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deltadex · 1 year ago

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Arcane's symbolism: Meaning of Vi

Of all the Arcane characters, I feel that Vi's name carries the most meaning in relation to her character.

Besides being associated with love in general, violets are also linked with lesbian love (thanks to Greek poet Sappho, who's poems centered around the relationships between women, who often wore the flowers). It's clear how this ties in with Vi and her relationship with a certain Pilty...

As for the shortened version of her name, Vi can be interpreted as the Roman numeral for the number six (which her stylised cheek Tattoo alludes to).

In Numerology, the number six is "the embodiment of the heart". It represents unconditional love and is a powerful force of compassion and empathy. The number six's strengths include:

Supportive - will be the first to provide a shoulder to lean on, truly try to understand, and give heartfelt advice. ("You wanna talk about today?", "We've all had bad days, but we learn, and we stick together")

Protective - its unconditional love extends to all people which allows it to speak up for those that don't have a voice. Especially fierce when it comes to family. (e.g. Vi standing up for Powder when Milo complains about her, her willingness to fight for the people of the Undercity)

Romantic - works hard to create peaceful relationships and is fluent in all love languages. Only happy when its other half is happy. (Romance we are yet to see...)

Its weaknesses include:

Passive - in order to keep the peace, six may allow itself to get taken advantage of. Would rather go along with an undesirable option than make waves. (We only really see this part of Vi when it comes to Powder/Jinx. "It's alright Powder, at least you're okay", "We can just go. We can leave and never come back")

Self-sacrificing - so willing to sacrifice itself for others that it neglects its own needs and well-being. Often overlooks the the self-care that would make it feel balanced. (e.g Vi willing to turn herself in to the enforcers. She has little regard for her own safety, putting herself in danger several times throughout the series in order to find her sister.)

Idealistic - expects everyone to treat others the way it does, which it believes would lead to a perfect world. When it realises its ideals are unattainable, it may face extreme upset. ("I grew up knowing I'm less than them, that my place is down there. I want Powder to have more than that and I'm willing to fight for it". Another moment that comes to mind is the council scene, where Vi becomes frustrated with the council for not sharing Jayce's view on stopping Silco. "This is how things are, how they've always been. I was so stupid to think it could change.")

(Going off point here: I noticed that Caitlyn has many of these qualities as well, in some cases exhibiting them even stronger than Vi. In this way, they are more similar than they realise. They both lead with their hearts.)

Let's move on to the third and final meaning, which lies in the realm of Tarot Cards. The sixth card in what is called the "Major Arcana" is, very fittingly, The Lovers.

This card has two different meanings, depending on its orientation in a reading:

1. The Lovers Upright

Represents conscious connections and meaningful relationships. The appearance of this card shows that you have a strong, beautiful connection with a loved one. You may believe you have found a soul mate or life partner. The chemistry between you goes beyond just physical attraction to something that is almost spiritual (AKA CaitVi).

While it typically represents a romantic tie, The Lovers card can also refer to a close friendship or family relationship where "love, respect and compassion flow" (AKA Vi and Jinx's sisterly bond)

The Lovers card is one of open communication and raw honesty. Its appearance is a sign that by "communicating openly and honestly with those you care about, you will create a harmonious and fulfilling relationship built on trust and respect". It's an invitation to open your heart and be vulnerable around someone (the scene that comes to mind is the one where Caitlyn and Vi are lying on the bed, and Vi talks about the childhood game her and Powder used to play. She shows a surprisingly amount of vulnerability, which leads to an intimate moment between her and Caitlyn. By being vulnerable, Vi instigated progression of their relationship. )

On a more personal level, the card is about defining your beliefs and values and staying true to them. You are figuring out what your philosophy is and what you stand for. (This is something we see Vi struggle with throughout the series. Vi's ideologies are constantly challenged and therefore evolving. In Act 1, it's through Vander's teachings, and the rest of the series, it's Caitlyn challenging everything she thought she knew about enforcers and Topsiders in general. Even so, the biggest threat to her value system is in the finale, where she is faced with whether or not she should choose to put some of her own values aside to maintain her relationship with Jinx. I think we will see a continuation of this personal journey in season 2: Is she going to follow Vander's example or forge her own path? Will she choose to believe the Piltover and the Undercity's relations can improve, or will they forever be "oil and water"? Who is she when she isn't constantly striving to reconnect with her sister? Will she ever be able to forgive her for everything she's done? Will she ever be able to forgive herself?

At its heart, The Lovers is about choice. Who you want to be. How you want to connect with others. This card is often a sign that you are facing a moral dilemma and must consider all the consequences before acting. It is advised not to make a decision out of fear, guilt or shame. Your values system is being challenged, and "you are being called to take the higher path, even if it is difficult."

Finally, The Lovers card encourages you to unify dual forces and bring together two parts, one that are seemingly in opposition, to form a harmonious "whole" (very fitting for a show whose central theme focuses on duality). This is where I see Vi and Caitlyn working together to forge peace between the two sides of the city, which is the reason she eventually becomes an enforcer. And, naturally, acceptance of this unified duality may also lead to the initiation of a relationship with Caitlyn.

2. The Lovers Reversed

Reversed, The Lovers can signal a time when you're out of sync with those around you, especially your loved ones (and it's no secret that Vi and Jinx have become "out of sync"). You're relationship is strained and communication is difficult. Depending on the case, you can either try to bring love and compassion to the situation, or you can accept that you've grown apart and move on (this is the harrowing decision that Vi is facing).

The Reversed card may reflect that there are feelings in a relationship that aren't mutual. One person may be more emotionally involved than the other which, down the line, can lead to disappointment and insecurity. You may also be reluctant to open your heart for fear of getting hurt. (This is basically the "oil and water" scene beat for beat. Vi is afraid of opening up to a relationship with Caitlyn and shatters the prospect of "mutuality" by stating that it "wasn't meant to be". And then there's Vi's relationship with Jinx, which also has a lack of mutuality, at least from Jinx's point of view: "I thought, maybe you could love me like you used to, even though I'm...different". i.e Why can't you love the new me like you loved Powder? It hurts because it's not that Vi doesn't love her, it's that she doesn't love her in the way that she wants her to, thereby leading to her choosing Jinx over Powder. She can't go back to being Powder. After all, "she fell down a well".)

Not only does the card refer to relationships with others, it also speaks to self-love and respect. To what extent do accept your identity and the value you offer the world? (I doubt Vi has any self-love and respect left, which is really sad. Her self-worth was already damaged in childhood; "I grew up knowing that I'm less than them. That my place is down there." This feeling of worthlessness was only exacerbated by her time in prison, where she was beaten senseless by the gaurds on a regular basis. You can tell by the way she carelessly throws herself into danger that she doesn't believe she's of any value except for being her sister's protector.)

The card encourages you to be mindful of when you look at other people and wish you were more like them. "Understand that if you can recognize these traits in others, it is because you have them within you." (In other words, what you perceive in others is a way for you to recognize your own strengths. Vi looks at Caitlyn and sees this amazingly kind, good-hearted and empathetic person. But what she doesn't realise is that she has these qualities as well. Caitlyn even points it out: "Despite it all, I can tell. You have a good heart ". Despite her constant cynicism towards Caitlyn, this quality still managed to shine through, enough for Caitlyn to notice it. My hope for next season is to see Vi get in touch with her tender side again after having to be tough for so long.)

If the Lovers Reversed shows up in a reading, you might face a tough choice with significant consequences (Vi faces the ultimate choice in the now infamous "tea party" scene, where Jinx presents her with the question: "Where should I sit? That's your choice, really." But what Vi doesn't expect is the way she has to answer that question: by choosing whether or not to kill Caitlyn.)

Instead of making a decision based on your values, you feel tempted to cut corners. (Vi tries to evade the dilemma by suggesting that they leave together. Nevertheless, this only makes the situation worse by riling up Silco.) The Lovers Reversed encourages you to reconsider and choose the path most in alignment with your values - no matter how difficult it might be (this might be a hint to Vi letting go of any prospect of a having a normal relationship with her sister again)

Lastly, this card can also suggest inner conflicts and being at war with oneself, rather than with external forces. You may be punishing yourself for something you have done or consider yourself responsible for. (Vi clearly has an extreme sense of guilt. She was the big sister that was in charge of taking care of her siblings, and when it came to it, save Vander. Even though there are several factors at blame, she feels responsible for the death of her family and her sister's poor mental health. Not only that, she also feels guilty for not being able to support Ekko and Powder in the time following that fateful night. It must eat her from the inside out: If I just hadn't gone through with the heist, none of this would have happened. Why did I have to hit Powder? Why did I have to call her a jinx? I have no one left, and it's all my fault. I'm the real jinx.

Now, let's take a step back and see what the running theme is here. Considering each of the three meanings her name represents, it's easy to see: Vi is the human embodiment of the heart. And love is the force that drives her. Nevertheless, sooner or later she's going to flatline. A heart must both give and receive blood for it to continue beating.

From what we've seen, there is NO DOUBT that Vi is able to give immense amounts of love; it's literally permanently tatooed onto her. But the question remains; will she be able to let herself receive it?

Sources:

fnp.com

numerology.com

biddytarot.com

#arcane #vi #vi arcane #arcane analysis #arcane meta #this got longer than expected #if you got this far #thanks for reading #feel free to ask questions or share ideas you might have #it was so interesting to find how deep a meaning vi's name has #the more i dug the more i discovered #and now i share with you this insanely long post of my findings #these meanings cannot be a coincidence #i feel like vi is a very misunderstood character who people are quick to blame #so i wanted to share what i think some of her motivations and struggles are #ones that you may resonate with yourself #lots of love for vi

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