M Alzamora 
The final battle for Piltover is bloody, and several major champions die in the Arcane series finale
Warning: spoilers ahead for Act 3 of Arcane Season 2.
Arcane has never been one to shy away from major character death. The first act in the first season culls a large chunk of the supporting cast. From there, both Isha and Vander die in the last episode of Act 2. Given that the trailer for Act 3 led with an omen of war, it wasn’t unexpected that more casualties would follow.
Without a Season 3, this is the end of the world of Piltover and Zaun on the big screen. So where do fans find their favorite champions at the end of the show?
In the Arcane finale, here’s who lives, who dies, and what the next possible story in the League of Legends television universe could be.
Who dies in the Arcane Season 2 finale?
Several major characters sacrifice themselves for the greater good of the team in the Arcane finale.
The full list of League of Legends champions who die in Arcane 2’s second season includes:
- Warwick
- Jinx
- Ambessa
- Heimerdinger
Heimerdinger technically dies in the penultimate episode of Arcane, but his death is the first in a series. Both he and Ekko are teleported to an alternate dimension through the hexcore, to one where hextech was never discovered. Eventually, Heimerdinger sacrifices himself so their slapdash hexgate will work to send Ekko back.
Warwick, or Vander, technically gets to die a second and third time. First, Vander’s final essence leaves what’s left of his body when Singed uses his shimmer-infused blood. Then, whatever remains of Warwick following Viktor’s glorious evolution falls after the battle – taking down one of the sisters with him.
A rather formidable opponent, it takes both Caitlyn and Mel to take down Ambessa Medarda. Caitlyn takes off Rictus’s anti-magic runes, and newly-minted mage Mel uses her magic to summon the Black Rose. Mel also uses the opportunity to defeat her captor, presumed to be LeBlanc, at the same time.
Sadly, Jinx is the final casualty and dies in the Arcane finale. She sacrifices herself to save Vi from what’s left of Warwick following Viktor’s defeat. This follows her “redemption arc” of sorts, where the big fat hero herself uses a giant flying ship in the battle against the Noxians and Viktor’s cyborg army. Many have theorized that Jinx would die since the beginning. Her scene during the theme music is derived from the musical Les Mis, a well-known tragedy.
Are Jinx, Warwick, and Heimerdinger really dead?
Jinx, Warwick, and Heimerdinger likely aren’t actually dead after the events of Arcane.
Riot gave Arcane canon status in 2023 and updated many champions’ in-game bios to reflect this. It would be unlikely for Riot to agree to kill off their popular characters fully, especially given that they haven’t reached their final forms.
Additionally, of the champions above, only Ambessa’s body is found. There’s plausible deniability for the others, though the show is over and answers may not be directly forthcoming.
At the very least, League players will get an extra chance to see Arcane’s version of Jinx through her in-client minigame: Jinx Fixes Everything. Acts 1 and 2 are currently out, with Act 3 following on November 26. There are also multiple other Arcane events in LoL and other games running through the end of the year, alongside more skins.
What happens to Vi, Caitlyn, Viktor, and Jayce in Arcane?
Vi and Caitlyn seemingly live happily ever after following Arcane’s finale, while the fates of Viktor and Jayce are left uncertain.
Despite the tragedy of some, other champions in Arcane find some semblance of a happy ending.
With a rocky beginning, Caitlyn and Vi seemingly get to have their happy ending. Cait’s ex, Maddie, reveals herself as a Noxian spy. With Jinx presumably dead, there’s no “your sister killed my mom” tension to deal with. Additionally, the two get the long-rumored Arcane sex scene in a jail cell. Vi confirms that she is “the dirt under [Caitlyn’s] nails,” and that she’s here to stay.
Mel Medarda now has a choice to make. She killed her mother and the Arcane activated her powers. She is now preparing to head back to Noxus and has to decide her place as a Chosen of the Wolf or not.
Viktor and Jayce go down with the ship together after the machine herald realizes the error of his ways. Fans finally get to see Ekko become The Boy Who Shattered Time, using his new Z-Drive to halt Viktor in his tracks. This chronomancy tech allowed Viktor to see what he was and what would happen if he continued. Together in the astral plane, he and Jayce used the power of friendship, and the rune given to a young Jayce by an old Viktor, to undo the damage and then vanish. Notably, the two are not confirmed to be dead.
The show has already used the hexcore to show the multiversal nature of League of Legends and how intrinsic it was to Arcane. Could Viktor and Jayce have been transported to another universe? Possibly. But Arcane is over, and fans may never know.
Did the Arcane finale hint at the next story?
A few small scenes at the end of the finale may have given fans a clue as to what the next League story could be about.
After the battle and Ambessa’s defeat, Swain’s six-eyed crow comes to Piltover to scavenge a magic hextech crystal. Riot has seemingly poured a lot of resources into Ambessa. These range from her development as a champion to a novel coming out next year. A look at the empire, perhaps from a different angle, could make sense.
Showrunner Marc Merill has confirmed that he and the team want to explore more stories within the League of Legends multiverse. He and Arcane co-creator Christian Linke specifically mentioned wanting to explore other regions, as well. It may be a while until news on the next animated show comes out, though, given how long development takes.
Arcane may be gone, but it will not be forgotten. Its characters and themes live on in our hearts, but also in the massively popular online game League of Legends.
