The following contains spoilers for Arcane season 2 episode 3, "Finally Got The Name Right," now streaming on NetflixArcane has focused on a cast of characters like Jinx and Vi wrestling with the conflict between sister cities Piltover and Zaun, there have been some references to other elements of the world. The scope of magic and the history of the realms could be fertile ground to explore in future Arcane spin-offs.

There are plenty of nations and factions that exist within League of Legends that have yet to debut in Arcane, but that changes for one of the most dangerous in Arcane season 2. The Black Rose is established as a powerful force, capable of unnerving and almost killing one of the show's most deadly figures. It's an ideal way to establish the danger posed by the group, even while their arrival could prove to be an ideal bridge to future stories and shows in the Arcane universe.

Who Are The Black Rose In Arcane?

Ambessa Has Good Reason To Fear The Black Rose

The Black Rose is set up in Arcane season 2 as a dangerous faction operating at odds with Ambessa, setting up one of League of Legends' most dangerous groups to the show. The Black Rose is introduced in the third episode of season 2, "Finally Got The Name Right." An agent of the mysterious group (and a merchants of Piltover) confronts Ambessa and attempts to assassinate her. However, Amebssa and her Lieutenant are able to get the better of the assassin, keeping the Black Roe's involvement a secret by framing it as an extension of Zaun's conflict with Piltover.

It's established that some feud has broken out between the Noxian General and the organization, which seems to have even been connected to the fate of Ambessa's son Kino, who had been implied before to have been killed by an unseen rival. This may even be the true reason Ambessa has traveled to Piltover, as it's implied she is seeking Arcane's Hextech and other weapons to combat the Black Rose. Considering this is so far the only force that has left the ruthless general nervous, it's a strong indicator of how dangerous the Black Rose really are.

Who Are The Black Rose In League Of Legends

The Sorcerers Of Noxus Have Been At Work For Centuries

This tracks with the Black Rose as seen in the lore of League of Legends. While Arcane is set before the events of that game, other ancient events shaped the world of Runeterra long before Zaun and Piltover were at conflict. In the war-torn region of Noxus (the same that warriors like Ambessa hail from), the Black Rose is an alliance of sorcerers and nobles who rule in secret across Noxus. Led by ancient figures like the sorceress LeBlanc, the Black Rose unites several of the world's most wealthy figures and has manipulated Noxus from the shadows for centuries.

The Black Rose's magical power, especially that controlled by the ancient and enigmatic LeBlanc, make them one of League of Legends' most mysterious and dangerous factions. They've even been established in-game to conflict with military commanders like Swain, a character beat that seems to have been adapted into Ambessa's conflict with the group. Arcane seems to be reimagining the Black Rose and bringing them into the plot of the show, setting up their conflict with Ambessa to also include her daughter Mel and by extension the citizens of Piltover.

The Black Rose Could Set Up Arcane's Future

The Black Rose Could Become An Overarching Threat Between Arcane And Sequel Shows

The inclusion of the Black Rose in Arcane could set up a number of different storylines going forward. Within Arcane itself, their apparent capture of Mel and feud with Ambessa could prove to be a complicating wildcard in the conflict between Zaun and Piltover. They could also another source of information and experience when it comes to the world of magic and runes, making them potentially crucial to the storylines currently embarked on by characters like Jayce, Ekko, Heimerdinger, and Viktor. However, the Black Rose's connections to the larger world of Runeterra could be a tease of their true importance.

The Black Rose's machinations could become an overarching element of the League of Legends adaptations, a connective thread between spin-offs and shows.

Arcane will conclude with season 2, but the League of Legends adaptations are far from over. Shifting focus to a different region away from Arcane's two cities could be the main reason for that kind of storytelling development, and the Black Rose's global connections could create natural bridges from the dangers of Arcane to the next show that follows it. The Black Rose's machinations could become an overarching element of the League of Legends adaptations, a connective thread between spin-offs and shows. The Black Rose's debut in Arcane could be the beginning of League of Legends' animated future.