What Happened in Arcane Season 2: Episode 8 “Killing is a Cycle” – Episode Overview

Fans of League of Legends and animated storytelling eagerly awaited November 23, when Act 3 of Arcane’s second season premiered on Netflix. This act will bring closure to the intertwined stories of Jinx, Vi, Jayce, Viktor, Caitlyn, Ambessa, and other characters.

In this article, we break down the main events of Arcane Season 2, Episode 8, “Killing is a Cycle,” which serves as the penultimate episode of the second season and the series as a whole. You can check what happened earlier by reading our Arcane S2 Episode 7 Overview where we talked about many interesting plots in Arcane.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Arcane Season 2, Episode 8, “Killing is a Cycle.” To fully appreciate the artistry of Fortiche and Riot Games, it’s best to watch the series before reading further. Otherwise, proceed at your own risk!

Arcane Season 2: Episode 8 “Killing is a Cycle” Highlights

The eighth episode of Arcane Season 2, titled “Killing is a Cycle,” begins in the prison where Mel was detained in Arcane Season 2 Episode 6 “Message Hidden Within The Pattern”. Here, we fully witness Mel Medarda’s unique power as an empath, a rare ability. In prison, Mel encounters a mysterious sorceress who reveals the truth about her brother’s death. The sorceress, who is almost certainly LeBlanc, warns Mel that her mother will bring great disaster not only to Piltover but beyond. The sorceress gifts Mel a necklace with an amulet, inducting her into the “Black Rose” order.

Following the opening sequence, we see Ambessa mourning her loyal companion, killed by Warwick in Episode 6. The war matriarch vows revenge. Meanwhile, Singed struggles to revive Viktor, managing only to put him in stasis. However, Viktor is not dead; instead, his powers seem to have grown stronger. Viktor reveals that, using the anomaly, he can bring about a “Great Evolution,” making Hextech accessible to all. However, he cannot reach the anomaly alone. Ambessa offers her assistance in exchange for empowering her soldiers with evolution, a deal Viktor accepts.

Elsewhere, we see Vi, Caitlyn, and Jayce reflecting on the deaths of Isha and Vander. Vi is recovering from severe injuries, while Lorice, a member of Caitlyn’s squad, discusses Jinx’s arrest. Vi is displeased that Caitlyn imprisoned her sister. A heated argument ensues, during which Caitlyn explains she had no part in the decision and reveals that Jinx is being held in a bunker.

Caitlyn visits Jinx and reluctantly gives her a chance to explain herself. Jinx confesses that she did not know Caitlyn’s mother was in the Piltover Council building when she launched a missile, an attack that resulted in her death.

Meanwhile, Jayce confronts Mel in the Piltover Council building, accusing her of exploiting him and Viktor for Arcane experiments. Their conversation is interrupted by Viktor, appearing in the form of a mechanized soldier. Viktor informs Jayce of his plan to execute the “Great Evolution,” hinting that Noxians, specifically Mel Medarda, the daughter of Ambessa, oppose his vision. Viktor describes the Great Evolution as destiny and expresses a desire to achieve it alongside Jayce. However, Jayce, wary of Hextech’s consequences, refuses to help. Together with Mel, he manages to destroy Viktor’s avatar. Following this, Viktor instructs Singed to begin the process of evolution.

In prison, Jinx hallucinates and speaks with the ghost of Silco, similar to what we saw in Episode 2. She reveals her desire to break free from the cycle of killing. Vi visits Jinx and tries to win her sister back, but Jinx chooses to “break the cycle” by imprisoning Vi, hoping this will force her sister to leave her behind and stop worrying about someone beyond saving.

In the Piltover Council, Jayce gathers the great houses and Zaun’s leaders, urging them to unite against Viktor’s homunculi and Ambessa Medarda. Despite their differences, the upper and lower cities form a fragile alliance in the face of this looming threat.

Meanwhile, Caitlyn and Vi reconcile in the cell where Jinx had earlier imprisoned Vi.

Before the impending storm, Mel confronts her mother, seeking the truth about her brother’s death. For the first time in two seasons, Ambessa shows vulnerability. Mel pleads with her mother to abandon plans to attack Piltover, but Ambessa reveals her army of homunculi, designed to help in the war against the Black Rose. Simultaneously, Viktor, with Singed’s help, resurrects Warwick. Using Warwick’s blood, Viktor plans to revive his “followers” and complete his own transformation.

Under a powerful song "The Line" by Twenty One Pilots, Viktor undergoes his “rebirth.”

Arcane Season 2: Episode 8 “Killing is a Cycle” Explained

“Killing is a Cycle,” the penultimate episode of Arcane Season 2, sets the stage for a dramatic conclusion. Episode 8 marks the “beginning of the end.” Viktor has fully transformed and is ready to enact the “Great Evolution” by seizing the anomaly near the Hextech Gate. Ambessa, while determined to defeat the Black Rose, first aids Viktor to gain an army of fearless homunculi.

The episode also culminates in key developments between Vi and Caitlyn, as well as the next steps in Jinx’s hero’s journey. It seems increasingly unlikely that the blue-haired sister will find her happy ending. As hinted in Arcane Season 2 Episode 7, a parallel reality exists where Jinx is happy, Vander and others are alive, but Vi is absent. From all indications, the finale will allow only one sister to achieve a “good” ending, regardless of the League of Legends lore, where both are alive.

What’s Next in Arcane Season 2?

Up next is the final episode, Arcane Season 2, Episode 9, titled “The Dirt Under Your Nails.” The series is approaching its conclusion.

The third act of Arcane Season 2 is now available on Netflix.