I’m sure that someone else has already posted a 2 hour long Youtube video essay about this, but I have the overwhelming NEED to share everything I’ve noticed in the new intro for season 2 of Arcane because my little analyzing cap was immediately peaked the second it started. There is so much to unpack and I’m writing this really quickly so it is possible I’ll miss a few things but let’s get into it anyways.
1. No stone?
Immediately my interest was piqued. The entirety of the season one intro was dynamic stone figures, and we’re just throwing that away for more lax, real figures? I had always thought it was just a stylistic choice, but were the stone figures symbolic? Statues are super closely correlated with history in my brain, so if I took my best guess with my smooth brain, it was likely a representation of how the first season was basically the entire backstory for the real story of Arcane that’s now starting in season 2.
2. Vi wipes her tattoo off
Vi starts off the intro by wiping her very permanent tattoo of her name off of her cheek with a look of shame and sadness. I can almost entirely be sure (especially after watching the first episode) that this is a representation of her values, views, beliefs, and overall her entire sense of Identity are now being questioned in this season.
3. Jinx and the finger gun
In complete contrast, Jinx rises up behind Vi with a determined expression and fires a fake gun without hesitation. Jinx and Vi have completely switched roles, and Jinx is the one who has herself and her goals figured out, and now she is the one who is going to do whatever it takes.
4. Ekko
Man, he just stands there while his shadow moves as if days are going by, he is doing NOTHING this season emotionally.
5. Viktor grabs the mask
Considering his whole arc right now, I’m sure this is representing that he’s about to become a different person (I’ve only watched the first episode by the way don’t come after me if this is obvious) from whatever the HexTech is doing to his body. Again, the mask could be a symbol of an identity crisis or more likely trying to pretend he’s the same as he was when he is not.
6. Caitlyn
There isn’t a lot of symbolism in her scenes, mostly just that she literally stepped into the light, filling the void her mother left and rising to stop the Undercity.
7. Jayce
In his only two scenes, he is blocking out a bright light, I assume a metaphorical spotlight as that is the position he’s in right now with the upcoming war. He definitely is not happy to be in this situation. He doesn’t know exactly what to do, but he has to go forward anyway. He is the man of progress, after all.
8. Mel
She literally appears in the seat her mother was just sitting on earlier in the intro, looking very disgruntled (to say the least). This is the most OBVIOUS way to say that she’s being put in the same place her mother was in that I have ever seen. We see the imposing shadow hands wrap around her as she gives in, likely symbolizing the sheer amount of pressure forced on her to try and force her hand in the war. And a little thought, i think that the rose that Mel’s mother is holding and then crushed is actually a representation of Mel in her mother’s eyes: A delicate beauty that she can control.
9. Jinx (again)
Waving the flag of war. That doesn’t need much explanation lol. We can notice that her gaze is entirely focused on the flag, probably referencing her entire focus is on the war.
10. Caitlyn and Vi butting heads
This one was the most obvious out of these ten. Their values are going against each other now, and they have to figure out how to navigate that.
There is definitely more I could talk about but I have work now <3