Arcane showrunner responds to backlash over Season 2 finale’s deaths

Dexerto caught up with Arcane co-creator Christian Linke, who gave his verdict on the criticism about the deaths in the Season 2 finale. Be warned that there are spoilers ahead!

Arcane Season 2 Act 3 had everyone in tears when it landed on Netflix on Saturday (November 23), wrapping up the first story told in the League of Legends cinematic universe.

As we expected, there were a lot of deaths. And not just supporting characters, either. In Episode 7, Heimerdinger sacrificed himself after helping Ekko create his Z-Drive gadget.

Then, in the finale, if fan theories aren’t to be believed, then Jayce, Viktor, Ambessa, and Jinx all met their demise, as did Warwick (and therefore technically Vander). 

Netflix

As for “Baby Jinx” Isha, her death happened off-screen after shooting at Warwick with the Hextech gun in Season 2 Act 2.

It’s a lot, and while many fans have praised the storytelling and artistry that went into the ending of Arcane Season 2, there were some complaints that a number of the deaths felt “inconsequential” or “meaningless”. 

When asked what his thoughts are about the criticism, Linke replied, “I don’t know if there’s a world where these things satisfy everybody. 

“Inconsequential to me is hard to wrap my head around. Every single big beat in the end with our characters, whether it’s a death or not, is a consequence of their choices.”

That being said, when it comes to negative feedback in general, Linke explained that he doesn’t want to ignore what fans are saying. 

“I want to listen and learn from them. And in some cases I feel like there’s something to take away for what we do in the future,” he continued. 

“Sometimes I can disagree. But I try to really listen and to process.”

As is the case with any work of art, there are going to be two sides to the argument, something Linke also takes into consideration. 

“We kind of get everything: some people say there’s things that are too fast, too much, and rushed, and then I also get a lot of messages like, ‘Where is this character? Why didn’t you do more?’,” he said.

Linke even highlighted this dichotomy earlier this month by sharing side-by-side screenshots of two messages he’d received from viewers. 

The first reads: “Thank you so much for Arcane. I feel so seen and heart. It’s my #1 show.” And the second says, “Season 2 sucked. You suck at writing the storyline.”

As he said, there’s no pleasing everyone. 

Arcane Seasons 1-2 are streaming on Netflix now. Be sure to check out our guides to if Jinx died, the Jhin fan theory, the “Juliette” dedication, and the most powerful Arcane characters.