By Janie Walenda
“Why would you let this voice set in your head? It is meant to destroy you.”
At its core, “Arcane” seems most interested in asking questions about change. How does change come about? Is it through the progress of science and innovation or through rebellion and revolution? Will innovation ever be able to remain pure-hearted, or will it always be corrupted by those searching for power? Is there a way to fight for the oppressed without violence, or as Silco said in season one, is violence necessary for change?
Can a person change so thoroughly there’s nothing left of who they were? And is there any way back?
“Arcane” season two brings us back to these questions from season one, all while elevating its animation, music, writing and character arcs. It follows the release schedule of season one, which released three-episode acts weekly.
One of the most jaw-dropping elements of “Arcane” is the technical mastery present. On every level, Riot Games and Fortiche are firing on all cylinders. While season one was inventive enough, it’s clear that the creatives felt confident in their ability to take bold swings in season two. The first act of season two is some of the most stunning, heart-pounding and soul-wrenching television put to screen.
This boldness is immediately present in the animation, as the whole season starts with exquisite, hand-drawn charcoal animation in the background. It’s an artistic choice that communicates the solitary and surreal emotions Caitlyn and Vi are feeling. The remaining episodes of the act continue this extraordinary artistic direction, with “Arcane” not only elevating its animation style from the first season but making emboldened experiments with its art style.
The outstanding soundtrack accompanies many of the show’s most visionary artistic moments. . Musical collaboration has been at the heartbeat of Riot Games for a while, and this season’s soundtrack is the capstone.
The six songs from act one highlight a large variety of talented artists and are all perfectly positioned within the show to provide the emotional punch or adrenaline kick needed. “I Can’t Hear It Now” is the perfect heartbroken ballad, and “Renegade” dials up the energy and humor of its scene to an eleven. It’s a disservice not to bring up each song, as each one is excellent and was constantly repeated in my music queue this week.
The absolute standout for me, however, is Woodkid’s “To Ashes and Blood.” It plays over one of the most climactic scenes of the series, one that would feel perfectly at home in a series finale. It connects two storylines with awe and dread, with the drums and choral chanting pounding into the magnitude of the moment.
One of “Arcane” season one’s greatest strengths was its approach to storytelling. It’s the epitome of a character-driven story, as the cast intertwine and affect each other’s lives. Even in their most frustrating moments, we understand each character and know they wouldn’t make any other choice.
“Arcane” season two takes this foundation of character-driven storytelling and combines it with the foundation of season one’s character work to pull characters in two directions. We’re not being introduced to these characters anymore; we’re watching them be brought to their breaking points and seeing how the pieces fall.
Much of act one revolves around the inevitable conflict between Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell). While season one showed their falling out and the consequences, it didn’t show the full-out battle that the title card hinted at. Finally reaching that point in the story not only made this act a show stopping opening to season two but opened up the rest of season two to any number of possibilities. Vi and Jinx have faced the inevitable. What happens now?
Perhaps the most compelling character arc in act one is Caitlyn’s (Katie Leung). We feel every moment of her battle with grief, terror and anger. We see her convince herself of the morality of her actions. By the end of the act, she’s crossed lines and become a person almost unrecognizable from season one.
The combined performance of the animators and the voice actors is a wonder to behold. The micro-expressions of these characters are truly next level. It’s easy to forget that every time a character breathes, raises an eyebrow or twitches an eye, an animator spends countless hours deciding how to convey that emotion.
All of the voice actors give stupendous performances, but the standouts are Leung and Purnell for this act. Purnell’s work as Jinx has somehow gotten more dynamic and emotive from her fantastic work in season one, and Leung’s performance breathes crackling desperation into Caitlyn.
“Arcane” season two is not content with simply upholding the status quo of season one. On every level, the show is intent on pushing the bounds of what it can do in its animation, music, and storytelling.
“Arcane” season two, act two will be available on Netflix on November 16th. All previous episodes are available on Netflix
Janie Walenda is a senior Global Business major and the A&E editor for Cedars. She is overly passionate about musicals, caffeine and weirdly enough Dracula.
Images courtesy of Riot Games.
No Replies to "‘Arcane’ season two returns with a vengeance"