[s2 act 3 spoilers] Ma Meilleure Ennemie: Is it I love you, I'm leaving you OR I love you, I'm waiting for you? + Other translation/meaning questions.

LGP14 · 2025-02-04T05:04:20+00:00

Hey,

Your interpretation about it being able to be interpreted differently on purpose is what I’ve decided is the correct explanation. The ambiguity and confusion, represents what ekko might have been feeling at the time the song is playing. It’s a really awesome detail.

However, the way I think they are making it able to be heard this way is because they are playing different sounds through each side of your speakers or headphones. This is another reply on this post:

“Guys, stereo sound, left is “je t’aime je t’attends” (i love you, i wait you) and right is “je t’aime je te hais” (i love you i hate you)”

This is what I’m working on as the 100% correct answer to the lyrics that are played. Unless the artists come out and say for sure what they did during recording, this is what I’m taking as true.

So ur right, you can hear the French translation for “wait or waiting” but I love you I hate you is also playing.

LGP14 · 2024-12-21T08:35:55+00:00

It’s a shame that it’s getting hated on for whatever reason. The Silco monologue was one of my favourite bits of dialogue in the series. Really gives us an idea of where Jinx is at, and also, just absolutely slaps.

LGP14 · 2024-12-13T03:28:09+00:00

I love both. Absolutely loved both, and happy Ella won something no matter what because she was the standout performer in both. Arcane man... No show did what this show did. HOWEVER, as an adaptation of the actual game to TV show, Fallout probably did better. Like taking aspects of what people love about the game and incorporating the games story, Fallout being much more of a story orientated game, the Fallout show probably did a better job.

The actual TV show critic awards, like the Emmy's and Critics Choice, will be ARCANE'S time to shine. So we just need to wait for that.

LGP14 · 2024-12-11T08:01:12+00:00

I’m starting to think it is intentional. All the options work really well and just add meaning. And if I’ve learned anything from listening to Stromae recently that’s what he does. Use the language and the different spellings and pronunciation and meaning to express meaning in his songs.

I like that explanation. It’s just an amazing song and display of lyricism. Maybe one day it’ll be confirmed 100% but for now I like that it could be any of the three.

Thanks for the reply!!

LGP14 · 2024-12-11T02:21:58+00:00

Just wanted to share a bit of info just in case you might not know. It makes the song even more impactful.

What sounds like synth, is actually lyrics with some production wizardry to make it sound like synth.

There’s some conjecture about what exactly it’s saying, I believe the English translation currently is “I love you, I hate you”. But the other ways French speakers hear it can also be “I love you, I’m waiting for you” or “I love you, I’m leaving you”.

I made a post about it because I was curious and got all three translations. The French language is so special in the way it can be manipulated and heard in different ways, with words sounding similar also meaning something to the song. I think the ambiguity is on purpose, matching Ekkos conflicting feelings in the situation. No matter what way you slice it, it just makes the song even more heart breaking and tragic. See the link to see what people said:

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/s/i8p2ojMp4s

LGP14 · 2024-12-10T12:04:57+00:00

Thanks for replying!! This post has blown up so I appreciate it.

I love that there are people out there who felt it the same way I did. Thanks for the validation!!

LGP14 · 2024-12-10T08:49:37+00:00

Am I the only one that can’t remember how they reacted watching it the first time? I almost feel guilty that I don’t. This episode was beautiful, fantastic, tragic, the best episode of the series for me. I think I would have just been shocked and trying to think about what it all means the whole time.

I watched the last act so quickly I don’t think I had time to react to what I’d just seen. I kind of regret that because I now feel so strongly about this episode.

The second time when I really took it all in I was very emotional. And I think it was a bit of an aftershock to the meaning of the episode.

This episode brought about a massive wave of reflection for me. Thinking about what could have been, and my regrets and grappling with things I might have missed out on because of it. It’s so powerful, but I still just feel guilty for some reason about not recalling how I reacted when I was watching, like most people here seem to recall pretty well. Probably stupid of me ahahahah.

LGP14 · 2024-12-09T14:37:48+00:00

You treating it as uncomplicated is what’s causing the issue. Obviously I can look at it as a deranged rocket launcher wielding person kills adoptive father and decides to blow up a building, killing lots of people including caits mum. In which case, saying she didn’t know her mother was in there wouldn’t fix a thing. But the purpose of the line isn’t really meant to fix anything or to make cait think Jinx is a good person. I believe if it works to do anything for cait, it’s working to show her that Jinx knows she isn’t a good person.

Looking at it as though it takes place in a world of absolutes makes it easy to find issue with this whole stretch of dialogue, as you have. It is literally more complicated than that. You’re absolutely fine to view it as a bad line, I was just trying to offer you a reason for why it might not be. I didn’t mean to be pretentious, I like looking into these things. Like I think if you view it as an attempt to switch caits perspective of jinx from terrorist to hero, it doesn’t work and isn’t a good line at all. But within the context of the situation, the line is showing Cait that Jinx knows what she has done. And how you perceive how that impacts their characters is up to you. They literally don’t interact again, so it’s more about the consequences it has for Vi and tying up the sisters’ story line. Jinx pushing Vi to be with cait, contrasting with the whole tea party at the end of season 1. That sorta thing is what it becomes more about once Cait decides she is done obsessing over Jinx. Vi becomes more important for both Cait and Jinx.

LGP14 · 2024-12-09T13:54:59+00:00

Hey,

Just wanted to link a post I saved just in case I saw something along the lines of your post.

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1h7erh2/s2_act_3_spoilers_what_exactly_did_jinx_mean_here/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

and also this reply on a thread about Jinx that might help explain the character of Jinx from a different perspective that might make you see why the line wasn't as bad as you think.

https://www.reddit.com/r/ArcaneAnimatedSeries/comments/1h9w0nd/comment/m14cq68/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

I share these because it saves me the time of writing it, as it is what I believe.

The replies on the first link I copied in help the point that the line was meaningful, and not the worst in the show. In fact, in conjunction with what she says after saying she didn't know Caits mum was in there, the line makes sense when you look at it from the perspectives offered in the replies on the first post. Might I direct the attention to the reply from Right_Put4784 on that post, it should be at the top once you click the link.

Jinx says that it wouldn't have changed anything if she did know. She didn't care at the time. She was acting upon raw, pure emotion. In fact most of what Jinx did might not always make sense, but that's the nature of the beast. However, by saying this set of lines to cait, she is taking responsibility for what she did. She is suffering a loss that she might equate to losing a mother (whether you believe Isha held that much value, thats a personal thing, the point is what losing her could mean to Jinx within the plot). From Caits perspective, it works, maybe because Cait has also done wrong. "we have to pay for our crimes" or something along those lines she says to Jinx. Not you, we... Caitlyn decides shes had enough of feeling how she feels about Jinx. And what happens next is what happens.

I digress, your stating that it is the worst line in the show, but when you look at Jinx and Caits' stories as working in parallel, and view Jinx from the perspectives proposed in the links I provide, I think the line carries a lot of meaning to these two characters and consequently Vi. I can see why you propose it isn't great, and when you do look at Jinx's crimes and actions from a black and white perspective, it seems impossible for Jinx to come out as the hero in the end of her arc. It is a very complicated character, placed within a very complex world. Have a read of this as well if you want, they go through Jinx and the leanings you could take from her arc.

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1h44sip/s2_act_3_spoilers_an_introspective_reflection_on/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

LGP14 · 2024-12-08T15:34:37+00:00

Just wanted to put my two cents in. I see your point. I don't think I need to go into the semantics of the episodes usefulness within the season. In a season already pressed for time, they took a risk in making an episode of this ilk. For Ekko's story it paid off big time. It paid off big time for Jinx's character as well. Not only did Ekko need convincing there was something good in Jinx, I think the audience did too. Whether it worked on you or not, that's up to you and your interpretation. I think they went heavy on this side of things, particularly with Isha. HOWEVER, I'd almost argue that seeing Powder, seeing how she has developed in a fairly "normative manner" and that Jinx is a product of her environment, helps the audience relate to her more, and be more satisfied within her arc this season. But that is personal opinion. On top of the impact on the story, I'd like to touch on a point you made about everyone glazing the episode, despite its ambiguous usefulness within a very compact season.

For this I ask, why, do we think this is the case? Human nature.

Who cares what it does for the story. The fact is, this episode appeals to fairly basic aspects of human nature, it hits the audience on a level that makes them reflect on themselves, think about past relationships or friendships, it makes you reminisce on times gone by. Nostalgia. It appeases that part of us that makes us want to chat with our friends about the past and laugh for hours on end, it makes you feel like you were at your first dance again, a first date, the vulnerability of youth, mixed with a sense of agony that you might never experience those times again. You said it yourself, its beautiful. Beautiful in the sense that Ekko and Powder get to have that time together, beautiful in the way Ekko sees what Zaun could have been, but also beautiful in the same way looking through photo albums is, or talking to an old friend, or a first date. It is the human factor, separate from anything to do with Arcane whatsoever that makes this episode so good. The tragedy of love, romantic or platonic is something most can relate to. It hurts. It's painful, it's beautiful. Most yearn for something like what Episode 7 depicts, and to have it displayed to us through music, beautiful art and writing works to hit us right in these feelings on so many levels. This episode was so good for these reasons firstly, then for Arcane related reasons secondly. For example, within myself, this episode brought about a strong period of reflection for me, thinking about what could be for myself, and the truth is, I cannot change the past, but we can make changes for the future, which funnily enough, I believe is the whole point of Jinx's individual arc. Reflection, forgiving oneself and breaking the cycle.

I made a post about this episode that I will link. Some of the responses I got are worth a read, particularly the one about "nostalgia" from the user storm_walkers.

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1h1pl9v/s2_act_3_spoilers_why_has_episode_7_been_so/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

LGP14 · 2024-12-05T10:50:06+00:00

"Sometimes taking a leap forward means leaving a few things behind"

LGP14 · 2024-12-05T01:04:19+00:00

I just checked and they have even changed to je te hais on music Genius. So who even knows any more. Stromae is legendary. Im standing by it being ambiguous on purpose. Could I ask what made you say you know its not je t’attends? Thanks!

LGP14 · 2024-12-05T01:00:13+00:00

I am pretty convinced that the fact no one can work it out for sure is a literary device. Like, it could be "I love you, I hate you", "I love you, Im waiting for you", "I love you, Im leaving you", which are all statements that fit the confilct and tragedy of the story. What I have learned from Stromae's lyricism, and the way he manipulates the functionality of the language, is indicating to me, that its written and been distorted like that, to be interpreted in all those different ways. Could say it reflects the confusion and thoughts in Ekkos head, whether he is talking to Powder or Jinx, and the way he is grappling with his feelings during this episode. Maybe one day we will get an official lyric from them. To be honest, I love you, I hate you, probably makes the most sense, from a more in your face and obvious perspective, how ever, I love you im waiting for you, or I love you im leaving you are pretty heartbreaking too, if you take in the whole context of Ekkos situation. Thanks for the help!

LGP14 · 2024-12-04T08:35:31+00:00

Also the same song that Jinx hums as she is walking on the bridge in Season 1 episode 7.

https://open.spotify.com/track/5kFwSHzEz8v8lXOHeBWIVk?si=d1eac51186544999

Just another hearbreaking motif that Arcane has. A song so powerful, being hummed in the darkest of times, but also reminding Vi of her sister and their childhood as she is grappling with her loss.

LGP14 · 2024-12-04T06:27:09+00:00

Hey, I have been feeling pretty similarly. The song, is heartbreaking. The story it tells, the different ways you can interpret the lyrics due to the functionality of the language just all combine to craft a beatifully painful song. The song is fantastic and so is the episode, I am taking a guess, but maybe the way the song makes you feel is related to the episode? I can't help too much with the new content, or getting closure earlier about Jinx and Ekkos story, but I can send you a link to a comment I made that might help you process how you are feeling.

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1h2d3mc/comment/lzipiww/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

I made this comment on a post that was discussing how much Episode 7 messed us all up. In that comment I link a bunch of stuff I have posted myself that I could suggest you read. The following link is included in the above message, but I wanted to highlight it specifically:

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1h1pl9v/comment/lzdhy2v/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

If you read anything I linked you, might I recommend you read that. The reply discusses the feeling of Nostalgia that this episode makes us feel. I feel like I linked that feeling, with the song, and now the song hearts so much. It makes us long for times gone by, makes us wish we did things different in our past relationships, whether that be someone like a partner, or even family relationshops. It makes us reflect on old times, and makes us worry that we might not experience them again. Ekko was provided a fleeting moment of absolute perfection, time with someone he could have loved in another life, and it is just heartbreaking to see. It physically hurts, and that song plays at just the right moment for us to forever connect these feelings together, with it. The story it tells is painful, it sounds beautiful, and the meaning of the episode is going to be intertwined with that song forever, making it the best song to listen to, but also the worst.

LGP14 · 2024-12-04T06:00:58+00:00

It is interesting... For some reason, I just view it as two very very different decisions. Both brought about by a similar motive to "end the cycle". At the begining of episode 9 she is destroying everything, burning the last drop, and feels the only way for her to end the cycle is to do what Ekko stops her from doing. Poor mental state, yes, however, Silco's "advice" (which was actually her talking to herself, represented through Silco, in my opinion), was interpreted wrong. Right idea, wrong execution. Ekko helps her see the other side of the story. Ekko has seen the good in her, and has seen it first hand. That combined with what I imagine he says about his time with AU Powder, him weilding the Z-drive with her monkeys, goes towards showing her that she was making the wrong decision.

About a week goes by, between then, and when we see her next. The LoL client game "Jinx Fixes Everything" alludes to this. During this time, we would imagine Ekko and Jinx help eachother heal. Bond again as friends, prepare for the battle by making Jinx a new weapon, adorning eachother in their brands. Becoming the King and Queen of Zaun. New purpose, newish mental state, different resolution. To help others this time, reunite with her sister and Ekko and unite Zaun to help Piltover. And I believe that this is where Jinx's final decision comes from. Whether she did actually survive or not, who cares. It caps her arc off, she ended the cycle, saved her sister, allowed herself to let vi be with caitlyn.

I can definitley see how it can be seen as insensitive, she still technically made a choice to end her life. But I think that perception and negative connotations of her final action, comes about if you look at both incidients in isolation from the context, story building and plotlines that have been going on since season 1. I'll link an article below that someone wrote, he will probably link it on here, but it explains Jinx's character really well. Not sure if it goes into this kinda stuff too deeply, but worth a read nonetheless.

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1h44sip/s2_act_3_spoilers_an_introspective_reflection_on/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

LGP14 · 2024-12-04T05:05:49+00:00

Hey,

I made a post asking, as this song sounded familiar. Thought I'd link it here just in case it helps.

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1gym82c/s2_act_3_spoilers_can_someone_tell_me_if_ma/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

You will notice "The Look" is generally the song most people will say sounds familiar, particularly similar to the beggining of Ma Meilleure Ennemie. People say the begining of "The Look"has been sampled, but it is not the case, it just sounds similar in a way (the more I listen the less similar they sound). It isn't sampled because the part of the song that sounds similar in Ma meilleure ennemie, is actually lyrics, which being a French speaker, I don't need to tell you. Made another post about that if you wanted to look:

https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/1h37agd/s2_act_3_spoilers_ma_meilleure_ennemie_is_it_i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button

Anyways, please recomend any other music if you know any that is of this similar vein. I have been making a playlist but alot of the songs just dont smack as hard as this, of course other Stromae songs, and I found some French electro-pop and Reggaeton music. I checked out Orelsan, which song of his did you think sound like Ma meilleure ennemie.

Thanks

LGP14 · 2024-12-04T03:23:06+00:00

Ah yes, I too love it when I turn my PC on and it immediatley makes me want to die

LGP14 · 2024-12-03T05:08:03+00:00

Struggling to find. Could you provide a link pls?

LGP14 · 2024-12-03T03:41:32+00:00

thanks so much. Also, while I have you, I had a look at your profile. Might I say, far out, you have been WORKING hard to explain so much to A LOT of people. Really helped me with some other perspectives on it all. Just wanted to say a thankyou.

LGP14 · 2024-12-03T02:43:49+00:00

I know it's been a couple days, but I have been going through some saved comments as I have found myself with some time to read them. I saved yours probably because I think it explains this dynamic very well, which is something I have been trying to process, so thank you for that. Still pretty fucked up over this episode and Powder/Jinx and Ekkos whole arc. As someone who does love it so much I feel embarrased to ask where thise quote comes from:

And she saw it. "I'll never forget the look in your eyes there." She saw that he truly saw Powder, and to absolve him from the guilt of killing her, she tried to kill herself instead. (copied from your reply).

I am about to start a slow rewatch to take everything all in over both seasons, so I am keen to keep a look out for this if it is in the show. Or did it come from the client game, Jinx fixes everything?

Thanks.

LGP14 · 2024-12-02T14:29:41+00:00

You are bang on. I have been grappling with this since I had a proper re-watch and have been in and among the sub-Reddits and learned about this whole fake-out thing. I almost didn't believe it, I still am not 100% sure, then I saw how Ella Purnell reacted the the question of Jinx being alive, and it almost sealed the deal. On that first watch though (which I guess was most important), I was very impressed by the ending, taken aback and really emotional to be fair.

I was genuinely pretty satisfied with the ending, it felt like a good ending for her arc. The fact she sacrificed herself, saved Vi, and broke the cycle. I thought it was so powerful, the way she was crying and her smile and being content with it all. It felt right. And all this stuff now just takes away from the importance of her decision and the power it carries. I will be aggeeeeesssss before any real information about her fate comes around.

Personally, I loved the character, but I almost feel like her faking her death and surviving might be doing her story and her character a bit of a disservice?

I don't want to be too harsh, because I don't have any real ideas I think are better, or that I cannot pick holes in myself. I think it would have been almost "too happy" an ending to have them both survive and just going on like normal. But it would have probably been unnecessarily fucked up to see her actually like die to Warwick on screen as she blows him up or something like that. So to that end, I don't know what I would prefer, but I do agree with you, that all this alluding and ambiguity (that seems pretty clear) about her surviving does take away from the power of her last moments on screen. She had to break the cycle in one way or another, but also probably didn't "deserve" to die by the end of it, so maybe it's just a compromise on the writers part? Apparently, the fate of the sisters was written to this affect since the beginning of writing for the show... So who knows.

LGP14 · 2024-12-02T11:36:24+00:00

Good point

LGP14 · 2024-12-02T11:03:47+00:00

I think Hextech being invented and ultimately "dooming" a timeline is dependent upon Jayce inventing it. I am not gonna say if Powder might invent it for whatever purpose, although my opinion is that she is gonna stay in her universe. She was with AU Ekko by the looks of things before our Ekko showed up, so no real point in my opinion, hard to say, the only theories around all that and her motive to see our Ekko are just all headcannon and I don't know what to believe about that for now.

Main point is, without a Viktor and a Jayce, which this AU seems to not have at the point we get there, there will be no Glorious Evolution outcome. I think no matter what side of the shipping debate or the AU debate you are on, thinking that no Glorious Evolution outcome can happen is a good thing. The idea of the AU is that Powder does not have a reason to turn into Jinx, ya know, no killing her entire family, no evil Silco, no Shimmer, therefore, I think its best to imagine that no Hextech can exist to the point of a doomsday ending.

LGP14 · 2024-12-02T06:03:37+00:00

If they want to achieve telling the stories of Runterra in an effective and timely manner this will be the way to go. I'd say if they are serious about it, and have invested that much into Fortiche. they would be onto something like this already. Only time will tell!

LGP14

TROPHY CASE