Arcaneco-creator discusses how season 1’s major success on Netflix influenced season 2. Premiering in 2021, season 1 tells the story of two sisters struggling to survive in the world ofLeague of Legends. The show received immense praise,earning a 100% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoesand a 96% Popcornmeter score.Arcaneseason 2will be the final season, which will premiere on November 9.
In an interview withScreen Rantabout the upcoming season, co-creator Christian Linke admitted thatthe runaway success made the production process a challenge. Trying to live up to those high expectations created a sense of trepidation for him. He feared losing originality, so he strove to continue to “take big swings” however he could. Check out his full explanation below:
It is daunting. It is daunting. You don’t have anything to lose when you make a first season. And then, it’s like, “Oh s–t.” Now, there’s a certain expectation. There’s an interesting statistic I read about at some point that people in music, people who are nominated for a Grammy, end up, in most cases, losing their originality and their boldness, because now they go, “Oh s–t, here’s something that I did that people said succeeded and defined as my best version. I should not lose that. I should just stay the same.“That’s the most dangerous thing you can do to creatives, which I think is why awards-type stuff is just not the best inspiration for creative work. So, I think we really tried to just stick with our [mentality] of like, “F–k it, do the thing that we want to do, trust ourselves, take big swings,” which we did. So, I think that was the most important thing, and I think we knew that.
What Linke’s Comments Mean For Arcane Season 2
The Show Will Not Shy Away From Chaos
Arcaneseason 1set itself apart from other video game adaptations by honoring its source material, while also acknowledging that many viewers would not know about the game’s lore. It focused on its characters more than the world itself, which allowed unfamiliar audiences to engage with these protagonists without feeling lost.The stunning animation, intricate plotting, and character-driven narrativecontributed heavily to the show’s success. The major reviewing sites reflected a near-universal love for the show:
100%
96%
9.0/10
Living up to that legacy would be nearly impossible, so Linke is attempting to look past the praise. Link intends that the final season will end by honoring the first without giving in to excessive fan service. Thus, season 2 will likely offer every big blow that has left itsArcanecharactersrallying the undercity and potentially encountering the rise of the Arcane. While other creatives might have elected to continue to stretch the story to offer more seasons,the creators set a boundary to ensure that the narrative is not unnecessarily stretched.
Our Take On Arcane’s Rotten Tomatoes Score
The Score Will Be Hard To Match, But Linke Has The Right Mindset
The enormous Rotten Tomatoes score has undoubtedly putundue pressure on Linke’s shoulders. A universally positive response from critics is rare, so it can be a challenge to live up to expectations in its final episodes, and the ending will need to satisfy its viewers without causing any blowback. Linke’s decision to continue to take risks, while also embracing the characters, is proof that he has the right mindset. Though it may be difficult,Arcane’s season 2 trailerhas already shown the potential to match season 1’s success.
Arcane
Cast
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
