The Base Violence Necessary for Change
Vi is preparing to hit back against the Enforcers. Only, Vander answers the door and catches her off-guard. He tells Vi he loves her and implores the girl to look after her family. Now, the play here is for Vander to sacrifice himself to save the Lanes but there’s more at stake here.
As Vander is taken outside by Grayson and Marcus, our mad scientist, Silco, lurks up alongside his new pet, the mutated Deckard. They make short work of Benzo, who was supposed to take Vander’s place in his absence. They also knock out Vander for his troubles, as Vi is forced to watch this take place with horror from the cellar.
Meanwhile, Viktor convinces Jayce to break into Heimerdinger’s laboratory and take the crystals back from the Enforcers. Given the Council need proof that these work, Viktor is determined to try and find that proof and prove them all wrong. “Our hextech dream.” Jayce agrees.
That night, the Councilor’s show interest in Jayce and Viktor’s pitch, but one of the Councilor’s, Medarda, shows interest. Hearing Jayce and Viktor’s pitch, she decides to give them a chance. “Impress me or I suggest you pack your bags.”
Viktor and Jayce set to work on the crystals, only to have Heimerdinger return and start experimenting with them. Interestingly, the crystals seem to have the same affect on Powder too, who experiences flashes of her past. ..
In the wake of the attack in Zaun, Vander is dragged off to Silco’s lab. He has plans of getting back against those in Piltover, demanding respect and uniting everyone under one umbrella – the nation of Zaun. Now, that earlier sequence at the start of the episode holds more context. The drowning was actually Vander’s doing, and he was on the verge of killing Silco. Silco saw this as a betrayal and a swift knife blow to the arm is enough to break free and scramble to safety. Having ingested the river toxins though, Silco is far from healed. ..
Silco doesn’t have any ill-will or hatred toward Vander anymore though, instead wanting to team up with him to hit back against those who would wrong them. Vander though, wants none of it.
The kids set out on a daring rescue mission to free Silco from Vander’s captivity. They enlist the help of Powder to keep the fort safe, and they must rely on each other to succeed.
As the fight unfolds, Vi can see that her father is in trouble. His goons are surrounding him and they’re about to kill him. But she knows she has to save him. She charges into the fray, swinging her sword with all her might. Her enemies fall back, but not before one of them manages to hit her father with a powerful punch. The force of the blow knocks Vi unconscious.
As Deckard enters the fray, he overpowers Vi, throwing her across the bridge. Retreating, Vi locks the door and holds it tight as they try to formulate an escape. The mad scientist is saved at the last second by one of his subordinates, while Deckard survives too.
Vander valiantly fights back but it’s no good. Silco sneaks up behind him and stabs the man in the back, an echo of their earlier skirmish in the water. Killing the barkeep, Silco utters “I knew you still had it in you,” coldly before walking away, intent on finding Vi.
Deckard and Vi find themselves in a alleyway, where they are about to be killed. They hear a noise and see a person coming down the alleyway. It is Vander, who saves their lives with a vial of purple poison. He tells them that the bombs worked and Vi realizes that she has caused much destruction. Vander says that Mylo was right and she is a jinx.
Vi is taken away by Marcus and drugged, Powder finds herself in the venomous grip of Silco, who decides that Vi is no longer his sister. Blinded by rage, Silco uses that to his advantage and uses her as a weapon against the others.
The Episode Review
The episode starts with a bang as we get our first taste of some big action. Jayce and Viktor are teaming up to take on Silco, and it looks like they’re going to be successful. Vander is also in the mix, trying to stop them from achieving their goals. This action-packed episode keeps you on the edge of your seat the whole way through.
The animation in this show has been excellent so far. Whether it be the dancing flames at the end or the rain-soaked, pained facial expressions that complement the dialogue, Arcane is a real treat for the eyes.
The plot is good and while it can be a bit tropey in places, the characterization is well-handled for the most part. With plenty of sacrifices and some shocking deaths to boot, the ending leaves things open for where the next episodes may go. ..
