Arcane Season 3 isn't happening, but it's only the beginning of this universe, with one spinoff likely starring everyone's favorite new character, Mel Medarda.
Arcane co-creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee recently explained that Arcane Season 3 wouldn't be happening and that it "was never the plan for it to last five seasons." But as Linke said, Arcane was just "the first of many stories that we want to tell in Runeterra."
The ending of Arcane left the fate of many characters ambiguous, some more than others, such as the fates of Viktor and Jayce. However, other characters ended with a clearer direction to follow, such as Mel Medarda of Noxus.
Mel Likely Starring in Confirmed Spinoff
In a recent Twitch interview with streamer Necrit94, Arcane co-creator Christian Linke revealed that the next spinoff series has "already [been] in development for about a year." He also mentioned they can "continue some" of the stories that started in Arcane:
"We're really going wide, we're looking at every region and we really now have the ability to build a slate to tell many more stories — and continue some of them,"
Additionally, Linke said the Runterria regions of "Noxus, Ionia, and Demacia are getting shows and are [the] next steps in this cinematic universe." However, Marc Merrill, Co-Founder of Riot Games, clarified that there wouldn't be three separate shows but that these three regions would be explored.
One of these stories that could be continued from Arcane is that of Mel Medarda, an original character introduced in Season 1 of Arcane alongside her warlord mother, Ambessa, who hauled from Noxus. An empire that respects strength and talent above all else while employing both to expand its borders.
These two newcomers quickly became popular enough with fans that the Noxian general was made an official playable Champion in League of Legends on November 6. Recent leaks have also suggested that Mel, with her newly awakened magic, will soon follow in her mother's footsteps.
Considering her future inclusion into League of Legends and where Mel ends up in the finale of Arcane as the new matriarch of the Medarda family on her way back to Noxus, it couldn't be more obvious that she will be at least one of the leads of this new spinoff as it explores this barbaric region of Runeterra.
Mel still has unfinished business with the Black Rose, who was responsible for her brother's death, Kino. Not to mention regaining order in clan Medarda, how she will continue grappling with her new status as a mage and becoming a wolf like her mother always wanted.
Fans of League of Legends also noticed the appearance of a multi-eyed raven that couldn't belong to anyone other than Swain, the grand general of the Noxus Empire. This has heavy implications for the timeline of this universe, as its appearance would imply that the Noxian-Ionian War has already happened.
On top of Swain working narratively as the villain of this spinoff, this champion is also a fan-favorite character from the League of Legends video game, almost guaranteeing he will be the main villain of the Noxus Arcane spinoff.
However, considering that Arcane has already changed so much compared to the lore established in League of Legends, this war could still happen and be the focus of this spinoff, with Noxus and Ionia as its primary locations.
A Story Too Big for Arcane Season 3
Noxus has been the region with the most foreshadowing and establishment in Arcane thus far, with two of its Champions already making themselves known with LeBlanc and Swain. Others from this region include Darius, the Hand of Noxus, and Katarina, a loyal assassin of Swain.
In what could have easily been Season 3 of Arcane, this spinoff will no doubt be exploring Swain's exploitation of Hextech, indicated by one of his ravens inspecting and no doubt taking Jayce's Hextech gemstone.
All the while, LeBlanc, leader of the Black Rose, continues to operate in the shadows, undermining him. It's one way that Mel and Swain could cross paths, with the Black Rose as a common enemy.
However, if the war between Noxus and Ionia hasn't happened, one more character who could appear is Singed. It's possible that he could still provide Noxus weapons, like his video game counterpart, in their fight against Ionia.
Although, considering that Singed has already brought his daughter, Orianna, back from the clutches of death, it's hard to imagine why the scientist would bother working for Noxus. But considering the nature of Orianna's resurrection, Singed might not completely have his daughter back yet.
Whatever direction a potential Arcane Season 3 could have gone, this upcoming spinoff will no doubt expand the world of Runeterra beyond the walls and pits of Piltover and Zaun.
Arcane Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.
