What is Zaun in Arcane Season 2?

Zaun is one of the regions in League of Legends’ mystical world of Runeterra. It’s the undercity area of Piltover that we see in Arcane Season 2 as a darker and significantly more dangerous place. The visual stylization contrasts the clean and bright colors of Piltover with a much darker and moodier palette. Jinx’s paintings are the only real splashes of brightness I’ve seen down there.

What is Zaun and why is it important?

Zaun and Piltover have a “neither can live while the other survives” vibe in Arcane season 2 and while war has been coming for some time, the Noxian threat became more apparent and unifying.

To describe Zaun, we can use Caitlyn’s own words:

It would be misleading to describe Zaun as merely the undercity of Piltover—it is a tangled web of unregulated ambition and unchecked ingenuity. A place where science dares to forget consequence, and ethics are often an afterthought. I’ve walked its fumes-choked alleys and neon-lit corridors more times than I’d prefer, each visit further confirming what I’ve always known: brilliance, when left ungoverned, can be just as dangerous as villainy.

The people of Zaun are survivors. Resourceful, fiercely independent, and often cornered into desperation. You’ll find minds down there that rival our own academies—if not surpass them in creativity. But where Piltover refines, Zaun reacts. It builds not for posterity, but for necessity and revolution.

The shimmer epidemic is just one example of Zaun’s potential turned volatile. What begins as innovation too often ends in chaos. And yet, I cannot entirely dismiss the place.

There is a heartbeat beneath the grime. A resilience. Even… potential, if properly directed.

Let’s not pretend it’s safe. Keep your eyes open. And never assume that just because the walls are rusted, the mind behind them isn’t sharp.

– Sheriff Caitlyn Kiramman, Piltover Enforcer Corps

The Wrath of Zaun has arrived.

Tune in to Act II of #Arcane, now streaming on @netflix. pic.twitter.com/kdwnV39t3v

— Arcane (@arcaneshow) November 16, 2024

Champions of Zaun

Of the 168 champions in League of Legends, only 14 are confirmed to be from Zaun. If you’ve been as keen to keep up with Arcane as I have, they won’t exactly come as a surprise.

• Blitzcrank
• Dr. Mundo
• Ekko
• Janna
• Jinx
• Renata Glasc
• Singed
• Twitch
• Urgot
• Viktok
• Warwick
• Zac
• Ziggs
• Zeri

While not all of these champions have featured in show so far, there’s some very familiar faces on this list.

Zaun is distinct from Piltover in a number of ways and now they’re ready to fight back. I adored all acts of Arcane season 2 just as much as Season 1 and there are plenty of questions left to be answered. Now that the war is well and truly kicking off, we’ll need to find out who gets caught in the firing line.