Who are the League of Legends champions in Arcane?

Updated: November 24 (After Season 2: Act 3)

Netflix's animated series Arcane is an adaptation of Riot Games' popular MOBA League of Legends and is based on the extensive League of Legends lore. Seasons 1 and 2 feature multiple champions and breathes new life into the two-dimensional mythical universe and other League of Legends champions.

Arcane's primary characters are Vi and fan-favorite Jinx, who are sisters, much to the surprise of long-time League of Legends fans! Other main characters include Jayce, Viktor and Caitlyn. Here is a full list of all the League of Legends characters that star in Arcane.

Disclaimer: Potential spoilers ahead, read at your own risk.

Vi

In the first episode, audiences are introduced to Vi as she is immediately established as the older sister. Both Vi and Jinx are adopted by Vander following the death of their parents in a battle against Piltover enforcers. They joined his other adoptive children, Claggor and Mylo, as Vander tried to keep them safe from the darker underbelly of Zaun.

Vi becomes the leader of this band of unlikely children and leads them on an excursion to rescue Zander from Silco, a criminal mastermind in the undercity. Following Jinx's failed monkey bomb creation, Claggor and Mylo are all killed, and Vi is imprisoned. Vi spends many years in prison, building up her strength and earning her trademark Vi tattoo and a hardened look in her eyes.

Vi is liberated from prison as Caitlyn visits her and requests her help. Thanks to Jayce, Vi eventually gets to wield the iconic hextech gauntlets that so many fans love her for, keeping the definable hot-headed essence of her in-game League of Legends champion.

Jinx

Jinx is revealed to be the younger sister of Vi. She was known as Powder before taking on the pseudonym of Jinx. From a young age, she was shown to have deep-rooted psychological trauma and anxiety, something Vi tried to protect her from. After she accidentally causes the deaths of her adoptive siblings and Zander, Vi calls her a "jinx", which stuck with Powder through her adolescence.

Bonding over their shared experiences of family betrayal and abandonment, Silco finds Jinx and takes her in as his own after Vi appears to have left her behind. This firecracker of a champion grows up to become a chaotic force of nature rampaging around Zaun and Piltover, wreaking havoc wherever she goes with her deadly creations and Fishbones, her signature weapon.

Like her sister Vi, Jinx is impulsive and makes several reckless decisions throughout the show. Jinx has an internal struggle against her identity - she must decide if she is still the Powder Vi knows or a jinx. At the end of the first season, she chooses the latter and develops into the maniacal beloved champion League of Legends fans are familiar with by blasting the Pilotver council chambers.

Caitlyn

If Vi is the main character, then there were no doubts that Caitlyn would also make a starring feature. Arcane is set just before Caitlyn becomes the Sheriff of Piltover as she joins the enforcers, determined to make a difference. Her naivety throws her amid a civil war between the dark undercity Zaun and the subtly-corrupt Piltover.

Caitlyn was one of the first to support Jayce's controversial Hextech idea, allowing him to gain her family's backing with her influential status and authority. In the series, Vi affectionately refers to Caitlyn as "Cupcake," sparking joy among fans.

Jayce

Jayce is the tertiary Arcane main character behind Vi and Jinx, serving as a foil to the main plot. The animated series begins with Jayce's magic crystals being stolen Vi and Jinx as children. These crystals were Hextech-related early research, so the dangers imposed by his Hextech study brought him to the mercy of the Piltover council.

In the second act, we see how Jayce's creations have altered Piltover's society, as his inventions are helpful in daily life. Throughout the season, Jayce evolves into a great scientist, a diplomatic leader, and a warrior wielding his signature Hextech hammer.

Viktor

In his first appearance in Arcane, Viktor seems fresh-faced and innocent as he takes a risk to help Jayce with his Hextech breakthroughs. He even saves Jayce from a complete mental breakdown after the Piltover Council denies Hextech research and prevents Jayce from giving up on his dreams.

Audiences discover that Viktor suffers from a debilitating terminal illness that the success of Hextech could cure, hence his piqued interest. The first season of Arcane begins Viktor's transition from a soft-spoken idealist to a cyborg, as seen in Act 1 of Arcane Season 2, where the Hexcore has taken over his body, replacing soft flesh with hard, glowing metal.

He's one step closer to becoming "the Machine Herald" we all know from LoL, as he amasses a cult-like following after healing Shimmer addicts using the power of the Hexcore now inside his body. However, Jayce seems to put a stop to this in Act 2, Season 2, thanks to his own time trapped within the Hexcore.

Heimerdinger

A brilliant scientist and a mastermind extraordinaire, Heimerdinger is an intelligent Yordle who created some of the most innovative aspects used in everyday Piltover society. He is a mentor figure to Jayce in his Hextech research. He makes his first appearance to counsel Jayce before his council trial. Although Jayce doesn't always heed Heimerdinger's advice, Jayce values his input.

Despite his fascinating mind, Heimerdinger appears closed off regarding new technology and is very set in his ways. It is interesting to see his worldview expand as Jayce further develops his Hextech technology and when he happens upon Ekko in Zaun undercity.

Ekko

Ekko grew up in Zaun alongside Vi and Jinx as their childhood friend, and was an innovative tinkerer. In Arcane, he becomes the leader of the Firelights faction, a rebel street gang that serve as the last remaining resistance against Silco's regime in the undercity.

Known in-game with his epthiet, the Boy Who Shattered Time, it becomes clear to League of Legends players how exactly Ekko earned this nickname. Ekko drops back in later in the show to aid Vi and Cailtyn in their mission to take down Silco and his Shimmer operation. In episode 8 with his intense face-off against Jinx, Ekko recalls their childhood where they would have similar playfights. Ekko shows off his ability to manipulate time and gravely wounds Jinx in a battle of the ages.

Singed

Singed is one of several League of Legends champions in Arcane, although he looks slightly differently to his in-game design. Singed was previously a respected alchemist in Piltover. The controversy surrounding his unethical experiments caused him to self-exile to Zaun. Here, he was free to perform any experimentations without consequence under the watchful eyes of Silco.

As the Mad Chemist, he plays a pivotal role in developing the notorious luminescent purple Shimmer drug that runs rampant through the undercity of Zaun. He works closely with Silco, like saving Jinx from the brink of death through Shimmer, and was a factor in Viktor's development.

Warwick

Speaking of Singed, we know from Arcane Season 1 that the mad scientist was performing unethical Shimmer experiments on a mysterious creature hanging in chains, including blood transfusions. But who actually is this grotesque creature? Some scenes from Arcane Season 2 prove that this creature is actually Warwick, the Uncaged Wrath of Zaun. This wolf-like creature has augumented abilities and an insatiable bloodlust, stopping at nothing to seek out his prey.

Warwick has now offically be revealed as Vander, the adoptive father of Vi and Jinx. In proximity to Jinx, he has voicelines saying "You were there," "Let me forget," regarding his dying moments when Jinx (previously Power) watched him die due to her mistakes.

Act 3 of Season 2 sees Vander's full transition into the bloodthirsty Warwick, looking noticeably different to his in-game splash art. He has no remorse, stopping at nothing while brutally attacking Jinx and Vi. Arcane could be the beginning of his journey, as he still lacks the wolf-like snout and. fur-covered body

Ambessa Medarda

Ambessa Medarda hails from Nox, and is a ruthless leader known for going to any extreme lengths to get what she wants. She first made her appearance in Season 1, wanting to get her hands on Piltover's Hextech technology. However, her daughter Mel opposes her at every step.

Ambessa used the ongoing war between the opposing cities Pilotver and Zaun to get what she wants. After Jinx used her Super Mega Death Rocket on the council chambers, Ambessa added fuel to the fire by orchestrating an attack at the memorial for the deceased. In the end of Season 2 Act 1, she takes on the role of Piltover's leader imposing Martial Law and using Caitlyn as a pawn in her game. Ambessa has since been released as the newest playable character for League of Legends, as the Matriarch of War.

Orianna

In Episode 5 of Arcane Season 2, fans gain some insight into the motivations behind Singed's experiments and obsession with evolution through artificial augmentation. We discover that it's due to a desperate need to save his daughter, revealed to be Orianna, the girl inside his pocket watch. His daughter suffers from a mystery illness that's slowly killing her, as Singed aims to find a cure that will save her life and bring her out of her temporary stasis.

In the official League of Legends lore, Orianna was a curious girl who contracted a fatal lung disease while assisting Zaunites after a chemical gas leak. Determined to save her, Dr. Raveck (revealed to be Singed by Caitlyn), began replacing her damaged body parts with mechanical components. However, the poison from the gas spread, requiring Orianna to need additional replacements until only her heart remained organic and pure. At the end of Act 3, we see that Singed has successfully managed to bring Orianna back from the brink, bringing her one step closer to becoming "The Lady of Clockwork."

Honorable Mentions

Ryze

Ryze is a powerful sorcerer in Runeterra on a quest to gather the world's most powerful magical artefacts and protect them from falling into the wrong hands. He briefly makes a cameo appearance in Episode 2 of Netflix's Arcane. He saves the day as a young Jayce and his mother were trapped in a torrential blizzard. He uses his runic magic, paying homage to his in-game Ultimate, to teleport Jayce and his mother to safety in Piltover.

Ryze's selfless actions inspired Jayce to pursue hextech technology and magic to make the world a better place. While Ryze does not speak in this short sequence, this moment is a subtle Easter egg for fans of the video game.

Kindred

The Kindred spirits are seen in a brief cameo in Arcane Episode 5 when Vi and Caitlyn visit a brothel. In League of Legends lore, they are a mysterious pair representing the twin essences of life and death, a lamb and a wolf. The series also references how they are always seen wearing ancient masks crafted by "unknown hands."

It will be interesting to see if the eternal hunters will have a more significant bearing on the story of Season 2, as their brief human form appearance in Season 1 had no impact on the plot of Arcane itself.

Janna

Janna, the Storm's Fury, has had a brief mention in Arcane Season 2. In an ominous scene where Vi, now an Enforcer, confronts Jinx, the younger sister asks: "Don’t you remember the Janna bedtime stories Vander used to tell us?"

She speaks of trapped miners being rescued by a "wispy wind woman," with the camera panning to a goddess-like lithe figure carved into the chamber walls. This is Janna, the spirit protector of Zaun. This is a small Easter egg likely only noticed by die-hard fans of the League of Legends game lore.

The Black Rose

Those familiar with League of Legends lore will recognize "The Black Rose," a secret society that influences outcomes in Noxus, full of mages and magic wielders, with LeBlanc and Vladimir leading the way. Ambessa and Mel are having troubles with "The Black Rose," with Mel currently trapped inside a prison realm with chains binding her, LeBlanc's signature move.

The Black Rose are hunting for a love-child of Ambessa that seems to posesses unparalleled magical ability. It's been revealed to be Mel, given her glowing golden armor that protected her and Jayce from Jinx's Super Mega Death Rocket blast at the end of Season 1. Mel's gilded armor gives her protective-mage abilities, remnant of the "Locket of the Iron Solari" item in LoL. Mel calls out the mysterious shadowy being as being a "Deceiver", hinting that it's 100% LeBlanc and her in-game epithet.

Eagle-eyed viewers will also have noticed the black raven with red, glowing eyes, seemingly keeping an eye on the events of the show. The final Act of Season 3 reveals it actually has three eyes, as it pecks at some Hextech remnants. This could be a nod to Swain, another member of the Black Rose. Said raven also follows the Noxian ships at the end of the show.

Either way, all signs point to the next animated League of Legends series being centered around Noxus and the Noxian invasion of Ionia.

What's next in store for future League of Legends Arcane seasons?

While directors have said Season 2 will be Arcane's last, the door is open for other League of Legends regions like Ixtal, Ionia, Demacia, and more, getting their time in the spotlight with their own shows. With Riot Games setting the base foundations with their in-depth world-building, quirky music videos, and cast of interesting characters, there's no telling where the world of Runeterra can go next!