I’ve gone over support systems for anime before and I wanted to do one for Arcane. If you haven’t already checked out the first Arcane post, I made click here to give that a read before starting this one. A bit of Arcane knowledge is needed to understand exactly what I’m going to be talking about. I recommend if you haven’t watch up to episode five of Arcane season one to understand Vi and Jinx’s relationship and their diverging paths that led them to where they are.
With all that being said let’s talk Support Systems! These systems can take the form of many aspects ranging from physical support to emotional/mental support to even financial support. It’s always a slippery slope when overcomplicated so my job is to keep this simple for you guys.
What it Means to Support in Arcane
The entire point of the end of Act One in Arcane Season One is the divergence of self and family. What I mean by that is Jinx has just used the Hextech Crystal to completely destroy the warehouse holding Vander. In doing so she ends up killing her friends and Vi snaps calling her a Jinx and abandoning her in the rain. Jinx was never a really stable child. She grew up in a very aggressive and unsafe environment often working on making explosive gadgets hoping they would save her in her time of need.
Jinx is left to crumble as Vi leaves her. Vi has been a massive role model for Jinx all her life, they’re sisters, and of course, Vi has been there to protect her. But when Jinx’s excessive need to help ends up killing both Vi’s friends and her mentor/father figure Vi snaps. Vi in this scene lost not only great support from friends but also great support from a parental figure. What we must realize is that both the girls lost support that night.
Arcane’s Mentors
Before explaining more about how their new support systems come into the picture I would like to talk about Vander and Silco. These two are important because they act as mentors for the two girls. Vi was raised to fight for others and never back down. Something Vander trained her in. Vander was a positive support for Vi’s character growth. And she tried to extend that to Jinx but the second-hand knowledge without full understanding fell flat on Jinx. But she listened anyway.
When Jinx is abandoned Silco takes her in. When it comes to support systems, they’re not always positive. They can take a negative form. Silco saw how broken Jinx was and took her in with the promise of revenge and the opportunity to show the world who she was. Jinx has always wanted to shine and be acknowledged for her acts. And she found that acknowledgment in the worst place possible.
Instead of nurturing Jinx and helping her to grow and better her already fractured mental state Silco instead encouraged her rage and insanity thinking it to be a boon. Silco’s influence twisted Jinx and robbed her of any chance at redemption. The chance for a normal life.
Vi on the other hand spent most of her life in prison. She had no support system but because she had already been nurtured, she kept Vander’s teachings in mind. This helped her to not turn out like Jinx. And when Caitlyn came along Vi found her new support system in a friend. Someone who, while having their own goals and motives, wanted to help Vi find Jinx. It was a flimsy system, but it was still supported.
The Support of Friends in Arcane
Jayce and Viktor are also an example of what starts as a great support system that eventually dissolves. Jayce was at his lowest when Viktor found him and helped him back on the right path. Not only was he academic support he was also emotional support. Jayce was almost ready to commit suicide and Viktor acted as that anchor for him to realize there is a path forward.
And it worked brilliantly. However, while the support may have looked combined, and shared equally between the characters it eventually boils down to Jayce getting so caught up in his own life he didn’t see his friend suffering. Viktor’s body was degrading. And when he needed Jayce the most his friend wasn’t there. Viktor felt abandoned, his support wasn’t there so he attempted to rely on his own might to overcome his challenges. Which led him down a path he couldn’t return from.
How to Support, Arcane
What’s important is that support goes both ways. You need to support those who have supported you. We all need to help each other. It may take time; it may be frustrating but with proper and positive support we can thrive as human beings. We can overcome mountains. In religion, I use Christianity as an example, we are supported by our faith in God. And at our lowest, we rely on his support to carry us forward. And we support him by spreading the word. This can be taken in many contexts, and I kept it as broad as possible so as to not offend.
As humans, we cannot do things alone. We are the product of those around us. Be it from their willingness to help or their hesitance to do anything. These decisions shape us to be who we are. So next time you look to someone who needs support think very carefully about what kind of support you want to be.