When Netflix announced that Arcane would be getting a Season 2, fans were surprised that the streaming service also said that it would be the final season.
The first season of Arcane was so good that fans were hoping the show would have a long life, but that was never in the plans for the creators. They had a complete story to tell, and that story is only going to last two seasons.
In a recent interview with CB series co-creator Christian Linke expanded talked about ending the series with Season 2, saying: “We always had a story in mind with a beginning and an end.
“I think it was really just the character arcs. We knew that there was a specific thing we wanted to do. We didn’t necessarily have a specific episode count in mind, but we always knew it would be a finite story.
“It wasn’t this open-ended concept for a series. It was pretty organic for us so there was never this question of, ‘Oh, when will it end? We don’t know.’ We knew from the start.”
Linke went on to say that one of the biggest challenges of Season 2 was bringing an end to the show’s vast cast of characters and their respective story arcs.
He explained: “I don’t know how many TV shows you’ve watched where 10 or 11 characters all get a satisfying full arc paid off and resolved. I don’t think I have.
“It’s daunting. It was just part of what we built. We wanted this kind of ensemble story. […] That’s the thing about a video game adaptation.
“There’s always going to be someone, no matter if you banish one character into this side-character land, there are going to be millions of people who will be like, ‘What the f**k? What about my character? Why aren’t they getting their proper arc?’
“It was just a responsibility that was always there. We can’t run away from that. We have to give everyone a proper story.”
I’m excited to see how the rest of this story plays out, but sad that it’s going to end so soon. At least the creative team got to tell a complete story.
The series follows the two sisters, Vi (Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell), who are caught on opposing sides of a conflict in the utopian city of Piltover and its poor underbelly, Zaun.
In the cities of Piltover and Zaun, “tensions rise as inventors, hooligans, politicians, and crime lords grow increasingly dissatisfied with the constraints of a devastated society.
“With the situation on the verge of being unsustainable, two sisters steal an artifact of immeasurable power. Discovery and danger collide as heroes are born and bonds are broken. Will this power change the world? Or will it lead to ruin? This is the world of Arcane.”
When it comes to the story of Jinx and Vi, “Amidst the escalating unrest between the rich, utopian city of Piltover and its seedy, oppressed underbelly of Zaun, sisters Vi and Jinx find themselves on opposing sides of a brewing conflict over clashing convictions and arcane technologies.”
With the city under martial law, the public’s energy is buzzing in new ways, and Jinx has found herself a symbol for revolution while Vi comes to terms with her sister’s actions.
When previously talking about the series, Purnell teased what we can expect from Arcane Season 2, saying it’s going to make you cry.
She shared: “Oh man, I’m trying to remember [season one] because it was over two years ago. I actually just went back into the studio to complete some ADR for the Season 2 finale – and I cried. So, I think other people will cry, too. It’s devastating, and nobody will feel good after watching it.”
Arcane Season 2 will premiere on Netflix on November 9th.