#arcane season 2 rewrite idea

[tourmelions-arcane-blog]

I've been cooking up a full rewrite, here are the general story beats for the first scene

Cait and Vi run back to the council

See the damage

Goes to the funeral and feels grief, but also, weird, cause on one hand she misses her mother, on the other she perpetuated a lot of oppression that directly caused this

Cait's an adult, she knows how to regulate herself emotionally, she can handle it, but there's something that really worms into her mind and irks her, a thought that she shouldn't really entertain cause it's supposed to be a somber moment but she can't really bring herself to shut it out, the idea that this was in part her own fault, that she was part of the problem that caused all of this, jinx is still manic, she's not, siding with her, but the oppression she was part of created her in the first place, in the back of her mind it keeps negging at her that Cassandra kireman was partially at fault for her demise. So she stays quiet, suppresses all those 'blasphemous' thoughts, and focuses on taking care of her dad. At some point she just needs to know, needs closure on the question, how much of this did her mom do to herself, and so, she asks about her, at the funeral she'd seen a few people she hadn't known, sharing stories she'd never heard, and it makes her curious to her history, was she always like that, did something sour her, how much did she really stoke the oppression of zaun, how much did she really contribute "I just need to know for sure", leading her to be shown the kireman archives, a data base of every important decision she undertook, and she finds the grey tunnels and she feels a weight lift off her cause she isn't as bad as she thought, and it's just a closure, an answer to the question that's been in her head, "how much of this did she earn from her actions?"

Also, having her confide in Vi and have her be at a loss would be such a neat interaction, it'd really show how different their grieving situations/experiences are

And it'd be so realistic to have a more confused state of grief, muddled and complicated and so indicative of their odd relationship, cause they were in proximity, they're used to each other and I'm sure they had their good moments and looked out for one another, on the other hand, she was part of the problem that caused the madness and danger leading to her own death, if piltover took care of the gangs this would have never happened, she was a victim of her own negligence, they all were

[tourmelion]

Just to be clear, I'm also a big arcane slanderer, and your post is totally valid and based, that being said, I do hold a similar view but for a different reason

It feels to me just a bit out of character for her, and it might be the writing being super bad, but like, as out of the loop Cait was to the oppression of zaun idk if she'd go that far, cause I'm not sure she'd be so single minded in her grief for her mother, her relationship with her is complicated, and Cass's neglect of zaun in her position of power as a council member and a rich person, it throws fault in lots of different directions, Cass allowed that to brew along with the other council members, I just doubt cait'd have that much momentum, you know, she might have gone into zaun with the strike team but I doubt she would actively choose to use the grey for that, it causes cancer and all sorts of other problems, and Viktor's been dying from exposure to the grey. I'm not a grief expert but it seems odd to me for her to just completely throw reason out of the window in it, feels unfounded, shallow even for a portrayal of grief, cause, cait and Cass don't feel close, and on top of that there should be questions on whether she made her bed with her prior decisions, wouldn't cait try to find closure in finding out more about her, to put to rest her questions on what type of person she was and how much she can really fix the blame on her, also just, who she was, her history, what made her like that, why she made the vents. She can still miss her as a person in her life and a parent, but there's a lot more to grief than a person leaving you and you getting stressed out, it was the type of person they were to you and who you are that colour that grief. Also, it's a massive mine for angst if she eventually finds out that it was for personal interest cass made the vents

Confusion dampening her resolve to do anything, and falling in line with oppression would make for a good tension with Vi without her completely tossing away the relationship and turning it blatantly unsalvageable from a relationship standpoint

The evil fascist plotline isn't necessarily a bad one, it's a neat concept, but, I think it just suits jayce a lot better, cause he's quite moldable, and not having any real weight behind his stances, or more, forgetful of certain things, being kinda empty headed makes you a really easy target for fascist rhetoric, and he's the one making the hex tech weapons, shouldn't there he a focus on convincing him

Plus it's a poetic karma for Mel to have to reign in the gaggle of weak minded fools she kept around her, having all their self servingness and moldablity work against her would be so good, and actually tie in Mel(and Ambessa who might get someone high up to demand hex weapons for their personnel, sliding it to Ambessa for a nice wad of cash and whatever else she can promise them)

Also, having Viktor decide to take advantage of the hex core to live so that he can prevent war by doing things to de-escalate would make so much sense for him

To show that there is a choice, and it is difficult but there always is one

I’m all for arcane s2 slander but in the midst of their thinkpieces I keep seeing ppl be like “and part of why this season sucked was bc Caitlyn was a mean evil bad guy >:( boo I hate when flawed characters do problematic things >:(”

The problem with Caitlyn’s arc wasn’t that she did bad things, it was the way it wasn’t resolved at all/had absolutely no payoff or consequences. If you genuinely think Caitlyn’s dictator era makes the show bad or ruined her character then you have just as little media literacy as the people who think everything was perfect just because their ship was canon

[zeddylux]

I genuinely had the best idea for a rewrite for some of Act 2. So say miss Vi in a drunken stupor (with real fucking symptoms thank you) stumbles into a certain brothel (we all know the one) and meets a certain girl. Could be an OC could be a self-insert either way but they start to become close. Vi come back after every fight, every night if she can manage and the girl eventually stops charging her. Which Vi starts feeling super guilty about (cue the self hatred) and starts fighting even harder so she can make sure to pay the girl (hence why she starts getting max beefcake). But the girl starts coming around her place (the place we saw in the trailer with her bed without a blankie) so she doesn't have to feel guilty. But there a general lack of communication. The girl idolizes Jinx and how she ignited the revolution and has blue streaks in her hair (one of Jinxs fans) but despises the Zaun enforcer that led Caitlyn down into the undercity. (I think this would still work because Vi had her mask on for alot of Act 1 where people might recognize her and her hair is dyed black now). Vi can't bring herself to tell the girl the truth so she keeps pretending she's also a fan of Jinx and not telling the girl everything. She can't lose anyone again she can't. (Perhaps insert a scene where the girl is admiring the mural of Jinx and Vi starts crying). Vi still has her gauntlets though and the girl eventually starts putting two and two together. She's a sex worker she's trained to pay attention. Especially when some enforcers and Caitlyn (desperate to find Jinx) raid the brothel possibly looking for Vi also to bring in for questioning. Jinx can still reunite with Vi and Isha can still have her relationship with her (I liked it think it's fine) but she doesn't die. Fuck that. Anyway Jinx needs Vi to help her with something (not sure what yet) and so the two work together but it's VERY hostile. The two keep trading insults and the girl is confused. She gets angry at Vi (how could you talk that way to her she SAVED US). Meanwhile Jinx is still intent on hurting her sister and spills the beans. Tells the girl everything. The girl breaks down and cries and says she can't even look at Vi anymore. Jinx leaves with a satisified look on her face while Isha gives her a disapproving look.

[tourmelion]

I wish they didn't go the magic route with Viktor, or at least, have the hexcore stabilize his life force and have Jayce send Viktor to a hospital where he gets a new pace maker, and when his organs slowly shut down and the metal organs he needs don't exist Jayce would make new organs, and Viktor once back to normal would take it to the extreme, giving himself a new leg, and strengthening his arms and legs with machinery, and it wouldn't even be super strange to Viktor, smeech also has limb enhancements, chem tech limbs and limb enhancements are normal in zaun, maybe Jayce throws viktor out after he finds out with a nudge from hiemerdinger about it being 'unnatural' ie.he just doesn't like it, like, Viktor comes back to zaun, reunites with Renata glasc who paid for his education and goes to study chemtech from her connections, making new strides in cheap organ replacements, maybe even meeting renni, which would make things really awkward if Jayce showed up, I'd love the plot point of viktor being too bold for the stuck in their ways conservatives of piltover, getting distain and disapproval for the strides he'd make in medicine, also, what if he just wanted to make body mods, it adds a new layer to it, cause in canon jayce talks down to vik about how his disabled body was part of his identity, which it isn't, what if Viktor just wanted body mods, Viktor not fitting in Jayce's box and jayce being ignorant would make a cool plot point, having Viktor become a barron in his own right for body mods would be so cool, how to the dynamics shift if you know someone is a baron, how do you approach cait trying to destablize zaun if you know one of the people she'll be after is Viktor, how would she feel, would it make her bigotry worse since she would think vik turned evil, (cause she thinks all powerful people in piltover are evil, or all people at Silco's corrupt table(without acknowledging piltovers table is the same)), it would be such a cool dynamic, vik living within piltovers ideas of him and then him going directly against piltovers ideas of him, also vik being able to rely on his connections more heavily and be manipulated by powerful figures instead would have been cool, Renata glasc could be such a mel like figure to Viktor, and a Cassandra like one, giving him an opening to a place at the table would have been cool.

ALSO, having Viktor gloriously evolve minds by upping the cognitive abilities would make so much more sense for him being so crazy about it, and it would also probably mega start up his cult following, bringing the catatonic and dead back to life smarter, faster, stronger. It would definitely make him look like salvation while still allowing Viktor to have his distain for it, and those with the brain stuff can still be super ignorant and fanboyish cause thinking fast doesn't make you smarter if you don't know how to use it.

It would have been like he was a celebrity, still having a cult following but in that framing, it'd make so much sense

[alea-jottun]

Arcane season 2 rewrite part three : Ambessa and Mel

(other parts here)

I would change Mel's arc in a way that her being an illegitimate child actually matters.

In this rewrite, Ambessa's legacy is threatened. Proof of Mel's illegitimacy has arrived to Ambessa's enemies, and the rumors are setting Noxus aflame, with the very real possibility that the Medarda family might lose the Noxus throne. Ambessa has lied to both Mel and Jayce : it's a civil war that's theatening Noxus, not outsiders. It's on her own people that Ambessa wants to use hextech weapons.

Now Mel has to navigate both the Zaun/Piltover war, and the schemes of her mother, who uses the confusion to her own advantage in hope to crush to Noxian rebelion.

A precision : she is not a mage in this rewrite. S1 Mel is a talented, powerful politician. Her ambition, her understanding of human psychology and her talent for persuasion/manipulation are her strengths : it made no sense to erase all that in s2 and to replace that with magic powers.

[aurieeeeeenyx]

tbh i think jayce was too Normal after his impromptu trip to hell. like ik he had the dimension splitting headaches and all that (although. where did those go he had them for like 10 min) but where are his rough edges his wilder mannerisms where is that frantic spark in his eye when for a moment he's still there in the future of his creation

[devotion-that-corrupts]

OH so my running theory was right. gg ez

[eichan2d]

OMG!!! I forgot I can actually elaborate here so...

I hate hate hate hate hate hate so much that Jinx called Vander "Dad" and I hate more that she never did it with Silco.

Since the first episode it is clear that Vi is Vander's favorite and actually his only child. Powder, Maylo and the other were just kids that he took care of. The same from Powder POV, he was just the guy who took her in.

When he mets Silco the first thing she did was hug him and he LEFT the dagger and hugs her back, he empathizes with her, became her guide, her rock, yes in a terrible way but it was there, he convinced himself that he only wanted her as a weapon but through the first season he little by little realizes that he made the mistake of loving her until the talk with Vander's statue where he says that he understands now how you can do everything for the sake of a daughter (the core idea of S1), once again letting clear that everything Vander did was for A daughter, not two, not four kids, only Vi.

So it is complicated to believe that Jinx sees him as a dad, they barely know each other while Silco see her through the worst and the best of her childhood-adolescence.

I would prefer her seeing Vi and Vander/WW from far, feeling envy because Vi had her dad back while she didn't and will never get him because SHE KILLED him, but from that culprit she feels she learns to respect and protect what her sister loves because her sister is the only person she has, but this involves a rewrite of the first half of Arcane 2 so whatever.

In conclusion, I would've like to see Jinx say "I miss you dad" or "I miss my dad" while broking into tears (ugly crying) in any moment she was remembering him.

Oc I don't think Silco and Jinx had the best and most healthy relationship, this is more about Vander wasn't Jinx dad, Silco was and we were robbed of seeing how it affected Jinx.

[rnadett]

I have an extremely wild theory about the ending...

So...

PLEASE DO NOT READ ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT ME TO >>>POTENTIALLY<<< SPOIL SOMETHING FROM THE FINALE!!!!

I WARNED YOU!!!

I'm not going into too much details, since I don't have too much time because of my work. 😭

So let's start with Ekko:

We already know that the key character of Act 3 is him, whose unique ability is to turn back time. From the previous part, we also know that Jayce has tried to kill Viktor before, but every time so far, he has failed.

I think what Jayce and Ekko are trying to do in ACT 3: comes from the same root, but in very different ways – much like how their characters have always been, with parallels to each other throughout the series from the beginning. (the poster above is also telling)

We’ve also seen countless scenes from Act 3 that were quite significant hints... I haven’t pieced all the anchor points together yet, but my theory is that many characters will die in the final ARC — including Ekko, who will most likely make one last attempt to rewind time so the sisters can succeed.

We already have this screenshot from Reed. And It's from s2ep9. Behind Ekko it's some kind of machine, I believe it's a time machine, but not for rewind seconds, but for more... So much more. And they built it with Heimerdinger together.

This environment and this machine also appears in these scenes from the trailers:

Also in the recent teaser Vi says this.

I mean c'mon, It can't be more obvious than this at this point.

Also I noticed something while I rewatched this trailer:

https://youtu.be/Sl-xmZTH6GE?si=rW5vFHJUWm0ECD6p

Parallels and flashbacks were deliberately included. I think those will be the key points for the time travel.

The fate of the characters from a dramaturgical perspective... Well, I think many main character will die, What will make the stakes of the siblings' success even more important.

Yeah... Almost ALL characters except the sisters.

For example:

Caitlyn... I think Caitlyn may not die by Ambessa's hands but there is a possibility. But either way she will die. But one thing for sure: her final act will paves the way for the siblings to succeed. This makes her redemption arc finalized. Ambessa also planted this idea in Caitlyn's mind. Sacrifice . (Maybe the only thing truly worth learning from Ambessa about leadership, though not in the way Ambessa intended it to be understood.)

And for Vi... Yeah, she will watch yet another person she loves and cares about die. The Arcane writers seem to enjoy making her suffer....

Since the story revolves around the two sisters, they will finish the story, as they started.

THE LAST DROP

So the final scene probably will be about the sisters and the final sacrificing. Many say, Jinx don't need a redemption, but I think everyone deserves one in one way or another.

.

.

It has been hinted - or a fact from episode one that Jinx/powder ruins everything. She got her second name because of this. It's her character.

“Vi always used to say, I can fix anything... Before I broke everything.”

But why is it like this? What is it based on?

I think the 'last drop' will be foreshadowing of the first season, where she tried to save everyone, but nearly everyone ended up dying.

Why this would be any different?

I think what moslty form Jinx is how many people 'believe' in her.

Jinx and Powder, as appeared in a methaphore in Season 2, Episode 6, symbolize a coin with two sides. Both sides exist within her, but which side prevails depends on the events that unfold.

In Season 1, Episode 3, Vi allowed her heart to be influenced by the protective love she felt, which prevented her from trusting her sister.

That's why I believe that this will not just be Jinx's redemption, and not only will it rewrite her story, but also Vi’s. Vi, whose personality is so protective that she often doubts everyone else - (including Caitlyn), will have to learn to let go of this feeling and trust others, even if it means there's a chance her sister might die.

So what's my prediction?

So, if I wasn’t clear enough, (since English isn’t my native language and there are so many things in my head at all once that I want to express but I don't have time for more 😭)

My theory is that the siblings will eventually bring everyone back to life, but it will come at a cost, and I think Jinx will be the one to make that sacrifice.

But her death will not be a sad thing from her perspective, she will be finally free from the burden and suffering she felt, also she will be free from her demons as well.

.

.

As for the fate of the other characters I mentioned here, I can’t say for certain. Unfortunately, due to the 10-image limit, I couldn’t attach more visuals, but I believe Ambessa will die at the hands of the Black Rose. This is foreshadowed quite well in the intro: first, we see Ambessa crushing the rose, then a petal falls, but we don’t actually see her destroy it completely. Later, we see her daughter stepping in to take her place, reaching for the same rose while petals are scattered on the right-hand side, symbolizing Ambessa.

I think this story arc will continue in future *Arcane* series.

As for Sevika, it’s pretty clear that Viktor will transform her after her death and bring her back to life. That’s how she’ll end up with another cool new arm. (The new Sevika poster is literally titled “Armed and Ready,” by the way.) She’ll probably try to incite the Undercity against Piltover again, which is why we see in the trailer that Piltover is fighting Zaunite civilians.

My other theory for Sevika (Or a continuation of the above, perhaps a combination of the two. ) is that Singed will make her a new prosthetic to her... And it’s also possible that through Singed Savika will side with Ambessa.. Since Ambessa is very good at seeing what people need and how to manipulate them, she might offer Zaun's independence in exchange for her help.

From Corin Reveck’s side – He will succeed in bringing his daughter back to life (Orianna), and I think this is no longer in question... After nearly everyone in the series has suffered the consequences of his actions, directly or indirectly... One might hate this character, but he is the perfect example of someone who would do anything, sacrifice everything, and set the whole world on fire (and does) for the love of his daughter. He is fully aware that he has become a monster, but he doesn’t care.

From Viktor's perspective... I'm not sure what his story will be. Perhaps the fact that they’ve saved each other’s lives multiple times with Jayce will become a symbol that ultimately, they will end up taking each other’s lives together. At some point, there was a possible foreshadowing of this when the creators depicted a "Memento Mori" between the two characters in season 1, when they were at the place where they tried to jump separately. A "Memento Mori" is an optical illusion where the combination of various elements forms the image of a skull, symbolizing death and the transience of life.

Overall, please take all of the above writing as just a theory; many parts may not turn out this way, and in fact, nothing might happen as I’ve suggested. Have fun!

And yes, I know my post turned out quite long despite saying I don’t have time, but believe me, if I did have time, it would be about six times longer, with all the references and every thread detailed in full.

[livelaughlesbian00]

@toaverse made a great point that now that the writers and animators are speaking out, it's clear the Arcane team did not collectively agree on key parts of their storytelling, such as the dynamic of JayVik, and it actively harmed their storytelling further.

With the confirmation that Christian didn't see JayVik as romantic, but the animators said they specifically animated certain JayVik scenes to be romantically intimate, it made one of my thoughts clearer.

I'd argue that most of the praises people have about the series are because of the animators and despite the writing. But some fans are conflating the two.

Writers tend not to be heavily involved in the animation process unless they have multiple roles in a production process that would require them to be present for the long, large team process that is animation. Sure, showrunners and producer positions (also sometimes the writers) will likely check in on progress, writers might provide early rewrites (but idk how often that happens in animation & how the writers strike impacted writing this season), provide insights to the team, or give feedback at most. But they aren't overseeing every detail in a way that the animation team does. An animation team of many people ultimately has a vision to stick to, every tiny detail to consider, and a lot of work to do in limited time. People are right to say literally everything is intentional in animation.

Writers do block out some of the exchanges characters should have on screen, but in animation, you can tailor those blocking and interpretation details even better than you can in live action movies and TV.

All those tiny details, looks, body language of characters between spoken dialogue? Because of the animators.

All those Easter Eggs in the background? Because of the animators.

The blink and you miss it details that people only pick up for 3 frames and dissect like it's the Bible? Because of the animators.

The lingering glances and touches demonstrating the nature of characters' relationships? Because of the animators.

I hated the writing leading into that sex scene, found it to be very wattpad-y, and the timing for CaitVi intimacy at that point of the plot made no sense. BUT the choreography and animation for a lesbian make out scene seemed respectful, accurate, and not exploitative. That's because of the animators.

The character design details, even down to Vi still wearing the enforcer belt during her emo phase or Ekko and Jinx having matching paint designs in the Act 3 final battle? Because of the animators.

Very creative ideas like Jinx and Ekko's 4 frames per second dance in the AU? Because of the animators.

I'm noticing most of what people are praising about this show and having fun dissecting are certainly something the animators/ a design team executed, but we don't know if they were the writers' decisions. Some fans that think season 2 is perfect or amazing are assigning that credit to the writers when it's not certain these small details that they use as proof were the writers' decisions. It's especially uncertain given recent confirmation online that the writers' intentions and animators' executions contradicted each other, resulting in creative interpretation disconnect.

It's clear from the many plot, character, and pacing issues of season 2 that the writing fell flat in multiple areas. Yet as a member of the arcane critical community, I could tell the animators did their absolute best and remained the "attentive to detail" group we knew from season 1. Thank you, animators 💞

[tourmelion]

@hypertranced I can't dm u cause you're not following me

ngl finding out that arcane season 2 was written by 3 people explained so much. three dumb bitches in a room telling each other exactlyyyy

[tealeaf29]

ARCANE SEASON 1 AND 2 SPOILERS

Y’know what? I’m gonna say it:

As a system myself, Jinx/Powder is a system.

It’s difficult to pin point the exact point of the split, and whether or not it even happens on screen, but I’m gonna say Powder’s breakdown in season 1 episode 3 is the first time we see Jinx fronting.

Throughout most of season 1, Jinx is in front. Not all the time, but a lot of the time.

People already talk quite a bit about how the arcane animators put time and effort into differentiating Powder and Jinx as two separate entities, is it really a stretch to call them a system?

Here’s the part that’s tripping me up though.

“Jinx is dead.”

I’m not sure who says that line.

Personally, I think it’s Jinx we see bonding with Isha. I think it’s Jinx we see talking about Powder being a stupid name. I think it’s Jinx we see saying Jinx is dead.

The best scene I think for showing the concept that Ninx and Powder are separate people, separate alters, is season 1 episode 6, when Vi and her sister reunite. It’s Powder that sets off the flare. It’s Jinx who angrily throws the flare on the ground. It’s Powder who fronts when Vi says her name and it’s Powder Vi hugs. But it’s Jinx who points PowPow at Vi. It’s Jinx who fires upon the Firelights with a smile on her face. It’s Powder who watches her sister get taken, and it’s Jinx who cries out in outrage moments later.

Second best scene for this is season 1 episode 9’s tea party scene. I don’t think I need to really explain that one too much, and there’s so much more I wanna say and I don’t want this to be too long.

Now, bare with me, it’s been a minute since my last rewatch but hear me out:

I think the last time we see Jinx is season 2 episode 4. Everything, and I do mean everything after she realizes she’s fighting Vander is Powder.

Do I think Jinx is gone? No. I just think she realized she doesn’t have to protect Powder anymore.

And I think there are two scenes that support this idea.

Season 2 episode 8, when Vi goes to break her out of prison and convince her sister to fight.

Vi pointedly calls her “Jinx”. Like a person trying to show they’re learning. I’ve seen this very thing myself as a system. Someone gets used to a new alter(in this case, Jinx) fronting, that they accidentally call another alter(in this case, Powder) by the wrong name.

She goes on to say “maybe we can rewrite your story, just like you rewrote Zaun’s.”

She’s saying “we can erase Powder, Jinx is all that matters, right?”

And, from an outside perspective, that’s not only a fair thing to say, but honestly super cute of her as a sister. I’ve seen people reading Jinx as a trans allegory, ESPECIALLY season 1 Jinx, and if it were, this would be a super great thing for Vi to say. But it’s not. At least, not by this point in season 2. If we do want to look at it as a gender allegory, then it works really well as a genderfluid allegory. But that’s not what I’m talking about.

No, Vi says the wrong thing here. She makes it clear she views her sister as a singular entity. Either Powder or Jinx. The issue is, especially at this point in the story, she’s not. And that’s not even me being like “I’m gonna state my personal headcanon/analysis as fact.” That’s just true. Schnee on YouTube does a much better job of explaining the dichotomy between the two identities in his “How EKKO Redefines Time” video that I 100% recommend(this video is actually what got me thinking about Jinx/Powder as a system).

The other scene, is Ekko trying to convince her to help. Ekko says two things here that are important. First, he says “Pow- Jinx.”

He doesn’t view them as a singular entity.

To the trans allegory thing for a moment, this is a really good line if you wanna read Jinx that way, because almost every single trans person who’s changed their name has likely heard “Deadna- Name” at least once(substitute for appropriate names of course). And it’s cute that Ekko corrects himself if that’s how you’re choosing to view it.

But it’s this line that gives her pause.

Ekko then goes on to say “no matter what happened in the past, it’s never too late to build something new.”

He’s not saying to erase the past. To erase Powder. He’s saying to move on from the past. To accept that Powder and Jinx are both present.

That is what convinces her to fight. Ekko telling her “it doesn’t matter, Jinx, Powder, whoever you are, whoever you choose to be, it’s not too late for you.”

Am I little biased when I claim Ekko is the only reason Jinx fights? Maybe a little, TimeBomb are one of my favourite ships in Arcane(though post-season 2 I stumbled upon LightCannon and I think they might be my fav Jinx ship now). But I don’t think that matters.

Do I think the writers intended Jinx to have DID? Definitely not.

Do I think the writers intended Jinx to be an allegory for DID? Maybe.

But it’s fun to analyze, and read representation in characters that wasn’t necessarily intended.

But, yeah, Jinx/Powder is now a system in my headcanon and you can’t convince me otherwise because it’s a headcanon and I can do what I want in my headcanons.

[alluramunroe]

Arcane Act III Part II Rewrite

Writing Act III Part II made me focus on Viktor’s story line and made me realized there are tidbits that need to be added throughout the story to explain Viktor’s fall. Viktor unlike all the other characters is in a very unique situation. Viktor has experienced the violence of Piltover and the retaliation of Zaun personally, which can explain his harmful centrist views of season 2.

So stick with me as I jump back to parts of Act I and Act II to complete the story in Act III. 

See Links for Act I, Act II, Act III Part I

Act I Scene - Viktor is upset about being placed in the Hextech

Like in season 2, we see Viktor come out of the Hextech blob and is upset with Jayce about being placed in there. Dialogue emphasize that Viktor being placed in there was for Jayce’s own personal feelings/emotions and not Viktor’s well being. Viktor is upset and its like look what you have made of me. Jayce says something along the lines of “but you are a live, that’s all that matters.” Viktor leaves. 

Act I Scene - Viktor witness the attack on the Council be celebrated

As Viktor wanders the street’s of Zaun he witness Jinx’s attack on the council be celebrated. The attack that basically killed him is being celebrated as good. He frowns and says something look how violence is celebrated. Viktor, even though he is a Zaun, has a hard time seeing the virtue of Jinx’s attack because of how it personally affected him. 

Act I Scene - Juxtaposition of Viktor’s childhood/ Childhood for Firelights

In Act I, I created a original child character, Don, that lives with the firelights. Don is really similar to Viktor in that he has an illness caused by living in Zaun and a bad leg that causes him to need accessibility tools like a leg brace. It appears Viktor had a lonely childhood and did not have many friends or a community. In contrast,  Don has many friends and a community with the firelights. Further, the Firelight base is also shown to have many accessibility designs that make living in the base easier for Don.

This highlights how different Viktor’s life could have been if he lived in a community that was accommodating to his disability. 

Act II Scene - Viktor commune is not a “community”

Two random Zaunites are walking together. Zaun One begins coughing badly into their prosthetic (the prosthetic could be of a crude design that is basically just a rusty looking claw). Zaun Two “man that cough is getting worse, have you heard about that healer that can cure everything.” Zaun One “yeah I think I might go to him.” Zaun Two “Yeah I heard he can even get your hand back.” Zaun One reaction to that is dramatic, they praise their prosthetic hand and its capabilities, and state “I just need the cough fixed”. Also, in this exchange Zaun One is shown being very expressive. 

Next Scene shows Zaun One going to Viktor, Zaun one is like “can you heal” but there is no exchange of how they want to be healed. Viktor does the magic touch Zaun One is healed no more cough but also the prosthetic hand drops to the ground as a metallic hand is shown. Zaun One bows in thanks and with a placid look walks away (in stark contrast to the scene prior). 

Shot zooms out see how all those are healed have the same metallic and placid look. Viktor’s “healing” is taking away people’s ideal version of themselves and creating them in Viktor’s own image. He is removing others choices like Jayce did him. 

Additionally, as Viktor commune grows he learns of the war for Zaun’s independence but instead of joining it, he’s like the cycle of violence continues because of emotions. 

Act III Scene Part I Scene - Philosophical debate between Singed and Viktor

In my Act III Part I, I showed a conversation between Viktor and Singed where Viktor derides the idea of emotions and Singed is like emotions are good look at the breakthrough I am about to make. I am adding look what emotions have lead you to do to me. Singed ignore that and follows through with the procedure. 

Now we are back to our regularly scheduled program - Act III Part II

Complete Panic/Destruction of Zaun

We see Viktor’s white robots running through Zaun crashing into buildings/destroying property. We also see people running a way in panic, some people fall and get crushed. We see the lights connect people and lift them in the sky, this looks terrifying and we show the horror on people’s faces. Some of those yanked up by the light are dropped back down as more white robots. We see people try to fight back and shoot at the white robots but accidentally shoot other people killing them. 

To add drama we see Ekko get caught by the light, we see all of Ekko’s memory the good and the bad like being with the firelights, fighting/dancing with jinx, arguing with Mel/Jayce, thanking Mel for saving him, celebrating Independence slowly be burned away then it abruptly stops everything comes flooding back. Throughout Ekko’s mind wipe we see flashes of the Arcane and Hexcore. We see like a blue light severed the light connected to Ekko, camera shows Jinx running with Isha and a Hextech gun in her hand yelling keep running. Ekko is gasping for breath he is snatched up by Scar as they keep running away from the lights and the robots. Ekko we have to get to the Hexcore. 

Zaun reaches the bridge connecting the two cities.

Zaunites are running away from the robots, thus, they are running toward Piltover. The Zaunites that have been guarding the bridge are yelling at them to stop because if they cross the bridge they would be shot. Nobody listens they breeze past them, the first Couple of zaunites that cross the bridge are shot by Piltover guards, however that does not stop the rest. The lights and robots are shown ruthlessly attacking them. 

The Piltover soldiers are shown to be scared how even after shooting some of the Zaunites they keep coming and they are about to reach Piltover. Zaunites reach the other side Piltover soldiers think they are about to get into hand to hand fights but the Zaunites rush past them. Finally, the Piltover soldiers see what the Zaunites were running from and either try to shoot the white robots, saving some of the Zaunites, or begin running away themselves. 

Piltover Council Room 

In the council room, Mel, Caitlyn, and a some other members, its not an official meeting, conversation stop because they  hear explosions and shouting, they look out the window to see fighting on the bride. Onerous council member “we just signed a peace treaty with those savages and they are already fighting us.” Mel’s powers start acting weird and she’s like “no that’s not it”. Meanwhile Jayce in his lab sees his war hammer start glitching and acting weird. Jayce begins running to the council chamber because he knows Mel is there with the war hammer. 

Jayce manages to enter through the council door, Jinx/Ekko/Vi/Scar come crashing through the council window. It’s giving season one parallels. But before all hell breaks loose Ekko is like you need to turn off the Hexcore, those things are after it. Onerous council “how dare you come in here after a treaty was signed and initiate another terrorist attack.” But then the white robots come crashing in attacking both the Zaun crew and Piltover crew. We see the Zaun and Piltover crew form a circle working together, some Piltover council member happen to be in the middle. Even though the Zaunites are fighting and protecting them we still see the council members distrust of them. 

Shouting between the group that leads to Caitlyn/Vi/Jinx heading to the Hexcore (but they never make it but are seen fighting together). Ekko/Mel/Jayce staying up top to stop the white robots. 

Some Piltover citizens help the Zaunites

Back in the streets of Piltover, you see Zaunites and Piltover citizens alike running away from the white robots and lights. We see Piltover citizens get into buildings for shelter and purposefully closing the door on Zaunites. In other instances, you see one Piltover citizen allowing Zaunites to enter the building, and the other Piltover citizens upset they offered help. A scene showing that with all the chaos outside, a Piltover citizen is clutching their child close because a scared scrawny looking Zaunite choose shelter near them. 

Jayce and Ekko at the top

Honestly a rehash of the final fight scene except Jayce does not know this being is Viktor. Jayce is caught by the light is transforming look at this being. When Ekko’s cool scene plays out where he throws the bomb into Viktor’s face. Jayce finally sees this being is Viktor. 

Jayce is like “Viktor why are you doing this?” Viktor is like explaining his tragedies how Piltover is the cause of his disabilities, how Jayce/Mel’s emotions has led to the weaponization of Hextech, how Jayce emotions has changed Viktor irrevocably. How emotions have lead to choices that continue the cycle of violence. Viktor “I will remove emotions from this world ending the cycle of violence.”

Jayce is like “you are right I, and other Piltover council members, have contributed to the cycle of violence, our choices made life worse for Zaun.” (Flashing through all the different ways the Piltover crew has made life worse in Zaun) “But our emotions have also led us to choose to end the cycle of violence as well.” Jayce “the cycle is not going to end in a day but we can work to end it,” (call back to Viktor in season) “we all have choices.” Different characters caught by Viktor’s light are shown and the many ways they had to make a decision that went against their own well being/personal feelings to make Zaun a better place. (Example, maybe Ekko/Sevika’s team up, Sevika/Vi’s team up, Mel/Jayce/Ekko’s team up, Jinx/Ekko’s team up, Mel killing her mother, Caitlyn voting for Zaun’s independence, Jayce not attacking his and his mother’s attacker). 

Jayce, “I’m sorry I took your choice of being fused with Hextech away from you, I will mourn the Viktor that I knew before doing that.” Viktor gets that look of oh wow I really messed up and poofs out of existence like the show but without Jayce. 

Jayce drops to the ground, followed by everyone else as who look horrified and are gasping for breath. We see Zaunites throughout Piltover looking scared as they try to quickly retreat from Piltover because they know the exigent circumstance that made Piltover/Zaun briefly work together is over and they risk jail/life by staying. 

The effect of the attack is considerably worse for Zaun

We pan through the clean up of both Zaun and Piltover, shows Piltover was affected but it looks worse in Zaun. We also see the Zaun warehouse where all the stolen supplies from Piltover was stored and its decimated. 

Zaun goes to Piltover for help, receives nothing but blame

We see Jayce walking to a council meeting, he past a mural that shows Viktor in his final form rising out of Zaun and attacking Piltover. It shows Jayce in his white outfit defeating this Viktor with his war hammer. The mural depicts how the light held people in the air, noticeably it does not depict any Zaunites being attacked. Jayce sucks his teeth at the mural. 

In the council meeting, Ekko is asking for assistance with the clean up of Zaun. Onerous member “why should we help you when it was you that attacked us.” Ekko “we did not attack you, I do not know if you notice we were attacked as well.” Onerous member “I heard it was a resident of the under city that was the cause of this fiasco.” Jayce “And rumor has it was that wolf you allowed in to our city that caused it!” (referring to Ambessa, teeth sucking and also mean mugging directed to Mel by other council members). A vote to decide to help Zaun is held, only Caitlyn/Mel/Jayce vote to lend help. Those that voted to allow Zaun to be independent are no longer as merciful to Zaun after the attack. 

Ekko leaves upset. 

Mel goes off to Noxus 

I think we will see her siting in the boat she looks poised until she breaks down crying, the weight of her journey to fixing the pain her mother caused is now crashing down on her. (Mel gets a completed story arc but not a happy ending because she’s getting a spinoff show, supposedly).

Sevika and Vi become Zaun’s Enforcers/Jinx and Vi need a buffer 

A scene that shows vi sitting at a bar, Sevika and Jinx walk up to her. It looks like Vi is about to go on a downward spiral, Sevika stops Vi from taking a shot, Vi swings on Sevika. Sevika dodges. Sevika laughs “what’s with the animosity, I thought we were a good team. How bout you use those meaty fist for good. Zaun is not going to clean itself.” This seven is acknowledging that Zaun is overrun by drug lords and is not going to magically become a better place. And will need some type of self enforcement. 

Cut to Sevika, Vi, and Jinx, sitting around a table. Vi and Jinx are not trying to kill each other and are even laughing together. But as soon as Sevika leaves it gets awkward, there is a tense silence. Vi “how’s Isha” Jinx “she’s good . . . (Softly) I kinda get you now.” Vi “what?” Jinx “I gotta go”

The happy ending is that they are not trying to kill each other. The tragedy is they will never be like they were.

Jinx get mental health help

Imagine throughout the show we get like a comedic relief duo in the form of two Zaunites, like we get several scenes with them. Like these two are played off as comedy but they are setting up something important. 

First Scene 

The two Zaunites are standing guard of a Chembaron hideout. Isha/Jinx/someone is trying to sneak into the hideout. Their sneaker kicks a can making Zaun Voices (Called Zaun Voices because they suffer from auditory hallucinations) turn and “say who’s there?” Zaun Friend comes around to see nothing. Zaun Freind to Zaun Voices “You hearing voices again?” Zaun Voices “yeah I think I am.”  

Second Scene 

These two have been tasked with stealing supplies from a Piltover hospital. As they are going through the hospital. A doctor is overheard saying this crate of medicine stops people from hearing voices. Zaun Friend deviates from the mission to grab the crate. Zaun Voices “why are you grabbing that?” Zaun Friend “did you not hear it helps people stop hearing voices.” Zaun Voices “why do you need that?” Zaun friend gives an incredulous look. (Cue laugh track).

Third Scene Ties in with Jinx’s story

Jinx after the war is continued to be seen as a leader of Zaun. The voices in her head have been antagonizing her throughout the story about how her symbolic meaning is quite different than how she actually is. She’s helping with the clean, is being treated as a leader, when the voices become too much and she goes off to the side (she’s hidden enough not to be seen by a lot of people but not completely hidden). She’s shouting at the voices to shut up. This is when Zaun Friend and Zaun Voices see her, comedically they say we weren’t even talking. Zaun Frined looks at her hard “do you hear voices that are not there?” She’s about to get angry. Zaun Voices speaks “we got this stuff from Piltover said to help with that, it doesn’t really work, I still hear voices.” (Hands her a canister with a Piltover like design, you can hear pills clanging inside). Zaun Friend cuts in and is like “it works.” 

There is Hope for Zaun

We see Ekko and Scar walking through the streets of Zaun. We see that its still decrepit, we even see the aftermath of Viktor’s attack is still there. However, you see influences of Firelight design and graffiti like picture of flowers and firelight flies on the wall.  Significant because this is not at the firelights base, this is the greater Zaun at large. 

Ekko is complaining of how Piltover won’t help even though the treaty was supposedly meant to be reciprocal agreement of the two cities helping each other. Ekko expressing how Viktor’s attack destroyed half of the supplies stolen from Piltover that was meant to help rebuild Zaun. Ekko body language is changing from anger to defeat when Scar is like I want to show you something. 

We see they are back at the firelight base which has been deserted since the war has been officially over. Ekko “I really thought you were trying to cheer me up” Scar laughs “I am”. In Act I of my rewrite I had the tree suffer from root rot. Scar is now guiding Ekko to the place on the tree where the root rot was. The tree is still charred and burned to a crisp, but specifically where the root rot was you see new green growth. (Let it be known I think I absolutely cooked with this tree metaphor. Like the Firelights base was only a temporary solution when Zaun is still under Piltover oppression. However, the actual fight/violence enacted to gain real independence for Zaun was needed for any permanent solution. Like how a forest is sometime burned to allow for new life).

END SEASON 

[committingwarcr1mes]

there are a lot of things in arcane finale that i don't understand, find stupid, ridiculous and simply strange, but the biggest one is z&p conflict and how it was absolutely easily and indifferently hushed up. like you bent this line during whole season 1, the act 1 of season 2 was a peak of it, it was amazing and, which is more important, realistic. piltover exploited, suppressed and baned zaun for like all the time, they have a conflict running through generations and it cannot be that easily resolved. ok maybe z&p united against noxus might be realistically and reasonably, but even after that they could never just forgive each other and forget everything that was going for all those many many many years. no need to talk about zaun, i just don't get why they that readily get away with every crime committed against them, the generations of terror and murder. for piltover it is also kinda strange, like they all are raised with idea of zaun being inferior and second-rate and people here are filthy, despicable and evil by nature, and i'm sure that at least some part of them is convinced that helping them is zaun's sacred duty. they cannot pass all these preconceptions in a day, not even in a year, not even in a century. like it's a massive peace of their society, mentality, history, and one battle cannot erase all of it.

what makes me angry even more, is that piltover looks like the one who's the savior there. i just know very well how it is when your culture and language are being erased, when someone always tries to rewrite your history and simply blur you out as an independent nation. the lands of your country are used as a battlefield for centuries, their conflict becomes your conflict, no matter if you want it or need it or not, because you're always under their oppression, and after THEY are the winners, THEY are the injured party, them them them it's always about THEM. they perceive you as some kind of subhumans, appendage to their territory, they come to your country, behave disgustingly, make fun of your native language, of how people here are interacting, etc. i get it, i live in a small dependent country that for last 3 years is under permanent threat of war, because the neighboring country continues to interfere with our politics even after we finally separated from them. so it is absolutely unfair to zaun that piltover seizes laurels again, because, as it was shown, PILTOVER covered the evacuated people, PILTOVER armed them, PILTOVER led the operation. and after that they got the forgiveness they don't deserve AT ALL, because they are guilty of all zaun's suffering and destitution and because they are the one who LET NOXUS IN

piltover is the source of all evil and it deserved to burn to the ground, period. actually i'd rather see both piltover and zaun get destroyed, but not this bullshit, no, absolutely no. piltover doesn't deserve any chance for forgiveness and condescension, and certainly not because they put the end of the war they started by themselves

you just cannot imagine how much i hate piltover and after this stupid finale especially

[alea-jottun]

Arcane season 2 rewrite part two : Jayce (version 1 with the wild runes)

(other parts here)

Again, we can start with the classic LoL lore and add Arcane elements.

Jayce is horrified by the lengths Viktor is willing to go to in the name of progress. He refuses that hextech and shimmer be used on unwilling patients (even with the goal to save them), but he still thinks he can bring Viktor back to reason. In his mind, Viktor betrayed him, betrayed them both, their hextech dream and what they both believed in, but he can still make him see the errors of his ways. He feels terrible about the trial Viktor had to go through (especially since he was in his place a few years ago, and if Viktor had not supported him through this ordeal, he would have ended his own life) but to him it was the best, most peaceful solution to stop his partner. And now he is haunted by Viktor's expression as he voted to cut him out of Hextech and to banish him.

Therefore, after the fallout, in an attempt to explain himself, he tracks Viktor and Singed in Zaun and ends up finding them : upon realizing what Viktor has begun to do to his own body, Jayce flies off the handle and the two of them have a terrible fight.

Fast forward to a few years later.

The war between Piltover and Zaun rages on, with shimmer as its main fuel.

Jayce has become egotistical and prideful. His arrogance is fueled both by the adoration he's lavished in (although he cannot discern the difference between genuine admiration and sycophants wanting to use him for their own interests), and by the fact that in the lab, no one can keep up with him since Viktor left. No lab partner can ever equal Viktor, his brilliant mind, his sharp remarks, his dry humor. The void left by Viktor cannot be filled.

It doesn't help that now he has trouble sleeping unless he has emptied the liquor shelf. It doesn't help that he has to fight everyday to extinguish the voice of his conscience as he's making new weapons (it's to protect Piltover, it's because the Zaunites started it, the fights in broad daylight, it's because Viktor is supplying them with super soldiers, it's because the Council and the whole city is counting on him, who is he if he cannot be the Defender of the city, it's because-)

He refuses that any "Man of Progress" posters be installed in his own house.

The situation has been particularly unbearable this year, as the epidemic of shimmer has now taken to the steets of Piltover. Piltover citizens are getting addicted to the substance too. The councilors are conniving to put the blame on Jayce, blackmailing him with the fact that he tried to negociate peace with Zaun, only for Zaun to lauch a missile on the Council. Shimmer is no longer a pretense to keep Zaun in check, it it a real problem in both cities.

And then the wild runes appear.

Understanding that the wild runes must be stopped and that this urgency is beyond the current war, Jayce tries to get back in contact with Viktor. Unfortunately his efforts are fruitless.

And that's where he ends up touching a wild rune which sends him to the future in which Piltover is destroyed (it's a vision of the future, not an alternative universe. This distinction is important). I would keep most of Jayce's adventure in the wild rune the same as Arcane, because I really liked this idea (also the poetic imagery of him having to metaphorically tread the same path as Viktor, etc. And yes he still hallucinates Viktor in this^^)

Once Jayce is out, he embarks on his redemption path and apologises to Heimerdinger and Mel for the pain and troubles he has caused them (I need to work out the details, but in this AU their relationship has soured, because the war has put them all face to face with their contradictions and they cannot go on any longer.) With Heimerdinger's help (after he has explained to him the danger of the wild runes and Heimerdinger refrains very politely from saying "I told you so"), he finally locates Viktor. He has heard the rumors, about death and shimmer traffic, but also about saved lives and new filters and prosthetics, and he doesn't know what to think. Has Viktor changed as much as himself ? Is his partner still present, under the Herald ?

The realisation that he has deluded himself for so long hits him hard. He needs Viktor, needs him as a partner in the lab, in his life, needs his help to put an end to the madness that is the current war.

They finally meet (although Viktor has trouble believing Jayce wants anything other than to kill him), and finally begin to unravel the years of anger and resentment and lack of understanding that brought them to this point. They are both haunted men now, with their own demons, but a spark of reconciliation and hope has been lit...

...until Jayce asks Viktor to help him rid Piltover and Zaun of shimmer, and Viktor explains exactly how his body works.

This is the one thing Jayce has no right to ask.

He has condemned Viktor when he implanted the hexcore to save his life.

[tourmelion]

You know how arcane season 2 is really shit, well I got to thinking, why don't we write our own

And then I tried, and I think it's kinda decent as a replacement for season 2

Or at least, a better skeleton premise for part of the rewrite, it's kinda a big project

So, if anyone is interested in joining in the writing effort or is just interested in seeing what I've got so far DM me

I've also got an expansion of caits starting point of her arc on @tourmelions-arcane-blog

I've got some solid ideas for caits, Viktor's, jayce's and heimerdingers arc

As well as a proper introduction and character fleshing out of blitzcrank and orianna

Along with some themes to go along with them to symbolize things in the story