Every Episode Of Arcane Season 2, Ranked

Arcane Season 2 continued the breathtaking story set in the League of Legends universe. Known for its stunning animation, deep character development, and gripping narrative, the show’s second season expands on the tension between Piltover and Zaun while exploring the personal struggles of its beloved characters.

Each episode is packed with emotional moments, action, and political intrigue, making it hard to choose a favorite. With so much going on in season 2, it’s only right to see which episodes truly convey the goings-on. Whether you’re here for the jaw-dropping visuals or the heart-wrenching drama, here’s our ranking of every episode from Season 2, from great to absolutely unforgettable.

9 Heavy Is The Crown

The First Episode

There isn’t a single bad episode of Arcane, but of course, some episodes resonate more than others. The beginning of the second season of the series kept the high-quality animation and nuanced story, and while it was great to see the aftermath of the events from the first season, the aftermath took a while to make its point.

When we finally get some action in the episode, it is against a faction we considered done and gone, coming back for one last hurrah. Sure, we later learn that this was all orchestrated by Ambessa, but it still feels like a fight scene we’ve seen before.

8 The Message Hidden Within The Pattern

The Sixth Episode

This episode has all the necessary requirements to be one of the best ones in the season: a temporary team-up between Jinx and Caitlyn, an apparent betrayal from Caitlyn towards Vi, and the tragic death of Vander and Isha. The only issue with all of that is how predictable it all feels; it’s chapter six out of nine; after all, we know where certain relationships are going.

This is particularly felt in the final scene between Isha and Vander. Isha dying in some tragic way felt like the character’s purpose; we were just waiting for her to kick the bucket. Vander was obviously not going to die or get healed since you don’t put a Warwick-esque character in your show and not have him take part of the final battle.

7 Watch It All Burn

The Second Episode

Here, we get to see the aftermath of the last season, but from the side of Zaun, it is something far more interesting. While we could have guessed where the story of Vi and Caitlyn was going, meeting a Jinx who wants to be done with all the chaos is a refreshing take.

We also see the story of Viktor take shape, and it is another original take by the creators of Arcane. These concepts are explored better in future episodes, but the one that first showcases them is still of high quality, with plenty of fast-paced action scenes to boot.

6 Killing Is A Cycle

The Eighth Episode

The role of this episode prevents it from having too much action or story development since it functions as a set-up for the series finale pay-off. As such, we have a lot of characters talking about their future plans and how great it will all play out, but you have to watch the next installment to know how it goes.

Still, it is satisfying to see all the pieces fall into place like Viktor and Jayce sizing each other up before their final confrontation. It is also the episode where Vi and Caitlyn let all the built-up tension between them be released, giving us hope for the future of the couple.

5 Finally Got The Name Right

The Third Episode

This episode had a lot of weight on its shoulders since it had to set the main conflicts of the season going forward. It ends up excelling at that, having us glued to our chairs wanting to know what would happen next, in no small part due to the introduction of the Black Rose.

But that wasn’t the only plot thread that kept us wanting, we also had the long-awaited confrontation between Vi and Caitlyn vs. Jinx, and the drama unfolding after that. Like a cherry on top, we also have the mystery of what happened with Jayce, Ekko, and Heimerdinger since they were seemingly blipped out of existence.

4 Paint The Town Blue

The Fourth Episode

While not the only character present, this episode focuses heavily on Jinx and her sister-like relationship with Isha. We see her trying to navigate the world without listening to her inner demons, all while Zaun rallies under the concept of their rebellious leader, Jinx.

Jinx, of course, doesn’t see herself as a leader or any kind of symbol, but she ends up helping where it counts, busting several Zaunites out of prison. That is when we see the most faithful representation of Warwick the show will ever make, with the beast slaughtering through the prison hallways to meet Jinx in a family duel.

3 The Dirt Under Your Nails

The Final Episode

The season finale has the highest highs and, for some, the lowest lows. While the animation continues to be stellar, and the stories had overall satisfying conclusions, certain aspects of how the story ended left fans either wanting more or not really understanding what happened in the first place.

Jinx’s sacrifice and the union between Viktor and Jayce were beautiful moments, but the episode felt a bit bogged down by the Noxians’ unclear plan and the strange involvement of the Black Rose. Still, the episode ends up hitting where it counts; it just has a few spots that prevent it from being the overall best episode of the season.

2 Blisters And Bedrock

The Fifth Episode

If there is one episode that is filled with characters having emotional moments, it is this one, with people acting brash, tender, and cracking jokes all in quick succession. The biggest takeaway is when Jinx and Vi are hunting Vander, reluctantly working together, only for it all to end in a tear-jerking hug.

Meanwhile, Mel is finally reunited with her brother, who isn’t her brother at all, and we follow her as she realizes this and pushes back against the illusion. It all ends with Jayce coming back from what we have to assume was the worst timeline ever, quick to turn to murder to get his way.

1 Pretend Like It’s The First Time

The Seventh Episode

We all know that the League of Legends universe loves its multiverse, but it mostly uses that excuse to sell skins for the game. Arcane uses the multiverse as a way to explore other realities, as we see in this episode where Ekko arrives in a peaceful version of Zaun, while Jayce arrives at an obliterated Piltover.

The main thing to note from this episode is how little we got from Ekko in Arcane as a whole, even though he is a deeply interesting character and key to solving the final fight of the series. Still, the few moments we had with him were fantastic, including the namesake of the episode where he comes to terms with his feelings for an old friend.