What Is The Arcane? (Theory)

Netflix will soon release the second season of its animated video game adaptation Arcane: League of Legends. Following a three-year wait between seasons, plenty of fan theories have emerged about what’s to come in Arcane Season 2, including questions about what the word “arcane” refers to in the TV series.

Arcane is set in the fantasy steampunk world of Runeterra, specifically in Piltover and its undercity. In the series, Piltover has become a city of progress thanks to an invention known as Hextech, which combines science and magic. The characters of Jayce and Viktor are behind Hextech’s innovations, which were created as a result of Jayce being saved by a mage when he was a child. Arcane largely stays away from straight-up magic in its world, but elements of the supernatural world have slowly been introduced throughout the series.

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Arcane: More Than Just a Title

While Netflix’s animated League of Legends adaptation may bear the title Arcane, it’s a name that has a double meaning. The word ‘arcane’ is defined in the dictionary as something mysterious, secret, or known only by a few people. This definition can be applied in multiple ways to Arcane’s story and themes, whether it be the secrets of a character’s past or the mysteries of the way something like Shimmer or Hextech works. However, the word arcane has been uttered multiple times throughout episodes of Arcane, which means it likely has a more tangible meaning in the world of the show.

What Is the Meaning of Arcane In Netflix’s TV Show?

Just like its definition, the word arcane holds a mysterious meaning in the context of the show. It’s been referenced quite a few times by different characters in Arcane, but an explanation of what exactly the arcane is hasn’t been provided. However, there have been clues. In Arcane’s second episode, after Jayce confesses he is attempting to create magic, Heimerdinger warns him “The arcane is dangerous, a force of nature. Science cannot control it.” Other warnings about the arcane are given during Jayce’s trial, with the councilors telling him “Arcane talents are something you’re born with, they can’t be fabricated.” It appears that within the world of Arcane, the definition of the word is tied closely to magic and sorcery, however, no main characters with arcane talents have been introduced in the show as yet, apart from the mystery mage who saved Jayce in a flashback.

While Hextech’s magic and science combo became a tool for progress, it appears that the arcane may not always be a good thing. Bolbok, an android character, shares a dark story at one point, revealing “The arcane is the curse of our world, my race was nearly destroyed by it.” Heimerdinger also warns that in his 300 years alive he’s seen the arcane corrupt, consume, and lay waste to civilizations. It appears that magic has a dark history in Runeterra that is yet to be fully explored on-screen Arcane. At another point in the series, one of the councilors shares that the city of Piltover was founded to “escape the warmongering of mages,” but with the progress Viktor and Jayce have made with their experiments, perhaps that war will arrive in Piltover soon enough.

What Is the Arcane In Season 2?

Judging by the trailers for Arcane Season 2, it appears that the world of magic and mages may be explored even further in the back half of the show. In one of Arcane’s new trailers, an augmented voice can be heard saying “the arcane is waking up.” The dialogue is overlaid with footage of people who all have glowing eyes and carved runes on their faces.

This moment has led to much confusion and speculation from fans about what “the arcane” that the voice referring to is exactly and what it could mean for Season 2. While magic does exist in the world of Runeterra, one likely theory is that it will be integrated further into Arcane’s second season. Viktor’s storyline in Season 1, in particular, dabbled with magic experiments, which resulted in him creating some new kind of power after blending the Hexcore with Shimmer. This allowed Viktor to cure his terminal illness and walk again on a modified leg, but after he tried to destroy his experiment, it came at a great cost, as the Hexcore defended itself and killed his colleague, Sky.

If Arcane abides by the logic that the term arcane is linked to magic, then perhaps this will have something to do with Viktor’s experiments in Season 2. It’s still unclear whether Viktor himself will survive Jinx’s attack on the Piltover Council which occurred in the Season 1 finale, but his experiments could still have ripple effects in Season 2. Perhaps Viktor’s meddling has led to something new waking in the magical realm or has drawn the attention of magic users from outside Piltover. In any case, it seems like the dark history that Heimerdinger and Bolbok referred to may be in danger of repeating itself in Arcane’s second season.

Arcane Season 2 will release Episodes 1-3 on November 9, 2024.

Arcane is an animated series developed by Alex Yee and Christian Linke that follows a the story of Piltover and Zaun, two pivotal locations in the League of Legends universe. The first season follows the stories of Jynx and Vi, as well as Jayce and Viktor.

Release Date

November 6, 2021

Seasons

1

Creator

Christian Linke

Number of Episodes

9

Network

Netflix

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