Arcane Season 2: The Ekko and Powder dance is the series at its best

We're still not over it.

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Arcane is officially over, and after watching Season 2 Act 3, I can confidently say that the Ekko and Powder dance from Episode 7 is my new favorite moment of the series. If you ask me, this might also be one of the show’s best scenes – a major claim considering how many brilliant scenes there are.

I have to admit, there’s a bit of bias into this as Ekko and Jinx’s fight in Episode 7 was my favorite moment of Season 1, though that was mostly because of the impressive animation by Fortiche along with the excellent song. Even though I was more invested in Vi’s story in the first season, the Ekko vs Jinx fight was dazzling enough to become my favorite.

Enter Season 2. This second and final season also has plenty of memorable fights, though my favorite Season 1 moment wasn’t dethroned until Episode 7 rolled in.

As with many viewers, I wanted to know what happened to Ekko and Heimerdinger after Season 2 Act 1. It may have taken until the start of Act 3 before we all found out, but the wait was oh so worth it, even though I had to fight tears throughout.

The brilliance of Season 2 Episode 7 is thanks to a multitude of factors. Firstly, there’s Ekko himself. Even though he didn’t get as much development as compared to the likes of Caitlyn or Jayce, he truly shined in this episode. After finding out that he’s in an alternate universe which is pretty much heaven for him, Ekko never wavered in his resolve to return to his universe.

Then, there’s Jinx, or more accurately, Powder. In this alternate universe, Vi died, though aside from that tragic incident, life has been kind to Powder. Aside from growing up with Vander alive and well, Powder also has her friends in a version of Zaun that’s not oppressed by Piltover (thanks to no Hextech).

Given how much Jinx has suffered in the main Arcane universe, this episode feels like a healing balm for fans as it shows that Powder does at least have a happy life in one universe. And with how much Ekko has tried to help Zaun in his original universe, he is also very much deserving of this happy existence.

Episode 7 had a lot of emotional moments such as Ekko making a Vi mural. Though the peak of this episode is no doubt the dance scene.

For “timebomb” shippers, this was a moment of vindication as many League and Arcane fans weren’t convinced about a potential romance between Ekko and Jinx. This all faded when Powder made an appearance and proceeded to the dancefloor with Ekko.

As if that’s not enough to convince you of the sparks between the two, Fortiche once again delivers on the animation front, giving the whole dance scene more stylistic flair. I’m not sure if the info circulating online about the dance being rendered in 4 FPS is accurate, but what I can say is that it helped heighted the feel of the scene so much. While watching it, I was actually reminded of scenes from a Wong Kar Wai movie as the scene is rather reminiscent of WKW’s signature slow-mo scenes (always a plus given how romantic his movies are).

Of course, the dance scene had the perfect song in “Ma Meilleure Enemie” by Belgian artist Stromae and French artist Pomme. Even though I don’t understand French, I though the song was incredibly moving. After looking up the lyrics, the emotions of the scene were further heightened when I gave it a rewatch.

On its own, the scene is an audio-visual delight that perfectly capture the emotions of Ekko and Powder. What makes it even more memorable though is just how bittersweet it is, especially given the events that follow.

While I’m happy that Powder in this universe at least has a good life, what happened to Ekko still hurts. He got a taste of what is essentially heaven, though he chose to return to his universe, even if it meant more pain.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one who hasn’t gotten over this moment  yet. As such, I’ve been looking at fanart nonstop, as is the case with many viewers who have become timebomb converts.

Sure, I agree with some critics and fans that Season 2 is more uneven compared to Season 1 given how rushed it felt at points (likely because they had to end the story in just one season), but I still think that this final season packed a hefty emotional punch, making it a satisfying ending overall.

Plus, Season 2 gave us the Ekko and Powder dance which is now my all-time favorite moment of the show.