Arcane introduced plenty of new characters in Season 2, but one that had a particularly big impact, particularly on Jinx, is young girl Isha.
Isha is an original character in Arcane, which brings many of the champions from Riot Games' League of Legends to the screen. She is first introduced in the second episode of Arcane Season 2 as a young kid being pursued by goons in the undercity.
Isha is saved by Jinx, who forms an attachment to her. She follows her around Zaun and takes every opportunity to be more like her idol. The attachment goes both ways, with Jinx soon forming a close bond with Isha that starts to change her outlook.
Isha Makes a Big Impact With No Dialogue
Isha massively impacts Arcane in a short time. This makes Isha's sacrifice in Episode 6 even more heartbreaking. But what's arguably most impressive about her character is that Isha manages to steal hearts without saying a word.
In Arcane, Isha does not speak in any of her scenes, communicating instead through small noises, facial expressions, and sign language.
In Season 2, Episode 4, Isha convinces Jinx not to throw away one of their fighting bugs using a quick hand signal, which Jinx interprets as her way of saying the insect deserves a rematch.
Interestingly, Isha does have a voice actor for Arcane listed on IMDb, Lucy Lowe. However, the actress does not provide any dialogue for the character.
Why Doesn't Isha Speak in Arcane? Theory Explained
The reason why Isha never talks in Arcane is never officially addressed.
Some fans theorized that Isha doesn't speak due to mutism or that she has selective mutism based on past traumas.
When audiences meet Isha, it's clear that she's had a rough life. She's being pursued by henchmen in the streets of Zaun for an unknown reason, which could hint at a past involving their gang. The undercity is a harsh place, so there's no telling what traumas Isha may have witnessed living there.
She also attaches to Jinx immediately, which indicates she may not have any other family. A lack of family could also mean that Isha didn't have anyone to teach her to speak as she grew up, so she gets by on nonverbal cues.
Ultimately, Isha doesn't need to speak to make an impact in Arcane. The animators at Fortiche manage to portray enough of her character through action and facial expressions that she never needs dialogue.
Jinx's understanding of Isha without words also speaks to the deep connection between the two characters.
Arcane will release its final episodes on Netflix on Saturday, November 23.
