Testing the waters with the stunning five-minute trailer for Welcome to Noxus, it looks like Fortiche and Riot Games are aiming to drive the focus around to Mel Merdarda and to expanding the universe of Arcane beyond the boundaries of Piltover and Zaun’s iconic conflict.
This development makes perfect sense. Mel’s magical awakening during the chaotic events of season 2, as well as the involvement of the Black Rose in each disastrous event leading up to that transformation, makes for a fascinating premise. Plus, with Piltover’s story finished, it follows that the developers would be eager to take the next chapter to Mel’s homeland where new, stunning vistas can be shown off in all their signature Fortiche glory.
But what, or rather who, is the series leaving behind? Who could provide enough intrigue and excitement to tie in new League of Legends characters and generate their own Jinx-like cults? Read on to find out and see if you agree…
Arcane's universe expands
1: Heimerdinger: Mr Immortal himself
This adorable puff-ball of wisdom has hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of years under his belt. He’s overseen the rise of Piltover, witnessed magical disasters of cataclysmic magnitude, and been bounced through time into an alternative universe. I think it’s safe to say that Heimerdinger has a lot more stories to tell than just the snapshot of his life we saw as the founder of Piltover.
Prequels may be less popular as a rule but the versatility of Heimerdinger’s long life offers ample opportunities to tie in previous themes explored in the series and in a setting like Arcane’s, it would be a real treat to see what the creators might accomplish with a wilder setting.
As a protagonist, however, Heimerdinger may be a little too alien to relate to. Arcane constantly pulls on the theme of time, particularly the long game vs. the live now mentality, and no one embodies that more, at least in the day-to-day sense, than Heimerdinger. He is constantly preaching decades worth of patience to his human friends who cannot relate to such a perception, living for only a fleeting moment themselves.
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1: Heimerdinger: Mr Immortal himself
Ekko is, perhaps, the best candidate for a spin-off series besides Mel considering his distinct style in the original Arcane and the way that he remorselessly pursues his own goals despite the upheavals of the wider plot. He’s an adaptable and dynamic addition to any scene and with the shenanigans that went on leading to both himself and Heimerdinger being trapped in an alternate universe, he has already proven himself to be a compelling protagonist capable of standing with the likes of Vi and Jinx.
An advocate for that live now mentality, it would be interesting to see how Ekko would deal with the uncertain future and the power vacuums left behind following Piltover and Zaun’s destruction. Alongside that, armed with a knowledge of time travel, it might be tempting for Ekko to try and go back to fix certain things. Jinx resurrection arc, anyone?
While certainly a good candidate for the hero of a spin-off, Ekko runs into a few issues in that, unlike Mel, he has no wider connection to the arcane so the magical pyrotechnics of the production might end up a little disappointing following Viktor’s stunning arc in the original series. Also unlike Mel, he has no long-standing villain to carry the plot on a thread that connects to his original story.
3: Vander: The peacekeeper
At the beginning of Arcane, we are introduced to a man who is already sitting pretty on the metaphorical iron throne. He is the thorn in Silco’s side, a practitioner of vigilante justice and a father figure to several scrappy kids just looking to get by. Whilst a prequel-type spin-off might not have the flashy werewolf transformation so well known by League of Legends regulars, it would be interesting to watch Vander develop into the man we know at the beginning of Arcane.
Tackling Vander’s story would open up room to explore a much more conflicted Zaun. The curiosity lies in witnessing the types of enemies Vander would have to face down to shape Zaun in the way that he wants. Who is he doing it for? Vi and Powder? Or do they come later? How exactly did Vander betray Silco anyway? Was it a slow burn betrayal where Silco gradually became more embittered towards his old friend? Or was it something more like one of Jinx’s flashbangs?
While those questions certainly open the doors to intrigue, it does also carry the danger of repetitive content. We were drawn so well into Zaunite life in the original series that a more in depth look simply might not be needed. Vander is a character with interests and conflicts that are relatively uncomplicated compared to those of his charges and like Ekko, he has limited exposure to the arcane until his untimely run in with shimmer in season 2.
More Noxian bang for your buck
With such a diverse cast of characters, it’s no wonder there is a lot to talk about in terms of Arcane spin-off material. Each character would bring their own nuances and problems to a new story but no-one really does open up the world in the way that Mel does in the teased exploration of her homeland. It looks like we’ll still be waiting on someone to inspire those Jinx-like cults but with the likes of Katarina, Vladimir and LeBlanc showing up in the trailer, perhaps we won’t have to wait long!
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