Why Caitvi Just Works
What drives these characters and what drives them together?
Let’s start with Vi.
Vi is a strong leader and protector. Vi grew up with the expectation and pressure to lead their little family (Powder, Mylo, Claggor). She lives to help her loved ones, not caring what happens to herself as long as her loved ones are safe. This also serves as her downfall. Her tendency to just “punch in the face” lands herself and her loved ones in danger. Even after finding out Powder was the one who killed Vander, Claggor, and Mylo, she lashes out with that “punch in the face” mentality. Not saying it was right or justified, but many who criticize her would have done the same. But she sees Powder’s blood on her hands and realizes what she’s done, walking away to calm down and not cause any serious damage. This would’ve worked if it weren’t for Silco and her imprisonment during her formative years. She blames herself her whole life, feeling responsible for other’s pain.
Caitlyn starts off as a sheltered rich girl, trying to prove herself and pave her own path. Having been assigned an identity by her family name, she feels trapped. She gets desperate and joins the enforcers, not knowing the horrors that they inflict and how corrupted it is. But even while trying to make a name for herself and an identity, her parents still meddle and get her stuck with guard duty. But after meeting Vi, she goes against her parents, her sheriff, and Jayce to break her out of prison to pursue the case.
Logically, if someone breaks you out of prison, ESPECIALLY against orders and the law, after you’ve been in there for seven years, you’re gonna have a couple positive feelings about them. Fucking obviously. Of course, there’s banter, jabs, etc. They’ve been brainwashed their whole lives to hate one another. Caitlyn learns everything that has been hidden from her. Again, logically, a sheltered girl who is shown the world by someone will also experience that “freeing” feeling, also giving some positive feelings. Caitlyn finally gets the chance to explore her own identity, and that happens alongside Vi. So yeah, they get attached.
THEN, there’s the hurt/comfort. Vi, going for her classic “punch in the face” gets herself stabbed, then saved by Caitlyn again. The banter becomes softer there. There’s obviously going to be a bit of affection between you and someone who saves your life. Then, Caitlyn goes forward to save Vi’s life once again by trading in her gun to the apothecary to save Vi. Not only did she trade in her only weapon, but it was one that she had since she was a child. In the large family portrait in the Kiramman home, you can see it there. So, not only was it her only form of protection, but it was a personal item that was clearly very important to her. She put herself in great danger to save Vi. (Then, there’s also Caitlyn trying to give herself up in exchange for Vi when she thinks Ekko is hurting Vi.)
You can see in Ekko’s firelight home where Vi’s eyes soften as Caitlyn gives her speech to Ekko. There’s a very clear change in energy there, where Vi realizes that Caitlyn isn’t like what she assumed all topsiders to be. And there’s very clearly a lot of instant physical attraction, even from the beginning (highlighted in the brothel scenes.) There’s a lot of depth in the fact that Vi is willing to trust an enforcer (enforcers killed her parents!). Furthermore, their hug on the bridge as Ekko and Caitlyn planned to give the hexgem back showed the deep amount of trust they had for one another. Then, when Vi spends the night at Caitlyn’s room, Vi entrusts Caitlyn with stories of her childhood, and Caitlyn listens and offers empathy, something Vi has not been given since Vander died. I am fully convinced they fell in love and likely got a little involved together. Not necessarily sexually, but I think they definitely got closer. Which also explains the “breakup” scene after they appeal to the council. Caitlyn asks, “What about us?” Then, when Vi says her oil and water thing, she leaves. She leaves to protect Caitlyn, because that’s what she does. She protects. And Caitlyn is now in the list of people she cares about. In her mind, her leaving is protecting Caitlyn.
Now let’s talk about that goddamn shower scene, yeah? Okay, so Caitlyn is biting her lip in pain as her blood mixes with the hot shower water. She replays the “breakup” scene in her head over and over again, forwards and backwards. I am probably gonna talk about this scene in a separate rant because there’s just so much to unpack.
So, this relationship between Caitlyn and Vi was set up the moment they spoke to one another. People criticize it for being too fast, happening over a short course of time (maybe like a week). But it felt normal and natural. Sometimes I wonder if people just think it’s unnecessary because they’re two women. Because these same people had no problem with Mel and Jayce getting together for a brief time. I would give my kidney to give Caitlyn and Vi more scenes interacting, maybe then people will understand what subtext is. OKAY SO THE SHOW DIDN’T SPELL OUT EVERYTHING FOR YOU, BUT THAT DOES NOT MAKE IT RUSHED. I don’t know what “media literacy” is, but I’m pretty sure Caitvi haters lack it. But Arcane is not a romance, and the writers had limited time to show their progression. They did great for what time they had. You’d think people would be smart enough to understand the undertones. Do people lack object permanence? Just because they are not on screen interacting and falling in love means they cease to exist? Of course there’s more than just what the show was able to show.
They are clearly physically attracted to each other. Vi finally has someone who puts her first. They survived several near-death experiences together. They have the ideals each other are looking for. Vi hasn’t had someone put Vi over themselves since Vander. Caitlyn does that for her. And Vi sees Caitlyn for who she is, not her last name. She sees her as someone who has a good heart.
They just work. Have you seen the way they look at each other?
So why do they work?
They are opposites from the beginning, brought up believing two different beliefs. They grew up believing each other’s people were bad and inhumane. Caitlyn sees Vi’s good heart (the scene before Caitlyn goes to find medicine for Vi). Vi probably thought all that went away during her seven years in prison. Vi sees in Caitlyn a selfless person trying to bring peace to Piltover, uniting topside and The Lanes in a common goal. They both have goals, strengths, weaknesses, etc. They are individual people that happen to fall in love. They’re not the oversexualized lesbian couple. They’re not there for brownie points or diversity hires that get thrown into shows. The writing of their relationship is underrated. Yes, we got cute scenes, but look between the lines. These are two very traumatized individuals.
Vi spent seven years in prison, but it was her time away from Caitlyn that made her spiral and drink and pit fight. Yeah, I’ll be back to discuss season 2’s Caitvi. Don’t fret.