Arcane Season 1 Recap: Everything you need to remember before Season 2

After three years of waiting for Arcane Season 2, it’s likely you don’t remember everything that happened in the nine episodes of Season 1.

After all, they cover several character storylines and several years in the show. We’ll cover the most important plots and everything you need to know before the new season arrives on Nov. 9.

Arcane begins with an exposition of how the two main protagonists — Vi and Powder — lost their parents during a civil battle between Zaun, also referred to as the Undercity, and Piltover. We learn how Vander became a leader for the people of the Undercity and a father figure to the sisters and the other kids from the slums.

Years after the rebellion, the kids grew up and they are now on a job to steal from who was supposed to be just a rich citizen of Piltover, but there they begin a chain reaction that will define the rest of their lives.

Powder discovers what is the base for what would be called Hextech and exposes the scientist behind it — Jayce — after provoking an explosion that was too big to be ignored by Piltover’s Council. At the trial, however, Jayce's invention draws the attention of Victor, starting a partnership that would change the Uppercity forever.

Meanwhile, the kids hide in the Undercity as the conflict between the two places rises with Piltover’s law enforcement known as Enforcers constantly searching for the kids. That’s when we discover that Vander made a deal with Sheriff Grayson in order to keep the peace, but with him refusing to deliver the children that exploded a building in Piltover, tension rises on both sides.

Silco sees this as an opportunity to take over the Undercity and makes a deal with Marcus — an Enforcer who would later betray Grayson and become the Sheriff.

Vi decides to turn herself in to resolve the situation, but because of Silco’s deal with Marcus, it’s not Grayson going after her. Vander manages to get to Vi before Marcus, but he ends up falling into the hands of Silco.

Vi decides to rescue Vander but leaves Powder behind because she's too young and doesn't know how to fight. Vi, Mylo, and Claggor manage to rescue Vander and everything seems to be working out, but as they are about to escape from Silco, Powder causes an explosion using the Hextech they stole in the first episode.

Vander, Mylo, and Claggor lose their lives, and in a tragic scene, Vi calls Powder a "Jinx" because she always messes with everything. Vi proceeds to abandon Powder next to Vander’s transformer and deformed body surrounded by fire.

Silco sees everything and approaches Powder, but before Vi can go back and save her, Marcus grabs her and pushes her into the darkness. Silco sees himself in Powder and adopts her.

We jump a few years and see that Powder, who is now Jinx, and Vi as adults. Jinx is working with Silco and her sanity becomes unstable after what happened with Vander, and Vi is locked up in prison.

Piltover became a thriving city because of Hextech and Jayce gained a spot in the City Council, while Silco runs the Undercity thanks to Shimmer — a highly addictive drug he introduced to the city.

During all times in the show, councilor and scientist Heimerdinger seems to be the only one concerned about Jayce and Viktor expanding Hextech's use too fast. Heimerdinger is afraid of that the technology can do if it falls into the wrong hands.

After failing a job for Silco because of Ekko's Firelights, Jinx tries to compensate him by stealing the stabilized version of Hextech that Jayce and Victor planned to present to Piltover, killing six Enforcers in the process. This leads Caitlyn to investigate Jinx, which takes her to Vi. She manages to get Vi out of prison and their search for Jinx begins.

Meanwhile, a crisis emerges between Silco and Marcus. The Sheriff wants to arrest Jinx for the murders and tells Silco he can't control her. Silco, however, convinces Marcus to pin the murders on the Firelights.

Jayce's influence in the Piltover Council grows and he starts shying away from science to focus more on politics, on top of dating fellow Council member Mel. Victor works hard to try to stabilize the Hex Core and ends up hospitalized.

In the Undercity, Jinx eventually cracks how to stabilize the Hex Core and use it as a weapon, for Silco's delight. Also, it's important to highlight that throughout this Act we see Jinx's mental health deteriorate as she deals with the dilemma of working for Silco and possibly reuniting with Vi.

The best moment of Act 2 is when Jinx and Vi finally catch up after years of separation. Things go sour pretty fast, though, as Jinx is jealous of Caitlyn. And to spoil the reunion, the Firelights arrive in the precinct.

The tension between Piltover and the Undercity grows further in Act 3 of Arcane Season 1 as Jinx kills more Enforcers and most notably Sheriff Marcus. Sky, Viktor's assistant, also dies trying to save Viktor from the unstable Hex Core. The scientist had been transmuting himself into metal, but the Hex Core proved to be too much power for humans to handle.

It took some time, but the inevitable happens and Jayce decides to weaponize the Hextech to protect Piltover from the Undercity. The Council wants to try and reason with the Undercity, but Vi and Jayce decide to take matters into their own hands to stop Silco and his Shimmer factory.

Jayce accidentally shoots one of the kids while arresting people in Silco's Shimmer factory. That leaves him desolated and incentivizes him to make a deal with Silco. The Undercity would get their independence in exchange for the end of the Shimmer factory, Jinx's prison, and the return of the Hextech gemstone she stole on Progress Day.

The peace agreement, however, falls flat. Vi tries to get to Silco after defeating his bodyguard Sevika, only to be attacked by Jinx and is eventually restrained.

Caitlyn is also tied up in Silco's place alongside Vi, and Jinx makes a heartbreaking proposition to her sister. Vi will have to choose Jinx over Caitlyn if she wants to have Powder by her side again. Meanwhile, Silco tries to convince Jinx to stay with him, telling her she is his daughter.

While the tension grows, Caitlyn breaks out of her ties and Jinx ends up accidentally killing Silco in the gunfight. Vi confronts Jinx, only for her sister to lose her sanity. Instead of surrendering, Jinx uses the stolen gemstone to shoot a rocket at the Council, which was voting on the peace between Piltover and the Undercity.

Arcane Season 1 ends with a memorable cliffhanger as we don't know the casualties of Jinx's attack. And to make matters more intriguing, Silco's former scientist Singed rescues Vander's body and seemingly transforms him into Warwick, who is one of League of Legends champions.

That's all for now. Stay tuned to esports.gg for more League of Legends and Arcane news.