Why was Vi and Caitlyn's romance scene changed in Arcane season 2? Explained
Arcane season 2 finally concluded its long-awaited second season on November 23, 2024, bringing to close a brilliant saga that has received universal acclaim. Among the biggest things that happened in the second season of Arcane, the blooming romance between Hailee Steinfeld's Vi and Katie Leung's Caitlyn after a long-drawn saga was a big highlight.
However, despite fans getting a piece of this beautiful romantic journey, series co-creator Christian Linke revealed that there was more to the jail cell sequence than what made the final cut. Linke said that they changed the sequence after the team "got a slap on the wrist" for the portrayal.
While not directly implying either Netflix or Riot Games, Linke hinted that the higher authorities asked this scene to be removed as it was deemed more mature for a show like Arcane, which positions itself as a family-friendly animated show.
Linke joked that this omitted version of the sequence between Vi and Caitlyn is perhaps only there in some French hard drive right now or on a director's cut. Fans will not be very pleased with the removal/shortening of this sequence, which took a long time to finally arrive.
Why was Vi and Caitlyn's romantic scene cut short in Arcane season 2?
Caitlyn and Vi have been two characters who fans desperately wanted to see together for quite a while. The show also teased their romance multiple times, often subtly and often not, but never brought them to the point of resolution. That was until Arcane season 2's last part.
Arcane season 2, in between the tragedies that dominated the season, managed to masterfully deliver a brilliant conclusion to both the characters' journeys, which started from being unlikely allies and ended with being lovers. Fans of the show had rooted for this since the first season of the show.
However, as revealed by the co-creator, there could have been much more of this sequence.
Arcane, being set in the universe of League of Legends, is geared primarily towards a family-oriented audience, something that comes with certain restrictions. As explained by Linke, when they tried to make this sequence longer (probably even more intimate), they were stopped from doing so either by Netflix or Riot Games, something that the co-creator did not clarify.
Speaking to The Direct, Linke explained when asked about this version and if there was a possibility of seeing it:
"This was the dialed-back version....Yes. We got a slap on the wrist. League of Legends is going to be rated mature now....It is probably on some French hard drive. Director's cut."
The show has always tried to maintain the balance between dabbling in serious themes while also never crossing the line to the R-rated zone. The primary motive behind cutting the sequence short could be maintaining this balance and delivering a family-friendly viewing experience to the large fanbase of the show.
Arcane season 2, however, told a mature story with very mature themes, only just avoiding the R-rating, which could have perhaps affected the fanbase of both Arcane and League of Legends.
Arcane season 2 is now streaming on Netflix. All the episodes from the first season are also available to watch right now. Stay tuned for more updates.
