Arcane has sadly ended after two amazing seasons, and there’s a lot to discuss from Season 2, Episode 9, titled “The Dirt Under Your Nails.” The last episode of Arcane Season 2 resolved the war between Piltover and Zaun and ended the conflict between Jayce and Viktor.
Ekko played a crucial role in saving the day in this episode. As we neared the end, it seemed like Viktor was about to defeat Jayce and transform everyone into himself. However, Ekko arrived just in time with his hoverboard and used the Zero-Drive, a device from League of Legends, to manipulate time.
Ekko created the Z-Drive in the alternate universe where he and Heimerdinger were trapped in Episode 7, “Pretend Like It’s The First Time.” This device allows Ekko to rewind time by up to four seconds. When he returned to his original reality, the Z-Drive helped him save the world. He rewound time multiple times to dodge Viktor’s soldiers and threw the Z-Drive at Viktor, causing it to interact with him.
In one of the most memorable scenes, Jayce tried to reason with Viktor instead of attacking him. He said, “Now, all I want is my partner back.” Viktor was skeptical but asked Jayce why he wanted to make peace. Jayce hugged Viktor and reminded him that he made a promise to him.
In a surprising reveal, we learn that Viktor is the mage who helped Jayce’s mother and gave him the Hexgem when he was a child. This connection, although expected, was still touching. Viktor then mentioned that in all timelines, Jayce is the only one who can show that the world can’t be saved the way he thought.
In the end, the two partners came together to destroy the Hextech and bring an end to their conflict. It’s unclear whether they survived or perished, but it seems they may be together in a parallel dimension.
Aside from some losses like Heimerdinger, Ambessa, Rictus, Vander, and Maddie, most characters survived. Piltover and Zaun reached peace, and Sevika even joined the council.
As for Jinx, she sacrificed herself at the end of Episode 9 to save Vi from Warwick. Yet, she is likely not dead. The show hints at Jinx still being alive when Caitlyn looks at the air ducts and finds one of Jinx’s explosive monkeys.
Additionally, the series finale shows a distant ship in the horizon, suggesting that Jinx has survived. After all, Jinx expressed her desire to escape from reality multiple times throughout Season 2.