Jinx is one of the most popular champions in League of Legends, and her villain origin is fleshed out beautifully in Netflix’s hit series Arcane. Both League of Legends players and newcomers to the series connect to Jinx and her sympathetic struggles throughout the video game-inspired series. Jinx might be a controversial character to love considering she makes some terrible decisions, but she’s also very much a victim of circumstance, which inspires sympathy.
Originally called Powder, Jinx becomes a sympathetic antagonist after she accidentally kills her loved ones and is abandoned by her sister. Conflicted and traumatized over her past, Jinx is one of the most interesting characters in Arcane‘s universe and has a lot of great quotes throughout the series. She says what she wants and does what she wants, but is clearly still conflicted about many moments in her past.
Updated on September 17, 2024, by Natasha Elder: Arcane drew in many viewers, both fans of League of Legends and those that knew nothing about the game, due to the complexity of characters such as Jinx. Her quotes as much as her actions define who she is, and intrigue fans. As such, we wanted to discuss more of the quotes that represent her unique characteristics and added images to highlight the different emotions each quote encompasses, especially as Arcane’s next season is releasing soon.
20 “I Ruined Everything. I Always Do.”
Season 1, Episode 1, “Welcome to the Playground”
What’s the point? I ruined everything. I always do.
After the series of unfortunate events that happened in Piltover, Powder is a bit down on herself. Milo made sure to take every opportunity to let Powder know how badly she messed up during the heist. As Powder tinkers quietly to herself, Vi wants to try to get Powder to pick her head up, to which Powder responds with this heartbreaking quote.
It’s a shame that Powder’s mishaps really are the reason that all the major events in Arcane transpire. This quote is sad to watch on a first watch-through, but is even more bleak if it’s not the first time a viewer has watched the show as they realize the truth in the statement. It’s certainly foreshadowing Vander’s death and the birth of Jinx that takes place later in the series.
19 “But He Didn’t Make Jinx. You Did.”
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Monster You Created”
Wanna know a secret? Silco thinks he made Jinx, with all his rants and his hard-won lessons. “Excise your doubts, Jinx. Be what they fear, Jinx.” Like everything was the same as when Vander left him. But he didn’t make Jinx. You did.
Jinx’s relationship with Silco is a complicated one, as she is torn between believing that he truly cares for her and that he is just using her to further his own goals. Whichever is the case, he has undeniably made a big impact on her life as the one that took her in after she believed that Vi abandoned her. Despite his significant influence, though, Jinx doesn’t think that he is the real reason that she ended up as she did.
Instead, Powder asserts that the true reason she turned into Jinx is due to Vi, herself. The abandonment that Jinx felt after Vi left her, albeit unwillingly, as well as Vi’s vitriolic claim that Powder was a Jinx, was the real reason that she ended up turning to a life of crime. Though less immediately evident, it is also one of the main reasons for her insecurities.
18 “Please, Violet. I Need You. Please.”
Season 1, Episode 3, “The Base Violence Necessary for Change”
Vi! Vi, come back! Please come back! Please, Violet. I need you. Please.
With Arcane’s short 9-episode season, it’s important to make every moment of every episode count. Episode 3 is an absolute mess of emotions. Claggor, Milo and Vi are mostly successful in freeing Vander from Silco. However, it’s Powder’s monkey bomb that really makes everything go to hell. This show has some of the most incredible visuals that add to every monumental event.
This scene, when Powder cries out for Vi, is extremely hard to watch. The level of emotion in Powder’s voice and on her face is heartbreaking. She’s so desperate for Vi to tell her that everything is going to be okay. At the end of the day, Powder never meant to kill anyone. Yes, she should’ve listened to Vi, but she’s hurting just as much as Vi is in this scene. Plus, Powder is watching the last person she has leave her.
17 “That Ogre Couldn’t Clean a Dust Bunny With a Blowtorch.”
Season 1, Episode 4, “Happy Progress Day!”
“Sevika? That ogre couldn’t clean a dust bunny with a blowtorch.”
Following the messy fight with the Firelights, Jinx is commiserating to the villainous Silco about the messy nature of her mission. During her scuffle with the Firelights, Jinx knocked off the mask of one of her opponents. Her enemy turned out to be a pink-haired girl, which triggered Jinx to have a series of Vi-inspired flashbacks. Jinx ended up fumbling the mission due to suffering from the effects of PTSD.
Silco says to Jinx that he’ll have Sevika clean up the mess, which is when Jinx calls her an ogre. It’s certainly humorous to see Jinx rag on Sevika despite them supposedly being on the same villainous side. It seems like all season long Sevika gets the short-end of the stick as far as Jinx’s attitude goes. Regardless, Jinx isn’t very happy with Silco asking her to take some time for herself and to leave it to Sevika.
16 “It’s Jinx Now.”
Season 1, Episode 6, “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down”
It’s Jinx now. Powder fell down a well.
The hurt that influences so many of Jinx’s decisions is largely buried underneath her larger-than-life personality when she is in the presence of others. However, it becomes clear exactly how much she has been affected by her childhood when she refuses her birth name in favor of insult that Vi called her. By demanding that she be called Jinx, she is embracing the destruction she can cause and leaving behind her childhood innocence at the same time.
Jinx also makes it clear that almost none of the child that Vi knew is still around. By asserting that “Powder fell down a well,” Jinx has made it very obvious that she feels little connection to who she used to be. Her previous self is now stuck at the bottom of a well, lost forever or even dead, with only her present persona remaining.
15 “Happy Progress Day!”
Season 1, Episode 4, “Happy Progress Day!”
Everyone can appreciate a well-placed title drop in shows and movies, and this was a perfect one. Early in the episode, Jinx struggled with how she handled the Fireflight fight as well as was afraid of Silco thinking that she was weak for mishandling the fight. As a result, in appropriate and characteristic fashion, Jinx goes out and does something about it.
Initially, Silco rips into Jinx for the massacre and scene that she caused in Piltover. However, Jinx shuts him up by shoving a Hextech crystal into his hand. This Arcane scene and Jinx quote in particular are great because Jinx is finally showing the confidence she’s been lacking. Clearly, she was tired of coming across as weak and was going to do what she wanted to do in order to change others’ perception of her.
14 “…Blah, Blah, Blah. Did I Miss Anything?”
Season 1, Episode 5, “Everybody Wants To Be My Enemy”
Right, [Vander] was like a brother to you, and he turned his back and blah, blah, blah. Did I miss anything?
There are a million deep and hard-hitting quotes in Arcane. It’s nice to chuckle at the more comical ones here and there. Silco takes Jinx to the water for a kind of “baptism” and before, he hints at going into a long monologue about his past. Jinx’s response to him, this quote, is pretty hilarious. Silco is one of the greatest villains out there, so it’s funny to see Jinx so comfortable with him.
Most, if not all, people can relate to getting a long-winded lecture talk from a mentor/parental figure. No one wants to hear a giant backstory before the actual meat of the conversation begins. Not to mention, it’s usually a story that’s been heard a couple of times. It’s sad, however, watching Jinx’ love for Vander turn to love for Silco. Vander was a great father to Jinx and Vi and it would hurt him to see the path Jinx chooses.
13 “…And Guess What? They’re Not All Dead.”
Season 1, Episode 7, “The Boy Savior”
Oh, you know. Here, there, chasing down dead ends. And guess what? They’re not all dead.
After Silco learned that Vi was alive, he hoped that Jinx would never find out, wanting to protect her from the hurt of being abandoned. However, she found out anyway and, after temporarily seeing Vi again, she confronted the man who looked after her for years. This Jinx quote is especially impactful because ever since the night Jinx declared Vi was no longer her sister, Jinx truly believed her to be dead.
After Jinx said these words, Silco explained to her that Vi cared more about finding the crystal than she did Jinx, and that Vi would probably abandon and betray her again. Silco convinces Jinx that instead of focusing on being with her, Jinx needs to help him complete the weapon instead. Despite being convinced to go along with Silco’s whims, this quote is the beginning of her mistrust in his motives toward her. In short, Jinx deserved better than Silco’s deception in her vulnerable state.
12 “I Feel Like You and I Got Off on the Wrong Arm…”
Season 1, Episode 6, “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down”
I feel like you and I got off on the wrong arm. Maybe we should try the other.
After hearing that Silco wanted to capture the two women who fought Sevika, Jinx set up a trap in order to get more information from her. She knocked her out, tied her up, and threatened Sevika with this Arcane quote. Arcane isn’t shy of characters that make great villains, and as it is always very interesting to see the villains interact with one another due to their complex personalities and differing goals.
When Sevika comes to, Jinx taunts her, referencing the third episode where Jinx’s explosion results in Sevika losing her arm. Jinx suggests they got off on the wrong arm and asks if they should try the other while slowly dragging a knife across Sevika’s chest. Jinx slowly loses the edge in this conversation, but her dark sense of humor is charming, especially in this Jinx quote.
11 “I Didn’t Lose Her! They Took Her…”
Season 1, Episode 7, “The Boy Savior”
I didn’t lose her! They took her. She was there for me, not the enforcer. Why would I remember her name? Well, she’s just some stupid topsider! …Caitlyn.
When Vi and Jinx reunited at the end of the sixth episode, they were only able to see each other temporarily. During this time, Jinx felt conflicted about the situation as she wanted to see Vi again but was upset that Vi had joined forces with Caitlyn, an enforcer, in order to do so. After Vi and Caitlyn were taken by the Firelights, Jinx said this quote to herself as she imagined Mylo speaking to her.
Vi and Caitlyn being taken only reinforces what Silco had said, and Jinx starts to blame Caitlyn for the rift between her and her sister, displayed perfectly in this Jinx quote. This is also one of the best displays of the fact that Jinx doesn’t want to care, but cares so much she even remembers the name of the person she dislikes. This is a surprisingly complex moment in a show that many didn’t expect much out of when first released.
10 “It’s Just a Goodbye Hug…She Wouldn’t Do That Again.”
Season 1, Episode 7, “The Boy Savior”
It’s just a goodbye hug…she wouldn’t do that again.
Given Jinx’s tumultuous relationship with Vi, and the many years since they had seen each other, it makes sense that she has mixed feelings about her sister. When she sees Vi and Caitlyn share a heartfelt hug on a bridge, she reassures herself that the hug was just for goodbye, and that Vi wouldn’t do such a thing again. Presumably, she wanted Vi to reserve such care for her.
While Vi and Caitlyn’s relationship is decidedly more romantic in nature than Jinx and Vi’s, it remains that Jinx doesn’t want to be replaced by another. In her mind, she sees Caitlyn as stealing Vi’s affections, leaving none for her as Vi’s sister. Thus, she is equal parts jealous and anxious when she sees how close Vi and Caitlyn truly are.
9 “…Sheesh, I’m Not That Crazy.”
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Monster You Created”
I made her a snack! …Sheesh, I’m not that crazy.
In the last episode of the series, Jinx had captured Vi and Caitlyn. At first, she only spoke to Vi, but after a while, Jinx brought out a dome plate cover, explaining that she had visited Caitlyn. Scared that Caitlyn was dead and hidden underneath the cover, Vi asked her sister what she did, resulting in this iconic Jinx quote.
For suspense, Jinx waited a moment before revealing that it was actually just the crystal in it. Jinx had a lot of funny moments throughout Arcane, and this was one of the best as she took advantage of the situation to achieve slight vengeance for Vi’s perceived sins. The scene is genuinely suspenseful, playing into the idea that Jinx really could have killed Caitlyn before subverting expectations in a hilarious way.
8 “Sister, Thought I Missed Her. Bet You Wouldn’t Miss Her.”
Season 1, Episode 6, “When These Walls Come Tumbling Down”
You’re a class act, sister. Sister, thought I missed her. Bet you wouldn’t miss her.
When Jinx and Vi meet each other after not seeing one another for years, Jinx is happy at first because she believes that she will finally be able to reconnect and remain alongside her sister. However, upon seeing Caitlyn, Jinx feels betrayed all over again. Jinx sees that Vi is no longer the same big sister she had been missing for years and worries that she has no place in Vi’s new life.
Despite Vi trying to calm her down and letting her know that she regrets her past decisions, Jinx thinks that she is lying, which leads to this heartbreaking Jinx quote. Afterward, the Firelights attacked, separating the sisters once more and mistakenly reinforcing Jinx’s belief that Vi hadn’t really come back to be with her and instead only cared about the crystal.
7 “…I’m Not Weak. And I’m Gonna Show Him. Oh, I’m Gonna Show Him. You’ll See.”
Season 1, Episode 4, “Happy Progress Day!”
It wasn’t her. It wasn’t. I know, just some wannabe street trash. I got confused, that’s all. Now, he thinks I’m weak. ‘Sevika will clean it up. Sevika’s a regular Johhny-on-the-spot.’ I’m not weak. And I’m gonna show him. Oh, I’m gonna show him. You’ll see.
After Jinx had thought that a Firelight she fought was Vi, she lost control of herself, resulting in her failing her mission. Silco asked her about what happened, and though he understood her pain, she felt like he had lost confidence in her, especially when he told her that Sevika would clean things up instead of allowing her the chance to fix the situation herself.
Jinx uttered this quote once she was by herself as she imagined that her former comrades were with her. At the end of her impressive monologue, she decided that she would prove to Silco that she was strong. This quote gave fans a better insight into Jinx’s character, revealing that she is constantly worried about what other’s think about her, but is willing to do what it takes to change their mind.
6 “Are We Still Sisters?”
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Monster You Created”
Upon their reunion, Vi almost immediately starts assuring Jinx that she was sorry and still cared deeply for her. Vi’s care turns into a deeper feeling of concern when Jinx asks her if she is even real, revealing a glimpse of the struggles that she had been dealing with as a result of the trauma that she experienced as a child. Vi tries even harder to convince Jinx that she still cares for her as a sister as a result.
These constant assurances from Vi only make it even more heartbreaking when Jinx makes it clear that she doesn’t believe Vi’s sincerity. By asking if they were still sisters, Jinx inadvertently indicates the doubts that she is plagued with not only due to her own, frequent anxieties, but also due to Vi’s relationship with Caitlyn. This depth afforded to characters across the morality scale is why it is one of the best western cartoons.
5 “I Thought, Maybe You Could Love Me Like You Used To, Even Though I’m Different…”
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Monster You Created”
I thought, maybe you could love me like you used to, even though I’m… different. But you changed, too. So, here’s to the new us.
In Arcane‘s final episode, Vi and Jinx have one final confrontation where they explain their points of view to each other. Jinx explains that all she wanted was to be loved by Vi again, as she was, even if the Jinx standing before Vi was a much different person than the Powder that she used to know. This emphasizes the fact that Jinx is still just looking for acceptance from anyone else.
Unfortunately for her, Jinx was not the only one to have changed as Vi had changed as well over all the years they’d been apart. After Silco’s death, Jinx accepts that both of them are different people and that they can’t go back. Jinx says an ironic toast to the new Jinx and Vi before launching a rocket straight toward the Council.
4 “…She Is Not My Sister Anymore.”
Season 1, Episode 3, “The Base Violence Necessary For Change”
She left me… She is not my sister anymore.
At the beginning of Arcane, Powder loves Vi more than anyone and looks up to her. Wanting to help her rescue Vander from Silco, Powder accidentally kills Vander and their friends, resulting in Vi turning her back on Powder, which is the inciting incident for Powder’s transformation into Jinx. In this way, Arcane brings the video game adaption of a lifetime, allowing fans of the game to see character backstories fully fleshed out.
In Powder’s darkest hour, Silco found comforted her, understanding how it felt to be betrayed and abandoned by a loved one. As he hugged her, she says this quote, marking the transformation from the innocent Powder into the heavily burdened Jinx. It’s the true beginning of Jinx’s story and an incredibly powerful way to end an episode.
3 “…You’re the Reason I’m Still Alive.”
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Monster You Created”
You never left. I always heard you. Shadows in the streets, prickles on the back of my neck. Your voice, pushing me, picking me up when all the colors were black. You’re the reason I’m still alive.
After Jinx knocked Vi out and captured her, she told her that despite Silco thinking that she was the one who turned her into Jinx, it was actually her. Vi apologized for leaving afterward, causing Jinx to reveal that she was always haunted with these words and that it felt like they were never actually apart.
Vi then told her that the only thing that she had left was the hope that they would reunite one day, and when asked, she told Jinx that they’d always be sisters. To Vi, Jinx was always Powder. It’s a heartbreaking episode, particularly as Jinx’s memory was pushing Vi forward and giving her strength, while this Jinx quote reveals that Vi’s memory was doing the same for her but was also pushing her down a much darker path.
2 “…Saying You Abandoned Me When He Knew the Truth. Liar.”
Season 1, Episode 9, “The Monster You Created”
He took everything from us, right here. He stabbed Vander in the back, just like he planned to do with me. All the time, saying you abandoned me when he knew the truth. Liar.
Jinx had not only captured Vi and Caitlyn in the last episode but Silco as well. When Vi finds out about this, Jinx says these words, revealing that she feels some resentment toward Silco. However, after learning that he was willing to let go of his dreams in order to stay by her side, she became conflicted one last time about who she wanted to be close to.
Vi reminded her of their loved ones who had passed away, causing her to lose control of herself, and accidentally kill Silco. In his final moment, Silco told Jinx that he loved her and that she was perfect, which she always wanted to hear. Even though Silco is the big bad evil guy, this scene is still gut wrenching. It’s moments like this that prove how Arcane is one of the top fantasy animated series to watch.
1 “Why Did You Leave Me?”
Season 1, Episode 3, “The Base Violence Necessary For Change”
This Arcane quote succinctly sums up Jinx’s conflict throughout the show. “Why did you leave me?” is the question that Jinx asks about Vi continuously as she grows up, and is clearly still affected by the abandonment when she meets Vi again. More than that, though, the concept of others leaving drives Jinx to doubt Silco, who is one of the few people to truly care for her as she was.
By believing that others would never actually want to stick around, Jinx committed actions that pushed others away. Thus, this quote is not only one of the most heartbreaking, as a crying Powder asks this to a devastated Vi, but is also one that encapsulates the fears that have plagued her throughout her life, making it the best Jinx quote.