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Jinx (League of Legends)

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Jinx
League of Legends character
Official artwork of Jinx
First gameLeague of Legends
Created byKatie De Sousa (concept)
Graham McNeill (character)
Designed byKatie De Sousa
August Browning
Voiced bySarah Anne Williams
Mia Sinclair Jenness (Arcane; child)
Ella Purnell (Arcane; adult)
In-universe information
FamilyVi (sister)
HomeZaun (formerly the undercity of Piltover)

Jinx is a character in Riot Games' League of Legends media franchise. The character was introduced as a playable champion in the October 2013 update for the 2009 video game of the same name, which was complemented by the animated music video "Get Jinxed" to commemorate her official debut. In the game's fictional universe, Jinx is a manic and impulsive criminal from Zaun who serves as the archenemy of the Piltover enforcer Vi. The Netflix animated series Arcane explores the character's origin story as Powder, Vi's younger sister who, following a series of personal tragedies, is taken in and raised by the crime lord Silco.

Jinx has become one of the franchise's most popular and iconic characters since her introduction. Her portrayal in Arcane has garnered critical acclaim.

Concept and creation

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Illustrator Katie De Sousa posted conceptual artwork of the "gun-toting, braid-rocking criminal" that would ultimately become Jinx on a bulletin board for potential ideas at Riot Games.[1] De Sousa wanted to create a "completely insane female villain who is beyond any kind of reform or rehabilitation" for League of Legends.[2] De Sousa was also a fan of "Attack Damage Carry" (ADC), a term used to describe champions that deal high levels of continuous damage in matches. The character was given the codename "Psycho Arsenal" and remained on the board for months until August Browning, seeking to make a weapon-swapping ADC, decided to develop her with De Sousa, while her backstory was written by Graham McNeill.[3] They avoided giving her a "sexy persona" and instead depicted her as a pale and slender woman who wielded disproportionately oversized weapons to make her stand out from other female League champions.[1] The Joker, Gollum, and actress Helena Bonham Carter served as primary inspirations for Jinx's character.[2][4]

To commemorate Jinx's in-game debut, an animated music video starring the character titled "Get Jinxed" was released on the League of Legends YouTube channel.[5] Jinx would officially join League of Legends in the October 2013 update.[6] Sarah Anne Williams provided the character's voice for most of the games and videos she featured in.[7][8] Jinx's origin was later expanded upon when she was adapted by Christian Linke and Alex Yee for the animated streaming series Arcane.[9][10][11][12] The first season was released on Netflix in November 2021.[13][14] Ella Purnell voices Jinx in the series, while Mia Sinclair Jenness voices a younger version of the character in Act 1.[15][16]

Appearances

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League of Legends

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Main article: League of Legends

Jinx was added as a playable champion to the marksman roster of League of Legends in October 2013.[6] As established in the lore written by Graham McNeill, Jinx was once a young innocent girl from Zaun, the seedy underbelly of the utopian city of Piltover. She harbors a dark and mysterious past with Vi, another champion from the game.[3] Following a childhood tragedy, Jinx grew up to become "manic and impulsive" and her capacity for creating mayhem "became the stuff of legend". Her most notorious crimes include releasing a stampede of exotic animals, disrupting trade by lining the city's bridges with destructive explosives, and pulling a heist on one of Piltover's most secure treasuries.[3] The game's developers ensured the character moved quickly during gameplay to portray her chaotic personality and energy.[1]

Jinx's primary weapons include her minigun nicknamed "Pow-Pow"; her shock pistol "Zapper"; her explosive grenades called "Flame Chompers"; and her customized rocket launcher dubbed "Fishbones" for its shark-inspired design.

Jinx's alternate character skins in the game originate from parallel realities separate from the main lore. In the "Odyssey" universe, Jinx is a member of an intergalactic crew that travels the cosmos.[17] In the "Star Guardian" universe, she is part of a magical girl squad.[18] Jinx's design from Arcane was also adapted as an alternate skin in League of Legends.

Arcane

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Main article: Arcane (TV series)
Jinx as depicted in Arcane

The first season of Arcane reveals that Jinx was originally named Powder.[15] She and her older sister Vi were orphaned following the repressed undercity's failed uprising against the utopian city of Piltover, after which they were taken in by Vander, the leader of the rebellion.[9][10][19]

At the start of the series, Powder and Vi rob a penthouse owned by scientist Jayce Talis in Piltover. Powder steals a set of arcane crystals and accidentally causes an explosion.[20] They escape back to the undercity but the enforcers of Piltover relentlessly search for the culprit.[21] Vander turns himself in to protect them only to be taken by Silco, his former brother-in-arms. Powder follows Vi and her foster brothers, Mylo and Claggor, when they leave to rescue Vander and, attempting to help them fend off Silco's forces, uses the stolen crystals to cause a massive explosion that results in the deaths of Vander, Mylo, and Claggor. In her grief, Vi hits Powder and calls her a "jinx" before walking away. Believing herself to be abandoned, Powder seeks comfort in Silco's arms.[22]

Years later, a teenage Powder goes by the name Jinx, having been raised by Silco as his daughter. Silco has taken control of the undercity, now called Zaun, and Jinx helps to smuggle the chemical stimulant "Shimmer" into Piltover for Silco's second revolt. After a job goes awry due to the interference of insurgents known as the Firelights, Jinx attempts to impress Silco by stealing an arcane "Hextech" gemstone from Jayce, killing six enforcers in the process.[23] Silco asks Jinx to weaponize the gemstone and advises her to let go of her past as Powder, while rookie enforcer Caitlyn Kiramman recruits Vi, who has been imprisoned for years, to help track Jinx down.[24] As Jinx turns on Vi upon realizing that she is working with Caitlyn, the Firelights intervene and take the gemstone.[25]

Jinx kills the enforcers on the bridge connecting Zaun to Piltover and recovers the gemstone, though she is grievously wounded during an encounter with Ekko, the Firelights' leader and her childhood friend.[26] Silco finds Jinx and brings her to Singed, a scientist who injects her with Shimmer to heal her injuries. Jinx hallucinates Vi and Caitlyn inflicting her pain so she kidnaps them both.[27] She abducts Silco as well upon overhearing him lament choosing between Zaun's independence and her as part of an ultimatum offered to him by Jayce. Jinx forces Vi to choose between Caitlyn and herself. Both Vi and Silco appeal to Jinx, causing her to suffer a panic attack. Silco breaks free and almost shoots Vi before Jinx, in a psychotic fit, guns him down. In his final moments, Silco reaffirms he never would have betrayed Jinx and comforts her by telling her that she is "perfect". Jinx finally accepts her new identity and, having weaponized the gemstone to power a rocket launcher, fires at the Piltover council just as they approve to grant Zaun its independence.[28]

Music videos

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Jinx was one of the first champions from League of Legends to star in her own animated music video in the lead-up to her in-game debut. "Get Jinxed" by Agnete Kjølsrud from the band Djerv, which follows Jinx's destructive exploits in Piltover, was released on YouTube on October 8, 2013.[5]

Jinx later appeared as the central character of the music video "Enemy" by Imagine Dragons and JID, which depicts "the parts of [Jinx's] childhood that led her to a life of crime". "Enemy" was released on YouTube on October 28, 2021, to promote Arcane, in addition to serving as the series' title track.[29][30][31]

Other appearances

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Jinx has also featured in various League of Legends spin-off games, including Teamfight Tactics, Legends of Runeterra, and League of Legends: Wild Rift.[32][33][34] As promotion for Arcane, Jinx was added as a playable character in PUBG Mobile, Fortnite, and Among Us.[35][36][37]

Jinx appears as a coach in the video game Just Dance 2023 Edition for the song Playground by Bea Miller, portrayed by Céline Baron, as well as an Avatar for players.

Reception

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cosplay of Jinx at Animethon by Isabel K. Photo by IQREMIX.

Jinx is often labeled as a "fan-favorite. " and one of the most iconic champions from League of Legends,[38][39] and has become one of the most popular video game characters for fanart and cosplay.[40][41] Dot Esports attributes Jinx's continued popularity towards the "Get Jinxed" music video and her "magnetic" design.[42] PC Gamer listed Jinx as the 23rd most iconic character in PC gaming, citing her as the mascot for League of Legends.[43] Jinx has been featured in multiple videos for Riot Games' League of Legends YouTube channel, and was even the focal point of the cinematic launch trailer for the mobile game League of Legends: Wild Rift.[34]

Jinx's portrayal in Arcane garnered widespread acclaim from critics and fans.[44][45] Rafael Motamayor of IGN described the character as "compelling" and "what keep[s] you engaged episode after episode".[46][47] Fans have lauded the series' serious treatment of Jinx's mental illness to make her a more tragic character, rather than using it as a quirk for comedy.[48] Similarities have been noted between Jinx's characterization in Arcane and the DC Comics supervillain the Joker (who served as an inspiration for Jinx from the League of Legends game), specifically with regards to her actions in the season finale.[2][4]

Ella Purnell won the Annie Award for Outstanding Achievement for Voice Acting in an Animated Television / Broadcast Production for her performance in the sixth episode of Arcane.[49][50]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Origins: Jinx - Forging the Loose Cannon". Nexus. 21 April 2017. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "9/26 PBE Update: Here Comes Jinx!". Surrender at 20. September 26, 2013. Archived from the original on January 4, 2022. Retrieved January 4, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c "Jinx - The Loose Cannon". Riot Games. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  4. ^ a b Rafael Sánchez Casademont (November 23, 2021). "'Arcane: League of Legends' y la escena que cita a 'Batman: Death of the Family' (y 'La matanza de Texas')". Esquire (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 28, 2022. Retrieved January 12, 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Get Jinxed (ft. Djerv) Official Music Video - League of Legends". League of Legends YouTube Channel. 8 October 2013. Archived from the original on 3 January 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Talbot, Carrie (8 June 2020). "League of Legends' reporting in Champion select feature set for July launch". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved December 23, 2020.
  7. ^ "Jinx — League of Legends — Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 22 November 2021. Retrieved 17 December 2019. A green check mark indicates that the role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of the title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  8. ^ "Jinx Voice — League of Legends (Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 12 December 2019. Retrieved 17 December 2019. A green check mark indicates that the role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of the title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  9. ^ a b Conditt, Jessica (December 26, 2021). "'Arcane' creators explain why Jinx and Vi are the stars of the Netflix series". Engadget. Archived from the original on January 1, 2022. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  10. ^ a b Capel, Chris J. (October 16, 2019). "League of Legends Arcane animated series will show the origins of Jinx and Vi". PCGamesN. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved January 16, 2021.
  11. ^ Marshall, Cass (October 15, 2019). "League of Legends is getting its own animated series called Arcane". Polygon. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  12. ^ Shanley, Patrick (October 15, 2019). "Riot Games Developing Animated Series Based on 'League of Legends'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
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  16. ^ "Jinx Voice — Arcane (TV Show)". Behind The Voice Actors. Archived from the original on 6 November 2021. Retrieved 6 November 2021. A green check mark indicates that the role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of the title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  17. ^ "Odyssey - The Universe Needs Heroes". Riot Games. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  18. ^ "About Star Guardian Jinx". Riot Games. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  19. ^ Palmer, Philip (October 22, 2019). "League of Legends Arcane TV series: Release date, story, characters, and everything we know". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on October 26, 2019. Retrieved March 14, 2020.
  20. ^ "Welcome to the Playground". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 1. November 6, 2021. Netflix.
  21. ^ "Some Mysteries Are Better Left Unsolved". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 2. November 6, 2021. Netflix.
  22. ^ "The Base Violence Necessary for Change". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 3. November 6, 2021. Netflix.
  23. ^ "Happy Progress Day!". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 4. November 13, 2021. Netflix.
  24. ^ "Everybody Wants to Be My Enemy". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 5. November 13, 2021. Netflix.
  25. ^ "When These Walls Come Tumbling Down". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 6. November 13, 2021. Netflix.
  26. ^ "The Boy Saviour". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 7. November 20, 2021. Netflix.
  27. ^ "Oil and Water". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 8. November 20, 2021. Netflix.
  28. ^ "The Monster You Created". Arcane. Season 1. Episode 9. November 20, 2021. Netflix.
  29. ^ "Imagine Dragons & JID - Enemy (from the series Arcane League of Legends) - Official Music Video". League of Legends YouTube Channel. 28 October 2021. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  30. ^ Nattress, Katrina (October 29, 2021). "Imagine Dragons' New Song 'Enemy' Sounds Like Nothing They've Done Before". iHeartMedia. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  31. ^ Goslin, Austen (October 28, 2021). "Imagine Dragons released a new song for League of Legends: Arcane's music video". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 10, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  32. ^ "Hextech Heroes - Chibi Champion Showcase - Teamfight Tactics". League of Legends YouTube Channel. November 9, 2021. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  33. ^ "Jinx Champion Showcase - Gameplay - Legends of Runeterra". Legends of Runeterra YouTube Channel. April 17, 2020. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  34. ^ a b "You Really Got Me - Cinematic Trailer - League of Legends: Wild Rift (ft. 2WEI)". League of Legends YouTube Channel. 27 October 2020. Archived from the original on 1 January 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  35. ^ "Runeterra Enters PUBG Mobile to celebrate RiotX Arcane". Riot Games. November 5, 2021. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  36. ^ "Fortnite Gets Jinxed to celebrate Arcane". Riot Games. November 5, 2021. Archived from the original on November 22, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  37. ^ T., Victoria (November 12, 2021). "Announcing: The Among Us x Arcane Cosmicube!". Innersloth. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  38. ^ Walser, Andrew (November 17, 2021). "How 'Arcane' Changes 'League of Legends' Lore". Collider. Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved December 15, 2021. "In League of Legends, the young girl Powder will grow up to become one of League's most iconic champions, Jinx."{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  39. ^ Hermanns, Grant (November 5, 2021). "Ella Purnell Interview: Arcane League of Legends". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on November 23, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021. "Screen Rant spoke exclusively with Arcane star Ella Purnell to discuss bringing the fan-favorite Jinx to life..."{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: postscript (link)
  40. ^ Chapman, Christian (March 29, 2021). "League Of Legends: 10 Jinx Cosplay That Are Too Accurate". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  41. ^ Kennedy, Matthew (November 29, 2021). "Arcane fan's Jinx cosplay is spot-on". Dot Esports. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  42. ^ "Yesterday was Get Jinxed's five-year anniversary, so let's celebrate Jinx". Dot Esports. October 9, 2018. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  43. ^ Lane, Rick (12 November 2021). "The 50 most iconic characters in PC gaming". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on 26 November 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  44. ^ "Arcane — TV Review". www.commonsensemedia.org. November 11, 2021. Archived from the original on January 31, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  45. ^ "Netflix's Arcane: League of Legends Series Is a Surprisingly Vital Videogame Adaptation". pastemagazine.com. November 5, 2021. Archived from the original on December 23, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  46. ^ Motamayor, Rafael (November 20, 2021). "Arcane Season 1 Review — IGN". Archived from the original on November 21, 2021. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  47. ^ Webster, Andrew (November 6, 2021). "Netflix's Arcane is a slick and exciting intro to League of Legends". The Verge. Archived from the original on January 18, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2021.
  48. ^ "What League Of Legends Fans Think Netflix's Arcane Got Right About Jinx". Looper. December 1, 2021. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  49. ^ Pedersen, Erik (December 21, 2021). "Annie Awards Nominations: 'Raya And The Last Dragon' & 'Encanto' Lead Field For Animation Prizes". Deadline. Archived from the original on March 7, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2021.
  50. ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 12, 2022). "Annie Awards: 'The Mitchells Vs. The Machines', 'Arcane' Dominate; 'Flee' Takes Best Indie Film – Full Winners List". Deadline. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2022.
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