Warning! This article contains spoilers for Arcane season 2, Act I.
Arcaneseason 2 showcased an incredible transformation for the character of Viktor, linking both to the show’s exploration of Hextech andLeague of Legends. AfterArcaneseason 1’s ending, the fate of Viktor was one that many were curious to see resolved. Season 2 picks up almost immediately after Jinx shoots her Hextech-powered rocket toward her enemies, addressing the deaths of Piltover’s council asArcanedelves deeper into the war between the city and its destitute undercity, Zaun.
For the most part,Arcaneseason 2’s storyfocuses on the aftermath of this event. Jayce and Mel were lucky enough to survive Jinx’s attack, but some of the other councilors were not so lucky. As Vi and Caitlyn, with her newfound Kiramman family key inArcane, conduct the counterattack against Jinx and Zaun, Jayce is left reeling with the fate of the council. More importantly, though,Arcaneseason 2 explores what became of Viktor after this attack as, despite not being a council member, he was present when Jinx destroyed the tower.
Viktor Was Injured In Jinx’s Attack & Saved By Hextech
Viktor’s Fate Was Uncertain For A While
As revealed inArcaneseason 2, episode 1, Viktor was gravely wounded in Jinx’s attack. Unlike Jayce and Mel who escaped unharmed, Viktor was almost killed by the explosion and the subsequent falling debris. However, this did not spell the end for Viktor, with Jayce making a drastic but necessary decision to save his friend’s life. This decision stemmed fromArcaneseason 1, specifically the subplot involving Viktor’s special interactions with the Hextech core.
Arcaneseason 2 reveals that the Hextech did a lot more for Viktor than simply keep his heart beating…
Jayce knew that the Hextech core had aided Viktor in the past. In a last-ditch attempt to save the latter, the former placed him in somewhat of a cocoon, crafted by the Hextech Core. The Hextech encircled Viktor, placing him in a coma of sorts which Jayce tells Mel is the only thing keeping Viktor alive. After a few episodes of uncertainty,Arcaneseason 2 reveals that the Hextech did a lot more for Viktor than simply keep his heart beating.
The Hextech Core Made Viktor’s Body A Mix Of Mechanical & Organic
The Hextech Completed Its Work From Arcane Season 1
Eventually, Viktor awakens from his slumber. After a few days, Viktor breaks free of the Hextech cocoon and discovers his body is not as it was. The Hextech combined its magically mechanical properties with Viktor’s organic material, building on the teases from his storyline inArcaneseason 1. In the first season, Viktor - voiced by Harry Lloyd inArcane’s voice cast- managed to heal his leg for a brief moment using the Hextech Core. Although this was not permanent, his leg took on an interesting metallic color with purple highlights, aligning him more with hisLeague of Legendscounterpart.
9 League Of Legends Characters To Expect In Arcane Season 2
After several League of Legends characters were introduced in Arcane season 1, there are a handful of others who could debut in season 2.
As ofArcaneseason 2, episode 2’s ending, Viktor’s entire body takes on this state. The dark metallic look of his leg has now spread everywhere except Viktor’s face, the only part of him that was not covered by the Hextech cocoon. Beyond this new body keeping Viktor alive, it has set the stage for his entire arc inArcaneseason 2, one that links to him becoming more like the character he is based on fromLeague of Legendsand comes with a new set of powers and abilities.
Viktor’s New Body Gave Him Incredible New Powers
Viktor Could Help Countless People In Zaun
Undoubtedly, the biggest plot element derived from Viktor’s new body is the fascinating powers he now possesses. At the end ofArcaneseason 2, episode 2, Viktor leaves Jayce in Piltover and travels to Zaun. There, he is cornered by a group of Zaunites who initially attempt to rob him. One of these characters, Huck, was shown in one ofArcaneseason 1’s highly-rated episodes, helping Caitlyn and Vi find a potion tender in Zaun. Huck was shown to be adversely affected by Zaun’s quality of life, resulting in his body having many deformities.
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“When These Walls Come Tumbling Down”
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Before Huck and his crew can rob him, though, Viktor reaches out his hand and touches his head. Viktor and Huck are then surrounded by a brilliant light, interspersed with the animated, almost flesh-like Hextech patterns that have become associated with the core. After metal objects fly towards the duo, Viktor lets go and both he and Huck fall to the ground. Miraculously, Huck’s deformities are gone, replaced by a mixture of organic and mechanical flesh that the Hextech has been shown to create.
Through his new body, it seems as though Viktor can channel the powers the Hextech Core has shown him. This will be immeasurably helpful to the people of Zaun, and gives Viktor a big purpose going forward. After this, the men in Huck’s crew kneel before Viktor, likely teasing big things to come for the character in the final six episodes ofArcaneseason 2’s show-ending story.
How Viktor’s New Body Links To League Of Legends
Viktor Is Becoming The Machine Herald
To make Viktor’sArcaneseason 2 storyline even more compelling, he is becoming more like hisLeague of Legendscharacter. In the game, Viktor is described as “The Machine Herald” and strives for something he calls glorious evolution. In Viktor’s mind, the human body is inherently flawed - linking back to his character who suffers from a body-related illness inArcane- and needs fixing. Viktor’s way of fixing the human body’s flaws involves combining it with machinery, which seems to now also be true forArcaneas well asLeague of Legends.
The Hextech mining laser shown in Arcane season 1 is part of Viktor’s design in League of Legends, in which he uses it as a weapon.
With Viktor aiding Huck inArcaneseason 2, the show could be delving into this idea of glorious evolution. This is consistent withArcaneseason 2’s depiction of other characters based onLeague of Legends. In the former, Vi joined the Enforcers and Caitlyn became Piltover’s sole general, linking to their subtitles from the latter, “The Piltover Enforcer” and “The Sheriff of Piltover.” Now it seems as though Viktor is edging closer to becoming “The Machine Herald,” linking hisArcanecharacter with the show’s source material.
What Viktor’s New Body Means For Arcane Season 2’s Final 6 Episodes
The Hextech Is Unstable & A War Rages Around Viktor
The final question stemming fromArcane’s subplot concerning Viktor is how this will impactArcaneseason 2’s final six episodes. The first way was teased inArcaneseason 2, episode 3, which saw Jayce, Heimerdinger, and Ekko travel to the center of the former’s Hexgates. The Hextech shows itself to be unstable, causing the various weapons powered by it to malfunction. Although it is not explored exactly how or why this is happening, Jayce and Ekko deduce that the titular arcane elements of it are somewhat annoyed with how Hextech is being utilized.
Where Viktor is concerned, however, the Hextech is seemingly embracing him. As such, Viktor could be the key to stabilizing the Hextech and saving both Piltover and Zaun. Regarding the class war between the nations, Viktor could become an unwitting third party. If he continues helping the citizens of Zaun as he did with Huck, Viktor could quickly find himself amassing a following of Zaunites inArcaneseason 2, making the conflict at the show’s center all the more complex ahead of its conclusion.
Arcane
Cast
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
