The 10 Best ‘Arcane’ Characters, Ranked

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Season 1 of Arcane

League of Legends newbies and enthusiasts were blown away by Arcane when it hit Netflix in late 2021. Six years in the making, the critically and popularly acclaimed 9-episode Season 1 is rightfully considered one of the best videogame TV adaptations ever produced. Brought to life by the immensely talented French studio Fortiche under the creative direction of Riot Games, the animated series gifts us with meticulously crafted storytelling and worldbuilding, paired with beautifully distinct animation, sound design, editing, and, of course, incredible voice-acting performances.

What makes Arcane such a fantastic adaptation is that it isn’t narratively constricted by the game it is based on. Naturally, there were elements to include and abide by, but overall, the freedom was immense, and the creators utilized it masterfully. One of the most memorable aspects of the world the series presents in all its glory and decadence, are the characters that inhabit it. Whether they are legends in Riot’s MOBA or original creations for the animated TV show, the characters are rich in personality and depth, flawed in the most human ways, affected by change, and conditioned by the environment that surrounds them. Admittedly, it isn’t easy to qualify them, their specific nuances might appeal to some more than others, and there will always be subjectivity to it, but we shall try to place them in ranks according to matters such as complexity, growth, empathetic appeal, thematic pertinence, and, of course, contribution to the overarching storyline.

10. Heimerdinger

The revered inventor makes it to our list in the number 10 spot. Likely the smallest as well as the wisest in the room, Heimerdinger plays an undeniably important role in the story as one of Piltover’s founders and a sort of mentor figure to some of the other characters, Jayce and Viktor particularly. What is most interesting about this position he’s first introduced in is how he falls from grace — or rather, is pushed off his pedestal precisely because he’s been there too long and grown blind to the realities that his position hides from him. When we reach the last episodes, Heimerdinger is on his way to learning about the undercity, the people that inhabit it, their struggles, and what can be done to help. The way this will impact the part the yordle plays in Season 2, and how he intends to act on his newfound, first-hand knowledge, may well make him worth a higher spot on this list.

Also, his first name is Cecil. I’ll let that sink in.  

9. Vander

The hound of the underground plays the role of the parent figure who tries to set the example and impart some hard-won knowledge of the consequences of revolt and violence to the people he has under his wing, Vi especially. As a parent figure, and in accordance the overdone trope, Vander has to die in order to force his chicks out of the nest. That does not mean they are ready to fly or will fly in the right direction, but it makes for emotionally provocative storytelling and creates attrition between surviving characters. Despite only having lived up until the end of Episode 3, Vander’s spirit continues to weigh on the story and, hence, he conquers a place on this list. He even makes a deserved comeback in Vi’s consciousness in Episode 9 to prove to us how much he has contributed to shaping her character and strengthen the adherence to the morals that Powder strayed from.

It has been speculated by numerous fans that Vander may return to the story in Season 2. The arguments that support this theory are pretty solid too. But, for now, that remains to be seen. As we left him in Season 1, Vander’s our number 9 spot.