Arcane season 2 finally gave us the huge Caitlyn and Vi moment we’ve been waiting for – and the creators say ‘we couldn’t have done it in season one’
- Arcane’s showrunners have explained why a major ‘CaitVi’ incident was postponed until season 2
- The moment felt like a better fit for Season 2’s story
- The show’s animated team couldn’t have done it justice in season 1 either
Full spoilers ahead immediately Arcane season 2 episode 3.
The makers of Arcane have explained why the third episode of season 2 was the perfect place to finally give fans a big moment they’ve been waiting years for: an official Caitlyn and Vi kiss.
In an exclusive chat with TechRadar, which took place earlier Arcane Season 2 premiered yesterday (November 9) on Netflix. Alex Yee and Christian Linke explained the reasons behind delaying that crowd-pleasing moment until the final chapter of season 2, act 1.
The couple’s hug, as I said, has been a long time coming. Since Caitlyn and Vi – or, like Arcane‘s fandom affectionately called them ‘CaitVi’ – they met in season 1, episode 4, viewers are convinced they have feelings for each other. There was also plenty of evidence to suggest this during the first season of one of the best Netflix shows, especially as the Piltovan enforcer and the Zaunite fighter grew closer with each episode.
Open your eyes. Arcane Season 2 Act I NOW PLAYING. pic.twitter.com/JEHkitnhNONovember 9, 2024
Unfortunately, due to the more explosive story beats, “CaitVi” fans were stuck with the pair’s “will they, won’t they” dynamic. With no resolution at the end of season 1, and the follow-up season taking three years to land on the world’s best streaming service, audiences have been waiting a long time for this moment.
However, it finally happened. In the third episode of this season, titled ‘Finally Got The Name Right’, the couple lets their guard down and their attraction to each other is confirmed. And that long-awaited kiss will be celebrated by Arcane‘s global fan base. Still, why did Yee and Linke wait until this chapter to give the people what they want? Expectedly, it all comes down to the story that the couple and Arcanethe wider writing team wanted to say.
“They both just lost something at the beginning of Season 2,” Linke said, referring to the fact that Caitlyn’s mother was one of the council members revealed to have died in the war. Arcane the season 2 premiere and that Vi’s estranged sister Jinx was the culprit. “I think they’re both also very afraid of change, and they have that moment in episode 3 where they’re still holding on to the things that have gotten away from them because they’re starting to go down this dark path. [of seeking revenge on Jinx].
“In the aftermath of what Caitlyn lost, Vi senses that there is a fragile trust in the relationship they have, and there comes a time when they will both have to decide how they will fare as they stare into the sky. barrel as they find and fight Jinx. It’s a vulnerable moment, the calm before the storm, and they both think: this could be the last moment we have together.
I think they are both very afraid of change
Christian Linke, Arcane co-creator
“At that moment, Vi makes a big promise to Caitlyn by choosing her over Jinx,” Yee added. “And I think that’s ultimately why Caitlyn is taking the lead [in instigating the kiss].
“It feels wrong not to give a shout-out to it [lead writer] Amanda [Overton] at this point. Caitlyn and Vi’s relationship is something that fans have carried for a long time, and we knew it was something we wanted to bring to fruition. Amanda was a real advocate for that cause and a lot of the specific mechanisms of that dynamic that she played a big role in.”
‘Technically this would not have been possible’
The decision to postpone Caitlyn and Vi’s first kiss was not determined solely by ArcaneBut they are the tellers of stories. Linke also revealed that Fortiche Production, the animation studio that brought Riot Games and Netflix’s first to market League of Legends (Lol) adapting to life with such beautiful detail, wasn’t sure it had the talent or technology to do justice to such a beautifully delicate scene as it was shot last season.
“Interesting fact: I spoke to Bart [Barthelemy Maunoury]our animation director, about last week’s kiss,” said Linke. “He was asked the same question and later he told me that if we had written that last season, the animation team would not have been able to do it properly, because they were not yet technically able .
“So he thanked us for not doing that!” Linke added jokingly. “He said, ‘I don’t think we would have done it right. We couldn’t have done it in season one,’ so it was interesting to hear that from a technical point of view it wouldn’t have been possible even if we had want to do.”
I have more to share from my exclusive chat with Yee and Linke, but you’ll have to wait until season 2, act 2 arrives on November 16 to read more. In the meantime, check out more of my coverage of Arcane‘s second and final season below. Otherwise read my Arcane season 2 review for more teases about the next three episodes, or my Arcane season 2 act 1 ending explained piece for answers to your biggest questions after the first three entries.
