Arcane Just Had the Most Unexpected and Heartbreaking Death on the Show

Arcane
season two just had its most shocking and heartbreaking death scene. From the start, it’s clear that Riot Arcane it wasn’t the kind of show to beat around the bush. Season 1 began with two orphaned children, and from there the story became intertwined into an intricate narrative that no one really felt safe in. This is despite the fact that the animated show feels like a prequel of sorts to the League of Legends game, and so many ArcaneThe characters of appear in this – which means viewers tend to assume they are safe.

If there’s one rule that most stories follow, it’s that children’s characters tend to be safe. This meant that I didn’t really care about Isha, the child who idolized Jinx and provided her with a new family experience. I freely admit that I am not familiar with League of Legends tradition; Arcane It was my introduction to it and I loved it. I was vaguely aware that Isha doesn’t appear in the games, but I thought she was a fun addition. And then came the end of Arcane Season 2, act 2…

Arcane Season 2, Act 2 comes to an explosive (and shocking) end

Everything was going so well…

At first, the final episode of Arcane season two, the second act seemed poised to end on an optimistic note. Many characters worked together for the first time against Ambessa; Vander’s resurrection as a werewolf beast forced Vi and Jinx to leave their bitter history behind, and Caitlyn helped Vi strategize against the Noxian warlord. But everything went horribly wrong when Jayce killed Viktor… Your presence is a wild card that no one expected. This gave Ambessa time to recover from Vi’s attack, and she led her soldiers in a military assault. Meanwhile, Vander went wild after Viktor’s death.

I watched with a growing sense of shock, suddenly realizing that this all seemed like a precursor to tragedy. Surely Vi and Jinx were safe, I thought—which meant I was getting very worried about Caitlyn, who I still liked despite what seemed like a pronounced turnaround. Arcane season 2. I should have focused on Isha, as I realized when the child threw a sacrificial piece to save the day, putting multiple energy spheres into Jinx’s Hextech weapon and triggering a spectacular explosion.

I can’t believe Arcane actually killed a child

Isha’s sacrifice saved the day, but at a terrible price

Children tend to feel safe on animated TV shows. This meant I really had no idea Arcane was about to kill Ishaand watched with growing horror as the episode cycled through flashbacks retelling its story. This was a beautiful and moving way to remind us how great she was, and a clever way to explore the old trope of a person’s life just before they die. It also meant my heart broke on the spot.

How will Isha’s death affect the main characters in Arcane? I really don’t know; Jinx seemed to be on the path to reconciliation with the rest of her family, setting up an ending that would have been wonderfully wholesome, but now everything has changed. Riot promised an explosive ending to Arcane – there aren’t even press screens – so I don’t really know what to expect next.