How to (Not) Subvert Expectations: Arcane vs The Last Jedi

Subverting audience expectations is a tricky thing. When done well, it can tremendously improve a story by providing shocking twists that captivate your viewers and keep them invested. When done poorly, it disgusts the audience and makes them feel as if the creators don't care about or even actively dislike them. While Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi has one good example of expectation subversion, it largely undermined the overall story of Star Wars and cost the franchise a tremendous amount of goodwill. Arcane, by contrast, subverted expectations by refusing to stick to a common trope, surprising the audience but maintaining excellent character work that drove it to unbelievable success.