'Arcane' Act 1 Recap; Episode 4 Release Date Revealed

The first story arc for “Arcane” has finally been released, and it immediately soared to the top of most-watched lists in multiple countries for good reason. Riot’s first foray into the animated TV series scene was met with positive reviews from fans and critics alike thanks to the superb animation quality and the emotionally-gripping story.

There are plenty of things to cover concerning the events of “Arcane,” and there’s much more to come since episodes will be released in batches of three. For those wanting a quick overview of what happened in the first three episodes of the show, here’s a quick recap.

“Arcane” First Story Arc Recap

The show started with a bleak and desolate scene that detailed the aftermath of a particularly violent encounter between the enforcers of Piltover and what seems to be ordinary citizens of the undercity. A young Vi walks through the destruction with her sister Powder and ultimately finds her parents lying dead on the floor. Shortly after, the girls are taken in by Vander, a former rebel fighter.

Netflix's Arcane is the first animated series set in the world of League of Legends Photo: Netflix

A few years later, Vi and Powder, along with their friends Mylo and Clagger, attempt to ransack a high-class apartment in Piltover’s upper district. Their heist goes wrong after Powder accidentally causes an unstable magic crystal to explode, leading to an encounter with enforcers.

Meanwhile, the young inventor Jayce took the blame for the explosion caused by the heist and was summarily expelled from Piltover’s academy. He later joins forces with fellow scientist Viktor to continue his research on how to harness magic through technology.

The failed heist and the meeting between Jayce and Viktor set off a chain of events that eventually leads to the birth of Hextech and the widening of the gap between Piltover’s districts.

These first three episodes set the tone for the rest of “Arcane’s” story, serving as a solid foundation of Vi and Powder’s backstories while setting the stage for the upcoming conflict between the upper and lower districts of Piltover, which will eventually lead to the formation of Zaun.

“Arcane” Episode 4 Release Date

Fans won’t have to wait long until the next batch of three episodes is released. The second act of “Arcane” will go live this Saturday and will pick up a few years after the events of the third episode.