Viktor - Arcane Season 2

I’m not going to lie, this is an emotional one for me. No single post could capture the journey and evolution of this concept. The countless collaborations, iterations, conversations, and refinements with my amazing friends over at Fortiche, not to mention the unending support of my art directors.

Seeing this character come to life in the final episode of Arcane was a career high for me.

A bit of backstory, Viktor was actually my main when I played League of Legends. He had a quirky, old, flawed, but ultimately endearing design that drew me to him. Then along came Arcane, introducing us to the human behind the mask. The tragic story of his own body failing him, of the all-too-real limitations of our mortality in the face of our noblest ambitions. Of shedding humanity for power, losing oneself entirely, but being brought back by love. These are themes that resonate deeply with me.

So I poured everything I had into this character. I obsessed over every detail, going mad with the idea that it had to be…perfect. I raged against my own artistic limitations. I couldn’t see it in the moment, but the parallels with Viktor became evident when years later I watched the finale. In the end I saw a design filled with all my torment, all my love, and all my struggle, a design no one else would have made quite the same way.

More than anything, I say thank you to Fortiche & Riot for this masterpiece that is Arcane. There is beauty in the imperfections.