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My Sonic 4 Villain Theory

I know logically the villain will have something to do with Chaos, but let me offer an alternative: Stone.

Stone being the villain is an idea I've seen thrown around, but let me put my own hat in the ring of what he would be doing.

An angry and grieving Stone wants vengeance on Sonic and friends for not saving his Doctor. He decided the best way to enact his revenge is to fight fire with fire. He knows that the only one who was able to soundly beat Sonic was Shadow, so he goes searching. He either finds a grievously hurt Shadow that he puts in a healing stasis or a bunch of Shadow's quills (either in military wreckage or amongst Gerald Robotnik's belongings), and proceeds to build an army of metal Sonics powered by Shadow's quills.

I personally lean more towards Stone finding a weakened Shadow and forcing him to produce energy, maybe using special inhibiter rings or something. I think having Shadow-who's completely done with the revenge business-be an angel on Stone's shoulder could be an interesting concept, especially since Shadow was was both loved and used by two different Robotniks.

We could also have Omega be Shadow's prison guard who comes to care for him and actually help Shadow recover.

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Sonic 3 Initial Thoughts

So I saw Sonic 3 and I really liked it. Adventure 2 has my favorite story of the franchise so even a loose adaptation was great to see (they even referenced Shadow the Hedgehog by having Shadow's origins be a black comet).

The only part I had a problem with was how they shied away from everything being GUN's fault. Gerald was hired to create the a weapon, a life form that could also cure his granddaughter's illness. Then the project gets out of hand and GUN wants to cover it up, so they kill everyone and imprison Gerald to keep him working for them (and they later kill him anyway in an amazing cutscene). GUN spends the whole game doing their best to keep the cover up going and doubling down. They are the real bad guys. This is still in the movie but it feels glossed over.

I loved Maria and Shadow's dynamic. We didn't get too much time with them, but the way it was shown-that Maria was the only one in the facility that didn't see Shadow as a monster/alien/things to be studied and Shadow being someone Maria could play with. I wish they had included a line about Maria wanting to experience the world beyond where her grandfather went for research, that she and Shadow planned to explore the world first hand when it was finished, and Maria's last words of protecting the world. Being the world's protector despite everything the world has done to him is Shadow's most important trait and I feel like it could've been touched on more.

The fight between Shadow and Sonic was amazing. Shadow goading Sonic into killing him, pointing at his heart the same way Maria and Tom have done to each one, and that connection being what snaps Sonic out of his anger was perfect. Then going on to watch the sun (a still living star) rise over the earth while they talk. Gorgeous.

Knuckles and Tails were relevant! This is always something I worry about in sequels that add to the cast, but they were handled perfectly. Knuckles being the guardians and having the final say of giving Sonic the power. Tails being the brains and moral support, as well as peacemaker between Sonic and Knuckles. It all evened out very well.

Lastly, Stone and the Robotniks. While I have mixed feelings of him being alive in the movie's present, Gerald is a fantastic villain. His line of "You're not Maria, Ivo" was brutal. I was wondering how they would work out a living Gerald with access to a living grandchild still wanting to destroy everything, but having him purely treat Ivo as a shell throughout was perfect. Ivo himself just wants to be cared for, something he thinks only family can provide for him despite Stone being right there. It's this familial requirement for affection that allows Gerald to use him and for Stone to be forced out, and if they do bring him back (which I really hope they don't) what his new dynamic with Stone would be now that he knows Stone really does love him.

All and all, a great film and I'm excited for the fourth. I'm really excited to see how Amy and Metal Sonic are handled, especially now that SEGA is writing her as an actual character lately.

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Wicked Part 2 Theory

The biggest problem with splitting the movies between the two acts is that act 2 really is the Wizard of Oz's background political shenanigans. So how do you make another film that isn't just the Wizard of Oz or thirty minutes long? You make the Wizard of Oz thirty minutes longer.

Really dumb point, but hear me out.

Have Dorothy get involved with the story; show her bonding with Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion, with Glinda, and have her learn about the Witch through others. It not only would be a great way to reenforce just how effective Oz's propaganda is, but you could also have a plot of kind, empathetic, and honest Dorothy learn the truth and be outraged by being used by the bullies instead of standing against them.

The Tin Man and Lion are vehemently against Elphaba, so you can have the three arguing over the bucket and Dorothy accidentally splashes the water to still have her 'kill' the Witch. An infuriated and distraught Dorothy confronts and demands the Wizard grant her and her friends' wishes, because otherwise it would have all been for naught. Maybe she learned from Elphaba that the Wizard is a fraud in some way, so she send Toto to find the real Oz behind all the fanfare to confirm that-once again-Elphaba was the only one truthful to Dorothy.

This would also help with the "I'll miss you the most" line she gives to Scarecrow, because if he was giving her hints throughout and trying to stop the Tin Man's wrath towards the Witch with Dorothy. I don't think Dorothy would be in on the faking Elphaba's death plan, but I could imagine the Scarecrow talking about the 'girl' he loves and hint at weather or not Dorothy figures out that Scarecrow's 'girl' and the Witch are the same.

Finally, you could include Dorothy in Glinda's dressing down of the Wizard and in a bit of development for Glinda. Dorothy tells Oz that he has to do something good in his life, that he has to help Dorothy after making her a part of his mess and having her kill the only person actually trying to do good.

With Glinda, Dorothy would act as a bit of a mirror and memory. Dorothy has Glinda's dreams and Elphaba's heart, Dorothy wants that somewhere over the rainbow but is not willing to sacrifice her family or the well being of others. You could have a scene before 'For Good' of Dorothy telling Glinda her values and Glinda remarking on how much Good-er of a Witch Dorothy would be, of how Dorothy is just like Elphaba in her morals and stubbornness. Glinda could even talk about her friend Elphaba without Dorothy realizing she means the Wicked Witch. Glinda would say how much she wishes she could be like her friend and Dorothy would tell her that she just needs to be the person her amazing friend saw her as. Then you have 'For Good' a scene or two later.

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I just know Ekko is never gonna tell Vi about the other world, because the second she puts two and two together that her death made everyone's lives better would be the end of what sad excuse of self worth Vi has left. I trust that Ekko knows well enough to not mention it.

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Act 3 Thoughts

Watched Wicked, came home, waited 20 minutes, binged Act 3. I do not recommend this lifestyle. Anyway...

I was so satisfied with where we ended up, but I would have also appreciated about 20 minutes to an hour more. It felt like some beats were skipped over, they wanted to get to specific endings and didn't have the time to wrap them up as neatly as I would've liked.

Maddie is a good example. She's a plant for Ambessa, okay but when and why did she become one? She couldn't have been one before Cait being named commander and when we next see her she's pushing for Cait to take power back from Ambessa. Did Ambessa just message her right after Cait and Vi started working together again as like a "the woman you love's actual love is back in the picture, you can either wallow or get revenge with me", but also made a smarmy remark about Cait 'at least being warm' or something. We didn't need to absolve Cait or villainize Maddie for their 'relationship' because they didn't even have a relationship-just a coping mechanism for Cait, similar to Vi's drinking. At best it was all unnecessary and at worst a waste of time.

Away from that, I want to focus on some good.

I am officially a JayVik shipper now. Them disappearing into a void together, encircled with each other, after Viktor spend however long within timelines/multiverses in hopes of finding a Jayce able to bring him back to his humanity? Come on, they needed to kiss. Especially after Jayce and Mel's low key break up. Honestly we were denied the three of them working together, because they would have been unstoppable.

Speaking of Mel, I love her. I love her design, her powers, her matricide, her taking command of Ambessa's armies, etc. I wish we could have seen more of her adapting to her new powers, finding peace with what she now is. There could have been a cool interaction with Viktor over how Arcane power has changed them both for better and worse.

I don't think Mel's story is done. With other characters, I can see them coming in for future story arcs as like, cameos or background details, but if the next LoL story is in Noxus I fully expect Mel to be a major player again.

Back to Jayce. I like Jayce, that could be my Arcane hot take, and I definitely want to write something more in depth on him. On all the characters really. For now, I'll just say that his determination to destroy everything he has built, because the only creation worth saving is his relationship with Viktor is just... glorious.

Viktor was amazing. I love Viktor in the lore, and they took his traits from the lore and amped them up to eleven. His body being destroyed and rebuilt, the process of which has chipped away his humanity and mutilated his dreams. He lives up to his own quote: "In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good. We have to make it right."

Ekko is a character I never realize I miss. That sounds mean, it probably is, but I am never the less so happy to see him every time. It's like finding the missing piece you didn't even know was lost: that is Ekko to me. His mini adventure in the parallel universe was adorable. Us getting to see what could've been alongside learning what matters most to Ekko, him getting a taste of a near perfect life and still choosing to return to his own time. That's why Ekko is the true hero of this story.

In terms of Jinx, I'll just say I'm not a hundred percent sure she's dead. The airship leaving at the end followed by her scribbled sign off, plus not getting a dead body shot. It was definitely left open ended. Her looking to do something good, to not mess up, alongside her fear of not wanting to try again because she is just tired of failure, of being a Jinx, was too real in many ways. I will go in depth on her at a later date.

Caitlyn's arc is going to be argued about, no question. It needed more time (see the start of this long post) to make her point of her anger burning away, of it not being sustainable, hit harder. I would have made her realize what her anger was doing to Vi, have Jinx point out that they really are acting the same in their treatment of Vi, and use the whole Ambessa was literally stoking the fires of her hatred to help fit what time they had left. Honestly just have Cait learn Ambessa was the one behind the memorial attack, that would be a much better way to explain her anger diminishing enough to look beyond her own hurt to realize and take account of her mistakes.

Vi, as usual, needed more screen time. Not necessarily because her story would've been helped by it like in act two, but just because I wanted her to have more time to enjoy her life. I went into act three with the sole hope that Vi would have a nice day, only for her to loose everything again. The only people she has left are Cait and Ekko, and god help anyone who tries something against those too now. Her ending being the chance to finally rest, to lean on someone else, was beautiful. She is my favorite character and please let her have only good things in the future, she was traumatized in almost every scene this season please-

Nobody tell Vi that in a universe where she died young everyone else ended up living. It would destroy her.

Vi and Cait relationship was great. I wouldn't say it was rushed in act three, because it felt like it was where it should be for a final batch of episodes, if that makes sense. It felt like the set up was Cait being genuinely remorseful and Vi just wanting someone in her life who wanted her in return. It helps that they have great chemistry and that when given the chance they fit so neatly together. I think Jinx encouraging Vi to be with Cait is what sold it to me. Jinx realizing how much Vi has given/sacrificed and giving her blessing for her sister to be happy with someone she disapproves of; not to mention Cait pulling the guards from their posts to give Vi the chance to actually meet Jinx in order to have that conversation. All in all, it comes down to Vi's "I don't care" because that's really all there is too it for them. Vi is done being miserable and Cait makes her happy, vice versa. Cait is someone Vi can rely on, Vi is someone Cait can find strength in.

Spitfire round:

Sevika being made a councilor

Every single one of Mel, Cait, and Jayce's designs were 10/10s

Vi not being given an actual uniform, just armor and the gloves

Jinx cutting her hair further to match Vi

Ekko getting his crystal sword/bats

Heimerdinger dying after living a life where he could make his city something to be proud of

I was fully expecting Vander and Silco to kiss in that one shot

Everything with Benzo

Loris' name being said

Vi humming the song and the song being their mother's lullaby

Viktor being held within the Herald

Sky leaving so Viktor was free to bring Jayce to his space mind palace

Caitlyn's rifle never surviving

Fishman McBlue being the only one of Cait's soldiers to stick to his guns and stay loyal

Sevika and Shoola side eyeing each other

Vander and little Vi and Powder with the bunny

The bunny being a passenger on Jinx's balloon

Singed's messed up family getting a happy ending

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No gonna lie, I was really hopping for a scene of someone (Jinx, Loris, whoever) sobering Vi up Inigo Montoya style

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my headcannon is that Vi recently learned the word mongoose and now keeps bringing it up

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Maddie and Caitlyn and Piltover

Probably the most jarring twist of the Act was Maddie and Caitlyn's relationship. It seemed very sudden, until you take a look into the few lines from her in Act 1 and realize they all centered around Caitlyn. That Maddie was the first Piltie to 'dedicate her heart' to Caitlyn with Noxus. Maddie likes Vi because Caitlyn vouched for her and deems her 'one of the good ones' because of Caitlyn.

Let's talk about Maddie: she's an average young Piltie. She's Cait's age, give or take, and feels hurt both by the recent Zaun attacks and Marcus' betrayl. Caitlyn is the first person after all this that is trying to do something to fix the mess. Cait's a Kiramman, an inspiration, a fighter, and kinda sorta pretty. Maddie was starry eyed by Cait and couldn't see any problems with her actions or flaws because of this. When given the option to have Cait lead, she jumps at the chance.

Maddie is something of a trick with her introduction. She doesn't have a personal stake like Vi or Cait, isn't there to look after her new buddy like Loris (until told otherwise he is there just cause he is Vi's old man friend); she believes in combating Jinx. Peacekeeping in Zaun with gas and hextech weapons to go after one person, but oh isn't she so cute? Introduced in a halo of sunlight and being so sweet to Vi?

Maddie is a proud Piltie, who feels betrayed by Marcus and the Undercity, who wants to punish them and rebuild her home in topside. And yes, she feels betrayed by the Undercity, she consider's it a part of Piltover one way or another, and most topsider's are ignorant of why Zaunites are so upset with them. To Maddie, these attacks came out of left field.

What's interesting is that Maddie is anti-Ambessa, or at least pro-Caitlyn. You could see this as her being a moderate. She tells Cait that she can withdraw from Zaun and reestablish the council, but ends that statement by reaffirming Caitlyn as their leader, "The Enforcers, Piltover... I follow you". Cait and her military rule makes Maddie feel safe and proud in her city.

Onto Cait. Yeah, Cait's not necessarily using Maddie, but she is utilizing her. She's learned from her percieved mistakes/weaknesses and is keeping her work and personal life seperate. They have sex and talk about the state of the city, but Cait never talks about her feelings with Maddie as she did with Vi. Cait's an emotional person too. She was always quick to express herself to Vi, to Ekko, to her mother and father, to Jayce; but she is hurt and alone and can contribute both of those facts to her emotions (sans Jayce).

Begs the question of why Cait is sleeping with Maddie? But even that is simply her coping. It's her version of Vi drinking and fighting. It's stress relief and a quick way to at least make someone else happy. Cait also likes touch, so it stands to reason she'd find someone in her isolated state (Vi pushed away, father a living ghost, Jayce and Mel magiced away). Also, if Word of God is anything to go by, it's not out of character for Cait to find a pretty girl to fool around with.

Cait's main focus is still Jinx. Her mind is literally shown overlapping with her's. Maddie a tryst for the off hours, and even that's kept to the minimum as Cait would rather work than get any rest.

I do wish we could've gotten a scene of Cait replaying her interactions with Vi (think season 1 shower scene), but instead we have Maddie to contrast their relationship. Maddie is kind of the 'Piltover Approved' Vi; she's a red headed enforcer who loves her city, her council, the noble houses, and Caitlyn. She's safe and she's someone that Caitlyn doesn't have to put any excess energy into. Which must be gratifying for the surface levels of Cait's issues. Vi forces Cait to act better, to look inward and reflect, to consider other people and not just her own hurt (something season one Cait wouldn't have even needed another's help with).

The little detail of Vi not calling Cait a cupcake until episode 6 is also telling. At first it's likely Vi realizing the seriousness of everything, but it could also be that she disapproves of Cait's actions. Cait doesn't have that sweetness in her, or at least isn't allowing herself to act on it. When Vi does call her cupcake again it's not an endearment as it was by the end of season one, but a call out to what Cait has become.

Going forward, what's next? Vi and Cait aren't back together, but are together. They have to fight the Noxians (which was hinted at by Maddie herself) and help with the Arcane.

I kinda want Jinx to be the one to spell everything out to Cait; to tear her a new one. Jinx kept an eye on Vi during her pit fighter era, saw the drunk, broken mess that her sister became; a sister she is now on tentatively good terms with and will likely be a bit protective of after Isha. Something like, "I saw what happened to Vi after you guys split, she destroyed herself like you destroyed the city. I always thought I would be the one to break her, but you did a bang up job! Two of us have that in common, hurting Vi, but I'm trying now. So what does that say about you? None of this was Vi's fault, all she was trying to do was keep you from acting like me, ya know, deranged and violent? Huh, Vi-olent."

So in Act 3, Cait needs to be the one to get a kick in the ass and have that conversation with Vi. She needs to own up to her mistakes. How she was guilting Vi into the enforcers, how Vi was right about her loosing control and almost shooting a kid, maybe even for using Vi's affection for her against her. Vi will forgive her, she's Vi and has the self worth of a pebble, so long as Cait takes accountability and starts acting on any promises to change-again, why a shovel talk from Jinx could help set their relationship in the right direction.

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Act 2, Innitial thoughts, It's 4:30am

First of all: I really need to stop staying up late to binge this show...

SO!

Overall I feel a little bit of everything except happiness. It was all rather confusing and chaotic, which I think was meant to go along with the mess that the natural world is currently in, but is more likely a pacing issue. Act 1 could be quick in some places, but this act had far more 'trust me, happened off screen' moments and I'm not a fan.

Aside from that I liked it, my issue of pacing stems from me wanting to see more of these characters. Some were punished by pacing more than others. Viktor was fine, it was perfect A to B from where we left him to where we pick up; unlike Vi and Cait reconciliation.

Vi and Cait need a proper chat. I think Cait disagreed with Ambessa's plan of attack and would have found a way to disrupt things even without finding Vi. Cait's rage has simmered down it seems(still bringing up potential harm to innocents), her focus back on Jinx instead of the Undercity, so it makes sense for her to go against an assault on a peaceful settlement. Her finding Vi was just an added advantage.

The two of them haven't buried the hatchet. Vi must have something to say about what Vi has turned both cities into, and Cait has to acknowledge what her actions have done to her home and the woman she loves. I'm hoping them working together now is just a patch job for the bigger problem to be fixed in Act 3.

Vi and Jinx were adorable. I love that Jinx knew that Vi was pit fighting from the start, keeping an eye on her not out of care but just in case (maybe to get herself some money too, since she was betting on her sister) and that she immediately went to Vi after discovering Vander. The two of them felt like sister for the first time since season 1 act 1. Even their fight was less actively trying to hurt each other and more sibling brawl. It did work to show just how much of a mess Vi is, as she had trouble dealing with Jinx-who even on shimmer should be no physical match for Vi. I think Isha helped as a kind of filter between them, along with Vander. Jinx and Vi had to rely on each other for the first time ever, not even when Jinx was Powder did Vi rely on her. I think seeing Jinx older sister Isha put something into place for Vi. She sees that Jinx can love and care, and that give Vi hope.

And Isha... Isha who became a mirror of Powder, an off shoot of Powder that blows up an off shoot of Vander.

Non verbal characters in animation are always fun to watch because it gives the animators full control. Every gesture and expression has to add to something because there isn't any dialog to assist. A way to progress the story and give a character character through expression alone, and they knocked it outta the park.

Isha dying her hair, playing the monster game, drawing fake smoke tattoos, etc, all to imitate Jinx is adorable. I also love how she isn't just a tag along, but actively pushes Jinx into doing something to the point Jinx thinks she's in cahoots with Sevika. It's foolish to hope she lives, but god do I hope Isha lived.

Viktor is interesting. He is so unbothered by everything, with only the faintest sense of self remaining. I still think Sky is just figment of the Hexcore/Arcane, an avatar for him to play off of. His determination to help others at the cost of himself is that last strand that connects him to humanity, it's his hope and empathy.

And that's what Jayce kills, not the Arcane. There is not doubt in my mind the Herald survived, but Viktor is gone.

I know people are giving Jayce a lot of flack, but I'm holding out on learning what he experienced in his days/weeks spent inside the Arcane. It seemed to tear at his psyche, leaving him with the sole goal to destroy it's spread; and who was spreading it faster than Viktor?

We have yet to see Heimerdinger and Ekko return from the other side so, here's to act 3.

Confirmation on what Singed has been doing.

Lastly, Warwick. I loved the perspective shots with him, I loved his design and voice, and I love Vander. I did not realize just how much I've missed him.

The flashbacks with him, Silco and Felicia (Vi and Jinx's mom) were so bittersweet. Blister's a brimstone, what could've beens, and the promise of the future through children. The song and art for the sequence too was just heartbreaking; not to mention that Vander named Violet. It also seems to be confirmed that toddler Vi would hang out at the Last Drop with her folks, Vander, and Silco which is adorable.

I'm honestly not sure if Isha's attack will kill him, cause quite a bit of damage certainly, but he's been shown to regenerate quickly and from deadly attacks.

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Vi was getting too happy so something bad had to happen

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Jinx's season 2 scribbles

So we haven't gotten many big illusions/outbursts of Jinx's hallucinations in season 2, a sign that she has accepted and grown confident in Jinx, or maybe she just doesn't have the mental energy for it at the moment. Either way she is in control. What we have been getting are little scribble details around her (screenshots are hard but examples include the 'pooow' smoke from her gun and the stars circling Smeech's head). I thought these were kinda cartoony for Arcane's animation style, until I noticed that they all happened around Jinx. These are still Jinx's scribbles/hallucinations, they are just calmer and serve to accentuate the world she lives in.

Nothing big, I just thought it was pretty cool how they are continuing to interpret Jinx's mental illness now that she is far more in control of it.

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Twilight and Anya Ch 107

It's the fact that Twilight-amongst all these high class parents who are the ones to typically use their children to gain prestige-seems to be the only one actively using his child; a fact he realizes and thus Anya realizes that to be at the forefront of his mind. Anya can't read deeper into the meaning of Twilight's thoughts (she's four), so she's stuck thinking that all he sees her for is gathering intel. She has to be of use or else she's out of the mission (mission=family). She's even starting to consider Yor a risk, because if Yor can get the intel what else is Anya good for but problems? Unable to see how appreciated she is.

But Twilight knows what he's doing is wrong, Jeeves hammers it home for him. It's just a nuance that Anya can't understand because his mind is always stuck in analytical mode (I wouldn't be surprised if Anya has trouble reading Twilight's mind due to how fast it seems to spin).

Twilight, Loid, can't allow himself to feel too deeply. He disconnects himself from his family 'for the mission' and sinks himself into work, "straight to work".

So even among all these parents who are grateful for his daughter, for Anya being Anya, Twilight has to keep himself back-won't allow himself. He can't have attachments, so instead he has to remind himself he is just using Anya and Yor, leaving guilt be the closest thing to care he lets himself have for his 'fake' family. He hates this, but he won't jeopardize peace. In Loid's traumatized mind, everything is worth it if he can keep kids (keep Anya) from experiencing the horrors he did.

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It's interesting how often characters are punished for trying to grieve or take a breath in this show. Like Vi in the end of act 1 needed a minute after her family was killed by her sister, only for Silco to show up and Marcus to kidnap her. Now Caitlyn was taking time, trying to help Mel avoid total infiltration, and then she went to an event to honor her mother, only for it to be attacked. It pushed her from it just being angry at Jinx to calling a group animals.

I can only imagine what would happen if truths came to light and her anger became pointed at Ambessa.

I do think an interesting hypothetical is would Caitlyn have spiraled so out of control and done so so quickly had the memorial attack not have happened?

Cuz at the beginning of Episode 1, she’s still vouching for the people of Zaun when Salo insists that they invade with Hextech weaponry; claiming that innocents would be caught in the crossfire. Because she knows there are innocents in Zaun, and this was the actions of just Jinx, no one else should suffer for the actions of one individual.

And when she’s talking to Jayce she says “she can see how easy it is to hate them” because her prejudice is solely against Jinx at that moment. Someone that’s not only tried to kill her a bunch of times, kidnapped her, and then killed her mom. So it’s reasonable that her vendetta is solely against Jinx. Jinx has made her life spiral in a mere matter of Days, and that kinda trauma is enough to break anyone.

I do think that her anger at Jinx would have blinded her eventually, but it’s just the memorial attack that made everything worse. Because not only is she angry at herself for not taking the shot against Jinx when she had the chance, but because she doesn’t know that the attack was set up, she’s now angry at the people of Zaun that she was Just vouching for. She’s mad at herself for giving these people the benefit of the doubt.

Would she have done things like use the gray had the memorial attack not have happened?

Would she be thinking just slightly more rationally when it comes to her approach about Jinx?

Hell, would she have even accepted becoming Ambessa’s general at all?

There would have been more of her old self still in there, so it’s more than likely she wouldn’t have been behaving quite as drastically as she does.

Granted, I think she might have behaved similarly to how she does when she faces Jinx in that last fight, because even when she’s talking to Jayce about Jinx you can see just how filled with rage she becomes. But I think she would have behaved slightly better than she does if Ambessa’s stupid ass wasn’t pulling strings (yes I’m pissed at Ambessa rn, and I have a right to be)

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It's the fact she could be talking about enforcers or Zaunites (more likely Zaunties because Vi wasn't an enforcer for any of her achievements) when saying "there are some good ones"

Maddie being introduced as this literal ray of sunshine and then being the first to beat along to Piltovers turn to martial law. Her interactions with Vi mystifying her as “one of the good ones.” One of the good Zaunites. She was always discriminatory toward Zaunites, they just didn’t make it overt at her introduction. The turn to fascism and discrimination can start with anyone. Including a literal ray of sunshine.

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Was Cait the Target?

So Ambessa setting Cait up as the general/leader of Piltover's military state was incredible politically, but what I want to know is if she went into this with Cait in mind, or if Cait's initiative in forming a strike force is what made Ambessa decided that she would be the perfect chess piece. Prior to this all Ambessa would have known about Cait is that she was an officer, the new Kirammen head, and a grieving daughter. That alone is enough to put her on Ambessa's radar, but would she have been made general from that alone?

I think Ambessa saw Caitlyn come to the meeting uninvited with both a plan of action and hextech weaponry-something Ambessa has been obsessing over. Caitlyn was able to get hextech weapons and I think that is factor which cemented her as Ambessa's new puppet; Cait being intelligent, a competent combative, and a Kirammen just adds to her appeal. Not to mention that she was directly affected by the tragedy, someone the public will sympathize with and follow, and who better to guide an angry, grieving daughter than an angry, grieving mother?

I also want to say that I don't think it's a coincidence that Ambessa stole Jayce and Vi's save of Caitlyn. Ambessa ordered the attack for three reasons.

To scare Piltover

To show the strength of her fighters and their willingness to 'save' Piltover

To test Cait

Number 3 came later, after the meeting. Ambessa could have let the tragedy continue, let Vi and Jayce use a hextech weapon to demonstrate its usefulness, but she saves Cait first.

To put it all together, I believe that Ambessa saw Caitlyn-introduced as Officer Kirammen, the one who witnessed and survived the culprit of the bombing-and saw potential. She needed to be sure this new figurehead had grit, so keeps an eye on her during the attack-maybe even hoping to push her into more drastic action- and is finally rewarded with a militia armed with hextech weapons: Ambessa's whole reason for coming to Piltover. All together, it makes Cait the perfect choice for the face of Ambessa's war.

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Jayce calling Caitlyn 'Sprout' is so good

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Initial thoughts cause it's 4am

Spoilers

First off, wow... it's really good. I've been saying that if season 2 is as good as season 1 Arcane would be my new favorite show and we are on track. Anyway, just gonna list stuff until I can process/rewatch a billion times

Mel lived! I was so certain that they would just kill her off, make that Ambessa's motive (give Jayce a reason to keep fighting the Undercity) but it's much more interesting keeping her involved in the narrative. Love her trying to bother understand and undermine her mother. Those Black Rose guys best not have hurt a hair on her perfect head.

Speaking of. What in the Utena are these Black Rose magic people? I love the look of their magic. I wonder how they can corrupt people. Is it a spell? Do they slip them something?

Love how the divide of Jayce and Viktor was done. Jayce betrayed Viktor's wishes of destroying the Hexcore. Last season, Viktor wanted to forget about using the core to save himself after Sky and begged Jayce to destroy it when the core wouldn't allow Viktor himself to do it. In Jayce's mind though, the core is the solution to Viktor's problems. He didn't know it killed Sky or that it can influence Viktor, but all Viktor can comprehend is that Jayce didn't trust him. Didn't keep his promise. And this is fresh off of Jayce's season 1 antics against the Undercity, so Viktor's faith in his partner was already shaken. Viktor's also comfortable in his mortality/death, even though he wants to prolong it like every other human, but Jayce can't fathom loosing Viktor-the man who saved his life and made his dreams reality.

(Side note: Am I a JayVik shipper? I never considered myself one, but after writing this...)

JINX HAS A KID! I love this choice. Give Jinx a kid so she is able to learn what Silco and Vi had to go through with her, that no matter how big or dangerous a scheme to take this child into account. The confrontation in ep 3 really showed what Jinx will have to consider now that this kid's decided to adopt her as an older sister or something. Especially nice detail of how Vi-who has always had to consider the kids in her life-immediately stops fighting and starts looking for ways to keep the kid safe.

I was wondering how Jinx would loose a finger and Caitlyn shooting it off to save Vi is just- The fact that the only way these two can show they care about Vi when it comes to each other is by hurting the other.

Sevika's new arm is fantastic. It's a peace offering from Jinx, but also a way for Jinx to feel better (it was something she could fix). The mechanics of it are really fun. It reminds me of Kite's weapon from HxH with how it didn't always work/give her what she wanted in the fight. I especially love the victory rockets and built in theme song.

Ambessa is so interesting. Between her character song to the introduction of just what she is fighting against, I am very intrigued. She reminds me of Cersei Lannister, except she loves her kids as more than just extensions of herself (as of what we've seen, but I think that'll stick). Her using Salo to establish herself-which also keeps Mel safe by distancing her-but also dropping him in order to prop up Cait at her first opportunity is such a clever move. She truly is the fox and the wolf, but she is above all a mama bear.

Not much to say about Heimerdinger or Ekko yet, but I am definitely curious to see what they do about the wild runes with Jayce. The three of them have a fun dynamic, what with Heimerdinger still being peeved about magic/being ousted, Ekko hating topside and having a new reason to do so with them poisoning his tree, and Jayce being recently seperated and divorced from both his partners.

Vi is an enforcer. I didn't know how they were gonna handle this, but they did it so well. Of course she wants to fix things for the people her sister hurt. She feels responsible. She can say she doesn't blame herself, but how true is that? Why else would she be wearing a badge if not for her guilt? She is desperate to do something right and being an enforcer seemed to be a way to make Cait happy, get her gauntlets (what she believes is necessary to make any kind of change), and be first in line in the hunt for Jinx. She says that her sister is dead, that Jinx is a desecration to Powder's memory, that they are not sisters but isn't it supposed to be 'nothing is going to change that'? How much of all this is just something Vi is telling herself to keep going? Cait is her motive right now, but after ep 3 I definitely see why she starts spiraling.

(2 Side note: Her new best friend/drinking buddy is such a real one. They have a bender in the gutter together and now he's following her into and out of the enforcers. I wonder if he knew Vander? In any case, he is a delight.)

Cait and Vi kissed... CAIT AND VI KISSED! Then NOTHING HAPPENED AFTER! NOTHING! No immediate break up, nope.

So Cait. I love Cait and I am hyped for her arc this season. I am ready to fight tooth and nail for her. I am a Caitlyn defender. So what she's being manipulated into leading a military state due to her grief/unresolved anger/guilt/Ambessa being better at this than her, she looks amazing in her cape. It balances.

Seriously though, the writing for Cait especially is so solid. She is desperate to hold herself and her family together, to protect her city. She still wants to protect the innocent, to heal the Undercity, but her anger at a select few of those she wants to help is clouding the greater image for her. Vi seems to be acting as her better half, the side that cares for the innocent-the protector. Ambessa is the agressor, encouraging Cait to take drastic military action against the Undercity as a whole. Vi's disillusionment with Cait is due to the fact that Cait desire to heal, not harm, is what caused her to fall for Cait to begin with. To see more than some privileged topside enforcer, but a woman who genuinely cared and was willing to abandon her peaceful naivety to learn for the greater good of strangers.

I'll also point out that they separate when Cait starts blaming Vi for them loosing Jinx. Before, everyone but Cait put responsibility on Vi, she was supposed to be the one to help lighten the load and absolve some of the guilt. Now Cait is becoming another one of those who slam the blame on Vi. She changed. Why does everyone around VI change?

Can't wait for the next batch of episodes.