Arcane Season 2: Why Does Jayce Kill [SPOILER] in Act 2?

Warning: The following article contains major spoilers for Arcane Season 2 Act 2.

Arcane Season 2’s second act wraps up with several shocking developments – not least of all Jayce Talis murdering Viktor! So, why does Jayce kill Viktor in Arcane Season 2 Act 2, and is there any chance Viktor didn’t really die?

Why Jayce Kills Viktor in Arcane Season 2 Act 2?

Is there a character in Arcane Season 2 who undergoes as harrowing an emotional journey as Jayce? Okay, Vander’s resurrection as man-wolf hybrid Warwick is objectively more extreme, but the point stands: dude goes through the wringer this season. His Piltdown/Zaun peace treaty plan results in the deaths of several of his fellow councilors, while his decision to save Viktor’s life using Hextech drives a wedge between them.

Then, he’s sucked into a wild rune (or arcane anomaly) that later spits him out severely traumatized. What exactly happened inside the wild rune remains a mystery for now. Did he travel through time, as some fans believe? We’ll have to wait until Act 3 to find out for certain. But either way, whatever Jayce experienced in the wild rune has convinced him everything Hextech-related has got to go.

Related: Arcane: How Old Is Jinx in Season 2?

Inevitably, this leads Jayce to Viktor’s door, as his former BFF is now (to quote Singed) “the apex form of Hextech.” After making his way through Viktor’s Hex-infused followers – who to Jayce’s crazed eyes, look monstrous – Jayce comes upon Viktor meditating inside his sanctum. Jayce points his Mercury Hammer at his old friend and unleashes its full power.

A blinding blast of light later and Viktor lies dead before Jayce. It’s a heart-breaking scene, not least because Jayce seemingly isn’t in his right mind when he kills his pal. But again: Arcane Season 2 still has three installments left, so maybe there’s more to Jayce’s actions than meets the eye.

Is Viktor Really Dead in Arcane Season 2 Act 2?

Viktor definitely dies at the end of Arcane Season 2 Act 2. But whether he stays dead is another matter entirely. Reddit is currently awash with fan theories prophesizing Viktor’s miraculous return, and honestly? Some of them are pretty convincing. Notably, the Arcane devotees who cite the lore of the show’s video game source material, League of Legends, make a strong case that Viktor will be back in Act 3 in a new, even more robotic form.

Related: Arcane Season 2: Is [SPOILER] Dead in Act 2?

Whether he’ll retain his original personality following his supposed evolution is a subject of debate, however. Many Arcane fans seem convinced the resurrected Viktor will reject humanity in Season 2 Act 3 and play a more antagonist role. Only time (and Act 3) will tell!

Arcane Season 2 Acts 1 and 2 are currently streaming on Netflix. Act 3 drops on Nov. 23, 2024.