Everything to know about the Black Rose in Arcane Season 2

Arcane is one of the best shows despite being animated and based on the MOBA League of Legends. The biggest reason for its success, in addition to the amazing voice acting, is the excellent world-building. League of Legends already had much lore, and Arcane has been able to tell it to fans and non-fans of the games in such a perfect way that it’ll be remembered even when it finishes.

However, one group in the series many fans of Arcane are likely confused about is the Black Rose. The majority of Arcane’s first season highlighted the struggle between Piltover and Zaun, so it seemed weird that the writers decided to add an entirely new entity of witches in the second. Season. However, what some fans may not know is that there is much to know about the mysterious Black Rose thanks to other sources, including the actual game the show is based on.

So, we thought we’d go through everything we know about the Black Rose, including what it is, which in-game Champions are part of it, and what role it will likely play in the last act of Arcane.

The Secret Power Behind Noxus Politics

The Black Rose is an ancient faction that’s been pulling the strings in Noxus for centuries. They operate from the shadows and influence the empire’s politics from within. They’re led by LeBlanc, who’s known for her mastery of witchcraft and illusion, something she uses to control events and people in her pursuit of power. 

The organization has deep roots and has existed since before the empire itself. The Black Rose controls the immortal Bastion which is a stronghold that symbolizes their power over Noxus. They have powerful members who are all skilled in witchcraft and arcane magic, which helps them steer the empire from behind the scenes so easily. 

In Arcane, Black Rose is shown to have influence even in Piltover. Their main goal is to protect their realm from Mordekaiser, whose return could shift the power balance in Runeterra. The Black Rose places their agents across major factions to keep a hold on everything and extend their influence.

LeBlanc and the Black Rose’s Role in Season 2

LeBlanc is the mastermind behind black Role and has been mysterious and manipulative. Her influence in Arcane season 2 is felt as Black Rose moves against Ambessa Medarda and her family. Being a master of witchcraft and illusion, LeBlanc is all about deception and no one knows when she’s scheming because she’s always one step ahead. The ripples of her actions affect Piltover and other regions in Runeterra.

Leblanc's agents only add fuel to the fire, such as Amara’s conflict with Ambessa. When Amara’ becomes involved in the brutal murder of Ambessa’s son, Kino, the stakes skyrocket and the hatred between the two factions goes over the roof. One of LeBlanc’s highlights is how she causes the downfall of her enemies without revealing herself. Her goal in Season 2 is the same: to amass even more power while making sure Black Rose keeps growing.

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Ambessa and the Black Rose 

In Arcane Season 2, Ambessa’s deep connection to the Black Rose is brutally revealed after the devastating death of her son. Struck with grief and fueled by revenge, Ambessa decides go to head to head with the Black Rose to protect her remaining family, including her daughter Mel. As she discovers Cabal’s influence in both Piltover and Noxus, Ambessa’s drive to seek revenge becomes linked to her political ambitions. 

The Medarda family and their link to the Black Rose grow more complex after their potential link to ancient Shuriman/Solari heritage is discovered. This could be a reason why the family was targeted, as the Solari artifacts they possess hold a great magical power.

The family’s connection to the ancient legacy could be the key to unlocking even greater power that the Black Rose wants to control, and the Medarda family could be a pawn in their broader scheme. As the season goes on, the Black Rose’s grip on the Medarda family grows stronger, and it all comes to a head when Mel is kidnapped. 

Ambessa’s Shuriman Past and Mel’s Manipulation

Amidst Ambessa’s loss of her son, and her fight to protect her daughter, Mel, there's a growing theory about Ambessa’s Shuriman origins, which could explain the gold ornaments her family wears. This ties to Mel’s survival after the attack, hinting that LeBlanc could be manipulating the situation to gain control of the ancient powers. 

However, there's also speculation that Ambessa's refusal to back down could have played a role in her son’s death, with her own schemes causing the escalation. This also opens the door for Black Rose to twist the narrative by manipulating Mel and revealing their version of events that could cause a conflict between mother and daughter. Other characters in the series will likely be dragged into the conflict too.

The shadow magic that Black Rose uses could also be influencing Mel’s actions which adds more fuel to their plot. Additionally, Ambessa’s choice to hide Amara’s witchcraft from Piltover is curious. She could have warned them about the magical threat but chose not to, which leaves some to suggest her true intentions. 

Did the Black Rose kill Mel in Arcane?

As of Season 2’s Act 2, Mel is alive and well, though she has been captured by the Black Rose. She initially met who she assumed was her brother while in captivity, where she learned about her brother’s apparent reason for getting kidnapped by the Black Rose, which was that their mother had a secret love child. However, whether that was true or not is uncertain.

The reason fans can’t confirm whether Mel’s brother was telling the truth is because it wasn’t actually her brother. On the contrary, the person speaking to Mel was someone shapeshifting to look like her brother to fool her into revealing whether she was the person they were looking for.

With the way things are going, it’s looking very likely that Mel will either die in Act 3 or join the Black Rose as part of her plan to take down her mother. Mel would fit perfectly in the Black Rose, not only thanks to her blood, but also because the Black Rose usually recruits people of influence and ambition, and Mel has both in spades.

Will the Black Rose be part of other League of Legends shows?

The Black Rose is an enigmatic figure, even in the overarching League of Legends universe. However, the highlight of this group is that it doesn't just operate in Piltover or Zaun. Introducing the group in Arcane Season 2 may be the studio’s way of sowing the seeds for future movies or shows set in the League of Legends universe.

The biggest reason we think the Black Rose will return is that LeBlanc hasn’t made an appearance in the show yet. Seeing as how she’s a major playable Champion in the game and the leader of the Black Rose, it seems very likely that Riot Games will want to expand more on her lore through other media. A shadowy figure did appear in Act 2, but there’s no confirmation that it was really LeBlanc, further suggesting Riot wants to tease her future appearance.

FAQs

Which Champions are associated with the Black Rose? 

As we mentioned before, Ambessa has gone against the Black Rose while LeBlanc is the leader of the group. However, other playable Champions are also associated with it. The most known one is Swain who, like Ambessa, is an enemy of the Black Rose. 

Additionally, while not known as much, Vladimir is also associated with the Black Rose. Vladimir uses the teachings of the Black Rose and shares their concept of immortality, suggesting he must have made contact with the group before. However, it’s unknown if he’s formally a part of the group.