Heartwarming / Arcane

"Let's keep this our little secret."

Episode 1 - Welcome to the Playground

• Vander, leader of the rebellion against Piltover, horrified by the human cost upon seeing Vi and Powder break down and cry at the sight of their deceased parents, drops his weapons in order to take the two orphaned sisters to safety and later adopts them. Vander chooses the lives of two young girls over continuing his cause, choosing love over ideals or revenge.
• Vander's Establishing Character Moment shows that he's hellbent on helping people and keeping the law. When a customer of his tavern is threatened with violence after refusing to accept less payment than what he was promised, Vander shows up and forces the thugs to pay the agreed-upon price.
• Despite Mylo constantly complaining about Powder, Vi is endlessly patient with her and keeps telling her she knows she's good enough to keep up with them.
• Vander, while stern with his adopted family and deeply disapproving of their heist in Piltover, obviously wants what's best for them as he talks to Vi about her responsibility as the one her siblings looked up to, and how violence wouldn't solve her problems.
  • Right after he's done lecturing her, Vander takes a moment to playfully confirm that Vi did kick the ass of the guy that hit her. She snorts in confirmation, earning a chuckle from him.
• Powder, who's very down on herself after botching the heist and hearing Mylo's complaints about her, is comforted by Vi, who tells her how all of her siblings have had bad days, and that like them, Powder would learn.
  • When Powder shows Vi the Hex Crystal she got from their heist, Vi immediately shoots down the idea of showing it to Vander. But seeing the look on Powder's face, Vi furtively says to her, "Let's keep this our little secret." Cue the page image.
• If one pays attention to the fight between Vi's gang and Deckard's, Claggor arguably might have been doing better than Vi as he's seen getting thrown around less and getting more good hits in. However, when Ekko asks Claggor about the brawl, he gives Vi the credit for why they came out on top.

Episode 2 - Some Mysteries Are Better Left Unsolved

• Jayce's mother begs before the Council, despite her low status, for her son to be spared exile. The Council opts to merely expel him from the Academy rather than outright exile him from Piltover largely on the strength of her plea.
• Caitlyn spares a moment to give Jayce some words of encouragement despite her mother expressly forbidding her from speaking to him.
• When Jayce is about to commit suicide, Viktor stops him, telling him that he was intrigued by his research. When a bitter Jayce says that nobody believed him, Viktor recounts his life as a poor Zaunite cripple, and how nobody was there to believe in him but himself, and for that reason he believes in Jayce and his research, wanting to become his partner. When Jayce still protests and says that nobody thinks it could be done, Viktor tells him not to let anyone stop him from trying to change the world, handing back Jayce's precious bracelet. A moved Jayce takes it and asks Viktor his name, and the two young men become partners.
  Viktor: When you're going to change the world, don't ask for permission.
• As tensions are mounting between Piltover and Zaun, Vander takes a belligerent Vi to the bridge between both cities, soberly telling her about the bloodshed that had occurred and that a war would only risk her siblings getting hurt. Taking this to heart, Vi decides to turn herself in to stop conflict from erupting between the cities, and moreover protect her family. Both acts emphasize how much their family means to them.

Episode 3 - The Base Violence Necessary For Change

• Vander interrupts Vi's attempt at turning herself in by trapping her in Benzo's basement and offering himself to the Enforcers instead. It's just one of many actions from Vander that displays just how deeply he cares for his family, and Vi in turn desperately tells him to stop because of how much she cares for her adoptive father in turn.
• Jayce and Viktor manage to perfect Jayce's theory on Hextech. After being willing to outright commit suicide earlier that night, Jayce is genuinely happy to have Viktor as his partner and the two men already share a great deal of respect and trust. When Viktor says that they have to break in to Heimerdinger's lab to prove it before Jayce's research is destroyed, Jayce immediately protests, asking why Viktor was willing to risk so much. Viktor replies that he truly believed that Jayce's Hextech dream could make the world a better place, and that it was a scientist's duty to do that. Touched, Jayce corrects him by stating it was their Hextech dream, putting a hand on his shoulder as they proudly look at their work.
• Jayce and Viktor's experiment manages to bear fruit and successfully harnesses the power of magic, and the two are floating in Heimerdinger's laboratory and laughing in awe and wonderment at what they had just accomplished, as two young men who are able to fulfill their dream about changing the world.
• The moment Vi shows up at their hideout and tells them what happened, Claggor and Mylo immediately move to go with her. The latter has been complaining nonstop about Powder and being a general pain in the ass since his first appearance, but he still wants to rescue Vander.
  Mylo: He's our father, too.
  • Later, once they've reached Vander and are trying to get him out, Mylo fumbles with his lockpick for a moment. Vander glances down and gently encourages him to try again, and the kid does so. Proof that all of Vander's kids look up to him.
    Vander: Mylo. Take a breath. You can do this.
• In an effort to save Vi, Vander puts up a hell of a fight against a Shimmer-enhanced Deckard, and after sustaining mortal injuries and resorting to using Shimmer himself to kill him, he's able to resist the mind-altering effects of the drug and opts to rescue Vi from the exploding cannery over killing Silco. Right before he finally dies, his lasts words to Vi are asking her to take care of Powder. Even as he was dying, his family was at the forefront of his mind, and he did everything he could to protect them. His final actions as a father were the same as his first, putting his kids above his personal desire for revenge.
• Sevika gets Silco out of the way of Powder's explosion, seemingly intent on Taking the Bullet for her boss and ultimately losing her arm in the process.
• When a devastated and enraged Vi slaps Powder and blames her for killing their family in the aftermath of her explosion, Powder's blood drips into Vi's hand, while Powder constantly tries to tell her that she didn't want this to happen and begs for mercy. She gets through Vi, who then looks at in horror at the blood she has shed. Vi then gets immediately overwhelmed by remorse and realizing how much she's hurting her sister, and she quickly leaves to calm down and avoid hurting Powder even more. Her anger becomes less directed at Powder and more at herself for acting this way. When she sees Silco approaching Powder with a knife at his back, Vi immediately tries to return to her, and is only unable to because of Marcus drugging her. Despite having every right to hate Powder for starting the explosion, Vi's love for Powder was stronger than that urge to do so. She still wanted to take care of and protect her, just as Vander had asked her to. This is what motivates her in the next act, where she's completely devoted to reuniting and making amends with Powder.
• Despite how genuinely monstrous Silco is and how it's a huge step for Powder on her way to becoming Jinx, the scene where a devastated Powder hugs Silco is absolutely this. When she suddenly hugs him and tearfully tells him that Vi has abandoned her and is no longer her sister, a shocked Silco looks at Vander's body and realizes that Powder has been betrayed by a sibling-figure that she genuinely trusted and loved, just like how he had been turned on by Vander in their youth. Despite initially planning to kill her, he instead sympathetically returns the hug and comforts her, taking her under his wing as a part of his gang.
  Silco: It's okay. We'll show them. We will show them all.

Episode 4 - Happy Progress Day

• Once again, Silco and Jinx. When Jinx screws up the mission due to her Trauma Button, he just quietly asks her about it, and tells her to take some time working on her inventions. Throughout the episode, he comes off less as a dangerous mob boss and more as a patient father who knows his daughter is having trouble.
  • During their meeting, Silco demonstrates how much he trusts Jinx by allowing her to personally administer his daily infected eye treatment, as well letting her lean close to him in comfort.
    • The merciless, powerful Big Bad of Zaun keeps a mug on his desk that was pretty clearly made by Jinx herself. In plain sight, where every single one of his minions could see it at anytime. Awful influence he may be, he's nothing but proud of her and genuinely supportive. The ashtray and the map of the undercity are similarly scribbled over with Jinx/Powder's drawings.
  • Silco shows up livid at her hideout after her bombing. Then Jinx shows him the Gemstone she stole, sets off fireworks with a "Happy Progress Day!" and gives him a gentle hug. For all her insanity, Jinx genuinely wants to help Silco (in her own way). Silco for his part looks a little touched.
• Jayce and Caitlyn still have a playful sibling-like dynamic even after all these years. They both tease each other about their current job positions and are clearly happy to see each other.
• Jayce, after much quibbling, decides to follow Heimerdinger's advice and not unveil the new Hextech before it's ready. The crowd is a little disappointed, but ultimately cheers for his promises of a better tomorrow.
• Despite Jayce being the golden boy of the city, he keeps trying to pull Viktor into the spotlight with him, insisting that they're partners. Viktor repeatedly declines.
• At the beginning of the episode, Heimerdinger pays respects to a statue of Stanwick Padidly and tells his story to Jayce, about how the scientist set aside his personal accomplishments to focus more on his students. Afterwards Heimer happily informs Jayce that he's to give the Progress Day speech (something only Heimer has done), clearly proud of his apprentice and encouraging him to celebrate what he's accomplished. Aww.
• When Caitlyn finds Lock, she immediately tries to help by putting pressure on his wound and promising to protect him from his boss' (Silco's) wrath.

Episode 5 - Everybody Wants to be My Enemy

• Even after winning the shooting competition, Caitlyn asks Grayson, her opponent, if her parents paid her to hold her last shot and let Caitlyn win. An amused Grayson says that, no, she wasn't paid off; protecting the city is reward enough for her, and in her eyes, Caitlyn deserved victory. The older woman then gives her a little life advice.
• While arranging for Vi's release, Caitlyn is genuinely appalled when the corrupt Stillwater warden assumes Vi being uncooperative means she'll be in for another "session" to talk. She was already going to break Vi out; this all but galvanized her decision.
• Mel wakes up alone in her bed after an intimate night with Jayce. In some shows, that'd be a sign of how shallow the guy is. Here? Jayce is revealed to be sitting by his best friend, Viktor, at a hospital bed.
• When Vi heads out to find and interrogate Sevika, she catches Caitlyn smoothly chatting up a brothel patron. Throughout most of their time together, Vi has been dismissive, rude, and patronizing towards Caitlyn and only giving mocking smiles at her. Here? After the initial surprise, Vi gives a genuine happy smile at the revelation, happy at the prospect that since Caitlyn is gay, she (Vi) has a chance.
• Caitlyn saves Vi from getting killed by Sevika, then after some arguing between them, Vi admits she's "an alright shot" as indirect thanks. The Piltover girl then helps the Zaun one up on her feet, Vi teasing her gently as "Cupcake" and Caitlyn laughing at the nickname.
  • Also, a Call-Back to the flashback at the beginning of the episode - the answer to Grayson's question: "What are you shooting for?"

Episode 6 - When the Walls Come Crumbling Down

• Mel so far has been mostly a Manipulative Bitch pushing Jayce to become a Corrupt Politician like her, and is upset with him for leaving her to wake up alone after they've slept together. When she learns that Jayce's best friend and partner is dying, she becomes genuinely remorseful and tells him that he should go be with him the short time they have left.
  • She's also confused about why Jayce is so willing to open up to the extent he is. His response: "Nothing feels impossible when I'm with you." This starts Mel's defrosting, as she then opens up to him about her background.
• Caitlyn taking care of Vi despite the latter's occasionally belligerent attitude, even trading her personal rifle for a healing potion. Caitlyn also gently holds Vi while she is convulsing and gasping for breath from the side effect of the potion, in a tender moment. Vi even briefly hallucinates her as Vi's mother for a second when Caitlyn was feeding her the medicine. Before that, when Caitlyn was tending to her and saying she knows Vi has a good heart, Vi has a flashback to Vander saying something similar. Both pointing to how, after years, Vi finally has someone who genuinely cares for her again.
• After getting the cure Vi needs, Caitlyn tells Huck, the now-mutated merchant from the first episode who Vander had helped out, that Vi would probably appreciate seeing a friendly face. When he demurs, not wanting her to see what he's become, Caitlyn immediately wraps him in a hug, and it's clear from the look on his face that he hasn't had any kind of human affection for a long time.
• It's quick, but when Vi and Caitlyn escape from Silco and his goons, Vi can be seen holding onto Caitlyn's arm while they are running away.
  • Another subtle moment, but when Vi angrily reveals to Caitlyn about her parents being murdered by Enforcers, the latter is visibly shocked and horrified. There's a moment of silent tension between them. But then Vi hears something (Silco and his goons) coming near them. The first thing she does? She does a "stay here" protective gesture to Caitlyn. Despite the earlier tension, the minute Vi suspects danger, her instinct is to protect Caitlyn. She also realizes what Caitlyn is trying to do to enable their escape from Silco and, despite how much it anguishes her, knocks her old home down herself.
• Vi and Powder/Jinx's Big Damn Reunion. While the mood is spoiled by an unfortunate combination of Caitlyn's untimely interruption, Jinx's paranoia and an attack by the Firelights, there's still a strong impact left by how even through her mental instability, Jinx still uses the flare Vi gave her years ago to call for her sister, and Vi immediately recognizes the signal when she sees it. Both girls clearly desire a reconciliation, with Vi's uncompromising desire to make amends clearly getting through to Jinx more than expected.
  • In the minute or so they have alone together, Vi manages to hug Powder (and get hugged back). And the very first thing she does after that? She apologizes and assures her that she never tried to abandon her. What a great sibling.
  • A little touch: Vi trying to take back calling Powder a "jinx" before leaving her. It shows how much she wants to make it up to her.
    Vi: You're not a jinx. God, I never should have [called you that].
• When Caitlyn interrupts Vi and Powder/Jinx's reaction, the latter is visibly and confusedly angered, becoming hostile and threatening. However, Vi steps in to tell her little sister that Caitlyn is a "friend". Remember that Vi has been dismissive to Caitlyn for most of their time together but in this moment, she doesn't call her and Enforcer or a Piltie. Vi calls her a "friend", showing how her perceptions of Caitlyn have changed.

Episode 7 - The Boy Savior

• Ekko and Vi's reunion. The two argue, with Ekko expressing anger over believing Vi was dead and being greatly distrustful of her, and Vi being angry over the Firelights ruining her reunion with Powder. Vi then remarks that Ekko really had grown up since he could now stand up to her and reveals she'd Slipped the Ropes by embracing him in a warm hug, referring to him as his old Affectionate Nickname of "Little Man". When a shocked Ekko asks how long she was free, she says she was for the whole conversation, and Ekko returns the hug while shedding a tear.
• Sevika might hate Jinx, but when Silco is about to run after her and make things worse, she gently says that in a situation like this, it's best for him to wait. And Silco, for his part, opts to trust her advice.
  Sevika: I have more in common with cave lice than Jinx, but... let's just say I didn't always see eye-to-eye with my old man.
  Silco: And?
  Sevika: She'll come to you when she's ready.
• Caitlyn begs Ekko to let Vi go and just keep her, despite assuming she'll be tortured if she stays.
  • Vi then shows up after Caitlyn's statement with an amused smile, playfully calling the latter her "hero". Yes, Vi's being The Gadfly towards Caitlyn, but unlike the previous smiles she made towards Caitlyn that were smugger and demeaning, this smile feels more genuine. Vi is clearly touched at Caitlyn's admission, and her facial expression (wile playful) is one filled with gratitude. Vi may not have said it, but she's touched by what Caitlyn said. Heck, the "my hero" line might have been more truthful than how it initially comes off.
  • Earlier in the episode, Caitlyn and Vi get into a brief argument over their kidnapping, but when the latter is taken away to another location, Caitlyn calls out for her name in worry. Even when she's arguing with Vi, her safety is a top priority.
• Singed tells Viktor that using Shimmer with Hextech to keep himself alive will ostracize him. Viktor says Jayce will understand, taking it on faith that Jayce would never turn on him.
• When Caitlyn tells Ekko that he'd be perfectly justified in keeping the Gemstone, but that if he doesn't return it, the violence will never stop, there's a shot of Vi staring at Caitlyn, her pupils dilated - possibly the moment she truly fell in love with her.
  • Also, take a look at Ekko's demeanor when Caitlyn makes her speech — he first starts off as hostile towards Caitlyn for being a Piltovan Enforcer, but hearing her genuine words of wanting to heal the Undercity and not dismissing his or said city's pain, causes him to take up her offer. And remember, Ekko has become extremely jaded after the Time Skip. And like with Vi, Caitlyn is forming a relationship with Ekko built on her genuine kindness and respect.
  • Before Caitlyn's speech to Ekko, both get into a disagreement when the latter reveals to the former that several Enforcers are on Silco's payroll. Vi gets in between them and states to Ekko that Caitlyn isn't the enemy and believes what she's saying. It's an underrated moment, but this moment from Vi has her not devalue either one — she doesn't dismiss Ekko's claim of the Enforcers being corrupted, but she also states that Caitlyn isn't like them and isn't his enemy.
    • In a quick moment, when Caitlyn first gets a look at the Firelights' hideout, Vi can be seen staring at her with a genuine smile. And when a hostile Ekko angrily states her people (Piltover) would destroy the hideout if discovered, Vi looks at him with a disapproving stare; by this point, Vi has come to view Caitlyn as a good person and doesn't like Ekko's misplaced accusations.
    • Adding onto that, when Vi goes to phyisically separate the two, watch carefully on how she does it — for Ekko, Vi uses her entire arm to push him away by his chest; for Caitlyn, she places her hand on the former's shoulder to gently move her back.
• Bitter and brutal though their fight is, Ekko and Jinx share a brief chuckle when the former pulls out his old pocket watch. They step into old positions even as both flash back to being children again, ready for another round of their personal game. A shame the stakes are so much higher this time.
  • When Ekko gets the upper hand and begins pummeling Jinx, he stops attacking out of remorse after getting a good look at her bloodied and frightened face, realizing that no matter what Jinx had done or how far gone she was, she was still his old friend Powder and he still cared about her. Jinx in turn smiles at his hesitation and kindness - before pulling the pin on a grenade to try killing them both.
  • It's subtle, but Ekko briefly smiles after looking into Jinx's eyes. Possibly thinking there was a chance to actually redeem her like Vi stated earlier.
• What does Vi do when she hears a gunshot at the bridge? She immediately turns around and sprints to the location while yelling out Caitlyn's name in worry.
  • When she gets to an injured Caitlyn, she gently grabs the latter's face with a worried look, closely examining her face for any other injuries.
• Subtle, but when Jinx opens fire at Caitlyn and Vi, the first instinct for the latter two was to protect the other — Caitlyn was curling her body to shield Vi while Vi pushed Caitlyn out of the gunfire.
• Just the fact Ekko built a sanctuary within Zaun for those who have suffered under Silco's reign.
• Vi bidding her farewells to Ekko and Caitlyn to find her sister.
  • With Ekko, he tries to dissuade her but respects her decision to go and find Jinx. They hug each other with Ekko snarkily telling her not to get killed, and she quips back she'll try. After so long apart, all the trauma and pain, and Ekko thinking Vi was dead, it's very heartwarming and cathartic to see these sibling-like duo now have confirmation what happened to the other and can now give a proper goodbye.
  • With Caitlyn, their hug is such a huge moment given how their relationship started — Both distrusting and judgmental of the other, with Vi especially being dismissive of Caitlyn and unfairly placing the Piltover's wrongs against Zaun on her. And angrily batting away Caitlyn's hand when the latter tried to wipe a bruise off of her. But now? They have formed a trusting and protective bond, willing to sacrifice themselves for the other. In fact, Caitlyn initially hesitates to hug Vi out of respect to her boundaries but Vi opens her arms to tell let her know that she wants a hug as well.
    • In a Call-Back to Caitlyn admonishing Vi for not even saying "thank you" for rescuing her from Sevika, during their hug, Vi gives a genuine thanks to Caitlyn for everything the latter has done for her. And during this, Vi actually caresses the back of Caitlyn's head. In response, Caitlyn tightens the hug and buries her face closer into Vi's shoulder.
    • From Jinx's binoculars, the viewers can see that the hug between Vi and Caitlyn tighten again. And when they break apart, Vi softly touches and strokes Caitlyn's cheek before leaving.
• In a weird and subtle way is Ekko and the Firelights kidnapping Caitlyn. Ekko had already correctly deduced that she was a Piltovan, and most likely suspected she was also an Enforcer. And while a Firelight knocks Caitlyn out, she doesn't kill her. Ekko also doesn't order her to be killed or abandoned somewhere, only tied up with a bag over her head. And when Vi vouches for Caitlyn, the first thing Ekko does is have a Firelight child bring a bowl of water to Caitlyn. And while he's still distrustful over her, Ekko decides to help her back to topside. Despite all of the trauma and hatred he has for Piltover and Enforcers, he has the moral restraint to not harm Caitlyn unless he absolutely has to.
• When Caitlyn and Vi make it over to the topside, the former has been injured in her leg with the latter carrying her to safe alleyway. After placing her down, Vi goes to look at what else happened on the bridge, but before that? She reassuringly pats Caitlyn on her uninjured knee and lets her know she'll be back.

Episode 8 - Oil and Water

• When Silco arrives on the scene of the carnage from the previous episode, he immediately runs to Jinx's side and scoops her up, shedding his image of an unflappable crime lord in front of two of his thugs out of genuine worry and love for his adoptive daughter.
  • Later, after rushing her to Singed's lab to save her, Singed gives Silco a dose of sedative to knock him out, knowing just how badly Silco would take the Meatgrinder Surgery he'd have to perform on Jinx to pull her from the brink of death.
  • Just before Singed sedates him, Silco kisses an unconscious Jinx on the forehead.
• Heimerdinger's visit to the Undercity is rather sobering for the most part, with the Yordle having to face the poverty and ruin that's been under his nose the whole time, but it ultimately shows that Heimerdinger took Jayce's criticism of him to heart, and that he wants to correct his mistakes. While travelling through Zaun, he runs into a child, who offers him some scrap as a gift. He then uses it for a magic trick and turns the old metal into a top, trying to teach her how to play with it before the girl's mother pulls her away. However little, he managed to improve the day of at least one child of the Lanes.
• Just as he's making to leave, Heimerdinger runs into an injured Ekko beneath the bridge between both cities, and immediately offers the young man his help without hesitation. Before that, he's genuinely impressed by Ekko's hoverboard, and the two actually have a positive and friendly conversation despite their glaring differences.
  • Based on Ekko recognizing him as "Councilor Heimerdinger", the old yordle's probably one of the few Piltover denizens that Ekko has heard of and respects.
• Caitlyn and Vi finally got a moment to relax together on Caitlyn's bed. When Vi recounts a tale from hers and Powder's childhood and expresses her guilt over leaving her sister behind on that fateful night at the cannery, Caitlyn wordlessly comforts her, reaching out to stroke her cheek before they hold hands and have an intimate Held Gaze moment.
• At the testimony before the council, Caitlyn stutters when asked who made the chomper grenade, but Vi holds her hand in support and admits that it was Jinx.
• While marred by future events, Viktor's finally able to run without the use of his cane, and it's treated as the achievement it genuinely is for a man who'd had a lame leg since childhood.
• When Caitlyn addresses the Council, she proudly and firstly mentions Vi and how the latter had selflessly and bravely helped her in the investigation despite being systematically abused by Piltover's government.
  • Following the above, Vi's soft and grateful expression at Caitlyn's words. It's very similar to the look she gave Caitlyn in the previous episode when talking to Ekko. This is most likely another moment that Vi fall for Caitlyn, only deeper.
• Before Vi and Jayce team-up, she calls him out for not helping Caitlyn during the council meeting. Emphasizing how he was the one person Caitlyn thought she could count on. And if you look closely, Vi's is clenching her fists, being genuinely angry on Caitlyn's behalf over Jayce's actions.
  • The fact that Vi offered Jayce an opportunity for them both to get back at Silco says a lot about her trust in Caitlyn, and Caitlyn's belief in Jayce.

Episode 9 - The Monster You Created

• In a Call-Back to Viktor interrupting and preventing Jayce's suicide, Jayce returns the favor and prevents Viktor's following his accidental killing of Sky.
• After helping the injured Ekko back to the Firelights' hideout, Heimerdinger is nothing but impressed with how much he and the Firelights have accomplished in their short lifespans. His query about why they would go for hoverboards instead of a safer method of travel is answered by Ekko's friend loudly calling upon the Firelights, who proudly cheer for Ekko's survival. Ekko then gives the older Yordle some poignant life advice:
  Ekko: It's not enough to give people what they need to survive. You have to give them what they need to live.
• When Jayce's condition for all of Silco's lifelong ambitions is revealed to be handing over Jinx to be punished for her crimes, Silco immediately protests and says she had only been following his orders, with his attempts to defend his surrogate daughter almost seeming instinctive.
• A villainous example, but Silco visiting a statue of Vander to vent. Whether he had it commissioned or it was built by the brawler’s supporters, it is clearly meant to be a respectful tribute to a good man. The scene in question features Silco lament about how despite being on the verge of gaining everything he had been pursuing all his life, he ultimately can't because of his love for his daughter and refusal to see her harmed. After all that time of resenting Vander for forgoing their dream, Silco finally fully understands how his brother's love for his family made him do what he did all those years ago. He even bothers pouring out a drink into the statue's fountain.
• During her second brawl with Sevika, Vi is on the verge of just giving up from pure exhaustion and pain when she gets a brief vision of Vander, probably remembering when he was first teaching her how to throw a punch. He mournfully tells her it probably won’t get easier, before encouraging her to get back up and keep fighting anyway. When Vi gathers herself and rises for Round 3, Vander smiles and says, "That's my girl."
• Vi refusing to even consider killing Caitlyn to get Powder back, especially after the previous episode made it seem they were parting ways for good.
• When Jinx fatally shoots Silco during a mental breakdown while he and Vi are fighting over her, Silco doesn't spend his last moments enraged or sad. As the sobbing Jinx holds him, he asserts to his daughter that no matter what, he would have never given her up to satisfy Piltover's demands. As she continues crying, he gently tells her not to cry, and that she was perfect just the way she is before dying. For all of Silco's villainy, and for all the toxic and abnormal aspects of his father-daughter relationship with Jinx, his fatherly love for her was ultimately genuine, even in the final moments of his life.
  • Prior to this he tries to explain her that despite what was offered to him, he wouldn't take it, gently telling her, "You're my daughter. I would never forsake you."
• During the ending scenes, Ekko is shown avidly describing something to Heimerdinger in the Firelights' hideout, who's listening with rapt attention. A tiny speck of light amidst a Downer Ending.
• While it's certainly a Downer Ending, after being freed, Vi helps carry Caitlyn out of Jinx's lair.

Miscellaneous

• In Caitlyn's Council Archives, there is a photo of Vi laughing, after the narrator stated they thought her incapable of doing so.
• Despite how brutal and sobering the "Enemy" music video could be, there are some major highlights from it:
  • Powder happily hanging out with Vi, Mylo, Claggor — eating (and then dine-dashing) at a local vendor, dancing together, and just being siblings.
  • The music video shows the once tight bond between Ekko and Powder — they excitedly jump on a couch in Powder's house, ride on a hand-built motorcycle together, dance with one another, and are seen close together when observing Vi's shadowboxing. It's very clear from these moments that they were each other's best friend.
    • When the two try to imitate Vi's earlier display, both smile at the other's attempts.
  • Speaking of Vi demonstrating her shadow boxing, she takes a moment to look in Powder's direction and warmly smile at her baby sister.