I am not a League of Legends lore wizard. I am the person who picks a champion because their splash art looks cool, then feeds in lane and blames the minions. But I have watched Arcane more times than I care to admit. In 2026, with the whole story wrapped up and my heart still slightly bruised, I went back to Season 1 with a notepad, snacks, and the energy of a detective who has no actual jurisdiction. The result? A bunch of tiny League references that made me point at my screen like a maniac. Here are the ones I caught, plus a few I definitely needed the internet to explain.
Cupcakes, Because Caitlyn Cannot Escape Fate 🧁
The first reference shows up in the opening minutes of episode one. Vi, Mylo, Powder, and Claggor are parkouring across rooftops on the way to Jayce's place for their heist. They climb over a balcony with a plate of deceptively iconic cupcakes. Those cupcakes likely belong to Caitlyn Kiramman, who Vi lovingly calls Cupcake in episode six and in League of Legends. It is also a nod to Caitlyn's W ability, Yordle Trap, which places a bear trap with a cupcake in the middle. I have stepped on enough of those traps in game to feel personally attacked by a pastry.
Benzo's Shop Is Basically a Loot Box 🛒
Benzo's shop, where Vander hangs out and where fans first see Ekko, is packed with nods to the League MOBA. Most are references to items in the in-game shop or things champions wear. I missed almost all of them on my first watch because I was too busy crying about Powder. Here is a quick list:
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A hat on a shelf with a face on it that looks a lot like Rabadon's Deathcap.
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A helmet above the door that bears a striking resemblance to Tryndamere's.
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The item Benzo inspects under a magnifying glass is likely a Heart of Gold, an old item that generated gold.
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Some masks point toward Jhin or the Blood Moon skins.
It is a tiny museum of my ranked failures, honestly.
Krugs, Puffcaps, and a Teemo Book 🐢🍄
After Vi's makeshift crew accidentally blows up Jayce's place, they return to the neon lights of Zaun. There is so much to absorb, but not long after they get off the elevator dubbed the Howler, they walk past a stand with two specific items. One bin holds the Poison Puffcaps Teemo is known for. Just to the right is a stone-like turtle or beetle creature in a cage. Those are Krugs, the jungle monsters every League player has smited at the worst possible moment. Funnily enough, the Imagine Dragons Enemy music video also shows kids poking these same Krugs.
Speaking of Teemo, Arcane has two big references to the little menace. The Puffcaps are one. The second comes later, when Silco and his cronies invade Police Chief Marcus's home. While waiting, one of Silco's goons starts reading a children's book. If you look closely, it is a story about Teemo. I laughed way too hard at that, because of course Silco would use storytime as psychological warfare.
Zaun's Grey and Mel's Painting 🎨
In official League lore, Zaun's Grey is the cloud of chemical smoke over Zaun. It has a deep backstory involving champions like Camille and Janna. Arcane changes some lore, so fans wondered if the toxic gas and its permanent consequences would appear. They do. Jayce mentions the Grey after he learns about Viktor's condition, citing it as the reason Viktor is terminally ill. It is a small line that carries a lot of weight, and it made me feel bad about every time I ignored Viktor's health in game.
Also, eagle-eyed fans noticed that the painting Mel is working on during this scene is the Immortal Bastion of Noxus. That is an early hint about her origins, and I love that Arcane trusts viewers to catch it.
Heimerdinger, Yordles, and Glamour 🧠
Yordles in Runeterra are mystical beings. They do not really age or die, and they have been around forever. Because they look so unique, Yordles who live outside Bandle City often hide themselves with Glamour to appear more human. Riot constantly forgets this concept, but it was basically an ironclad fact that Heimerdinger kept his Yordle origins mostly secret in Piltover. Arcane changes that canon. Heimerdinger is younger than League fans expected, completely open about being a Yordle, and vaulted as one of the most important figures in the city. As a casual player, I respect a tiny genius who simply refuses to pretend he is not a fluffy inventor.
Jinx's Cymbal Monkey and Get Jinxed 🐒
Anyone who played Legends of Runeterra, saw Jinx's original music video, or watched anything related to Jinx outside Arcane has likely seen her little cymbal monkeys. They are front and center on the Get Excited card in Runeterra, they are sort of the crux of the Get Jinxed music video, and they usually appear as makeshift bombs. They are as synonymous with Jinx as Fishbones or Flame Chompers. In Arcane, their debut is much heavier, because the Cymbal Monkey Jinx uses to pop that Hextech Crystal in Silco's compound has drastic consequences. I gasped. Then I felt bad for gasping at a toy monkey.
Speaking of that monkey, how many people recognized the song Jinx sings to herself while working on the Hex Crystal stabilizer after raiding Jayce's lab? For players who were around when Jinx first released, the song is a classic. It is Get Jinxed, the tune that played on the login screen and had its own music video. Jinx's lab is stuffed with references to that video too, including a rhino and a mechanical horse that look like the carousel horse and live rhino she rides in the music video.
The Pentakill Tattoo 🎸
To cap things off on a musical note, let's talk about that quick flash of all the ways Zaun has changed while Vi was in prison and Jinx was working for Silco. After Caitlyn investigates the blimp that Silco's goons and the Firelights fought on, the story focuses on the new Zaun for a bit. These quick images show people paying for pure air, the impact of Shimmer, and a man getting a full back tattoo. That logo is the Pentakill logo, the heavy metal band made up by Riot that features some champions as band members. Even funnier, fans have connected this tattoo artist to the one giving Urgot his tattoos in his splash art. That is a hyper-specific reference, and I love it.
Final Thoughts from a Very Bad Player 🤡
Arcane proves that Riot and Fortiche can bring the endless well of League lore to life while making it approachable to a wide audience. In 2026, with the show finished and the fandom still arguing about every frame, these details are still a joy to find. They reward diehard fans without punishing casual viewers like me. I may never climb out of Iron, but I can spot a cupcake, a Krug, and a Pentakill tattoo. That counts for something, right?
| Reference | Where it appears | Why it made me smile |
|---|---|---|
| Caitlyn's cupcakes | Episode 1 balcony | A sweet trap before Yordle Trap |
| Benzo's shop items | Benzo's shop | A mini League item shop |
| Krugs and Puffcaps | Zaun street stand | Jungle monsters and Teemo mushrooms |
| Teemo children's book | Marcus's home | Silco's goon reads about a war criminal |
| Zaun's Grey | Jayce and Viktor scene | Lore that hurts |
| Mel's painting | Same scene | Noxus hint |
| Heimerdinger's age | Piltover scenes | Yordle canon shake-up |
| Cymbal monkey | Silco's compound | Jinx's iconic bomb |
| Get Jinxed | Jinx's lab | The login-screen classic |
| Pentakill tattoo | Zaun montage | Heavy metal deep cut |
So yes, I will keep rewatching. I will keep pausing. I will keep yelling at my screen. And I will definitely keep blaming the minions.