#Hexcore Spirit

[runes-menagerie]

Time Rewritten || Closed

It was a few years into the Hextech Project when she met Powder. The girl was introduced as a new scientist that would be working on the project, not too unusual other than her youth. What was unusual was how she and Viktor seemed to connect. At first Sky was jealous, actually for a long time she was jealous of how easily Powder got close to Viktor.

Eventually however she realized there was nothing more than friendship between the two of them. It was a bit of a relief and after that revelation Sky began trying to actually get to know the girl or at least became slightly more friendly towards the younger woman.

Then came the day they actually talked about Sky's crush on Viktor and how that was part of why she was so distant at first. The two women actually managed to bond over complaining about how oblivious Viktor could be and found that they actually had some common interests along with a similar goal to help those from Zaun.

Most wouldn't call them friends but they were closer than simple coworkers. Sky liked having someone to spend girl time with on occasion since she hadn't made many friends since coming to Piltover.

Then Viktor's health took a turn for the worst at the same time that tensions began to rise between Piltover and Zaun. At that point Sky became busier than ever, throwing herself into her own research to try to find a remedy that might help him while also trying to be around him more to do everything she could for him in an attempt to reduce the strain on him.

Especially with Jayce being promoted to the Council and focusing more on politics than being a scientist. Sky didn't approve of the decisions he began making after Progress Day but she kept her mouth shut with the exception of venting to Powder, who at least offered a sympathetic ear even if they didn't always agree.

Eventually Sky felt she had enough research and possible solutions collected to present to Viktor. She was still a nervous wreck and it would take quite a few pep talks from Powder before Sky managed to get together the courage to approach Viktor with her research.

And then she died...

@jynxd

[jesterjunkie]

Frogs, owls, bats, tarot cards, magic, brooms, crystal balls, potions, old houses/architecture, cats, wands, halloween, woods/outdoors, nature, Occult imagery𖦹°‧★

[perfectnarrative]

Okay but. The way Viktor's pupils contract when he realises what is about to happen. He's shocked, even scared. He didn't think Jayce would come for Him of all people.

The way that Jayce's stay steady. Jayce knew, he's done this before. This is not his first time destroying Viktor and everything he's become.

He knew where to shoot. He knew where to hit. Whatever he's seen since he disappeared, he knew something that was so awful and corrupt that he has no remorse when killing his Partner.

The same man that came out the revival chamber irreparably changed and the only thing Jayce cared about was that he was Alive.

And somehow, in the end, Viktor's spirit or soul or whatever you call it is still within the Hexcore. By Jayce's own design. Like everything else, every death, all the destruction is somehow linked back to him.

It is their blood on his hands.

[rickrifft]

I really hope Viktor gets to join the Zaun found family trio of Jinx , Sevika and Isha, especially with the whole god parallels they'd have going on between them.

Viktor can heal with the hexcore and has all the religious magic symbolism stuff, and now people are gonna see Jinx as the protective spirit Janna from her explosions up the vents to Piltover.

Zaun essentially gaining a god of healing and a goddess of protection is exactly the kind of morale boost they need to actually band together against everyone else's bs.

[thehistoriangirl]

Where Monsters Wear Masks [Masterlist]

Everytime I promise myself I'm not going to make another weird AU I'm lying terribly, irrespectfully, shamelessly (I'll repost the Vampire AU later bc I'm changing some things with the plot sorryyyy)

Viktor x Fem!Reader // Rating: Mature

Synopsis: Ever since the inauspicious birth of the younger princess of the Kingdom of Iburen—into the embrace of a stormy night, veiled over the vigil of the Queen’s tragic passing—the Gods weaved a destiny deeply intertwined with the bitter end of restless spirits that plead to reach that peaceful place so far out their reach. Sadly, oracles don’t have short memory, and even now, more than two decades after, your eligibility to find a husband cannot be any lower. Everyone is scared of the Ghostly Highness, legend saying that all who look into your eyes will perish. An indecent proposal seeks to rip you out your father’s decision to send you to a far-away convent for life, and such irate awakes the merciless cries of ghosts during the celebration of your sister’s wedding. Her Ghostly Highness has discredited the entire royal family, the incident barely escaping a war between both nations with the imposition of an inhumane condition. The only worthy punishment? Sent you to the neighbor kingdom as the expected mistress of its cursed king, hoping that you’d die the moment your feet step inside his palace. If the stories are true, maybe the only one who could survive in such a wicked place is someone just as damned as Her Ghostly Highness.

Tags (SPOILE-RY): Curse| Ghosts| Royal AU| Arranged Marriage| Slow Burn| Kinda MH! Viktor, kinda Hexcorized(?)Viktor| Another Gothic AU| Forced Proximity| Dark Magic| Mentions of Death, Violence, and Blood | Alusions/Downright Spooky, Disturbing Imaginery| Eventual Happy Ending| Eventual Smut I guess

Preface

Chapter I

[jaycesux]

the one thing about viktor I always adored was his humanity. he was always an advocate for the undercity even when he was a well-respected part of piltover. in some ways, I feel as though jayce’s decision to heal viktor against his wishes with the very thing viktor meant to have destroyed killed that humanity in him. when he emerges, he’s not the spirited man we’ve grown to know; it feels as though his soul has been changed in the same way his body has been: irreversibly. we’ve lost his ‘affection’ as he so aptly puts it, but that affection is also an intrinsic part of him as a person. and with this void in his personality, I fear he will never return to the man with big dreams of creating a better world for the people (and in some ways for himself.) I fear he will only do it out of some necessity the hexcore has imposed on him; just as jayce has imposed a soulless living onto him.

[hextechwreck]

maybe ive been infected by the jayce paranoia but i genuinely can't tell who i believe in this situation. would it really be that easy? the thought that everything viktor is doing is totally fine and will have no negative repercussions in the future whatsoever? that he's healing people of shimmer with no drawbacks? that sky's spirit is genuinely just chilling there with him in the astral plane or whatever? it's too good to be true. it seems like those plants the hexcore responded to. make them grow beautiful and sprawling, before they crumple and wither and die

[aurumixm]

HOW VIKTOR EMBODIES THE HEXCORE

HEAVY S2 SPOILERS DOWN THE LINE!

discussions and theories about whatever tf happened at S2

Okay so first of all please bear with me with this, I ain't a League player and my English is very wonky wobbly. This is just me and my two brain cells rambling about Arcane season two and hypothesizing and stuff. Please be kind!

So I actually posted a brief explanation on what I think may cause the cuckoo bananas shit that happened in Season 2, Episode 3 entitled "The Instability of Hexcore" here's the link: https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/s/CZdS4fgI7i

I try to swim through the waters to try and explain everything that happened there. Please keep in mind that this is purely theoretical and it merely serves as a post where y'all can discuss and share your thoughts and stuff!

I. An analogy of the Hexcore

Think of the Hexcore as a Rubik’s cube (I know, yes, because it already looks like one). The Rubik's cube has an even amount of miniature cubes that complement each other to build one singular cube. The same with the Hexcore which contains Runes that compliment each other, which helps it learn and adapt. Although, upon trying to fix it, Viktor suspects that there's something ‘missing’ in it, something that can sustain the Hexcore’s adaptability process and therefore help it learn and evolve. However, the moment that Viktor tries to merge himself with the Hexcore with his blood and inject himself with shimmer at the same time, this action alone would be akin to forcing another color to a Rubik's cube, breaking the laws of space. Viktor's blood may have the ability to help the Hexcore evolve biologically, but shimmer, as it always does, makes it unstable. And if the instability of the shimmer is unable to affect the Hexcore itself, it will find a way for it to do so, and therefore explains the reason why it's spreading and affecting others.

II. Jesus Viktor HOW??

How the hell did Viktor manage to heal himself and other people? My theory surrounds the three main components of the new and improved Hexcore: the Hexcore itself, blood, and shimmer. Once again, the Hexcore is the object of evolution and adaptability, and blood enhances its abilities by letting it adapt biologically. However, in terms of shimmer, in the entirety of the series, we are shown that there are good and bad effects of shimmer. The good effect: its ability to heal and regenerate. In my opinion, this fact also has something to do with Viktor's ability to heal himself and other people, but with a cost.

III. Why does Viktor himself and the people he healed are half metal now?

The moment Jayce “combined” the Hexcore and Viktor's body together, they became one, which was also why the Hexcore was no longer to be found. However, back to the possible reason why Viktor became some sort of a cyborg, I think it happened to be because of his spinal brace? Considering how it was entirely attached to his skin too. Maybe the Hexcore in him realized from his spinal brace, metal can be an object to help people just like how it helped Viktor. Therefore, it also explains why when Viktor heals Huck, scraps of metal were magnetically embedded onto their bodies as well. The Hexcore knew how these metals helped Viktor, and therefore gave it an idea to make use of it in healing other people.

Additional idea from my friend's sister, credits to her!! When Viktor healed Huck he actually took or erased his impurities by spiritual means, a void was left which should have resulted in his death due to its inability to be physiologically viable. However, because both worlds (the spirit and the body) have to complete, connect, and complement each other, the physical voil must be replaced by the materials from the physical world which is metal.

Once again, these are just theories!! You can ask me in the comments for questions, clarifications and stuff yada yada. I personally love Jesus Viktor but I miss the goofy side of him in this Season ☹️. Much love! xoxo

Don't forget to drop your ideas, thoughts, and other theories!

[applebuttercringe]

Arcane finale initial thoughts

This episode was a roller coaster for me.

-She cut her hair off screen? Why? If she is about to commit suicide I don’t see the desire to get a new look beforehand. Usually stuff like big haircuts signifies rebirth is storytelling, a shedding of the past. This is the opposite.

-A whole melancholy Jinx tries to kill herself scene. I’m so tired. Give her a break.

-the song is haunting

-I know that they established that the time travel doesn’t work past 4 seconds, so no saving Isha. But they should have saved Isha.

- I don’t get the Jimx with the flag in the intro. She never really became a leader for Zaun. She briefly called herself it during the prison break out. But that was about saving Aisha. Then she abandoned it entirely for Vander. She really never became a revolutionary. She avoided it.

-They built the hexgates with no off switch? Did Dr doofenshmirtz teach us nothing?

-We never see Caits reaction to Jayce’s….everything?

-How does Jayce know that?

-so Viktor died, he was brought back via mad science that stripped him of his humanity, and then, the exact same thing happened again. Something something two nickels weird that it happened twice.

-Does Maddie know about the sex with Vi?

-Is this the Waarwhik Viktor team up?

-If shutting down the hexgates is a slow but steady process. He probably should have started it earlier instead of having meetings to tell them how long it will take to shut down. Is there a reason he didn’t do this immediately after Viktors mannequin attack.

-Is Loris dead?

-Is Cait never gonna tell Maddie?

-Is Maddie gonna die so it never has to happen?

-The Undercity member of Caits new team is the first to die.

-Very similar imagery to Caits gassing of the Undercity

-Oh damn, they won

-Maddie was a spy, the theories were right

-Cait used the same gun butt jam move on Maddie that she did on Vi.

-Cait won’t die. I don’t believe it.

-MADDIE THAT IS COLD

-Damn Mel

-Are they gonna be saved by Mel’s newly revealed magic powers that came outa nowhere? How did she master them so quickly?

-Jinx incoming

-I guess Ekko convinced her

-Ex Machina

-Dod Sevika convince the Undercity?

-what is with the sense of time this act. I have no idea the time between events. I thought Cait passing out was at least an hour time skip seeing as everything calmed down, but then Vi and the pianist are in the same place and same position as before?

-Is Viktor dead? Oh it was a trick.

-He ain’t in the egg.

-the hex ray from season 1?

-NEW DESIGN SLAYS

-nevermind he looks like a hammerhead shark.

-Cue all the fanfictions where this is resolved with freaky sex

-Is Sevika dead?!

-Cait you just got stabbed, how are you walking?

-With every scene change you can feel the writers struggling to keep track of all the characters. This fight scene is never ending cause we keep needing to pause for an ex machina reveal. It’s Voltron all over again.

-This is reading as Mel will become a new league champion. Mage support. The new design and everything.

-“People deserve to choose their own fates.” Says the guy who fuses Viktor with the Hexcore against his will.

-That was a cool Mel moment

-Is she saving her mom?

-So will Ambessa give up and Viktor is the new main villain?

-How did that kill Ambessa? I’m so tired.

-I can’t tell if 23 more minutes of this is a good or bad thing

-This redemption is sweet but, meh.

- Aw, they are flying like it is the invention of Hextech again.

-More loss for the sisters, cool.

-Oh, it’s the top of the hexgates like it was in the dystopian apocalypse.

-Them losing and the apocalypse happening would at least be an interesting ending.

-Viktor is spirit bending Jayce’s soul like he’s the avatar

-AS IF THEY COULDNT GO HARDER WITH THE CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM. Jeez

-It’s like Viktor is asleep behind the mask, or dead.

-“what you thought were weaknesses” “your leg, your disease” “there is beauty in imperfection”. Was he supposed to find beauty in dying young Jayce? It wasn’t a random imperfection. It was a disability and debilitating disease caused by Piltover senseless mistreatment of the Undercity. Demonizing Viktor for wanting to cure himself, or make life better, or being able to run is so dumb.

-Yeah Viktor how dare you wanna live.

-Between that and the Silco speech this seasons big moral monologues are really flat yet sanctimonious.

-Viktor is in there. Seeing once again!

-“All I want is my partner back” gay baiting till the end eh Arcane. I’m not complaining about this, I eat it up every time. I am losing chess to this dog.

-AAAH LOVE IS GONNA SAVE HIM

-oh, the mage is Viktor. That’s. Hmmm. It’s fine. Don’t know how I feel about the goatee.

-Do you think they intended this twist from the beginning?

-“In all time lines, in all possibilities, only you can show me this” damn. Diversity win I guess.

-Now kiss lol

-Handing the bracelet back like Viktor gave it back to him in Episode 3 of season 1

- and just like that I’m back

-“We finish this together” 🏳️‍🌈

-They’re writing the fix it fanfic for me

-All the mannequins go to space?

-The hug 🥺

-Caitlyn’s gonna get a dope eyepatch

-Aww, Vis arc is about trying to save people and self sacrifice. You have to move on and live for yourself Vi. You can’t save em all.

-Save her Jinx, get involved and make a positive difference.

-Oh no, don’t kill Jinx. Don’t do it. I saw it in the trailers. No

-If this is a fake out death it is dumb, if this is a real Jinx death that is dumber.

-

Jinx suffered the most out of anyone in the series. She tried to kill herself and was saved by Silco, she tried to killer herself and was saved by Isha, she recovered with Isha, Isha died so she tried to kill herself again, she is saved by Ekko, and finally kills herself as a sacrifice for Vi? Fuck that. This endless pain train was t a recovery, it was just revelling in her pain till her violent death.

-SHES ACTUALLY DEAD

-Oriana, sure

-SINGED GOT TO LIVE. HE GOT A HAPPY ENDING? HE KEEPS THE HEADS OF KIDS HE KILLED IN HIS EXPERIMENTS IN JARS.

-alright. Ultimately fuck this show. It was so good, then it messed it all up. Ultimately this show was just about reveling in Jinx’s pain. I’m too tired to have coherent thoughts but. That was the worst ending they could ever had done. F this

[the-library-of-theories]

Phantom of Hexcore theory

(Want to see the TikTok version with photos? Here’s the link:)

Before the last episodes, I wanted to put my guess for this show as I’ve began listening to the Phantom of the Opera album and found some relevance to the show. Especially with the intro with Viktor’s parts being parallels to this musical.

To make this short (as possible), let’s put the characters and who they would parallel who. And this may either surprise you or not.

Christine = Viktor

Erik (Phantom) = Hextech/Viktor

Raoul = Jayce

Christine is Viktor not because of the ship (let’s be serious for now, as much as I ship them as well lol), but rather because of the narrative. Both had ambitions regardless when one of them is literally dying that both want to fulfill. And while goals are different, both get a taste of what they want. So close.

This may attract the other two important characters. Erik and Raoul (Hextech and Jayce). Jayce became very close to Viktor, someone who literally saved him from his despair and wants to return the favor in any way possible. But this is where the “phantom” comes in.

Hextech, the duo’s dream of helping their people. It was at first, the dream come true… until it was lost. When Viktor began feeding it his blood, we can see a connection began between Viktor and Hexcore. In reflection to this, this is where Erik and Christine meet. The song “Phantom of the Opera” is a great comparison to Hextech and Viktor’s relationship. Here’s two examples:

“In sleep he sang to me, in dreams he came. That voice which calls to me and speaks my name. And do I dream again for now I find, The Phantom of the Opera is there… Inside my mind.”

“Those who have seen your face draw back in fear. I am the mask you wear.” “It’s me they hear.”

“Your (my) spirit and my (your) voice in one combined.”

This basically is a parallel to Viktor’s arc as he slowly and will eventually become the Phantom… the Herald Machine.

So what will that mean for the rest of the show?

Well right before we get to the predictions, give me a page or couple of slides to put the spotlight on Jayce and Viktor’s relationship.

We know both are very close, to the point Jayce was willing to do almost anything to save Viktor, even fusing Viktor with the Hexcore which ironically enough is the beginning of the transition from Viktor to the Herald Machine. Even many pointed out that in the intro sequence, that Viktor isn’t the one to put the mask one.

Jayce is.

The best song to help explain their relationship is “All I ask of you” which parallels to Viktor making Jayce promise to destroy Hextech.

“Let me be your freedom. Let daylight dry your tears. I’m here, with you, beside you. To guard you and to guide you.”

“Say you need me with you now and always. Promise me that all you say is true. That’s all I ask of you.”

Skip to after Jayce “kills” Viktor, I don’t believe Viktor’s arc is over and I know almost everyone will agree. We know he’ll come back as we think he’ll be. Which is why the song “Masquerade” is perfect to reveal he’s back.

It parallels when the Phantom crashes the party and gives one last warning.

And while most of Viktor is gone, I think a small part of him wonders back to the “simpler” times. Hence parallels to “Wishing you were somehow here again.” Thinking of his relationship with Jayce. His last bit of humanity.

“You were my one companion. You were all that mattered. You were once a friend and father. Then my world was shattered.”

“No more memories, no more silent tears. No more gazing across the wasted years. Help me say goodbye.”

I then think that we’ll have one last stand off between Jayce and Viktor. “The point of no return” will perfectly fit this as they may fight.

“Past the point of no return. The final threshold. What warm unspoken secrets will we learn? Beyond the point of no return.”

The conclusion of this fight is what confuses me a bit, but this will be going off of the ending of the Phantom of the Opera and my ideas.

Perhaps Jayce and Viktor have a heart to heart, should Jayce recognize or break through to what is left of Viktor. Leaving a choice to Viktor to chose. (Down once more…/ Track down this murder). Depending on the results of this, one of these two theories may happen.

Viktor and Jayce will once more team up once last time. Choosing to leave as Christine and Roaul have.

“Say you’ll share with me. One love, one lifetime. Say the word and I will follow you.”

Viktor will escape or die as the Machine Herald in parallels to Erik (Phantom).

“You alone can make my song take flight - It’s over now, the Music of the Night.”

Remember, this is just a theory (a movie theory).

And if none of this happens, well, it was fun.

And if it does…

I am no writer for this series and was just thinking of the nods towards the musical.

[runes-menagerie]

New Verse: Hexcore Spirit

Following the explosion in the Council Chamber everyone is too busy/unable to do anything with the Hexcore for some time. During that time Sky awakens within the core. Left alone her abilities develop at a different rate although along similar paths.

First comes sensing her surroundings, sending out her energy in a technique similar to the echolocation used by bats.

From there comes more refined manipulation of her energy. This takes the form of learning to manipulate objects. This manipulation is rough at first but gradually becomes more refined as time goes on and she gains more experience.

That experience leads to learning to move the Hexcore around the room and to shaping the energy into dense walls that can act as shields or platforms.

The final skill she learns during this time alone is to shape her energy into a rough humanoid shape around the core. This is a precursor to her eventually manifesting a new body for herself similar to how Yordles and other spirits do when they chose to visit the material plane of Runeterra.

When she masters this skill she appears similarly to this artwork. Some details will likely change as time goes on but she will never get to a point where she can pass as being fully human. She will however be able to perceive the world more clearly when manifested and will have an easier time interacting with objects. The downside is that she will have a harder time using her energy since so much of it will be invested in maintaining her form.

Once she has mastered manifesting enough she will attempt to leave the lab and the Academy in general. She is well aware of the fact that as she is now, she would be seen as a danger to Piltover and would be destroyed. So her plan is to gather what she can from her apartment and flee to Zaun if not further where she has a better chance of surviving.

[blackgirlcouch]

Hextech is a fusion of elemental and spirit magic. Anyone can use this technology, and magic need not remain in the realm of a select few.

The Hexcore is an adaptive rune matrix or as Victor calls is “hextech that evolves” Hexcore reacts to organic matter

****This is important difference especially with the “Hexcore Sky”or just “Hexcore” debate. While I cannot say definitely that Sky is in fact merged on another plane with the Hexcore; it’s part of the reason it can be argued Sky is tangibly still present within the Hexcore itself; it’s not manipulating her appearance just to control Viktor. For that to happen one has to assume that the Hexcore had its own sentience but if you go back and watch there is a difference when Viktor was using the Hexcore previously and after it consumed Sky.

Right after Sky’s death the Hexcore acted more sentient; moving away in fear, then the punishment afterward ( can see why it is seen to be punishing him for trying to destroy it but not only does he say “ok” as if talking to someone; if I was Sky and died finding out your inspired crush was being not himself I might zap his ass too)

What did Jayce say 2x2 I tried to look at your notes but it was like the Hexcore was drawn to you personally…a flag on the play if you ask me (I know nothing of sports)

It’s her ideas, her dreams, that create the paradise taking his initiative with hectech to the next level.

Another bit of brain food, Viktor wasn’t able to actually stabilize the Hexcore until Sky’s soul for lack of a better word was consumed by it. “Hexcore reacts to organic matter but in the initial experiments, the mutations were unsustainable and collapsed soon after”

What made Hexcore go from unstable to stable enough to heal Viktor from death? Who else is looking for a death cure and literally said I need YOU. ( it’s soooo obvious)

Wasn’t “Fake Sky” that’s for damn sure.

"Arcane" technically means "mysterious" or "little understood", but is usually just another word for magic in general.

That is the world imo Sky and Viktor are now apart of due to their direct contact with Hextech and the Runes which is why we see them in the void and capable of exploring it; AND MAKING AN IMPACT. It’s NOT the technology itself that’s a weapon but the people who weaponize it

[proximacalamity]

So we are almost a day away from Act II dropping, so before it's too late I'm putting all my thoughts about what I think is going on with Viktor and why. Because I'm obsessed with him.

First of all, I firmly believe he is not completely in control of himself. At the end of S1 he was pretty disillusioned with himself and with many things, but definitely not to this extent, that he would drop everything to wander around Zaun with no clear motive. To me, the hexcore is influencing his thoughts so he'll convert people. The hexcore is was described as hextech that learns, and after Viktor fed it his blood we see it become more and more animated because it's learning, becoming more "sentient" in a way. Now that it's fused to Viktor, not only giving it mobility but also the chance to learn more than what it's given, I do think it evolved to a point it even has motivations and wants. The fact that the hallucinations were guiding Viktor directly to the settlement where the shimmer addicts live is just not a coincidence. We know humans who have shimmer (or traces of it) in their system are the only ones who can take the transformation the hexcore gives them and we also know the transformation is an exchange, a give and take. That's why I think it pushed Viktor to transform people, because with every person it changes, it's learning something from them and also gaining control over them like it did with Viktor.

At this point, I don't think Viktor has entirely realized he is anything other than himself. He might be interpreting the hexcore's feelings as his own or just not questioning why he's feeling the way he does yet. When he says this: "I sense a charge, a potential, a recursive.. impulse. Unpleasant" I think that what he's referring to is what the hexcore feels, the impulse to learn more. It's unpleasant to him because those are not his feelings but he can't tell. It's probably related to why his voice has that effect at the start and at certain words or phrases. Like two minds speaking through the same voice.

We're also not given a concrete reason for why he leaves right away because in my opinion it's not really him who wants to leave (I don't think he left because he saw the blueprints because, well, he already knew. He saw Jayce's hammer already). I think it's more of that feeling, that impulse from the hexcore pushing him into that decision and he accepts it as his own, since he is right when he says Jayce and him were on different paths a while ago, he had realized this already. That's how I think the hexcore is influencing/manipulating him, with things he already felt or thought but channeling them into actions that benefit the hexcore. His guilt over Sky is obviously the biggest one, the hexcore wants Viktor to change more people so it pushes him through the guilt over her death to do it, making him think that doing this to other people as an act of penitence will make up for what he did to her, that's why after he converts Huck he sees "Sky" giving her approval. As if to say that this is what he has to do to earn her forgiveness. That's one of the main reason I'm so sure this isn't Viktor 100% since if the motive was to simply help the people of Zaun we would've seen him actually try to help and not just walk past many of them just watching until he got to the ones the hexcore can change. That also doesn't seem to me like it's actually Sky or her spirit, I don't think she fused with the hexcore, this is just the image of her Viktor has so it's the one the hexcore is using (if it was her spirit I doubt she would be wearing her work uniform lol).

That might explain his expression in the poster for Act II (crying, hiding his face which is getting taken over by the purple, his eyes less colorful than how they appear in the show) maybe we'll see him realize that his actions aren't entirely his own, that the hexcore is pushing him into doing this to people even though before he had already realized that it was dangerous. He realizes but the one in control here is the hexcore, so it tries erasing his identity or even after converting so many people it's been naturally eroding it, since we're getting a time skip.

To be honest, I'm a huge fan of Viktor's original lore and motivations for being the Machine Herald so it will make me a bit sad if much of his character is now about losing agency to a higher entity and being manipulated by it, especially considering that Arcane is now supposed to be canon, so this "theory" isn't exactly what I would like but what I see is possible. I wanted sooo bad to see a take on Viktor as the Machine Herald that isn't flip flopping between him being a lame villain or an interesting morally grey person. I guess I can't be that sad when I haven't even seen what the show will actually do with him but a part of me is worried. If he is being manipulated it will make more sense to me but I'll be hoping it doesn't last and if he isn't then his actions this first act will feel disjointed from the character he was before.

Only a day before we find out which one it is, at least!

[sir-adamus]

Jay/ce still being the worst. What do you mean you didn’t consider the ducts that deliver water to the Undercity would somehow be contaminated or blown up if something went wrong with that underground core?

“It’s miles from the fissures.” Bro. At least Ekko is calling his dumbass out. Good grief.

Jayce never considering the consequences for his actions (and the Pilties not caring because 'fuck the squalid wretches on the other side of the river, my import Noxian spirits need to get here on time') is basically his entire character (like even the attack at the memorial, Renni was going after him for killing her son back in season 1 - chain of harm is a big theme this season, and really the whole show, when you think about it). hell, we see more of his selfish streak in using the Hexcore to save Viktor despite Viktor telling him to destroy it; Viktor had made peace with dying, Jayce wouldn't honour his wishes because it would've hurt him more

but yes, honestly putting Ekko and Jayce in a room together was such a good fucking writing move because Ekko is so smart but has absolutely no time for anyone's bullshit and is ready and willing to call them on it, which is something Jayce has needed since Act 1 of season 1 (not to mention Ekko serves as a foil for Jayce in being Heimerdinger's 'new student', but unlike Jayce who only thinks he started from the bottom rung and 'made something of himself' when he was already a well-off Piltie, and the respect and admiration he garners is solely as a result of people trying to crony up to him for favours because they can get rich off of his technology - even if he's too dense to realise it - and for all his guff about wanting to use Hextech to help people, it has helped no one except allow the rich to get richer, and the poor to get deader. Ekko genuinely did start at the bottom and is a respected and beloved leader in his community, actively trying to make life better for his people and not just trying to improve his station)

[soraka-in-warhammer40k]

Why are people acting like "The Arcane" is suddenly something new that encroaches on the setting of Runeterra with its weird distortions and Wild Runes?

It is just the Void leaking in.

The Void is not always "everything falls apart and monsters go nomnomnom" even if some nasty things dwell in it. It's not some generic boogeyman-monster-dimension, instead it is potentially the source of all magic in the setting. Using that magic is not much of an issue if that power is properly filtered and limited, either by a human mind (aka "natural mage") or an artifact (the most powerful example would be a world rune) limiting what the magic can do to specific things, but making it safe to use.

Now, if the magic is by definition is Void-based, then what happens when you let a lot of magic into the world unfiltered and let it accumulate? Then it will act like a Void-thing, which is usually "being in direct opposition to reality and causing all sorts of distortions". That's essentially what Wild Runes are. They are just magic's tendency to act like it would at the place of its origin, and that is directly harmful to the fabric of reality around it.

I always thought the color-coding on the hexcore was pretty clear.

Side Note for people following me only from 40k stuff: it does not work like The Warp. Runeterra has a dedicated spirit realm that reactiosn to human emotion for that, even if that's more of a catch-all term for all the various layers that sit between material reality and the Void where things can get WEIRD. The Void, in 40k terms, is "what is beyond the Well of Eternity", which should tell you how utterly insane it is on a conceptional level.

[mxchineherald]

As the waves of fatigue and drowsiness pulled him deeper into sleep, the dreams began. Usually his dreams were rather mundane, most commonly simple abstractions of his day-to-day life. Since augmenting himself with the Hexcore, however, his dreams had become more reflective and nostalgic. Perhaps it was the earlier conversation about one of his inventions being broken, but he couldn't fight the dreamlike return to his childhood.

A little brunette boy with a cane wandered an empty pocket of Zaun's densely packed city. He held in his hands a small, gearwork replica of a blue bird, made from old scrap and salvage. He held it close, cradled against his chest like it was precious cargo. With hope and hesitation combined, he set his cane to the side, leaning against the dumpster to wind up the little machine. "<Hopefully I did this right... Please work, E̶͚̐̈́͊l̶̲̙̤͑͠͠a̴͖͆͝͝t̵̡̗̗̚i̸̱̋̃͛ō̷̙̭̽̉ñ̴͍̣̼̏͠.>" He'd already given it a name. but he couldn't remember it clearly.

He finished winding and outstretched his hand, opening it palm-up to release the bird into the air. It struggled against his palm for a short measure. Then, with its metal and film wings fluttering wildly, it began to hover in the air. In celebration, the little boy let out a giggle as he stepped back and took up his cane. Propping himself up with the cane, he did the smallest of hops to further express his joy.

Then a bat swung through the air and slammed the bird into the ground. As it fell, one of its wings came loose, crumpling down beside it. The boy looked on in shock and horror, following the bat back to another child, a little older, who stood above him with a satisfied smirk. "Right where it belongs," she said. From behind her came two other children. All three were dressed for the factories. The leader of the factory children pointed her bat into his face. "You're that sick kid from the scraps." The boy swallowed, drawing into himself.

He was too distracted by the bat in his face to notice one of the other factory kids grabbing his cane. Once it was yanked out from under him, he fell over with a grunt. The factory girl picked up the now destroyed blue bird, mulling over its purpose in her head. "You really oughta quit making offerings to Janna," Almost everyone in Zaun knew the blue bird was a symbol of elemental Spirit-God of wind and clear air. "She obviously ain't listening to ya."

"It's for my mother!" the boy protested while hopelessly reaching up for it, multiple feet from even making contact with her hand. Almost out of pity, she dropped the crushed thing into his hands.

"So tell me this," the factory girl said with heightening anger in her voice, "Why didn't you notice it sooner?" He felt a wave of confusion hit him, pulling back. What was she talking about? What had slipped past him? Suddenly, he didn't feel so young, anymore. Regret began to tug his thoughts toward Sky adjusting her glasses, and the look she would give him when they were alone together. Maybe he did know, deep down. How could he have been so cold?

Another factory kid came out from behind her, looking sullen and mournful. "What will her parents do? She's just another person to go missing from the Undercity. Just like mom and dad." They knew too much. He never spoke about his parents, or how one was los at sea and the other while he was at the Academy. He felt aged and lonely, now.

The last factory kid was cowering behind the leader, looking pleadingly in his direction as he whimpered out, "What...what if this is all just temporary? What if something bad happens to someone? To her?" That caught him more than anything that was said before it, because it was the closest to actuality.

He looked down to the invention in his hands, seeing only dark purple fragments of metal. Perplexed, he looked closer, taking longer to recognize the pieces. They weren't pieces of the invention from his childhood. They were fragments of the Hexcore, obviously fractured by force. Horror began to settle into his innards, chilling him to the bone.

His vision was pulled back up toward the telltale blue glow of Hextech, spotting the head of Jayce's hammer. Meeting his gaze was the man himself, filled with guilt and shame. "It had to be done, Viktor. The Ethos..." All he could do was hold the pieces of her and weep, having lost Sky entirely.

He woke with a start, jumping up into a sitting position while desperately reaching out in front of him. His body protested the sudden movement with a stab of pain running up his spine, but he didn't notice it past the veil of sleepy fear. Quickly, he scanned around himself for the Hexcore, eyes wide and full of concern. "Sky? Sky!" Once he spotted the matrix, he visibly relaxed, exhaling and letting his shoulders ease. "I thought you were... That something had happened to you." he rubbed his face with his left hand to try and clear some of the grogginess away.

"I love you too." Sky replied warmly as she used some energy to gently brush his hair from his face while sending him the image of her doing it with her hand. Hearing him say those words never failed to fill her with warmth and happiness.

She was confused by what he was talking about at first before noticing the change in the Hexcore. She frowned as she examined it as best she could. She had really only just scratched the surface of what she could sense from the core and what it could do so it took her a few moments to realize what had changed.

"It... It's not hungry anymore. Before... Several times really, it felt hungry. It wanted you. I pushed the feeling back but.... But now that's gone and it feels... Sated." Sky explained with a frown as she tried to understand what had caused the change and what it meant. "What do you think that means?"

She was somewhat distracted from those thoughts by his reaction to her use of an endearment and his attempt at a kiss. She didn't really feel it, there was a bit of sensation but she couldn't be sure if she was actually feeling it or just imagining it. Regardless she understood his intent and appreciated the gesture. She gave his hand a soft squeeze and gave him another kiss with a brush of energy.

"I know beloved but I will still be here when you wake and this will not be the only moment like this we spend together. I promise." She soothed, keeping her voice gentle in the hopes of lulling him to sleep.

Once she was sure he was asleep, Sky turned most of her focus inwards. Whatever was going on with the Hexcore didn't seem to be an immediate concern so she felt she could safely set that matter aside, mentally compiling all the information into a notebook then setting it aside in her mind. Next she turned to processing everything she had been shoving aside in favor of caring for Viktor.

She felt the grief for the life she had lost. All the things left undone, all the work she would never complete. Well, perhaps not never since Viktor had shown an interest in her work. But as much as she was overjoyed to work with him, it wasn't the same.

She mourned for the grief her death would cause her parents and wondered if they would ever know the truth. She wasn't sure if she wanted them too or not.

Bliss and bitterness combined at the fact that she now had Viktor's love. It had only cost her life and body. Part of her felt bitterness and anger that it had taken her dying trying to save him for him to finally see her while the rest was just happy that he had. She doubted the bitterness would fade any time soon but his actions since finding her did soothe the feeling since he was many of the things she looked for in a partner.

Finally there was fear and anger. Fear of the unknown. What if this was only temporary? What if she lost control and hurt someone? What if the Hexcore was destroyed or damaged? Why was this happening to her? What had she done to deserve this?

Sky took in each of these feelings, letting them flow through her. She accepted them as part of her and then let them go. What was done was done. She didn't regret her choice to save Viktor. Would she have acted differently had she known this would be the result? Potentially but there was no changing the past. She would need to think more on what to tell her parents, she didn't think knowing her current state would be a comfort to them. Better to have them think she died doing what she loved. Viktor. Her love for him was a certainty and maybe she could talk to him. Ask if he ever would have noticed her if instead of dying that night they had been able to talk and she had shown him her research. Maybe his answer would ease the bitterness inside her. Fear could be conquered by knowledge. She would be careful as she had been up until now and with Viktor's help they would learn more about the Hexcore. There was no point in asking why her. What was done was done.

Sky felt more calm and centered when she finished processing everything.