Summary
Arcane,the first animated series based on the universe ofLeague of Legends, has captivated not only fans of the game but also a new audience, becoming one of Netflix’s major productions. Through impressive visuals and an equally fantastic narrative, the animation has breathed new life into the known characters of the MOBA, as well as creating others just as deep.
However, considering that some script adjustments are necessary to adapt the game’s story to another medium,League of Legendsunderwent major lore changes inArcane. While the universe was expanded, many established aspects were altered, creating a new canon that now directly influences various champions and their stories.
SPOILER ALERT:This article contains major spoilers of Arcane and how it alters the entire lore ofLeague of Legends!
1Singed Became Even More Important In The Lore
Dr. Reveck Influenced Many Events In Arcane
Despite being portrayed as a mad alchemist duringLeague of Legendsmatches,Arcaneadded much depth to Singed’s character. He becomes one of the most important figures in Runeterra, influencing the origins of different characters that MOBA players know.
For example, it was his experiments that brought Vander back to life, now as Warwick, and he was also crucial for Viktor’s resurgence after Jayce’s attack. Known as Dr. Reveck inArcane, he was revealed to be Orianna’s father, a character who didn’t appear much in the animated series but whose death was important for his motivations and experiments.
2Champions Underwent Major Changes
Several Biographies Gained New Events
Arcane’s story was integrated into theLeague of Legendscanon, resulting in significant adjustments to the lore and design of various champions. These changes, which include alterations to their origins, visuals, and context, were made to better align the characters with the series' narrative, bringing exciting news for fans and strengthening the connection between the two universes.
Warwick and Viktor are notable examples of these changes, with visuals significantly different from those presented in the game. Both have a more human appearance inArcane, which modernizes their designs and makes them more coherent with the animation’s plot. However, these transformations altered familiar elements for players accustomed to the original universe.
3Items Have New Origins
Jayce Created Vi’s Gauntlets And Caitlyn’s Hextech Rifle
Despite being a subtler change compared to other retcons thatArcanemade to theLeague of Legendslore, the origin of Vi’s gauntlets, as well as Caitlyn’s Hextech rifle, underwent some changes. Now, they were developed by Jayce, who created them while researching Hextech energy.
Although this change made sense within the narrative proposed by the Netflix series, some events lost impact for those who appreciated the oldLeague of Legendslore. For example, originally, Caitlyn’s rifle was a family heirloom she received after her mother’s death, something that was not translated intoArcane.
4Various Character Relationships Were Confirmed
Previously Only Fan Theories
Various relationships betweenLeague of Legendscharacters were confirmed inArcane, which were previously only fan theories based on character interactions. The sisterhood between Jinx and Vi was clearly established, revealing the complexity of their bond and the reasons behind their actions. This confirmation enriches the narrative and strengthens the emotional connection in the universe.
Additionally, the series revealed the relationship between Caitlyn and Vi, deepening their stories and connections. These confirmations not only validated fan speculations but also provided a deeper understanding of the dynamic the two characters have, which had been shown inLeague of Legendsthrough skins but never in the main universe of Runeterra.
5Several Champions Were Left Out
And Their Whereabouts Were Not Explained
AlthoughArcanedeeply exploresLeague of Legendscharacters, the regions of Zaun and Piltover encompass an even greater diversity of champions. Many of them, however, were not mentioned in the series to prioritize a narrative focused on the protagonists. With the new canon established, the absence of some characters raises doubts about their continuity in the official Runeterra lore.
Popular champions like Ziggs, Dr. Mundo, Zac, Urgot, Ezreal, Zeri, and Seraphine did not have their origins addressed or adapted inArcane’s plot. Moreover, many of these characters have stories connected to events that were altered in the series, making it uncertain whether they are still part of the new canon or will remain exclusive to the MOBA.
6Origin Of Hextech
The Animated Series Brought A New Origin For This Creation
An important retcon thatLeague of Legendsunderwent is the creation of Hextech, a source of technology and magic that has been present in the game for a long time, butArcanebrought some novelties that altered the origin of this energy. Previously, the Ferros Clan had been an important figure in the emergence of Hextech in Runeterra.
Now, although they were still mentioned in the Netflix animated series, much of the credit for the creation of Hextech goes to Jayce and Viktor, as shown throughout these two seasons. This impacts the universe of Runeterra in different ways, as Hextech is a powerful and well-known energy in the game, being important for many champions.
7Changes Also Impact Other Regions Of Runeterra
Arcane’s Ending Showed That Not Only Zaun And Piltover Changed
Arcanemakes it clearthat much of theLeague of Legendsuniverse was altered, and a subtle example that happens at the end is the appearance of the crow, a bird associated with Swain. Despite being a well-made reference, this also causes new retcons in the story since, theoretically, at this moment the champion shouldn’t have made the pact with Raum yet.
Thus, Singed, who helped in Noxus’s invasion against Ionia by making different experiments and chemical weapons, may receive a new role in the lore. The presence of the three-eyed crow represents that, in some way, Swain has already taken for himself the power that belonged to Darkwill, the emperor of Noxus responsible for the Ionian invasion.
8New Characters Were Introduced To The Universe
Many With Potential To Become Champions
Arcanesignificantly expanded theLeague of Legendsuniverse by introducing characters like Vander and Silco. Vander, with his charismatic leadership and complex past, and Silco, a multifaceted antagonist, added layers of depth to the plot, enriching the dynamics between Piltover and Zaun and providing new perspectives for the story.
Ambessa Medarda,initially a secondary character inArcane, evolved into a champion in theLeague of LegendsMOBA and also became even more important during the second season. Besides increasing the connection between the events of the series with the game, there are still aspects of the character’s lore to be explored, mainly related to the past.
9Some Champions' Fates Are Uncertain
One of the significant changes thatArcanebrought to theLeague of Legendslore is that some champions' fates are uncertain. Characters like Jinx, Ambessa Medarda, Heimerdinger, and Warwick are some of the main characters whose destinies are left ambiguous in the last episodes of the animation, potentially causing disconnects with their presence in the MOBA.
Although it makes sense in the context of the series and each character’s arc does justice to what was developed for them during the two seasons, Riot will need to make some other changes to theLeague of Legendslore for these events to make sense in the plot. However, the ambiguous fates of the characters have a significant impact on the game’s fans, as it is not known how these changes will affect the universe of Runeterra.
