After an explosive first season, Arcane has lived rent-free in many viewers’ minds ever since Season 1’s credits rolled. (And if you haven’t seen it, you might want to turn back now, because major spoilers are ahead.) With Silco's death and Singed processing his anger, we were left with more than a few questions about the future of Arcane. That cliffhanger of an ending made sure we’d still be scratching our heads long after we watched everything go down. But whether you’ve just finished or are well into your third rewatch (been there), there are a few clever Easter eggs planted throughout the series that may have slipped past your radar. If you’ve been following League of Legends — Riot Games’ massively popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) — for some time, you might have caught these cool references and smiled to yourself. But for those who are new to the franchise or were too caught up falling in love with Vi and Jinx to notice, we’ve rounded up some of the most explosive details you may have missed while watching Arcane.
Early in Episode 1 of Arcane, we watch Vi's ragtag team, including Powder, Mylo and Claggor, accompany her into Jayce's research lab. While on the prowl to nab some spoils from Piltover's wealthier residents, they make their way across a rickety rooftop. Waiting on the other side? A tray of delicious cupcakes adorned with pink frosting. Once he's crossed the sizable gap from one rooftop to the other, Claggor swipes a cupcake and munches on it as a sweet reward. But these are more than just tasty treats, at least when it comes to the world of League of Legends. They're actually a reference to the character Caitlyn, who also appears in Arcane. They're a fun nod to her in-game ability called Yordle Snap Trap. The icon that represents said ability is a spike trap with a mouthwatering cupcake ready to lure in an unsuspecting champion. And to add yet another layer to this sugar-laced dessert, Vi is heard calling Caitlyn "Cupcake" several times throughout the series. Yup, this is one sweet callback.
The Easter eggs begin to pile up as early as Episode 1, while young Powder is on the run from one of Deckard's cronies. As Powder makes her way through the city streets, you can make out a logo on one of the walls: a helmetlike insignia scrawled in light purple and red ink. It's the band logo for Pentakill, the virtual metal band Riot Games spawned in 2014. Much like the virtual pop idols K/DA, Pentakill features band members from throughout the League of Legends universe, and has released three full-length albums. Planting the logo in this blink-and-you'll-miss-it scene is a fun nod to one of the exciting ways Riot Games continues to build an expansive universe outside of its games. Not to mention that Pentakill makes some truly badass metal, too.
In the early episodes of Arcane, we see Powder and Vi spending tons of time with one of their childhood friends: Claggor. The snack-loving, goggles-wearing friend of the group is ride or die just like the rest of the miniature troublemakers. And he's rarely seen without that pair of blue-tinted goggles. They aren't just a random fashion accessory, though. They're actually the very same goggles that Vi once wore as part of her original character design in League of Legends. And after tragedy strikes and claims Claggor in Episode 3, we see Vi taking these goggles and incorporating them into her outfit from that point forward — a heartfelt way to commemorate someone who shaped her as a person.
Teemo is one of the most recognizable League of Legends champions. The tiny fluffy yordle, clad in a green hat with pink goggles and a blue feather, is a mainstay for the MOBA and acts as a sort of mascot for the series. Teemo makes an appearance in Arcane as well, though it's just for a moment. In Episode 6, when Silco heads to Marcus' room, we see one of Silco's henchmen paging through a small red book. It just happens to be chock-full of Teemo tales, complete with plenty of illustrations of the little guy. It's a fun way to include the yordle without being too heavy-handed, and it's always good to see that furry little face wherever he may pop up.
There are a lot of inside jokes throughout the LoL community that only fans who have spent time in the community will recognize. This is definitely one of those, so you'd be forgiven for not catching it. In Episode 6 of Arcane, when Marcus returns home to find Silco and his henchmen with his daughter, we don't only see a book of Teemo tales. — It also appears the young girl also has a small plushie that looks like a manatee behind her on the bed. That's a reference to the character Urf, a champion conceptualized as an April Fools' Day joke. The character never came to be, of course, but has remained one of the funniest things Riot Games has spawned in terms of in-game Easter eggs for fans. Urf may never have had a chance to let eager players run with him, but his legend lives on in Arcane, where he's apparently been making a little girl happy.
Episode 1 of Arcane introduces us to the shifty shopkeeper Benzo. When Vander strolls into Benzo's shop, we see a horned helmet over the shop's doorway as Benzo is holding a shiny trinket. These are actually important items pulled straight from League of Legends. The helmet is a nod to the Freljord's barbarian king and champion Tryndamere and the helmet he wears as part of his default outfit. It's unmistakably him, and the horns give it away. And what’s Benzo holding? An item that's been retired from League of Legends: the Heart of Gold. Once an expensive gold-generating item, it's since been removed from the game. You can also spot a hat on one of Benzo's shelves that appears to have a face sewn into it. That's a reference to Rabadon's Deathcap, an in-game item that can give users a massive boost in magical power.
When Vi and her crew make it back to Zaun following the hasty explosion at Jayce's in Episode 2, they exit the Howler elevator and walk by some items that will stand out to LoL players: a couple of creatures that resemble stone beetles or diminutive turtles. These aren't random creatures at all, but Krugs. Krugs are a special breed of critter born from a fusion of flora, fauna and rock native to the continent of Valoran. Not only are they found there, but they're also seen in the music video for Imagine Dragons' "Enemy," Arcane's opening theme.
Before Arcane, Jinx had her own music video for her song “Get Jinxed,” in which she makes her entrance as a champion in League of Legends. Near the beginning of the video, we see her signature cymbal-playing monkeys. They also happen to be featured prominently in the "Get Excited" card in the League of Legends spin-off game Legends of Runeterra. These are part of Jinx's regular arsenal, just like her Fishbones gun. So it should come as no surprise that we see Jinx using one of those very same cymbal monkeys as a Hextech crystal bomb in Silco's compound. (You definitely don't want to get near one of those things.)
Speaking of the special music video, Jinx herself sings some of the "Get Jinxed" song created for her in Arcane Episode 4. While working on building the hex crystal stabilizer following the raid on Jayce's lab, Jinx can be heard singing the lyrics to her song as she examines blueprints. Whether you recognize it from LoL lore or not, it's one of those earworms that you won’t be able to get out of your head.
In Episode 3, we see Powder crying alongside a few drawings she's created. In addition to the glowing hex crystals, which are in her case along with her drawings, we see some pretty exciting Easter eggs here that are easy to miss. Her drawings reveal a crude sketch of Fishbones, one of her main weapons, as well as a pair of wings with a pink outline, most certainly a reference to her special "magical girl" skin in LoL, Star Guardian Jinx. We also see Powder holding dynamite, a sketch of Claggor, Vi with an enormous crown atop her head and some, well, body parts. Those are Powder's drawings, all right.
