Arcane Season 2 is almost here, and after three years, it’s easy to forget everything that happened in Season 1. From the rise of Hextech to complex relationships in Piltover and the Undercity, here’s everything you need to remember before the new season arrives on November 9.
Act 1: The Sisters, Hextech, and Revolution’s Beginnings
Arcane opens with Vi and Powder, two sisters from Zaun (the Undercity), who lose their parents during a brutal civil clash with Piltover. Vander, a former rebel and now a protective figure for Zaun, takes them in as his own, alongside other orphaned kids.
Years later, the sisters and their friends attempt to rob a Piltover residence, setting off a disastrous explosion. Powder, unintentionally, reveals the existence of unstable crystals that later become the core of Hextech. This catches the eye of scientist Jayce, whose failed experiment in Hextech leads to a partnership with Viktor, and together they create technology that will transform Piltover.
Meanwhile, tensions rise between the Undercity and Piltover’s enforcers. Vander’s truce with Sheriff Grayson is strained as the enforcers hunt for those responsible for the explosion. Silco, a dangerous figure from Vander’s past, sees an opportunity to seize power in the Undercity, orchestrating a betrayal with enforcer Marcus.
The act ends in tragedy when Vi and her friends try to rescue Vander from Silco, but Powder’s interference causes a fatal explosion that kills Mylo, Claggor, and Vander. Heartbroken, Vi abandons Powder, calling her a “jinx.” Silco finds the devastated Powder and, seeing himself in her, adopts her as his protégé.
Act 2: Silco’s Empire and Jinx’s Unstable Mind
The story jumps forward several years. Powder is now “Jinx,” Silco’s erratic but fiercely loyal partner. Vi, however, has been imprisoned, while Jayce has risen to political power in Piltover. His breakthrough in Hextech has brought prosperity to Piltover but has also intensified the division with Zaun.
Silco consolidates his control over Zaun by introducing Shimmer, a drug that empowers its users. Jinx, troubled by her past with Vi, encounters the Firelights, a rebellious group led by Ekko.
In her attempt to prove her worth, Jinx kills six enforcers and steals a stabilized Hextech core, which catches the attention of enforcer Caitlyn. Caitlyn’s investigation leads her to Vi, whom she frees from prison to help track down Jinx.
As Jinx and Vi’s paths cross, old wounds reopen. Jinx’s mental health deteriorates as she battles with loyalty to Silco and her longing to reunite with her sister. When the sisters finally meet, Jinx’s jealousy of Caitlyn ignites, leading to a chaotic reunion that ends in a Firelights ambush.
Act 3: The Clash Between Piltover and the Undercity
The final act shows the inevitable clash between Piltover and Zaun as Jinx’s actions escalate. She kills Sheriff Marcus and destabilizes Hextech, causing Viktor’s assistant, Sky, to die in an experiment gone wrong.
Jayce, troubled by the growing violence, decides to weaponize Hextech for Piltover’s defense. Meanwhile, Vi urges Jayce to take action against Silco’s Shimmer production, but the raid ends in tragedy when Jayce accidentally kills a child in Silco’s factory.
In a last attempt at peace, Jayce offers Silco a compromise: Zaun’s independence in exchange for peace and the return of Hextech. However, Jinx disrupts this fragile peace with a rocket attack on Piltover’s council, leaving Season 1 on a cliffhanger as we await the fate of Piltover and Zaun’s leaders.
The season ends with a glimpse of Vander’s body under the care of Silco’s scientist, Singed, hinting at a transformation into Warwick, a fan-favorite champion from League of Legends.