Arcane has wrapped its second and final season on Netflix, bringing a close to the saga of Zaun, Piltover, and the various characters (both from League and not!) within. The show has been a big success for Netflix, both critically and in popularity, and has drawn interest even from people who have never and will never touch League of Legends. But how about those of us afflicted with playing League on the regular?
We gathered a few of Polygon’s League players, each of whom has a different relationship with League lore, to discuss how the show handled adapting the game’s universe, our favorite moments and characters, and more. Whether you play League or not, we’d love to know what you think as well in the comments.
What do you think of Arcane’s overall depiction of the League universe?
Pete Volk: I’m stunned at how good the show is compared to what it had to work with. I love League, but never in a million years could I have imagined a show this good, the kind that I could watch with my partner who doesn’t play League and we’d both love it. And it’s the best-looking show on TV.
I also have to say again how much I admire Riot and Fortiche’s restraint. We’re in an era of IP-driven media where it seems like the point of a lot of projects is to stuff in as many recognizable Easter eggs as possible, hoping that audiences’ fond memories of other projects will transfer over to this one. Instead, Arcane had a light touch when it came to its references from the world of League of Legends, using the game as a foundation to tell the story they wanted to tell. That doesn’t mean it feels divorced from the world of League: Rather, Arcane has strengthened the existing world-building and made me, a person who never much cared about the lore element of the game, much more invested in the world, its factions, and its characters.
Cass Marshall: Arcane did a great job of depicting Piltover and Zaun, but I was especially impressed by how they occasionally wove in other champions and references to the greater setting. The depictions of Janna and Orianna are pretty brief, but they make the world feel more connected to League. Also, I enjoyed getting to see so much of Noxian culture and aesthetics influencing the story.
Saira Mueller: I’m not very familiar with League lore, so I loved Arcane’s depiction of the characters and their relationships. It was also really interesting to see the settings the characters grew up in and how that shaped who they are. I loved when there was crossover between League and Arcane, like when new champions would make an appearance, or when a character would use their ult or say one of their in-game lines.
Which champion’s characterization on the show was your favorite?
PV: Probably Viktor, but I also loved the scenes with Ekko and alternate-universe Powder in Act 3. Or Heimerdinger’s new life as a busking musician. Or how Caitlyn was manipulated by Ambessa, and the latter’s general show of force on the show. Or… I could just go on, I guess!
CM: For me, the award has to go to Viktor, simply because they had the least amount of material to work with. In-game, Viktor raves about the glorious evolution and the weakness of flesh, but he’s a bit of a one-note villain. His upcoming update will surely address this, but I enjoyed how Arcane showed him as a young scientist and a revolutionary.
SM: Oooof, this is a hard choice, honestly. As a Jinx main, I found it fascinating to see her progression throughout the show. Seeing her origins and the development of her abilities gave me a new appreciation for who she is in-game. But also, Ekko and Viktor!
Is there a champion whose characterization you didn’t like?
PV: Honestly, not really! I guess Singed was a little underbaked compared to his counterparts, but I think that was the right decision to keep the show moving.
CM: Poor Vi, set up as a rebel and a Zaunite, but forced to end up a cop due to her League of Legends biography. Don’t get me wrong, I loved seeing Vi on the big screen, and the animators did an incredible job of bringing her to life. But her fate was sealed at the beginning, and it’s a little sad to see her struggle with her Zaunite identity, only to end up with Caitlyn in Piltover in the end.
SM: Jayce is hot as shit, but his personality for most of the show was hard to like. He came across as slightly annoying and too one-track minded and self-righteous to me.
Is there a champion you were hoping you’d see but who didn’t show up?
PV: I’m a Sion main, and the Noxus stuff had me on the lookout for the big guy. But like I said above, I appreciate the show’s restraint on this kind of thing, and prefer its approach of limited champions.
CM: On one hand, I’d have loved to see Camille. As a secretive agent operating on behalf of one of Piltover’s prestigious families, she would have had a huge influence on the story. On the other hand, maybe that impact would have been too big. A show needs a certain amount of conflict in order to work, and I can see Camille nipping all of these plot points in the bud. She’s just too efficient, so she can’t get involved.
SM: Ezreal was top of this list. I think it would have been interesting to have an accidental agent of chaos on the Piltover side of things, but I guess he’s always off on adventures.
Is there an Arcane character who is not in League that you would want to see as a champion?
PV: EASY one here — Mel. Her evolution at the end of the show makes for a really intriguing potential League champion, and I’d love to see her join the roster along with her mom. But Sevika would also be sick.
CM: Definitely Sevika, especially if they find a way to put the spinning reels and explosive effects to use in a kit. Give my girl a little bit more spotlight; she was an incredibly underrated part of the show.
SM: Mel Medarda! Her transition in Arcane was fascinating and it could make for some cool mechanics in-game. Also, the dynamic with having her mother in League could make for some great lines if they go up against each other.
Were there any Easter eggs you particularly enjoyed?
PV: My favorite was depicting Warwick’s W on the show. It felt like the right combination of nodding to source material from the game while still creating an engaging visual and narrative that people who have never played can still follow.
CM: There’s a play rehearsal where we can see one of the Lightshields, the ruling line of Demacia, being crowned. We can likely assume this is a story of one of the Jarvans, of which there are four. It’s a small Easter egg that fits perfectly into the universe, and it makes me want to watch a whole performance, which is no small feat.
SM: Warwick’s blood trail ability and ultimate reveal. I’m still crying tbh. But I’m also curious to see what (if anything) happens with Orianna.
Is there anything you hope Riot takes from Arcane as it thinks about its own world-building in League?
PV: I think leaving things pretty broad in League lore so that future creators adapting the universe in various forms can make their own interesting choices is a smart call that can create more magic like Arcane, which is just way more interesting than any League lore I’ve read or encountered.
CM: Jayce and Viktor started out in League’s lore as a superhero and his nemesis. Jayce was always a bit too big for his britches, and Viktor was a bit more sympathetic than the populace of Piltover thought, but there wasn’t a lot of depth to their dynamic. I desperately need more discussions between the two about their dynamic as lab partners. They’re a far more interesting duo with all of that nuance and history between them.
SM: I would love for Riot to add in-game interaction lines between the characters from Arcane — things that hint at their relationships and dynamics. Also, more League character updates or skins to make them look like their Arcane characters. I guess just more crossover in general!
Where would you want the next League show to be set?
PV: While Noxus is the most sensible next destination, I’ll vouch for the Freljord here. I think the cold environment would be a fun setting, and I would love to see Braum in a show like this.
CM: I’m eager to go to Noxus, because there’s so much narrative potential there. Noxus started out as the bad-guy faction who lived in a giant skull castle, and Riot has slowly refined them into a very interesting parallel to the Roman Empire, packed full of magical intrigue and dark secrets. It’d be fascinating to see the Black Rose with a home advantage, and there’s enough conflict, political maneuvering, and outright murder to fuel a whole other series.
SM: Demacia! And not just because I want to see Sylas’ story… That or The Freljord! Give me Ashe, Gnar, and Lissandra, please. Although it seems like the next show will likely be set in Noxus, based on the Easter eggs in Arcane. Sigh. If it has to be Noxus, at least give me Vladimir, Riot!
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