Arcane (TV Series)/Season 1 (2024)

Episode 1

After a failed uprising by the Undercity of Zaun, revolutionary Vander decides to hang up his arms and takes in orphans Vi and Powder after their parents are killed by Enforcers. Several years later, Vi leads her adoptive brothers, Claggor and Mylo, and Powder on a heist in the wealthy upper city of Piltover. They break into an invetor's apartment and begin to loot their workshop while Powder explores their bedroom, inside she discovers a set of blue crystals. The owner of the apartment soon returns and hears people inside, the Undercity kids barricade the door and prepare to leave. Powder grabs the crystals, but one slips from her pouch and detonates. Nearby Enforcers are alerted by the explosion and give chase, but the kids manage to escape to Zaun through the sewers. As they head home, they're stopped by Deckard and his gang, who wants a portion of their haul. When they refuse, the two groups clash. Vi, Mylo, and Claggor fight off the gang, while Powder tries to escape with the loot. She gets chased by one of Deckard's goons and tries to use one of her inventions to stop him, but it malfunctions. Cornered, she throws the loot into the river and escapes. Powder regroups with the others and they descend into Undercity. Mylo chastises Powder for losing their haul and tells her she jinxes their missions, but Vi is just happy that she's safe.

Inside the Last Drop, Vander, now a bartender, settles a trade dispute when he sees the kids returning injured. He scolds them for the damage caused by their heist, but Vi defends their actions. Vander reminds her that she needs to lead more responsibly and that violence will only cause more problems, to which she reluctantly agrees. He tells her they need to lay low for a while and that he'll take care things. Vander leaves for Benzo's Pawn Shop with Claggor. Powder realizes she still has blue crystals and races to show the others, but overhears Vi and Mylo talking about her. Mylo rants about Powder's shortcomings and Vi seemingly agrees with him, causing Powder to run off, but in truth she defends her and retorts that Mylo has his own issues, such as not knowing how to keep his mouth shut.

Vander and Benzo discuss the chaos caused by the heist, while Claggor and Ekko talk outside. Sheriff Grayson and Enforcer Marcus soon arrive at the shop, looking for the culprits of the heist. Grayson tells Marcus to wait outside while she discusses the matter privately with Benzo and Vander. She reveals that the workshop belonged to the Kirammans and the Council needs someone to make an example of. She reminds Vander of their deal: as long as he kept the peace in the Undercity, the Enforcers would leave them alone. Grayson offers to take the culprits quietly, but Vander refuses to give anyone up. She then warns him that the next time she returns, she'll bring an army of Enforcers, but gives him a canister to contact her directly, in case he changes his mind. While this is happening, Ekko has been eavesdropping on their conversation.

At her bunk, Powder tinkers with her inventions when Vi comes to console her. Powder laments about her inventions never working, so Vi decides to show her something. They head upstairs where Vi points out landmarks where her, Mylo, and Claggor all made mistakes, she tells her its ok have bad days as long as they learn and stick together. Powder then shows her the crystals, but Vi wants to keep them a secret and reassures her that she's stronger then she thinks and that one day the city will respect them.

Elsewhere, Deckard is being punished by Silco, a chembaron kingpin, for interfering with Vi's group, instead of just following them. He reveals that they were the ones who caused the explosion in Piltover and that the Enforcers are looking for them. Pleased with this information, he lets Deckard go and informs Singed that their plans have to be accelerated. Singed prepares a demonstration of his latest experiment, a purple chemical called Shimmer, and locks a cat inside a tank with a rat. The rat ingests the Shimmer and mutates, gaining enhanced speed and strength, but becomes wildly unstable. It decimates the cat, while Silco looks on, pleased with the results.

Episode 2

Jayce and Caitlyn returns to his apartment after a shopping trip in the Undercity when he hears noise within. He tries to open the door, but finds it barricaded. As he tries to force his way in, one of his crystals detonates, knocking him out. While unconcious, he has a flashback to when him and his mother were lost within a blizzard. They are saved by a wandering mage, who uses magic to teleport them to safety, igniting Jayce's curiosity for magic. When he awakens, Enforcers are surveying his apartment and investigating the cause of the explosion. Viktor, Assistant to the Dean of the Academy, has Jayce arrested for unsanctioned research and his notes are confiscated. Inside his cell, Jayce discusses his research with Heimerdinger and reveals that he was experimenting with harnessing magic through science. Heimerdinger believes magic is uncontrollable and implores Jayce to not mention it during his trial, in hopes of a lighter sentence.

In the Undercity, Vi, Claggor, Mylo, and Powder are laying low within a gym when they notice Enforcers aggressively interrogating the people of Zaun. The Enforcers throw someone through the window of the gym and find the kids. They try to aprehend them, but the kids manage to escape with help from Ekko. In Piltover, Mel Medarda wishes for something innovative, something that will put Piltover on the map, when she learns of Jayce's trial. At the Kiramman estate, Caitlyn discusses the explosion with her parents. Despite her father's reservations, Caitlyn wants her mother to help Jayce, to which she agrees, since they are his patrons. At the Last Drop, Sevika and the denizens of Zaun are upset by the recent aggression from the Enforcers and want to fight back. Vander tries to calm them down, reminding everyone what happened the last time they tried to fight against Piltover, but Sevika and several others leave. The kids look on, wondering why Vander won't fight back, when Ekko reveals that Vander has a deal with the Enforcers.

Jayce is brought before the Council and put on trial for illegal experimentation and endangering the citizens of Piltover. Jayce apologizes for his recklessness and wishes to continue his studies. When Councilor Medarda questions if he has anything to show for his work, Jayce initially states it didn't amount to anything, but reveals the true nature of his research when they begin to question him. He explains that he was trying to harness magic with science, but the Council is highly skeptical due to its unstable. Jayce argues that as the City of Progress, Piltover can harness its power for good. Heimerdinger shuts him down and reveals the horrors he has witnessed because of magic. The other Councilors agree with Heimerdinger and move to banish Jayce, but his mother intervenes. She argues that her son is naive and denounces his dream, but has a good heart and implores them to let him come home. The Councilors believe Jayce still needs to be punished and expel him from the Academy, but agree to release him into his mother's custody in favor of banishment.

Enforcer Marcus meets with Silco, who reveals that culprits were four children and offers him a deal. At home, Jayce laments about his expulsion and is disappointed that his own mother doesn't believe in his dream, despite being saved by the mage as well. Viktor discusses Jayce's research with Heimerginer and is intrigued by his theories. He wonders if it is possible for the blue crystals to actually invoke magic, but Heimerdinger thinks they are too unstable and plans to have the research disposed of. Silco meets with Deckard and convinces him to injest Shimmer, testing its capability on humans. Jayce tries to visit Caitlyn, but the Kirammans can no longer associate with him.

Grayson and Marcus share their report with the Council, but their investigation has proven inconclusive. Grayson believes they are pushing the Undercity too far with their current tactics, but the Council wants the culprits caught, no matter the cost. Marcus heads to the Last Drop and has his Enforcers search the area, but Vander warns the kids. They manage to hide from them, but Powder nearly gets caught. Getting tired of the Enforcers as well, Vi wants to fight back, but Vander takes her to the bridge instead. There he reveals he was once like her, angry at Piltover and wanting more for the people of Zaun, and led the people of Zaun across the bridge, but the resulting conflict resulted in multiple deaths, including Vi and Powder's parents. He convinces her to not fight, but they still have to deal with Enforcers.

Jayce visits the ruins of his apartment and considers taking his own life, before being interrupted by Viktor. Viktor reveals that he was intrigued by what Jayce said at his trial and wanted to discuss his work. Viktor believes in Jayce's dream and wants to help him stabilize the crystals. Vi returns to her room and sees Mylo, Claggor, and Powder preparing for a fight. Not wanting to lose Powder, she decides to contact Grayson. Grayson berates Marcus for antagonizing the Last Drop and they argue over the fallout when her canister arrives. Vander pours a downtrodden Powder a drink when he realizes what Vi has done. Grayson and her Enforcers move towards Vi's location as she prepares to turn herself in.

Episode 3

Silco remembers the night he got his scar, how he drowned in the polluted river of Zaun and nearly succumbing to its calm, but his instinct to survive refused to let him die. Vi waits for the Enforcers at Benzo's shop, but Vander and Benzo intercept her first. Despite admiring her resolve, Vander locks her within the basement and takes her place. The Enforcers soon arrive and Vander surrenders, Grayson initially refuses arrest him, citing the Undercity would fall apart without him, but he entrusts Zaun's protection to Benzo. Vi tries to break down the door and stop him, but the Enforcers take him. As they lead him outside, they are ambushed by an unknown assailant, killing Grayson and several Enforcers. Silco soon arrives, revealing he was responsible for the attack, as Benzo moves to attack him, he is swiftly killed by a Shimmer-empowered Deckard. Marcus is horrified by what happened, claiming this wasn't part of their deal, but Silco shoves him a bag of gold and tells him the deal has change. Deckard knocks Vander out and they take him away as Vi watches through a bloodstained window.

Jayce and Viktor soon learn how to stablize the crystals, but Viktor reveals that his research will be destroyed tomorrow. In order to prove their theory to the Council, they decide to break into Heimerdinger's lab and attempt to stabilize one of them. Ekko soon arrives and releases Vi, revealing he watched everything as well. Silco takes a beaten Vander to one of his factories and shows him the Shimmer he has manufactured for a war against Piltover. Vander and Silco argue about their original dream for a nation of Zaun, independent from Piltover, and how Vander nearly drowned him. Vander begs Silco stop, not wanting Zaun to be destroyed in a conflict, but Silco refuses and has Vander taken away to be tortured.

Viktor and Jayce sneak into the Academy and attempt to break into Heimerdinger's lab, but are caught by Councilor Medarda. Jayce convinces her to give them a chance and she distracts a nearby Enforcer, but if they cannot impress her, they risk banishment. Vi returns to the Last Drop and informs her siblings of what happened, as Mylo and Claggor get ready to help her free Vander, she tells Powder to stay behind. Powder is deflated by her decision, but Vi gives her a flare, promising that when it is lit, she will find her. Inside Heimerdinger's lab, Jayce and Viktor prepare the crystals for stabilization, as they begin the process, the glow from their experiment alerts the Enforcers. Powder cries at being left back, when she discovers the power of the stolen crystals, remembering their destructive capabilities, she realizes they can help them.

Vi, Claggor, and Mylo sneak into Silco's factory and find Vander, only for Silco to reveal it was a trap. Vi dons Vander's old gauntlets and holds off Silco's thugs, while Mylo tries to free Vander and Claggor to create a new exit. Powder arrives at the factory and witnesses Vi fighting off the goons. After most of his thugs are defeated, Silco unleashes Deckard with another dose of Shimmer. He quickly overwhelm her, but Vi retreats to Vander's room. Heimerdinger and the Enforcers arrive at his lab and try to break down the door as Jayce and Viktor continue to experiment. Jayce finally manages to stabilize the crystal as the Enforcers enter the room and they are bathed in a blue energy and float in the air. While Heimerdinger is amazed that they have managed to harness magic through science, he does not believe it should be Piltover's future. Councilor Medarda soon arrives, impressed by their discovery and she decides to bring it before the Council. Jayce dubs this discovery the era of Hextech.

Powder watches on as Deckard pounds at the door, she prepares a monkey bomb with the crystals attached and unleashes it. As he begins to break through, Mylo frees Vander from his restraints and Claggor breaks through the wall. The monkey bomb then detonates knocking everyone back. The resulting explosion destroys Sevika's arm as she pushes Silco out of the way, ignites the Shimmer and burns Singed, and kills Mylo and Claggor, however, Powder is excited that one of her inventions finally worked. Nearby, the explosion alerts Marcus. As Silco's thugs begin recover, Vander, after seeing Vi injured, decides to take up arms again and fights back. He manages to defeat most of them, but is overwhelmed by Deckard and Silco and tossed into the fire. Barely surviving, Vander injests the remaining Shimmer and kills Deckard. With the building collapsing, Vander decides to save Vi instead of going after Silco and escapes with her. Finally succumbing to his wounds, Vander dies in Vi's arms, with his last words being to care of Powder. As Vi begins to mourn his death, Powder arrives and reveals that she was responsible for the monkey bomb. Furious that she didn't stay home, Vi strikes her and calls her a "jinx", leaving Powder as she cries for her. As Vi leaves, she sees Silco approaching Powder and tries to go back for her, but Marcus knocks her unconcious and takes her away, telling her that Silco will kill her. Silco approaches Powder, knife in hand, but stops when he hears her pain about Vi abandoning her. Empathizing with her betrayal, he comforts her and decides to take her in.

Episode 4

Several years later, Jayce meets with Heimerdinger, who wants him to deliver a speech during Progress Day, a celebration of the city's founding. Jayce is hesitant, but Heimerdinger has confidence in him after his hexgates revolutionized trade and transport in Piltover. Jayce agrees to give the speech and offers to show off his and Viktor's recent hextech innovations. At a Progress Day fair, Caitlyn is stationed outside of her parent's tent, frustrated that she isn't being treated like the other Enforcers due to being a Councilor's daughter. At the airship docks, a Shimmer shipment arrives from the Undercity, guarded by Sevika and her crew. A masked gang called the Firelights attacks the ship and temporarily immobilize the thugs. They get ready to destroy the Shimmer, but when two Firelights check below deck, they are ambushed by Powder now going by Jinx. She takes out several Firelights, while the leader signals his lieutenant to ignite the Shimmer. Jinx intercepts her, knocking off her mask, and hallucinates thinking its Vi. The lieutenant manages to drop a flair, setting the Shimmer ablaze, and breaks out of Jinx's hold before she shoots her. The Firelight Leader tries to attack Jinx, but is dragged away. Jinx fires at them as they escape, while Sevika breaks free of her restraints and scolds her for not protecting the cargo.

Jayce and Viktor present their latest innovation to Heimerdinger: the hextech gemstone, a fortified version of the hextech crystal that is completely safe and stabile. With the added stability of the hextech gemstone, they are now able to create portable hextech devices such as the Atlas Gauntlets, mechanical gauntlets that give its user increased strength, and the Hex Claw, a mechanical arm with a power laser beam. While impressed with their work, Heimerdinger believes that it still needs more time, upsetting Viktor. Viktor believes that they can be using hextech to improve the lives now, but Heimerdinger warns them about putting the power of hextech into everyone's hands, until they can find a way safeguard against misuse. At the wreckage of the Shimmer airship, the Enforcers are assessing the scene. Caitlyn sneaks on board to do her own investigation and finds a witness below deck. She begins to interrogate him, but is interrupted by Marcus, now the Sheriff of Piltover. He scolds her for bypassing the chain of command, but Caitlyn believes there is more at work here, besides the smuggling. He sidelines her investigation, stationing her at the graveyard shift during tonight's presentation, while the witness is taken to Stillwater Prison.

Sevika returns to the Last Drop, now run by Silco and his gang, and reports the losses incurred from the Firelights' attack. She criticizes Jinx for freezing in battle and firing at them, but Silco defends her, citing it was still ultimately Sevika's responsibility to make sure things went smoothly. As Sevika leaves, Silco vents about how the hexgates expanded the divide between Piltover and Zaun and asks Jinx, who was listening from the ceiling, for her account. She tells him that she saw Vi in one of the Firelights and wallows in not being useful. Despite their set backs, Silco still has faith in her and trusts her to inject his eye with his medicine. He tells her that Sevika will take care of it and insists she take some time off to think. At a fundraiser, Jayce speaks with Mel about his Progress Day speech, she encourages him to show off his latest innovation, arguing that Piltover needs a leader who looks to the future. At her hideout, Jinx vents about Sevika having to clean up her mess and resolves to prove that she isn't weak.

At the Progress Day address, Viktor waits for Jayce as he gets ready to deliver his speech. Jayce wants him up there with him, but he declines. As he is delivering his speech, Jayce considers unveiling the gemstone, but decides against it, disappointing Mel and Viktor. Caitlyn waits outside with the other Enforcers when they see a fire. Caitlyn tries to put out the fire, while the others head inside when they hear a cry for help. As the Enforcers head deeper into the inferno the voice is revealed to be a recording, a trap set by Jinx. A bomb detonates, killing the Enforcers and knocking Caitlyn back, before she loses conciousness she sees Jinx escaping. The next day, Jayce and Viktor find their lab vandalized and the gemstone and their research stolen. The Council fears what the Undercity could do with the power of the gemstone. Jayce recommends they suspend all hextech operations, including the hexgates, until the situation can be resolved, due to his lack of ability to protect their technology. The Council balks at the idea due to the city's economic dependency on the hexgates, but Councilor Mel suggests an alternative. She proposes that Jayce be elevated to the position of a Councilor in order to give him the resources necessary to protect their investments. Heimerdinger agrees and the Council votes to make Jayce a Concilor.

At her hideout, Jinx is tinkering with her gadgets, when Silco confronts her about the attack on Piltover. While initially furious, he softens when she shows him the gemstone. At her house, Caitlyn is recovering from last night's attack when Jayce arrives. Caitlyn believes that all the violence in the Undercity is coordinated by one person. In the past, all their crimes have been localized to Zaun, but the recent attack was an overstep. Caitlyn thinks that if she can work it out the Sheriff and the Council will have to listen. Jayce reveals that he is now on the Council and offers her a position on his security team. She rejects his offer, due to it being a ceremonial position, but Jayce informs her that her parents talked to the Sheriff and had her relieved of duty. She tells him to leave and decides to investigate the conspiracy on her own, starting at Stillwater Prison. Caitlyn heads to the prison to interrogate the thug she met at the airship, but the warden reveals that he is incapacitated after another inmate assaulted him. She decides to meet with the attacker instead and descends to their cell level, as she approaches their cell, the inmate is revealed to be Vi.

Episode 5

In a flashback, a young Caitlyn is competing against Sheriff Grayson in a shooting competition. As Caitlyn fires her final shot and wins the competition, she notices that Grayson was in position, but held her shot. At the celebration, Caitlyn sulks outside, thinking her parents paid the Sheriff to let her win. She confronts Grayson, but the Sheriff reveals that she let Caitlyn win because she felt she deserved it. She explains that her purpose is to protect people of the city and that is trophy enough, in turn she asks Caitlyn what she shoots for. In the present, Caitlyn interrogates Vi about why she attacked her suspect, but she refuses to cooperate. As Caitlyn prepares to leave, Vi tells her to give Silco her regards. Caitlyn tries to get Vi to elaborate, but she continues to stonewall her, believing Caitlyn works for Silco. Caitlyn shows Vi evidence from the attack and she recognizes the monkey pattern as one of Powder's designs. Vi tells Caitlyn she attacked her suspect because he was one of Silco's goons. When Caitlyn asks for proof of Silco's involvement, Vi offers to help her obtain it, in exchange for getting her released. Caitlyn hesitates at first, but uses Jayce's signature to get Vi released.

At a funeral, Marcus delivers the eulogy for the Enforcers killed by Jinx's attack. He confronts Silco about the death of his men, stating Jinx went too far and that he can't cover this up. Silco suggests he shifts the blame to the Firelights, noting they attacked the airship dock the same day as the fire. Marcus is defiant at first, but Silco pays him off. At the hexgates, Jayce begins his duties as a Councilor by auditing the shipping manifests and notices multiple discrepancies. Viktor believes this is a waste of their time and thinks they can be doing more to help those in need, still upset that Jayce didn't announce their work at Progress Day. Marcus soon arrives and Jayce orders him to seize any illegal merchandise that passes through the gates, wanting to root out corruption. As Jayce and Marcus discuss the gemstone's theft, Viktor gazes into the hexgates and has a vision. Jayce snaps him out of it as he begins to bleed and Viktor returns to his lab with a new idea.

At her hideout, Jinx looks over the stolen notes and begins to understand how hextech works. The runes form a gateway to a different realm and the gemstone is what powers it. She attempts to activate the gemstone and it unleashes brilliant beam of light. The beam makes her remember the night of the explosion and as it dies down, she flees guilt-ridden. Caitlyn and Vi begin their descent into Zaun, while Caitlyn suggests taking the bathysphere, Vi decides to take a less risky route and freeruns through the descending buildings. Vi makes it into the Undercity first and immediately encounters some thugs. Caitlyn eventually catches up to her and Vi gives her a disguise that she stole from the thugs. At their lab, Viktor begins work on a new hextech device, an adaptive rune matrix called the hexcore. He explains to Jayce that they have been approaching magic wrong, mages aren't bound by a single function, rather the arcane speaks through them. With the hexcore, they can make hextech learn and adapt instead of needing to invoke specific runes and molding them into useful functions. In Zaun, Vi is eating at Jericho's food stall, Caitlyn is frustrated that they aren't actively searching for evidence of Silco's involvement, but Jericho gives them a tip after Vi finishes eating.

At the opera house, Jayce meets with Mel, who informs him that his recent actions have upset the other Councilors and the wealthy patrons of the Academy. She explains that certain people were afforded trade leniences in exchange for supporting the Council and suggests that he ease up the security at the hexgate. Jinx returns the gym that her and her siblings used to hang out when they were kids. She reactivates one of the boxing machines Vi used to spar with and begins to have flashbacks to her time with Vi. The memories begin to frustrate her and she unleashes her anger against the machine. Caitlyn and Vi head to the Last Drop, only to see that its been taken over by Silco's gang. Mel convinces Jayce to meet with a wealthy patron named Amara, and in exchange for her continued support, she'd have access to his latest hextech advancements. Jayce then begins to meet with various Councilors and merchants as Mel looks on with pride.

Vi takes Caitlyn to a brothel to gather intel. Vi leaves Caitlyn with another patron, while she speaks with Babette, the owner. Marcus meets with Silco and informs him that Jayce is now on the Council and is starting to look into corruption, worried that they'll be discovered. Silco hands him one of Jinx's grenades, as proof of the Firelight's involvement, but Marcus thinks this has gone too far. He contemplates activating the explosive, killing them both, but ends up taking the grenade and leaving. Silco notes that Marcus is beginning to waiver and tells Jinx she must hurry with weaponizing the gemstone. Jinx doesn't think she can do it and tells Silco to give it to Singed instead, still haunted by her own self-doubt. Vi speaks with Babette, who catches her up on what happened since she was imprisoned, how Silco took over the Undercity with his wealth and power. When Vi asks about her sister, Babette says she doesn't know, but tells her that Sevika oftens comes by and where to locate her. Mel congratulates Jayce on winning over the Council and he thanks her for teaching him to navigate politics. She then kisses him and the two spend the night together. Meanwhile, Viktor continues to work on the hexcore, Skye, his assistant, tries to get him to walk her home, but he remains focused on his work and dismisses her. Viktor grows frustrated at his lack of success and his illness begins to get the better of him. He violently coughs blood and passes out, but his blood interacts with the hexcore's magic.

Silco takes Jinx to the river dividing the cities, where Vander nearly drowned him. He tells her this is where his weaker-self died and where he was reborn. He wants Jinx to let Powder die, so the fear of betrayal can no longer control her. He tells Jinx that she is perfect and offers his hand, she takes it, and he submerges her in the water. Marcus looks over the grenade and a picture his daughter, furious at the choices that led him here. Mel awakes from her tryst only to find Jayce missing, who left to be at Viktor's side when he learns that his partner's disease is terminal. Vi heads to confront Sevika and ambushes her while she is playing cards. Vi manages to gain the upper hand against Sevika, despite her chemtech augments, and demands to know where they are keeping her sister. Sevika reveals that Jinx is working for Silco, the shock of the news allows Sevika to break free from Vi's hold and stab her with her augment. As Sevika prepares to finish to Vi off, Caitlyn arrives and fires at her, forcing Sevika to retreat. Caitlyn helps Vi to her feet and they leave. Meanwhile, Jinx continues to experiment with the gemstone, no longer afraid of its power, and Sevika informs Silco of Vi's return.

Episode 6

In a flashback, various kids from Zaun play in the water while a young Viktor plays with a wind-up boat, unable to enter due to his disability. His boat floats down stream, causing Viktor to lose track of it. It eventually stops at a cave, where it is picked by Singed and Rio, his rare mutated lizard. Singed invites the young boy to feed his pet, seeing kinship in him due to his gifted mind. He explains that Rio is dying, but he wants to prevent it, in order to save the mutation, and Viktor volunteers to help him. In the present, Viktor returns to the pond to contemplate his fate when Heimerdinger arrives to comfort him. Viktor feels that he hasn't done enough yet, now that his life has been cut short, especially compared to Heimerdinger. Heimerdinger wistfully tells him that those who shine the brightest often burn the fastest.

Mel is painting a portrait of her home when Jayce arrives and apologizes leaving her last night. He informs her that Viktor is dying and tells her their goal was to use hextech to improve lives for everyone, not just the wealthy. Now he feels helpless, unable to save his partner, but when he is with her, nothing feels impossible. Mel reveals that she is an exile from her family, unable to meet their standards. She tells Jayce that he should be with Viktor, they may not be able to change their fates, but they don't have to face it alone. Viktor is back at his lab gazing at the hexcore when he remembers how it reacted to his blood, he then tries to touch it and it gives him an idea.

Jinx enters an empty Last Drop and asks bartender Thieram where everyone went. He reveals that Silco sent them to capture two girls after they attacked Sevika, but does not disclose its her sister. Intrigued, she thanks him by slapping a paint bomb onto his back and heads to Silco's office. Caitlyn carries a wounded Vi as they run from Silco's goons. They descend to the bottom of a water tower as the leader of the Firelights look on. Sevika enters Silco's to inform him they lost the girls, but finds Jinx there instead, demanding to know who they are looking for. Jinx knocks her out with one of her traps and ties her up. When Sevika awakens, she reveals they are searching for her sister, but taunts that Vi is with an enforcer. Jinx doesn't believe her, but Sevika tells her there is no point in lying as it is only a matter of time before she implodes and Silco realizes how useful she is for their cause. Jinx decides she'll leave Silco her own message and spins Sevika around, as she prepares her.

Marcus returns home and goes to check on his daughter, only find Silco and his men with her. Silco confronts the Sheriff about Vi's return and how she is searching Zaun with an enforcer. Marcus promises to catch them and begs not to hurt his daughter. Silco tells him his people are searching the Undercity and orders him to stop them if they try to return to Piltover. Viktor shows Jayce his latest breakthrough with the hexcore, how it reacts to and augments organic material, by using it to supercharge a plant. Despite being hopeful that it can cure Viktor, the plant quickly dies due to it rejecting the transmutation. Jayce reassures Viktor they'll find a way to save him, but he remains doubtful with the time he has left.

At the bottom of the tower, Caitlyn and Vi find themselves surrounded by Shimmer addicts and vagrants. They hide out in an abandoned building where Caitlyn tries to dress Vi's wound, despite the her protest. Jayce and Viktor present the hexcore to Heimerdinger, but he is horrified of it, reminding him of the runes that have destroyed civilizations. He orders them to destroy to it, but Jayce argues it could save Viktor's life and decides to bring it before the Council instead. Frustrated that Heimerdinger won't help, Viktor decides to consult someone else instead. As Vi's condition grows worse, Caitlyn heads outside where she finds a vagrant who claims to know her. He offers to take her to someone who can help and brings her to an apothecarie. As they wait for a potion, Caitlyn asks about his deformity, who reveals people take Shimmer in order to feel powerful. Caitlyn exchanges her rifle for the potion, but when they head back, the vagrant insists on not wanting Vi to see him like this.

Marcus presents the grenade to Jayce and tells him that he found it on one of the Firelights. Suspecting more attacks are imminent, Marcus convinces Jayce to order a lockdown on the bridge between the cities. As Marcus leaves, he informs Jayce that Caitlyn had a prisoner released from Stillwater on his orders. At a Council meeting, Heimerdinger speaks before them about how they have become divided, how they loosened their morals for comfort, but they can be united again, if they hold each other accountable. Jayce interrupts his speech to ask who holds him accountable after all the chaos that has transpired under his watch. Fed up with Heimerdinger's reactive approach to leadership, Jayce moves to have Heimerdinger removed from the Council. The Council then votes unanimously for him to step down.

Caitlyn gives Vi the potion and she begins to heal. She notices that Vi used to live in the building they are hiding in and asks about Powder. Vi tells her Powder is her sister and that she is searching for her. When asked about her parents, Vi reveals that enforcers killed them. They head outside only to find Silco waiting for them, the vagrant having betrayed their location for Shimmer. Vi demands to know what Silco did to her sister and he tells her he set her free as Jinx. Silco unleashes several Shimmer-empowered thugs on them, but Vi knocks down the water tower, allowing them to escape. Meanwhile, Jinx heads to the top of a building and lights her flare to see if her sister has returned. As Caitlyn and Vi run, Vi sees the flare and heads towards the lights. The Enforcers also begin a lockdown of the Bridge of Progress.

In the past, Viktor returns to the cave to help Singed take care of Rio. When he enters the lab, he finds Rio in agony, having multiple tubes stuck in its body. Singed reveals that Rio will live and the mutation must survive, horrifying Viktor. In the present, Viktor returns to Singed's lab, now understanding what he meant. Silco returns to his office and finds Sevika graffitied and tied up on the ceiling, knowing that Jinx now knows her sister is back. As the flare dies, Jinx resigns that Vi didn't come back for her, but Vi shortly arrives. She turns to face her sister and the two tearfully embrace, causing Jinx to drop the gemstone. Vi apologizes for not coming back, explaining she got arrested. Caitlyn soon arrives and Jinx pulls her mini-gun on her. Caitlyn realizes that Vi's sister is Jinx and Jinx is furious that her sister is working with an enforcer. Vi tries to defuses the situation, but Jinx accuses her of only returning for the gemstone. As they are talking, they get ambushed by the Firelights. During the fight, the Firelights knock Caitlyn and Vi unconscious and take them along with the gemstone.

Episode 7

Caitlyn Caitlyn and Vi Vi wake up handcuffed to metal pipes and blinded by burlap sacks over their heads. They argue briefly until someone enters the room and takes Vi away, leaving Caitlyn alone.

One of the Firelights removes the sack from Vi's head and leaves her alone with the gang's leader. The leader removes his mask, revealing himself to be Ekko Ekko. Ekko explains that he thought Vi was dead and begins to question her, still unsure if he can trust her. Vi is adamant that she knows nothing about the hextech gemstone and that she isn't working for Silco Silco. Eventually, she shirks off her handcuffs and embraces Ekko in a hug, saying that she missed him. After realizing that she's still the same Vi he used to know, Ekko reciprocates, shedding a single tear as he does.

After examining Viktor's Viktor's research, Singed Singed offers him a vial containing a variant of Shimmer, which he claims will allow him to survive a "violent transition." However, he warns Viktor that taking this path will cause the Topsiders to despise him, revealing that he parted ways with Heimerdinger Heimerdinger for similar reasons. Viktor takes the shimmer, telling himself that Jayce Jayce will understand.

Jayce is hard at work at the forge when Mel Mel approaches him. He shows her the grenade given to him by Marcus Marcus, showing disbelief at the quality of its engineering. He also expresses guilt for having betrayed his former mentor, Heimerdinger, but Mel assures him that he did the right thing.

Sevika Sevika informs Silco that Marcus has shut down the border between Piltover and Zaun, and that the Chem-Barons have called for an assembly. Silco says he needs to find Jinx Jinx, but Sevika suggests that she'll reappear "when she's ready."

Jinx returns to her workshop and begins stitching the gash in her leg while arguing with the voice of Mylo in her head. Mylo berates her, but Jinx tries to stay positive, telling herself that Vi came back for her, not the crystal.

Ekko introduces Vi to his new home: a small, sequestered settlement centered around a massive tree (a rare sight in Zaun). He explains that the settlement has become a refuge for victims of Shimmer. He shows Vi a large, painted mural commemorating their dead. It prominently features Violet Violet, Powder Powder, Mylo Mylo, Claggor Claggor, Vander Vander, Benzo Benzo, and numerous others. Someone is in the process of adding the pink-haired girl that reminded Jinx of Violet. Ekko tries to convince Vi that Powder is gone and that Jinx can't be saved, but Vi refuses to give up on her sister.

A riot has broken out at the border, with enforcers struggling to hold the line. Viktor sits on the Piltover Crest icon Piltover side, and Jayce arrives on Marcus's notice. Jayce admonishes Viktor for the optics of his own partner violating the blockade, but Viktor is baffled that Jayce is the one who ordered it. Viktor explains that he was visiting Zaun in search of someone he knew who could help save his life. Jayce asserts that people from the undercity are dangerous, but Viktor angrily reminds him that he's from the undercity. He also lies, saying that "this friend of [his]" was unable to offer any assistance.

The Chem-Barons hold their assembly: Finn Finn, Smeech Smeech, Chross Chross, Renni Renni, and Margot Margot. Finn bemoans that with the border shut down, the Barons are bleeding money, and he decries Silco for "losing control." Finally, Silco arrives with Sevika. Finn and the others question him, suggesting that they cut a deal with Topsiders and return the gemstone. In response, Sevika dons a gas mask, turns off the ceiling fan, and drops a metal tank which begins filling the room with an invisible gas. The other Barons begin coughing and choking, but Silco seems immune to its effects as he distributes gas masks to everyone except Finn. He lectures the Barons, reminding them that the undercity had nothing before he "gave them a taste of Topside." Eventually, Finn collapses on the floor, begging Silco for the final mask. Silco takes a deep breath through the mask before finally bequeathing it to Finn. At last, Sevika restarts the ceiling fan and swings the doors open, airing out the room. Having made his point, Silco takes his leave.

Elora Elora brings a letter to Mel, and Mel instantly recognizes the binding wax seal as her Medarda Clan Crest icon family crest.

A masked child removes Caitlyn's restraints and offers her a bowl of water, but she swats it from the child's hand. Ekko, sitting in the doorway, dismisses the child. Caitlyn begins to negotiate for Vi's release, but Vi appears behind Ekko, free and unharmed. Ekko explains that Vi has vouched for Caitlyn, and so he'll allow her to return to Piltover.

Jinx reappears before Silco, seizing the device he uses to inject Shimmer into his deformed eye. She confronts him for lying about Vi, using the needle to create tiny stab wounds across his face. Silco claims he only wanted to protect Jinx, accusing Vi of returning only for the crystal, not for her sister. He reminds Jinx that he found her and gave her a home after Vi left her. Visibly distressed, Jinx finally uses the device for its intended purposes, injecting Silco's eye with Shimmer and storming out of the room.

Ekko and Caitlyn get into a heated argument. Ekko claims that Silco pays the Piltover Police Crest Enforcers to hunt his people "like animals," but Caitlyn doesn't believe it. He confronts her about the gemstone, and she explains its purpose: that it can be used to build any hextech device. Ekko wants to use it to fight back against Silco, but Caitlyn believes she can bring an end to the conflict if she can present the crystal to Jayce and the Council. After some convincing, Ekko agrees on one condition: that he deliver the crystal himself.

Viktor carefully dismantles Jinx's grenade. Mel theorizes that someone in Zaun may be weaponizing hextech and suggests that Jayce and Viktor build their own weapons. Viktor passionately rejects the idea, arguing that they invented hextech to improve lives, not to take them. Jayce, however, is conflicted. In his distress, Viktor nearly sets off the grenade, but cuts a wire and deactivates it.

Heimerdinger Heimerdinger dons a cloak and sails across the river to Zaun.

Ekko says his goodbyes to the Firelights and leaves along with Vi and Caitlyn. They see a swarm of insects which glow with an eerie green light. Vi tells Caitlyn, who has never seen them before, that the creatures are called "Firelights."

Jayce discovers a drawing he made as a child, depicting himself as a hero wielding a large mechanical hammer. He hugs his mother, lamenting that he may have to do something he never thought he would.

Viktor retrieves the vial of Shimmer he received from Singed, hidden in the handle of his crutch. He carves runes into his leg brace as well as his own skin. Finally, he injects himself with the drug and cuts open his hand, feeding his blood to the hex core. He screams in pain as Shimmer and magic infuse into his bloodstream, beginning a violent transition.

Ekko, Vi, and Caitlyn begin to cross the Bridge of Progress back to Piltover, but Vi stops. She says that she needs to go back for her sister, and leaves Ekko and Caitlyn to go ahead without her. Jinx is perched high upon the bridge's supports, watching them with great interest through a spyglass.

Ekko and Caitlyn encounter the blockade, Enforcers commanding them to halt. Caitlyn sees Marcus and flashes her badge, saying she has proof that Silco is behind everything. Not seeing any other option, Ekko brandishes the canister containing the gemstone. Marcus steps forward and shoots Ekko in the torso, training his pistol on Caitlyn and picking up the canister as the boy collapses. Hearing the gunshot, Vi doubles back to rejoin her friends. Marcus seems to struggle internally, knowing he needs to kill Caitlyn to protect himself, but appearing unable to do so. Mysteriously, a swarm of firelights descends on the scene. Closer inspection reveals that the insects are mechanical replicas, and without warning, they explode, wreaking havoc on the blockade.

Jinx arrives in the wake of the false firelights, which were apparently by her design. With her shock pistol, she executes a struggling enforcer. Many others lay dead. Caitlyn attempts to stand, but her leg is wounded. Marcus begins to speak and dies mid-sentence. Vi rushes to Caitlyn's side and helps her to her feet. Jinx retrieves the canister and slings it over her shoulder. Upon seeing Vi and Caitlyn, she is enraged, believing Caitlyn to be a corrupting influence bent on turning Vi against her. She fires Pow-Pow at the pair, forcing them to jump out of the way.

Ekko appears on his hoverboard, having survived Marcus's shot via a metal plate hidden under his clothes. He knocks the minigun out of Jinx's hands and steals back the canister, throwing it to Vi and Caitlyn and telling them to go. Reluctantly, the pair shuffle away, leaving Ekko behind to fight Jinx. Jinx fires her shock pistol, but Ekko remembers a game he played with Powder when they were kids, and uses it to predict and dodge Jinx's shots. He tackles her, pins her to the ground, and beats her viciously. However, seeing Jinx's bloodied nose and frightened expression causes him to momentarily hesitate, taking pity on the girl he once knew. Jinx takes the opportunity to pull a grenade's pin. Both of them are engulfed in the resulting explosion.

Episode 8

We flash back to a scene from Mel's Mel's childhood. She stands amidst the wreckage of a crumbling throne room. Her mother, Ambessa Ambessa, joins Mel in the room and begins lecturing her, extolling the virtues of war. Moments later, two Noxus Crest icon Noxian guards enter, escorting a young woman as their prisoner, apparently a member of the newly dismantled royalty. Mel encourages her mother to show mercy, but Ambessa beheads the prisoner with one swipe of her blade.

Back in the present day, Mel awakes from the apparent dream, startled by the painful memory. Above her bed is a large painting of the prisoner's necklace on the ground and covered in blood. She sees Jayce Jayce next to her, still asleep.

Caitlyn Caitlyn and Vi Vi make their way back into Piltover Crest icon Piltover, evading squads of enforcers as the police rush to the Bridge of Progress. Caitlyn opens the canister and realizes that the hex crystal is missing.

Silco Silco arrives at the bridge sees Jinx's Jinx's body lying amongst the wreckage. He rushes to her side, finding the hex crystal in her limp hand. He carries her back to Zaun Crest icon Zaun.

That morning, Jayce and Mel arrive at the Bridge of Progress. Upon seeing the enforcers' many corpses, Jayce vomits into the water below. While bent down, he sees the remnants of one of the mechanical firelights.

Vi and Caitlyn sneak into the latter's bedroom through the window. Mrs Mrs. Kiramman kicks the door down, pointing a rifle at the pair as if she were expecting intruders, but is surprised to find Caitlyn instead. Mr Mr. Kiramman embraces his daughter, relieved to see her safe. Mrs. Kiramman asks to speak to Caitlyn in private.

Mr. Kiramman begins to remove the shrapnel from Caitlyn's leg. Mrs. Kiramman reprimands Caitlyn for her recklessness, but Caitlyn admonishes her mother, a councilor, for her role in creating the squalid conditions she witnessed in Zaun. After some convincing, Mrs. Kiramman agrees to allow Caitlyn and Vi to make their case before the Council.

Silco bursts into Singed's Singed's lab carrying Jinx, still unconscious, and they strap her down to an operating table. Singed claims that he can save her, but that the process will be "demanding." Silco assures him that Jinx can handle it, and implores him not to let her die. Singed surprises Silco with a syringe to the neck, anesthetizing Silco for the sake of his "sanity." As Silco fades, Singed claims that he too once had a daughter.

Sevika Sevika is sitting alone in The Last Drop, drinking and repairing her prosthetic arm. Finn Finn sits across from her and strikes up a conversation. He expresses disappointment in Silco's performance and asks her to consider turning against him. Sevika is resistant to the idea, but Finn leaves her to think about it.

Ambessa arrives in Piltover on a Noxian ship, accompanied by a host of soldiers. Mel and Elora Elora meet her as she deboards. Ambessa attempts to frame her arrival as an innocent family visit, but Mel is suspicious of her mother and still harbors anger since Ambessa banished her over a decade prior. Ambessa informs her that Mel's brother, Kino, is dead, having "crossed the wrong man." She reveals her ulterior motive: she wants her hands on hextech weaponry, but Mel refuses to oblige. A young male young male escort arrives, and Ambessa departs at his side.

Caitlyn returns to her bedroom, where Vi had been waiting, and informs her that they'll present their case to Council that night. Vi laments on how badly she misses her younger sister and expresses regret for failing her, while Caitlyn simply listens intently.

Jinx wakes up in Singed's lab, wracked by incredible pain. Singed injects her with shimmer, and Jinx begins to see vivid hallucinations of Vi, herself, and Caitlyn. In the visions, Vi betrays Jinx and replaces her with Caitlyn. Singed remarks that the pain will only get worse, and Jinx conflates him with the image of Caitlyn. She screams in agony.

Later, Silco, comes to his senses. He groggily examines Jinx's operation table: the girl is gone, but the table is still covered in dirt and blood. He holds a scalpel to Singed's neck, asking what he did to her. Singed replies that he saved her life.

A cloaked Heimerdinger Heimerdinger walks through the streets of Zaun, taking in the depth of the city's poverty and violence. A young child approaches and gives him a handful of nuts and bolts as a gift. Hoping to impress her, Heimerdinger performs a sleight-of-hand trick to "magically" replace the scrap metal with a spinning top. However, the girl's mother angrily takes her away from the stranger.

He returns to the Bridge of Progress and discovers Ekko's Ekko's hoverboard on the ground, remarking on its "ingenious" design. Ekko is sitting against the bridge's supports, clutching an injured leg. He recognizes Heimerdinger, asking what he's doing on this side of the bridge. Heimerdinger bemoans that after losing his councilorship, he wanted to offer Zaun his assistance, but that he's "not welcome." Ekko laughs, saying that he's having the exact same day. Heimerdinger tells Ekko that his wounds look serious and that he requires medical attention. Ekko replies that the professor is holding his ride.

Jayce meets Ambessa, who is enjoying a hot bath at a bathhouse. She strongly encourages him to build hextech weaponry. Though he is initially dismissive of her advice, she seems to convince him of the real dangers posed by the undercity, and implores him to listen to the experience she has gained through age.

The Council convenes, processing the revelation that Marcus Marcus had been secretly working against them. Caitlyn and Vi arrive, informing the Council that Silco is behind everything and is working to achieve Zaun's independence. Jayce presents Jinx's grenade, asking who created it. Caitlyn hesitates, but Vi admits it was made by Jinx. Jayce proposes the use of force, but the other councilors are unwilling to start a war until all diplomatic avenues have been exhausted. Vi angrily asserts that there can be no diplomacy with Silco, but the Council is unwilling to listen, prompting Vi to storm out of the room. She walks out into the rain, but Caitlyn tries to stop her. Vi insists that their efforts to reach the Council have failed and that she was naive to think things could change, but Caitlyn believes there must be another way. Vi compares Piltover and Zaun to "oil and water," saying her relationship with Caitlyn is the same. She tells Caitlyn to forget about her, and walks away.

Viktor Viktor stands at the docks and lets his crutch clatter to the ground. His bad leg has been completely transmuted into a purple metal. He begins to walk, and though he nearly stumbles, he breaks into a run, something he'd never been able to do before.

Back at his lab, Viktor prepares to continue transmuting himself into metal, carving runes all across his body. Meanwhile, Sky is approaching, nervously rehearsing ways to ask Viktor to take a look at a project she'd been working on. Once again, Viktor attempts to inject himself with shimmer but after examining the vial, he realizes he's run out of shimmer. Viktor slices his hand open, feeding his blood to the hex core, and attempts to go through with the procedure anyways. Sky Sky walks in on him shrieking in pain as the hex core violently transforms his flesh. She rushes to his side, attempting to pull him away, but the magic of the hex core disintegrates her into ash. Viktor faints.

He wakes up a short time later, only his hand having been transmuted. He sees that Sky has become a pile of dust on the ground, and is heartbroken. In addition, the hex core has taken on a fleshier, more organic appearance.

Jayce begins forging a hextech weapon: what will eventually become the Mercury Hammer Mercury Hammer. Vi appears unannounced, and Jayce threatens to have her arrested. She berates him for his readiness to throw strangers into a criminal justice system whose consequences he doesn't fully understand. However, they agree that they both want to make Silco pay. Vi dons one of the Atlas gauntlets Atlas gauntlets; despite being designed for mining, she seems to reckon that they would make decent weapons, likening them to Vander's Vander's gauntlets. She suggests that they go against the Council's wishes and attack Silco's shimmer manufacturing facilities.

Later, a squad of enforcers helmed by Jayce (now wielding the finished Mercury Hammer) board a train carrying numerous barrels of shimmer and force it back to its station. The enforcers quickly take control of the production facility and begin arresting workers, many of whom are children. One red-haired boy escapes an enforcer and presses a button triggering the alarm, waking up a squad of chemtanks: people in full-body mech-suits enhanced by shimmer. The chemtanks begin killing enforcers with superhuman speed and strength, eventually surrounding Jayce. Vi appears, wearing Atlas gauntlets on both hands, and destroys a chemtank with one massive punch. Together, they begin dispatching the remaining chemtanks. Jayce switches into cannon stance cannon stance and fires furiously, but in his fervor, he mistakenly strikes the red-haired boy. The child falls over a railing and plummets to the ground. A short time later, Jayce and Vi find the boy just in time to watch him die.

Caitlyn takes a shower, seemingly unable to take her thoughts away from Vi. Eventually, she emerges into the bathroom. Looking into the large, foggy mirror, she slowly realizes that someone has scribbled Jinx's trademark monkey symbol into the condensation. In the reflection, she sees that Jinx—eyes now pink from the effects of shimmer— Jinx—eyes now pink from the effects of shimmer— is standing behind her.

Episode 9

Jayce Jayce quietly mourns the red-haired child. Vi Vi attempts to console him, but Jayce decides he won't be attacking any more of Silco Silco's facilities. Vi protests. He commands her to return the Atlas gauntlets, but she refuses. He nearly attempts to seize the gauntlets by force, but simply walks away, saying she "won't make it alone." Once he's gone, Vi destroys a large machine at the heart of the facility, spilling vast quantities of shimmer onto the ground.

Some time later, Silco, Sevika Sevika, Renni Renni, and Finn Finn examine the wreckage of the destroyed facility. Renni hunches over the corpse of the red-haired child in grief; the boy was her son. The group bemoans Piltover Crest icon Piltover's sudden boldness, saying that this never would have happened if Marcus was still alive. Renni furiously condemns Silco for allowing this to happen, criticizing his over-reliance on Jinx Jinx, who killed Marcus in the first place. Finn gives Sevika a knowing glance, silently encouraging her once more to betray Silco.

Viktor Viktor grieves over Sky Sky's remains, weeping and poring over the stack of notes she left behind. Eventually, he resolves to destroy the hex core, lifting a stool over his head with the intent to smash it. However, he finds himself unable to follow through. As he walks away, the hex core sends a pulse through his body that causes him to fall to the ground, seemingly of its own free will.

Ambessa Ambessa luxuriates on Mel's Mel's balcony, accompanied by a single guard and receiving a massage from her escort. Mel storms up to her and knocks the glass of wine from her hands, commanding the escort to leave. Ambessa dismisses him and the guard. Mel berates her mother for stirring Jayce to violence. Ambessa informs her that the man who killed Mel's brother "doesn't believe the score is settled," and that she came seeking to weaponize hextech in order to protect herself and the Medarda family. Mel is appalled, insisting that she is no longer part of the family since Ambessa banished her, and asks why she did it. Ambessa confesses that Mel "weakened" her: she couldn't endure the look in her daughter's eyes when she made the "necessary decisions" to keep the family safe. She remains resolute in her quest to weaponize hextech, offering to take Mel back home if she cooperates.

Viktor sits on the ledge overlooking the pool of water from his and Sky's childhood. He scatters her ashes, saying he's unsure where she would've preferred. He begins to walk away, but turns back, contemplating throwing himself from the edge. Jayce interrupts. He reminsces about their time in the Distinguished Innovators competition, lamenting that "everything made sense then." Viktor pleads with Jayce to destroy the hex core, saying that he's unable to do so himself. He ruminates on the terrible mistakes that the pair have made, saying that they need to make it right.

Sevika, Finn, and Renni barge into Silco's office. Finn lectures Silco for his decline, saying that today is the day he dies. Silco lectures him back, calling him a parasite and berating him for his lack of loyalty. A long, retractable blade emerges from Sevika's prosthetic arm, but instead of killing Silco as planned, she slices Finn's throat. Renni flees in terror. Silco asks if Sevika had been tempted to kill him instead. She responds, "not for a worm like him." Silco examines a letter on his desk, sent from Jayce.

Silco meets Jayce on a rampart overlooking the ocean. He gives Jayce a list of demands, including free trade routes, blanket amnesty, unrestricted access to the hexgates, and sovereignty. Jayce balks at the list, retorting that Silco wouldn't stand a chance in a war between Piltover and Zaun Crest icon Zaun and claiming that he wants to save Zaun from annihilation. Silco refuses to budge, prompting Jayce to make demands of his own: discontinuing the production of shimmer, returning the hex crystal, and handing over Jinx. Silco's only problem is with surrendering Jinx, but Jayce is adamant that if he complies, he'll have his "nation of Zaun."

Ekko Ekko and Heimerdinger Heimerdinger return to the Firelight Crest Firelights' alcove. The professor is astonished at what Ekko has accomplished in such a brief period, and Ekko reveals his secret, saying, "It's not enough to give people what they need to survive, you have to give them what they need to live."

Silco visits a statue of Vander Vander, bemoaning that "it all makes sense now." He grapples with an impossible choice, between his dream of an independent Zaun, and Jinx, whom he views as his daughter. Unbeknownst to him, Jinx stands behind the statue, listening to Silco's every word, enraged at the notion that Silco might betray her.

Vi appears at The Last Drop, looking for Sevika. Sevika orders the bar's patrons to clear out, and moments later, Vi and Sevika are left alone. They fight for a long while, tearing up the bar in the process. Sevika reveals her blade, which is capable of firing heated waves of energy. Eventually, she pierces through one of the Atlas gauntlets, severely damaging it, and knocking Vi to the ground. Vi is nearly spent, but a memory of Vander convinces her to get back up again as she sheds the damaged gauntlet. As the pair continue to clash, Vi realizes that the gauntlets are capable of producing a magical force field magical force field. Sevika doesn't anticipate this, and it gives Vi a window to rip off Sevika's prosthetic arm off and finally knock her out. As Vi recovers, however, Jinx appears behind her, pistol-whipping her unconscious.

Viktor accompanies Jayce to a Council meeting. Jayce tells the Council that he is not fit to govern the people of Zaun, nor are any of them. Viktor announces that Jayce has brokered a peace with Silco in exchange for the undercity's independence. The other councilors, with the exception of Mel, are furious at the proposal, many leaping from their seats in indignation.

Vi wakes up tied to a chair in Silco's old workshop, the abandoned cannery where Mylo Mylo, Claggor Claggor, and Vander died. Jinx explains that, while Silco believes he created Jinx, it was actually Vi's voice in her head that drove her to become what she is now. Vi assures Jinx that that the only thing that sustained her in prison was the thought of getting back to her, and promises that they're "still sisters."

Jinx brings Vi's chair to a dinner table and lights the candles, revealing a macabre mimicry of a lavish meal. Silco sits across from Vi, bound and gagged. Jinx's effigies of Mylo and Claggor, as well as the stuffed bunny from their childhood, are also in attendance. Jinx berates Silco for his various lies and betrayals. She brings out a cupcake topped with the stolen hex crystal, and wheels Caitlyn Caitlyn to the table, also bound and gagged.

She states that Vi will decide where Jinx sits, referring to one chair labeled "Powder Powder" and another labeled "Jinx Jinx." She sets her shock pistol in Vi's bound hands, pleading that if Vi kills Caitlyn, she can "have Powder back." Vi refuses, prompting Jinx to retake the gun and aim it at Caitlyn's head. Frantically, Vi promises to take Jinx away and leave all of this behind them. Silco attempts to speak, and Jinx removes his gag. He accuses Vi of lying and promises that he wasn't planning on betraying Jinx. Jinx hears Mylo laughing and shoots the Mylo dummy in response, breaking a glass. Caitlyn discreetly reaches for the broken glass, hoping to cut herself loose. Silco continues to speak, assuring Jinx that she's his daughter and that he'll never forsake her.

Caitlyn breaks free. She picks up Pow-Pow Pow-Pow and aims it at Jinx, commanding her to drop the pistol. After much hesitation, Jinx places her gun on the table and puts her hands in the air, feigning surrender. Then, empowered by shimmer with superhuman speed, she rushes Caitlyn, knocking her unconscious and seizing back Pow-Pow. Vi pleads with Jinx to "wake up," listing off the names of her family: Mylo, Claggor, Vander, and their parents. However, this only serves to torment Jinx with twisted, monstrous hallucinations of the people she'd lost. Seeing how Vi is hurting Jinx, Silco furiously struggles to break his bonds. Finally, he grabs the shock pistol and takes aim at Vi, prompting Jinx to blindly fire Pow-Pow at Silco, mortally wounding him with a bullet through the chest.

Jinx hurries to Silco's side in tears, apologizing profusely. One final time, Silco promises he never would've betrayed her, telling her "you're perfect" before he dies. Vi attempts to comfort Jinx, but she stops crying and becomes stoic. Slowly, she walks to the chair labeled "Jinx" and sits down. She explains to Vi that the two of them will never be able to love each other like they used to. Then, she takes the hex crystal and walks away.

She loads the crystal into a massive rocket launcher, Fishbones Fishbones, and fires a missile missile into the sky. Caitlyn wakes up, too late to stop her. Mel removes her family ring and votes for Jayce's proposal. Sevika sits in Silco's office, recovering from her battle with Vi. Ekko and Heimerdinger converse avidly. Singed fondles a locket containing an image of a young girl, and looks up to see a bearded man bearded man hanging from the ceiling of his lab. Ambessa sees that Mel has vandalized her own painting of the Immortal Bastion using gold paint. Caitlyn frees Vi and the pair watch in horror as the rocket sails through the sky. One by one, every councilor votes to support Jayce's motion. Finally, the rocket crashes through the window of the Council chambers.