“Arcane” is returning for its second and final season after debuting on Netflix nearly three years ago. The acclaimed animated series explores the origins of many of the iconic characters from the “League of Legends” video games. The highly anticipated second season will delve into the aftermath of Jinx’s attack on Piltover and the chaos that ensues.

Sisters Vi and Jinx continue to be at the center of the series, but where they hoped to reconnect in the first season it seems impossible now. The sisters are on opposite sides of this conflict as the divide between Piltover and Zaun becomes untenable. In an exclusive interview with Temple of Geek, executive producer Christian Linke teased a darker second season. This is most notable in Caitlyn who had the most hope of understanding the differences between Piltover and the undercity through her ties to Vi.

However, in the face of Jinx’s attack this hope seems to have been quashed. Linke discussed how this changes the dynamic between Caitlyn and Vi as well as how Jinx is coping with being alone. In the past Linke has made it clear that while this is the end of “Arcane” it isn’t the end of the larger “League of Legends” story. In our interview he shared what the key is to potential spin-offs while remaining tightlipped on which characters they are eyeing.

Spoiler warning for season 1!

Arcane Season 2 Will Follow Caitlyn Down a Dark Path

Temple of Geek: What were you guys excited to explore in the second season of “Arcane” that you maybe didn’t have time to really dig into in the first season or were setting up in the first season?

Christian Linke: We always said to ourselves that season one is all about establishing our characters so they become the characters that they are in our game. Season two, we always said we can take them further to places where we haven’t seen them, our audience hasn’t seen them, different personalities.

I think there’s a lot of darkness in season two that we haven’t explored before, especially for Caitlyn, who is always like the hopeful beacon in season one. Oh, there’s a way to work together with the under city. She’s always that person who wants to make it happen.

Who sees the plights of the under city through Vi. That becomes harder and harder for her in season two when the aggression becomes more and more, the violence becomes more. We haven’t seen that from Caitlin before, ever. So it’s really, 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 show is, it gives a very narrative and character driven reason for each of their fighting styles and their weapons. Why was that such an important part for you guys to be able to, not necessarily establish, but show a motivation behind the way that each of these characters fight in the game?

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

So I think it felt really natural to us. I think also animation, you have a responsibility to differentiate in their styles and making sure that it’s not just the same. So Piltover and Zaun are places of inventions, gadgets, technology, mechanical masterpieces. We just wanted to really 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 that you were most excited to expand upon this season that may surprise fans of the game and kind of the direction that they go?

Christian Linke: Yes. I don’t know if I can necessarily say very much. Yes. I don’t know. I don’t think I can say anything without being spoilery in this part, unfortunately. But yes.

Jinx Has The Freedom To Be Who She Wants In Season 2 Without Vi Or Silco Telling Her Who To Be

Temple of Geek: How has the relationship between Caitlyn and Vi evolved from where we saw them in 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 season one. Here I’m like, holy sh-t, I never heard her have that kind of steal in her voice. I will say that we will see and hear more of that. I think it’s actually pretty, at times, pretty shocking for Vi.

To see a very different version of Caitlyn and to struggle to recognize her in certain times even. I think what Vi really appreciated always about Caitlyn is that positivity and that like, Hey, we can do this. There is hope. Because Vi, she’s a cynical human being when they start their relationship.

So Caitlyn is the example where Vi goes, Oh wow, maybe there are good people among the top siders. Maybe there aren’t all just a–holes. That is becoming hard and harder to keep alive in the second season. So I think that is extremely difficult for them.

Temple of Geek: I love where we left Jinx mentally in the finale where she’d really accepted that was the path she was going to go down. After losing Silco and everything, where is she at mentally when we find her again? There’s this vacuum of power and she’s become a symbol for Zaun.

Christian Linke: All of season one, there’s always someone telling her who she’s supposed to be. You have Vi in the beginning being like, You got to stop messing around with this stuff. You have to fight, you have to blah, blah, blah, be this, do that. And then this horrible thing happens between them in the third episode.

And then there’s always Silco telling her who to be and what to do. And now for the first time after Silco dies, at the end of season one, those voices are gone. Jinx has to really decide for herself, who are you? Who do you want to be? What are you going to do? What are you going to fight for? Do you fight for anything? Are you really the jinx?

Suddenly the world’s an oyster, and that’s not necessarily always a good thing. So I think that’s pretty scary for Jinx on a personal level. I think for a lot of people growing up, this moment of no one will tell you anymore what to do, can be really scary.

Any Arcane Spin-Offs Need “Someone Whose Heart Beats For The Character”

Temple of Geek: “Arcane” is ending with season two, but you’ve said that this is just the beginning of the larger story. What is one of the key tenets you guys look for when deciding maybe other stories that you want to tell?

Christian Linke: Yeah, there always needs to be someone whose heart beats for the character. There are a lot of stories where I’m like, Ooh, I want them to exist. I don’t think I’m the person to do it. We need to find that person.

So every project needs that person where it’s like, Okay, you have that passion, that tie to the character and the story that is personal. Where otherwise it’s just a gig and then things never turn out good creatively. It just has to have that personal attachment

Temple of Geek: Are there any characters that you would like to have a focus on that you haven’t been able to at this point?

Christian Linke: Tons of them. I mean, there’s over 160 characters in our game. I can’t wait to be like, Oh, let’s dream up big things. Let’s dream up new stories. I mean, a lot of ’em. Yes.

Temple of Geek: I love the dynamic we got to see a little bit of with Heimerdinger and Ekko at the end of last season. Will we see them begin to influence each other throughout season two?

Christian Linke: Oh, yes. Yes, very much. They’re a fun duo. Yeah, you’ll definitely see more of them in season two in that capacity.

Season 2 Of Arcane Will See Characters Spiral Into Darkness, But There Is “Surprising Hope For Jinx”

Temple of Geek: One of the things I found really interesting when recently watching the first season is the exploration of technology that’s kind of beyond our understanding and control, which seems more relevant now than ever. Can you talk about how Hextech and Shimmer continue to impact this world throughout the second season and maybe make it even more dangerous?

Christian Linke: Yeah, I think, like you said, I think it is relevant. There is that question. I think especially for Jayce and Viktor. Should you stay in control? And if you stay in control, if technology is threatening, is it really because the technology is bad or because we use it for bad things?

Yeah, I think it’s a big open question that has stood between them, even in season one. So that is a very central part of their story and them having different answers to the same question. Humans tend to be corrupted by power. What does that mean? What do you do about that? And that’s where they have their perspectives on that.

Temple of Geek: Last question before I go. Is there a character this season whose arc maybe surprised you as it began to run its course?

Christian Linke: Yeah. I mean, yeah. I will say there’s a lot of people that spiral into darkness in a season two. There’s also surprising hope for Jinx that I’ve never seen. We haven’t seen in season one. 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) as they end up on opposite sides of a growing conflict between the wealthy utopia of Piltover and its dark undercity whose citizens wish to break away from their oppressors.”

Act I of the final season of “Arcane” will debut on Netflix on November 9. Followed by Act II on November 16 and Act III on November 23.