Season two of “Arcane” gripped its audience from its first to last scene and violently yanked at their heartstrings until there was nearly nothing left.

The second season was divided into three acts, aligning with the story’s traditional narrative structure. The first act was released on Nov. 9, the second on Nov. 16, and the third and final on Nov. 23, ending the season and the entire series.

“Arcane” is an animated show produced by French animation studio Fortiche in partnership with Riot Games. The show is based on “League of Legends,” a video game created by Riot, and was recently announced to be canon. ‘Canon’ refers to established fiction facts and details considered official.

“Arcane’s” story follows the origin of two “League of Legends” champions, Jinx and Vi, and the war between their cities Piltover and Zaun, also known as the Undercity.

The first episode of the first act picked up immediately after the season one finale, showing the instant consequences of Jinx’s actions and setting off a chain of catastrophic events that doomed both cities.

Each act was a hit, leaving viewers anxious for the next release. Social media was rapid in their response to the episodes, quick to release edits, memes, debates, and analysis every week. The audience’s reaction to the second season is no surprise. “Arcane” season two was highly acclaimed.

Every character, new and old, was given space for development and thorough screen time. Three characters consistently appeared on screen but almost never said or did much, and yet viewers came together to speculate on their significance to the story or discuss their opinions on the inclusion of these side characters within certain frames.

The show’s main characters: Vi, Jinx, Viktor, Ekko, Jayce, Mel, and the newly introduced Ambessa each had a powerful character arc that drove the story forward in the most engaging way possible.

“Arcane” demonstrates the different storylines and points of view in a way that remains cohesive throughout each episode, even if the narrative continuously jumps between characters and plot points. The show has developed enough trust from its audience that viewers know that loose ends will be tied up by the end.

Every character had an opportunity to grow in such profound ways that set them completely apart from who they were in the first season. Each character’s story has so many layers that a majority of these characters and their actions have been up for debate by “Arcane’s” fanbase, specifically in musing about whether or not a character’s actions were moral or horrific.

Despite this, the characters retained their fundamental and most recognizable qualities, and the ways in which they changed as individuals maintained “Arcane’s” ability to make each character unique and discernible.

The soundtrack, animation, and art were stunning. There were multiple scenes throughout the three acts that broke away from the show’s typical 3D animation style. From clipped animation frames to flashbacks in watercolor, “Arcane” was unafraid to venture into different forms of artistic expression for key scenes.

The music that accompanied these scenes was equally powerful, especially the music sung in different languages during some of the most emotional scenes of the show. “Isha’s Song,” a Chinese song by Eason Chan, went viral on TikTok due to Chan’s emotional singing.

Every song choice was perfect for the situation it was played in, truly driving home the main theme and feeling evoked from that moment.

“Arcane” is nothing short of a visual masterpiece. Its unparalleled storytelling and creativity push the limits of animation and provide its audience with an artistic feast that will leave them begging for more. Now that the series has come to its close, viewers will eagerly anticipate any future projects Riot has in store.