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'Arcane' tackles Powder's mental health in Act 1's climax
In this review of “Arcane” Episode 3, titled “The Base Violence Necessary for Change,” I’ll touch on some of the most important recent developments heading into Act 2 and how Powder’s trauma and mental health are tackled in the show.
The rest of “Arcane” Episode 3 centers around Vi, Powder, Mylo and Claggor’s attempt to rescue Vander from Silco’s clutches. This is where things get dark, but as I watched, I thought I was prepared for whatever they could throw my way. In the end, I was way wrong; I was not prepared. I was not prepared at all.
We don’t catch many glimpses of it before “Arcane” Episode 3, but she shows some symptoms of psychosis during the bedroom scene: talking to herself, jarring hallucinations and intense agitation manifested through physical destructiveness. I was wondering how Riot would tackle Powder’s mental health and impending descent and, without going into unnecessary detail, I think the attention to detail of this scene did it justice. From carefully animated snot bubbles and slobber to the violent hair-pulling, “Arcane” Episode 3 presents the state of Powder’s wellbeing in a “real” way that sets viewers up well for the big incident and the aftermath of it all.
