? Season two of Arcane turns the stakes up to eleven. The stunning animation, intense action, and a standout voice cast earned Arcane a lot of praise as well as an Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program — a first for any streaming service animated series. Fast forward to the much-anticipated second season, marking the series’ finale. With just nine episodes, this final chapter compresses what some fans hoped would be a five-season arc into just 18 episodes across two seasons. Spoilers ahead if you haven’t watched season one.

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Refresher: The story follows two young, orphaned sisters, pink-haired Vi and blue-haired Powder, who grow up to fight on rival sides in a world divided by magic and technology. The visuals (which combine 2D and 3D animation) thread a fantasy-meets-steampunk vibe through the story.

Season two picks up immediately after the explosive events of the first season. The attack on the Piltover Council by Jinx (Ella Purnell) leaves the city reeling. Amid the smoke and devastation, the narrative dives straight into the consequences. Jayce (Kevin Alejandro) desperately tries to bring back Viktor using a Hextech crystal, while Caitlyn (Katie Leung) mourns her mother. As the Piltover leadership grapples with the fallout, war with Zaun seems looming.

Caitlyn’s offer of a badge to Vi results in a drunken spiral, highlighting their personal struggles amidst the chaos. Public memorials turn into battlegrounds when Singed (Brett Tucker) unleashes an attack. In response, Vi and Caitlyn rise to the occasion to fend off the assault. And where is Jinx in all this? Her absence hangs over the story, paving the way for more drama.

It solidifies the notion that video game adaptation can thrive with the right producers. Knowledge of League of Legends is not mandatory, but being fans of the popular multiplayer battle game — whose tournaments attract some of the biggest viewerships in e-sports (more than 100 mn tuned in to its 2019 iteration) — will definitely enjoy LoL’s narrative arcs being fleshed out.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can find the series on Netflix, or watch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:21).

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