Arcane season 1 ended with a major cliffhanger that left viewers wondering: is Mel alive? Did anyone on the Piltover council survive Jinx’s Hextech-powered rocket?
Arcane season 2 episode 1 has all the answers. But before we jump in, let’s recollect what happened in the final moments of episode 9 that led up to this finale.
Arcane season 1 episode 9 recap
If you recall, Silco and Jayce had come together to forge a pact that will officially divide the underground from Piltover. However, Jayce insists that Silco hand over Jinx so she can be held accountable for her crimes.
Upon discovering the deal, Jinx captures Silco, Vi, and Caitlyn. She confronts her sister about the pain of their shared past and questions her foster father about what lies ahead. With emotions running high, Jinx pulls out her flare gun and makes a move to kill Caitlyn.
However, Caitlyn manages to break free from her bindings and is quickly knocked unconscious by Jinx.
Jinx grabs hold of her Pow-Pow weapon, yet hesitates, torn over whether to take Caitlyn’s life. In a moment of intense turmoil, overwhelmed by the voices in her head, she accidentally kills Silco.
Emotionally charged, she resolves to leave Powder behind and fully embrace her identity as Jinx. Carrying out her late father’s vision, she fires a Hextech-powered rocket toward the Piltover council tower, where the council is in session.
Warning: Major spoilers if you haven’t watched Arcane season 2 episode 1.
Is Mel alive? Full list of characters who live and die after Jinx’s attack on the Piltover council
Arcane season 2 episode 1, “Heavy is the Crown,” picks up right off where episode 9 left off.
The Piltover Council, comprising Jayce Talis, Bolbok, Cassandra Kiramman (Caitlyn’s mother), Hoskel, Mel Medarda, Salo, and Shoola meet to vote on the recognition of Zaun, Piltover’s undercity, as an autonomous state. They are interrupted by Jinx’s attack which completely blows the place apart.
From Jayce’s blurry point of view, we see him gradually regain consciousness. In front of him is Mel, who also comes around. Together, they help each other stand up amidst the chaos.
And with that, the first few seconds of season 2 answers the pressing question — yes, Mel is still alive, and continues to play a major part in Arcane season 2.
As they look around, Shoola limps past them with a wounded right eye, her expression dazed. This confirms to viewers that she’s still alive.
The camera then cuts to Hoskel, who lies limp on top of the rubble, then to Bolbok, who also lies limp and appears to have lost his head
In the next frame, we see Salo stuck under collapsed concrete. An officer attempts to help him as he struggles to get his broken legs out from under its weight.
Jayce and Mel then finds Cassandra Kiramman lying on her side. He tries to wake her, but there’s no response, confirming her death, which will no doubt have a huge impact on Caitlyn.
| PILTOVER COUNCIL MEMBER | STATUS |
| Jayce Talis | Alive |
| Mel Medarda | Alive |
| Shoola | Alive |
| Hoskel | Dead |
| Bolbok | Dead |
| Cassandra Kiramman | Dead |
Now if you’re asking if Viktor is dead you’re definitely not a League of Legends player. He’s still far from his full form, my friend. In the last scene before the opening sequence, Jayce finds him wounded and unconscious on the ground.
Picking him up in his arms, Jayce rushes Viktor to the lab. Flipping through his notes not knowing what to do, he notices that the Hextech core in the lab started reacting to Viktor’s transmuted leg. Jayce picks it up with a large pair of tongs and it fuses with his best friend.
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