Piltover's "The Gray": The Profound Meaning Behind Arcane's New Smoke Weapon

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Arcane season 2, Act I.

Arcane season 2 shows Piltover weaponizing a terrifying smoke named The Gray, with this storyline holding profound connections to season 1 and the show as a whole. For the most part, Act I of Arcane season 2 focuses on the aftermath of Arcane season 1’s ending; Jinx’s attack on the Piltover council has left the wealthy city shaken, dealing with the deaths of many council members as the surviving few struggle to maintain control over the conflict with Zaun. At the center of Arcane’s cast of characters are Vi and Caitlyn, who desire revenge against Jinx.

As the two form a task force designed to infiltrate Zaun and eliminate Jinx, dangerous new Hextech weapons allow Arcane’s League of Legends characters to come to the fore. Arcane inches towards its climactic ending as Jinx faces justice for her actions, with that justice coming in the form of a smoke that can be weaponized thanks to the connections Caitlyn’s family has. As Caitlyn's need for vengeance grows, so too does her willingness to further oppress the citizens of Zaun via this smoke. As such, the profound thematic meaning behind the smoke known only as The Gray becomes clear.

Arcane Season 2 Introduces A Terrifying New Bio-Weapon

Zaun's The Gray Is Being Weaponized By Piltover

The Gray is first introduced as a dangerous smoke cloud that is described as "factory smog trapped underground." This smog causes myriad issues for the human body, affecting the ability to breathe as well as damaging the eyes. In Arcane season 2, this natural-forming smog is turned into a bio-weapon of sorts by Caitlyn. Now having access to the ventilation systems built to provide Zaun's citizens with air thanks to Arcane season 2's Kiramman key, Caitlyn funnels The Gray through these systems to punish Zaun and capture Jinx.

This is first shown in Arcane season 2, episode 2, with one of the gangs seeking to fill the power vacuum left by Silco suffering from The Gray. The smoke allows Cait and Vi's team to more easily apprehend Zaun's citizens, gaining information from them in their quest for Jinx. In Arcane season 2, episode 3's opening, it is outlined how Caitlyn used the Kiramman ventilation system to weaponize The Gray, a plot point that links to the profound thematic meaning the smoke possesses thanks to the animation used to depict it.

The Gray Links Perfectly To Arcane Season 1 & The Show’s Themes

The Gray's Animation Sums Up The War Between Piltover & Zaun

Firstly, it is worth exploring how The Gray is presented. In Arcane season 2, The Gray is shown as a cloud of thick green smoke, though with intriguing multicolored aspects. Through hints of pink, purple, yellow, and blue being smeared throughout the thick green, The Gray looks akin to oil when it has been spilled on wet floors, or mixed with water in oceans and rivers. Interestingly, this links back to the title of Arcane season 1, episode 8, "Oil and Water." In this episode, Vi mentions that Piltover and Zaun are like oil and water.

In Vi’s mind, Piltover sits on top of Zaun and suffocates it, just as oil does to water when the two are mixed. With The Gray being depicted as a smoke cloud that also looks like oil mixed with water, Arcane is proving Vi's point. Piltover technology is being used to weaponize The Gray and literally suffocate Zaun's citizens, harkening back to Vi's comment about Piltover, Zuan, oil, and water. Through The Gray, its animation style, and Arcane's exceptional exploration of class war, the newest bio-weapon in the franchise has a deeper meaning than anyone thought.

Set in the League of Legends universe, Arcane focuses on sisters Violet and Powder (later Jinx) as they end up on opposite sides of a growing conflict between the wealthy utopia of Piltover and its dark undercity whose citizens wish to break away from their oppressors. Hailee Steinfeld, Ella Purnell, and Kevin Alejandro star in this animated adventure. 

Release Date November 6, 2021

Writers Christian Linke , Alex Yee

Directors Pascal Charrue , Arnaud Delord

Showrunner Christian Linke , Alex Yee