The big battle in Arcane is going to be fully unveiled on-screen in the upcoming season. The show is an animated epic set in the League of Legends universe and follows two sisters who struggle to survive after losing their parents. Season 1 premiered to universal critical acclaim, logging a 100% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Unfortunately, the upcoming Arcane season 2 is expected to be its last and will feature every major arc coming to an end.

One of those major arcs involves an epic war between Piltover and Zaun. In an interview with Screen Rant, co-creator Christian Linke explained the significance of the upcoming battle and the challenges it presented for the producers. While the animation studio, Fortiche Production SAS, was initially reticent about completing the episode, Linke and his fellow creatives pushed them to animate an entire hour-long battle. Check out his comment below:

It’s a big thing. You’ll see all of it. I would say, with this season, and kind of the climax of it, when we mapped it out first, it just looked impossible. It just looked impossible. Fortiche was like, “We can’t do this. This episode is going to be over an hour long.” And we’re like, “F–k.” We just had to figure out how to somehow clobber this into a shape that is producible, and I’m very, very, very happy with how it turned out.

I think there was just a feeling of responsibility. It’s like, “Yeah, you can also kind of get away with something small,” but we just knew that that’s not what would feel right for this kind of storyline, so you just have to go big sometimes .

What The Upcoming Battle Means For Arcane

Arcane Is Not Shying Away From Change

From the very beginning of season 1, the show has been preparing for a conflict between Piltover and Zaun. The two cities feature stark differences that have only escalated the tension between them. Piltover is a haven, filled with the wealthy and comfortable, and serving as a beacon of light and life. Zaun, however, is drenched in filth and is filled with a curtain of stagnant air that poisons its residents. An extreme wealth disparity is the root cause of their conflict. The disdain that Zaun feels for Piltover is only matched by Piltover’s reciprocal fear of Zaun’s unkempt citizens.

Arcane season 1 ended on November 20, 2021. Season 2 is expected to premiere on November 9.

Arcane season 1 ended with Jinx stoking the flames of the conflict. Jinx will likely now serve as the leader of Zaun, and war could be a means of grasping for power. As Vi no longer has a place in the Undercity, the conflict could devolve into an emotional fight between sisters. The easy way to truly make a massive battle compelling is by inserting personal stakes. A full battle that lasts over an hour typically requires breaks for emotional dialogue to avoid audiences feeling a sense of stagnation. Sibling conflict could be an excellent tool to accomplish both goals.

Our Take On Arcane’s Epic Upcoming Battle

A Live-Action Show Might Struggle, But Animation Is Perfect

Many shows could shy away from showcasing a full episode-long battle. Some, including Game of Thrones, embrace the idea, but live-action shows are often limited by their budgets. As this is an animated series, the budget can be stretched further. Rather than being an entirely self-indulgent concept, the epic war should fulfill the stakes that the show promised, while also contributing to Arcane season 2’s overall narrative. The war will be a means of resolving the plight of the Undercity. That, alone, makes it worthwhile.