#I just might be Default 'Fuck Piltover'

[jumumo]

The writers did play softball with Piltover, huh?

Is it because they wanted to make the transition of Vi being an Enforcer (apparently) more smooth?

Because they wanted a villain to make the story flow better?

Because it's a lore dump for a game that probably fleshes it out better?

Or the game was already set up like this and they were constrained to that?

It's been bothering me since I first watched Arcane. The treatment of Silco, Piltover and Undercity/Zaun. It's a bit confusing to me with the way I understand it.

Piltover and characters from there barely acknowledge their horrible side even though I know it must be there because you don't get a schism between the Undercity and Piltover with jack shit happening inbetween. I'm pretty sure Piltover exploited the Undercity for resources without care of their wellbeing. The Councilors, well most of the Councilors are portrayed as being feeble minded, up their ass and stupid. They are treated as ineffective. Then there's Mel, the true brains! Except... We're not supposed to see her as actively malicious (and I don't wanna see her as that because Implications on several levels). She knows about the state of Undercity enough to know there can be a messy war but has seemingly done nothing to deescalate this type of situation in the first place?? Don't think about that because she has a character exploration about Choosing peace and it's really all she ever wanted.

Learning about Heimerdinger punched me in the face because this Fluff Ball let the state of the Undercity happen??? He founded Piltover and is all about safety and not letting things be misused but The Wretched Poverty of the Undercity happened under his supervision?? BUT we're not supposed to view him as hurting and making a population destitute. It was accidental?? I don't know. It's like the writers are having Piltover characters just dodge accountability.

The Piltover characters are framed as Misguided, sympathetic, not really all their fault.

Meanwhile.

Silco gets this red carpet treatment. He's in a chiffon dress with a dangerous deep V neck and a risky slit up to the hip. Villianous ass and tiddies on display. He even gets the classic evil capitalist tropes (Even though I'm pretty sure this should be applied to Piltover too with what Silco brings up). It's amazing. Even though the main drive he has is the oppression from Piltover. They don't ever validate Silco on this because he's such an eviiiill man, and wanting to fight is bad. Don't you see, Piltover didn't mean to do it. That's why Vander is capital G, Good. He wants peace no matter how precarious and still very much fucked over everyone still is. This isn't a dig at Vander, I like his character. Just how the story uses him. Even the Enforcers get a sympathetic lens through Marcus because of his relation to Silco.

I have more thoughts but they're scattered. I didn't even get to how Caitlyn seemingly functions to soften Piltover even more with her Not All Topsiders framing she got going on. The amount of frustration I have with her in The Council scene with Vi when she shows pity of all things. Comes off more to me like "Poor little baby Undercity people can't help themselves, they're sick so we need to take care of them" instead of actual solidarity. Is this intentional? Or is it just at face value?

I'm holding out if some of this would be pointed out in Season 2. Maybe Ekko will be my lifesaver in this situation.

[faemoria-arch]

            it's one of the rare nights he does not seek the distraction of work and instead  ,  comes lean against her  .  gingerly almost  ,  jayce leans into her legs  ,  resting his head on her lap  ,  hair disheveled  ,  appearance almost youthful in its vulnerability  .  he doesn't say a word  ,  but the gaze he aims at her says it all  :  let me have this  ,  please  .

               so few ways she believes left to surprise her  &&  yet he  does  somehow find them time  &&  time again  .  there are a great many of people in piltover who would hate  &&  love to see him like this  ,  drained of all bravado  &&  swagger  &&  too worn down to  𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭   otherwise  .  there is some perspective in which toothiana supposes it is quite the privilege that he would bare himself to her so  plainly  ,  but she would prefer not to see it in this manner  .               the vastayan’s hands can fill all manner of roles  ,  but for now they are dainty  ,    𝓭𝓮𝓵𝓲𝓬𝓪𝓽𝓮  things  ;;  one woven into his hair  ,  her fingers brush through  &&  do nothing to help with its dishevelment  .  the other rests idly over his chest  ,  as it seems to often default to  &&  she cannot help but take some  pride  in how quickly she recognizes the even slow to his heartbeat  &&  a steadying rise  &&  fall to his breaths at her touch  .                         ¨   it does not have to be like this  ,  you know  ,  ¨  she says  &&  in the melodic colour of her voice it is more like thinking up a tale to lull children to sleep than opening the gateway to any actual conversation  ,  𝓼𝓹𝓲𝓷𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓯𝓪𝓷𝓽𝓪𝓼𝓲𝓮𝓼  to fall into rather than dwell on the realities that brought him to her in this state  .  ¨  when i have found what i came for  &&  return to my home i could steal you away just like the stories  &&  you could be free of all this  ,  for  countless  years beyond what you would live here  ,  if you wanted  .  ¨           they are very  𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓽𝔂  lies  ,  if she might say so herself  :  to think she might complete her task  &&  live to see her home again  ,  let alone bring him along with her  .  but even  that  need not be mentioned  ,  because it would not matter  .

                        ¨   do not worry  ,  you do not need to say ‘ no ’  .  i already know why  ,  for the same reason i would not be able to stay here  .  ¨ 

          her body bends  &&  covers his face from the lights in his home  ,  forehead pressed to his  &&  eyes closed as though recalling something that pains her greatly to think of  .  the city turns the knife lodged in his chest  ,  but to remove it entirely would have him bleed out until there was  nothing  .  she does not think jayce would know what to do with himself if not for what this city represents  &&  what he represents to it  .  &&  that is what her home is for her  ,  too  :  a choice in how to die  ,  in the end  ,  alone  . 

                   ¨   but for the evening we can  𝓹𝓻𝓮𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭  ,  yes  ?  &&  we can rest easy  .  ¨

                                 @hamartio​             ♪  everybody knows shit’s fucked  ♪