Top 10 Best Arcane Season 1 Moments

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Best Season 1 Arcane Moments.

For this list, we’ll be looking at the most gripping, impactful scenes in the first season of Netflix’s animated “League of Legends” series - from the most exciting to the most tragic. If you haven’t watched “Arcane” yet, do yourself a favour and check it out right now, because this is your spoiler alert!

What “Arcane” moment are you still thinking about? What do you hope to see in Season 2? Tell us in the comments!

#10: Jinx Goes Berserk

We all felt for Powder when her mind broke in Act I. So there was a lot of anticipation around her reintroduction as Jinx in Act II. Just how far gone was she? Would there be anything of Powder left? Well, this moment gave us our answer … When the Firelights go after Silco’s smuggled goods, Jinx springs into action. The sequence lets us see what a badass fighter she’s become. However, it also reveals her new, manic personality. Thinking she sees Vi, she loses control - and unleashes glorious mayhem with her minigun. It’s a moment that also has a poignant edge, with the fear in her face revealing how deeply the past haunts her.

#9: Vander's Last Stand

We got a glimpse of Vander fighting in episode one, but after his failed uprising, he hung up his gauntlets. He remains a legend in Zaun, and when he has to save Vi, we learn why. Picking up makeshift metal knuckles, he goes to town on Deckard. Only, it’s not enough. So in desperation, Vander downs a vial of Shimmer to return to the fray. There’s a heart-wrenching moment when he almost loses himself before coming back to his senses and rescuing Vi. Sadly, the act proves to be his last. Although, with all the Warwick vibes, we might have to wait for season 2 to know for sure …

#8: Vi & Jayce Break In Their New Weapons

This team-up was short-lived, but boy was it glorious. Joining forces with Jayce, Vi persuades him to hit Silco where it hurts - his Shimmer factories. When the alarm is sounded however, Silco’s soldiers fly into action. The fight scene that follows sees the duo break in their signature Hextech weapons - Vi her gauntlets and Jayce his hammer. The gauntlets allow Vi to add sleek new moves to her arsenal. And Jayce’s hammer proves to be a versatile tool. It was an awesome moment for “League” fans, and a pivotal scene generally, as Jayce realized the cost of direct conflict.

#7: Vi vs Sevika Round 2

We first saw Vi give ‘em the old one two in the pilot episode’s street brawl. Act II debuted a stronger, prison-hardened Vi, who mixed precise punches with a raw, scrappier style of fighting. It was almost enough to defeat Sevika and her tricked out mechanical arm. However, it’s their second round that takes our spot here. Their rematch sees Vi armed with Hextech gauntlets, and Sevika with a retractable blade. The fight choreography is breathtaking, and the animation puts us right in the thick of it. All seems lost, until Vi hears Vander’s words of encouragement. The fact it takes place in “The Last Drop” where Sevika turned her back on Vander, makes Vi’s victory all the more satisfying.

#6: Jinx vs Ekko

A big part of what makes “Arcane” so amazing is Fortiche’s creative and expressive animation. And that was on full display when Jinx faced off against Ekko. It kicks off with a shift in style that flashes back to their time as childhood friends - bringing home the emotional weight of the fight. Since then, Ekko has learned a thing or two. But although he defeats Jinx, he still sees Powder in her eyes, and can’t bring himself to land another blow. Jinx, on the other hand, isn’t so reluctant - willing to destroy everything and everyone, including herself. It was a fight that was not only visually impressive, but also dove deep into their characters.

#5: Jinx & Vi Reunite

This was the moment we were all waiting for in Act 2. After learning that Vi is alive, Jinx lights up the flare her sister gave her years before. Their reunion is touching … at first. But it’s also a moment of revelation; Jinx realizes that Vi is working with an Enforcer, and Caitlyn realizes that Vi’s sister killed her colleagues. They’re interrupted by the Firelights, leading to a heartstopping action sequence with the sisters fighting back to back. As Jinx fights for her life, the cracks in her broken mind flash across the screen. It’s a scene that manages to be both moving and edge-of-your-seat exciting. And it ends on a killer cliffhanger, with Vi and Caitlyn kidnapped!

#4: Jayce & Viktor Invent Hextech

Is this a partnership for the ages or what? After the Council dresses him down and his patrons desert him, Jayce contemplates giving up. But Viktor, the Dean’s Assistant, has taken notice of him, and steps in. Together, they merge their minds to fulfil Jayce’s lifelong dream. And the combination is magic - literally. Thanks to Viktor’s input - and craftiness - the two are able to stabilize Jayce’s Hex Crystal. Watching the delighted duo float around the room together, it’s impossible not to smile. It’s a moment that cemented their bond … setting up their future arcs in the show.

#3: Powder's Bomb Works

Talk about a gut punch. We all came to episode three eager for more. We all left looking haggard and shocked like we’d been dragged through the streets. Mylo had freed Vander. Claggor had punched a hole through the wall. All they had to do was clamber out. But poor Powder, desperate to help, loaded up a wind-up toy with Hex Crystals. And for once, her bomb worked. In fact, it worked so well that Mylo and Claggor were crushed to death beneath the debris, and Vi and Vander were trapped. It’s a tragic turn that had us holding our heads as we watched.

#2: Jinx Is Born

Vi and Powder start the series as sisters clinging to each other as the world falls down around them. But episode three sees them torn apart. Despite the best intentions, Powder keeps jinxing all their missions. And when she realizes what her Hex Crystal bomb has done, you can see her beginning to break. But it’s Vi’s angry reaction, understandable as it is, that pushes Powder over the edge. Sadly, the opportunistic Silco is there to capitalize on Vi’s absence ... This character shift into dark territory really felt earned. It’s a tragic turn that ends a gripping and rollercoaster first act.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Vi vs Silco’s Goons
Donning Vander’s Gauntlets, She Unleashes to Save Her Friends

Jinx Revisits the Past
The Animation Is Masterful, Showing Us Her Internal Strife

Jayce Betrays Heimerdinger
The Man of Progress Has the Revered Inventor Kicked Off the Council

Vi Tells Caitlyn They’re Oil & Water
A Scene That Had Us All Yelling at the Screen, “Go After Her!”

Silco Saves Jinx
He Was Genuinely Scared of Losing Her

#1: Jinx’s Choice

Vi … or Silco? “Powder” or “Jinx”? Torn between her past and her present, Jinx makes a fateful choice … and shoots Silco! While Silco is the villain of the season, he really cares about Jinx, and his last words are actually touching. In a moment that’s somehow both affirming, and heart-wrenching, she decides that Powder is dead and embraces her identity as Jinx. Continuing Silco’s legacy, she sets her sights on Piltover. What she doesn’t know is that Jayce and the Council are just about to give Zaun independence! True to her name, Jinx fires. It was another tragic twist that left us on the edge of our seats … and impatient to see what happens in season 2!