After an overwhelmingly successful first season, Arcane season 2 could include several dramatic plot developments, including Vander's transformation into Warwick. One of the most highly-debated fan theories is that Arcane season 2 will introduce Warwick, a mutant wolf who was once an ordinary man. Some viewers speculate that the former revolutionary Vander is actually the wolfman prior to his transformation because his story parallels Warwick’s origin. The theory is unconfirmed but the undeniable similarities between both characters are impossible to ignore.

Arcane is an animated action-fantasy series based on the popular video game League of Legends, depicting the ongoing conflict between two neighboring cities: the opulent metropolis Piltover and the heavily-polluted district of Zaun. When both cities develop technology that emulates magic, the power struggle between them escalates into an all-out war for supremacy. Praised for its stunning animation and enthralling story, the series brings to life the lore behind many iconic League of Legends characters, including the unhinged gunslinger Jinx, the headstrong brawler Vi, and the time-manipulating inventor Ekko.

Related: Netflix's Arcane Show Might Be The Best Video Game Adaptation (Not Movies)

Though Warwick has not been confirmed for Arcane season 2, the similarities between Warwick and Vander are too strong to be mere coincidence. The show offers subtle references to Zaun’s resident werewolf, such as Vander’s allies calling him the “Hound of the Underground” or the inclusion of Warwick’s theme in the soundtrack. But the strongest connection between them is the similarity of their backstories. Before his transformation, Warwick was a Zaunite gangster that abandoned his life of crime to become a better man only to be abducted and experimented on by a mad chemist called Singed. Arcane shows Vander follows a similar path, leaving behind his criminal past, finding a more peaceful life as a bartender, and eventually being taken captive by Singed’s leader, the crime lord Silco.

Click here to watch Arcane: 25 Things You Missed on YouTube

Vander looking confused in Arcane League of Legends

Assuming that the theory is correct, Vander’s metamorphosis could result from his exposure to Shimmer, a liquid with extraordinary but lethal transformative properties. Invented by Singed as a means of harnessing magical energy, Shimmer dramatically heightens the physical abilities of users but gradually degrades their physical and mental health if abused. Apart from increasing his strength, this volatile potion turns Vander aggressive and violent, regaining his composure only in brief, temporary intervals. Warwick’s feral nature directly mirrors the effects of employing Shimmer, as he is capable of human speech but the soundness of his judgment is often overridden by his predatory instincts.

The Warwick theory’s most striking clue appears in Arcane season 1's finale, which reveals that Singed is keeping a human test subject in his lab, one whose silhouette strongly resembles Vander. The series has clearly established that the twisted chemist has little regard for the well-being of others, using them only to further his goals. Singed’s core motive is the perfection and preservation of the mutation-induced by Shimmer, which raises the possibility that he could further augment Vander to withstand the more harmful side effects. It is conceivable that the prolonged exposure to Shimmer will be what fractures Vander’s psyche and warps him into a cold-hearted monster.

Arcane displays ample evidence supporting the Warwick theory and the implications of Vander becoming Warwick are frightful. Vander sought above all else to build a future in which his people could live peacefully, but Warwick embodies the complete opposite of this notion, viciously attacking anyone in his path. Whether Vander remains the Underground’s protector or becomes its destroyer in Arcane season 2 will depend on how much of his humanity is stolen by Singed.

Next: Why Netflix's Arcane Animation Looks So Different