The measured voltage deviates slightly from the applied 300 V. A direct correlation between these changes and the effects observed in the camera images can not be drawn. In contrast, a qualitative correlation can be drawn between the evolution of the current and the images. For further discussion, we separate the time around the plasma ignition into three regions: (i) the pre-ignition region I (blue), (ii) the ignition region II (orange), and (iii) the continuous CGDE region III (purple). In the pre-ignition region I, the current fluctuates strongly. By qualitatively correlating the current fluctuations with the images, the fluctuations appear to be related to the dynamic formation and subsequent collapse of the vapor layer covering the entire electrode. For example, in Fig. the vapor layer collapsed and the current shows a local maximum. Subsequently, the newly formed small bubbles close to the electrode move away from the electrode and coalesce into larger volumes of gas, and contact between the electrode and the electrolyte is established again. The transition from the formation of individual bubbles to the formation of a continuous vapor layer has been described as a result of hydrodynamic instabilities. A more detailed description of the bubble coalescence can be found in Section S3 of the SI. Locally, the vapor layer around the electrode can extend several mm into the electrolyte, as illustrated in Fig. . For such extensive vapor layers, the contact area between the electrode and electrolyte decreases, leading to an increase in resistance at the interface. Consequently, the current reaches a local minimum. When the gas film collapses (see Fig. ), the situation is similar to that in Fig. , where the electrode-electrolyte contact area increases, lowering the interfacial resistance, and leading to higher currents. This oscillating behavior of the current in region I occurs on a timescale of approximately 10 ms. In the pre-ignition region I from about -117 to 0 ms, individual bright discharges are apparent at the tip of the electrode, marked by the white arrow in Fig. . This agrees with other studies that illustrated a higher probability for discharge formation on highly curved surfaces, e.g., edges, due to larger electric fields. Typically, these sparks are apparent from a purple emission by visual inspection. In some images, such as in Fig. , also broader, less intense light spots are apparent within the thick vapor layer at different positions along the wire, as marked by the yellow arrow. We assume that the refraction of the background light most likely causes these features and is not related to the emission from discharges in this region of the vapor layer.