After Watching Arcane Season 2, Act II, I Need To Talk About Some Heartbreaking Parallels Involving Jinx And Vi

Spoilers for Arcane Season 2, Act II lie ahead, so read on at your own discretion.

Arcane is easily one of the best shows on Netflix and, right now, its second season is airing weekly on the 2024 TV schedule in a unique format (three episode arcs, three Acts per season). Fans have eagerly been waiting for the second installment of the League of Legends adaptation since the first season released in 2021. Now, after this most recent drop, I’m going to need more than a week to recover, and it mostly has to do with the heartbreaking parallels involving estranged sisters Jinx and Violet.

Act II dives into their past and present, using the following instances to pull at the audience's heartstrings, and resulting in what is certain to go down as the hardest-hitting death of the show.

Vander Served Powder The Same Exact Drink He Served Her Mom

In Season 2, Act II, we finally see more of Vander and Silco’s backstory, including their relationship to Violet and Powder’s mother, Felicia. In “Blisters and Bedrock,” viewers experience a flashback to when Vander and Silco were friends with big dreams for the Undercity. When Felicia reveals to the pair that she’s pregnant with a baby girl, Vander switches her liquor for a cup of juice, dropping a straw into the beverage.

If this moment looks familiar to any fans, it’s because a similar interaction plays out on Season 1, Episode 2, when Vander pours little Powder a drink to try and cheer her up. Same cup, same straw. Even the same song is playing on the jukebox amid both scenes, and it's a tune we discover was one of Felicia’s favorites. From the memory, fans also learn that Felicia not only tasks Vander with watching over the kids, but Silco as well, which makes the latter's relationship with Jinx all the more bittersweet.

Vi and Jinx Parallel Jinx and Isha

The beginning of Act II shows a different Piltover than viewers are used to, one with ruthless security enforced by Ambessa. Meanwhile, in the Undercity, Jinx has become the symbol of the resistance, a long way from the badass, yet wildly unpredictable villain fans had come to know. From these changes, it’s clear that a few months have passed between Acts I and II.

Despite this new heroic identity, Jinx has been keeping a low profile with Isha, forming a familial-like bond. In many ways, Isha becomes a younger sister to Jinx, who she cares for in a way she has never had to do with anyone else, helping to dye the little girl’s hair blue and teaching her to shoot. Jinx even admits in S2E4 that Isha reminds her of her younger self, a sign that maybe Powder isn’t entirely gone.

When Sevika convinces Jinx to help break her followers out of prison, including Isha, they encounter the Beast. Called by bloodshed, it slaughters all who cross its path. Jinx charges the Beast, telling Sevika to get Isha out of there. The little girl screams the whole way out, reaching for her hero.

In a twisted turn of events, we unfortunately see the roles reversed in the final episode of Act II. This time, it’s Vi who holds Jinx back as Isha decides to sacrifice herself to protect Jinx, grabbing the pistol and charging at the raging Beast (formally Vander).

This scene absolutely heartbreaking. The writers finally give Jinx and Vi a family, peace at last, only to rip it away moments later. The raw anguish shown on Jinx’s face makes me want to throw up. It also has me worried for Vi and Jinx’s relationship, as they were becoming sisters once more. Now, my fear is Jinx will take her grief out on Vi. My only hope is Jinx will see herself in her older sibling, as Isha was reminiscent of what Powder was to Violet.

After that ending and taking some time to discuss those parallels, I have no idea what the final act of the series will bring and am deep in my feelings. Showrunner Christian Linke announced that there would not be another season but gave fans hope by confirming that there are ideas for spinoffs based on other LoL characters. For our Arcane cast, this will be the end of their journey.

It's hard to say just how the writers are going to tie everything up in just three more episodes. I just really wish Vi and Jinx stay with each other. After Vander and Isha’s Act II ending, they need family now more than ever. The final episodes of Arcane will premiere on Saturday November 23 and will only be available with a Netflix subscription.