Who Are The Firelights In Arcane?

Arcane offers a range of alliances and powerful factions, but the Firelights stand out as one of the most interesting and promising groups in the story. The animated Netflix show is directly inspired by elements of League of Legends, an MMO game that features a number of diverse characters that players can choose to form a team. However, Arcane takes the liberty of expanding and adapting the origin story of many characters, developing a thrilling interconnected story set in the world of Runeterra.

In the show, sisters Jinx and Vi are separated after a traumatic event and reunite years later. Meanwhile, their city is on the verge of war and a powerful invention connected to ancient magic seems to be both a gift and a curse. Arcane takes its time to introduce a range of diverse characters and an ambitious universe, delivering multiple different characters crossing paths and still a lot of ground to cover. That's when Ekko and his group of Firelights come in, introduced in Arcane season 1 and hinting at an incredible arc yet to be further explored.

The Firelights Are A Rebel Group

The Firelights are a rebel group introduced in the latter episodes of Arcane season 1, appearing for the first time after the time jump that occurs in episode 4, "Happy Progress Day." They are introduced when a group of Silco's men are about to send out a huge shipment of Shimmer, Silco's dangerous recreational drug. The Firelights intercept them in their distinctive masks and flying hoverboards, using grenades to immobilize their targets, but they come close to suffering heavy casualties when Jinx appears and starts one of the most exciting fights of Arcane season 1.

The operation puts the Firelights in danger when Silco has them framed by the incident, but they are soon revealed to be a benevolent group, a rebel Zaunite gang. Their main objective is to combat Silco's criminal activities and eliminate Shimmer from the underground world of Piltover, also known as Zaun.

The Firelights want to turn Zaun into a safe and healthy place, even if they are forced to resort to violence to do so. Still, they avoid killing people at all costs, as seen by the weapons they use, including the grenade that imprisons their target for a specific amount of time.

When Did The Firelights Form?

Ekko Formed The Firelights Out Of Tragedy

The Firelights were formed by Ekko sometime after Vander's death. Vander was a kind and influential man in Zaun and an important figure in Ekko's childhood. Back then, Ekko was a prodigious inventor and best friends with Vi, Powder, Mylo, and Claggor. Although Ekko, who is a secondary character that steals the fantasy show, never joined the kids in their felonies and dangerous adventures, the group grew fond of him and considered him part of their gang, which symbolized an escape from the increasingly violent world around them.

After Vander was captured and supposedly killed by Silco, Ekko's world began to fall apart, starting with the death of Benzo, owner of the pawn shop where Ekko worked, and the Hexgem accident, in which he lost all of his friends: after one of Powder's handmade bombs went wrong, the explosion caused the death of Mylo and Claggor, and Vi's arrest. The traumatizing events not only marked the peak of Silco's reign of terror but also gave Ekko enough motivation to form the Firelights and gradually restore peace in Zaun, making use of his inventions and underworld knowledge.

Who Are The Members Of The Firelights?

Only A Few Firelights Are Known By Name

One of the best quotes in Arcane is "we've all had bad days. But we learn, and we stick together." Vi is the one to speak this line, but it could easily be the motto of the Firelights. Many of the gang's members fell with Zaun's downfall in the hands of Silco, many of them former shimmer addicts or victims of the devastation and misery brought by the drug.

As their leader, Ekko gave them a new chance to live and stand up for what they think is right. Besides Ekko, one powerful member of the Firelights is Scar, a curious gray creature with big elf years. He's Ekko's loyal friend and lieutenant, which makes him second-in-command of the Firelights.

Scar is a Vastaya, and has one of the best masks and outfits in Arcane. When Ekko reveals their hideout to Heimerdinger in episode 7, "The Boy Savior," Scar is seen playing with a baby in his arms, implying that he might have built a family. He's also one of the best and most dangerous warriors from Zaun, getting the upper hand over Vi's iron gauntlets; he only didn't kill her because Ekko stopped him.

The Firelights are a massive group, although most of their members weren't properly introduced. Ekko built a prosperous community in a hideout built in an abandoned sewer around a massive tree, which grew healthy as Ekko exposed it to the sun. With Ekko's brilliant craftsmanship and the help of new members, houses were built, and creative decorations made the place feel like home, including a heartrending mural with the faces of Powder, Vi, Vander, and other figures of Ekko's childhood who helped him become an efficient leader.

What Role Do The Firelights Play On Arcane?

Ekko is one of Arcane's best inventors, and he designed distinguishable weapons and devices to turn the Firelights into a fast and practical gang. Their missions are timely and meticulously planned in order to accomplish their goal without any casualties in the enemy's team or theirs, a precise hit-and-run tactic that suits their objectives perfectly.

Their role in Arcane initially was to fight Silco's dominance and clean the streets, but they also hold a strong grudge toward Piltovans, who overlook the harsh class discrimination around them, and the enforcers, who are pretty much responsible for keeping Zaun's problems away from the noble people of the city. Moreover, the Firelights are well aware that most of the enforcers are corrupt and work closely with Silco, especially Marcus.

How The Firelights Could Play Into Arcane Season 2

The Firelights' New Ally Sets Up A Bright Future

The cliffhanger ending of Arcane season 1 set up an epic story, and with Arcane ending with season 2, the final episodes promise to be thrilling. One of the most exciting aspects of the season 2 story is seeing what develops with the Firelights. Following Ekko's fight with Jinx, he is badly injured and might not be the same warrior he once was. However, after living in hiding for so long and being perceived as enemies of the state, the Firelights have a new powerful ally.

Following his forced retirement as the Head of the Piltover Council, Heimerdinger seeks to help the people of Zaun, only to be dismissed by them. However, upon meeting an injured Ekko, Heimerdinger helps him and is welcomed into the community of Firelights. It is clear that Heimerdinger is impressed with what they have built and understands their fight. While Ekko has built a team of capable warriors, having a brilliant mind like Heimerdinger on their team makes the Firelights even more formidable.

There are also a lot of fans looking for a rematch between Ekko and Jinx as he proved himself a worthy adversary to her power in the past. While season 2 of Arcane will likely see a lot of characters meet their end, it is possible that this could just be the beginning of the Firelights' story as it has been confirmed the franchise will continue even if Arcane's two-season story is coming to an end.

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

Seasons 1

Showrunner Christian Linke , Alex Yee