Ma Meilleure Ennemie - Analysis (Part 1)
Stromae’s verse (past/ present, duality and conflict (Ekko))
This is the first of two blogs that focus on music as narrative in the animated series Arcane (Christian Linke & Alex Yee, 2021-) supported by an analysis of its animation and character development. The series is set within the League of Legends (2009-) universe, an online multiplayer videogame created by Riot Games. It takes place in various fictional lands populated by hundreds of different champions, some of whom are explored in Arcane.
The show has been recognized for its emotionally complex characters and multi-layered storytelling. Yet one of the ways the story is told is through its soundtrack. A standout example is the series’ use of “Ma Meilleure Ennemie” (“My Best Enemy” in English), a French song by Stromae (a Belgian musician and songwriter) and Pomme (a French singer and songwriter). The presence of the song throughout Arcane can be interpreted as a window into the relationship between the characters of Jinx and Ekko, who are central to the story of Arcane, which takes place in Piltover and Zaun. They are interconnected fictional city-states: Piltover is portrayed as a wealthy high-tech city of progress in contrast to Zaun; the impoverished and polluted undercity whose population suffers the cost of the upper city’s prosperity. During the course of the series, we see Jinx and Ekko as childhood friends who ultimately took very different paths. Jinx (formerly known as Powder) becomes associated with a crime lord (Silco) who is leading a rebellion against their upper city, Piltover. Heavily influenced by Silco, Jinx gets involved in violent acts of terror against Piltover’s dominance. Ekko, on the other hand, joins a group named the Firelights that is countering Silco’s plans and attempts to protect the people of Zaun. Their conflicting loyalties fuel the transformation from friends into enemies.
This analysis in this first piece delves into Stromae’s verse as a representation of Ekko’s conflicted emotions. The music video is tied to the show’s narrative and characters therefore the analysis will revolve around the music video but will also include some elements of Arcane. Through the lyrics and the visuals of the animated music video, I will argue that Ma Meilleure Ennemie provides one of the series’ most profound insights into emotional and psychological themes.
Before diving into the analysis, it is worth acknowledging that interpretation is subjective. The goal is to offer one perspective among many.
Stromae’s verse expresses Ekko’s emotional journey. It begins in confusion and nostalgia, caught between the memory of who Jinx was and the reality of who she has become. By the conclusion of the song, Ekko reconciles his conflicting feelings by embracing the past and the present as integral parts of Jinx’s identity.
T'es la meilleure chose qui m'est arrivée Mais aussi la pire chose qui m'est arrivée
“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me, but also the worst” opens Stromae’s verse in the music video. It symbolizes the start of Ekko’s emotional journey. He is still holding on to the version of her that exists in his memory (in this case, Jinx when she was Powder) in order make sense of the present. However, it this attachment to his idealized memory of Powder only keeps him stuck in conflicting emotions (love, hate, resentment). Thus, he speaks in contradictions to emphasize his confusion.
This same kind of conflict appears in Arcane as well . In the series, Jinx divides her past and present selves (Powder vs Jinx) to cope with her pain and her traumatic past. Powder becomes a lost part of herself, and Jinx is a new identity she adopts under Silco’s influence. In the same way, Ekko splits his image of her: she is the best that happened to him but also the worst. Powder is the childhood friend he lost while Jinx is his nemesis that took Powder away from him. This suggests that even when Ekko distances himself, he’s more connected to her than he realizes.
Ce jour où je t'ai rencontrée, j'aurais peut-être préféré Que ce jour ne soit jamais arrivé
Ekko’s nostalgia turns to rejection, as he says, “The day I met you, maybe I’d have preferred if that day never happened”. The memory of Powder reminds him of the friend he has lost but it also stops him from confronting the enemy Jinx represents. If he had never met her, maybe he would not hesitate to stop her. In his eyes, his love for her is holding him back.
At this stage in the verse of Stromae’s song, the lyrics reveal a flaw in Ekko’s thinking (a flaw that he will overcome throughout the song and the second season of the show). By wishing he had never met her, he assuming that Jinx’s fate was inevitable. At this point, he believes that his empathy and love for Jinx are weaknesses he needs to suppress in order to defeat her. It blinds him to the fact that compassion and understanding are what could help her heal.
This idea mirrors a broader theme within the Arcane narrative about how we judge people with untreated mental illness. When they exhibit violent behaviour, we often ignore the conditions that led them there (whether it is traumatic experiences, neglect or systemic harm). The context is dismissed so their actions can be viewed as proof of their moral depravity, with little to no empathy. Ekko momentarily follows this logic.
La pire des bénédictions, la plus belle des malédictions De toi je devrais m’éloigner
Later in the verse, the lyrics read “La pire des bénédictions, la plus belle des malédictions”. The most accurate translation of this sentence is: “The worst of blessings, the most beautiful of curses”. With this line, Ekko stops trying to split his emotions apart and fuses them into oxymorons that capture what Jinx represents to him.
He calls her “the worst of blessings” points out the emotional cost of loving her. Cherishing his past memories brings a sense of comfort but it also traps him in pain.
Yet Ekko goes on to refer to Jinx as the “most beautiful of curses”, meaning that no matter what happened, Ekko sees beauty in Jinx. This idea is reinforced in the series with the alternate universe (AU) storyline of season 2 episode 7. In this AU, Ekko meets a version of Powder who never became Jinx. At one point, he tells her that her ideas “change the world”. This moment allows him to stop seeing Jinx as doomed but as someone who is still worth believing in. Through these words, Ekko acknowledges Jinx’s brilliance.
In spite of acknowledging the beauty he sees in Jinx, the verse continues with, “De toi j’devrais m’éloigner / I should stay away from you”. Here it is clear that potential does not immediately erase the damage. Ekko knows Jinx can hurt others, including himself, and staying close is a risk. Then again, emotionally, he starts to see her beyond the threat. It sets up the irony behind his next statement.
Mais comme dit le dicton Plutôt qu'être seul, mieux vaut être mal accompagné
Fig. 1 - Four identical Jinx characters.
Here, Ekko is flipping a French saying from its usual meaning. In French, we normally say “Mieux vaut être seul que mal accompagné” which means “It’s better to be alone than in bad company”. By reversing the saying, Ekko uses irony to reveal the irrationality of his choice. Jinx embodies “bad company” because she is dangerous, yet he chooses to stay. For Ekko, walking away from Jinx would mean abandoning her in loneliness. Therefore, he refuses to leave her alone.
Fig/ 2 - The cover for Stromae’s album Multitude (2022).
In this sense, it the song suggests another a message: instead of ostracizing people who struggle with trauma, we should approach them with understanding and solidarity. Jinx’s actions are undeniable but judging her solely by her violence erases context and her potential for healing.
In the music video (Fig. 1), the presence of four identical Jinx characters is a visual metaphor for her fractured mental state. It externalizes her internal fragmentation in a concrete form whereas Ekko is at the centre to symbolize his commitment to supporting her. It is also a nod to Stromae’s Multitude (2022) album cover (Fig. 2).
Mais ma meilleure ennemie c'est toi Fuis-moi, le pire c'est toi et moi
In the chorus, “meilleure ennemie” combines “meilleure amie” (best friend) and “pire ennemie” (worst enemy). This duality reflects Jinx and Ekko’s bond where they complete each other in ways that go beyond specific categories. By declaring Jinx as his best enemy, Ekko is letting go of nostalgia and embracing the present: Jinx matters to him as she is.
Fig. 3 - Jinx and Ekko’s bond.
In the music video,his body language conveys gentleness and support. In contrast to Jinx, who avoids his eyes, Ekko always looks at her directly (Fig. 3). When Jinx is on the floor looking lost in her thoughts, Ekko quietly lies down by her side. This highlights Ekko’s belief in her, while Jinx’s puzzled expression shows she’s processing. This shows he is beginning to reach her emotionally.
The next lyric “fuis-moi” (“flee from me”) could be about fear. After everything he has seen in the alternate universe, Ekko realised that Jinx is worth fight for. But that realisation only raises the stakes. In the series (season 2 episode 7), he admits that he once gave up on her, which could haunt him. Now that he has the chance to try again, he is terrified of doing more harm than good. After all, he always takes it upon himself to fix things and Jinx means a lot to him. Therefore, if his attempts to help backfire, he will be the one who broke what little hope she had left.
Finally, “the worst is you and I” carries a sense of inevitable doom as if no matter how much he cares for her, their relationship can only lead to pain. Ekko is scared that love is not enough.
Fig. 4 - Ekko directly embraces Jinx.
The music video visually references a scene from the series (a scene in which Jinx repeatedly tries to end her life and Ekko has to rewind time several times to save her) but changes the ending to have a better representation of Ekko’s emotional arc. Instead of repeating their conversation, the music video depicts Ekko directly embracing Jinx (Fig. 4). It shows us that even with fear, he chooses to move forward anyway. Ekko’s emotional journey ends with this mindset, as he is no longer driven by nostalgia but by hope.
In conclusion, Ekko’s perspective is about the paradox that comes with loving someone haunted by loss but dangerously unpredictable. Through Stromae’s verse, Ekko is presented as moving back and forth between grief and love. Nonetheless, instead of giving in to resentment, Ekko holds space for both the pain and the love. His perspective goes beyond black-and-white thinking and judgments. His perspective resists fatalism, simplification, and to the idea that some people are defined by their worst moments. In this way, Ekko becomes a testament to the belief that even those haunted by the past can still be reached. For Ekko, moving forward means releasing the grip of nostalgia and anger choosing to hope for the future.
**Article published: July 4, 2025**
Biography
Sona d’Ébène is a 19-year-old French student pursuing an English degree at university. She is passionate all kinds of media such as TV shows and music, and enjoys exploring emotions and symbolism in storytelling.