Arcane: Analysing a Masterpiece - Part 2

Episodes 4-6 of Arcane continue to be excellent, further developing the fantastic characters and narratives that were set up in act 1.

But why is it so good, and what problems are present? Tune in to find out.

Characters
00:00 - Heimerdinger
26:22 - Jayce
47:11 - Viktor
1:01:10 - Caitlyn
1:17:13 - Cassandra
1:22:46 - Sevika
1:27:00 - Silco
1:45:49 - Jinx
2:15:59 - Marcus
2:29:57 - Mel
2:41:34 - Vi

Worldbuilding
3:04:28 - How has the World Changed?
3:14:02 - The Ethos
3:16:59 - The Hex Core
3:26:04 - Huck and Shimmer
3:31:24 - The Council of Piltover

Plot
3:33:55 - Caitlyn's Investigation
3:44:07 - Still Water Hold
3:55:15 - Jinx Weaponising Hextech
3:56:59 - Why Didn't Sevika Kill Vi
3:59:01 - Why Did Caitlyn Let Sevika Get Away
4:00:38 - The Water Tower

Storytelling
4:03:51 - General Storytelling
4:04:52 - You Expect Everyone To Give You What You Want
4:07:51 - Juxtaposition
4:11:08 - Multiple Misunderstandings
4:20:04 - Consequences

Wrapping Up
4:22:10 - Conclusion
4:23:44 - Outro
4:24:19 - Bonus Content

Thank you to HP Lefty for creating the pixel art character.

[randomft]

You may have noticed, part 1 of this series is no longer on YouTube. This is because Netflix, in their infinite wisdom, decided to nuke the video. I am in the process of resolving this, but it may take a couple of weeks.

As part 1 was not removed until shortly after it broke 100k views, I fully expect the same to happen with this video.

Stay tuned, it will be back soon.

[TheWickedWizardOfOz]

Re: Cassandra allowing Caitlyn to train with weapons. I consider this as a "high class" pastime, akin to fox-hunting or similarly "posh" activities. IIRC, Caitlyn even poses with guns in family pictures, and we know that Cassandra herself knows her way around a firearm. I find it likely that it is simply family tradition to know your way around a gun and is taught from a young age. As for the competition, Caitlyn was young and competitive: it would make sense that she would wish to be in a shooting competition to measure herself against others.

[LadyAnchor]

"But when I engage maximum autism.." let's be honest, that's what we're all here for.
Another fantastic review sir!

[JasperLane]

I like shiting on media as much as the next guy, but sometimes a massive deep dive into why something is good is so refreshing

[FrstWorldNomaD]

3:29:00
There are indeed different strains of Shimmer, it is confirmed in the show.
When Viktor goes to Singed and gets a vial he asks "is this Shimmer" and Singed replies "one variant", confirming that there are more than one.

[dwylie]

talking about hiemer not thinking about his own mortality while you face check a bush at half health is a really good joke

[dollar_L]

“The spirit is willing but THE FLESH IS WEAK” I see what you did there.

[FrstWorldNomaD]

Sky is, bar none, the most impressive "non-character" ive ever seen.
Ive never cared so much and felt so bad for a character thats not even a character.

She has what? Barely a minute of screen time total, yet it feels like she belonged and as if she had always been there.
Very impressive writing.

[FrstWorldNomaD]

Excellent take on Sevika.
Soooo many times I hear people refere to her as disloyal when she is THE most loyal character in the entire show.
People are just to short sighted to realize _where_ her loyalties lies.
Not with any person but with the cause.
Shes consistend, resolute and never once waver in her loylaties.

Even when she do "betray" Vander and considers leaving Silco, shes up front about it, she tells them.
There is no betrayal.

The bad guys in this show is fakking top tier.

[FrstWorldNomaD]

I dont think Jayce offers Cait the job on his staff because he think she needs to be protected.
Its because he already knows she was fired as an enforcer due to her parents meddling.
Cait says "I already have a job"
Jayce says "No you dont" explains what her parents did and follows up with "This is the best I could do".
He tried to remedy what he knew would be devestating to her by keeping her in a similar career.
It also sounds like he is well aware that its not really the same thing.

[grim]

Very surprised the arcane videos are getting less attention than the other series. While it is very entertaining to see you rip apart problems in terrible media in the way you do, I find that these are much better for (to vastly oversimplify) understanding what makes writing as good or as bad as it is. Pointing out flaws can be easy, understanding the reasons something is good is demonstrably more difficult. I feel that a lot of bad writing comes from misunderstanding what makes something like Arcane so good, leading to poor emulation. Videos like this are incredibly helpful to anyone looking to create. A lot of dismissal of criticism stems takes the form of saying "Well, this other thing did it and people loved it" and having absolutely no idea how night and day the two examples are.

I am more likely to rewatch the other series as "background noise" entertainment whereas this will be rewatched to take additional notes. Undeniably of higher value. So thank you. I hope the series is as fun for you to make as it is for us to consume.

[kjmmediapro]

As a writer this hurts me. I'm so proud when my story both has character motivation and does some world building and then Arcane is over here doing 8 different things simultaneously and I'm like HOW!? I'm going back to the rings of power videos, those made me feel better.

[josiahkepley]

It's wild that I would rather watch a 4 hour analysis of a show I've already watched than anything new.

Glad to see your work lad

[anarchclown]

I disagree on Jayce not blaming Mel. I think it's consistent with him always blaming himself for everything. He seems to take full responsibility for whatever he does no matter if he was manipulated into it or not. It is also a part of him being perceived as quite arrogant.

[Natusian]

Sir! You're achieving unprecedented levels of LONG and I am here for it!

[dougnarrbert]

"The Incredible Huck" was the best part of this video

[YoutubeUsername]

I don't understand why you don't have more subs, seriously impressive video. Keep up the great work I love the long form content!

[thiccbuddha-nachampionsque]

2:25:32 I strongly agree with this sentiment. Which made me all the more shocked when I went online and figured out he was by far the most hated character in the series. Like in every fan poll to reaction content I've engaged with Marcus is seen as the worst scum of the show, even when directly compared to druglord kingpins and Imperialistic warmongers. I get it's understandable, I mean he has next to no redeeming qualities to speak for, but it always seemed strange how a show based off of grey morally conflicted characters and how we can end up empathizing with them had a notable exception in the form of Marcus.

My crackpot theory is that he is too relatable, that he embodies the deepest aspects that we as a general audience despise in ourselves. We always believe that if we were born into the world of arcane we might be like Vi, someone abused by an uncaring system but still valiantly does the heroic thing of trying to save her little sister all the while being a badass who could beat the shit out of any bad guy. In reality, I think 99% of us would end up like Marcus. Someone who thought they were doing the "right thing" and ended up failing miserably at it, and is now stuck between doing what's right and doing what will actually keep the people we love safe.

Maybe this theory is just a baseless projection on how I feel about myself. Maybe people just really dislike him because he's a coward(even tho you say he isn't) and hurts our much more likable main protagonists and antagonists in pretty equal measures. I don't know

[absoluteirony]

I'm pretty bumpned you haven't touched on Jinx's line "Are you real?"when the sisters reunite at the end of ep 6

[percenthealth]

Unlike every other character, Jinx's motivations seem mostly negative. Like you said, "what she wants" is left vague, and most of her actions are instead motivated by avoiding her fears and trauma. She doesn't like memories of Vi. She has trust issues and needs to know what is being hidden from her. She absolutely hates when people lie to her. Even her desire to be seen as a competent adult shows most obviously when she's afraid that she _isn't_ going to be perceived that way.