Arcane Executive Producer talks Dark Season 2 and spin-offs

“Arcane” returns for its second and final season after debuting on Netflix almost three years ago. The acclaimed animated series explores the origins of many iconic characters from the League of Legends video games. The highly anticipated second season deals with the aftermath of Jinx's attack on Piltover and the chaos that ensued.

Sisters Vi and Jinx remain the focus of the series, but where they had hoped to get back together in the first season, that now seems impossible. The sisters find themselves on opposite sides of this conflict as the rift between Piltover and Zaun becomes untenable. In an exclusive interview with Temple of Geek, executive producer Christian Linke announced a darker second season. This is most notable with Caitlyn, who, through her connections with Vi, had the greatest hope of understanding the differences between Piltover and the Undercity.

However, in the face of Jinx's attack, that hope seems to have been dashed. Linke discussed how this changes the dynamic between Caitlyn and Vi and how Jinx copes with being alone. In the past, Linke has made it clear that while this is the end of Arcane, it is not the end of the larger League of Legends story. In our interview, he shared what the key is to potential spin-offs, but remained tight-lipped about which characters they have in mind.

Spoiler warning for season 1!

Arcane Season 2 follows Caitlyn on a dark path

Temple of Geek: What were you looking forward to in the second season of “Arcane”? What were you looking forward to that you maybe didn't have time to really get into in the first season or what did you prepare for in the first season?

Christian Linke: We've always said to ourselves that the first season is about establishing our characters so that they become the characters they are in our game. In the second season, we always said that we could take her further to places that we haven't seen her yet, our audience hasn't seen her yet, different personalities.

I think there's a lot of darkness in season two that we've never explored before, especially for Caitlyn, who's always like a hopeful beacon in season one. Oh, there is a way to cooperate with the Undercity. She is always the person who wants to achieve something.

Who sees the plight of the lower city through Vi. This becomes more and more difficult for her in the second season, when the aggression becomes greater and the violence becomes more and more frequent. We've never seen Caitlin do that before. So it's really that we just see different sides of the characters that I think are really exciting to explore.

Temple of Geek: One of the things I really appreciate about the series is that it provides a very narrative and character-based reason for each of its fighting styles and weapons. Why was it so important for you to not necessarily show but show a motivation behind the way each of these characters fight in the game?

Christian Linke: Honestly, it felt natural to us that it would make sense for who they are. Vi was inspired by the boxing approach in general. Jinx, she's not physical. That's the big difference between them. She tinkers, she invents. If you approach her, she's toast.

I think it felt really natural for us. I think even with animation there's a responsibility to differentiate the styles and make sure it's not just the same thing. Piltover and Zaun are places of inventions, devices, technology and mechanical masterpieces. We just really wanted to take advantage of that. I mean, if they just use their fists, I'm like, Okay, that's boring.

Temple of Geek: Was there a character you were most excited to see expanded this season that might surprise fans of the game and the direction it's taking?

Christian Linke: Yes. I don't know if I can necessarily say much. Yes. I don't know. Unfortunately, I don't think I can say anything about this part without spoiling things. But yes.

Jinx has the freedom to be whoever she wants in Season 2 without Vi or Silco telling her who she should be

Temple of Geek: How has Caitlyn and Vi's relationship evolved since the finale?

Christian Linke: I would say that I remember very clearly when I heard Caitlyn's “drop the gun” in the last episode of the first season. I'm like, holy shit, I've never heard her voice sound so secretive. I say we will see and hear more of this. I actually find it quite, at times quite shocking for Vi.

Seeing a completely different version of Caitlyn and sometimes even having trouble recognizing her. I think what Vi has always really appreciated about Caitlyn is that positivity and the kind of, “Hey, we can do this.” There's hope. Because Vi is a cynical person at the beginning of their relationship.

So Caitlyn is the example where Vi goes, “Oh wow, maybe there are good people among the top performers.” Maybe they're not all just holes. This becomes increasingly difficult to maintain in the second season. So I think this is extremely difficult for them.

Temple of Geek: I like how we mentally left Jinx in the finale where she had truly accepted that this was the path she was going to take. After losing Silco and everything, where is she spiritually when we find her again? There is a power vacuum and she has become a symbol for Zaun.

Christian Linke: Throughout the first season, someone is always telling her who she should be. Vi said at the beginning, “You gotta stop messing around with this stuff.” You gotta fight, you gotta blah, blah, blah, be this, do that. And then in the third episode this terrible thing happens between them.

And then there's Silco, who tells her who she should be and what she should do. And now, for the first time since Silco's death, at the end of the first season, those voices are gone. Jinx really has to decide for himself who you are? Who do you want to be? What are you going to do? What will you fight for? Are you fighting for something? Are you really the curse?

Suddenly the world is out of control, and that's not necessarily always a good thing. I think this is pretty scary for Jinx on a personal level. I think that moment when no one tells you what to do anymore can be really scary for a lot of people growing up.

All Arcane spin-offs need “someone whose heart beats for the character”

Temple of Geek: “Arcane” ends with the second season, but you said that this is just the beginning of the larger story. What is one of the key principles you look for when deciding what stories you might want to tell?

Christian Linke: Yes, there always has to be someone whose heart beats for the character. There are a lot of stories that make me think, Oh, I want them to exist. I don't think I'm the person for that. We have to find this person.

So every project needs that person who thinks, “Okay, you have this passion, this personal connection to the character and the story.” Where otherwise it's just a gig and then things never go well creatively. There just has to be that personal connection

Temple of Geek: Are there any characters you would like to focus on but haven't been able to at this point?

Christian Linke: Tons of them. I mean, there are over 160 characters in our game. I can't wait to say, “Oh, let's dream big things.” Let's make up new stories. I mean, a lot of them. Yes.

Temple of Geek: I love the dynamic we saw a little bit with Heimerdinger and Ekko at the end of last season. Will we see how they influence each other over the course of season two?

Christian Linke: Oh yes. Yes very. They are a fun duo. Yes, you will definitely see more of them in this capacity in the second season.

Arcane Season 2 will see characters drift into darkness, but there's “surprising hope for Jinx”

Temple of Geek: One of the things I found really interesting recently while watching the first season is the exploration of technologies that are somehow beyond our understanding and control, which seems more relevant today than ever. Can you talk about how Hextech and Shimmer continue to influence this world in season two, perhaps making it even more dangerous?

Christian Linke: Yeah, I think like you said, I think it's relevant. There is this question. I think especially for Jayce and Viktor. Should you stay in control? And if you are in control and the technology is a threat, is it really because the technology is bad, or because we are using it for bad things?

Yeah, I think it's a big open question that was between them in the first season. So that's a very central part of their story and that they have different answers to the same question. People tend to be corrupted by power. What does that mean? What are you doing about it? And there they have their views on it.

Temple of Geek: Last question before I go. Is there a character this season whose arc may have surprised you as it unfolded?

Christian Linke: Yes. I mean, yes. I have to say that there are a lot of people drifting into darkness in the second season. There's also a surprising hope for Jinx that I've never seen before. We didn't see it in the first season. It's very different and very startling, if you will.

About Arcane

“Set in the League of Legends universe, Arcane focuses on sisters Violet and Powder (later Jinx) who end up on opposite sides of a growing conflict between the wealthy utopia of Piltover and its dark undercity, whose citizens want to break away from their oppressors. “

Act I of the final season of “Arcane” will debut on Netflix on November 9th. This is followed by Act II on November 16th and Act III on November 23rd.