Arcane Who is Silco? Season One and Two Theories
Netflix’s Arcane has taken the world by storm, leaving viewers with many questions. Chief among them is: Arcane, who is Silco, the enigmatic figure at the heart of the show? In this article, we explore Silco’s origins and try to piece together what role he may play in season two.
No Silco in Riot Games League of Legends?
The Netflix Series, Arcane, is based off of League of Legends from studio Riot Games. Interesting enough our main antagonist from Arcane who is Silco is not a playable character in League of Legends. Understandably so, not sure how well a shimmer addict would play with no real power. However many fans are pushing League of Legends to add our “father figure” from the animated series to the game.
What Makes Silco a Villain?
What makes a good villain? A question us writers often ask ourselves when drafting our stories.
At the core of it, what makes a good villain is simple: they must be believable. They must have a motive, and they must be someone the audience can understand.
Arcane’s Silco is a perfect example of that.
Arcane, Who Is Silco the Revolutionist?
Arcane’s Silco is a revolutionist. He fought the “good fight” in his youth to free Zaun (the underbelly have-nots) from the oppressive rule of Piltover (the topside have-it-alls). Arcane Season 1 at it’s core is a story of the haves vs the have-nots. Silco certainly fell on the side of the have-nots.
Silco is a character who’s motives we can all understand. In today’s world, with such a gap in wealth inequality, it’s easy to see how someone could become disenfranchised and lash out at the powers to be. When Silco talks he can champion many into doing his evil biddings.
How far is Silco willing to go, what is he willing to do for freedom? It is apparent early on Silco lives by the quote, “the ends justify the means.”
He is willing to do whatever it takes to win. Good or bad.
Arcane, Who Is Silco Betrayed?
Have you ever had a friend that you considered family?
I know I have.
Silco and Vander from Arcane both fought together to free Zaun from Piltover. They shared a common goal and were willing to die for each other.
In the beginning of Arcane Season 1, we see Vander in an uprising to free Zaun from Piltover’s rule. The attempted overthrow by the revolutionists of Zaun is swiftly putdown by Piltover enforcers, in brutal fashion I may add.
Vander, in all of the chaos of battle, finds a terrified young girl named Powder and her older sister Vi. Powder and Vi’s parents died during the failed uprising and they now find themselves as orphans. Vander, decides to take them away from the battle and eventually becomes their new father figure.
This moment starts a chain of events leading to the end of Silco and Vander’s brotherhood.
Arcane has left many questions unanswered. From how two friends fought together to free Zaun, to one attempting to drown the other in a polluted river. Ultimately ending up with Vander leaving Silco for dead.
I think Vander shared with Silco he wished to stop fighting and be the father Vi and and Powder need. While Silco wished to fight on to free Zaun from Piltover.
It is also possible Silco was caught up in illegal happenings with shimmer addicts and Vander wanted out of that.
What is Shimmer in the Arcane Animated Series?
Shimmer is a serum-like substance.
You apply it to the skin or consume it from a container. The person will get a brief superhuman boost in strength and speed after consumption.
Shimmer is a highly addictive drug that makes you feel like a God.
Arcane, Who Is Silco With Patience
After the events of Silco being left for dead at the hands of Vander, someone he considered his brother, years go by. During those years, Silco shifts his focus from freeing Zaun to planning his revenge on Vander.
During the time Silco is plotting his revenge, Vander is tasked with raising his adopted children. And on top of that he must run his tavern while keeping the peace between Zaun and Piltover.
Vander reminds me of Liam Neeson’s character in Gangs of New York, Priest Vallon (the leader of the Dead Rabbits). Vander has a set of morals, making navigating this dark underworld very difficult and dangerous.
Something I find great in Netflix’s League of Legends Arcane Season 1 is it does a fantastic job showing how Silco becomes a master manipulator. The character of Silco is similar to Game of Thrones ‘Little Finger’.
He is always planning and plotting in the shadows, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
A great example of Silco being patient and plotting is him working from the shadows as he assembles a crew of extremist “freedom fighters.” And most of them are shimmer addicts (the cocaine of Legends Arcane).
These extremist freedom fighters, do not agree with the way Vander is running the show in Zaun. Vander believes in a more passive approach in keeping peace between Piltover and Zaun. But Silco wants to take action.
Arcane, Who Is Silco With Revenge
News reaches Silco of a heist gone wrong topside, conducted by none other than Vander’s adopted children. He uses this moment to manipulate the situation when he learns that a hunt is on for who committed the heist that resulted in a massive explosion.
The character of Silco, at this stage in the animated series, is a pretty powerful drug lord. It is revealed that he holds some power over a few of Piltover’s enforcers. In-short, he has some police officers on his payroll.
One enforcer in particular that he has on his payroll is Marcus.
Silco had anticipated that Marcus would be able to put enough pressure on Vander for the latter to surrender himself in place of his children. Silco and a Shimmer-enhanced Deckard (another character introduced in Arcane), however, ambushed them. Before Marcus and his supervisor, Sheriff Grayson, could take Vander with them to Piltover.
When Marcus began to argue that this was not part of the plan, Silco ends up tossing Marcus a bag of coins basically telling him to kick-rocks.
Vander’s Failed Rescue
Silco does his best to try and convince Vander to join the cause of the coming revolution against Piltover, but Vander is not having any of it. Vander goes on about how he regrets drowning Silco in the river and that Silco is no longer the same person he once was.
Mad and hurt, Silco lets his emotions take control and ends up using Vander as bate to lure his children. Silco knows that the children will try to rescue Vander. This is the ultimate payback he’s been waiting for.
Finally, Vi, Mylo, and Claggor arrived to rescue Vander, but they find out too late that they had fallen into Silco’s trap.
Despite the fact that they almost succeeded in freeing Vander, a bomb planted by Vi’s sister Powder exploded before they could do so, demolishing the structure and killing Mylo and Claggor in the process (both Vi and Powders adopted brothers).
To defend Vi, Vander then began fighting back against Silco’s men himself, donning iron gauntlets. However, he was bested by Deckard and stabbed in the stomach by Silco, who then dropped him into a stack of shimmers.
Vander was able to inject himself with only one vial, transforming him and allowing him to finally kill Deckard. He then attempted to murder Silco but opted to save Vi instead, sacrificing himself in the process.
The Birth of Jinx
After the smoke clears, there’s no sign of Vi, but Powder is in the middle of an emotional breakdown on the street.
Silco walked up to Powder and inquired about her sister, unaware that Vi had just left Powder for unintentionally murdering their foster siblings. Powder then ran into his arms and announced that Vi had abandoned her and was no longer her sister. Simultaneously, Silco sympathized with her situation and embraced her as his own daughter.
Powder eventually takes on the persona of Jinx and turns into one of the most dynamic villains of all time. She becomes Silco’s most prized possession.
Silco’s End
Silco’s ultimate goal is achieved, attaining absolute power after Vander’s death. He becomes a true crime lord and continues on with his manipulative ways. Years pass and his love for Jinx grows along with his grip of Zaun. Both Jinx and Silco are truly feared.
It isn’t until Vi returns, where she faces off with her lost sister Jinx, where again Jinx has another accident resulting in Silco’s death.
Arcane—Who Is Silco, and What’s to Come In Season 2?
We will have to wait a bit to find out what will happen in Season 2 of the hit Animated Series, Arcane. I’m certain we will see more of Jinx blowing things up, as the troubled character deals with the loss of her second father figure.
Check out the Arcane Season 2 announcement trailer, I for one am hyped!
I believe we will get a resolution between Jinx and Vi that shocks us all.
What do you think will happen in Season 2 of Arcane? Will Silco’s death have any lingering effects on the remaining cast of characters? What will happen to Vi and Jinx? Let us know in the comments below!
Check out this article on everything we know about Season 2 of Arcane !
