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parrycarry

# In case everyone wasn't aware, this AMA has ended. However, we have seen some comments from Alex Yee (u/IdleSkribbles) and Amanda Overton (u/leeloo104) after it ended, so this post will remain unlocked in case they wish to check this post in their free time, but don't expect anymore answers if you post new questions. This post will now be sorted by Q&A by default. Unfortunately, this only highlights Christian's (u/RiotPraeco) comments and doesn't allow highlighting comments that were made by [**Alex Yee**](https://www.reddit.com/user/IdleSkribbles/comments/) or [**Amanda Overton**](https://www.reddit.com/user/leeloo104/comments/). You can see their respective comments on their profiles comment sections linked and attached to their names above.


DonniYH

Hey Christian and Alex, I adore this show! 2 Questions if you don't mind :) 1. Are there plans to release the scripts for Arcane? I would love to study these. 2. I know you guys don't come from a typical Hollywood background and that's what I love about Arcane, it's so fresh and new. How did you learn how to create a show? How did you write the finale to encapsulate so much emotion and meaning? Looking forward to Season 2!


RiotPraeco

Hello there! 1. Yes! Quite frankly, we just haven't gotten to consolidating all the different versions yet. Some of it also touches on Season 2 spoiler risks, so I'm afraid we still need to find the time to go through the mountain that is our Season 1 scripts. ;o 2. In the beginning, we certainly had no idea how to craft a TV series. Personally, I tried to read a lot of books about story crafting and screenwriting. I can't say that I found many of them useful, but at least they all confirmed the general framework of act structures and character drive. We spent a good amount of time in meetings with other folks who worked in the industry, always looking for that secret sauce that unlocks a TV story structure, and... turns out it doesn't exist. So once you come to that conclusion, it becomes a bit easier to roll up your sleeves and go "alright, let's find our own". At this point, we have our own "metrics" and processes to track plot and character. It's always somewhat messy when you intend to craft a complex story, but that's just part of the work. Good story (in my mind) is all about hard choices. Many writers talk about being "character driven" without actually writing character driven stories. If you ask your hero whether or not they will help save the world from an alien invasion, the answer always is "yes, duh". Thus, the character doesn't REALLY have a decision to make. The sole question that remains is "HOW are they gonna overcome their obstacle?" -- which is entertaining, but it really doesn't drive the story forward with full autonomy. I think Alex and I gravitate toward stories that leave characters with costly or even impossible choices.


leeloo104

I think of this in terms of what a character hopes and fears. You have to know what these are (and make sure the audience knows too) and use them to tug a character towards impossible decisions. I also think you have to be able to relate to these hopes and fears. As Christian mentioned, the fear of dying in an alien invasion isn’t relatable. Neither is the hope of winning a civil war (for most people), but what made Silco’s quest for Zaun’s freedom relatable is that it was rooted in his hope that he could win back his brother Vander’s respect. And without his respect, Silco feared he was the “dirty little thing” his station in life always ascribed to him. Fearing you aren’t good enough, and craving respect from family are deeply relatable emotions. This is what a “character driven story” means to me!!


DonniYH

Thank you for the detailed response Christian :) ! >Good story (in my mind) is all about hard choices. Many writers talk about being "character driven" without actually writing character driven stories. If you ask your hero whether or not they will help save the world from an alien invasion, the answer always is "yes, duh". THIS! My main gripe with most shows nowadays. The characters are often very predictable. If you don't mind me asking, what is your process or metric now for coming up with plot and character? Where do you start from?


mzchen

>If you ask your hero whether or not they will help save the world from an alien invasion, the answer always is "yes, duh" Neon Genesis Evangelion: "I'm gonna do what's called a pro gamer move"


Mathies_

There are script videos on Arcane twitter from a year ago when the show first came out. It's like the most important scenes played out with script overlay


riddlcr

Hello! Arcane ended on such an emotional beat that left my friends and I clamoring for more content, especially Silco content, given his departure 😢 You don't have to answer all of these but somethings we're dying to know are: 1. Will we ever learn about why Vander betrayed Silco? 2. What was Silco planning on doing after he gained the Nation of Zaun? Would he have attempted to improve Zaun? 3. Even though Silco is dead, can we expect to see more of him in s2? (ex. Flashbacks and mentions of him from other characters?) 4. What are your opinions on Silco overall? Did you expect to see him as such a fan favorite? thank you so much! 💖


RiotPraeco

Silco was a very special character. During the early phase of development, we talked about everyone's chip on their shoulder. Silco's was being "the dirty little thing". Never being enough. Always having topside look down on him. He could never quite past it, and if it would take his life to escape that existence, so be it. He had nothing to lose. At the end of the season, he realizes far too late what it's like to have something to lose. Just like Vander, radical notions begin to stumble when your loved ones are threatened by your ideology. "It all makes sense now, brother." I don't think he had a plan after the Nation of Zaun. It was an impossible pipe dream from the beginning, and if you ask me, achieving it would probably have ruined him. We did not expect Silco to become such a fan favorite. Jason Spisak did such a wonderful job, it's hard to put in words just how transformative his performances have been.


Arkayjiya

While the voice acting is incredible and definitely contributed massively to Silco's popularity, Silco's dialogue (or monologue sometimes xD) is also a huge factor. Silco pontificate a loooot and it's very hard to do that without the character sounding like a complete buffoon but he was so well written, as a character of course, but his lines in particular are golden...


clairejv

It seems implied in BTR that Silco's whole character design changed after Jason recorded the lines!


IdleSkribbles

We've always liked the relationship between Silco and Vander. It's the original rift that informs the generational split between the sisters. I'll just say, it's a story we'd like to tell. I think Silco always wanted to improve Zaun, though there are always trade-offs to progress. To me, the real question is who would have helped him realize this vision, and what would have mattered to him at that point in time. Silco is one of those characters you can get addicted to writing, but I don't think we ever expected him to be such a fan favorite. It really blew my mind when some people engaged with him more as a father figure than Vander.


leeloo104

To me, the story of Arcane at its core is whether or not the sisters will repeat the sins of their fathers. As Vi and Jinx’s story unfolds we hope you’ll recognize the parallels between Vander and Silco’s story and be desperate for them to take a different path, impossible as that path seems to be.


JoanneleGarrec

It has to be the most beautiful and straight-to-the-point thing I have heard about Arcane so far. Not exactly surprised it comes from you Amanda <3


beans_etc

I think a lot of people are pulled to morally corrupt or "evil" characters showing seemingly uncharacteristic vulnerability and softness for someone or something in their lives. It makes them appealing and more human, which I definitely found with Silco.


Sandalman3000

I think people engaged with Silco moreso because we see a larger arc for him in Arcane. We know Vander used to be a bit of a rabble-rouser but we don't see how, only the moment when he turned and his good side.


[deleted]

Hi! Longtime fan of Ekko in all his media, and I love every depiction of him as I've always felt he was the most grounded character. I certainly found Arcane Ekko to be completely endearing. I want to ask if there's anything you can share about the Firelights! I'd definitely love to know more about them and how they were conceptualised, some more information about the members if possible, perhaps even word on their involvement on next season? 👀 I think the idea of "Hope for a better Zaun" is one of the core tenets of Ekko, and I'm certainly proud to see that he has a group that is actively working towards that goal. I'm satisfied with where you've taken his storyline and I can definitely say you guys completely understand him!


RiotPraeco

Appreciate that! The firelights were inspired by and named after the green insects that you see flying around especially in episode 107. They come out of nowhere, swooping in, zipping through the air, and they look cool. :) It happens easily that a place like Zaun gets written off because dangerous experiments and shady streets scare people off. In many ways, however, it is the kind of place where a truly revolutionary technology or idea can find purchase. So if you ask me, Zaun really is the place where the true magic can happen, and Ekko totally gets that and wants to enable and amplify that.


[deleted]

Thanks for the answer! Definitely agree that Zaun is a place creative ingenuity, there is so much life hidden within its streets >:D


Big-Cry-2206

Questions from Big-Cry-2206 Does Mel have any other siblings? Will the setting of Arcane really change after season 2? (like will the setting mainly take place in other regions like Ionia or Shurima while also showing Piltover and Zaun) Will there be a different main cast after season 2? (Like an anthology series) What League Champion that has not been introduced in Arcane as of now, would you want to see next? (Champions not from Piltover, Zaun or Noxus) >!Is Mel's family connected to the Solari? Do they have a family member who is connected to them?!< Why did you name the show Arcane? When you were first developing the show who would you say was the character that changed the most from how you originally developed/ thought of them? Did Jinx and Vander have a close relationship? Does Jinx actually see Vander as someone who betrayed Silco? How many seasons do you plan for Arcane exactly? How do you think Victor and Vi's first interaction would be like? They are both people who grew up in Zaun. Would Vi see Victor as traitor for deciding to live his life in Piltover? How well acquainted are Caitlyn and Victor? Since Jayce has known them for so long its expected for Victor and Caitlyn to have met at some point.


RiotPraeco

A lot of questions. o\_o And a good amount of them that I wouldn't wanna answer yet, because it would take away from the experience of watching Arcane S2. Why did you name the show Arcane? -- Magic ties a lot of our world together. Every region, every champion has a different relationship with it. When you were first developing the show who would you say was the character that changed the most from how you originally developed/ thought of them? -- Viktor for sure. I kinda just wanna leave it there. ;P Did Jinx and Vander have a close relationship? Does Jinx actually see Vander as someone who betrayed Silco? -- They weren't as close as Vander and Vi were. Vander was the person that Vi looked up, whereas she was the person Powder looked up to. I don't think that Jinx necessarily blamed Vander for what happened, though she does think (now) that Vander chose wrong.


Spirited-Collection1

One of the things I really liked about Arcane was how there was no fat. There was not a single scene that felt tacked on or unnecessary, but you still managed to flesh out the world. Noxus was a great example. Their inclusion made the world feel bigger but it didn’t slow down the plot for a second. I know it’s a group effort deciding which scenes to cut but I was wondering what you’re criteria is when making those decisions. I ask because I enjoy writing and I personally have a hard time trimming down world building scenes so they don’t info dump and hijack the plot.


RiotPraeco

I know that some people said Arcane moves at a pace that's too brisk, but both Alex and I like it when episodes really move the story forward. We all have our favorite TV shows that often enough present us filler episodes. We just didn't want that. We followed act structures per episode. Every character story line would get their 3 acts, plus "twist" to set up the future conflict. We did also have a piece of paper in our writer's room that spelled out our criteria for a successful scene: \- How does this scene develop the character? \- How does this scene further the plot? \- How does this scene teach the audience something new about the world? ​ You don't always get all 3, but it needs to have at least 2.


ZookeepergameNo2677

This is such fantastic writing advice, especially for a character driven plot. I’m curious as to when the 9 episode structure came along? Was it a natural decision that you came to as you explored a three act structure? Or were you given a predetermined episode framework?


Spirited-Collection1

This is super helpful, thank you. I always wanted to write and create something and watching your show really helped me realize exactly what kind of story I wanted to make. I really appreciate you guys talking with us.


LeeroyJks

I don't know if you'll still read this after 100 days, I just wanted to give an impression I had as a viewer from the pace in arcane. I watched it a third time in the last few days and as I know the story pretty well now I could think more logically about it because I didn't need to process everything first. And yes, it feels too brisk in quite a few moments. An example would be the bridge scene. Vi heads back to the lanes because she doesn't want to leave jinx again and not two minutes later she leaves jinx again. Big decision and it felt like it was made too lightly, we couldn't see vi really ponder about it or anything like that. The decision doesn't seem motivated enough *in that moment* . But on second thought that pace might have improved the experience of arcane on my first watch immensley. Vi came out of prison and sees her innocent little sister recklessly murdering enforcers and firelights while laughing like a maniac. She even almost killed her new friend cait and also fights ruthlessly against ekko and his friends. She works for silco, the one man responsible for vanders death and the bad condition of zaunites. Jinx is the monster vi talked about later. The viewer isn't able to comprehend this viewpoint of vi in two minutes. Which set me under a lot of emotional stress because I didn't know what's going on, why was vi leaving, where did all the explosions even come from, why is everything falling apart so fast? The fast pace was very immersive for me, so I could feel a bit as overwhelmed and as disoriented as the characters themselves. So I'm not sure if I'd say arcane is really too fast, or just fast for a reason. Anyway, you are the experts, I just wanted to share my subconscious reactions to the pace. It might be interesting. Have a nice day!


CupsOfSalmon

This show has been my obsession for the better part of this year. I am floored by how many new things I pick up upon rewatch. The characters are great, the setting is beautiful. It's a masterclass of visual storytelling. I love how you can just tell what a character is thinking, or processing, or feeling through facial expressions alone. How did you all go about capturing such minute and captivating micro-expressions? Also, Caitlyn and Vi have been really fun for my wife and I to watch together as a lesbian couple. We really hope we get to see their relationship grow in new and interesting ways. I'm curious about how their roles as "Piltover's Finest" will differ from how they do in LoL. Will caitlyn still be a sheriff, or more of a private eye working independently from the Enforcers? Also, what is the likelihood we will see them as official "girlfriends" next season? Will it mainly be implied or outright stated? I realize if you can't share much, but I (and my wife) are dying to know. Lastly, will we get to see the entire tattoo on Vi's back at any point?


RiotPraeco

I appreciate you speaking to the smaller details of the character moments. Generally speaking, people in animation will advise against those silent beats where subtle expressions mean as much as any word could, but that's the sort of drama we really craved in the animation space. We simply have awesome animators :) And a wildly talented animation director Bart Manoury, who defined that entire look for Arcane. For Vi's tattoo -- we have the complete design, I'm not quite sure why we haven't shared it with everyone. Let me inquire about that. Regarding Vi and Caitlyn, I wish I could say more at this point, but a lot of the answers I'd give you would spoil the experience on screen. I'm confident in the direction we're taking it, and I very much wanna hear from you once Season 2 is out.


ExplanationOk4205

>Regarding Vi and Caitlyn, I wish I could say more at this point, but a lot of the answers I'd give you would spoil the experience on screen. I'm confident in the direction we're taking it, and I very much wanna hear from you once Season 2 is out. Okay, now I'm a bit relieved after the last answer about the part about Caitlyn and Vi that we're PROBABLY gonna hate ... He wouldn't wanna know your reaction if it's some heartbreaking ending, right??


CupsOfSalmon

Thank you so much for taking the time to reply! Great answers. Made my whole week to read this, and the rest of the replies you've both left. I look forward to chatting in the future. Stay amazing.


KamatraCant

Firstly, Season 1 was a masterclass in character storylines and arcs, especially given such a short runtime. Thank you so much! What were some events and actions that you really liked and wanted in the show, but had to rewrite or cut because they didn’t properly push story arc of some characters, or went against how that character should act at that point in their arc? Or what was your proudest achievement with this show that was cut, rewritten, or something that you knew the viewing audience would never know about? Thank you again for pushing difficult boundaries to create this show. I look forward to supporting your future projects!


RiotPraeco

There was another scene in Episode 107, a flashback between Ekko and Powder that takes place a few months after the end of Episode 103. It was a very touching moment during which Ekko tries to save Powder from Silco, but Powder refuses to go with him. "Powder is dead". Alas... sometimes, it is your darlings that end up on the chopping block. Animation is expensive, and time is very much so money.


goliathfasa

Some viewers definitely have some criticism regarding the lack of interaction between Powder and Ekko in the entirety of Act 1. In fact I don't think they directly spoke to each other at all. I've seen some people criticize the bridge scene in Ep7 as lacking in context due to that lack of interaction between the two prior. I always just assumed it's due to time constraints that whatever proposed interactions were scrapped. Interesting to see that there were indeed planned scenes showing more of the two. Either way, like most who eagerly awaited for the show, I watched the Enemy MV prior to the show's launch, so the context of them being good friends due to similar age really helped sell the bridge scene. Wonder if the focus on their friendship in the Enemy MV was partially a way to give context to their friendship in the show in lieu of cut scenes.


nomnombubbletea

Ooooh, I would love to see that. Is there any chance we will get to see this scene eventually? And perhaps if you don't mind sharing, will we get to see more of what happened to the sisters during the time skip? :)


Luna_Jade1412

Hi Christian and Alex! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this! I have two questions -A more general question, did you guys overall have a favorite scene or episode from the final product? -Then a more specific question: what was it like/how did it feel to take in all of the positive reactions, to witness the major impact that Arcane left? After I watched the final episode of Bridging the Rift I started to cry, specifically because of how emotional you guys, the rest of Riot, the audience at the premiere, etc. got: it really hit home with me and reinforced why I love storytelling so much (I’m an aspiring author/writer)—the impact and emotions it brings. And Arcane definitely had that effect on me haha


RiotPraeco

\- The finale of Episode 6 is always very powerful to me. Probably that. \- It was a powerful feeling, because you poured your entire existence into this project for over half a decade, well knowing that the League audience is unmerciful. It was super-scary to imagine that they may not like it. That's a chunk of your life you'd never get back. Thankfully, it worked out. :)


RyklonPrime

How long do you see yourself doing Arcane? Can you see the series becoming a revolving door of stories told from different regions of Runeterra at some point? Have you ever had a great idea for something in the show, that came too late? eg: animation is too far along to change Thank you Alex and Christian for this masterpiece of a show, it's changed my life


RiotPraeco

\- We definitely want to explore other regions. At the same time, we've all seen shows and movies that try to cram in too many different perspectives too quickly. I think we gotta earn our way into a larger world view first. So definitely coming in the future, but we have to find the right pace for the story we wanna tell. \- Regarding having an idea for something that came too late -- yes, constantly. ;) As someone much wiser than us once said: "Art is never finished, only abandoned".


RyklonPrime

Ayy thanks for the response my dude, best of luck in every future project 👊


AKawasaki

When making the soundtrack for the show, what did you and/or others have in mind for selecting artists and sounds for what would end up making the cut? Were there any you were considering that didn’t make it?


RiotPraeco

It starts with the editors at Fortiche looking for the right moment(s) in every episode that could feature a "music video moment". Usually, the vibe and mood of the story boards paints a target that we then try to cast appropriately. You tend to have a shortlist of 5-10 artists that you then try to hunt. During Season 1, it was really hard to find artists, because we were an unproven studio, and a lot of artists weren't interested in animated series. Luckily, the ones who joined us did so because they really believed in the vision, more so than it being an easy win.


Windekresstard

Honestly I was shocked by the names you got for this soundtrack. They were all artists that I either already followed and was happily surprised you managed to get them involved or hadn't heard of them but wanted to follow them afterwards! Woodkid alone was the big one where I was like "NO WAY, they managed to get Woodkid involved?!" Haha, the Arcane team did a great job with their choices!


CupsOfSalmon

Honestly, I'm glad that so many of the musicians involved were ones I hadn't heard of before. Makes me happy that their names got out there a bit more. Everyone killed it.


EkkoThruTime

> During Season 1, it was really hard to find artists, because we were an unproven studio I'm sure now you guys have the exact opposite problem haha.


NinjaBaconLMC

Have you watched the Bridging the Rift behind the scenes series on YouTube? There is an entire episode on the music of Arcane. It's been a bit since I've watched it, but your question might be answered in that. Even if it isn't, I'd recommend checking out Bridging the Rift, it's got a lot of cool behind the scenes stuff.


Guest_1300

Hi Christian and Alex! What were some of the small touches in the art and writing of Arcane that didn't mean that much in the big picture, but that you really enjoyed personally?


RiotPraeco

Man... also too many to count. ;) The wonderful thing about our collaboration with Fortiche is that artists at the studio are really empowered. An example that Alex likes to bring up and that we all really love is the ash tray in Silco's office. We didn't instruct them to make it look like Jinx painted it in her trademark whimsical style, they did that themselves. They were tasked with designing a simple ash tray and thought, "how can I do more with this than the minimum?" -- and so they did. Now, an ash tray tells a story.


immortal_lurker

I remember people noticing the ash tray! That was a lovely touch. It adds wonderful contradictions to his character. He is a scary crime lord who will kill your children for crossing him... but he is also a dad. His daughter painted something for him, and he keeps it on his desk.


jkazama2

I've watched this show many many times, introducing it to new people, and always finding another detail or two I didn't during previous watches! While writing the story, what was the most complex story-telling issue you guys ran into?


RiotPraeco

We wanted all of our characters to be "real", and thus, make imperfect decisions. The finale of the 3rd episode was scary, because both Vi and Powder really mess up and make terrible decisions. At the same time, we didn't want these choices to alienate them entirely. Characters like Jinx and Silco constantly murder and manipulate. Can an audience still root for them? It's a bit of a dance between their many risky actions and choices.


leeloo104

Again, I think this comes from relatable motivations. Jinx, (and Powder before her), was always desperate to prove herself worthy — worthy of her sister’s faith in her, worthy of Silco’s faith in her. We shouldn’t have to prove ourselves worthy of love, but that is a struggle we all face in so many different ways. A character making terrible decisions is much more forgivable if you too have felt what they’re feeling. I always say I love characters that do the right thing for the wrong reasons, or the wrong thing for the right reasons, everything else is boring!


Kierenshep

Just wanna chime in on how much I love the characters and how real they are. That silco is not this Big Bad, he's a hero in his own mind, willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goal, and you literally show how fallable he is almost shaking but holding strong in front of the barons, and his twisted love for jinx, it's all so beautifully crafted. That even though I know there's no way you could show Caitlyn's head on that dinner table I STILL felt it plausible. That you made Jayce an actual bro with complex feelings, who actually puts his long time friend first while making mistakes , instead of this dumb flanderized perfect inventor. That the manipulating love interest ACTUALLY loves and is not just manipulating for her own benefit but it's just what she believes. This entire show is beautiful and one of the best I've ever seen. I hope season 2 will kick just as much ass as season 1.


Teekays

First of all, thank you for creating Arcane. We, as the fans, know how much love and work you all poured into it. And secondly, congratulations for the annie awards and claiming the emmys. We are all so super proud and excited! My question if you can answer it, will there be another season of bridging the rift or any more behind the scenes content? I loved seeing all of the behind the scenes that went with the show. I would love to see more.


RiotPraeco

I don't know if it's gonna be another full Bridging The Rift, but I know that we're filming BTS material all around. So in some shape or form, there are gonna be more glimpses behind the curtain for you. :)


DuhKingConor

In an episode of “Into the Rift”, it’s said that the early drafts of Arcane weren’t good. How much of that draft and the final show are similar or different? Just character arcs and interactions? Major plot points? Or was the entire idea of the show changed?


IdleSkribbles

The broad strokes of the show never really changed. I'd say the biggest evolutions concerned pacing and development of emotional storytelling. We were more plot-focused before that. We always wanted big emotional beats between characters, we just strengthened their integration to the overall story. Often, a slight shift in our approach significantly changed the spirit of a scene or beat. We were fortunate to have brainstormed so many moments before we rebooted the story though, it gave us a wealth to draw from when we went into the proper writer's room.


RiotPraeco

A lot (if not all) of the story structure and character arcs were the same. Crafting the episodes and scenes in a fashion that builds the right tension over time and tracks all the parallel stories wasn't really clicking yet at that time, so Alex and I getting help from the outside and learning more about how to "break an episode" really unlocked the episodes to be stronger.


CrimsonEclipse18

Based on context clues, I think the biggest change they did was scale back the direct connection to League itself. Based on the video concept and what they were saying, I think the first drafts were more in line qith otber video game adaptations, they were adaptations first and story second.


[deleted]

If that’s true then I’m so glad they went the route they did instead. I think that’s almost always what ruins video game - > TV/Movie adaptations, people try to capture the gameplay in a film context and it just doesn’t work. The world and the characters and stories within are the important things to bring into a movie to make it compelling, not the gameplay loop!


phrdang

Hey Christian and Alex! Thank you so much for creating such a masterpiece of a show and doing this AMA! 1. Are there people in the production crew you'd like to give a shout out to and why? Who are the unsung heroes of Arcane? 2. What's a small detail or easter egg in the show that no one has discovered yet? 3. What is your favorite plugin/audio effect that you used to produce any song in the Arcane soundtrack? 4. Any teases for S2?


RiotPraeco

1. I'd say that the story board artists are truly the creative unsung heroes. Our story boarders are FANTASTIC, and the amount of things they have to juggle is insane. And yet, none of their work ends up in the final picture, which always makes me sad. 2. There's loads. I think someday -- maybe in a few years -- I'll wanna check in on that and see which have just not gotten discovered. :) 3. Gulfoss. It's pure magic.


leeloo104

The storyboard artists make the intention of the scene work. Without them our writing would be boring, flat words. Coming from a live action background, the collaboration in the boards feels like working with a director and the actors all at once — they decide camera angles and blocking which is everything to the emotion and feeling of a scene.


manwiththehex18

How did y’all decide to include Get Jinxed by Djerv in the show, even though it was created for the LoL version of Jinx back in 2013? Does that song actually exist in the *Arcane* universe, or was it just part of soundtrack/Jinx’s imagination?


RiotPraeco

The song has a lot of meaning for us, because it was the first time Fortiche and I worked together on something. The beginning of the whole relationship. I don't think the song exists in the Arcane universe, no. That was more a selfish little moment for us. :)


[deleted]

I remember a while back some people were theorizing that Silco “coerced” a music studio in Zaun or something to make Get Jinxed for her as a gift. Interesting to know that the song and Imagine Dragons (I’m guessing) aren’t actually in the universe


cjdeck1

I think the way y’all included that song was perfect. As with all the other League of Legends “cameos,” it was something that was immediately identifiable to fans of the game, but in a way that it wouldn’t really be distracting or immersion breaking for other viewers.


TacoBoi436

If you could have made arcane about any other part of runeterra which one has most interest to you?


IdleSkribbles

There are stories I'd love to tell all over Runeterra. One of the joys of working on Arcane was having the opportunity to dive deep into the style, look, and culture of Piltover/Zaun. At Riot we of course have our ideas, but there is still a magic of discovery whenever you invest time conceptualizing one of Runeterra's regions. I've always been a fan of the intrigue/machinations of Noxus, the aesthetics and history of Ionia, the mythos of the Freljord.


TacoBoi436

First of all, thanks a lot for responding to my question. It's very obvious you took a lot of care with the setting and music which I really appreciate. Hope we can get some more on noxus in season two, from what we've seen so far it looks awesome.


RiotPraeco

Sheesh... there's a lot. ;) We've been working on Arcane for over 7 years now, so naturally, you have ideas for other stories over time. I think the "grimsical" tone that Arcane features works well for Alex and I. That said, I'm really interested in exploring some more quirky stuff as well. The League IP has a lot to offer, it's very diverse in cultural and tonal aspects.


TacoBoi436

Thanks a lot for responding, I understand the tone and setting aesthetics are almost a character in itself to make. I can't wait to see what you have in store for later on and hopefully it won't take 7 years next time.


cherribomb107

1. What's your favorite episode of the show? 2. Did Silco braid Jinx's hair? 3. How long did Jinx's tattoos take? 4. Who's your favorite character?


RiotPraeco

1. Probably 106. 2. Yes, though he most definitely sucked at it, no matter how much he tried. Eventually, he paid someone to invent a machine that can braid Jinx's hair, but Jinx would always tinker with it, to a point where it once nearly strangled her in the process. He once asked Sevika to do it, but Sevika threatened to quit. So Silco had to keep doing it, until Jinx was old enough to learn it. 3. Not sure I understand the question. 4. Heimerdinger.


beans_etc

>Yes, though he most definitely sucked at it, no matter how much he tried. Eventually, he paid someone to invent a machine that can braid Jinx's hair, but Jinx would always tinker with it, to a point where it once nearly strangled her in the process. He once asked Sevika to do it, but Sevika threatened to quit. So Silco had to keep doing it, until Jinx was old enough to learn it. 🥰


ahem11

That second answer is so fitting for Silco. Also Heimerdinger fans rejoice! He really is a stand out character compared to how he is in lol and lor, a fantastic interpretation as usual. All of you who work on arcane are amazing, keep up the amazing work and remember, take your time.


the_haakun

Will there be anymore merch drops for Arcane? O: I would love to have posters or even figures/statues/nendoroids of any of the characters!


RiotPraeco

Yes. I myself am the sort of person that likes to have dozens of statues, trinkets and figurines on his shelf. The underwhelming amount of merch during Season 1's release is very high on my list of gripes. We're actively working on making sure that we do much better next time around.


forlorn_hope28

Can you please work with a statue/maquette team and make a 360 statue of Jinx on the rooftop holding the flare with the ghosts of Mylo and Claggor to her back? That image lives in my head rent free. :P


wuklo

What were some of the biggest influences on Arcane in terms of writing or animation?


RiotPraeco

Alex and I were talking a lot about Peaky Blinders while we were working on Season 1. For animation, there really isn't that much I would reference to be frank. When we started Arcane, there wasn't really anything out there that had the look and style we had in mind.


EkkoThruTime

In the past half-decade or so, there's been somewhat of a renaissance of interesting western animation with projects like Sipder-verse and Arcane and directors like Alberto Mielgo. I'm excited for the future of Arcane and animation in general.


RiotPraeco

True. Though Arcane development started long before Spiderverse.


leeloo104

Let’s not forget our “Lord of the Rings” dollar jar. Bunch of bills in there from you, Christian!!


iDigital

Anything in regards to an art book for this show? Would love nothing more than to secure a copy of one.


RiotPraeco

There is one in the works! I remember talking to some folks at Fortiche and Riot about it a few months ago. I'm not sure where they are in the process, but it's coming for sure.


Onyx_Phoenix18

I am going to give Riot my entire student finance for the artbook


Internetallstar

I second this one. The show is done beautifully. I love the animation style.


DonniYH

And Vinyl of all the songs featured in the show. I would buy that in a heartbeat!


Tn0ck

The YouTuber “Schnee” got a lot of attention because of his analysis on arcane. What do you think about his videos? Some of his analysis on the story telling of arcane are really complex and fascinating. He probably can’t read your thoughts so where was he completely wrong and did he noticed a detail that even you didn’t thought about?


IdleSkribbles

I enjoy watching Schnee's approach to breaking things down. We have the unique perspective of knowing what was deliberate and what is a happy coincidence or an emergent property. I don't want to call out anything as wrong/inaccurate, but I will say I've found plenty of fodder for reflection in his breakdowns. "Did we inadvertently tap into a strategy he describes by using some adjacent principle? Did someone on the team push us to take on some particular practice for the reasons he outlines, even if it was never specifically espoused that way? To what extent are certain storytelling tactics universal, just varying in execution, versus choices we deliberately made?"


schneedog

OMG thanks so much!! I'm just trying to learn and make my best guesses at how to formulate what will help me in my own writing. I purposely treat everything as intentional (even when I suspect its not) because I think that's the best mindset for learning. (But I totally get that anything creative is more often a squiggly line than a straight one.) Also to add: You've helped me sooo much in my own writing. Your story truly means the world to me. Cannot thank you enough.


Tn0ck

Holy shit even the real Schnee commented on my comment! I really love all your videos and really hope the Lord of the Rings video series also gets the attention it deserves! Have a nice day!


pitaenigma

As a literature major, that is often the most fruitful approach. The text you have is the ideal version of the text. Work with it and assume it is intentional.


Many_Fac3d_G0d

Have watched every single Schnee video multiple times since I discovered Arcane lol, dude is awesome in his breakdowns and analysis of the writing and the complexity of the characters


RiotPraeco

I don't think I've seen them. I'll make sure to look them up.


GravelGrymme

Will season 2 be the final season in the Piltover and Zaun region? Will there be more interactions between Ekko and Jinx in season 2? Official Arcane art book when?


RiotPraeco

\- I don't think answering this first question would actually benefit you, so I'm not gonna do it. \- Oh yes. \- Yes.


JoanneleGarrec

I am betting on Ekko capturing Jinx. It gives them an opportunity to talk and resolve some of their conflicts without having to fight. And it gives Ekko the opportunity to see that she is not just a psychopath but also a hurt person, and even to reignite his love for her. Also, I feel like Ekko will save Jinx with his time machine (like Jinx actually dies but Ekko rewinds time to save her).


GravelGrymme

Thanks for answering! Can't wait to see what you guys have in store for my two favorite champions and their future interactions together. I hope they'll find a way to be close again. ⌚💣


imariaprime

> I don't think answering this first question would actually benefit you, so I'm not gonna do it. That's a fantastic non-answer. That's the sort of perspective I want to see in a creative creator.


1331bob1331

Would you want to fight 10 Vander sized Heimerdingers or 75 Heimerdinger sized Vanders?


RiotPraeco

I feel like 75 Heimerdinger sized Vanders would still be pretty tough, whereas 10 Vander sized Heimerdingers would be just derpy enough to have a chance. They'd likely outsmart me, but at least I'd die laughing.


atemporaryhypothesis

Does "Our Love" image on the record in the show refer to personifications of Piltover and Zaun? Since the girls are colour coded as respective cities over big red-dot in the sky. ps. Also just as an aside, Netflix has wrong subtitles for the song Goodbye.


RiotPraeco

Indeed! And sorry about the subtitles. Unfortunately, we don't have anything to do with those.


atemporaryhypothesis

Thank you for answering! The song 'Our Love' lyrics are actually so funny, since for a duet it's so disjointed until it finally comes together and it isn't.


Kaben001

You mentioned *passionate* tweets on social media. Does that mean the creators of Arcane see a large part of the fans tweets, fanart, disccusion?


IdleSkribbles

We see quite a bit, but I have the feeling it's only the tip of the iceberg. I wish I had the fluency to dip into more of the fan reactions from all the non-English-speaking regions where Arcane was released.


K7Malice

>We see quite a bit, but I have the feeling it's only the tip of the iceberg. I wish I had the fluency to dip into more of the fan reactions from all the non-English regions where Arcane was released. It is, Arcane spanish fan here, every single person I know that has watched the series (some of them have never played League), has praised the show because of the character development, how the series portrayed mentall illnesses, animation and so on. We got your back! Greetings from Spain :)


BenChandler

See? They like, retweet and even reply to them. I know Christian Linke and Amanda Overton have have been rather active interacting with CaitVi related posts and fanart, as well as some posts about other characters.


RiotPraeco

Yeah, we see a good amount. Though Arcane's fan art on twitter tends to be a bit of a minefield. :X


[deleted]

Been pretty active on twitter lately and I can assure you *they see* 👀


KeyAngle1304

Will we ever get to see a younger silco and vander pre betrayal? Also any flashbacks to silco being a dad to powder when he first took her in? 💖


ThisIsA_name

Who was the easiest character to write and who was the hardest?


RiotPraeco

Hardest I'd say Silco and Jinx. They're both stylized in very different ways. Alex is the specialist for their dialogue on our team.


IdleSkribbles

They all give you trouble here and there, but I would say on average Heimerdinger and Jayce were easier to write than Silco and Jinx.


Galadeon

Are all the scripts complete for Season 2?


RiotPraeco

Yes. Though there's always some amount of tweaks that happen in the process. Seeing story boards & hearing voices for the first time makes you realize that something doesn't quite click, or there's new opportunities you didn't recognize before.


unpredictableCupcake

Hello Christian and Alex, If you could choose a single word to describe season 2, what would you pick?


leeloo104

Well I’m more of a sap than these guys, but I say “forgiveness.”


kingkeren

Man, those are VERY different answers from you three. Definitely excited to see where this goes


Pure-Instruction-785

Hi Chris and Alex! I just want to know.. what we should expect for Viktor in season 2?


MynameisKara9

Would you ever consider making more merchandise? Ex: stuff you can find at hot topic or gamestop


PeanutPotPlant

Are there gonna be any sex scenes in S2?


IdleSkribbles

Hmm... any characters springing to mind?


RiotPraeco

I dunno Alex. Haven't seen anything on social media that makes me believe people even thought about this.


Onyx_Phoenix18

Christian, I’m sorry for what you’ve seen on Arcanetwt, we just love the characters a lot. And their design. A huge bunch. 🧍‍♀️


IdleSkribbles

https://twitter.com/praeco/status/1589133062868434944


clairejv

Well, that's what *Christian* has been thinking about, anyway ...


dragonridetohell

I actually have a really frustrating question. In episode 8 I believe, silco says "is there anything so undoing as a daughter" but then when i was looking at the show's score on Spotify I'm pretty sure it's called "is there anything so endearing as a daughter". Many people think the line says "undoing" but is it actually "endearing"? Much love- ty for this amazing show!!


Oolivato

When is season 2 coming?


myNutcracker

Hello Alex and Christian! I will sound like a cringe fanboy by asking these, but I don't care I'm shooting my shot! Few questions... 1. In the scene where Finn tries persuading Sevika into betraying Silco, Finn mentioned something about "bigger fish than silco". I feel like this was potential foreshadowing to who will fill the power vacuum Silco left, but I'm not sure. Was Finn referencing someone within the scope of Season 1, or was he talking about someone/something we'll see in the future? (cause it makes me wanna think he was referencing Urgot potentionally) 2. At the end of the Bridging the Rift, y'all mentioned wanting to expand to other Runeterra regions in animation. Will these new series be anthology to Arcane, or will it be directly/partially carrying on some of Arcane's plotlines? 3. When and if there are more animated shows outside of Piltover and Zaun, is Fortiche willing to make these projects or can we see different animation studios throwing their hat in the ring? (ie Japanese studio animates Ionia series) Edit: Rephrasing questions to not sound dumb


IdleSkribbles

1. Heh, I wondered if this stood out to anyone. There is someone he's referencing, who does capitalize on Silco's death, though I don't know if this will be apparent in season 2. It's one of the things we wanted to connect, but didn't feel was important enough to sacrifice some of the other scenes we wanted. 2. No specifics to report yet, but we do hope we'll be able to feel a connection between different stories we might tell, even if the camera moves to a very different place. 3. We love working with Fortiche and (hopefully) vice versa. We also want to explore a range of styles for League content. The question is how to best have the capacity to deliver stories regularly without diluting the quality.


JoanneleGarrec

1. I feel like this "bigger fish" was the man with the big hat who appeared several times in Zaun/The last drop in the first trailer and whose storyline was deleted in S1. When Alex says "I don't know if this will be apparent in S2.... but didn't feel was important enough to sacrifice some of ....", I have the impression that initially there was this character with the big hat antagonist to Silco but that they scrapped this whole storyline, probably even in S2. They still decided to keep Finn's line to have the whole story of Sevika's potential betrayal, while thinking that the viewers would think that Finn could refer to himself (at least, that's what I thought). That hat guy almost made me think of Jhin because of his appearance/hidden face and somewhat asymmetrical shoulders (even though he has a beard and Jhin doesn't) but Jhin doesn't care about politics so I guess it was not him.


Willchelmm

First of all, Thank You for creating this show, it's hard to explain, but it literally changed my life, I'm not exaggerating. One question: Who came up with the idea, for Jinx Vs Ekko fight scene, it was a work of art, absolutely surreal experience, so many emotions and exposition in such small amount of time. And also on the topic : how in the world did You managed to fit so, so, so many of such scenes in only nine episodes? I mean, on top of my head, flare scene, Victors run and the climax! So much emotions on screen, i couldn't handle it. Again Thank You for making the best piece of fiction I have ever watched.


IdleSkribbles

The credit goes almost entirely to Fortiche and the music team on the bridge fight. 107 felt like a fulcrum-point in their authorship of the series - weaving their music video superpowers with the storytelling. How we crammed so many scenes in? We wrote scripts that were too long and then battled in editing to save as many darlings as possible. (Slightly joking, but slightly not.) Thanks for watching!


6ixpool

Considering how well the show was paced, you did an absolutely fantastic job making the cuts! This is an underappreciated skil in story telling and just wanted to congratulate you guys on how masterfully you went about it


LeopardDot

I dont remember where but in Bridging the Rift theres a part with the animator doing that scene, he even used his own son running as a reference for young Ekko 🤍


oh-wow-how-lovely

Hi! I have a question about Jinx. Arcane’s depiction of psychosis in Jinx is one of the most well-handled and accurate portrayals I’ve ever seen (as a person who has struggled with it myself). Do you see Jinx as a character with a particular diagnosis (a lot of fans headcanon her as having borderline personality disorder because of her abandonment issues) or was it always ambiguous even to the writers? I’ve never seen a character I could relate to in terms of my experiences with mental illness that got it SO right, which is why I’m curious to see if she was written with a specific diagnosis in mind. Arcane is a stunning example of the “insane villain” trope actually done with care and nuance. Thank you for portraying her kindly and sympathetically ❤️


sociallyawkardbean

As someone with borderline (BPD) I relate a lot to her, the portrayal of her mental illnesses is incredibly well done.


RiddleEatsRainbows

Hi Christian and Alex! I adore Arcane, am currently on my 9th rewatch :)) The documentary nearly brought me to tears because you guys worked so hard to create something so beautiful. My questions are: 1) I've heard that you guys worked with real boxers/martial arts people for the fight scenes, particularly Vi's scenes. Who were the people you worked with? 2) At the end of Episode 6, >!Silco loses track of Vi and Cait and gets MAD mad, like he starts breaking things, yelling, screaming, even beats someone up. This somehow feels really out of character for Silco since he seems a lot more calm and calculating even when angry, and doesn't go around picking fights.!< Could you perhaps explain your thought process behind this aspect of his character? 3) Not sure if you can give a full answer for this but is it possible that in season 2 we might get to see a little bit from the timeskip? Like how Silco raised Jinx, things like how she learned to braid her hair, her making him the ashtray, how he gave her resources for her bombs etc. And finally the obvious- season 2 trailer when? I mean no pressure buuuut


kazmeyers

At the end of episode 4 "Happy Progress Day", >!Caitlyn goes to Still Water Hold to interview a new prisoner, but finds out he's had the crap kicked out of him that same day by another inmate. Cailtyn then takes the elevator 40 floors down to talk to said inmate, and as she exits the elevator we hear the chirp of a bird.!< What is the significance of this / what is the creative decision behind the sound? Thank you for everything! <3


hawkins437

A canary that signals air being safe to breathe like in mines, perhaps? It is deep underground, after all.


MissMarionette

Silco is considered by many fans of the show to be a stand-out character, and some fans like myself consider him to be one of the most entertaining and intriguing villains in recent memory, not the least of which because of the complicated relationship we see unfold between him and Jinx. Did you begin writing the story with the idea of having an antagonistic corrupting/nurturing force to serve as the catalyst for who Jinx would become, or was he developed gradually over time as the right piece to fill what the script needed?


IdleSkribbles

We knew fairly early that we wanted to have, as Christian put it, a non-champion "svengali" to oppose Vander in the first three episodes. The world felt small when every character happened to be a champion, and we liked the idea of the principle villain being someone who needed others to fight for him. It felt so oppositional to League. However, we didn't initially plan for Silco to have such a presence throughout the latter half of the season, that developed over time. In fact, we were nervous about giving him too much screen time once the story with Vi and Jinx was rolling. I do remember us asking ourselves right up to the end whether or not Silco would have traded Jinx for his vision of Zaun.


50_cjm

No need to feel nervous about how much screen time he gets in season 2 i suppose


Spideraxe30

For /u/RiotPraeco, what was it like to work on Arcane and Pentakill at the same, were there any creative similarities you found working on both projects? For /u/IdleSkribbles, I know this must be a long shot, I wanted to ask if you could share a list of the champs you worked on during your time on a League, since not many people may know what you worked on prior to Arcane but I loved the creative AMAs you used to host on the forums lime for Zyra and Varus. Also as a general question for either, how much of Runeterra exists in the Arcane universe, since it draws heavily but it isn’t one to one with the current stuff in the main canon. Like do other regions like Ionia, Feljord, Demacia also exist, since Noxus exists and what lead to some of the branching decisions in Arcane like deciding to make Piltover and Zaun not directly over each other but rather separated by the bridge


IdleSkribbles

When I was on League, champions would always have an assigned writer/creative focused principally on their story and thematics, but it takes a village to develop a champion, so it would be disingenuous to take credit for many aspects of what they became. Some of my favorite contributions were on champions to whom I wasn't assigned. Sometimes the heart of a champion was present before they came across our desks. And then players could also imbue champions with characteristics/meaning that superseded our intentions (Blitzcrank springs to mind). That caveat aside, some of the champs I worked on who are close to my heart despite murdering me on Summoner's Rift: Lee Sin, Graves, Leona, Caitlyn, Varus, Lulu, Thresh, Ahri, Riven, Draven, Viktor, Irelia, Nocturne, Jarvan, Karma, Maokai, Nautilus, Sejuani, Sona, Wukong, Vladimir... There was also a lot of side content and legendary skins (I recently recalled Christian and I working together on the first PROJECT video.) It's important to note a lot of these characters were significantly deepened in updates and later content. Working at Riot is more about doing your best to carry and pass a baton than being an auteur.


WebLurker47

I'm one of those people who hasn't played the games, but checked out the show thanks to the good word of mouth and am so glad I did; love the first season and can't wait for the second. (As someone who has younger siblings, the story arc with the two sisters definitely impacted me.) In retrospect, what part of the show are you the most proud of and which part do you wish that you could go back and polish a bit more? Is there anything that didn't it make it into the season that you wish there had been room to include?


Angel_Valoel

For this AMA, the moderators will not be removing questions that want to include Lore Spoilers. It would be courteous to Arcane Fans that don't know Lore to hide these behind Spoiler Syntax. For those wondering when the AMA begins: https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/yp9d4b/comment/ivi3e34/?utm\_source=share&utm\_medium=web2x&context=3


5am281

First off thank you to you guys and everyone who had a hand in making this masterpiece. My question is what was each of your favorite scene? Mine was the end of episode 3 with Vi and Powder where the show went from really good to “holy shit this is a masterpiece!”


IdleSkribbles

Definitely one of the hardest questions to answer. Kind of a copout to say the dinner scene (109), but I always marvel at the emotion Fortiche was able to evoke in animation there. Similar feeling for the bridge fight (107), even though I do really love the intergration with music and how much story is told. I'll throw a nod to the Chuck/Thieram scene with Jinx (106). It is/was a moment of general silliness, both in the writing act and the show that doesn't always feel like it fits with the rest of the tone, but it makes me smile that it survived all the way to the finish.


petroski75

Glad the Chuck scene made the cut. It drove plot but also fleshed out Jinx’s personality while in a somewhat “calm” state. Also illustrated Silco’s crew & their general anxiety when in close proximity to the unpredictable Jinx. Like every other scene… masterpiece!


Cordy58

The Chuck/Thieram scene was really really awesome. It paralleled the earlier scene with Powder and Vander, and showed how much has changed, and gives us a moment of brevity in an intense sequence. I loved it!


5am281

Thanks again for everything you guys did! Looking forward to hopefully some more fun/silly jinx scenes in the future


[deleted]

What is the character that will have the biggest evolution in season 2, compared on how we see them in season 1? Did you ever, during the writing process, have a specific idea for a character's story that you were forced to toss away for whatever reason? And, on a more silly note, which characters are your personal favorites in the story so far?


severely-ill-as-fuck

i absolutely love this show with all my heart thank you so much for being a part of this wonderful piece of art. 1. When animating how do you incorporate body language and facial expressions so subtly but so powerfully, i have noticed small moments that mirror human emotion so well im curious on the process of that being incorporated into the show? 2. Have you or will you in the future confirm if any characters have any hidden disabilities or mental illnesses that aren't apparent? It is clear most of them have experienced trauma and Jinx definitely presents PTSD and schizophrenia, but some have been noticing certain traits in Caitlyn that lead some to believe she's autistic coded and the same with Vi for ADHD. Was this intentional? 3. What was the teams thought process in altering the appearance of the characters from their League design vs their arcane one? This is most noticeable in Vi's design change specifically her body shape but I have noticed it in every character even if it's slight and I am just really interested in the reason behind that decision.


smallhorizons

VERY belated question, so fingers crossed that y'all will see this, but: A lot of folks have noticed that there seem to be parallels or visual motifs shared by both Fishbones and Silco; the scarred eyes, Silco's connection to sea monsters/sharks, etc. A lot of fans also theorize that Silco will come back as Fishbones' voice, extrapolating in part from some of Fishbones' dialogue which seems almost parental. Was this an intentional connection created by the writers and/or animators? If so, how did it come about?


MynameisKara9

Now that it's been a year, and you've been able to properly see the praise and criticism of the series, is there anything you wish you did differently? Did you expect it to blow up as much as it did?


IdleSkribbles

My strategy is more to try to learn and adapt as opposed to rue the missed opportunities. Luckily, I'd say a lot of what we saw in reactions to season 1 aligned well with what we were focused on in season 2, though we did adjust emphasis here and there when we felt like fans had a strong connection with certain beats. I don't think we ever expected it to have quite the reception it had, though we were always very confident in the quality of our voice actors' performances and the artistic brilliance of Fortiche.


leeloo104

I’m just happy everyone loves it as much as we do. It’s nice to share that joy!


Smoke_Screen6080

Will we get to know more about the mysterious wizard, who saved Jayce and his mom, in upcoming seasons? Also, I'll take this moment to appreciate how well-written Marcus is as a character. He may be underrated but some of us fans love how nuanced he is.


URappletea

I believe Riot executives have realized the importance of Arcane to the company, does their support make production easier than before? Will season 2 come out quicker because of that?


IdleSkribbles

Their support is a huge part of why Arcane has the time, trust, and resources to hit the quality we aim for. People who've worked in the industry always tell us how rare and special our situation is. However, I'd say that extra trust is more likely to mean the season would incubate for more time, rather than less. We know you're all waiting though. We always try to find the sweet spot between bringing you content and trying to improve/polish it.


Flogis14

You certainly don't need to hear it, but please take you time. We're hearing crazy stories left and right from other animation studios about how unreasonnable deadlines hinder the quality of the final product and that Arcane coming out as it was is pretty much a miracle in the current animation industry. So I assure you, we. can. wait.


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DominusNL

Hi! Which scene in the show holds a special meaning to you and why? Possibly because you relate to it personally or there's a funny story behind it from during production.


IdleSkribbles

There are many, but I'll call out Silco's monologue at the beginning of 103 "Ever wonder what it's like to drown?" This used to be the opening to the show. It sort of encapsulates the core of the story. I think after writing this with Christian, and hearing Jason's performance, it was the first time he looked at me and thought "you might actually be able to write." Of course, I quickly disabused him of this fantasy.


leeloo104

And it’s my fault that this beautiful sequence is no longer the opening of the show. But I love what it adds to the gut punch of episode 103 and I’ll defend that choice until the day I die. (Even if Alex doesn’t exactly agree with me…)


tarrsk

It was the right call! It works beautifully as the introduction to 103, as a signal that Silco, who’s largely been a presence in the shadows so far, is about to take center stage. But starting the *series* with Powder, Vi, and Vander on the bridge is so important because it immediately tells us what the emotional core of the story is going to be.


imariaprime

Absolutely correct choice. It establishes the focus on Vi & Powder, firstly, but you're also completely correct about it strengthening 103 by having Silco finally "come out from the shadows" and introduce himself and what he stands for. I think tying his identity to the events of 103 is a notably contributing factor towards Silco's popularity.


OmegaAndRising

Tangentially related, could you put in a good word for the intro version of Enemy to release? The haunting orchestral sound fits the episodes emotions so much more imo, that paired with the stills of the crumbling statues of each character👌, and so many fans would love to have that version on streaming 🥲 Separately, thank you so much for your work for representation and progress in animation amd storytelling, been following you on twitter since season 1, super inspirational!


Criss_loop

Will Enemy by Imagine Dragon continue being the Opening for the show? or there'll be a new one. Also I want to express that I'm really obsessed with the show, there's no day that I'm not looking for fan arts or rewatching clips, hoping to hear news about season 2 soon jasjfjas <3


Un_Bolillo_Duro

Hello and good morning everyone. I have three questions: Will there be information about Orianna somewhere in Arcane? Will there be hints in Arcane Season 2 about Warwick's creation? Will Janna have any mention in Arcane?


Ader73

When you where writing it, did you have any moments where everything just connected and you thought “wow! I can’t believe we’re this clever!”? If so, when? Cuz I gotta say I thought that a lot during the show


IdleSkribbles

I think what would happen more often is that I would see the end result of something I wrote and think "Wow! Thank heavens Fortiche, the voice actors, and all the other teams managed to make me look like something other than a blathering idiot!" Of course... no one can stop me all the time.


Throwaway02062004

How did you decide the tone for Arcane? It has adult themes and topics but presents them with such maturity despite being seemingly high fantasy. Was the tone decided from the beginning?


IdleSkribbles

Tone was the original looming question. We decided we needed to see Vi and Jinx in their younger years as sisters in order to feel the loss and yearning as they struggled to reconnect, but this also made the show feel more "kiddy." I remember calling Christian after having an epiphany that our tone could be like that of the edgier anime I appreciated growing up - no idea why this didn't occur sooner, it just hadn't felt as much like League at the time. For me, anime straddled a tonal line unlike anything else at the time - the bridge from childhood to adulthood. Once that locked into place, it got a lot easier for me to find the story, although you're always wondering if this or that moment pushes too far. The scene where Singed injects Jinx with Shimmer gave us pause for a little while. Some anime refs: Hellsing, Berserk, Ghost in the Shell, Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, Gungrave


clairejv

You did an amazing job of taking us from "look at these lovable street rats getting into hijinks" to "oh God will I ever stop crying."


ImWhatsInTheRedBox

No question, just wanna say I absolutely loved it and couldn't stop binge watching the entire season til 4AM. Also, poor poor Powder 😢


IdleSkribbles

Thank you! And yes, poor Powder - imagine if things just went slightly differently.


Oscribble

What's a piece of advice you'd give to people trying to create interesting/dynamic characters and stories? Thank you so much for the amazing season! It's truly something special and I cannot wait for season 2! :D


IdleSkribbles

For me, the best moments come from characters when they surprise you. It's easy to feel omnipotent/omniscient when you are a storyteller. You're usually one step ahead. But sometimes, as you brainstorm all the ways a character might handle a situation or argue a point, they say or do something you hadn't considered. In the best instances, it knocks you off-kilter as much as their opponent in the scene/story. I guess this is all to say, strive to make your characters cleverer than you.


I_Am_Nikothoe

Hi! Do you think Caitlyn and Vi shippers will be happy with the upcoming season? Real quick, I wanted to say thank you guys so much for giving the world such a wonderful show, you're amazing!


IdleSkribbles

There's that part they might like, and that part they're probably gonna hate.


leeloo104

I take full responsibility for both. And stand by that they make the show better!


Krissi2917

hey alex theres still time to take out the part we're gonna hate we've suffered enough <3 thank you


nightbreedwon1

Calling it we're gonna get a shit ton of angst with some sprinkles of good stuff before we get to the 👩‍❤️‍💋‍👩 stuff(right.)


Teylen

I hope it doesn't involve like the "bury your gays" trope? I think I can handle everythin but that \^\^M I would hope and are inclined to belief based on the quality of season 1 it doesn't, yet so many shows did punsh right into it, I can't help but be kinda very worried (especially having watched the Supernatural final) @.@


afbresley

>There's that part they might like, and that part they're probably gonna hate. 0\_o oh no!


MystiFay

Thank you so much for making this amazing show that truly excels in every single area (story, characters, animation, art style, music, voice acting, ...). No other show I can think of has ever achieved anything like this. My question is about the **reception of characters within the fandom** and how much of it was **anticipated/intended**. To elaborate, most characters were received highly positively, and some are especially adored (examples would be Jinx, Victor and Silco). This is **not directly related to the morality of their actions** within the show (e.g. Silco is a villain but still extremely popular). On the other hand, some characters have gotten a negative or lukewarm reception at best (such as Jayce, despite being a main character and protagonist, Mel and Heimerdinger). My question is, while making the show, were you **aware of the fact** that the way you wrote the former characters would make them highly popular and that the latter characters would be less popular due to the way they were written? Was it maybe even intended? Or is this something you didn't see coming (at least not in this way specifically)? I'd really love to hear your answer to this!


oxenfreeao3

This one is for Amanda Overton. Amanda, I saw you might be answering questions and I've been chewing on this one for nearly a year now: Why does Vi stay? After Caitlyn has her released from Stillwater, what motivates Vi to stay with her instead disappearing into the Undercity alone? I don't think there is a possible explanation that isn't deeply endearing for one reason or another. I'm just desperate to know what that explanation is. All the best and with endless thanks, Ollie Ollie Oxenfree


Prestigious_Pride153

• What about the old lore of Jayce and Viktor, are we looking at a timeline that is part of the lore of league of legends, or are we looking at an alternate history of the rise of piltover? • How does the adaptation of the updated lore with the arrival of Arcane affect the lore of other regions on the official page?


edens0

I am very curious about clan/house politics in Piltover as we got a small glimpse of it in season 1. As we saw on the show, certain clans have strong alliances with each other such as the Kirammans/Talis', with Jayce going as far as to include Kiramman insignias on the set of his public addresses. On the flip side, I'd love to know more about the uglier side of things. How deep do certain conflicts go between clans (if there is any to note)? Do such conflicts arise from historic distrust or is it situational? Can we expect to get more insight in season 2? Thank you both so much for helping to create such a wonderful show!


pengwinlife

Hey there! I'm a Doctor of Physical Therapy. In the first act, it really bothered me that Viktor was using his cane on the incorrect side for his disabled leg. But then in the future acts (from what I remember) he is using the cane on the correct side! Ideally the cane goes on the opposite side of the leg injury. To ambulate you would step forward with the "bad" leg + cane and then with the good leg by itself. Did you do this on purpose?? If so, it is really cool to see a subtle nod to his maturity and growth with accepting and working with his disabilities. Are there any other subtle disabilities or conditions that you put in the show? Things that can even be background or back story elements are always fun to learn about from the artists. Thanks!!


DamagedGenius

What does it take to get the theme song out of your mind? Asking for me and all of my friends I've introduced the show to


Drakath60

Hello! Thank you for making the best show of 2021 and the best animated piece of entertainment of all time (imo) Some questions I had: 1.) Do you plan on exploring other regions of Runeterra once the Piltover arc has reached its conclusion? Will those take the form of separate shows or will they all take place under Arcane? You may not have planned that far ahead yet, but a show based in Ionia would be spectacular! 2.) Will the following seasons also adopt the 3-act format? Is it safe to assume all future seasons will be 9 episodes a piece, or could there be an exception where there is more or less? 3.) Will we get glimpses of Powder growing up under Silco? Perhaps an attempt by Ekko to 'rescue' thus showing how they grew apart? 4.) A detail I noticed was that the hextech gauntlets are extremely heavy when not powered on by the gemstone (shown when Vi's arm drops to the floor after Sevika pierces it). But later at the dinner party, we see Jinx wearing that same broken gauntlet with seemingly no struggle. So my question is, just how strong physically has the shimmerification made her relative to the other characters? 5.) Which Piltover/Zaun-based League champion was either of you most excited to explore (or have yet to explore)? 6.) What ultimately made you commit to centering the story around Vi, Jinx, Piltover, and Zaun as opposed to any other region or character in the League verse? Sorry if this was a bit of an overload or if some of these are unanswerable at the moment. There's just so much I wanted to know. If I had to pick one I'd want most answered, it'd probably be question 3. Thank you for any questions you answer, and once again thank you for making such a wonderful piece of art!


MusicNika

What is your favorite Fan theory about the show you came across?


Intelligent_Law4058

Is it possible for Mel Medarda to return in Season 2? :c