[S2 spoilers] long discussion about Viktor's arc and disappointment

S1 Viktor is my favorite character of all time. For some reason, I am disappointed with his story in season 2. Given his lore as well as S1 setups, I do think that this is a logial progression of his character based on his pre-existing lore and the new canon of Arcane. Yet, for some reason, it rings very hollow to me, and I wanted to try and figure out why. As others have said, there were so many things we did not get to see simply due to time contraints and certain scenes needed to progress the plot forward. However, I think just because we can infer what happened, or are subtely told something (or even just hinted at something), if we do not have the time spent for the emotions of decicions/situations to breathe, we do not have time to develop emotions towards them either.

I'm just focusing on Viktor for this, though I know other characters and arcs have similar concerns, only because I care so deeply about his character and was left not feeling much towards his arc but tragedy and disappointment.
Viktor's character (as well as others too, as some here have said) doesn't seem as "in-tune" with his S1 version. S1 very much felt like a character-driven show, with every single action happening because of character motivations which gave it such an authentic and organic feeling. S2 does not feel that way, which I know others have said.

Viktor begins the season, now fused with the Hexcore, in a strange, emotionally-dulled state where he is lead by forces either inside of him or outside or him to take up this Herald mantle. At first this seems like a lack of agency, and manipulation certainly at the least, but it is never explored again, no dawning that Vitkor may not have had full decision-making control here, either realized by Viktor himself or others. Then in Act 2 he absolutely seems to have agency. For example, when chosing Vander over Singed's proposition and allowing those who come to him the choice of his healing. Act 3 starts with his core, human self in the cosmos world fully accepting humanity must be sacrificed for order and willingly transform himself to do so, though not first without asking Jayce to join him - which also irked me, since Viktor simply said, and I'm paraphrasing, 'you know what I'm here to do, join me so we can do it together and in peace', instead of explaining his reasoning to Jayce. I guess since we got the monologue the writers didnt feel the need for that conversation, but I did. The next time we see Viktor he is fully transformed, a crazy OP god-like creature, which, as others say, had such a short run before being rekindled with his humanity by Jayce (again, so did he not lose it? At least not permanently? It was perhaps too vague and I was shocked that his human face was still behind that mask). While the ending scene with Jayce was absolutely beautiful, I STILL think it could've had more build up, or something to reconcille these massive shifts one way then the other for Viktor.

For a silly example, we saw the Hexclaw set up in S1 and it's in his lore, so we know he will eventually use it. Except, it just shows up on his final form because it's supposed to. Not only is there no mention of how he got it (which I understand is a detail that is able to be cut), but the lack of any time spent on perhaps seeing him maybe ask for it, deciding to change its purpose for his vision, etc. makes it truly feel like something I don't need to spend any attention on as an audience member. Okay, it's just there now, I guess, because we knew it would be. Perhaps causal fans wouldn't even recongize it.

Here are some of my issues I have, which is frustrating, because again, narratively a lot make sense, I just can't figure out where the dissonance is coming from: Binding with the Hexcore immediately makes sense and was a general consensus that Jayce would use it to revive Viktor. It's tragic that we lose S1 Viktor so soon, I was looking forward to his bitter reaction to having his promise broken, his descent into Zaun and parting with Jayce because of it, and the self-experimentation that would follow to make himself more of a machine. And we do see these things that I wanted! We do see Viktor emotionally dulled, but, as he puts in in Act 2, "clouded by emotions" at the same time. And in Act 2 we also see him furthering this robotic form when Jayce finds him mediating (I assume he is absorbing the energy from what Salo was trying to take from the Hexcore? Again, could've done with some more explanation and time). So, why does it feel disjointed to me? Does anyone else feel this way? As if on paper we are getting what we asked for, but the emotions and feelings behind it are not there? Is this just because od the breakneck pace or something else?

A cult where Viktor can control his followers because of his augmentations to them is another logical progression, changing the original lore from him being disinterested with the church of the gloriously evolved to an active proponent of it, but again, I can see why they made this choice.

Another example is that I really don't like the doll-like designs of the evolved followers. Which is again frustrating that I am unhappy with it, as it makes sense! A hive mind would strip individuality and the soul/self of the person; they would all look the same and distinctly non-human. The glorious evolution acting as a virus almost. Perhaps it's just the idea that I would've wanted his followers to willing choose this to some degeee? Or that Viktor's philosophy reminds me of a 7th grader coming to terms with human suffering for the first time and saying: "lets just get rid of it"?

His cosmic self is so much more bright, emotional, interested, and /human/ compared to his prophet look, which maybe is why it feels strange to see that very human version of him tear up saying goodbye to 'Sky' and chosing to become this god-like creature. Was it simply that not enough time was spent on his emotional journey to this decision oustside of one monologue? The scale of this season is so grand and, even though I wanted to see Viktor powerful like this, it still rings hollow when compared to S1.

However, there was so much speculation about the Hexcore wanting to spread itself vs Viktor being unaware of the consequences of his "healings" and unfortunately we never see any of his musing on this. His episode 6 ending monologue could be viewed as this, but there isn't that recognition of what he's done, if he meant to do it, that it doesn't matter now, etc. All things that could be inferred, but are lackluster when not shown. It feels as if many things were not answered.

Lastly, some more 'unanswered questions' I have: Was Sky real vs an internal hallucination vs an image created by the Hexcore? It is never actually made clear outside of that one interview, and I would've loved more scenes of suspicion or guidance. As it stands, she really did just get fridged which sucks. What was in her journal that seemed so important in S1 and S2 act 1? Most people figured it was the inspiration rune but, we never see any of that on screen. It's another scene that I can see being cut but, these cut scenes add up and create this feeling of shallowness. Was the Hexcore's motivations different from the Arcane, and how was Viktor's fusing with it changing him vs the Arcane anomaly itself changing him? When does Viktor become aware that he is essentially "killing" his followers by creating a hive-mind, and what are his reactions to that knowledge? The moment which changes from him allowing it as not only an acceptable byproduct, but to his actual goal? How much of "him" is there after he loses Sky and trandscends, only to have his exact same cosmic self with his emotions and old eye color during the Jayce confrontation?

Finally, the time-loop-mage Viktor feels like a retcon and it wil always feel like one to me.

Is anyone else disappointed with this? Why? How are you interpreting S2? How are yall coping with no more Arcane lol