If Arcane’s season two finale left you with overwhelming emotions and an insatiable appetite for more beautiful animated shows set in Runeterra, you’re definitely not alone.
League of Legends has a vast universe in Runeterra, which has a variety of regions with diverse history, champions, and terrain steep in lore. Arcane took place in Piltover and Zaun, but it has barely scratched the surface of the near-infinite storytelling possibilities in Runeterra, especially when the major regions get involved. After the phenomenal response to Arcane, it’s only fair we speculate about the regions that Riot might look to make their next show, whenever that happens.
Here is a look at all the possible League spin-offs which might carry the legacy of Arcane in the future.
All possible LoL spin-offs after Arcane, major regions
Noxus
The power-hungry nation of Noxus is a militaristic empire driven by ambition, strength, and meritocracy. It believes in expansion and the nation is in the pursuit of power at any cost. The concept of power is very fragile in Noxus, and we could potentially see the Black Rose back in action, whose leader LeBlanc also appeared briefly in Arcane. While Ambessa might be dead in Runeterra after she lost her life in Piltover, Mel has emerged as a new iconic mage who has unfinished business in Noxus.
While Noxus has a huge history, according to the lore, the nation is being ruled by the Trifarix after its old ruler Darkwill’s demise. The Trifarix consists of Swain, Darius, and the faceless Guile, who could be LeBlanc. Swain’s unique three-eyed Raven appears in Arcane’s third act, which could mean the show is headed toward the Noxian empire. Moreover, Singed also produced chem weapons for Noxus for their invasion, so it’ll be interesting if the lore remains intact after Singed got his happy ending with Orianna.
The cutthroat politics and vast power struggles of Noxus could create something along the lines of a Game of Thrones or House of Cards style series with intense character arcs, betrayals, and complex loyalties, which sets up the ultimate thriller for the fans.
Demacia
Demacia is one of the many regions that face the wrath of Noxus, but it manages to fend it off, unlike others, using its strong values of justice, honor, and duty. It is the mirror opposite of Noxus, and it wants to maintain its peace and protect its people. Despite looking perfect, Demacia was formed right after the horrifying Rune Wars, and the people stayed near the magical woods. These trees dispelled any form of magic, making them develop a hatred toward magicafter the Rune Wars.
The intolerance of magic creates a rich backdrop for exploring themes of hypocrisy, oppression, and rebellion through a series that could go deep into the cracks in a seemingly perfect society, by using Sylas’ imprisonment story and Lux who is a young mage hiding her powers in a society that condemns magic, offering a relatable and emotional narrative for the fans. Demacia’s shortcomings, and especially its fear of magic, allow for intense, character-driven storytelling involving key champions like Garen, Jarvan IV (who appeared as an Easter egg), Fiora, and other individuals who shapef the nation’s rigid rules against magic, testing their ability to adapt to the changing times.
There are also other champions in Demacia like Quinn, who could add an outside perspective to the nation as a scout. The champions we might see from a Demacian-based series could depend on whether Riot wants to explore the iconic war between Demacia and Noxus, or make something completely different based on the region’s internal struggles.
Ionia
If the Demacians seemed too uptight, anti-magic, and righteous to the brim (Sylas would agree with me), let me tell you about the region of Ionia, which is all about magic. Riot would be spoiled for choosing the right champions to showcase in this region, as each one is better than the next and they’re all very popular, to say the least.
But if we have to start with any race, we have to choose the native Vastaya, a furry-looking race whose powerful ancestors defended the land from the Titans. One of the Vastaya, Lest, also appeared in Arcane, and she could be the first of many Vastaya to come, showcasing how their race is living after the invasion of Noxus in search of an artifact of immortality.
Apart from that, they also have the Kinkou Order, in which prominent champions Shen and Zed worked together to take down Jhin. This is a story that could be connected with other popular champions from the region like Akali, Karma, Irelia, Kennen, and Yasuo. Moreover, they can also bring in Master Yi from the Wuju village to create a nice blend between the themes of balance, inner conflict, and of course, mysticism with the Spirit realm to create a gripping storyline with high stakes.
Special Mention: Bilgewater and Future Zaun/Piltover
Apart from the major regions of the Noxus, Demacia, and Ionia in Runeterra, Christian Linke, the Showrunner for Arcane, also revealed in an interview with Necrit and Spideraxe that Riot Games is “investing heavily” in the region Bilgewater, which is a Port city in Runeterra. Bilgewater is a melting pot of cultures where magic, sea monsters, and high-seas adventure thrive. You can see the classic gritty story of Miss Fortune and Gangplank, a tale built on vengeance and betrayal, which can be followed up by other champions like Pyke, Illaoi, and even Nautilus with some really scary sea monsters.
If you want to get an early look at the chaotic pirate town of Bilgewater, I’d definitely recommend you to try the Ruined King: A League of Legends Story, which is a great RPG game set in Bilgewater with various other League champions.
Lastly, the stories of Zaun and Piltover are definitely not over with Arcane’s end. As confirmed by the showrunner, it’s merely the start, and we could see another story in Piltover and Zaun after the events of Arcane which could explore storylines of next-generation champions like Orianna, who briefly appeared in Arcane after Singed’s successful experiment. There’s also champions like Zeri, Renata Glasc, Camille, Blintzcrank, Urgot and many more hailing from the region.
And we could never rule out seeing some champions from Arcane making a return as familiar faces to make fans nostalgic for the show.
