This review contains spoilers of Arcane Act One so readers beware!

Arcane has finally returned to deliver us their final season on Netflix, but it begins with a bang and a funeral. I adored this show since it first aired, as despite not being a fan of League of Legends, you don’t have to be to follow this story. Where it started as a story of two sisters evolved to much more, politics, loss, and pain. 

So it’s no surprise when season 2 act one opens with a beautiful funeral scene where we learn who died in the bombing that Jinx sent to the council. Caitlyn’s mother, a member of the council, perished in the attack and her funeral featured a charcoal scene, with only the characters and violet petals in color. The rest of the scene is a hand drawn charcoal gray to reflect the devastation of the scene. Saddest of all, Caitlyn stands there in her police uniform and trying to keep herself together in the face of her mom’s untimely death. 

In the background, Vi just watches as she undoubtedly felt guilt for what her sister, Jinx, did. 

That was one of the standout scenes for me this act, and of course the rest that follows is incredible and horrible. Vi finds Caitlyn after the funeral and tells her to promise her not to change, only for when Vi and Caitlyn try to corner Jinx, Jinx has a young child with her. In the ensuing fight, Caitlyn had the shot and Vi stops her, thinking she was going to kill the child that was in her way. She insists she wasn’t, but Vi isn’t convinced. 

By the end of act one, Mel’s mother, Ambessa, who comes from a different country and is trying to assert control of Piltover, recruits Caitlyn as their new leader, which has scary implications of what Caitlyn could do. In the midst of her anger and grief, she may not be thinking straight and may choose to do something rash, like destroy all of Zaun, the undercity. Something she was originally against but may now feel convinced she has to do, namely by Ambessa. 

Meanwhile, Mel is taken by a mysterious force and disappears, so we don’t know what happened to her yet. Jayce and Ekko and Heimerdinger discover the HexTech magic is disturbing the arcane as they know it from underneath Zaun. When Jayce touches it, it gets more corrupted and they’re stuck. 

Victor was injured at the end of season 1 and Jayce saved his life with the HexTech, something he never wanted after it killed someone. He leaves for Zaun when he awakes and accidentally becomes magic Jesus as his body is infused with magic and he heals someone from their shimmer addiction. The people were initially going to attack him until he helped one of them and they’re all seen bowing for him. 

This season so far already is chock full of drama and action and a lot of great music. The aforementioned funeral scene has a beautiful song playing called “I Can’t Hear It Now” by Freya Ridings. It perfectly captures the tone of the scene and it was an instant addition to my music playlist. 

I have another song I’m very excited to hear. Twenty One Pilots is one of my favorite artists, and they have a song dropping in the Arcane soundtrack called “The Line”. It’ll be dropping on November 23rd during the final act. 

Arcane will have act two out by the time this article is released and November 23rd will feature the final act and finale of the show in general. I’m very excited and nervous to see how this show resolves itself, if anything. Things are gearing up fast and we just have to all buckle in for the ride.