The Best Fight Scenes, Ranked

Summary

• Fights in Arcane are pivotal to the narrative, blending high-stakes action with stunning visuals.
• Each fight scene showcases unique fighting styles and emotional depth, enhancing storytelling.
• The choreography in Arcane’s fights is relentless, capturing the characters’ raw emotion and intense dynamics.

Arcane is an animated show set within the rich universe of Riot Games’ League of Legends. It’s a steampunk dystopian show that’s garnered widespread acclaim for its compelling narrative and jaw-dropping animation. The series effortlessly stitches complex themes of betrayal, identity, and societal decay into the very fabric of its storytelling.

The fights aren’t just rage-fuelled punches and over-the-top explosions; they’re narrative keystones, choreographed with cinematic visuals. From Vi’s gritty brawls to Jinx’s explosive chaos, these scenes blend high-stakes, fluid choreography, and visuals that could hang in a modern art gallery. Whether it’s a desperate last stand or a showdown between sisters, Arcane has never missed the mark.

8

Vi’s First Crack at Sevika

Everybody Wants to Be My Enemy (Season 1, Episode 5)

After years in prison, Vi returns to Zaun and hunts for information on her lost sister. Vi’s first showdown with Sevika is all about premeditated rage, which is evident as she storms in with a flying knee to Sevika’s face to start the brawl. The choreography pits Vi’s scrappy agility against Sevika’s shimmer-enhanced arm, a tight, brutal exchange of jabs and counters.

Vi’s fighting style is fast and acrobatic, while Sevika relies on raw strength and her cybernetic arm. It’s Vi at her rawest—hunting for Powder, only to get stabbed and hit with the Jinx bombshell. Sevika’s taunt—“She’s like his daughter now”—shatters Vi, leading to a brutal stabbing and losing the fight.

7

Ekko and Jinxs’ Showdown

The Boy Savior (Season 1, Episode 7)

In the series’ most artistically stunning fight, childhood friends Jinx and Ekko fight on the fog-draped bridge that connects Piltover and Zaun. This fight carries the weight of their lost innocence. What sets this one apart is the visual shift—flashbacks of their childhood game painted in a 2D, graffiti-like style woven into the brutal present with “Dynasties and Dystopia” playing in the back.

The cinematography shines with sweeping shots and slow motion, making it feel like a memory unraveling. Ekko hesitates before the killing blow, seeing Powder in Jinx’s eyes, only for her to pull a grenade. It’s a brief yet unforgettable fight that stands out for its artistry and narrative significance.

6

Vi Against Silco’s Henchmen

The Base Violence Necessary for Change (Season 1, Episode 3)

Vi straps on Vander’s gauntlets to fend off Silco’s henchmen and rescue Vander, marking this scene her first big swing as Zaun’s protector. Vi plows through goons with heavy, gauntlet-powered punches, each hit landing like a sledgehammer on concrete.

The choreography here is brutal yet grounded—no flashy acrobatics, just street-brawler grit. The action is believable and the weight of the scene relies on the impending sacrifice. The fight is a crucial setup for her arc, but compared to later spectacles, it’s more heart than dazzle. The scene ends in tragedy while giving the fans a taste of Shimmer’s monstrous power.

5

Vi and Jinx vs the Firelights

When These Walls Come Tumbling Down (Season 1, Episode 6)

In an emotionally charged encounter, Vi and Jinx reluctantly team up against the Firelights. The fight showcases their contrasting styles—Vi’s disciplined punches vs. Jinx’s manic gunplay both combined to give a chaotic blast of action.

The scene is a rollercoaster— making the fans cheer for their spontaneous teamwork and at the same time revealing Jinx’s unhinged violent edge. The focus revolves around the Hextech crystal as much as it does around the Sisters. As soon as the firelight gets their hands on it, they deploy a smoke bomb and vanish with Vi and Caitlyn as captives.

4

Isha’s Brave Sacrifice

Killing Is a Cycle (Season 2, Episode 8)

Arcane’s most underrated fight is also its quietest. Isha’s final stand is a gut-wrenching blend of action and emotion that leaves fans reeling. Amidst a chaotic battle where Vi, Caitlyn, and Jinx struggle to fight against Warwick’s rampage, Isha, the mute orphan taken in by Jinx, turns the tide.

Her small figure weaves through the chaos in an attempt to protect Jinx. She takes the Hextech pistol against the fire-bleeding beast in a daring yet tragic move. The scene is a crusher, showing flashbacks of Isha’s bond with Jinx. Jinx’s reaction is particularly devastating: she tries to stop Isha, screaming in anguish but is held back by Vi.

3

Hextech Gaunlet Vs Shimmer Sword

The Monster You Created (Season 1, Episode 9)

Vi’s rematch with Sevika at The Last Drop is Arcane’s action-packed gift to the fans who wished for a grudge match. Vi unleashes blue-energy combos with her Hextech gauntlets, going hit-for-hit with Sevika, who has upgraded her mechanical Shimmer arm with a deadly in-built blade.

The choreography here is savagely fierce and fluid enough to capture Vi’s gauntlet-powered boxing technique. Whereas, the back-and-forth nature of the fight keeps the tension high. Emotionally, Vi is fueled by vengeance and Vander’s echoing voice, making her final uppercut and ripping Sevika’s Shimmer blade a cathartic spectacle.

2

Vi And Caitlyn’s Tag Team Against Jinx

Finally Got the Name Right (Season 2, Episode 3)

This Arcane showdown pits Vi and Caitlyn against Jinx and Sevika, and it’s a mind-blowing clash of titans. The undercity’s ventilation system features a tense and dynamic confrontation between the two sisters.

The choreography of this fight is chaotic with cinematic visuals and intense combat captured in slow-motion. It’s an intense thrill ride with Piltover-Zaun stakes at their peak. With “Ashesh and Blood” playing in the background, the scene becomes a tragic symphony showing rage, betrayal, and the bombs we build for those closest to us.

1

Vi and Jayce Smash the Chemtanks

Oil and Water (Season 1, Episode 8)

Vi and Jayce smashing through Shimmer-powered Chemtanks in a factory raid is peak cinematic action. Vi, now supercharged by the gauntlets, tears through the guards, while Jayce fires bursts of energy from his hammer that vaporizes them.

It’s a seamless tag team, animated with jaw-dropping fluidity. The pair seem almost invincible – Piltover’s genius and Zaun’s grit, together they take out every Shimmer-powered guard on sight. But the scene’s genius is its moral pivot. A misfired shot kills a child worker, freezing the action into a guilt-ridden close-up of Jayce’s horror.