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| “ | We lost ourselves, lost our dream. In the pursuit of great, we failed to do good. We have to make it right. | „ |
| ~ Viktor talking with Jayce about their failures to help people; his most famous quote. |
| “ | Viktor: Do you believe in fate, Doctor? Our paths carved before us, guided by an invisible hand? Singed: Not fate. Evolution. Nature's greatest force, forever in flux. Viktor: No. Evolution has a destination. Not to combat nature, but to supersede it. The final, glorious evolution. |
„ |
| ~ Viktor talking to Singed about his vision. |
| “ | I understand now. The message hidden within the pattern. The reason for our failures in the commune. The Doctor was right -- it's inescapable. Humanity. Our very essence. Our emotions... Rage. Compassion. Hate. Two sides of the same coin, inextricably bound. That which inspires us to our greatest good... is also the cause of our greatest evil. | „ |
| ~ Viktor's epiphany. |
| “ | I thought I could bring an end to the world's suffering. But when every equation was solved, all that remained were fields of dreamless solitude. There is no prize to perfection. Only an end to pursuit. In all timelines, in all possibilities... only you... can show me this. | „ |
| ~ A repentant future Viktor to Jayce. |
Viktor, also known as The Herald of the Arcane, is one of the three tritagonists (alongside Ekko and Mel Medarda) of Netflix's 2021 animated series Arcane, based on the popular online video game League of Legends.
He is Jayce Talis' best friend and partner, Heimerdinger's former assistant, and the co-founder of Hextech. Originally from the Undercity, he was born terminally sick. He eventually became the assistant of both Singed and years later Heimerdinger, moving up to Piltover with the Yordle. There he met Jayce and teamed up with him, becoming his partner and eventual best friend. His goal is to keep finding ways to improve the lives of the people of both Piltover and Zaun through his research and experiments, as well as find a cure for his illness before it's too late.
After the explosion from the council, Viktor was revived using the Hexcore, causing him to become mostly machine, and develop healing abilities. Using his newfound powers to heal people, Viktor eventually came to the conclusion that he must get rid of human emotion in order to "evolve" humanity to its best state.
He is voiced by Harry Lloyd.
Biography[]
Background[]
Viktor was born in Zaun and grew up poor and with a limp, which forced him to carry around a crutch wherever he went. Even as a boy, he showed a knack for inventing and spent a lot of time by himself crafting machines. He didn't talk or play much with the other kids due to his condition and more reserved nature, although one girl named Sky Young showed an interest in him.
One day while following a toy boat of his down a river, he discovered an underground lab hidden within a cave. There he met Singed, an Alchemist. Even though he was initally afraid of the older man, he showed an interest in a creature he kept in the lab called Rio. This creature was described by Singed as a rare mutation and told Viktor he was trying to find a way to save her from dying. He then asked Viktor for his help in this project. Viktor agreed and thus became his assistant, gathering materials the alchemist needed for his experiments. This arrangement didn't last long as when Viktor discovered the way Singed intended to save Rio was leaving her in constant agony, he was horrorfied and showed disgust, running out of the lab. This was the last time either one of them would see each other for years.
An unknown amount of time later, Viktor met Heimerdinger, a Yordle who was presumably impressed with the boy's intelligence and gift for inventing. Thus, he brought Viktor up with him to Piltover to improve his skills and make him his assistant.
Season 1[]
One day, Jayce Talis' apartment is burglarized which in turn exposes his unauthorized experiments to the public. Heimerdinger sends Viktor to collect any and all dangerous objects from the residence. Jayce is arrested and put on trial as most of the public saw Jayce's experiments as dangerous. Viktor however is instead intrigued by Jayce's work and his attempts to combine magic and science. Going behind Heimerdinger's back, he collects Jayce's notes and goes to meet him.
He finds him at his ruined apartment and inadvertently saves him from committing suicide. Viktor talks to Jayce about supporting him and agrees to help him make Hextech go public after the two of them bond over their shared dream of helping improve people's lives with technology. The duo then go and sneak into Heimerdinger's laboratory with the help of Councilor Mel Medarda in order to prove Hextech is a viable option that could prove to be revolutionary. They are successful in their goal and the Council members vote in favor of allowing the development of Hextech. Years later, Viktor and Jayce are working for the Council and have created the Hexgates, which revolutionized trades and transportation, in turn putting Piltover on the map as the global shipping lane.
Viktor and Jayce are excited about what's next for Hextech and show Heimerdinger some new innovations they've been working on that could help make labor work easier. Although Heimerdinger is impressed, he advises the two to work on it for at least another 10 years before making it public in order to make sure it's safe. Viktor is put off by this suggestion as he wants their technology out now since there are people who desperately need the help. When Viktor and Jayce plan to show their new Hextech during Jayce's Piltover Progress Day speech, he ends up disappointed when Jayce takes Heimerdinger's advice and decides not to reveal it after all.
Afterwards at the Hexgates, Viktor argues with Jayce about him not going through with the unveiling of their Hextech and how Jayce's new responsibilities as a Council member will distract him from their Hextech research. Jayce tries to reassure him that he'll refocus on it in time but for now he has to attend to his new responsibilities. Viktor then has a nosebleed due to his illness, and when some of his blood ends up landing on the runes powering the Hexgates, he receives a vision that makes him theorize that Hextech can have limitless applications and not just be used for tools. Thus he begins working on the Hex Core, a rune that evolves. Viktor hopes the rune can adapt and change the physiology of organic matter. He keeps working on it only to get no results with the plants he's using to test. He overworks himself to the point he passes out one night and is taken to the hospital where Jayce sadly informs him he's dying.
When Viktor leaves the hospital, him and Jayce work on the Hex Core with the hope it can cure Viktor of his illness. While Viktor is discouraged and thinks they won't be able to make the Hex Core work before he dies, Jayce suggests they show the Hex Core to Heimerdinger to see if he has any ideas. However, Heimerdinger is afraid of it and demands it be destroyed. Jayce refuses and has the Council vote in favor of removing Heimerdinger from the Council's circle so he no longer poses a threat to his and Viktor's research.
Meanwhile, Viktor goes back to Singed for the first time in years in order to get his imput on the Hex Core. Singed encourages him to experiment by using the Hex Core on himself and gives him a vial of shimmer which would make it easier for Viktor's body to accept the changes that would happen to him. Singed warns him that doing this will cost him the trust and love of everyone he knows. Viktor expresses his confidence that Jayce would understand him at least. When Viktor goes back to the Bridge of Progress to get picked up by Jayce however, he discovers Jayce has ordered a blockade due to his fear and prejudice against the people of Zaun. This causes Viktor to become upset as he's also from the Undercity. Jayce tries to apologize when Viktor points out that fact, but nonetheless this event sours their relationship and causes Viktor to not tell Jayce about his plan on using the Hex Core on himself.
Later, Viktor is looking at one of Jinx's bombs with Jayce and Mel. They discuss the possibility of Jinx making a Hextech weapon with a gemstone she stole, and Mel suggests to Jayce that he develop his own Hextech weapon in order to defend Piltover in a possible war. Viktor strongly opposes the idea as making weapons isn't why they made Hextech. Jayce is conflicted as tensions between Zaun and Piltover are rising rapidly and tells Viktor he might not have a choice. Viktor then accidentally sets off the timer in Jinx's bomb but manages to shut it off before telling Jayce there's always a choice.
Viktor later begins the experiment of using the Hex Core on himself after injecting the shimmer Singed gave him into his body. Although painful, it's proven to be a success as his crippled leg is transformed into a more metalic one. He then goes out and tests his new leg and finds he can walk normally on it. He then begins to run for the first time with no issues as he yells, feeling empowered. Viktor is encouraged by this success to keep transforming his body, even though he's run out of shimmer. One night, he loses control of the Hex Core while using it on himself with no shimmer and almsot gets consumed by it. Sky Young walks in on him and tries to pull him away, only to get consumed herself and be the source of power needed to transform Viktor's hand. Viktor awakens and is distraught over Sky's death, reading through her notes left on the ground and discovering she admired him all this time further distressing Viktor. Viktor then tries to destroy the Hex Core, but can't bring himself to do it. In response to the threat, the Hex Core shocks Viktor, causing Viktor to be fearful of it.
At the ravine he and Sky used to play at when they were kids, Viktor scatters her ashes and almost commits suicide, but is saved by Jayce, ironically in the same way he prevented Jayce from killing himself when they first became partners. The duo properly reconcile and Viktor asks Jayce to destory the Hex Core for him as he can't do it himself, which Jayce reluctantly agrees to do. Later, Viktor is seen with Jayce supporting him at a council meeting where Jayce reveals he's brokered a peace treaty with Silco. Although most of the Council members are initially opposed to this idea, they vote in favor of it after calming down and being convinced. As soon as everyone agrees however, Jinx's missle crashes into the Council's meeting room, causing a critical impact on everyone there, with Viktor being serverly hurt.
Season 2[]
In the aftermath of Jinx's bombing, Jayce discovers Viktor's body laying motionless in the rubble and rushes him to their laboratory, hoping to find something in their notes that can help him save his life. Jayce then notices Viktor's body begin reacting to the Hex Core. In a desperate attempt to help him, Jayce takes hold of it and approaches Viktor, the Hex Core eventually merging with Viktor and engulping the entire room with light.
Days later, Viktor is in a coma and is seen in a cocoon-like sealing while Jayce waits around anxiously, hoping he'll wake up. Soon enough, Viktor indeed wakes up and exits the cocoon, approaching Jayce who's sitting at a nearby desk. Despite Jayce enthusiastically hugging him, Viktor isn't as emotional as he half heartedly returns the gesture. Viktor then notices his body is now mostly made of metal and Jayce tells him how the Hex Core saved his life. Viktor calls out Jayce on going back on his promise to destroy the Hex Core and tells him how it killed Sky. Although Jayce tells him how he plans to resign from the council and keep working with him as partners, Viktor despondently tells him he plans on leaving, stating how they've been seperated for a while and that the only thing keeping them together was affection. Despite Jayce's pleas for him to stay, Viktor makes good on his word and leaves.
Viktor is later seen wandering around Zaun as he hallucinates Sky's voice guiding him. He's lead into a junkyard where he's surrounded by Shimmer addicts who plan on mugging him (which includes Huck, a character that was introduced in season 1). As he calmly watches them, he notes how there's so much "needless pain" and slowly approaches Huck, using his newfound powers to heal him. Tired after healing him, he falls to his knees and tells them how they don't need to suffer anymore as he smiles up at a hallucination of Sky while the other addicts who watched the entire exchange fall to their knees in awe. This event has caused Viktor to gain a cult-like following.
Viktor and his followers establish a settlement, envisioned as a sanctuary where people can live in peace and seek assistance from Viktor, now renowned as the Machine Herald. Among those seeking help is Salo, a former Piltover council member, who approaches Viktor in hopes of regaining his ability to walk. Viktor successfully heals Salo and recruits him to retrieve the Hexcores from the Hexgates’ reactors. Unbeknownst to Salo, this act inadvertently summons Jayce back from the Arcane dimension. Using Salo as a conduit, Viktor telepathically communicates with Jayce, inviting his former partner to witness the progress he has made. However, Jayce, scarred by his experiences within the Arcane, views its power as a curse and resolves to destroy it, even going so far as to kill Salo in pursuit of his goal.
Meanwhile, Jinx and Vi arrive at Viktor's compound, seeking his help to cure their father, Vander, who has been transformed into the monstrous Warwick by Singed. After examining Vander with his Hextech abilities, Viktor determines that the process of restoration will be arduous and prolonged. Nonetheless, he agrees to undertake the challenge for the sake of saving Vander. As Viktor works tirelessly over several days, he is visited by Singed, who is both amazed by Viktor’s advancements and aware of the toll his powers are taking on him. Singed proposes using Warwick as a catalyst for Viktor’s ultimate transformation, claiming it would serve the greater good. Viktor, however, refuses to sacrifice Vander, forcing Singed to leave, though not without a warning: Viktor’s demise would spell doom for the settlement.
Eventually, Jayce arrives at the settlement and reunites with Viktor. Their meeting, however, takes a shocking turn when Jayce unexpectedly shoots Viktor with his Mercury Hammer, leaving him gravely wounded. As Viktor collapses, he casts one final, sorrowful glance at the man he once regarded as a brother. In his final moments, Viktor reflects on his perceived failures, arriving at a grim conclusion: human nature—its emotions and attachments—is the root of all suffering and the ultimate obstacle to progress and evolution.
Appearance[]
Viktor is a young man with pale skin, messy brown hair, and brown eyes. Likely due to a combination of his illness and the polluted environment while growing up in Zaun, he's thin and scrawny and noticeably walks with a limp most times before he augmented himself with the Hex Core which temporarily got rid of it.
When he started using the Hex Core on himself to help cure his illness and limp, some of his body parts started to change form and color, most notably his right hand and foot, which are both now purple and more metallic. This transformation has allowed Viktor to be able to walk normally for the first time in his life and even run. After fully fusing with the Hex Core, his entire body has become metallic with his hair having grown longer with white tips at the end, going down to his shoulders.
Personality[]
A young man who keeps to himself most times, Viktor is determined and headstrong when it comes to accomplishing his goals. Growing up in the Undercity, he knows what it's like to be poor while having to fend for yourself, thus he's sympathetic towards the people of Zaun, taking offense when Jayce says they're dangerous. Although reserved and introverted, he's also idealistic and selfless, genuinely wanting his research and inventions at Hextech to improve the lives of both Zaun and Piltover citizens alike. Viktor also has comedic moments such as when he and Jayce went to sneak into Heimerdinger's lab and are found by Mel. He immediately tries to lie and humorously play it off by acting like he thought he was taking Jayce to his bedroom, showing he might not be the best at lying.
Even though his intentions are pure, he can be hasty at times as he wanted Hextech to go out as soon as possibile despite the risks of it not being stable enough. This hastiness is partially understandable however due to the fact Viktor's illness is causing his lifespan to be cut short and he's afraid he won't able to put his research into effect while he's still alive. Although this expeditious attitude has paid off to some extent, it's also lead to some serious consequences and regrets. When Viktor recklessly augmented himself with the Hex Core while he didn't have any more shimmer, it almost consumed him and ended up costing him Sky Young's life when she tried to save him. This event left him devastated and almost made him destroy the Hex Core out of anger, but couldn't bring himself to do it.
After waking up from his coma, Viktor appears to be more detached and emotionless than he was before, speaking to Jayce with even less energy and enthusiasm than he used to. Despite this, he still has a selfless attitude and the urge to help others as seen when he wanders around Zaun and looks at the people suffering, using his newfound powers to help cure Shimmer addicts. Viktor would later start a cult-like sanctuary where he would cure anyone who came to him for help, even though he knows doing so would diminish both his lifespan and powers every time he used them. When Singed comes and proposes to Viktor the idea of using Vander's blood to help stabilize him, Viktor refuses as he still values other people over his own life and ambitions.
This mindset would soon change however after Jayce shoots him in the chest with his hammer, almost killing him. This event would cause him to think that human emotions are the reason why people suffer. With this new mindset, he would go on to evolve with help from Singed, completely changing his appearance and seemingly removing his emotions. He would then try and force this "Glorious Evolution" on the rest of humankind so they could all be of one mind, stripping away their individual free will. Despite his plans and emotionless demeanor, Viktor wasn't motivated to do any of this because of malice or evilness. He still believed he was doing the best thing for humankind as he thought they wouldn't suffer if his plan succeeded. However, his eyes are opened after Jayce reaches his human side and shows him the error of his ways, talking him out of his plan, thus reverting him back to the old Viktor.
Quotes[]
| “ | There is always a choice. | „ |
| ~ Viktor to Jayce. |
| “ | Scientists seek discoveries - ways to make the world a better place! This Hextech dream of yours has the potential to do that. | „ |
| ~ Viktor to Jayce early in their partnership. |
| “ | Viktor: Had you given me the chance, I would have shown you the merits of my work. Our work. Jayce: No. This is your obsession. Everything you've done to these people, you did alone. Viktor: Perhaps. But I'm alone no longer. I now speak with all their voices. |
„ |
| ~ Viktor confronts Jayce in the Council chamber. |
| “ | Your mind has become rigid, Jayce. Fear clouds your judgment. This chain of events started with you. In my confusion, I was unable to reconcile this. But I now understand. The Glorious Evolution is destined. Let us instead do this once again as partners. | „ |
| ~ Viktor tries to convince Jayce to join him. |
| “ | Viktor: Despite the circumstances Jayce, I am... pleased, to see you. Jayce: There must be some part of you still in there. Viktor: I am more than I ever was. |
„ |
| ~ Viktor speaking to Jayce for the first time since his evolution. |
| “ | Viktor: It is the answer you and I pursued all our lives. An end to cruelty, injustice. All of us our own authors to an unbroken saga of progress. To the benefit of all. Jayce: People deserve to choose their own fates. Viktor: Choice is false. It is how we clothe and forgive the baser instincts that spur us to division. Death, war, prejudice. Energy spent only to consume itself. But we can be of one mind. United. Jayce: Stop this insanity, Viktor! Viktor: That is precisely my intention. Your eyes won't lie when your mind is open, Jayce. |
„ |
| ~ Viktor and Jayce's confrontation under the Hexgates. |
| “ | Do you see? The sublime intersection of order and chaos. | „ |
| ~ Viktor unleashing the anomaly. |
| “ | Viktor: This conflict. This senseless waste. I know their minds, Jayce. They want better lives, but emotion clashes with reason. Humanity's self-corrupting contradiction. Jayce: You've always wanted to cure what you thought were weaknesses. Your leg. Your disease. But you were never broken, Viktor. There is beauty in imperfections. They made you who you are! An inseparable piece of everything I admired about you. |
„ |
| ~ The spirits of Viktor and Jayce speaking in the Hexzone. |
| “ | Jayce: I thought I wanted to give magic to the world. Now... all I want... is my partner back. Viktor: Why do you persist? After everything I've done. Jayce: Because I promised you. |
„ |
| ~ Jayce and Viktor as the former begins to get through to his friend. |
| “ | Viktor: You must go, Jayce. Jayce: We finish this together. |
„ |
| ~ Viktor and Jayce's last words as they fully reconcile and destroy the wild rune, disappearing in the process. |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- As the co-inventors of Hextech and longtime scientific partners, Viktor and Jayce are best friends and even see each other as brothers.
- Viktor is the creator of Blitzcrank, but it is unknown when exactly he built the golem.
- The cape Viktor wears was made from the blanket Jayce gave him after waking up from his coma. The brooch was crafted from the design on Sky's notebook to honor her memory, after Viktor accidentally vaporized her.
- The third arm on Viktor's back was based on his invention, the Hexclaw, which initially began as an artificer's device before Viktor turned it into a weapon.
- Viktor's abilities are based on designs from the famous inventor Nikola Tesla.
- His quote about the "glorious evolution" is a reference to the Glorious Revolution in England in the late 17th century.
- According to Viktor's short story, his favorite drink is sweetmilk.
External Links[]
- Viktor on the League of Legends Wiki
- Viktor on the Villains Wiki
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