As Arcane nears its end, its creators tease the Black Rose is still ‘an integral part of season 2’, but they won’t confirm if the group is the hit Netflix show’s main villain

• Arcane‘s showrunners haven’t ruled out physical appearances from the Black Rose’s members in season 2
• Fans have long suspected that one or more of them will show up in the animated show
• Even if they don’t, the Netflix series’ creators were excited to introduce them to a wider audience

Full spoilers follow for Arcane seasons 1 and 2.

There are only three episodes left of Arcane‘s second and final season and, as the clock ticks down to its finale, fans are still waiting for an answer to an absolutely huge question.

No, not the “what’s going on with Jayce?” one, which I already examined in this article about Jayce walking a very dark path in Arcane season 2’s later entries. I’m talking about the hit Netflix show’s main villain, who’s yet to be revealed as Arcane approaches its endgame.

There have been plenty of candidates for the series’ antagonist-in-chief. Silco fulfilled that role last season but, following his demise in the season 1 finale, we’re none the wiser about who’s succeeding him as Arcane‘s Big Bad. Is it Ambessa, who’s been an increasingly antagonistic figure since her season 1 episode 7 debut? How about Jayce following his unexpected heel turn in Arcane season 2 act 2? What if, in the end, it actually ends up being Jinx?

In many viewers’ minds, mine included, it won’t be any of them. Indeed, fans have had a magical theory about Arcane‘s main villain for a long time, with some proposing that the Black Rose, a secret and dark magic-wielding organization, will be the show’s actual evildoers. It’s a hypothesis that predates Arcane season 2’s official trailer…