Netflix’s Arcane is a modern myth, intertwining art deco aesthetics and alchemical symbolism to explore humanity’s eternal struggle with chaos and order. Central to this tale are Jayce and Viktor, whose journeys reveal the dangers of unchecked ambition and the duality of progress. Hex Tech serves as a metaphor for technological marvels that can save or destroy, depending on their wielders. While Jayce learns humility through his trials, Viktor’s transformation warns of losing humanity in the pursuit of perfection. Ultimately, Arcane urges us to embrace balance and compassion, reminding us that progress devoid of love leads to stagnation and ruin.

In one of his most influential works, Psychology and Alchemy, Carl Jung argues that alchemy was far more than a failed science. Instead, it was an undifferentiated mix of object and subject. Alchemy was chemistry insofar as it was a science, and it was a psychological practice…