Netflix already has a replacement series forArcanein the works, and it could recreate one of the best things about the hit show and Jinx and Vi’s story.Arcanequickly became one of thebest shows on Netflixwhen it was released in 2021. It had everything a great show needs, from strong and compelling main characters, a deep and interesting supporting cast, an intricate fantasy world, and more. It’s easy to considerArcanelightning in a bottle, but Netflix has done the same to another game adaptation in the past, and the streamer could do it again soon.
Arcaneseason 2will mark the end of the show. Luckily, it seems thatNetflix already has a replacement seriesin mind, and one that could easily replicate one of the best things aboutArcane: how it expanded upon the lore of its source material,League of Legends. Jinx and Vi’s story added hours worth of world building, characterization, and compelling plot to the video game, and an upcoming animated show based on the world ofMagic: The Gatheringcould do the same for the iconic deck building card game.
Netflix’s Magic: The Gathering Series Can Tell An Original Story Inspired By Game Lore
Netflix announced ashow based onMagic: The Gathering, the popular card game, years ago, but the series has yet to come to fruition. Now, however,Netflixhas announced that itsanimatedMagic: The Gatheringshow is currently in development, and it has a chance to tell a truly original story using the nearly endless lore of the game. While there are already quite a few established characters, events, and systems inMagic, there’s not a very clear linear story to adapt, so there’s also plenty of room for a new and unique story to be told.
Arcane’s Jinx And Vi Story Perfectly Expanded On The World Of League Of Legends
If Netflix’s adaptation ofMagic: The Gatheringdoes decide to fit its story into the existing lore of the game, it would be extremely similar toArcane.NeitherLeague of Legends, the gameArcaneis based on, norMagichad well-defined timelines or linear storytelling. Both games had facets of a larger story, but they mostly existed to add texture to the characters and worlds, rather than provide a coherent narrative. Their stories were essentially legends that helped define a rough outline of the world for die-hard fans. Then,ArcanetransformedLeague of Legends' larger narrative.
Why Arcane Is Ending With Season 2
Arcane season 2 will saw the end of Jinx and Vi’s story, but was the hit Netflix series canceled, and what’s next for League of Legends stories?
Both Jinx and Vi existed as characters inLeague of Legendsfor years beforeArcane, but the show brought their story to unimaginable new heights.BeforeArcane, Jinx and Vi were simply rivals on opposing sides of the law, and the show turned them into sisters who were locked in a tragic battle for both each other and the fate of Piltover.Arcanewas the perfect way to add a coherent story and timeline into the already defined world ofLeague of Legends, and theMagic: The Gatheringshow could do the same, especially considering how it has been done before.
Another Great Netflix Animated Video Game Adaptation Also Expanded On The Lore
Years beforeArcanewas released, Netflix’s flagship video game series wasCastlevania, an anime based on the game series of the same name. LikeArcane,Castlevaniaalso took the lore of its source material and ran with it, turning it from set-dressing into an unbelievably compelling tale.Prior to the anime,Castlevaniahad a messy storyline about the age-old feud between the Belmonts and Dracula that was filled with resurrections, retcons, rather simplistic stories, and more. Then, the anime brought all the interesting ideas that the games only hinted at together, and turned them into a single engaging story.
Castlevania
Cast
Based on the video game franchise, Castlevania is a Netflix original animated action series that follows the never-ending battle of the monster-slaying Belmont clan as they continue to face off against the hordes of the night. When Count Dracula’s human wife is murdered, his grief leads him to doom the world to eternal darkness. To stop him, it’ll take a team of three unlikely heroes banding together: the last remaining Belmont, Trevor, a magic-wielding seeker named Sypha Belnades, and the tortured half-human, half-vampire son of the count himself, Alucard.
CastlevaniaandArcaneare proof that Netflix has a knack for taking games that have either sparse or overly complicated lore and distilling them into an endlessly compelling narrative.Magic: The Gatheringis the perfect game to receive such a treatment next, given just how expansive it is and how much potential a story set within its multiverse would have. It could even be the perfect launch pad to get new players intoMagic: The Gathering, just asArcaneandCastlevaniawere for their respective franchises.
Arcane
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
