They were 2 broken people who found a brief solace in their father/daughter-like relationship. Silco did his very best and his best was horrible.

When people say that silco is a “good dad” it drives me nuts. Did he try to take care of her? Yes. Did he love her from the bottom of his heart? Yes. Did he want her to be happy? Absolutely. But he was still abusive and he didn’t express any of these traits in a healthy manner. The relationship is beautifully depicted, but that doesn’t make it healthy.

To be honest I'm a little shocked that anyone can look at this relationship and come away thinking it was entirely healthy or admirable. While Powder may have shown signs of instability even before Silco got his hands on her, I truly don't think she would have inevitably become Jinx without his toxic influence. And I really don't know how you can argue that a good responsible parent would encourage their child to become a weapon for their cause like that. Like you've pointed out there's a lot of complexity to this this relationship, and loving someone is not the same as treating them in a way that's healthy. I know my mom loves me, but she still did some incredibly damaging things when I was growing up so it's been clear to me for a long time that love and unhealthy behavior are not mutually exclusive. I would sincerely hope anyone who missed the red flags between Jinx and Silco do some research and reevaluate their definition of a healthy relationship for their own sake.

As a writer myself, I absolutely *adore* Silco and Jinx's relationship--not because I think it's a good, wholesome, father/daughter dynamic, but because it's so complex and nuanced. Yes Silco loves Jinx unconditionally and wholeheartedly, yes Jinx loves and trusts Silco as much as she's capable of, but it is *absolutely* poisonous to both of them. It's toxic and abusive and *bad*, but that doesn't mean it's *not* loving--that's what makes it so fascinating. It's so complex and so genuinely, *tragically* human. I think the relationship is not praiseworthy in the sense that it's a good, healthy dynamic, but in the sense that it's a real and genuine portrayal of how these toxic relationships function, because oftentimes there *is* genuine love in the relationship. I know my mother loves me, but she did a lot of damage without meaning to because of her own traumas and her own toxic traits, and I've seen dozens of other people comment similar sentiments. It's absolutely *not* a relationship anyone should aspire to in real life whatsoever, but as a writer I can only hope to bring as much nuance into my own characters and their relationships.

I saw the title and automatically said "YES! THANK YOU!!" Even before I watched the show I saw ppl glorifying their father-daughter relationship but when I watched it I was like "sure they love each other, but this is toxic af"

Okay here I go: Silco and Jinx's relationship is something very tragic not because I see Silco's an abuser but because his own trauma prevents him from being the healthiest person to her. Really, I think the only parent in the show who I'd describe as "loves their kid but def didn't show it well" is Ambessa with her relationship with Mel. He already exhibits good dad behavior: being patient, loving, accepting, attempting to help her the way he can. She can talk to him about any problem she has without fear of being shunned! I have a much healthier relationship with my parents but even I am sometimes afraid to tell them my problems. But he also passes down his toxic world views down to her because he can't move on from his trauma (Thanks Vander!). He tells Jinx that everyone will betray them not because he's a lying piece of shit who wants to isolate her so that she'll only depend on him BUT because he's broken man twisted by the world who truly believes in what he says. His closest friend betrayed him, it's no wonder he believes everyone else will. It's his attempt of *protecting* her. Besides this isn't a world where everyone-is-your-friend-you're-safe-here, this is a world dog-eat-dog-watch-your-back In any case, Jinx seems to have freedom. She goes to places by herself (the Arcade and the place where she was when she lit the flare). Silco also does send her on missions with others (see ep 4) He tries to kill Vi, which is very very yikes, but he didn't come at it in a way "This is important to Jinx so I have to ruin it for her." He does it because of he's *scared* of losing her. The one person he loves. The whole baptism scene is his own way of therapy, it's basically him telling her "My daughter, in this river where I became the man I am today, is the one I want you to drown Powder, the name of the past that haunts you so very much. I want you to be brave, to be strong and to never let those demons hold you any longer." And it did work pretty well before she heard that Vi was back. We see her after the baptism being all happy and solving the hexgem, she very willing to talk to other people (see Chuck) . Yes, she's suffering from actual mental illnesses but Silco doesn't have the knowledge we have, it's unfair to judge him with our standards. You can't get mad at a monkey for not fixing your car if you had not taught it to hold a wrench! He lies to Jinx about Vi being there for the crystal : Though you CAN argue that he truly believes Vi isn't a good sister, which is what I believe due to him thinking Vander and Vi are the same and his major trust issues. The thing is, the intention hasn't changed, he's fucking terrified of her leaving him. He's went through being abandoned once already, he doesn't want to deal with that agonizing pain again. I do believe if therapy existed and Silco was able to get help (and wasn't a drug kingpin lmao, which is really why he allows Jinx to build bombs and kill people because if he's already committing crimes, why shouldn't she?), he would've been a really great dad. But for a world which is very unhealthy, has no way for someone to properly go address their traumas, I think Silco did the best he could. Sometimes it was right and sometimes it was wrong. It's complex like everything else in Arcane. That's the real tragedy with these two. They're very broken by the people they loved and the world they lived in.

I never thought Chuck had a crush on jinx or liked her or anything like that. I thought he was just scared because of the awful stories he probably heard about her.

I find it really sad how he projects his relationship with Vander onto Jinx’s relationship with Vi, because he thinks they’re the same. But it’s also really frustrating to watch because he’s corrupted their dynamic and lets Jinx’s insecurities fester overtime without trying to help her properly heal, just as he never did.

My impression is some people are desperate to hear the words "You're perfect" and be shown love, even if that love is utterly toxic.

As someone who grew up in an abusive household you absolutely nailed everything I took away from the Silco and Jinx relationship. I felt neither happy nor upset, but instead a deeply emotional and sad understanding of it. I'd like to add that Silco also isolated himself from others emotionally, as most often seen when dealing with Sevika whom was trying in her own way to be his friend as much as an underling, fortifying the co in the codependence. They genuinely loved each other, but to the exclusion of everyone else. On a side note: Regarding the 'Chuck' relationship. If you stop frame on his face and compare it to the episode one street brawl, you'll see that he's the kid that chased her and ended up getting glitter bombed, making the prank on him as an adult all the more meaningful. He was genuinely terrified of her dealing retribution, and I'm reasonably sure she'd kept that ball rolling over the years just to mess with him.

If Jinx is the “perfect” embodiment of the Zaun that Silco was striving for, that’s some really damning poetry, given what Silco turned the undercity into during the timeskip. I was primed from the moment act 1 ended to believe that Silco would be controlling and manipulative of Powder while also making her depend on him for human connection. I didn’t realize that Silco actually cared about Jinx until the gramophone scene, of all moments. There was something so unexpectedly commonplace about that moment, in an uncommon location between uncommon people, and I was suddenly forced to realize that there was more going on than what I was letting myself see. …also who the hell thought the scene with her at the bar was flirtatious? “Chuck” was obviously unnerved and she was obviously trying to unnerve him. He’s literally standing as physically far away from her as he can while still handing her the drink. What? Also she’s like, 14? Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this topic.

Honestly have no idea how anyone could look at the scene with Chuck and think either of them were flirting anywhere there (then again it comes from the same people that seriously argue Vi flirts with Jayce so I guess I shouldn't be shocked). Chuck was clearly terrified of her and Jinx new that and, in a way, tormented him for information before making him think he was going to die. Oh yeah. So flirty.

Silco and Jinx are amazing characters because of how broken they are And for each other, unknowingly, they were the worst for each other while feeling like they were exactly what they needed.

"Guns for Hire," the song that plays as Jinx lights the flare for Vi to find her, is literally about Silco's need for control and his tendency to manipulate his relationships to achieve his goals. And when his control falters, everything he has built is at risk of crumbling down, and he only has himself to blame. He did love Jinx, but his manipulation of her is undeniable. Sometimes telling someone they are perfect is the absolute worst thing you can say to them when they need serious help.

Man, I'm speechless. idk what to say because I feel like everything you said is exactly what I felt. Before this I didn't really know how to describe their relationship except saying, "The sad thing is he really did love her, and she really did love him." And that is the exact sentiment you showed. That yes, they did love each other, but not every way that they expressed their love was healthy. The control they both wanted to have was too destructive for either of them to make it out on top. And because of their individual trauma, neither was given a healthy way to overcome it, and instead continued to worsen it (either intentionally or not). Which is why it drove me nuts seeing ppl say it was healthy, because I could never really explain why I felt it wasn't. I'd just motion at the screen and be like "What about this is healthy??" while Jinx is stabbing Silco with his eyedrops or Silco is lowering her into the river while saying she needs to let that anger/trauma fester to become Jinx. Yes there were aspects of the relationship that were sweet, like Jinx's art and Silco feeling relaxed around her, but that doesn't change the fact they have insane negative effects on each other.

I think the Silco and Jinx relationship can be summarized pretty neatly; You can try your best, and still fail. You can mean well for someone and do wrong by them. Silco *tried* and truly meant to *well by Jinx*, in the spiritual sense that speaks well of Silco' transformation as a person who worked only for his life's goal and ended up sacrificing that goal for someone else, but attempting to do well, and meaning well, does not mean you actually DID well. He tried, and he failed. As painful as that is.

I love this take. Some people tend to think that Jinx was the only one suffering in the relationship and Silco is just a big bad abusive father. Silco and Jinx both have truama and insecurities and they're both codependent on eachother. But Silco holds the power in the relationship, so whether intentional or not, the abuse was his doing.

Seriously though when it comes to these people who immediately expect a romantic relationship between literally any 2 characters who appear on screen in the same scene simply because they exchange words really needs to be given a hug.

I have to say, it's a terrible idea to gloss over the fact that what Silco did to Jinx/Powder was in any way healthy. Their relationship was unhealthy, but there was something twisted and beautiful about their chemistry that couldn't be put into words. As you said, an absolute masterpiece, painted by blood. As for Silco being a "Good dad", it depends on what aspect you look at it from. ・He was always happy to help her out ・Doesn't treat the trauma she experienced like it is nothing (although this is because Silco understood this himself) ・He does his best to give Jinx an important role, giving her as many opportunities as her that could be recognised by others (I can go on and on but I think most of it is mentioned so yeah (￣▽￣)) Which I would say is definitely a quality of a caring and good parent (Personal opinion) The problem was that Silco wasn't familiar with raising children (quite obviously) and was highly anti-social. This leads him to unconsciously Isolate her because Silco has isolated himself, and unknowingly manipulates her when scared of losing her. After all, manipulating others was what he has been doing his entire life. What's even more heartbreaking is that Silco isn't completely "lying". It seemed like he genuinely believed Vi was going to abandon her, not to underestimate the fact that he doesn't know her well. Abusing people is easy, and this includes abusing yourself, and Silco has ended up doing both.

I feel like Silco genuinely loved Jinx and could’ve been a great father if the circumstances were better. His biggest mistake was comparing powder to himself. They had both been betrayed by someone very close to them, Vander for Silco and Vi for Powder. But the circumstances were different. For one Powder probably had a closer relationship to Vi than Silco had to Vander. While Silco was a grown adult when Vander betrayed him, Powder was child and probably thought of Vi as a surrogate mother as well as a sister. Also the guilt that powder felt as well. Silco blames the deaths of the people who died in the Zaunian revolution on Piltover while Powder blames herself for Milo and Claggor’s deaths and she is still haunted by them. He tried to teach her to grow out of the pain the same way he did. By moving further. By getting ever closer to his goals but that wasn’t gonna work for Powder.

This type of cautionary tale is a definitely uncomfortable, but it is needed. It resonates with me a lot. I am fortunate enough now to be in a better place and in a healthy, loving relationship, as well as many awesome friendships!!!! For anyone out there going through a toxic relationship with a family member like I have, romantic, or any other type, I promise you, it does get better.

I really appreciate your willingness to share, even if only vaguely, your experiences with toxicity in your relationship. It’s never easy to expose something so personal or challenging, and it takes a lot of guts. As for Jynx and Silco, I’m with you in my concerns regarding how some people idealize this father-daughter relationship. Their codependency is very clearly on display and while their love for one another seems genuine, that doesn’t make the ways in which they express it healthy. In many ways, these two had been ruined by their prior experiences, left broken to such an extent that their expressions of love were bound to be tainted. They are both victims in that sense, becoming victimizers because that’s what they understand.

100% agree that Silco "showed signs and glimpses of being a wonderful father." The seeds/potential of something good were there. That's why the relationship dynamic is so compelling. We want to see how the universal need for love/acceptance unfolds. How love can manifest/express itself in different (even terrible & toxic) ways. Like a beautiful trainwreck you can't take your eyes off of. Also: great point that love is an emotion. And like any other emotion, it can be blinding & destructive in excess.

Jinx and Silco are my two favorite characters. They also have my favorite character relationship in the show, the scenes of them together were always my favorite

Villains are typically personifications of things loathed, such as greed or hate or lust. REAL people, villains or heroes, have actual PERSONALITIES... and all the strengths AND weaknesses thereof. The success of Silco and Jinx as villains is that they do not exist to be villainous. They are crafted to be like REAL people who happen to do horrible things. Like REAL people, they have hopes and dreams too. They love and are loved.

I like the relationship for what it is --- a codependent, unhealthy one. It can be hard to watch but it's also intriguing in a way. And yes, it shows abuse between two people who don't actively try to be abusive. Which is why there's a lot of squick and ??? for me when I see people ship the two like I can't even verbalize it. I give kudos for the writers not glorifying the relationship or Jinx's mental illness. That being said Powder starts off still as very isolated and co-dependent and I don't think she ever was going to come out mentally stable unless she got some serious therapy as a child and in Zaun that was never going to happen. I don't even think Vander gave her the attention she needed and Vi was never going to be enough or think she was enough.

It's not a healthy relationship at all, but there is a tragic beauty about it too that makes it fascinating to watch. I liked the point about 'love not always being enough' and how it can be weaponised to do harm, or cause people to act selfishly. But that also doesn't make the love not real. It's why Silco's dying words make a lot of people feel so much, despite his character, because it feels like a pure, sincere moment amongst all the others that are layered by toxicity.

I mentioned all of this to my sister and it broke her paradigm of their relationship so hard. I love both of these two and i think they have a genuinely loving relationship. But Silco was a damaged and broken man warped by his ideals and beliefs and all of that seeped into how he brought Jinx up. I dont think any of it was ever intentional. But sometimes thats the worst kind of abuse because it's not obvious and it is unfortunately the most common.

I'm so glad you made this video. Personally, I also feel uncomfortable when people claim Powder and Silco's relationship as healthy. While there may be healthy elements to it (Silco's trust and love), they definitely are not good for each other. As heartbreaking and touching as his final words were to her, I can't help but think that they were the last thing he should have said to Powder-- to change nothing, that she is perfect. The sad truth is Powder isn't perfect as she is. She's violent and unpredictable. And she has so much that she needs to heal from. As much as he may love her, Silco doesn't push her to improve in any healthy way.

Great analysis. They really captured so much nuance in this relationship. It was at once sweet and loving, and toxic and abusive. It was really hard to watch because of that fine line they walked so well.

This was definitely an abusive relationship. There was clear manipulation of an already broken mind, but there was also genuine affection.

Videos like this let me know that I'm curating my fandom experience thoroughly, because I haven't seen these bad takes first hand. I think you did a great job of going through the messy complications of their relationship! (Also, the idea that the bartender was flirting with Jinx is so mind boggling like he's CLEARLY afraid of her but even if he WAS attracted to her, whomst is foolish enough to hit on their boss's daughter when their boss is Silco?? Considering Silco's Whole Deal, it would not at all surprise me if he straight up killed someone for trying to get with Jinx. They DEFINITELY wouldn't be staying on his payroll, lmao).

What you said in the beginning - that abuse should not be written for laughs - made me think. That also applies to Sheldon Cooper in 'the big bang theory' right? Because you're right. I'm an abuse victim myself, experienced all kinds of toxic behavior towards me with LOTS of gaslighting and manipulation and when I watched big bang for the first time I didn't find it funny, just uncomfortable and a little triggering. My friends didn't understand me at all, they loved the show and couldn't see where I was coming from.

This is an incredible break down of the abuse in this relationship. Thank you for your insights with this

I’m a male in my 20’s and this video has almost brought me to tears multiple times. This video resonates with from the show and from your own stories. This has made me realize my own faults in my last relationship. Throughout this show and video it made me really think about my relationship and I see jinx and Silco as who I was on different occasions and different times throughout the relationships. I won’t go into to much detail but holy f*ck I’m messed up right now but I think in a good way.

I've personally faced almost every kind of abuse there is, so when you were going to talk about it and you got that lump in your throat, I FELT THAT. It's a raw feeling, an emotion that truly has no conceptual basis or discernable root. It physically takes a hold on you, that feeling in your throat, and when other people bring up their pain and they feel it, it's the only way you know you can relate. That awful, horrible, throat feeling. I hear you.

I agree with your points, and I especially respect and understand the added personal experience you bring to this discussion. Jinx and Silco’s dynamic is not a healthy one; it’s toxic and rooted in trauma and codependency. However, I think a viewer can still admire and enjoy viewing this relationship while simultaneously admitting that it isn’t healthy or something to aspire to in reality. In my opinion, Jinx and Silco’s relationship is a tragic one, but to some extent, a beautiful one too. I think what sets their dynamic apart from, say, Mother Gothel and Rapunzel’s dynamic in Tangled, is that both parties are attached to one another and love each other dearly. Mother Gothel is intentionally and unapologetically abusive. She gaslights and isolates Rapunzel knowing full well what she’s doing, but continues to do it because she cares more about Rapunzel’s hair than Rapunzel herself. Rapunzel is nothing but an asset to her, an extension of her own greed, and it’s a hindrance to Gothel that, in order to reap the benefits of Rapunzel’s magic hair, she is forced to endure her constant presence as a daughter. This is not the situation with Silco and Jinx. Silco shows unconditional love for Jinx, and it could be argued that he accepts and embraces who she is more than Vi ever did. Jinx is able to grow into someone capable of defending herself, capable of making her inventions work the way she wants them to, and she gains a confidence that she never had as Powder. Of course, the obvious drawback to this is that Jinx is unhappy and unwell. The only other person in her life that she cares about is Silco, and you’re correct in your point about him purposefully isolating her. She suffers from debilitating mental illness, and her self destructive flaws are only encouraged and praised by Silco because he values the chaos and monster within her. Like it or not, Jinx is his perfect weapon. She embodies the chaos of Zaun that he never could. And yet, by the end, as soon as everything he’s ever wanted is within his grasp, he gives up everything for her. He doesn’t do this out of any kind of benefit to himself-quite the opposite. Jinx is a detriment to him and his success with Zaun, and he knows it. She’s a detriment to him because she has become something he values more than his nation, and that was something he never expected. I don’t think Silco manipulates Jinx intentionally, or out of any conscious malice. He manipulates her because he’s terrified to lose her, not understanding that love is about valuing the other person’s free will and independence. Whether he admits it or not, he’s still traumatized by Vander’s betrayal, and he projects all of that trauma onto Jinx as a sort of catharsis and validation for himself, and for her. He tells her, “Everyone betrays us,” not because he’s lying to get her to obey him, but because he believes that it’s true. Now that he believes he’s found the one person in the world who understands him more than anyone, who he can trust whole heartedly, he’s willing to do anything to keep her, even if that means lying to her about Vi’s supposed intentions. He hates Vi, not only because she hurt Jinx, but because he projects his hatred of Vander onto her AND she is the one person who could potentially take Jinx away from him. I think some of us have this fantasy of being loved unconditionally by someone else. Where all our flaws, even the most horrendous and chaotic ones, are excused and forgiven with no hesitation. Where if we were ever in any kind of danger, this person would be willing to rip the world apart to save us. I think the reason people are so attached to Jinx and Silco’s dynamic is because they fulfill that fantasy. Unconditional love that is so strong it becomes dangerous is a trope that many people gravitate towards because, although it’s unrealistic and would never work out well in our real lives, it’s enjoyable to imagine a world where someone could love US like that, no matter what or who we were.

Chuck was visibly nervous by Jinx's presence both because he was hiding something from her and because he was afraid of her

Thank for making this video to shed light on how toxic relationships work. I'm really horrified that so many glorify their relationship. It's so unhealthy and abusive, and people don't read between the lines. Instead of "Silco accepted a part of her that Vi never did and his love was pure", it should be that Silco would have killed her like he did her family on the spot if Jinx didn't remind him of herself when she reached out to him for comfort. The relationship was born from toxicity so how can it be seen as anything but unhealthy, really?

THANK YOU for this video. I was extremely fortunate not to experience abuse as a child, so I had no words for the worries Georgia Dow's explanation caused in me. I tried, especially with Silco's dying words, and I'm fairly pleased with the explanation I reached in that comment but I definitely lacked the eloquence that comes from truly understanding the situation. All I knew was "no, this isn't a good thing" and focused more on what flaws Silco had to have in order to make these decisions. It took me down the rabbit hole of the difference between empathy and sympathy and compassion, between logic and rationality, and how they all relate to each other, but the actual anatomy of the problems between Silco and Jinx requires so much more than "Why". This is the "What" and the "How" of that relationship, and I am grateful you chose to expose yourself this way so that we could understand.

This is fairly hard for me to word as the relationship shown pulled strings in a certain way, I simultaneously hated and liked it and felt it but it didn't make me uncomfortable. There were good parts buried in it, but so man it was overshadowed heavily by the damage that was done and actively being done. I feel like the worst thing that Silco did was the very first, instead of looking for Vi or dispelling the lashing out feelings she had towards them he latched onto it and kept her in that moment since. He never tried to help her in the situation he forced her into and took her from, he pushed her further into it and showed no remorse for doing so. Some of that may not have been something he would've done prior, he latched on the moment she showed and related it to his own trauma and tried to work with it has he had instead of taking a step back or watching how it hurt her. He avoided that Vi existed and it bit him in the ass. His further driving her into the moment in ways she could not handle got him shot as he tried to rectify the mistake of acting like there was no chance Vi would ever return. The more she stayed in the moment the more she wanted Vi back, as much as she recoiled from the hit. That aside... I've been in the situations more than I'd like to admit. From one sided forced dependency from my abusive father, to the manipulation from the rest of my family, to the codependency and manipulation between me and who's still a good friend and her now absent seven year ex. My parents, uncles, aunts, took part willingly and knowingly as that was how they were taught to raise someone from their parents, but me and my siblings and cousins have to actively recognize and pull back from acting out in a manipulative way. Part of me is paranoid the people that like to be around me is because I've manipulated them into being so unknowingly, leading to a lot of anxiety and tendency to self isolate which just makes the situation worse. I might be on from acting as I have and away from the manipulation but it's still there, which is quite concerning for Jinx' future in the series as much of a step that was made in the season 1 finally if they do stick to the grittiness as they had between the time skip. She has Vi, Vi has her and Caitlyn, and Silco is dead, but there's still a lot of progress to be made in regards to making that happen. How people see Silco and don't feel pissed at him, I don't know. At every step he couldn't put his self aside for her, even when it seems like he had. Saving Jinx, he made her the monster she saw herself as and despised. Up until a brief moment before the end, only to be shot in the foot as he tries to shoot Vi against everything Jinx has shown in that moment.

Here the thing about Silco and Jinx and abusve relationships. Most of the times its not one sided. One party loves the other and the other doesn't. Yes Silco did manipulate Jinx but the thing it is; yes it is manipulation but from Silco's POV he's telling her the truth. Silco thinks he and Jinx are going through the same thing and as such he thinks what worked for him will work for her, but Vi is not like Vander, because unlike Vander, Vi would never betray or abandon Jinx but Silco doesn't view it that way. But also "Loving Someone doesn't justify a person's actions." Which can be applied to Silco, Vander and other characters from other shows, movies and video games.

When people were praising this relationship I went along with it at first because I was very naive and unable to comprehend their relationship, but I always knew deep down that something wasn’t right cus the way Silco “raises” Jinx always made me feel uncomfortable or sick to my stomach. It was like watching an adult groom a child into a relationship& take advantage of her broken mind to mold her into someone he wants her to by projecting his trauma onto her, all while saying things like, “I understand what your going through” “We’re not so different” “I’m here for you” to trick her into thinking he cares when he’s just using her as a pawn.

I went on the internet a while ago looking for a video like this, and I found Georgia Dow's.... I couldn't even get 10 minutes through. I appreciate that you can understand and even love these characters...and still know that love doesn't mean healthy. I saw a lot of my dad at his worst moments in Silco. Projecting, putting her in uncomfortable positions in the name of love and trust, lying to get what he wants. Thankfully my dad has gotten help and we have a much more healthy relationship now. It was just so jarring for me, it was like reliving those moments.

This might get removed but I came across this video in my recommended because I've been watching a lot of arcane stuff recently. I saw your name and recognized it from a streamer I used to watch daily a few years ago. Keep at it man. You're doing alright.

this video stated everything i've always wanted to say about this relationship. i've seen it glorified way too much and it just makes me uncomfortable - i've literally seen people say silco is the best dad ever, which is way too far from the truth. this video perfectly captured the truth and everything that needs to be said about this; thank you for making it. another thing that kind of upset me was actually silco's final moments where he tells jinx she's perfect. i love jinx so, so much and she's my favorite character in any media at all - but even i have to disagree. i think that she's flawed and needs to reflect on her past life and accept everything that happened instead of pushing it away, burning it, and becoming an entirely new person that is the embodiment of all chaos. she struggles with change and letting go, and i think if silco was actually a genuinely good father, he would help her with that instead. he'd help her accept her past and get through it, or at least try; but instead, he looked at it as a blank canvas, and changed her to be someone he could easily manipulate and have full control over. jinx was extremely vulnerable in this last scene and much more susceptible to believe what silco says, which is what will make her redemption arc so difficult - if she even gets one at all. that's what i think, at least - i hope this kinda captured what you were going for?? if not i'm sorry, i'm not a trained professional either, this was just my take on it

Completely agree. A problem I find is that in these relationships, especially parent and child, the victim's trauma is invalidated just because the abuser did not realize the harm that they were causing. But damage made aggainst someone emotional, mental, or physical is damage that still occurred and scars the victim whether the abuser realizes it or not. Trauma is still trauma and it needs healing which might be reconciliation or distance. Even those who could potentially reconcile to a healthier relationship might do better separating themselves. Just because you can or their is potential doesn't mean more harm than good is created in the long run. Plus, even if the abuser doesn't want to be abusive, or at least seen that way, it doesn't mean they didnt want something unhealthy from the relationship. Using jinx and silco as an example while I I think silco loved jinx he did have a goal for the relationship outside of that love. He projected himself on powder and wanted to change her just as he feels is right. He acts as if he wants powder to accept whole self but as the same time is telling her to ignore or lock aspects of herself away. He doesn't want to hurt her but he does want to change her, in order for that change to occur damage was done. This could happen in real life change, sex, a set image of a "perfect relationship/parter/son/daughter" in one's eyes, or an expectation of character (like thinking your kid is and should be just like you or grow up to be a doctor). All of these things are goals that abusers might want from the victim and while not wanting and to a degree not realizing the harm they cause still result in abuse in one form or another. Abuse is abuse. Trauma is trauma. Pain is pain. No matter the intentions or self image someone has it doesn't change what they have done.

Thank you for touching on this - it says a lot of what I've been thinking about "love not being enough, just by itself" to fix anything. When I watched Arcane with a bunch of friends and they began really idealizing Jinx and Silco's relationship, I felt so uncomfortable in a way I couldn't quite name. I appreciate you making this video :)

What a show. I mean how long has it been where we can really break down characters, debate story and motives with such passion. In some ways I think Arcane showed us what story telling can be again, it makes us feel human.

This is a great video. It sounds like you and I went through similar experiences in a relationship. The element you talked about that really sticks out for me is the isolation - slowly peeling away friends, family, and the rest of your support network. It left me emotionally dependent on my partner and made it impossible for me to see what was really going on. The frog in the boiling water. What finally helped me was making a new group of close friends through online gaming (since in-person activities would have been looked on suspiciously). When one of my friends said my relationship was emotionally abusive, it crystallized everything for me. For the next year or so after that, I worked on reconnecting with close family members I hadn't talked to in a decade and got myself out of that situation. I've ended up in a much healthier relationship where my partner actively encourages me to make and maintain connections with other people and to avoid isolation. So much of what you said resonates with me and I just want to thank you for putting this out there; hopefully it helps some people recognize potentially similar situations in their own lives.

I find the section about isolation to be so powerful in describing their relationship. The way Silco was trying to kill Vi to regain control over Jinx is a really good example of what you said.

I can't believe this is even a discussion. The writers have flat out stated they wrote their relationship to illicit uncomfortable feelings in the viewers.

Your perspective was very touching to listen to, thank you for sharing your story, I know that can’t be easy. I’ve never been in an abusive or manipulative relationship, but watching the show I always felt…. On edge about jinx and Silco. They love each other but there’s so much destruction in their love that I always wanted them to get away from each other. I thought the show did a great job of showing how toxic unconditional love can be (silco telling her she’s perfect when he should be helping her become better, for example), and also how control and isolation can stunt someone’s ability to grow (jinx being seven years older yet still acting like a little girl). It is so deeply concerning every time I see people talking about what a great dad he is and how they have such a healthy relationship when the reality is that their relationship is so poisoned and now the rod them even know it

I love the Georgia Dow video, but I very much enjoyed seeing a different view on the matter. I know you were waiting for the Jinx/Silco Stans to rip you to shreds, but you handled it the topic with such grace. Thank you for making the video.

he literally said it himself “i lied to you cause i didn’t want you to leave me”

Years of therapy and a thousand dollars worth of self help books haven’t explained relationships like this as well as you have. Please keep doing what you’re doing, your voice is needed in our world.

I find it interesting that people think the bar scene between jinx and chuck is in anyway a flirtatious conversation. I always saw chuck's discomfort coming from the fact that he was talking to a very unpredictable girl that had guns and explosives and would use them at the drop of a hat for no reason. I think he acts the way he does because he has no idea what could trigger her and is just trying to keep himself alive in the scene. He is just super nervous and jittery.

I have to thank you for talking about the unknowing aspect of their abuse. I, just a few days ago, cut off a "friend" who mistreated, attacked, manipulated and psichologically and emotionally abused me. I let this happen for an entire year, telling him every single time that he hurted me and shouldn't do that again, but backing down anytime I saw him cry and apologize choking down on his own tears. It got to a point where I was totally TERRIFIED of him, anytime he got frustrated he started acting violent and hitting everything around me. I could only think "when is he gonna hit me? Which one of these days am I gonna be phisically close enough to him in the wrong moment and get hit?". Yet I justified his behavior to every single person that told me how wrong he was, all because he didn't do it on purpose. I couldn't name his behavior "abuse" because I knew it was due to him not being able to handle and proccess his own emotions and insecurities, instead of him being "evil". But manipulation and abuse are still those things even if the person did them unknowingly. And it took me a lot of time to accept that. So I'm not only glad that Arcane shows this kind of relationship, I'm incredibly grateful to see you talking about it and highlighting this aspect of it. I wish the best of luck to you, and I sincerely hope you can finally get closure .

I absolutely loved this video! Thank you so much to bring up such a valid analogy between manipulative tactics, abusive relationships and what are the limits between love and abuse, comparing with a masteripece of the pop culture! I found your channel recently, but I'm already glad to see those themes gaining importance and validation on the internet! Again, thank you so much for your amazing videos! Keep up the great work🤩🙏

(I'm saying this before I watch the video) I definitely don't think this is healthy, and while I think Silco may genuinely love Jinx and thinks he's doing the right thing, he is most definitely not. I'm not defending him. But I don't think he entirely realizes what he's doing in their relationship is definitely not how you handle it.

The good thing about Arcane is that it exposes behaviors, and in a way humanizes them. Criminology and mental issues are 2 different things. But bad writers often try to mix them. This show shows the human side of things. You see many unhealthy people, making bad decisions. But this is needed to create these characters. If you wanted a wholesome show, make Powder finish that sandwich in episode 1. The end.

It really does need to be said that love isn't always enough. Many see love as a justification for all, that if you love someone then all your actions towards them are positive. The sad truth is that just because you love someone doesn't mean you still can't hurt them or be a toxic influence in their life. Silco does love Jinx but did nothing positive for her. Everything he said or did just made things worse for Jinx. This was a broken girl who needed help to deal with her trauma and loss. All Silco did was make Powder's issues worse and make her more mentally unstable. I get how moving Silco and Jinx's final scene together is and it was moving to see how much he loved her but again all he did was make things worse for her. Jinx isn't perfect, she's a mentally unstable murderer who is now armed with a weapon of mass destruction. Since Silco saw her as perfect she will now think she doesn't need to change or try to fix the damage she has caused. Saying she was perfect just reenforced and cemented all of her negative aspects. Silco loved Jinx but that didn't stop him from turning her into a monster.

Yeah, this kinda reminds me of what my parents do to me. It's hard to hate someone when you love them so much and can't imagine a life without them.

Thank you for making this video. For your vulnerability and for using your experiences to illuminate what about this relationship is broken. Silco was a loving father. That doesn't mean that he was a healthy father or that he's a good role model for fathers in general. Don't get me wrong, all parents make mistakes, and we all do things that we wish we had done differently, and there's no one right way to raise a kid. That said, there are some definitely wrong things that parents sometimes do that make them abusers, even when they genuinely, tenderly love their children. After all, parents are the grown-ups.

I think this is the first video I've seen that summarizes my thoughts about this relationship so succinctly, most that I have seen tend to go to one end of the spectrum or the other, and this feels nuanced enough to actually get to the heart of the matter and really understand it. Thank you for the great video!

THANK YOU. I've barely seen any commentary on this show outside of a few videos like yours, so I haven't seen people glorify their relationship... But I'm not at all surprised. Far too many people have unhealthy or at least very uninformed views of what a healthy relationship is, which colors and components it's made out of. I wish a lot more people challenged what they've learned throughout their life, especially in their childhood, by seeking out new knowledge and learning how to evaluate and understand what that new knowledge is actually saying. I'm saying this because it's easy to try to find a better replacement for one's current knowledge but instead slip further down destructive pathways if you haven't learned how to think critically about information presented to you. Back to the relationship, which I absolutely loathed. I hated every second that they were on screen together and wanted to see them separated. For context, I have faced at least 20 years of abuse throughout my life, of which 9 and 3 years respectively were being abused by two covert narcissists (please look up what Dr Ramani has to say about it if you're not familiar) in very close proximity. I have also been abused by overt narcissists. Silco's manipulative tactics were so obvious to me that it made me not trust anything he said. It felt like the motivation behind everything he said and did was to serve and benefit him and to shield himself from his own wounds. Silco is dealing with his emotions and trauma in such poor ways that he's just not capable of having a healthy relationship. He's trying to shield himself from feeling powerless, a feeling caused by his trauma, by clawing his way to power no matter what stands in his way or what damage he causes to reach a state of perceived safety. All of the good we see him do towards Jinx that you mention in this video is to me just a way to get what he wants. Jinx wouldn't stay or give him what he wants if all he did was treat her like shit. As for co-dependency, this is how I would describe it: if we picture a trauma as a cavity in our being, like a wound caused by something on our physical body, co-dependency makes sense. Say if a parent died when a child was young, and that child is not allowed to grieve, the wound of that parent is undealt with and as that child grows up, they might seek out something to fill that cavity to numb the pain. There are some people or relationships that fit so neatly into that cavity and we experience it as the wound being closed up and our skin being smooth again, like the person has healed us. But it's really just a way of keeping the pain inside. I think this is why Silco can not bear losing Jinx, and why he is sometimes acting loving, because he is attempting to close up his wound because he can not face the pain.

Thank you for making this- It vocalized a lot of thoughts I had based on experience beautifully and concisely. Hopefully it can help people recognize these things or at least change their perspective in some way.

could not agree more my dude! beautifully said

When I met my wife I saw she had a very toxic ex. So the first thing I did was to let her understand my communication is NOT hostile. It means she does not need to read between lines, and what I say is not meant to hurt her. So when people say "I do not understand women" it is because they have not de-escalated the situation. I made her judge me not for what I say, but what I do. And I never promise anything, unless I am committed to fulfill that promise. I do not have time or energy to play mental games. And she learned that too. Mature love fixes problems talking like adults. Drama is for teenagers. Love is not an emotion, or eternal love will last 6 months. Love is not passion because people kill for passion. Love is a decision. Two people who could go separate ways anytime, decide to stay together because they are happier better people together. Codependence is the opposite, when "I love you" means "make me happy" A person who is not happy being alone, will not be happy in a relationship. A person who is happy living alone, may be happy in a relationship. This comes from a 1900s study in Germany, 1000 sampled every day during 10 years.

I think the beauty of writing is that we know a lot, but we still don't know. The only time we see Silco be anything but a good father to Jinx is when he lies to Jinx about Vi. But even then we don't truly know. Jinx has serious mental health issues, he has raised her through years trying to help her deal with that. The return of Vi is a real and possible threat to any progress she has made. Just a look alike is enough to send her spiraling. Silco might just as well just try to protect his daughters fragile mind. The best argument for this view is the final scene when Vi's lack of understanding of her sisters trauma is tearing her to shreds. The panic in Silco's eyes in that moment is true terror of knowing what Vi is doing Jinx's psyche. He is seeing his daughter in pain and nothing wrecks him more. Silco's fear of Vi might not be for losing Jinx to her, but for the harm she could and would cause her. But, it might as well be that Silco is knowingly abusive and wants to keep Jinx for himself. We just don't know. The areas of this show intentionally left gray for us to fill in, gives everyone their own experience of it. Depending on your own experiences you can either see Silco as a villain, or a necessary resistance fighter. You can see Vander as a great leader and father figure, or a distant dad and crime boss that utilizes children in his enterprise. No point of view is wrong. Maybe it just teaches us about ourselves depending how we fill in the grays.

I almost cry while listening to this video, because I have to agree with you on so many levels. But at the same time, I have to say something from the perspective of a person that has a really strained relationship with her father. Is Silco toxic? Yes, of course! But he also gives Jinx so much! So much care and love! I know that's not enough, but sometimes, you just want at least this. My father left us in a moment where my mother lost her father (my grandfather, which I was very close). He tries to maintain the relationship, but... it's not really working. And me and my brother have to watch how much care and attention he gives to his new family. And at the same time we have to deal with him still blaming us for strain in our relationship. So when I heard Silco calling Jinx perfect, I broke. I didn't care that he was abusive! At that moment, all I could care about is that Silco gave Jinx more love and understanding than my father did to me. That's why I call Silco a "good dad". I know he could be better, I know what he does is very toxic and unhealthy. But at the same time, I just can't say that he's a bad father when I see how much he trust Jinx, how much he cares about her and how much he wants to just know her. I know not all people are like this, but maybe some the people that call him a good dad, are just as starved for love and affection as I am.

I appreciate you creating and uploading this I am glad you want to be a better human too. Thank you.

Wow, thank you so much for making this video. I've just stumbled upon it by complete accident and there's so much to say where to begin... First, I come from a broken home where physical abuse while present paled in comparison to the emotional abuse that took place. I also saw all of these things while watching the show, and it made my skin crawl because I've been in that position of complete and utter helplessness while remaining wholly dependent upon my abuser and unable to find any escape. As they say, better the evil you know than the one you don't. To this day I continue to struggle with feeling worthy of anything - chiefly love, happiness, and acceptance. I echo your sentiments that this is a pandora you want to keep in the box. To say it plainly, if anyone is crazy enough to consider attempting to replicate this please reconsider. The next thing I want to say is regarding the writing. I normally HATE what I consider "negative energy" movies and shows. This was the exception, but I couldn't put my finger on why. This video explained why in agonizing detail, and for that bravo - I really mean that. You helped me understand some of my own internal processing and realizations and I think I can now actually use this as an anecdote to point to which will help convey the insanely deep complexity of the abuse of my past. The reality is, mirroring my real life experience I think Silco and Jinx were actually doing the best they could with the cards they've been dealt. Still, that doesn't make it acceptable. This is the narrative that's so difficult to explain to people who have not been involved in this type of abuse. People can't seem to hold in their head that someone is both an abuser and probably still actually trying, somehow, to do the best they can. Finally I just want to say awesome content! This is the first video I've seen of yours but you have a subscriber for life. I loved your story telling pace, high attention to detail, and high production value. I'm surprised that your channel is as small as it is but I know it will grow quickly. I'm just happy to be here for the ride.

In my opinion, Silco was the best father he could be to Jinx. He did do all the things Vander did but from his own mountain of experience. Vander imparted his knowledge on life and how to deal with things based on his own experience. Silco did the same. The problem was that Silco is a jaded and ruthless man who knows how dirty things get. He expects it not to change unless violence is done. The title of episode 3 makes it clear what his ideology is. The real interesting thing about the two dad's are that they both want good things but go about it the wrong way. Vander wants peace but ends up with bitter tensions rising because nothing is changing. Silco wants independence but in the process makes the undercity into a den of debauchery and excess. Peace and independence is a good thing but separate they cause problems.

I think the saddest thing about their dynamic was how in the end, she was perfect to him no matter which decision she decided to make. And from his perspective but shooting him she made her choice and he accepted it. He didn't get angry or even express a feeling of betrayal, he just insured to her that he would have never given her up and that she was perfect in his eyes no matter which path she decided to take. It's fucking sad And while I agree with most of what you said here, especially as being someone who went through a very similar experience that you described and that this show actually entails except mine was actually far worse. Hell I would have taken silco as a father any day over mine and I mean that... That being said don't entirely agree that Silco isolated jinx though.. for a variety of reasons that are honestly too many to name. But from my point of view he didn't isolate her but she isolated herself on her own, we even see her do this years earlier after powder messed up the heist and is sitting under her bed alone messing with her little bombs. Now...We know that she's gone on missions, We know that she roams around and essentially does pretty much whatever she wants to a point. It's also pretty clear that she finds solace in working on her gadgets alone as well. That is shown to be by her doing not Silco. I think you make a few assumptions about things that happen in the times skip that have not been shown, particularly the part about ekko. I spent 13 years of my life in the very dynamic that you are talking about here. The isolation being probably the biggest one and I didn't see that projected onto jinx by silco at all. I would argue that she had too much free reign. After stealing the gemstone one of the things Marcus says to him and his office is "she took things too far this time." Which tells us that this isn't the first time that Jinx has gone around causing problems for topside in some form, but that this particular instance was crossing a line. He either didn't have consequences set in place for her at all or he was inconsistent. Kind of like how he attempted to scold her for doing what she did in episode 4 and then when he realizes she's not listening to him he takes away her pen like a parent would take away a toy from a child. All that being said though, great video Ps- One little thing I forgot to comment on. Just wanted to say that your statement talking about how you're tired of hearing people say that Jinx has friends and we just haven't seen them yet... I had to bring it to you but people aren't pulling this out of their ass. This is something that's already been confirmed by one of the writers of the show Amanda Overton. twitter.com/leeloo104/status/1469864409832980483?t=32PCaiYIXZCrCh3nahYFuA&s=19 Someone asked if Jinx could have a friend. She replied: "Jinx has friends. Who they are has to stay a mystery for now." So yes she does have friends. Just because we have not met them does not mean they do not already exist in the show during the time it takes place There are two very likely possible options of who these friends might be one of which is the same species as Heimerdinger. But we will see.

Very good video and you touched on some very good points. I've watched Georgia Daw as well and as much as I love her analysis, I fear she overlooks some of the points about an emotional abusive relationship that you cover so well. I myself didn't shed a tear for Silco... but I did cry because Jinx cried, after she had just admitted how she realised and accepted what Silco had done to her and Vi. It shows how difficult it is to walk away from a toxic relationship, especially one you build up after a traumatic event, isolated from everyone else. I'm reminded of several episodes from Law & Order who also discuss these topics, children torn from their families who form a bond with the very people responsible for the death or destruction of their families. Their trauma from losing their family makes them attach themselves onto the first person who shows them any affection and form a symbiotic (co-)dependant relationship with. In many episodes the care of these people for their 'children' is genuine, but their shamelessness in stating that they were better for the children than their actual families is genuine as well (kinda like how Silco mocked Vi for 'driving her sister away'). I've never seen anything so infuriating on television, it's why I hate Silco so much (wonderfully written though). Most of these children grew up with their trauma unresolved and committed crimes, some simply from unresolved trauma but others out of fear of losing their toxic relationship with their new 'parents'. Any threat had to be dealt with (like Jinx attacking Piltover cause Silco might think her weak). What was most painful is that they completely rejected their old families and stated that they were really their kidnappers son/daughter. Most of these families were torn apart by guilt for 'letting' someone take their child or sibling, so when they heard their loved one completely denounce him/her and embrace this new identity, they were destroyed. The most painful one was the story of a ten year old girl who was taking care of her 5-year old brother cause their mother was dying. Out in the playground her brother was grabbed by a woman who just lost a son and was looking for a replacement. The girl had just turned her back to get some ice cream and her brother was gone when she looked back. For the next 15 years she lived with that guilt and never smiled again as her family fell apart. Years later her brother was a pedophile arrested along with his 'mother', who was unapologetic and stated she gave her 'son' a better life than the sister ever could. When the detectives told the brother this, he freaked out and announced he was his 'mothers' son, the mere mention of his real family set of a near-psychotic reaction. The sister broke down, stating that her brother died years ago and she wasn't strong enough to face her brother. That's what I saw with Vi as well. Her guilt for failing Jinx (and her family) is in direct contrast to Silco's shamelessness in the destruction of her family.

Thank you for bringing up this topic! I was really bothered by people romanticizing their relationship and I didn't have anyone to talk to about this/who agreed with me.

You can love a character dynamic and not want to emulate it. Joker and Harley, Joker and Batman, Jaime and Cersei, Joel and Ellie, Jinx and VI, Guts and Griffith, Ido and Alita, Naruto and Sasuke, Eren and Mikasa come to mind. These relationships are fascinating and you cannot look away. The bonds are just that strong. So strong that all the suffering one inflicts on the other does not break them. But they should not be goals. Rather, you should use that vicariously to look for something better for yourself.

Bro thank you for posting this I love this type of stuff from you

Frankly, I think lots of people were just happy Silco wasn't grooming and r*ping her. That's what I presumed was going to happen. Like, girl lost everyone and had an adult man take her in, and she didn't end up a trafficked sex worker? She's incredibly lucky.

this video has opened my eyes to my own co-dependency and i will be trying to seek help for it thank you

if I were Silco I wouldn't even have thought about finding her old friends. A little girl clings to me and now I'm her parent. If she asks me to find her friends I will happily do that but if she doesn't it'll just seem to me that she doesn't want to find them

Thank you so much for this video Ive watched so many videos that mentioned/expanded on their relationship, but they all either praised or simply glossed over the abusive aspects, and its been pissing me off Ive (unfortunately, when i was younger) been on both sides of manipulative relationships, and i was very quick to pick up on the tactics portrayed in arcane (having used and had them used on me) and ive gotten so tired of having to explain to friends and acquaintances that no, this is very much Not a healthy relationship. Its so nice to see someone else go into such detail to show this. Not discounting how they love each other, but going into the good and the bad.

Absolutely. There's no doubt there was love in this relationship, but it definitely wasn't healthy. It's shocking to find so many people thinking it was healthy. It just shows how much our society has deteriorated. Want a great example of a super toxic and abusive relationship? Just look at our government. The lies, gaslighting, psychological manipulation and forced isolation have been running crazy the last couple years. Still, so many people don't see through it and praise these actions as good.

[Edit: OH BOY, this is a long one] From a Jinx/Silco fan, saying my thoughts, view, and experiences (vaguely, for privacy ofc). I finished watching your video, and while I was scared at first with the title/thumbnail (i think it’s different now?), I was pleasantly surprised. To make more sense and give better organization, I will separate this comment into sections, starting with your comment at 3:01. I personally just want to bring that up real quick. Also, I will be using (or trying, oof) words like “believe,” “probably,” and so forth, as I don’t want to come off as if my view is the only correct one. [ 1; Jilco ] Before starting, I do want to mention: not all people who enjoy or like their father/daughter relationship are Jilco (Jinx x Silco) shippers. That’s a different part of the fandom. Many of us, myself including, heavily dislike the ship and find it creepy/gross. The ship personally gives me gr**ming undertones, given the fact Silco took her in and raised her when she was a child. Please, do not categorize us with them. /nm [ 2; Georgia’s Video ] Respectfully, Georgia’s video was one I both liked and disliked for differing reasons and interpretations. My biggest issue, though, is how it felt like she often focused on just the positives of their relationship. She briefly touched on the negatives, but from my perspective, it never felt like she fully touched them, especially not to the degree they needed.. even when covering scenes where Silco was being manipulative. [ 3; Jinx’s Friends? ] I agree that Jinx/Powder probably didn’t have friends during and post time skip. I believe if this was so, it would be shown. Additionally, I don’t believe she was friends with Chuck (Theriam) or Sevika. Or that Chuck was flirting (“You don’t have to tell me you’ve never touched a woman in a youtube comment.” Lmaoo). Chuck’s actions gave me the impression that he’s scared of her. As for Jinx/Powder, I don’t fully know? From my view of the scene, It looks like Jinx/Powder is just trying to mess with him and get a reaction for her own entertainment, and nothing more (besides ofc trying to get information from him, but yeah). As for Sevika, I believe the best scene to look at is the one where Jinx/Powder interrogates Sevika. She slaps Sevika awake, puts a knife to her, makes a comment most likely threatening to cut off Sevika’s other arm, and so forth. Sevika, on the other hand, tells Jinx/Powder that her sister ‘replaced’ her, brings up her dead family, says that she’ll fuck things up again, and tells Jinx/Powder that Silco will eventually leave her. I don’t believe they’re friends, but more of a mutual dislike where both try to get a jab out of the other. Especially with the scenes (in episode four) where Jinx/Powder badmouths Sevika and Sevika tells Silco to leave Jinx/Powder, calling her a ‘problem.’ [ 4; Isolation ] I personally both disagree and agree. I believe Silco never full on isolated Jinx from others, but did eventually isolate her from people like Ekko and Vi. For Ekko, I personally believe there was already a bump in their relationship, not because of isolation or how Silco treated Jinx, but because the existence of Silco and Jinx’s relationship, and in turn, Ekko’s relationship with Silco. I believe Ekko despised Silco and most likely reacted (during the time skip) similarly to Vi, wanting to re-mend their relationship and ‘save her,’ getting Silco out of the picture. And for valid reasons. Silco did kill Ekko’s caretaker, friends, and filled his home area with an addictive drug (shimmer). Experiences that most likely traumatized Ekko. He has valid reason to hate Silco. But for Jinx/Powder, Silco was her support system. A person, who in my opinion from the scenes, was a sense of safety and comfort. A person who would listen to her, who she felt comfortable and loved with. That difference in view of Silco, I believe, was the starting bump in their relationship. And for Silco, I believe he eventually didn’t want Jinx/Powder with Ekko because of both the damage he caused to Silco’s cause/business, along with Ekko’s distate towards him being a possible way Jinx/Powder would leave him. I think there was also a bit of a crack because of Jinx/Powder’s mixed emotions of Vi (Which the differing views coming from Ekko and Silco probably didn’t help), but I digress. So, when Vi returned, I believe Silco had a similar reaction as he did with Ekko. Because Ekko’s reaction, but also for other reasons such as genuinely thinking Vi abandoned Jinx/Powder, projecting his own trauma (and with that, Vi’s connection to Vander), and her possibly negative effect on Silco’s cause and relationship with Jinx/Powder. Fear of being left. (And ofc, this is not a defense of Silco’s actions) [ 5; Co-Dependency ] This section will be short, as I don’t have much to say. I agree with most of what you said. I believe Silco and Jinx have a relationship where both are co-dependent on the other due to trauma and a lack of other support systems. Neither Silco or Jinx/Powder had someone else from what I’ve seen, with the only person they used to have as support, being broken. For Silco, it was Vander. For Jinx/Powder, it was people like Vi and Ekko. And I believe that this co-dependency, for Silco, did often form into unintentional manipulation. Of course, unintentional or not, manipulation is still manipulation. [ 5; Silco and Vi’s Love ] I appreciate that you mentioned the positives of Jinx/Powder and Silco’s relationship, ect. I feel like when it comes to the discussion of Jinx/Powder’s relationship with Silco and Vi, there’s a lot of moments where people focus on only one aspect and/or demonize a character to lift the other up. Extremes. I personally believe that neither Silco or Vi should demonized. I believe both Silco and Vi, in different ways, both help and hurt Jinx/Powder. For example, in episode nine, Vi tells Jinx/Powder to remember her family and the people from their childhood (most being dead), causing Jinx/Powder (imo) to have a mental breakdown and panic/psychotic attack. An action Vi continues, even with the signs pointing that she’s hurting Jinx/Powder. An action, most likely done in panic and desperation, to stop Jinx/Powder from hurting Caitlyn, and from her own experiences.. How remembering Vander during her fight with Sevika positively impacted her, most likely thinking it would help Jinx/Powder. But everyone’s different, and all Vi’s words did in my view is hurt and traumatize Jinx/Powder more. So, when she hears the sound of the gun clicking, I believe she goes into full survivor mode and responds. [ 6; Silco/Jinx Fans, my Perspective ] This is not a defense of Silco and Jinx’s relationships, but more to their fans. I feel like when it comes to how people view media, it is often a reflection of our own experiences. For some, Silco/Jinx’s relationship reminds them of negative experiences they’ve felt (which is valid), while for others like me, it shows (certain) positive experiences we’ve lacked. Being vague, my experiences with family were never perfect. Not feeling heard or safe. Instead, feeling isolated because you’re only loved/accepted if you fit the perfect and specific mold of how they believe “you should be.” Silco/Jinx’s relationship is one I’ve always personally wanted, but also didn’t, because I understood and acknowledged the negative aspects. Their relationship is one of genuine care and love, but is also often unhealthy because of differing aspects such as Silco’s own trauma and abandonment issues. I often wonder what their relationship would be if given the opportunity and access to professional help, where they could both learn to cope with their trauma/issues. I believe if that was so, Silco really could be an amazing father to Jinx/Powder. I suppose their alternate situation is the relationship I crave for. The “what if things were better.” In the end, I personally believe Silco is both an amazing and absolutely terrible father wrapped into a single person. Someone who tries their best, but his best isn’t always the right thing. And in certain situations, is more harmful than good. He’s nuanced, and I believe he should be represented for that nuance, rather than glorifying or demonizing. There was probably so much I was going to write, but forget. It’s already really long, so oops-Also love to @/• KurøTøri • ‘s response. I think they did really well explaining it!! Said all I could, and more. Anyways, amazing video! I’m glad you felt able to express your opinions (with Arcane) and experiences (even if only vaguely). Thought about wether or not to subscribe, but this definitely pushed me to lol. Keep making the videos you want!

I just finished it last night and it is absolutely amazing, especially Silco’s character. His quote *“ is there anything more undoing than a daughter?”* Really stuck with me. At first, I thought he was talking about how jinx is his downfall And ruin. But really, it’s about how she was undoing his cruelty, in the walls, he built as his reputation of a fearsome and powerful person. He’s a horrible person who is responsible For the deaths of many people, but still has huge capacity to love huge amounts of care for his daughter. That is what makes the show so incredible: It’s realistic and Accurately portrays The humanity of people, Good or bad.

You're very good with your explanation of your perspectives on Arcane. You keep it civilized and clear. When you said "If Jinx had any friends, they would've made an effort to display that in the show," that's what really sold me to your observations that this relationship is manipulative. Basically I love the way you made this video. Stay awesome G.

Dude, you are awesome. THIS is extremely important. People don’t notice this relationship is screwed up because they have never been gaslit or recognized what gaslit really is. That’s why gaslighting is so effective! It’s hard to recognize and most people have never been taught how to recognize it. It should be something we should teach in school like taxes and how to rotate your tires or what groceries to buy and how to recognize a scam.

Amazing video.Wish it had more views.Also that metaphor was lovely Thanks♡

I def wouldn't call it relationship goals, but I found myself crying a lot since I would also like a parent that said I was enough, that asked for my side first from me. and those parts are the parts that impacted me strongly and stuck with me not so much the weird parts. but that's a me thing honestly I'd love an AU or modern AU where Silco and Vander weren't affected by the war and just be some regular guys raising their daughters as dads and uncles. it'd be so cute ahhhhh

“You’re perfect.” An amazing moment, but no, Jinx is hurting badly. Silco accepting her illness isn’t helping her, just as Vi refusing to acknowledge that the little girl is not the same, doesn’t help her. Thanks so much for the heartfelt, difficult video.

I'm so glad to have found this video as it was the way I first viewed the show.

Ok, just- I can only applaud you for havimg courage to say what you think on UKposts where some ppl just attack you for having a different perspective, bravo😂👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻. And as an Arcane fan too, thank you very much for this video I rlly love it and I support your content, keep going 😁

THIS I AGREE YOU PUT IT INTO WORDS!!! they're complicated characters and i love your analysis of them. as someone who was in jinx's position with my own silco i totally agree. this relationship is not goals at all

Thank you for making this video because some people need to get the message.

Your channel really has some amazing content!

I wanted to like this. I really did, but several points held me back from doing so. Firstly, I applaud for Walrus for being raw and open about his past relationships. It's hard to open up about toxic relationships. Or even consider if maybe you were also toxic in a relationship. This video shows how much time and care you put in your work, but I am afraid that your experiences may have influenced you too much. One point I didn't like was the lumping of people that were naively rooting for the Jinx and Silco relationship as parental to those that appreciate Jinx and Silco as damaged and flawed characters that did love each other in a hopeless place without mental health help. Yes, love is not enough to stop you from being toxic to one another, and the people praising the parental relationship between J and S are obviously young and inexperienced. Unfortunately, everyone is going to experience a toxic relationship whether it be sibling, parent, friend, or romantic. Its not condoning staying in an abusive relationship. Nononono. Obviously, there are relationships that are just abusive and not worth saving. It's that like you pointed out that love does not stop toxicity to form, same as how you can love and hate someone so much at the same time, and as emotions as irrational like hate and love can lead to ppl lashing and hurting each other. I think its a little patronizing to think you can save people from themselves, because that's how people get into toxic relationships and stay in them. People are complicated and fuck up. I along with others understand that Silco is not a good man. Good fatherly instincts, but not a good man. But the appreciation lies that even as a monster he did love Jinx. Did that redeem him? Not at all. It just shows that even in a monster there is a man that lies within. That metaphor also applied to Vander. Vander was a good man except when he was not, as Silco was not. They are parallels and opposites. Vander was probably the best father in the show, but even he had neglected Powder emotionally. He was not abusive, but distant as he mostly left the parenting to Vi for Powder, for example he does not have any dialogue with Powder onscreen even during their sole scene at the bar. He also places a huge amount of responsibility onto Vi that was unfair. He pretty much neglects Mylo and Claggor to focus on Vi because he sees himself in her. He is not abusive, but he is indirectly influencing Vi to treat Powder as someone that needs protection than one who wants to protect as well. Does that make him toxic? No. I bring up the parallels between Vander and Silco because they are parallels. Both leaders finding themselves thrust into a parental role while navigating a harsh environment that actively oppresses them, resources are scarce, and survival is in the forefront of every day. Not even taken to account of the lack of mental health facilities. I think Silco did the best he could with the knowledge that he had. You're right. Him and Jinx are dangerously codependent, but you did lose me at the leap of logic that Silco cut Ekko from Jinx's life, when we don't even know what happened between Jinx and Ekko. It's also likely that Jinx, an emotionally needful child and possibly having BPD that latches onto a person in fear of being abandoned, needing a parental figure latched onto Silco and imprinted on him in the alley. Ekko stated, "Jinx doesn't work for Silco because she has to, its because she wants to." Implying that their fallout was due to Jinx decision to cut Ekko out, not Silco. Or Ekko left her when he saw that she was too far gone.

It's obvious he kept her away intensionally. She calls him a liar for shielding her away from ppl she knew. Their relationship was super toxic, sad and manipulative only to become weirdly bonded. I really didn't like it and felt sorry for Powder. Also loved this video, good job.

Many people who grew up with out fathers or in hard situations, like my self, looked at this relation and could only see what they wanted. At first, I couldn’t see how toxic it was because the loving and supportive way Silco treated Jinx, not wanting to let her go. I couldn’t see that in keeping her so close, he was isolating her. I think the reason people hold this relationship so high in their own standard is becases If you haven’t had anything to compare it too or have had an unhealthy relationship with a parent, it looks amazing.

Thank you for this video and perspective.. what you said, resonated with me. I hope many people get to see it, and if they think this is healthy, start to see what happens here really. I personally could relate to some of it and was sick to the stomach at more than one scene.. so in a weird way I think the creators done a really good job showing the layers and complexity of this kind of relationship🙃