Arcane
Act I: A treat for every League of Legends player
Act II: Whirlwind of emotions, understanding
Act III: Gobsmacking finale
This article contains spoilers. Read at your own risk.
I wasn’t prepared for Arcane to end. And for the emotions that astounded me throughout the series’ third act.
I was delaying the inevitable; that this series will come to an end. I delayed watching the final act on purpose, just like I would with any other show I’ve fallen in love with.
But I’ve faced the end and I was utterly speechless. With every episode ending, I found myself dumbfounded with all the revelations, twists, and cliffhangers.
I thought Arcane would be predictable, especially when you base it on the game’s lore, but it wasn’t. And that made me love Arcane even more.
Art that gets better
Just when you thought the animation was already marvelous, it got even more magnificent. The introduction of more characters, sceneries, and changes in the plot often require brilliant storytelling.
Arcane slew it with its visuals, majorly between Ekko and Jinx — childhood friends turned enemies. The two brandished the contrasting ideologies in the city of Zaun.
The fight scenes also got sprightlier, thanks to the advent of HexTech through the weapons. I was ecstatic when Jayce whirled his hammer and he transformed it into a cannon, much like in the game.
Honestly, I wondered why I didn’t have a crush on Jayce when I was playing League of Legends, but I find him bewitching in Arcane.
On another note, Vi’s gauntlets punch through walls and bones with ease. Her clash with Sevika is one of the reasons why I was reminded of my love for martial arts. I can only dream of doing those stunts.
Riot certainly outdid themselves in the visual presentation of Arcane. It was carefully planned and executed. There’s no wonder the series got people hooked — even if they aren’t fans of League of Legends.
Taking a wild turn
Arcane is so damn unpredictable. Knowing the game’s lore could be the endgame, and indisputably the future of these characters. But let’s forget that for a moment.
What Arcane showed is the prosaic, everyday passing through the lives of the champions who lived in and crossed Piltover and Zaun. We even got a glimpse of what Noxus feels like — another empire in the land of Runeterra — through Mrs. Medarda.
Yes, the scheming councilor that our beloved Jayce is knocking boots with, has a parent come over to the City of Progress.
The third act expanded the story and its characters. How their lives are intertwined and divided by the circumstances surrounding them. And how it’s setting up for a war that might take place in the near future.
Unbeknownst to these characters, their lives are connected in ways they’re unaware of.
The collab we never knew we needed
Arcane exhibited different pairings we never expected. Caitlyn, Vi, and Ekko — teaming up to go back to Piltover and clashing with Jinx.
Heimerdinger discovers Ekko’s ingenuity and the two work together. (Bye, Jayce!)
Vi and Jayce shut down Silco’s manufacturing plants.
And even a peace agreement between Jayce and Silco to prevent war.
The series gave a platform to various dynamics; clashing personalities and upbringing brought together for one common goal.
Anticlimactic ending
I would’ve thought they’d cross each other in one grand finale, but the ending wasn’t what I expected. But somehow, it’s a serendipitous way to end the first season.
So open-ended, it presented possibilities on what’s next. Fans delighting in coming up with theories on how the story will pan out, especially for Season 2 — which Riot and Netflix have already promised to deliver in the future.
Though a bit anticlimactic, personally, I’m elated that I watched Arcane these past few weeks and it ended the way it was. I didn’t have the good ending I hoped for, but it gave me the opportunity to yearn for more.
Having a second season might give me the answers I’m searching, and the excitement I’ve been looking for. Riot hasn’t disappointed so far, and I’m certain they’ll make a grade with a masterpiece when the next season arrives.
Entertainment
ITZY’s YUNA is Infinix’s first ever global brand ambassador
Infinix is in with YUNA in the scene
Infinix is entering a new era — and the brand is bringing one of K-Pop’s most sought-after stars along the ride.
A first for Infinix
In line with the launch of the latest NOTE 60 series, Infinix has also named YUNA of ITZY as its very first Global Brand Ambassador. The company calls this a bold step forward for both innovation and style.
For the record, this is the first time Infinix has tapped a global ambassador — and the choice makes sense. YUNA is known for her confidence, vibrant energy, and unapologetic self-expression. These qualities align closely with Infinix’s “Joy Tech, Beyond Limits” philosophy.
In a statement, YUNA shared her excitement about the partnership. She said she’s looking forward to connecting with fans in a new way and creating meaningful stories together with the brand.
For Infinix, this collaboration is more than just a celebrity endorsement. It signals a shift in how the company wants to position itself globally — not just as a smartphone maker, but as a lifestyle tech brand for expressive, tech-savvy youth.
The more, the merrier
The partnership goes along the debut of the NOTE 60 Series, further fueling Infinix’s move toward a more premium smartphone experience.
Like YUNA, the NOTE 60 line also brings notable names in the table:
- Powered by Snapdragon from Qualcomm
- Design collaboration with Pininfarina
- Audio tuned with JBL
It’s a clear attempt that Infinix wanted to elevate both performance and design by blending in flagship-level specs, more refined aesthetics, and immersive sound altogether.
Infinix says this launch also marks its expansion into more premium international markets.
With YUNA as the face of the brand, the company hopes to strengthen its appeal among younger users who want both powerful hardware and a device that matches their personality.
Rather than focusing purely on specs, Infinix is leaning into storytelling — highlighting how technology can spark creativity, joy, and individuality.
With the NOTE 60 Series and YUNA front and center, Infinix appears ready to redefine its brand identity on a global scale.
I’m starting to think that cosmic horror is near-impossible to adapt to the big screen. Often, the point of this subgenre of horror is to showcase the unfathomable, a horror so unknowable that it’s impossible to describe. Now, for a medium that thrives on “show, don’t tell,” a full-length movie doesn’t seem like the best format for this type of horror. I’ve seen so many cosmic horror films, and a majority of them fail to land the satisfaction of a more traditional horror film.
Iron Lung, directed by and starring Markiplier, takes a stab at this elusively complex genre.
After the sudden disappearance of stars and planets in the universe, a lone space station explores a nearby moon to search for a way to save humanity. The catch is that the entire moon is covered in an ocean of blood. A convict, played by Markiplier, is tasked with exploring the moon in a one-man submersible, in exchange for his freedom.
Naturally, an ocean of blood isn’t the best place to be. The moon’s ocean hides mysteries and monsters beneath all the gore.
On the impossibility of cosmic horror
Though a movie is all about showing and not telling, Iron Lung navigates through these intricacies by not showing anything.
Because everything is just blood outside, the submarine needs a special camera that takes only grainy photos directly in front of the submersible. There’s always a sense of claustrophobic dread. What’s outside the submarine? What were those sounds? Did the camera really take a photo of something alive?
The film’s premise alone is a perfect source of horror. This is where cosmic horror thrives: on the questions, on the tiny sneak peeks of a monster lurking around the corner.
But, then again, this is also where the subgenre can paint itself into a corner. Eventually, audiences ask for more. They need to see and know the beast for real. Think Cloverfield, when the massive alien finally shows its face, or The Nun with… well, The Nun.
It’s an unwritten rule in horror films that the monster must make an appearance. It becomes a paradox for cosmic horror because the beast must also be unknowable.
When the beast finally shows up in Iron Lung, the audience never learns an understandable reason why it’s stalking the submarine. It’s not hungry, it doesn’t want revenge, and it doesn’t want to take over the world. It just is.
Is that a satisfying enough conclusion? If you’re a fan of cosmic horror, then it’s par for the course. However, if you’re more used to the more traditional horror film, it might leave you wanting more.
On madness
A mysterious monster isn’t the only thing that cosmic horror is known for. It’s also about madness and how the protagonist goes insane after seeing the unknown.
It’s apropos, then, that the convict starts hallucinating right after seeing a glimpse of the ocean’s beast. He starts to lose track of what’s real and what’s not.
In other movies, madness is an effective tool in subverting expectations and amplifying the horror. For example, in The Lighthouse, Winslow, the protagonist, also loses his sanity and questions reality. The film is all about this descent into madness and the questionable actions as a result from it. In Shutter Island, madness is a punchline, a plot twist that invites the audience to revisit the entire film and question their own perception.
Iron Lung, however, is neither a complete descent nor a plot twist. Rather, it’s a clear third act stemming from the convict’s encounter with the monster.
Since it’s clearly delineated in the third act, it’s hard to empathize with the convict’s plight. There’s a sense of vertigo moving from a creature feature into, in the convict’s own words, “alien shit” where you’re not sure of what’s real. Likewise, it’s not a plot twist either. You don’t reevaluate whether the entire movie was a hallucination.
Madness is understandably a major plot point of the original game that the movie is based on. However, its translation into film isn’t the smoothest. It’s both too short and too long.
But is it a good film?
Despite its struggle with the format, Iron Lung is still a spirited attempt at a one-room horror film. Markiplier melds into his role and doesn’t just showcase his on-screen YouTube personality.
The premise is, at once, frightening. It’s eerie and creepy. There is always a pervasive need to figure out what comes next. That’s pretty much what you want from a movie anyway. Yes, the ending might be polarizing, especially to those more used to the usual horror film, but the journey is still worth the price of admission.
And, at the very least, the film got me interested in watching Mark’s original playthroughs.
Entertainment
New Mortal Kombat II trailer unveils release date, expanded universe
In cinemas starting May 6
The latest trailer for upcoming film Mortal Kombat II has revealed its release date. The action fantasy film will show in cinemas and IMAX starting May 6 (Philippines; May 8 in the United States).
Directed by returning filmmaker Simon McQuoid, the film stars Karl Urban as the fan-favorite martial arts actor Johnny Cage.
Urban is joined by an expansive cast including Adeline Rudolph (Kitana), Tati Gabrielle (Jade), Jessica McNamee (Sonya Blade), Ludi Lin (Liu Kang), Mehcad Brooks (Jax), and Lewis Tan (Cole Young).
The villainous roster is bolstered by Martyn Ford as the towering Shao Kahn, Damon Herriman as the sorcerer Quan Chi, and Chin Han returning as Shang Tsung.
Rounding out the legendary lineup are Tadanobu Asano as Lord Raiden, Joe Taslim as Bi-Han (teased to return as Noob Saibot), and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi/Scorpion.
In addition, a new poster has been released:
In Mortal Kombat II, Urban’s Johnny Cage takes center stage as the primary protagonist following the events of the 2021 reboot, Mortal Kombat.
Despite being washed-up, he gets desperately recruited to give the Earthrealm defenders a chance through a looming tournament where the fate of the world is at stake. A loss would grant the ruthless Shao Kahn the right to conquer Earthrealm.
The new trailer opens up with Cage being able to finally grasp his supernatural potential, after being reluctant and clueless at first.
The footage then previews a significantly expanded cinematic universe, with glimpses of the Wastelands of Outworld and the lush yet dangerous realm of Edenia.
It culminates in what is expected from a no-holds-barred tournament which will decide the survival of the entire world — while featuring fan-favorite champions.
Watch the full trailer below:
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