STRIVE FOR PERFECTION: "ARCANE" AND HUMANITY
STRIVE FOR PERFECTION:
"ARCANE" AND HUMANITY
What defines your humanity? Some would argue it's your body, while others may point to your emotions, intellect, or experiences. Yet, as we are all aware, these qualities are far from flawless, and through their imperfections each person becomes a unique individual. But have you ever wondered what would happen if one was to achieve absolute perfection? Would one still be considered a human? The series "Arcane" explores those questions in a manner unlike any other media I've seen.
A closer look at Viktor
Victor is initially a side character introduced at the beginning of the series. As a young man, he is portrayed as an altruistic scientist, whose life goal is to create better lives for struggling, lower-class people from the Undercity. Viktor grew up there, surrounded by crime and violence, with low self-esteem and a disability caused by poor air quality (an issue he and his friend Jayce tried to resolve with their inventions later on, but failed). The slow pace of development causes frustration within Viktor, as he desires to be remembered, but doesn't have centuries of life to prove himself.
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| Heimendinger talking about Victor. |
Pivotal moment
Victor receives a diagnosis - he's got only a couple of weeks left to live. And what do you think an aspiring, running-out-of-time scientist could do in such a circumstance? Work to leave behind a legacy like never before. Viktor further advances in research on arcane - magic. He devotes himself to achieving his goal so much that he sacrifices his own body in the process. This moment marks a psychological shift - the arcane starts to intervene with his will to survive and human identity. In a desperate attempt to overcome his condition, he resorts to conducting ethically questionable experiments on his body.
Strive for perfection
As the experiments advance, his intrusion into the body gets more severe. By replacing bones or flesh with arcane and mechanical parts, Viktor further detaches from his humanity both physically and emotionally. Later on, Jayce is forced to use the arcane to save Viktor's life, which leads to his recreation. After this, magic is the only thing holding Viktor alive - if we can still call him that. He loses his empathy and perceives emotions as the cause of every flaw and suffering in society, and consequently tries to eliminate them completely. We witness how Viktor "heals" people - by taking away their suffering, but, as a side effect, also their empathy and feelings, making these people more similar to mindlessly moving corpses than people. His transcendence (which is a longer story) shows this character's tragic nature - by becoming a spiritual being he surpasses physical disability, but also rejects everything that made him human: empathy, compassion, ethical boundaries... all in the name of achieving a perfect society.
Final thoughts
Viktor undergoes a profound transformation throughout the series. His ambition, physical limitations, and empathy are all challenged by trying to create absolute and everlasting perfection; a flawless society. His identity is shown with duality - an aspiring, young inventor, whose greatest ambition is to make lives better, but also a desperate scientist on the verge of death wanting to leave behind a never-forgotten legacy. The tragedy lies in the slow realisation of how striving for perfection made him lose humanity, and how much he sacrificed in the pursuit of a better world.
And how did this story end? I recommend you find out for yourself. Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster! How has Viktor's story changed your perception of perfection? Let me know in the comments what you think about this character.
What I found interesting in your blog was the big variety in the different media sources you used, such as the YouTube video, which was very insightful. What drew my attention was the aspect, route, and point of view you took in directing the characters and your interpretation of them. I can't really add anything because I fully agree with what you have said and stated. I think you did a very good and thorough job. The sources you have used and linked have widened my view about Arcane, and now I have become more open-minded. I really like how you have structured your blog; it is very easy to read and follow! I really resonated with your blog and hope to read more of your work in the future!!!
OdpowiedzUsuńTHANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THIS STORY! Really! It encouraged me to watch the series of Arcane that was one of the best series that I have ever watched in my life. The plot was so complex and thought-through I was amazed. It all thanks to your blog entry!
OdpowiedzUsuńWhat an interesting point of view! Thank you for diving deeper into the story, I find it absolutely fascinating. What drew my attention the most was the way Viktor's journey highlights the cost of perfection. It’s such a tragic irony that his ambition to help people ends up costing him his humanity. What really resonated with me was the question of how far we should go in the name of progress. Viktor’s experiments force us to think about the price of perfection. Is it worth sacrificing emotions and those imperfect parts of ourselves that make us who we are. Personally, I don’t think so. This story made me rethink how I see and understand perfection. It’s easy to imagine that being perfect would solve everything, but Viktor shows us how dangerous that mindset can be. I’m curious do you think his sacrifices were justified based on what he hoped to achieve?
OdpowiedzUsuńTen komentarz został usunięty przez autora.
OdpowiedzUsuńProbably a great blog, however I wasn't able to finish it due to spoilers. So yea.... cool title and font I guess (this comment is a joke and therefore should not be graded or counted into the pool of 5 comments)
OdpowiedzUsuńThis is a beautifully written analysis of Viktor's character. You did an excellent job of capturing the tragedy of his journey. The way his aspirations ultimately lead him to sacrifice everything that makes him human. I especially appreciate the discussion on his empathy, not only for the people of the Undercity but also for himself as he struggles with his sickness. This post engages the reader and encourages deep reflection on how the story unfolds through Viktor's eyes. Well done!
OdpowiedzUsuńWow your explanation is great it captures the story and struggels of Victor perfectly. Victor shows how people with disability have hard a time acepting them selfs and wanting a fake perfectnes. The show captures the change that disabled people go through and its effects. In the end it shows how there is no ideal body or minds and that our imperfections define US
OdpowiedzUsuń-C.W.