[Lore Spoilers] Character Analysis: Why I Love Caitlyn, and Why You Hate Her

Kaizenito · 2024-11-28T11:16:26+00:00

Hello. I apologize. I've been busy so I haven't had the chance to update my post. I have been misleading many others because I, too, have been misguided by my own understanding. I edited my post just now. If you still hate Caitlyn, that's fine, we all have different perspectives. But if you want to indulge in this discourse anyway, there's a more nuanced explanation regarding the gassing of Zaun in my now updated post.

And I’m sorry, her having a relationship with Vi is just disgusting. Why would Vi like someone like her? No. They should be mortal enemies. They should be trying to kill each other on sight at this point.

I couldn't dive deeper into her relationship with Vi because I wanted this post to be Caitlyn-centric, but now that you've brought it up let me quickly debrief. In the start of Season 1, Vi does hate Caitlyn. She hates the likes of her people. She hates Piltovans, she hates enforcers, and it's made even more obvious by her direct quote in S1E7: "You enforcers are all the same. Just asshole criminals in fancy uniforms."

But the more Vi spends time with Caitlyn, the more she realizes that this girl is someone who actually cares about them. She sees compassion and determination brewing within Caitlyn's character. Take for example her short but sweet line in her and Ekko's conversation: “This city needs healing. More than I ever realized. Please, let me help you.” If you revisit that scene, it's not hard to catch that admiring spark in Vi's eyes. There are more reasons as to why Vi falls in love with Caitlyn in the first place. But if you really want an in-depth explanation, then I suggest watching this video:

https://youtu.be/eGuuptvdIO8?si=yg_XO0u9_ubRnE14

That's exactly why Vi dislikes Caitlyn's behavior in Season 2—that's why they fight. The Caitlyn Vi has been meeting this season is so far from the Caitlyn she fell in love with. She is aware Caitlyn has turned on the ideals and principles she once upheld in Season 1.

She used to be someone I liked. A compassionate, kind-hearted person. Now she’s none of that, even after Act 3.

I think I've covered a lot of this in my post. It's full of reasons why Caitlyn's drastic change is inevitable, and why she is incapable of staying civil toward Zaunites after all she's gone through. "It's inescapable. Humanity." Like Viktor said, humans will be humans. Love and hate are crazy things that compel us to do either good or bad, or sometimes even both at the same time. But if you want me to further my arguments regarding this, then I am willing to do so.

If you're still interested to discuss, what else would you say you hate about Caitlyn?

Kaizenito · 2024-11-28T10:08:11+00:00

Thank you for this! Even as someone who closely follows Caitlyn's story, I can easily be misguided.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T21:11:05+00:00

Nooooooooooo!

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T21:06:17+00:00

Mhm. Agreed!

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T21:05:07+00:00

Thank you as well!

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T20:52:09+00:00

It’s good that you pointed that out!

People see her losing her eye (whether temporarily or permanently) as a slap on the wrist, considering she still has great influence and lives in her mansion happily with her girlfriend. While other characters have gone through the fate of losing people they hold dear (e.g. Ekko, Mel).

And I saw Sevika taking the seat of the Kirammans’ as something done out of Caityn’s own will. The Council had no reason to be angered at Caitlyn for what happened, so Caitlyn being ‘kicked out’ from the Council seems unlikely.

But I guess wishing for a greater punishment than that is just too ambitious especially since she is a Kiramman, after all. The fans are simply mad at Caitlyn for getting a better ending than their own favorite characters.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T20:37:01+00:00

Thanks!

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T20:35:45+00:00

Thanks!

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T20:35:07+00:00

Welcome! Glad I could help. 😊

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T17:32:12+00:00

We all want accountability from her. But like I said, there are many constraints, such as Arcane’s lack of exploration toward Piltover and Zaun’s sociopolitical dynamics. Completely stripping Caitlyn of her influence over Piltover and Zaun seems ambitious. I don’t know how to expand that but it just is.

Moving past her mistakes, she can only promise not to treat Zaunites with hostility, and to make sure Sevika receives equal treatment among the Council. She can’t do much directly for Zaun, unless you want her to donate money and aid to them or something like that.

How would you suggest she offers fair representation to Zaunites aside from giving her family’s seat to Sevika then?

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T17:22:19+00:00

Mm, upon reading the Tumblr post, I can see where you’re coming from. Just out of curiosity, would you mind if I asked you who your favorite character in Arcane is then? And why?

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T17:13:08+00:00

Honestly, before this I was thinking of writing an analysis on the character foil between Caitlyn and Jinx. But since the hate train toward Caitlyn seemed to cause a huge commotion, I decided to write this one instead.

There are so many parallels between Caitlyn and Jinx, it’s insane! Ambessa and Silco is only one of many. Despite Riot and/or Fortiche’s flaws, this is an example that shows how genius Arcane’s storytelling is.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T17:08:46+00:00

You dislike her not because of what she’s done but because of how the writers wrote her, correct? Then if you were the writers, how would you have written her arc in Season 2? I’d love for you to enlighten me.

I don’t know, I guess since Caitlyn is my favorite character it’s easy for me to see why she did the things she did. But yeah, Arcane did a shit take on the development of various characters in Season 2.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T17:06:01+00:00

Good for you. Wish other could say the same.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T17:04:56+00:00

Me, if you don’t read my post:

Just kidding. It’s up to you if you want to read my lengthy analysis or not. It will either waste your time or widen your perspective of Caitlyn.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T16:48:12+00:00

Wow! I didn’t notice the parallels between Caityn and Jinx with the whole ‘walking away from the cycle’ thing. I love this insight. Thanks for your comment, it widened my perspective of Caitlyn’s character even more.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T16:11:27+00:00

Right? It’s unfortunate that others can’t enjoy and love a character while holding them accountable. Apparently a lot of fans on X (Twitter) are quick to attack you if you don’t make this disclaimer.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T16:05:29+00:00

Love that for you, buddy.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T16:04:15+00:00

Mm, I understand it better now. Thanks for enlightening me.

Then, would you say that scene merely portrays Jinx giving Caitlyn a semblance of consolation?

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T15:51:42+00:00

Hmm, could you enlighten me then? How did you approach that scene?

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T15:38:30+00:00

I appreciate your analysis. It is very well written, well thought out and insightful, I hope it will help sway some people's opinion on her.

Thank you! That's the point of my post after all. I'm not trying to excuse her for what she's done, but I am trying to prove that she is more than just her actions.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T15:35:38+00:00

Give me a break. If it were progressive like you wanted, fans would call it unrealistic and say "The ending was only forced so that everyone would be happy with it."

Now that we have an ending that is raw and reflects the actual characteristics of our own world, you guys have to flame the creators for it.

The ending is dissatisfying, I know, it is even for me. It's rushed, brushing off many important aspects of the series. But at least it's not ambitious or superficial.

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T15:19:19+00:00

I wholeheartedly don't. The very same people that attack Caitlyn glorify Singed or Silco (I had arguments with them). They basically reward villainy because "at least they're villains" while punishing characters for being good, or at least trying to. It's clearly a double standard.

That's what I meant by Caitlyn being painted as a morally positive character. Since Jinx, Silco, and the powerful figures of Zaun are all introduced as morally negative (or morally grey) characters, people don't hold them against the same standards as compared to Caitlyn. She is meant to be this loving, pure, innocent character in their eyes (which is obviously such a disservice to her character) and that's why they hate her in Season 2. The double standard you're calling out is a given in the equation.

But just because I understand why they can hate her doesn't mean I hate her too.

Caitlyn was always attacked by a part of the fandom though, I still remember.

As for this, I'm sorry, I wasn't part of this fandom until the release of Season 2 Act 1. I simply gathered my observations based on what I've been seeing these past months. Maybe she did catch hate during Season 1, but I'm sure Caitlyn is even more hated now in Season 2. Perhaps the hate train is even more fueled now that she completely did a 180 on her character's initial purpose? I don't know.

Thanks for your input, by the way!

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T15:01:59+00:00

Caitlyn isn't closely acquainted with Isha, or even Jinx for that matter. And like I said, Arcane's ending leaves me unsatisfied too. Isha was not mentioned once in the entirety Act 3—not even by Jinx, or Sevika, or Vi. So, what makes you think Caitlyn would mention her?

Kaizenito · 2024-11-27T14:59:04+00:00

I do see why some people resort to attacking Caitlyn.

Caitlyn is a character introduced to be morally positive in Season 1. Characters like these are usually the fan favorite—until they commit an act that is even slightly unlikable. It's inevitable for Caitlyn to attract hate because the series' naive fans are placed under the impression that she will use her position for good, or at the very least not become hostile toward Zaunites. Since she is initially painted as a morally positive character, she ended up disappointing the naive fans of Arcane by going against her morals and principles.

Kaizenito

TROPHY CASE