Arcane Season 2 Episode 6 Review

Key Takeaways

• Episode 6 of Arcane Season 2 brings all arcs together in a climactic finale involving multiple character deaths.
• The episode explores Victor’s new arcane powers and the community he has built.
• The ending sets the stage for a dramatic final act of Arcane.

After a time jump in Episode 4, Arcane Season 2’s sixth episode brings all its disparate character arcs together into a climactic Act 2 finale that results in more than a few deaths.

Episode 6 is titled “The Message Hidden Within the Pattern” and is faster-paced than any of the previous Act 2 episodes. The story pushes into cosmic territory that might verge on being a bit too weird if it weren’t for Arcane’s incredible animation techniques and soundtrack choices, which keep the story grounded in characters and emotion.

The Herald

After being absent for a few episodes, Viktor makes his return in Episode 6 of Season 2, except nowadays he’s known as the Herald and has built a thriving and peaceful community in Zaun. Large parts of this episode are dedicated to exploring how Viktor can use his new arcane powers. Visually, they are shown as something like Pixar’s Soul, with Viktor depicted as an ethereal spirit traveling through a wild cosmos of time, space, and mind. Following Jayce’s murder of Salo in the prior episode, Viktor is reflecting on his friend’s return but recognizes “that’s not Jayce.” He reveals there’s another will at work within Jayce, a chaotic ancient voice affecting his mind.

Vi, Viktor, and Jinx Interact For The First Time

After their family reunion in Episode 5, Jinx, Vi, and Isha head to Viktor’s community to see if he can heal Vander. At first, it appears the case may be too much even for Viktor’s powers, but he believes Vander is worth the risk and gets to work untangling his mind from that of the beast. The animation styles employed here are some of Fortiche’s best, showing Viktor and Sky wading through angry werewolf clouds to reach Vander’s mind. Vander’s memories are unlocked in glorious watercolor animations, depicting many beloved characters in their younger years. Gradually, under Viktor’s guidance, they are able to tame the beast. Meanwhile, Vi and Jinx ponder their next move and consider settling in Viktor’s community. Vi, Viktor, and Jinx are not a trio that has interacted on-screen in Arcane before and it’s nice that their dynamic gets a chance to shine here.

Noxus and Piltover Arrive

Before Jinx and Vi can get too settled, a Noxian raiding party led by Ambessa and Caitlyn arrives to spoil the fun. Ambessa has been training Caitlyn in her Noxian ways, believing them to be kin. When they arrive at the Herald’s community, Singed volunteers to speak to Viktor alone. Singed knows Viktor’s power is finite and that his demise will mean the end of his entire community. However, he wants Viktor to survive, believing that combining Warwick’s regenerative blood with Viktor’s apex form may be the final evolutionary piece that could save his daughter. Viktor, however, has a more esoteric view of things, believing in the final “glorious evolution.” He refuses to give up Warwick.

Evolution has a destination, not to combat nature, but to supersede it. The final glorious evolution.

A Daring Plan Unfolds

Having noticed the Noxian raiding party at the gates, Vi follows Singed back to their camp but is intercepted by Caitlyn. The duo trade a few barbs before Vi reveals she is trying to save her father. Next thing, Caitlyn presents a bound and defiant Vi to Ambessa. Singed enacts his plan, drawing blood that starts to awaken Warwick. Jinx meanwhile, is overseeing the community with Isha, who she admits she has become incredibly fond of. She notices Caitlyn and Singed on the outskirts and is ready to take a shot, but then the true plan is revealed.

Unfolding like a Mission: Impossible heist, it’s revealed Caitlyn has turned on Ambessa and allied herself with Vi. This is one of those moments where Arcane’s rapid pace may be a disservice. Act 2 has been dedicated to setting Caitlyn up as something of an antagonist, but her reunion with Vi and her betrayal of Ambessa happen so quickly that her motivations feel a bit unearned. However, there’s no time to dwell on it as Arcane rockets towards a climactic showdown. While Caitlyn takes Singed out, Vi breaks free and traps Ambessa. Rictus, Ambessa’s accomplice, steps in to help but is stopped by Jinx coming to Caitlyn’s aid. There’s no time to address Jinx and Caitlyn’s feud because Vander gets involved, fighting to protect his daughter from Rictus.

Jayce and Viktor’s Reunion Has Dire Consequences

While this is happening, Jayce has arrived at the commune, preparing to follow through on his promise to destroy Hextech, aka Viktor. He enters Viktor’s quarters and does exactly that, blasting a hole straight through his best friend with his altered Hextech hammer. The result is what Singed warned: all the enlightened community members die, and that also means Vander dies with them. Reverting to his feral werewolf state, Warwick is activated and more dangerous than ever before, causing the Noxians to attack.

Seeing all this unfold around her and threaten her newfound family, young Isha makes a decision. Taking a handful of Hextech gems and Jinx’s pistol she weaves her way through the battle and straight towards Warwick. The lead-up to this sequence is made all the more impactful by the scenes of pencil animation which show Jinx and Isha’s memories together. Jinx admitted earlier that Isha had changed her life, but it’s a two-way street and Isha’s love and admiration for Jinx leads her to want to make the ultimate sacrifice. As she realizes this is Isha’s intention, Jinx is desperate to stop her, but Vi holds her sister back. With one last look at Jinx, Isha shoots Warwick with a Hextech blast that goes off like a nuclear bomb. This is undoubtedly one of Arcane’s most heart-breaking sequences to date, with three major characters obliterated in mere minutes. In the end, it can be hard to ignore the heavy-handed narration coming from Viktor, but in a fortune cookie-type quote, he reveals the message he’s discovered hidden in the pattern:

That which inspires us to do our greatest good is also the cause of our greatest evil.

So much of Act 2 of Arcane this season was dedicated to repairing relationships, only for them all to be destroyed in one fell swoop. How the characters move forward after this is anyone’s guess, but the ending of Episode 6 certainly sets the stage for a very dramatic final act of the Netflix series.

Arcane Season 2 Episodes 1-6 are now streaming on Netflix.