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What's next after Arcane? All your questions answered
The fate of your favorite Arcane characters hangs in the balance. Will they return? Who survived the explosive finale? Plus, Riot's next animated series is expanding to new Runeterra regions.
So, you've just finished the final episodes of Arcane and, yes, this really is the end… probably. If for some reason you haven't finished Arcane yet, save this article for later and close it immediately. Major spoilers lie ahead.
The second season of Arcane gave us hours of breath-taking storytelling and unbridled chaos as every episode kept escalating until the series met its heart-wrenching ending. Riot Games and Fortiche have intentionally kept the fate of most champions vague but also left plenty of clues to allow us to piece things together.
After digging deep into League of Legends lore, Arcane easter eggs and fan theories, we have the answers to all of your questions, including what stories will likely feature in the next Riot Games series.
01
Did Jinx die at the end of Arcane?
Arcane's biggest mystery: did Jinx survive the explosion? The biggest twist and most controversial moment was Jinx's bold sacrifice to save Vi at the very end of the season, killing off one of the most beloved characters in the franchise.
However, a few key details suggest that Jinx has miraculously survived.
Is this the last time we'll see Jinx?
© Netflix
Firstly, a few eagle-eyed viewers noticed a small line of purple trails off a split second before the explosion. This line resembles Jinx's usual trail of shimmer when she dashes in the show.
Then, we get another big hint when we see Caitlyn investigating the plans of a building and she notices the air ducts on the side. With a rye smile, while holding part of Jinx's grenade, Caitlyn seemingly believes that Jinx escaped using these vents and is probably still alive. And it would make sense why Jinx is staying quiet, as she wants Vi to enjoy life without worrying about her.
The closing shots also suggest Jinx is still alive. You likely noticed the classic Jinx-style text flashing up 'the end' in the final frame, but did you catch the Piltovan ship reference? It's a very similar shot to the exact same ship from the very first episode of Arcane, where a young Powder says: "One day, I'm going to ride in one of those things."
This could suggest Jinx has left Piltover altogether to start a new life. Perhaps she'll appear in a new region in the next show? Either way, it seems highly likely that she is, in fact, still alive.
02
What happened to Jayce and Viktor in the finale of Arcane?
Are Jayce and Viktor alive?
© Netflix
The fate of Jayce and Viktor is much less clear. After sacrificing themselves to stop the anomaly and save both Piltover and Zaun, the two scientists disappear into thin air. While they're seemingly dead, we don’t see their bodies, which has obviously led to speculation.
Some fans believe both may still be alive, just in a different timeline as we saw Ekko, Heimerdinger and Jayce experience in Episode 7 after getting sucked into the anomaly. Either way, Riot have left room for Jayce and Viktor to return, but it's hard to predict how.
03
Is Heimerdinger dead?
Good news, Heimerdinger is also probably alive.
Heimerdinger was so happy in his new timeline
© Riot Games
Despite LoL being out for 15 years, very little is known about the Yordle species. However, one part of their mysterious lore is that Yordles are immortal. Instead of dying, they just respawn back in their home of Bandle City. Again, we know almost nothing about this region other than the fact there are plenty of portals that allow Yordles to travel all over Runeterra.
So, there's a chance Heimerdinger could return to Piltover. However, it’s hard to know in what timeline. At the very least, wherever he is you can be sure the professor will find new students to teach and guide.
04
Is Ambessa gone for good?
Finally, we have a champion who's genuinely. Ambessa Medarda was killed by Le Blanc in the final episode, despite Mel's best efforts.
Ambessa was the safest choice to kill, considering she only just released in the game. There isn't the same emotional attachment surrounding her compared to the likes of Vi or Warwick – who with his regenerative powers is presumably still alive. Plus, with how Ambessa has been terrorising solo queue with all of her dashes, most LoL players were probably happy to see the back of her.
Ambessa never hid from a fight
© Netflix
But for those who really like Ambessa, you're in luck. There’s much more of her story still to come as she is getting a dedicated novel next year called Ambessa: Chosen of the Wolf.
And never say never. She could somehow be revived in Riot's next series. There could be more timeline shenanigans, or let’s remember she’s allied with Singed, who's just managed to bring his daughter back to life – that could be a distinct possibility.
05
Will there be more Arcane?
Let's get the bad news out of the way, Riot Games has already confirmed that Arcane, as a series, is over. They aren't making more.
Will we see any of Arcane's characters again?
© Netflix
However, Riot have also confirmed they're already working on multiple new series' and are one year into the development of the next one.
Plus, while Arcane may be over, Riot has clearly left the door open for its characters' stories to continue. Singed and Mel will both be heading to Noxus. Orianna has just been introduced. Vi and Caitlyn will still be battling to protect Piltover and Zaun. Jinx could show up and cause mayhem somewhere else.
There are plenty of opportunities for cameos and some of Arcane’s characters to possibly have their story continue.
06
Arcane's universe expands: exploring new regions in future shows
Noxus is coming to your TV screen soon
© Riot Games
Riot Games has already confirmed three new regions will be focussed on in their upcoming series. Speaking with content creator Necrit, Arcane showrunner Christian Linke revealed that Noxus, Ionia and Demacia will also feature prominently in upcoming content.
Noxus will already be familiar to Arcane fans. It's a fearsome and brutal empire ruled by warlords and fighters hungry for power and expansion. As Ambessa said, the core Noxian belief is that most problems can be solved on the battlefield.
Ionia is mostly the opposite: a spiritual island with natural magic everywhere. However, in the lore Noxus invades Ionia and begins yet another cruel war, which we get a glimpse at in the League of Legends Awaken cinematic video below.
This war will likely be the focal point of the next series. As mentioned in our Act 3 predictions, Singed’s continued partnership with Noxus will lead to some horrific events in Ionia and that could be where Arcane’s links to the new show begin.
Meanwhile, Demacia is a lawful kingdom that was created as a refuge from magic. It has a storied rivalry with Noxus and the two nations have fought numerous wars against each other. Jarvan IV, who appears on a banner for a theatrical play in Arcane, becomes king after the passing of his father and could be key to a future series.
07
Runeterra's rising stars: potential characters for the next animated series
With three new regions to focus on, there are a ton of possible characters that could show up.
One tha's been heavily hinted at, if not confirmed, is Swain. He's a general who takes over Noxus using magic powers he received from a demon, Raum.
Ravens appeared throughout the show, which teased that Swain was keeping a close eye on the events in Piltover and Zaun. We now know that was indeed the case as we saw his signature three-eyed raven in the show's closing moments. This also suggests he already has Raum's powers - something that is supposed to happen after the Ionia invasion has already begun, which could complicate the next show's timeline.
Swain has been watching
© Netflix
A warrior who leads one of Swain's main divisions is Darius, one of the region's most feared warriors. And if he appears, his cocky, gladiator brother Draven will surely follow.
Arcane already featured references to Riven, a champion who's pivotal to the Ionia and Noxus clash. The green glowing runes that Ambessa uses to fight are extremely similar to Riven's blade fragments that feature in the Legends of Runeterra card game.
As for Ionians, Irelia and Akali are popular and important characters to the Noxus invasion and we could also get the side plot of ninjas Shen, Zed and Kennen of the Kinkou Order. And you can imagine Riot will also want to fit in Ahri, another of their most popular champions.
Ambessa's runes look very similar to Riven's
© Riot Games
Meanwhile, anything featuring Demacia will almost certainly include the iconic siblings Garen and Lux. And with their inclusion, there would be a great opportunity to bring in Sylas and the well-received story of his rebellion against the kingdom and its anti-mage rhetoric.
08
What to do after finishing Arcane?
It's difficult not to feel empty after finishing such a brilliant series, but Riot's continued expansion of its world means there are plenty of other ways to enjoy Runeterra while waiting for the next series.
If you hadn't already realised, LoL has incredibly deep lore with stories from all 169 champions in the game that can all be accessed for free on the Runeterra universe website.
Of course, you can also just start playing LoL, the game which inspired Arcane, and there are a lot of reasons as to why you should. While challenging, the game is extremely fun and has maintained its popularity over 15 years for good reason.
The Red Bull League of Its Own esports event starts soon
© Marcel Lämmerhirt/Red Bull Content Pool
Finally, if you prefer watching rather than playing, then LoL's competitive gaming (esports) scene might be perfect for you. Whether you were already a sports fan or not, being part of a crowd, both virtually and in person, can be incredibly exciting.
Red Bull League of Its Own event is the perfect starting point for your esports fandom. During the event on December 15, the best teams in the world will gather to compete in a more relaxed environment than the usual competitive season, with fun and unpredictable twists to push the pro players' talents to the limit.
