Viktor: Mage Foreshadowing
Though there was a lot of clever foreshadowing for Viktor’s future in season 1, I want to address the imagery of the mage specifically. Our first reveal of the mage is during Jayce’s trial where Heimerdinger warns of the potential destruction that magic can create.
Heimerdinger: “I’ve seen this power in the wrong hands. It corrupts. It consumes. Lays waste to civilizations.“
There is no particular indication that this is linked to Viktor yet beyond him being present and clearly intrigued by Jayce’s speech in favor of pursuing magic.
During the presentation of the hexcore, Heimerdinger sees the imagery of the mage again, this time shown within a Void-like structure inside the hexcore. If you listen carefully, you can actually hear Viktor’s theme playing here as well, giving more evidence to prove that the figure he’s speaking of will be him. Heimerdinger reiterates his claims of its destructive power:
Heimerdinger: “I’ve seen nations destroyed by a single seed and it looked exactly like this.”
He then studies Viktor, confirming that it’s already starting to have an effect on him despite him not yet beginning the experiments on himself.
Heimerdinger: “Viktor, something’s different, what did you do? It’s that thing. It must be destroyed!”
After the hexcore has already absorbed some of his blood, we get a scene where Viktor is sitting and watching it, transfixed, while laced within the same Void-like structures as shown before - a brilliant way of showing that his mind has already been entangled in its webs and referencing the previous image.
As a side note, I think his crutch here and in other scenes of the show is meant to look reminiscent of a mage’s staff.
As Viktor begins to prepare himself for his first transmutation, we intercut to Jayce looking through a book that features a familiar image: a painting of the same powerful, glowing mage above the destruction of a city as shown in episode 2. It’s no coincidence that this was shown right as Viktor is about to take his first step to becoming that very being.
Though it might just a coincidence, the rune Viktor is etching onto his leg brace is diamond shaped and very similar to the shape of the glow around the mage as well. The rune itself may have some special meaning that I’m not aware of so feel free to share if you do!
Though not the same image that we’ve seen thus far, we get another visual interpretation of a mage (with three arms) on a tarot card shown after Viktor receives his terminal diagnosis, cleverly foreshadowing his future transformation. Though I won’t go into detail about the meaning of the cards (I’m not very familiar with the subject and others have already discussed them at length) the death card could not only support the news of his diagnosis, but also potentially foreshadow the death he will bring, starting with Sky.
Beyond physically seeing the mage in relation to him, we also get a few lines that foreshadow a darker fate for Viktor regarding magic. In episode 2, there’s a scene where Viktor and Heimerdinger discuss Jayce’s experiments and Heimerdinger says:
Heimerdinger: “Magic is far too dangerous in the wrong hands.”
(Which ties directly into Heimerdinger’s previous line: “I’ve seen this power in the wrong hands,” regarding mages). We then see Viktor promptly stealing Jayce’s notebook, more than likely foreshadowing that his are the wrong hands that Heimerdinger warns will bring danger and destruction.
Based on the lore from League of Legends and the foreshadowing in the show, Viktor is undoubtedly going to transform into the Machine Herald, but whether that’s the destructive, civilization ending threat Heimerdinger warns of or if the show will perhaps continue its trend of taking characters to unexpected places remains to be seen. Will Viktor surprise us, fight back against the corrupting influence of the hexcore and find a way to use it for good? Or will he be unable to escape his dark fate and repeat the history Heimerdinger so fears?
To read more of my thoughts on Viktor and Arcane, search the tag #arcanemeta on my blog.
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