Changes Arcane Made To League Of Legends Lore

Key Takeaways

• Arcane expanded League of Legends lore with significant script adjustments, altering the canon, and creating new relationships.
• Champions underwent major changes, including new origins and visuals to align with the animation.
• Various character relationships were confirmed, adding depth to Jinx and Vi’s bond, and Caitlyn and Vi’s connection in the main universe.

Arcane, the first animated series based on the universe of League of Legends, has captivated not only fans of the game but also a new audience, becoming one of Netflix’s major productions. Through impressive visuals and an equally fantastic narrative, the animation has breathed new life into the known characters of the MOBA, as well as creating others just as deep.

However, considering that some script adjustments are necessary to adapt the game’s story to another medium, League of Legends underwent major lore changes in Arcane. While the universe was expanded, many established aspects were altered, creating a new canon that now directly influences various champions and their stories.

SPOILER ALERT: This article contains major spoilers of Arcane and how it alters the entire lore of League of Legends!

1 Singed Became Even More Important In The Lore

Dr. Reveck Influenced Many Events In Arcane

Despite being portrayed as a mad alchemist during League of Legends matches, Arcane added much depth to Singed’s character. He becomes one of the most important figures in Runeterra, influencing the origins of different characters that MOBA players know.

For example, it was his experiments that brought Vander back to life, now as Warwick, and he was also crucial for Viktor’s resurgence after Jayce’s attack. Known as Dr. Reveck in Arcane, he was revealed to be Orianna’s father, a character who didn’t appear much in the animated series but whose death was important for his motivations and experiments.

2 Champions Underwent Major Changes

Several Biographies Gained New Events

Arcane‘s story was integrated into the League of Legends canon, resulting in significant adjustments to the lore and design of various champions. These changes, which include alterations to their origins, visuals, and context, were made to better align the characters with the series’ narrative, bringing exciting news for fans and strengthening the connection between the two universes.

Warwick and Viktor are notable examples of these changes, with visuals significantly different from those presented in the game. Both have a more human appearance in Arcane, which modernizes their designs and makes them more coherent with the animation’s plot. However, these transformations altered familiar elements for players accustomed to the original universe.

3 Items Have New Origins

Jayce Created Vi’s Gauntlets And Caitlyn’s Hextech Rifle

Despite being a subtler change compared to other retcons that Arcane made to the League of Legends lore, the origin of Vi’s gauntlets, as well as Caitlyn’s Hextech rifle, underwent some changes. Now, they were developed by Jayce, who created them while researching Hextech energy.

Although this change made sense within the narrative proposed by the Netflix series, some events lost impact for those who appreciated the old League of Legends lore. For example, originally, Caitlyn’s rifle was a family heirloom she received after her mother’s death, something that was not translated into Arcane.

4 Various Character Relationships Were Confirmed

Previously Only Fan Theories

Various relationships between League of Legends characters were confirmed in Arcane, which were previously only fan theories based on character interactions. The sisterhood between Jinx and Vi was clearly established, revealing the complexity of their bond and the reasons behind their actions. This confirmation enriches the narrative and strengthens the emotional connection in the universe.

Additionally, the series revealed the relationship between Caitlyn and Vi, deepening their stories and connections. These confirmations not only validated fan speculations but also provided a deeper understanding of the dynamic the two characters have, which had been shown in League of Legends through skins but never in the main universe of Runeterra.

5 Several Champions Were Left Out

And Their Whereabouts Were Not Explained

Although Arcane deeply explores League of Legends characters, the regions of Zaun and Piltover encompass an even greater diversity of champions. Many of them, however, were not mentioned in the series to prioritize a narrative focused on the protagonists. With the new canon established, the absence of some characters raises doubts about their continuity in the official Runeterra lore.

Popular champions like Ziggs, Dr. Mundo, Zac, Urgot, Ezreal, Zeri, and Seraphine did not have their origins addressed or adapted in Arcane‘s plot. Moreover, many of these characters have stories connected to events that were altered in the series, making it uncertain whether they are still part of the new canon or will remain exclusive to the MOBA.

6 Origin Of Hextech

The Animated Series Brought A New Origin For This Creation

An important retcon that League of Legends underwent is the creation of Hextech, a source of technology and magic that has been present in the game for a long time, but Arcane brought some novelties that altered the origin of this energy. Previously, the Ferros Clan had been an important figure in the emergence of Hextech in Runeterra.

Now, although they were still mentioned in the Netflix animated series, much of the credit for the creation of Hextech goes to Jayce and Viktor, as shown throughout these two seasons. This impacts the universe of Runeterra in different ways, as Hextech is a powerful and well-known energy in the game, being important for many champions.

7 Changes Also Impact Other Regions Of Runeterra

Arcane’s Ending Showed That Not Only Zaun And Piltover Changed

Arcane makes it clear that much of the League of Legends universe was altered, and a subtle example that happens at the end is the appearance of the crow, a bird associated with Swain. Despite being a well-made reference, this also causes new retcons in the story since, theoretically, at this moment the champion shouldn’t have made the pact with Raum yet.

Thus, Singed, who helped in Noxus’s invasion against Ionia by making different experiments and chemical weapons, may receive a new role in the lore. The presence of the three-eyed crow represents that, in some way, Swain has already taken for himself the power that belonged to Darkwill, the emperor of Noxus responsible for the Ionian invasion.

8 New Characters Were Introduced To The Universe

Many With Potential To Become Champions

Arcane significantly expanded the League of Legends universe by introducing characters like Vander and Silco. Vander, with his charismatic leadership and complex past, and Silco, a multifaceted antagonist, added layers of depth to the plot, enriching the dynamics between Piltover and Zaun and providing new perspectives for the story.

Ambessa Medarda, initially a secondary character in Arcane, evolved into a champion in the League of Legends MOBA and also became even more important during the second season. Besides increasing the connection between the events of the series with the game, there are still aspects of the character’s lore to be explored, mainly related to the past.

9 Some Champions’ Fates Are Uncertain

Arcane’s Last Episodes Had Many Surprises

One of the significant changes that Arcane brought to the League of Legends lore is that some champions’ fates are uncertain. Characters like Jinx, Ambessa Medarda, Heimerdinger, and Warwick are some of the main characters whose destinies are left ambiguous in the last episodes of the animation, potentially causing disconnects with their presence in the MOBA.

Although it makes sense in the context of the series and each character’s arc does justice to what was developed for them during the two seasons, Riot will need to make some other changes to the League of Legends lore for these events to make sense in the plot. However, the ambiguous fates of the characters have a significant impact on the game’s fans, as it is not known how these changes will affect the universe of Runeterra.