Faith’s Findings // “Arcane”

I love comfort and hate the unknown. 

There’s something so enticing about knowing what’s going to happen and being able to control as much as I can, so I follow strict routines almost daily. I can’t stand going to new places or when something interrupts my usual plan for the day. What can I say? I’m a creature of habit. But that’s something I’m going to work on, starting with this blog. So, welcome and pull up a chair while we explore something fun and new every other week! The boundaries are limitless, and this week I have something exciting for you.

I’ve recently been trying to keep my options open, as much as possible, in order to learn and grow in my day-to-day life. As a sophomore in college, I have plenty more experiences to live, but sometimes it’s the smaller things that have the most value to them. It’s this openness that has led me to my discovery of the week — “Arcane.”

Netflix’s “Arcane” is an original TV series inspired by the video game “League of Legends.” Now, I honestly know nothing about video games, so I’m not quite sure what possessed me to start this show, but I’m so glad that I did.

Perhaps it was the advertising for the upcoming Season 2, with a release date of Nov. 9. Or maybe it was my friend breathing down my neck to take his recommendations. Either way, I begrudgingly opened episode one and put it on in the background. 

It took approximately five minutes to become fully enthralled by the complex storyline. This is definitely not a show you can just “put on in the background.” The opening episode alone feels like a movie. Each character that was introduced had so many layers, desires, unique goals, and an absolutely killer design.

I think the single best thing about this show is the art style alone. “Arcane” is genuinely one of the most beautifully animated shows I’ve ever watched. I can’t even pinpoint what exactly I like so much about the art, but if you have even the slightest appreciation for media and design, I’m begging you to give it a try. 

The entire plot centers around complex relationships. “Arcane” had me mapping out family trees and timelines to fully understand (and maybe justify) why a character acted the way they did. I won’t spoil anything in case you decide to watch, but the show is centered around two sisters who live in a poor city of their world called Zaun. Often referred to as the “Undercity,” it runs directly under the wealthier city of Piltover. Most conflict stems directly from the economic state of these settings.

Already, there is so much symbolism in the geographical divide between cities. People from the Undercity are looked down upon but the residents of Piltover are often depicted as sick, poor or greedy. There are clear implications that poor equals bad and rich equals good in this world. 

The two sisters become separated in the first episode, dividing their relationship entirely for the rest of their youth. This becomes the main plot point, as the two develop different morals, goals, ideas and ethics centered around who they call family in place of each other. 

“Arcane” is all about contrast. Who is good, bad, right, wrong, rich, poor and how do those play into circumstance? What would you do for money? Most people would probably make similar choices to the “evil” characters of the show. I think that’s what makes it so good, honestly. It’s painfully relatable because each character is a victim of circumstance and situation. 

Another running theme throughout the show is the idea of blame. Can we truly blame someone if they are a child and have no ill intent? Is blame simply a way to deflect the pain of losing someone? The questions only multiply as you watch the show, but the satisfaction of having these heavy themes depicted through a beautiful mess of art makes it worth it. 

I often find myself rooting for the obvious protagonists of the story, but “Arcane” challenges what it means to be a typical “good person.”  By the end of the show, you’ll definitely be questioning the ethics and morals by which you thought you lived.

I’m not saying this show is going to turn you evil. Instead, I think it will present a new perspective as to what a villain is. From troubling pasts to seemingly impossible situations, “Arcane” develops a storyline that brings the audience through every emotion possible.

I finished this show in less than a week, and each episode is over 40 minutes long! To say I was excited to see a new season coming out soon is a bit of an understatement. Overall, I think I would rate this show a perfect 10 out of 10. If I could go over a 10, I would. Each episode had me so hooked that I quite literally was on the edge of my — very uncomfortable — dorm chair. 

I laughed, ranted to my roommate, texted updates after each episode to the friend that recommended it and was brought to the verge of tears — I know, kind of embarrassing. But good art evokes strong emotions and “Arcane” is genuinely one of the best forms of art I have seen in a long time.

So in my quest to keep my options open, I have stumbled upon my new obsession. I may have only discovered something from the comfort of my laptop screen, but don’t disregard the small discoveries in your day-to-day life. They might just end up inspiring you in ways that you could have never otherwise imagined.