The Best References To Champion Abilities In Arcane

Arcane took everything that fans would have wanted from a League of Legends adaption and knocked it out of the park. The series delivered on so many fronts, from the beautiful animation and details to the fan service that oozed out of every scene and story moment.

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When including characters that already exist in the game, it’s expected that fans will see plenty of nods or direct inclusions of individual abilities or entire champion kits. Sometimes, those abilities play a pivotal part in an action sequence, and other times they are subtle Easter Eggs for viewers to find. In either case, the references in Arcane to League of Legends Champion abilities look amazing and are a treat to watch.

9

Caitlyn

Piltover’s Finest Sniper

Caitlyn is a powerful marksman and a compassionate ally both in the show and in-game. Viewers see her in all forms, rocking a sheriff’s uniform and casual attire, but aside from skins, there are plenty of obvious and not-so obvious references to her LoL kit.

Obviously, there is her sniper, which she frequently uses to attack her enemies. There are a few moments where her rifle is shown to power up, indicating her ultimate scoping in, and there is a slightly hidden reference to her net ability in Season 2, Episode 3, which was a nice little treat for viewers paying attention to the finer details.

8

Vander/Warwick

The Bloodlust Within

Vander is one of the most emotionally fueled and memorable side characters in the entire series. Though it may not have been apparent at first, long-time League fans realized quickly enough that he would soon transform Warwick, leading to some incredible action sequences and heartbreaking encounters.

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It is clear that Fortiche paid close attention to the details in the game. For instance, the blood trail indicator for low HP targets gives Warwick incredible speed and aggression both in the show and in-game. His ultimate can also be seen, leaping long distances to surprise and maul unsuspecting foes, and it is just as frightening and effective in both cases.

7

Ekko

The Boy Who Shattered Hearts

Once the tears clear the eyes from Episode 7, fans can recover from the emotional trauma and realize that many of Ekko’s abilities were left out of the first season, but are now present in full force and with very faithful representations.

His speed is one thing and his bat another, but his ultimate is the key. Ekko himself quite literally saves the entire world from a doomed fate by repeatably rewinding time by four seconds, the amount of time the player is able to reset in the game. However, in a moment of heroism in Arcane, he pushes his warp-drive further, giving him a big enough window to distract Viktor and save the day.

6

Viktor

Gloriously Evolving On-Screen And In-Game

Viktor was a big question mark for a lot of fans going into Arcane’s second season. The series showed off a few sneak peaks at things like the hexclaw, but he himself had no similarities to his in-game counterpart aside from his voice.

This all changed in Season 2, with a complete 180 in design, which was then adapted into a visual rework. Later on, he is seen battling Jayce and firing off lasers to ward off his advances, and thanks to his more ethereal-feeling rework in Lerague, his gameplay feels much more akin to the TV show than before.

5

Mel

A Protector As Much As An Aggressor

Mel took a backseat in the first season of Arcane, and continued to remain mostly in the shadows in Season 2 right up until the climax, where her true power was unleashed with flying missiles and deflective shields.

It wasn’t announced at the time, but she is now a permanent member of the League roster. Her kit was shown off during the show, with her spammy projectiles and deflect abilities being introduced in the most glorious fashion possible. She took out the mole, Maddie, by putting a shield on Caitlyn, which, while digressing from her actual ability, was a great moment in the show, and one to remember.

4

Jayce

A Man Of Progress Indeed

Jayce really has been through it all. Battling creatures in another reality and fighting to his last breath alongside his best friend, the trials and tribulations this character suffered rival virtually no one else in the series. When it comes to fighting back, Jayce isn’t afraid to use his hextech weaponry to dish out some serious damage.

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Taking the dual form of his hammer, much like in League, Jayce is seen swinging it around at large groups of enemies, then switching to the cannon form for some long-range, explosive combat. The Season 1, Episode 7 scene sells the fantasy best, showing off every detail possible and making it feel more like an intense team fight than a show.

3

Powder/Jinx

Less Tinkering, More Firepower

The main girl in blue, Jinx is a tortured soul who seeks to redeem herself and avenge those she has lost; and she has certainly lost a lot. Coming into the show, things start off slow, with a few monkey bombs and grenades here and there that give viewers small hints as to what’s to come for her character.

By the final act of the show, she is seen fighting back-to-back with Vi, wielding her mini-gun in all its glory and firing off missiles in all directions. She is as much of a carry as she is in-game and proves her worth, getting hemmed in and laying down the fire until her last breath.

2

Ambessa

Chosen Of The Wolf

Leading the Noxian charge, Ambessa sailed onto screens late in Season 1, demonstrating her passion for conquest and masterful abilities as a leader. However, it wasn’t until later on that she was not only released as a champion in League of Legends, but given a bigger spotlight in the show, demonstrating more than just vocal abilities in combat and war.

While her kit is all about dashes and repositioning in a fight, in the show, viewers get to see a few glimpses of her wielding her blades, swinging the chains at enemies and demolishing soldiers on the battlefield. As more of a subtle reference during her final scenes, she takes on both Caitlyn and Mel at once, mirroring her ability to take on many champs at once in LoL and become an unstoppable bruiser.

1

Vi

The Soul Of A Champion

One of the main faces of Arcane, Vi is as violent as she is visually stunning to watch. Every scene with her is cinema, from the emotional beats, to the extended dialogue, to the bare-knuckle fighting that viewers would expect from the veteran boxing machine.

Wielding dual hextech-powered gauntlets, she is seen uppercutting, slamming, and punching through anyone that gets in her way. Much like the show, in-game, she is relentless, using her Cease and Desist to lock down and annihilate enemy champions. Moreover, a Vi representation wouldn’t be complete without some heavy, charged punches that quite literally knock the wind straight out of anyone unfortunate to stand in her path.

Arcane

Release Date

2021 – 2023

Showrunner

Christian Linke, Alex Yee

Directors

Pascal Charrue, Arnaud Delord

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