"The Base Violence Necessary for Change" is the third episode of the first season and third episode overall of Arcane.
Synopsis[]
An epic showdown between old rivals results in a fateful moment for Zaun. Jayce and Viktor risk it all for their research
Plot[]
The episode begins with young Silco drowning in muddy water. His voiceover notes that surviving mortal danger changes a person forever, and he thanks some old friends, of whom only an arm and a dark shape are shown.
In Benzo's basement, Vi's waiting for something. It turns out that she's sent a message to Sherriff Grayson at the end of the previous episode. Vi wanted to surrender herself to spare the others. But Vander and Benzo come to the basement before Grayson. Vander says he's proud of Vi and tells her to protect the family. Then he locks her in and lets Marcus chain himself. Outside, Deckard, being in a monstrous form after Shimmer injection, kills Grayson and Benzo. Silco takes Vander as a hostage and tells Marcus that their deal has changed.
At the Shimmer factory, Silco shares with Vander his plans of scaring away Piltover's people for respect and opportunity they've denied Underground residents. He claims that his cruel methods are just 'the base violence necessary for change' referring to the title of the episode. He also reminds Vander that they were close in their youth and dreamed of freedom for Zaun to be united as one nation. It's revealed that Vander was the one who tried to drown Silco in his flashback from the beginning of the episode. Despite that, Silco suggests Vander join him in his confrontation with Piltover because now they have the power of Shimmer to realize their dream. Vander refuses since he doesn't want to sacrifice the Lanes people for it.
In Piltover, Viktor helped Jayce figure out the way to stabilize the crystals, but they needed proof to convince the Council. Viktor decides to take a risk and sneak into the Heimerdinger's lab since he has the key as his assistant. Viktor explains that he's not satisfied with this role but believes that Jayce's dream of Hextech could change and improve the world. Jayce corrects him that it's a dream of them both.
At night, Mel catches them trying to get into the lab, but Jayce convinces her to give them a chance to prove their theory. They experiment with crystals, but a guard outside notices a light from the window. Jayce and Viktor achieve their goal right before Heimerdinger, with guards, breaks into the lab, finding them floating in the air. Heimerdinger is impressed but still thinks magic shouldn't be dealt with. Mel also shows up and contradicts him, proposing that the era of magic is coming. Jayce specifies that it'll be the era of Hextech.
Vi, Mylo, and Claggor are going to rescue Vander. Powder wants to go with them, but Vi leaves her out because she fears losing her. Vi gives Powder a flare and tells her to light it up in case they'll be separated. Vi promises to find her. Powder cries about being left alone but remembers the crystals and realizes they've caused an explosion in Jayce's study. She can help the others, so she heads after them.
Vi, Mylo, and Claggor get into the Shimmer factory uncaught and find Vander, but soon, it turns out to be a trap for them as Silco and his men show up. Mylo tries to unchain Vander, and Claggor is sent to find another way out while Vi fights Silco's men, starting with a one-on-one duel with Lock, who she easily knocks out. It's been going well so far, but Silco gives Deckard another shot of Shimmer and sends the monster after Vi. She can't defeat him, so she hides behind the door and locks it as he's trying to get her. Powder sees this from the outside and launches a monkey bomb stuffed with crystals, trying to help.
When Mylo finally frees Vander, and Claggor makes a hole in a thin wall for them to get out, an unexpectedly big and terrible explosion happens, throwing away Powder and wreaking havoc inside. Mylo and Claggor end up dead, and Vi's stuck under the wreckage. Vander overcomes the pain and defends her from Deckard, although not being able to defeat him as well, and eventually, Silco stabs him in his back and throws him off the bridge. On his last legs, Vander notices the ampule with Shimmer nearby and takes it, turning it into an even bigger monster, so he easily deals with Deckard. He takes Vi outside, saves her from another explosion, and then passes away.
Vi grieves as Powder runs up to her, thrilled that her bomb has finally worked. Vi, furious, realizes that Powder started this horrible mess and slaps her on the face, yelling that she's told her to stay away and calling her a jinx. Then, Vi walks away, leaving Powder wailing and desperately begging for her to come back. Silco approaches Powder with a knife, and Vi wants to run back, but Marcus holds her mouth and nose with a handkerchief, telling Silco that it might kill her, and drags unconscious Vi away. Silco greets Powder and softly asks where her sister is. Powder throws herself at him, knocking him down, so he drops his knife and replies that Vi's left her, so she isn't her sister anymore. Silco hugs her and tells her that it's okay.
We'll show them. We will show them all.
Silco to Powder
Cast[]
- Kevin Alejandro as Jayce Talis
- Hailee Steinfeld as Violet "Vi"
- Mia Sinclair Jenness as Powder / Jinx
- Shohreh Aghdashloo as Grayson
- JB Blanc as Vander
- Miles Brown as Young Ekko
- Remy Hii as Marcus
- Josh Keaton as Deckard
- Yuri Lowenthal as Mylo
- Roger Craig Smith as Claggor
- Jason Spisak as Silco
- Brett Tucker as Singed
- Remy Hii as Marcus
- Harry Lloyd as Viktor
- Dave B. Mitchell as Harold / Enforcer
- Mick Wingert as Cecil B. Heimerdinger
- Toks Olagundoye as Mel Medarda
- Fred Tatasciore as Benzo
Appearances[]
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Locations[]
Events[]
Items[]
Vehicles[]
Sentient Species[]
Creatures[]
Organizations[]
Mentioned[]
- Jinx (eyes seen)
Trivia[]
- At the end of the episode, when Powder cries for Vi to return, her full name is revealed, which turns out to be 'Violet'.