Arcane

“𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐮𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭, 𝐰𝐞 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝” (𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐞, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏).

Delicate fingers of a young girl gently found their way embracing the trembling hand of her older sister. Along the vast depth of her innocent eyes’ reflection, lay a fiery panorama filled with bodies muted by a system gone awry. Appearing in front of them is their mother’s eyes who would never meet her daughters’ ever again as it remains eternally closed. From the moment the younger sister named Powder could remember, this harsh panorama had been her only ‘normal’. Unbeknownst to her, a lost distant reality exists, a ‘normal’ reality wherein children are gathered with their families with no deafening silence of ongoing bombs. At the same time, tears were cascading along the cheeks of her older sister named Vi who was stuck between being an older sister and an orphaned daughter as she continued to caress Powder’s delicate hand. Two children lost their innocence from then on.

This scene begins the animated series based on League of Legends titled “Arcane”. The series was created by Christian Linke and Alex Yee, produced by Fortiche under the supervision of Riot Games and first released in November 2021. In Arcane, two neighboring yet contrasting realms namely Piltover (overcity) and undercity exist. What merely links them together is conflict. Vander, who is both formidable and venerated, took Powder and Vi under his wing and raised them in undercity. What Piltover considered a wasteland, Vander offered an abode filled with familial love for the two children.

The undercity’s landscape comes alive with animation of dark oppressive hues and houses that clung precariously on one top of another. It is a city wherein the rays of the sun was but a distant alien swallowed by a voluminous veil of toxic gasses. What remains prosperous is the onset of poverty with streets being themed with sub dwellers not bound to norms. Amid the dark setting, what undercity has that some of the rulers of the overcity does not is collectivistic ideals. People thrive with a sense of being one with the community, refusing to turn over anyone to the enforcers of Piltover. As well as a solace for a family interconnected with love such as the little family of Vander, Vi, and Powder.

On top of the undercity is the overcity named Piltover. Its landscape comes alive with streaks of bright colors, unique architectural infrastructures stretching towards the stars, the sky coming alive with clean blue air and advanced flying transportations. It is a technologically advanced society governed by an elite council and prestigious universities whose heart of income is an advanced technology named HexTech. However, beneath the promising exterior lurks a bleak reality. With some of the ruling class thriving in opulent affairs remaining apathetic towards the general well being of the lower class’ populace. Instead, what drives some of the council’s decisions is self-interest and corruption. In relation, its enforcers being clad in authority unleash a series of physical force against the downtrodden of the undercity.

Before we venture on the forwarding journey, are you curious about what makes this series unique? Ask someone who watched Arcane to pick a villain and a hero from the characters. You would put them through a wringer and you would be trapped in a whirlwind of contradicting answers. In this series, The writers courageously put the characters’ shadows and flaws into panoply. The watcher would feel as if they are watching a pon who was once lulled to sleep lovingly in an arm of a loved one as if the world was once a gleam, trapped in a system wherein what is constant are class divisions and unending revenge. A child’s sweet dreams would someday sweep, and the betrayal from society would leave each one to weep. The two sisters Powder and Vi were no excuse from being a product of such a system as they would soon find themselves on opposing sides.

Dear Reader, the rest of the adventure and interpretation is up to you to discover. But let me ask you a simple question. Your answer, we can keep a secret.

Given the instance that you were given options whether to remain loyal to your family who you grew up with love or to change a corrupt system, who would you choose? Are you ready to navigate a world wherein every decision for the system could have devastating consequences for who you love?