#all gifs are from arcanegif

[m-mmoonshine]

As someone who loves animated tv and movies I can say with certainty that the way arcane uses micro expression is so special.

The animation of expressions is simplified in most media for obvious reasons but when arcane animates expression they seem to actually take advantage of the ability to animate each frame to really detail these micro expressions.

They add so much depth to the characters and the story in my opinion. Allowing for the audience to see the conflicting and underlying thoughts and emotions behind a characters actions.

Movement in the ears, eyebrows, lips, jaw, flickering of the eyes or eyelids. Even the way a movement can be faster or slower, halting or assured. All of it tells the story of what the character is going through or thinking better than words can.

This is why I don’t really think much about the arguments that revolve around “they never explicitly talked about this, or apologized, or gave forgiveness etc” cause it’s the little things arcane shows visually like these micro expressions which paint a much more complex picture that doesn’t need words to communicate.

[vinegarchugger]

If Caitlyn didn't become the commander, who would've?

Who else would ascend to power? Salo? He wants a full invasion of Zaun. Another surviving councilor, like Mel or Jace? Missing. Another Piltovan politician? A moment ago they were all nodding along to "wrath meets wrath".

Ambessa is dangerous, and Caitlyn knows this. But she's always had faith in her own abilities: she can take down Silco, she can bring Jinx to justice with a squad of only 5, she can make the shot.

Maybe if she steps in as the commander, she can prevent the situation from getting worse. Maybe she can focus that power, and finally stop Jinx from getting away.

Caitlyn will make it work.

She has to.

(all gifs from @arcanegifs)

[blood-starved-beast]

So Christian Linke talked about the "dirt under your nails" line in the finale (which is actually a reference to an Actual JPN idiom it seems):

"VD (Interviewer): I can imagine. I read in another interview you gave that, understandably, it took you all quite a long time to figure out how to end this story. You went with a derivative of the Japanese proverb, “Boil and drink the dirt underneath fingernails.” What was the decision behind making the final line of the show, “I am the dirt under your nails, cupcake. Nothing’s gonna clean me out.”? It’s even the title of the episode and it’s referenced a few times. 

CL: So many crazy things happen between the characters and what's so interesting is that Vi is the tough character. That’s how we introduce them in Arcane, with Caitlyn being the pampered Pilty. In this end, I feel like Caitlyn is a much tougher character than Vi is just because of the emotional toil and how they process things. Caitlyn comes out of losing her mother and the turmoil between the two cities really hardened. Vi is still pretty raw. And Caitlyn just has this question, like, “Do I still have you in my corner? Or do you need to log out because it’s been too much?” That’s the real question being asked, even if she doesn’t say it like that. 

I think Caitlyn is a bit afraid of losing Vi because of just how tough it's been. And we wanted to feel that the original Vi is still there. And they are the last words. Those will echo in people's heads for a long time. So that’s always scary. "

So that resolves the meaning of the last line it seems. It's more about an emotional check on Vi than anything political. Which is an actually a better sentiment so @vi-is-badass was correct in this front.

Now that emotional fragility Christian Linke talks about here - I did pick up on it. So did Jinx and Caitlyn I'd argue. Jinx, we see that in the alt!verse she tells Ekko how fear of losing her loved ones drove her actions/fighting (thus, fighting isn't a point of enjoyment for her so much as a defense mechanism) and how in the final episode our Jinx saw her immediately go through a PTSD episode about Vander and had to navigate that with her. With Caitlyn, I think the best example of her being aware of it is when they discuss the final battle plans and Jayce mentions how they're meant to lose and Caitlyn immediately does this:

gif by arcanegifs

Moves to reassure Vi, who clearly is affected by the possibility of the Outcome (and thus, the possibility of losing everyone, and she cannot herself fight off this threat). Caitlyn here, tells her it's ok, she's here, it'll be alright. A damned shame we didn't get Vi reuniting with an injured Cait post battle tho cause I know Vi freaked the fuck out after crying after Jinx.

So to say, yeah I agree with Christian Linke

[piesafterdark]

Predictions for Arcane as a franchise + my thoughts! Season 2, Act 3 spoilers ahead.

jayce, viktor, and jinx can't be dead. Let me tell you why.

no. 1, Arcane's been pretty explicit with deaths. Silco, Vi and Cait's moms, Benzo, the sergeant from season 1 act 1 etc etc we've all seen dead bodies, time pass without them coming back, or character arcs shifting to accommodate deaths (lsha's and Silco's death shaping Jinx). In season 2, Maddie's, Ambessa's, and random extra's deaths were all shown on screen. Therefore, if we don't see a body, the body's still moving.

no. 2, while this is Arcane's last season, there's going to be more Runeterra shows. Of course we don't know what's going to happen over there, but I don't think Riot and Fortische are just going to throw Arcane's characters away unless they do. "the arcane is waking up" and all that jazz. Seems to me like the arcane isn't back to sleep, and who has experience with the arcane. Oh, right, all these cool guys. Leading to points 3 and 4.

no. 3, Jayce's crystal, given to him by the mage (Viktor) in season 1, was used for teleportation, if I remember correctly. Rather than dying/getting sucked into the crystal, they've been teleported somewhere else and will be used to shift the focus onto that location. This fits. Moving to a completely different location would disrupt the glorious evolution. Plus we didn't see their bodies so.

EDIT: apparently it was the rune of insight or smth. my bad. Still, theres a chance? Please Riot, pleaaseee

from arcanegifs

no. 4, Jinx my beloved. There was a line of shimmer leaving the explosion at the bottom of the pit, and the epilogue of Cait looking at the pit and seeing air ducts hints that Jinx/Powder escaped. I'm pretty sure the Zepplin shown at the end was to imply she left Piltover and Zaun, finally becoming her own person. Throughout the show, her identity was determined by her relationships (hair mirroring Silco's, smoke tattoos for Vi, mental illness from causing her brothers' deaths), and with hallucination Silco suggesting the best way to change the Cycle of Killing is leaving, that's what she chose to do. Additionally, her handwriting for the "the end" at the finale suggests that she was there to write it. She's alive guys trust me. Her change of scenery can be used to shift the focus to a different location.

My personal Thoughts:

on no. 4, I would hate it if they decided to kill Jinx after she found herself. It's overused. Seeing Jinx/Powder finally become herself without Silco's, Zaun's, and her sister's baggage in a new place would be super interesting. As someone who doesn't play League, I've heard there's some blond character she's shipped with from a different country/city? Foreshadowing perhaps? Plus it'd be so in character for her to start a new series with a chaotic "I bet you're wondering what I did after I faked my death."

Cait and Vi will probably remain in Piltover/Zaun doing reform (the show's whole point). The reason why Vi didn't look super duper sad is probably because she's going through shock or because Cait reassured her that Jinx/Powder isn't dead (air ducts). Ekko's probably going to do reform w/ the power couple because that's his motivation.

The sex scene's context is a bit odd, but Jinx literally gave Vi permission to be with Cait so... ? When life gives you lemons, give your gf head i guess. Wish Cait did apology head though, she really hurt Vi... But then again, Vi probably wanted to get lost in the sauce and forget about everything around her, hence the "I don't fucking care" comment.

Jayce was right, Viktor was blinded. Love that they're in love.

It's so interesting to see Sevika going from backing revolutionaries (Silco and Vander) to becoming a revolutionary herself and actually getting a seat on the council!! She went from kingmaker to king.

Thought season 2 was kinda rushed? Idk wished we had hour long episodes just to flesh things out.... still a great season.

It's not over. With the success this show's been giving Netflix, there's at least twenty more on the horizon. God bless Riot and Fortische.

going to go cry now.

[deathbypixelz]

Well... animation isn't my area of expertise but I can trace/closely follow a base reference and add or modify stuff. Turns out all I had to give for 36 frames was 9.5 hours, about half a night's sleep, and maybe a year off my wrist's lifespan. It's no high budget production but it's what I can do. I have this almost spiteful need to do everything in my power to make these two real and god fucking dammit I will act upon it.

It's also, um... a good way to study 3D forms.......

(original gif below the cut IT IS AN ARCANE SPOILER LOL)

(thank you to @/arcanegifs for this and many others from the same scene, one or two more of which I may have to make use...)

What I would give to see Cathala and Tarinne like that. What I would give. I can write them and I can draw them but what I would fucking give to see them animated with so much life and weight and honesty and love. Over and over and over again.

[phoenixlionme]

from arcanegifs tumblr:

caitlyn FINALLY realizing that theres so many injustices that piltover has done to zaun and vi realizing that not all enforcers are the same and a few actually want to do good like caitlyn ALSO THERE IS NO WAY THIS IS NOT THE START OF VI FALLING FOR CAIT because literally after this scene she just looks at cait with puppy dog eyes 24/7 im sure the animators didnt make it a coincidence that they timed cait saying realized with vi's face of revolution of oh shit i think im starting to like this cop LMFAOOO

Caitvi Scenes: 13/? ↳ "This city needs healing. More than I ever realize."