Arcanecomposer Alex Seaver details how season 2’s Heimerdinger musical sequence became one of the show’s most heavily detailed but rewarding sequences to put together. The hit Netflix animated series is based on theLeague of Legendsvideo game, tellingthe story of two sisters divided between two warring statesand the rise of a mysterious new powerful technology. InArcane, Heimerdinger (Mick Wingert) is the Dean of the Academy and head of Piltover’s council, who is drawn into the emerging potential of Hextech, despite being wary of the untold potential it could have.
WithArcane’s tale finally resolved, Seaver opened up toScreen Rantabout episode 7’s surprising moments. Honing in on Heimerdimger’s performance in the alternative, more prosperous Zaun, he revealed that alongside recording Wingert’s performance, he also worked withvoice actors in 25 other countries to localize the track.
“The Heimerdinger song in episode seven. It’s one of those ones where it’s like only Arcane would do something this crazy but really do it well. And we had Mick Wingert, the fabulous voice actor for Heimerdinger, he sang it so beautifully. This is the thing we haven’t announced really, but we translated and recorded the song in all 25 languages that the show is localized. So everywhere around the world right now, if you’re in France and you’re loading the episode, you’re getting the French voice actor singing the song in French. And if you’re doing it in Malaysia, and if you’re doing it in Brazil, we haven’t really even mentioned this, but this is just quietly happening right now. On my computer I have demos of 25 countries times all the different singers.
Seaver explained thatLeague of Legendsdeveloper Riot wanted to ensure that they crafted a moment thatwould be received well by audiences across the globe. Despite the undertaking, he was pleased by the experience and the opportunity to work alongside the localization team.
So it took a lot of work, but that was one of the cooler moments, I think, from this season. It’s insane. We have great partners that help us with localization in general. The voice casts for all the countries is very important to Riot. It’s not like a throwaway thing. It’s like they care who is the cast in China and who is the cast in Germany and who is the cast wherever. And so that same principle came to who’s going to sing this Heimerdinger song. And it was fun for me. I don’t really deal with the localization team. A lot of times by the time I’m writing a note of music the voice actors have already recorded. So it was really neat to be on the inside of their process and then get to work with them on making sure we got a great musical result.”
What Heimerdinger’s Season 2 Song Adds To His Story
With Ekko (Reed Shannon), Heimerdinger, and audiences transported to another universe inArcaneseason 2’s final volume, audiences were able to see a new side to the character. Arriving three years before Ekko manifested,Heimerdinger had the time to invest himself in the timeline, giving him an incredible familiarity with the environment and those living there.
What Happened To Ekko & Heimerdinger In Arcane’s Second Act
Arcane season 2, Act II makes a surprising choice with Ekko and Heimerdinger, so what does this mean for them going into the show’s final arc?
With this early arrival, Heimerdinger’s arc was completed after it was laid out when season 1 aired. Whether it was due to his perspective being altered by his longer Yordle life-span or his somewhat initially flippant perspective on the struggles between Piltover and Zaun, being able to walk among the peopleallowed him to meet Ekko and see the truth of the world’s balance. By the time his journey ends with potential self-sacrifice, Heimerdinger is grateful for his new lease on life, and his calm song in episode 7 is a prime showcase of his new nature.
Our Thoughts On Heimerdinger’s Arcane Journey
The Character’s Brief Performance Helped Show His Growth
While he may have played more of a supporting role to Ekko, Jayce (Kevin Alejandro), and Viktor (Harry Lloyd), Heimerdinger did receive a fully fleshed-out journey throughoutArcane’s two-season run. Though his nature as a Yordle may mean Heimerdinger could have survived,his story feels complete.
“Our Story Isn’t Over”: Every Arcane Spinoff Set Up By Season 2’s Ending
Arcane season 2 brings several storylines to an end, but not without leaving lingering plot threads that could be continued in upcoming spin-offs.
As such, the care that Seaver and Riot placed into ensuring his musical moment inseason 2 would resonate across the globe helped his journey feel more definitive. WithArcanealready being praisedfor its stellar animation and storytelling, many may look forward to seeing other champions receive similar treatment in future series exploring Runeterra.
Arcane
Cast
Arcane is an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, debuting in 2021. It explores the conflict between the affluent city of Piltover and the oppressed undercity of Zaun. Central to the story are two sisters whose allegiance to opposing sides of a technological and ideological war strains their bond.
