blasting music and thinking of v.ander. major spoilers for a.rcane season 2 below uvu
if we're comparing the main timeline to the alternate timeline we see through e.kko, v.ander's death is likely the big turning point for the under city and changes that bright future into a more troubled one. s.ilco wanted so much good, yet his methods only fed into a cycle that just kept on going. v.ander's desire to go about things peacefully would have served that bright future better.
arguably the fact the two never talked things out properly is the actual turning point for the main timeline, but i'm still rewatching and i'd rather talk about that another day. i'm so sure there's so many parallels between the dads and their daughters, too... there's a lot to talk about tbh
but rn i'm really thinking about what v.ander meant to people. hope. to the under city and to vi and j.inx, though the latter is what i'm really emo about tonight. can you imagine the hope that blossomed in those girls' chests when the beast finally quieted enough to allow v.ander the clarity to recognize them?? can you imagine the hope they held onto when v.iktor said he'd help him? can you imagine the incredible pain they felt to have him ripped away during a.mbessa's attack and then again during that final fight?
yet vi can't let go. only j.inx fully understands that they have to just... walk away. their father is gone for good. and then she understands, too, that this cycle vi is in -- being haunted by the failings of children again and again -- only ends if they break it completely. so j.inx not only saves her sister but leaves, her, too. she has to let this hope of being the family they once were die with v.ander and her. i might be explaining this poorly asdfg but hopefully you guys get it. v.ander's third? death is the death of vi's stubborn efforts. it hurts like hell, but it's the only way she's gonna be able to move on. j.inx gets that. i get that. does vi get that? i dunno but i'm sad
