Although a little more prevalent in the last few years, I can count on one hand the number of times I have absolutely lost it when watching a TV show. There was a moment at the end of Season 2 of Final Space that got me right in the feels. When a character seemingly died in the final season of Blindspot, my favorite character in the show, I crumpled into a heap. I know, I know. It’s a weird show to get emotional at, but it caught me by surprise!
Now, it is Arcane Season 2.
Specifically, the end of Act 2, the sixth episode. I can tell you, this was the worst reaction I have ever had to a TV show. I was a broken man for a good three hours following the event, and I am still reeling from it.
So, what happened? Why did it happen? And HOW THE HECK DID IT GET ME SO BAD?!?!
SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT FORWARD. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
Holy f*ck, where do I even start?
At the culmination of Act 2, Jayce, returning from (at the time) God-knows-where, looking scruffy as hell and sporting a beard even a hobo would grimace at, blasted Viktor, his former partner in science and brother-from-another-mother, with his Hex-Tech enhanced hammer. This, unfortunately, left Viktor too weak to suppress the beasthood inside of Vander, Vi and Jinx’s foster father who was now a massive genetically mutated wolfman.
I’m getting to the point, don’t worry.
Vander started to go on a rampage, and a bunch of people were about to die, including Jinx and Vi! OH, NO, right? And that’s where it happens. Isha, the little mute girl that Jinx had taken under her wing, the little mute girl that has been keeping the Jinx legend alive for Zaun, the little mute girl that had become a little sister to our fam, loads up on little magic blue balls, overloads her pistol, and blows everything to smithereens.
She sacrificed herself for Jinx. She sacrificed herself for everyone. And all Jinx could do was watch in devastation as she saw it unfolding before her eyes.
Honest to betsy, it’s one of the saddest things I’ve seen in my entire life.
Here’s the rub: Isha is an original character for Arcane, and she was only introduced in Season 2, Episode 1. That means we’ve only had six episodes to get attached to this girl who doesn’t speak aside from maybe one word in Episode 4. Even that was barely audible, so it shouldn’t have been possible for a character’s death to affect me this much.
But, man, did I get attached to this girl.
Isha was the MVP for the first six installments of Season 2. From the moment she was saved by Jinx and started following her around, this kid had so much to offer. Her presence softened the blue-haired maniac’s personality enough that Jinx became ready to reconcile with Vi. She finally gave Jinx the friend she always wanted, allowing her to move on from Silco. Isha brought more of Powder to the surface than I ever thought possible at the end of Season 1.
Family is one thing, but Isha also moved Jinx forward with Zaun leadership. Her appearances pretending to be Jinx kept the dream alive for a trodden-down Zaun population. Painting the town blue with graffiti or paint fireworks was an act of rebellion and a sign of hope. Isha propelled Jinx into a leadership role that she was born for (if not entirely ready for), and Jinx’s later actions may not have been possible without this groundwork.
And let’s not forget that time she became a human shield to protect her sister from Vi and Caitlyn’s attempts on her life! It was her bold move that made Vi come to her senses and stop Caitlyn from striking a killing blow on her sister.
So, when Isha goes out like a muther trucking hero, paying the ultimate price, you better believe I’m gonna break down.
MV f*cking P.
The story is sad on its own, and there’s definitely no need to punctuate it. But that is exactly what the creators of Arcane did. It was masterfully done, and I, equal parts, loved it and hated them for it.
Emotional music always finds a way to affect me, and this was no different. Isha’s song by Eason Chan is hauntingly beautiful. It’s sung entirely in Mandarin Chinese, but you can sense the emotion in Chan’s voice, even if you can’t understand the words. I was too busy crumpling into a ball and screaming at the TV to “NOT F*CKING DARE KILL THAT KID” to even listen to the lyrics. However, if you see the translation, the meaning gets you a second time.
In addition, Isha’s memory montage is shown in a different, childlike art style while she runs to save the day, telegraphing what is about to happen. Then Isha tipped the brim of her helmet and shooting finger guns at Jinx as a way to say, “I got this, sis,” in a perfect mirror of when they first became friends. It all just gets to you viscerally.
Isha’s death is a moment that will stick with me for years to come.
Did I cry a little while writing this? Maybe. No. I don’t know what you’re talking about. LEAVE ME ALONE!
One thing’s for sure: Arcane did a fantastic job building characters I really cared about because for all I cared about Isha, this sweet little mute girl who sacrificed herself for her found family, it was the effects I knew this would have on her family that really got me. Jinx would be broken. Vi would be broken. Vander… well, he didn’t have a clue what was going on, but you get the idea.
Isha was a six-episode original Arcane character, and Riot got me to feel it so deeply I’ve barely recovered after two weeks. If that’s not a testament to the quality of this show, then I don’t know what is.
