of war crimes
He always had pretty terrible scientific ethics, but his drive did change (evolve, if you will, haha) over the show. I don't think enough people really ponder the way the hexcore was slowly corrupting what remained of Viktor's psyche. When Jayce gets pulled into the arcane with him, Viktor has been literally swallowed by this thing wearing his face. It takes a crack in the space time continuum to break the mask long enough for the real Viktor to see what he's actually done and hear reason. This isn't to absolve Viktor, he definitely ended up causing the most damage to others, and it's a testament to how insidious power is, that it can pervert even "good intentions" when used to force people into a homogenous standard. And his willingness to give into the hexcore, into the ultimate evolution, very much stemmed from his early disregard for life-threatening consequences in the name of science. But he is a product of the undercity, where people survive by accepting the risk of death for the opportunity to continue living. To me, it makes sense in that context that he would see Heimerdinger's precautions as bureaucratic nonsense. As he grew closer to dying, his motives changed from helping the general population of the undercity to saving his life - another thing I can't fault him for. He didn't understand the full ramifications of trying to prolong his life with hextech, because how could he? This was a brand new, never before seen invention. Many people today accept experimental treatment to try to stay alive. Of course, we don't have potentially apocalyptic, arcane magic in this world (??) but the base humanity of wanting to live is something we can recognize. And Viktor, human Viktor, actually reached a point where he was ready to give it all up and accept death, right after Sky was consumed by the hexcore. When Viktor saw the consequences of his reckless experimentation was at the cost of an innocent life, he was ready to step off a ledge. He made the only person he trusted promise to destroy the only thing that could save him. He finally joined Jayce before the council to suspend all hextech operations. OUR Viktor was flawed, as all the Arcane characters are, but he was trying to do the right thing, just before he died. The biggest catalyst for his insane change was literally an insane change - one that he had no choice in. He was ripped out of his body and stuffed into a metal automaton wearing his face. He could no longer see his world clearly, stuck somewhere between life and death, caught in the web of the Arcane. The Arcane has been established to have a will of its own, one that hates humanity and seeks to destroy/corrupt it. From the moment it got its hooks in Viktor, it was killing him. Which is such a tragic and ironic outcome, since he was trying to use it to survive. I think Jayce understood, and it's why he was so full of compassion and love for Viktor to the end. He'd known Viktor the best and closest for years. He knew his true heart, flaws and all. Like, Viktor is an antagonist, it was his destiny (bc of League lore lol) but imo he's not a villain. It's something I love about this show. Every character really is motivated by both the best and worst of humanity. Whoops, I'm sorry, I wrote a novel! My meds kicked in and apparently I just really love Viktor 😂💀
In case you are intrested to watch another D&D style show (a small bit like Vox Machina) which is one one hand sad but also incredibly beautiful at the same time with great messages too, then I can recommend the show "Frieren: Beyond journey's end".
I hate the Maddie twist, because there's no ACTUAL setup for it. The only real evidence of her being a spy is when she eavesdrops in episode 8. The rest of the "evidence" that people have cited is just "She was too nice, so clearly she was secretly evil and hiding something." And that is not evidence. It's possible for characters to actually just be nice. I wouldn't have a problem with it if it was actually set up, but since it wasn't, it just makes her character less interesting and gives her weaker writing. Instead of feeling like a real person, she feels like a plot device. A twist villain that's ONLY there for a "gotcha" moment, who doesn't even actually do anything of note. Plus, it's not even a situation of "the best way for Piltover to survive" or of "her feeling spurned by Cait," or anything else. The writers have confirmed she was a Noxian plant from the beginning, even though a number of her actions in the earlier episodes contradict that.
@@masaichen6968 There are no lines about that in the show. Maybe the creators have said something like that outside, but as that's not stated in the show, it doesn't count as being setup.
Completely agree. It felt cheap and it wasn't particularly plausible given the situations Maddie got herself in during the series. I mean she was right next to Cait when she was firing the railgun at Ambessa - clearly Ambessa hadn't been warned and Maddie didn't do anything to prevent Cait taking the shot, so it was putting a heck of a lot of faith in those runes being up to the task of deflecting the projectile, which they barely did. If only we'd seen instances of Maddie doing seemingly innocuous but slightly odd things throughout the series that with hindsight would serve as clues to her true allegiances then her heel-turn would have been more earned. But the worst thing about it is it gave everyone who instantly turned on Maddie for being with Cait in Ep4, reason to crow about being "right about her all along". When there was no reason at all to hate the character, only that she got in between Cait and Vi.
@@nrgspike I mean, we kinda did see some small, seemingly innocuous things. Like Maddie actually once referring to Caitlyn as "Commander" an episode before Ambessa even gives her that title, her being the very first Piltovan to start thumping her chest for Commander Caitlyn in episode 3, her asking multiple times in episode 4 if Cait was thinking of defying Ambessa and trying to end the occupation of Zaun, etc There's even a split second moment in 4 where she's looking away all sad and disappointed that Caitlyn is listening to Ambessa, but she smiles just a TINY bit once she's turned away enough that Cait probably can't see her face anymore
Victor is not saying that perfection can't be reached. He is saying that once you do, everything becomes meaningless and existance will become pointless.
Wait I'm new to this channel, she did not get that?
You don't need a background in philosophy to understand that!
Maybe I'm being picky but I'll find something else to watch
@@equinox3625 you that doesn't have to define if you watch this lady or not.
Hey, you want to hear something tragic about Viktor's fate?
Viktor, to Heimerdinger, in season 1: "I suppose your legacy has been well-secured." "My contributions will be short-lived, even in your memories."
In season 2, Jayce is the only one who knew what happened in that final confrontation, and the only one that understood Viktor and saw him change in the end. And Jayce disappeared with him.
Because of that, Viktor is seen by Piltover as a villain. His name has been removed from the Hexgate blueprints (when Cait is examining them, you can see that only Jayce's name is on there). In his desperation to become something greater and to leave behind a greater legacy, he destroyed the one he had.
I don't really blame Viktor for anything that happened to him in season 2 because what he became was caused by others.
He spent the first season running away from his death and then he finally accepted it in the season finale, and then it was taken away from him by Jayce and then Singed.
He was denied his fate three times.
19:17: Right? it's gorgeous, AND the blanket is STILL part of it 🤣 But also, the bones in one leg, and the echoes of lungs and ribcage in the body, shadows of the braces Viktor wore, disability still haunting him even in this form...
Aaaaaand then you said it, lol, glad we're on the same wavelength. I have EMOTIONS about this whole image.
"And they were roommates ..." in a thousand timelines 😆
I've really enjoyed going on this journey with you, thank you for sharing your thoughts and emotions with us!
1:30 It's a subtle (or not so subtle, depending on the circles you're in) touch but if you notice, Jinx's outfit following her stint in jail is missing her choker, the criss-crossing straps at the front of her top, her shoelaces, etc.... Basically, any rope-like component that could be used as a ligature. In other words, Jinx had been put on s****** watch whilst in jail.
Oh damn! I noticed her chest straps were gone, but I missed the rest, so I never put that together! Well played!!!
My headcanon is that Jinx was on that airship as it was flying away. Everyone seems to agree that Jinx isn't dead lol even her own voice actor😂 Fabulous reaction to Arcane season 2. Have tremendously enjoyed your reactions. They are amongst my favourites I've seen on YT😊❤
Even the theme playing during that scene is the same as the one that plays during that scene in S1E1. I think they left it a little ambiguous on purpose but heavily implied that could be one interpretation.
Viktor, when he has to get rid of all emotions and end humanity: I'll do my best
Viktor, when he has to get rid of Jayce's blanket: know your limits
During he last explosion of Jinx se can see a ray of purple Light dashing away.
Next scene Cait look at the exhaust pipe of the Hexgate.
And the last scene is an aircraft flying away from piltover mirroring the first scene of season 1 ep 1 when Powder say she’ll go on one of these one day…
(Only deduction no fact but many people think it’s the meaning of the end)
Silco in Jinx´ head also said that the only thing one can do to is to walk away, so she did just that: fake her death, walk away, knowing Vi can finally find closure and happiness
20:15 *Viktor:* _Jayce, I have ascended to godhood. But I'm still wearing your goddamned blanket...._ 😂😂
I loved your entire reaction series. Your insights and comments were interesting and fun to watch! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for the hard work you did entertaining us!
IMO the message behind Jayce and Viktor's conversation is the idea that imperfections - in Viktor's case, his illness and disabilities - shaped him but he did not allow them to define him, and _that_ was what Jayce admired about him. Yes, Viktor was a "poor cripple from the Undercity" but he also "simply believed in [himself]" to be more than what those limitations in life might have otherwise suggested what his life should be.
Jinx isn't dead - she is indeed on that airship, on her way to meet Luxanna Crownguard, who will be the love of her life. 💞
you wish
Heck no. Why would Jinx want to relax in places like Demacia or Noxus that makes zero sense
14:22 I hope you will also watch the "Welcome to Noxus" Arcane sequel cinematic and other amazing LoL cinematics like "Awaken", "Warriors" 2020, "Still Here", "The Call", Gods" and so on.
32:29 Welp, they did it guys: They broke Kyra!
In all seriousness this as been a hell of a ride. I struggle to think of more than one or two other reactors who have done such an insightful job of breaking down Arcane, and you've found new things to love in a show I didn't think I could love any more than I already did.
With Arcane now over, I would like to humbly suggest Castlevania as the next show you watch (if you haven't already seen it). The animation is gorgeous, and it is chock-full of the kind of complex, multifaceted characters you so clearly enjoy.
Thanks for such a wonderful series.
Thank you so much for this, and for all your arcane reactions. Your analysis has been so insightful and it's been wonderful to experience this show again through your videos
The comment about disability and society makes me think of Shanidar Cave a Neanderthal burial. One of the bodies was of a 30 to 45 year old male who was disabled in various ways, some from birth some from later in life. He would not have been through his own power been able to walk for long or at all, his right arm was likely amputated, he was likely deaf due to bone growths in the ear canals, his left eye was either partially or totally blind, and his teeth were worn down to the point where they could not be used for chewing. Yet he survived to 3 to 4 and a half decades as a disabled person in the Paleolithic era. The Windover Archeological Site also another example of care from people who had way less technologically power than we do. It had many bodies including a 15 year old who was born with Spina bifida. He may have been paralyzed from the waste down and he was taken care off to the best of the ability of the hunter and gatherer society that the kid was born into. My point for saying all of this is to say that taking care of and trying to give everyone a place in society is a choice. If people with only Stone Age tools who were highly mobile were able to try to try to take care of people who disabled in such a way that they were not mobile then our society doesn’t do the same because it does not want to. It’s a choice of our society.
I really enjoyed your reactions and am looking forward to future ones. (Also commenting to help you with the algorithm.)
Thank you! Such good reactions and thoughtful insights throughout your Arcane journey!👌 I loved this season a lot - it made me emotional so many times. The characters went on a wild journey & I totally got them. It was nice to see you liked this season too. Can't wait for more Arcane or Arcane related content you'd like to share with us. 🙏
3:22 There apparently was a scene after this at the very start of production which showed Jinx and Ekko gearing up for war, painting each other and him telling her of the other timeline as an inspiration to do good, the way she looks like at 8:13. That outfit also look like Spider-Gwen's Venom suit btw.
Not to quibble with your interpretation of Viktor's final moments, but here are mine:
- "There is no prize to perfection, only an end to pursuit" - This is a philosophical position, the idea that if you achieve perfection you have actually lost something vitally important. I interpret this as Viktor saying he got all the knowledge he wanted, but it was an empty victory because the joy was in the pursuit of it.
- "In all timelines, in all realities, only you can show me this"
Viktor seems to have been repeatedly creating new timelines by going back and giving Jayce a different rune, every time hoping this one would result in a Jayce who can stop him and create a reality where he does not cause the apocalypse. To me he was saying that this Jayce in particular, the one carrying the acceleration rune that lets Ekko create the Z drive which becomes the bomb which cracks open Viktor's face and allows him to stop and see the truth... only that Jayce can show him the future.
- "You were never broken"
A lot of us disabled folk need to hear this. I don't like the way this line is juxtaposed to make it seem like it is a dismissal of all the suffering that Viktor's disabilities caused, but when it's interpreted that way I think it's because people confuse the "your" and "you" distinction. Viktor's leg and Viktor's lungs were never who he was, they belonged to him. Having a broken leg doesn't make the person broken, just the body they possess. The representation of disability in this series is certainly fraught (as any representation in media is like to be) but it was still amazing to have one of the most well liked and fleshed out characters be a disabled person.
- "Are we doing a Madoka Magica right now?"
Actually I think we were doing exactly that. And just like Madoka there are all kinds of people saying "They weren't romantic!" lol. But seriously, Viktor time looping endlessly until he can get Jayce to stop him is so Homura coded.
It only just dawned on me how similar the "the joy was in the pursuit of it." is to something Frieren says at some point during the anime of the same name. The mentioning of it there was nice but nowhere nearly as impactful as in Arcane. Maybe this link will actually elevate the quote there for me, so thank you for that. 😂
Also I really, really like your way of interpreting Jayce's "You were never broken". I feel similar in that regard, but you've been very eloquently putting it.
I love this ending.
The whole show has been older Viktor casting a spell showing younger Viktor he made the wrong choice so he can change it.
One of my favourite things about it is what it means for Ishas sacrifice. When we hear Viktor talking at the end of episode 6 I think it's OLDER Viktor speaking, because young Viktor is dead - he is saying that for people to become their absolute best you need to also allow them to be their absolute worst.
Or, Isha saved everyone.
Viktor can stop people becoming as awful as Ambessa but in the process it also stops them being able to be as good as Isha. Viktor rightly concludes in the end it isn't worth it.
Also, the rune shape on Jayces wrist appears often in the show, in character designs and background art in both seasons. Just incredible depth and beauty.
I've said for years that imperfections are what make people beautiful, and youre right, our society is not made for people with disabilities. I have a disabled client that i drive for and the number of times we cant even use the disabled spaces because theres no room for his wheelchair ramp is ridiculous
33:56 - 34:01 kindof deserve to be an alternative to the "And they were roommates." "oh my god they were roommates" meme
It appears to be the exact same *model* of airship as the one Powder saw in S1E1. They might as well have it towing a banner that reads "guess who finally got her wish."
I think you talked before about Jayce going through a symbolic version of Viktor's story in episode 7, but we realize now that we also saw the opposite that episode as well. Viktor had to go through the experience of far outliving Jayce, so he now understands the fear of losing his partner that drove Jayce to defy him in order to save his life in episode 1
Also! Cool detail:
The chair Sevika sits in at the end used to be Cassandra's! Meaning it was probably meant to go to Caitlyn as head of House Kiramman, but she gave it up in order to make sure Zaun had a seat at the table
"she gave it up in order to make sure Zaun had a seat at the table"
That's a nice thought that I chose to believe, thank you for that. 😂
Waking up to this video is a lovely birthday present ❤
Happy birthday random internet person that I don't know. I hope you're having a wonderful day. 😉
"You were never broken Viktor"
Bro was legit dying.
Technically we're all dying
I'm gonna miss your reactions and your commentary so much. Not many reactors go into deep analysis of what they're watching, but you obviously do, and that's so precious. I wonder what you're gonna react to next!
So, Jinx is alive (yes, she is!) and I'm sure she will be back some day to reunite with Vi and Ekko; Viktor and Jayce are confirmed soulmates in all timelines and all possibilities who now exist beyond time and space; and CaitVi managed to survive and stay together no matter what. I consider this ending as happy as it can get with the show like Arcane :)
I suggest giving "Alec's Scattered Thoughts" (th-cam.com/play/PL8smMDDIilOK4v2R0-QlZ3G5Evj819atd.html) a look. His is another reaction that I really enjoyed because he's very insightful and noticed a thing or two that I hadn't noticed even after several rewatches. Just like I did with Kyra's reaction. Will definitely keep an eye on this channel. 😃
Others will explain, I'm sure, but yeah, some pretty heavy implications Jinx is still alive. She just has come to believe that in order to heal and grow, she needs a fresh start outside of Piltover, and that in order to heal and grow, Vi needs to stay with Caitlyn. And Vi would never actually do that if she had any idea how to follow her sister, so for now at least, she is letting everybody believe she is dead. But I have confidence we'll see them reunited eventually, maybe in a sequel show or a game or series of comics or novels perhaps?
Also, Ambessa was right, in the end. Even when she was offered her daughter's forgiveness and her daughter's love and cooperation, if she would just walk away from causing more harm in Piltover, she couldn't do it. She didn't have the strength to give up a chance to win her feud with the Black Rose when it was nearly in her grasp
Unlike Caitlyn, who did find that strength within herself, choosing her love for Vi and for this city over her hatred for Jinx, even when Jinx was basically begging her not to
A podcast about arcane season 2 by the TH-camrs Frame of Mind made a great analysis of the whole season and the storytelling of Arcane. A great watch in my opinion especially having just finished the finale, personally helped me “fill the empty pit” once knowing Arcane has ended.
wait no i didnt realize she'd been building a balloon the whole time. wanting to leave by her own ability but never having the will to fly until isha and ekko
Thanks a lot for watching this, it’s been amazing and I love your insights… I can’t wait for the discussion, and whatever you watch next, I’m sure I’ll enjoy it just as much.
This episode means a lot, to me. It has given me perspective on something I’ve been struggling with for over a decade now… and I owe it all to Viktor.
I’ve always identified with Viktor in many ways. I’m a (soon to be) physicist, so I’ve always felt like I share a lot of Viktor’s passions and struggles. In particular, I am a perfectionist… obsessively so, and in a way that it becomes an impediment to both my studies and my daily life. In the past, I have spent countless nights up writing, correcting, _perfecting._ It is harmful, but I always found “the pursuit of perfection” to be an integral part of me.
Then Viktor came and said the phrase that changed it all: “…when every equation was solved, all that remained was fields of _dreamless_ solitude. There is no prize to perfection, only an end to _pursuit._” People around me have been telling me similar things all my life, but for some reason I had to hear it from someone who I _kew_ shared my flaws.
Viktor saying it made something click inside of me, and I think I found the key to dealing with my perfectionism. I enjoy the pursuit of perfection, and yet I spent my days seeking to end it. And it won’t end with a bang, but with a whimper… there’s no prize waiting at the end of the road, all that awaits is a world with nothing to strive for.
I’d give this a thousand little hearts if I could. When fiction is able to change our perspectives inside and out, that’s why I think it’s so important and so great to talk about. Best of luck with your wonderful career that will be, hopefully, fulfilling yet not perfect. 😊
37:10 “That’s gay as shit.”
Hahaha, yeah. It’s been heavily speculated.
I just had a realisation.... Arcane's main characters are essentially Jinx, Vi, Caitlyn, Jayce, Viktor, and maybe Mel. However, as a testament to how fragmented the show is, I don't any of them has actually had direct interactions with all the other main characters with the possible exception of Vi (if you exclude Mel as a main character).Jinx never met Jayce, Caitlyn never directly interacted with Viktor onscreen, etc.
It’s an issue! I want to a video talking about some of the ways s2 could have been improved actually, and more time for character interactions is definitely near the top of the list!
@@kyratries The unfortunate downside of the quality of the art, the time it takes to make it, and the franchise being such an expansive universe that people want to see adapted. Proof there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. 😅😅
Aww, you don't need to erase it from your brain. Like a good mystery novel, live it again and you will find so many things that you never noticed the first time! ❤️
Ekko is the real MVP. Bitch slap a god with time, go on as an unknown.
I never understood why Jayce was having a secret council meeting about the impending attack, explaining that he needed time to shut down the Hexgates when he could've been shutting them down right then and there. It's not like the Hexgates were 50 miles away. It's literally just down the street. He could've neutralized it before Ambessa's army even boarded their ships.
I also didn't care for sudden leap from Ekko talking Jinx out of killing herself in the beginning to suddenly showing up in a retrofit air balloon with a new minigun, the firelights and an entire revolutionary army of Zaunites. They either needed one more episode or they shouldn't have wasted 45 minutes on Ekko dicking around in an alternate universe. We have no sense of how much time has passed since Ekko returned to the main universe and when Ambessa began her attack but Jinx sure as hell couldn't have McGyvered that ship and rallied all of Zaun overnight.
lmao yeah I was laughing at that part when I was the editing the video like….jayce I know you aren’t famous for your great decision making, but there seems to be a solution here 😂
Great Video !
I would suggest watching the "Welcome to Noxus" cinematic Riot released just a few days ago as of this posting. It's kind of a little bridge to what may become a new show set in the same universe (i.e. Runeterra) and Arcane playing just after the events in Arcane.
When it comes to Jinx, what they did is left her fate open ended. If they don't want to use her in the spin off series, there is enough evidence to say she is dead. If they do want to use her in the spin off series, there was enough justification to say she survived. Did you catch AU Powder in this episode? At the name burning ceremony, a girl with blue hair, with a streak of pink, tied up in buns, wearing clothes similar to Powder's can be seen. We don't see her face, and it is more likely they just used her model for a crowd shot, but they could make it canon that AU Powder followed Ekko to find Vi.
As for Cait calling Vi "Violet" to me that is her showing affection. Even though it is her real name, everybody just calls her Vi. Cait is the only one that used her full name. It is a nice parallel to everyone using Cait's full name. Vi and Jayce are the only ones who call her Cait. Also, if you want to see something funny. Go watch the Chinese edit of the final Cait and Vi scene. The animators put the absolute least amount of effort possible into conforming to the Chinese "No Gay" doctrine.
As for Sevika, did you notice she is sitting in Cait's seat? As the head of the Kiraman house, Cait had every right to take her mother's place on the council, but now Sevika has her spot to give Zaun a say in what happens.
40:30 how is singed walking out of all this? This man have absolutely nothing to lose and do anything for his goal and ONLY CARE ABOUT HIS GOAL that the different between him and others in show and that the reasons why he got everything he wants
Watch the explosion that ‘kills’ Jinx. Watch it frame by frame. For two or three frames there’s a streak of Jinx’s purple running out of the explosion in the upper right. That wasn’t some mistake by the animators.
Singed got away with it by 1 simple reason - he ultimately decided what is the most important thing for him - his daughter. All other characters had one goal then attached to someone and that is became the main source of their suffering - a desire to get what they wanted for a long time AND what they started to want just recently. For Vi it's Powder (long time) and Caitlyn (recently), for Silco it's Zaun (long time) and Jinx (recently) and etc. While Singed doesn't let himself to get attached to somebody on a same level as his daughter. Yes, he feels sympathy to Silco (as father) and to Viktor (as scientist), he is kind to everyone as long as he can allow himself to be so. BUT Orianna matters most. Summarizing it - just decide for yourself what you want MOST, people!
Also Singed wins because that's how real life wars are - the true winner is one who was loyal only to THEIR OWN goals, not goals of some war sides.
Arcane is a tragedy. That is why Singed walks away with everything he wants after destroying everyone else's life. It's the only fitting end for him, the actual villain.
Thank you for the great reaction! To me it does not really seem to be the case of "perfection can't be achieved" - it's something more like it very much can be achieved, but once achieved it turns out to be quite a shitty thing with no inherent value, and, on top of that, one can't actually now go anywhere further from achieving that endpoint. Also yeah, Singed achieving everything is very funny =) Seems like one just can't hit good ending in Arcane without commiting a couple of war crimes
"When you're going to change the world, don't ask for permission." It might be argued Viktor's character progression wasn't really that far.
He always had pretty terrible scientific ethics, but his drive did change (evolve, if you will, haha) over the show. I don't think enough people really ponder the way the hexcore was slowly corrupting what remained of Viktor's psyche. When Jayce gets pulled into the arcane with him, Viktor has been literally swallowed by this thing wearing his face. It takes a crack in the space time continuum to break the mask long enough for the real Viktor to see what he's actually done and hear reason.
This isn't to absolve Viktor, he definitely ended up causing the most damage to others, and it's a testament to how insidious power is, that it can pervert even "good intentions" when used to force people into a homogenous standard. And his willingness to give into the hexcore, into the ultimate evolution, very much stemmed from his early disregard for life-threatening consequences in the name of science. But he is a product of the undercity, where people survive by accepting the risk of death for the opportunity to continue living. To me, it makes sense in that context that he would see Heimerdinger's precautions as bureaucratic nonsense. As he grew closer to dying, his motives changed from helping the general population of the undercity to saving his life - another thing I can't fault him for. He didn't understand the full ramifications of trying to prolong his life with hextech, because how could he? This was a brand new, never before seen invention. Many people today accept experimental treatment to try to stay alive. Of course, we don't have potentially apocalyptic, arcane magic in this world (??) but the base humanity of wanting to live is something we can recognize. And Viktor, human Viktor, actually reached a point where he was ready to give it all up and accept death, right after Sky was consumed by the hexcore. When Viktor saw the consequences of his reckless experimentation was at the cost of an innocent life, he was ready to step off a ledge. He made the only person he trusted promise to destroy the only thing that could save him. He finally joined Jayce before the council to suspend all hextech operations. OUR Viktor was flawed, as all the Arcane characters are, but he was trying to do the right thing, just before he died.
The biggest catalyst for his insane change was literally an insane change - one that he had no choice in. He was ripped out of his body and stuffed into a metal automaton wearing his face. He could no longer see his world clearly, stuck somewhere between life and death, caught in the web of the Arcane. The Arcane has been established to have a will of its own, one that hates humanity and seeks to destroy/corrupt it. From the moment it got its hooks in Viktor, it was killing him. Which is such a tragic and ironic outcome, since he was trying to use it to survive.
I think Jayce understood, and it's why he was so full of compassion and love for Viktor to the end. He'd known Viktor the best and closest for years. He knew his true heart, flaws and all. Like, Viktor is an antagonist, it was his destiny (bc of League lore lol) but imo he's not a villain. It's something I love about this show. Every character really is motivated by both the best and worst of humanity.
Whoops, I'm sorry, I wrote a novel! My meds kicked in and apparently I just really love Viktor 😂💀
In case you are intrested to watch another D&D style show (a small bit like Vox Machina) which is one one hand sad but also incredibly beautiful at the same time with great messages too, then I can recommend the show "Frieren: Beyond journey's end".
I’ll add it to my list!
I hate the Maddie twist, because there's no ACTUAL setup for it. The only real evidence of her being a spy is when she eavesdrops in episode 8. The rest of the "evidence" that people have cited is just "She was too nice, so clearly she was secretly evil and hiding something." And that is not evidence. It's possible for characters to actually just be nice.
I wouldn't have a problem with it if it was actually set up, but since it wasn't, it just makes her character less interesting and gives her weaker writing. Instead of feeling like a real person, she feels like a plot device. A twist villain that's ONLY there for a "gotcha" moment, who doesn't even actually do anything of note.
Plus, it's not even a situation of "the best way for Piltover to survive" or of "her feeling spurned by Cait," or anything else. The writers have confirmed she was a Noxian plant from the beginning, even though a number of her actions in the earlier episodes contradict that.
There is another setup for it if i remember it correctly there something like she become enforcer within month or something like that
@@masaichen6968 There are no lines about that in the show. Maybe the creators have said something like that outside, but as that's not stated in the show, it doesn't count as being setup.
Completely agree. It felt cheap and it wasn't particularly plausible given the situations Maddie got herself in during the series. I mean she was right next to Cait when she was firing the railgun at Ambessa - clearly Ambessa hadn't been warned and Maddie didn't do anything to prevent Cait taking the shot, so it was putting a heck of a lot of faith in those runes being up to the task of deflecting the projectile, which they barely did. If only we'd seen instances of Maddie doing seemingly innocuous but slightly odd things throughout the series that with hindsight would serve as clues to her true allegiances then her heel-turn would have been more earned.
But the worst thing about it is it gave everyone who instantly turned on Maddie for being with Cait in Ep4, reason to crow about being "right about her all along". When there was no reason at all to hate the character, only that she got in between Cait and Vi.
@@nrgspike I mean, we kinda did see some small, seemingly innocuous things. Like Maddie actually once referring to Caitlyn as "Commander" an episode before Ambessa even gives her that title, her being the very first Piltovan to start thumping her chest for Commander Caitlyn in episode 3, her asking multiple times in episode 4 if Cait was thinking of defying Ambessa and trying to end the occupation of Zaun, etc
There's even a split second moment in 4 where she's looking away all sad and disappointed that Caitlyn is listening to Ambessa, but she smiles just a TINY bit once she's turned away enough that Cait probably can't see her face anymore
I agree. The twist was so pointless and it made no sense at all.
40:12 th-cam.com/users/shortsfbfzahtZsN8