After six years of production, the first season of Arcane premiered and became an immediate success. The streaming era has given networks and platforms the option to release entire seasons all at once or take a traditional approach with weekly premieres. With both seasons of Arcane, Netflix opted to release each nine-episode season in three parts or acts. This hybrid approach to a release schedule appears to be a happy middle ground for streaming fans. Beware of Spoilers ahead!

‘Heavy Is the Crown’ 

Arcane isn’t known for wastefulness and utilizes every opportunity to tell its story. This creativity almost always extends to the episode titles themselves. In the first episode of Act 1, “Heavy Is the Crown,” Vi, Caitlyn, and their profound yet complicated bond take center stage. After the gripping conclusion of Season 1, which saw a heinous and reckless attack on Piltover, leadership and residents of the city are left to deal with the turmoil as they deliberate over a proper response. While Caitlyn is affected personally by the attack, she and Vi continue to figure out where they fit in one another’s lives. Even if Arcane wasn’t an award-winning show recognized for audio, visuals, music, and editing, it would still be able to fall back on its captivating characters and masterful storytelling. One of the more touching moments from the series comes when Vi attempts to console Caitlyn after her recent loss. “The hole gets smaller, but you never fill it.”

Although the episode does well to advance all ongoing storylines, a lot of time is spent understanding Vi’s headspace and what she’s willing to do to move forward. Season 1 saw a satisfying slow burn between Vi and Jinx (Powder). In light of recent events, Vi recognizes the sister she knew is too far gone and will continue to hurt others if she isn’t stopped. Hextech and its proposed utilization continue to be a source of contention in the second season. As the stakes continue to rise, more and more become open to the apparent necessity of Hextech’s weaponization. Despite her anguished state, Caitlyn still wrestles with the notion. “Hextech will keep us alive, Jayce but it’s not what will save us.”

‘Watch It All Burn’

The three episodes of Act 1 are well within the quality standard that Arcane has come to be known for. From moment to moment, viewers are treated with exquisite visuals and an enchanting animation style that serves as a love letter to even the most devout fans of animated genres. Also not to be overlooked is the soundtrack thus far for Season 2. Although it’s commonplace for the series to lean on beautiful compositions that can fit every mood, the show doesn’t shy away from collaborations with popular artists. “Watch It All Burn” features music from blues/southern rock singer Marcus King, who lends his voice to the ailing Zaunites. While the beginning of Act 1 focuses on the aftermath of Piltover, the second episode depicts the chaos the lanes have fallen into after the death of Silco.