#Mel appreciation post

[chimuelo2005-blog]

Mel Medarda Deserves More Love, and Here’s Why

So, I've talked about Jayce, Viktor AND I've talked about Mel's nature, but I'm gonna talk about her again because in this blog we love empowered women; especially if they are also part of a minority. I'll do this point by section cause I don't want to miss anything major.

Mel Medarda is currently one of the best characters in Arcane, and I will die on this hill. The way people reduce her to "the black girlfriend" is actually insulting because Mel is so much more than just Jayce’s love interest; and it's very easy to put her in that role when talking about Mel's relationship with Jayce and Viktor, but I refuse to let people think that way. She is brilliant, calculated, and deeply complex in a way that makes her one of the most compelling figures in the show.

Her Design Is Breathtaking

Let’s start with the obvious: Mel is gorgeous. she's mine back off. Arcane’s art direction was already next level, but Mel? Mel was crafted to look like a queen. The gold, the intricate patterns, the warm tones—it all screams power, but in a way that’s elegant and beautifully feminine rather than aggressive. She doesn’t need to be physically imposing because her presence alone commands attention. Every time she walks into a room, you know she’s the most important person there, and that’s before she even opens her mouth. Her entire aesthetic is soft but untouchable—she is always in control, even when she’s playing nice.

She’s Not Manipulative for Fun—She’s a Survivor

I've said this in a different post, but I'll say it again cause I'm tired of the slander of my girl.

People call her manipulative like it’s a bad thing, but let’s be real—Mel isn’t playing chess because she wants to. She’s playing because it’s the only way to survive. She was exiled from her own home for being too soft, too sentimental, for valuing strategy over brute force. The Mel we see in Piltover is someone who has adapted. She had to become the smartest person in the room because the moment she wasn’t, she was disposable. That’s not just ambition, that’s survival instinct.

And despite all of that, despite the walls she builds, despite how careful and measured she is—Mel still cares. And that’s what makes her so fascinating. She genuinely wants Piltover to thrive. She believes in progress, in shaping the world into something better. She’s not some cold-hearted puppet master pulling strings for the sake of power—she’s someone who knows how dangerous power can be when left unchecked and is doing everything she can to make sure it’s in the hands of someone who won’t waste it.

Her Relationship with Her Mother Is One of the Most Tragic Parts of the Show.

Mel and Ambessa’s dynamic is brutal. Ambessa is not just a powerful general; she’s the embodiment of everything Noxus stands for—strength, domination, victory at any cost. And Mel? Mel was too soft for that world. Not because she was weak, but because she valued strategy over brute force. She understood that power wasn’t just about conquest—it was about control, influence, the long game. And for that, Ambessa exiled her own daughter. Let that sink in. Mel wasn’t cast out by enemies —she was cast out by her own mother for not being Noxian enough.

And yet, when Ambessa walks back into her life, Mel finds herself back in that role of the disappointing daughter—trying to prove herself, trying to stand her ground, but also clearly still carrying that childhood wound of never being enough for the person who was supposed to protect her. You can see how much she resents her mother but also how much she still wants to prove herself, how much she loves her. That's her mommy after all. It’s heartbreaking. The fact that she had to fight her, kill her, hold her as she took her last breath just proved how much Mel wanted Ambessa to love her in a softer way.

Her Brother’s Death Was a Turning Point for Her

I'm very pissed at the writers for not giving us more about kino's death and relationship with his family.

We don’t get much about him, but what we do know is devastating. He was killed because he wasn’t strong enough, and Ambessa used his death as a lesson to Mel. Like, imagine the trauma of that. Imagine losing your sibling and instead of comfort, you get told this is why you have to be stronger. That kind of loss doesn’t just hurt—it defines you in some way. It’s why Mel is so careful, so precise. She doesn’t make reckless moves. She doesn’t show weakness. She can’t. Because she knows what happens when you do.

And Mel didn't just lose her brother, she lost the one person who could've understood her. The man who she shared a mother with. Someone who knew how she felt because he lived it too. Once Kino was gone Mel had no one who actually understood her in that sense.

Elora Is More Important to Her Than People Realize

Elora isn’t just Mel’s assistant—she’s probably the closest thing Mel has to a real ally. Elora sees everything Mel goes through, from the political games to the personal struggles, and she stays by her side anyway. That’s not just loyalty; that’s trust. And the thing is, Mel trust her back. You can see it in the way she spoke to Elora compared to how she speaks to everyone else—there’s a quiet understanding between them, an ease that Mel doesn’t have with anyone else in Piltover. Elora might not be in the spotlight, but she was so important to Mel’s story, because she’s proof that even in a world where everyone is playing their own game, Mel wasn't completely alone.

Her death ended up breaking Mel. Elora was Mel's, the same way Viktor was Jayce's. The main difference is that Elora worked for her, and like someone said in my reposts on another post, that has to fuck you up some way.

She’s More Than Just Jayce’s Love Interest.

I can say it louder, but not clearer. Yes, I ship JayVik, and yes, Mel and Jayce’s relationship was not meant to last from the start, but that doesn’t mean she was just a stepping stone. She wasn’t some shallow romantic obstacle—she's her own person with her own goals, and she shaped the world in ways that go far beyond her romance with Jayce. If anything, Jayce was a stepping stone for her, not the other way around. She didn’t fall for him because he was pretty and charming (even though he is pretty and charming); she saw potential in him. She saw a man who could change the world, and she made sure he did.

And that’s what makes her incredible. She’s not just a survivor—she’s a visionary, one who refused to let Noxus define her and carved out her own kind of power instead. She played Piltover’s game and won. And honestly? That makes her one of the strongest characters in Arcane.

Mel Medarda in season 2 is everything. If you don’t love her, I don't trust you.

[bluessom1]

Mel Pinup version 💛

And…3 alternative versions available on Ptreon 👀

[strawberriistarz]

hello meljayvik nation

[cheriebunie]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ the beautiful women of arcane !!!

[mel-loly]

-Thank you to everyone who is still here liking, commenting and reblogging my content, even though I'm not posting much “fandom stuff” anymore, you're still here! And I really appreciate that.. (and that makes me so happy, that as I showed in the “comic”, it moves me, so- thank you, really!!) :]💛

Also- a tip: there are also many other blogs that don't post fandom stuff, but when they do, they get more likes and reblogs than the original/other content.. So also give love to those people who have your original content, reblog, like, comment, because that's what they need! Recognition for your original content! And I know you won't regret it, and it won't hurt you to do what I said! In fact, you will be doing good and giving such love that many wanted and deserve.

A big kiss/p and a hug! Even for those who only like it when I post fandom stuff, I still love you so much, and I won't stop making this type of content, ok? I just want to give more voice to what I have to give as original, because that's what makes me happy and well ^^

-Melissa, Designer.

[mellorine-dreams]

Honestly Lewin is not bad looking. He would need to be hosed down by a team of firefighters before I went near him. But he is very handsome in his little sneaky rat way so it’s tempting regardless

[melit0n]

Madame Giry is the only thing holding that Opera House together I swear

[halhalhalu]

Okay time to talk about Arcane season 2

(Please don't share any spoilers I haven't finished yet...)

Okay so I'm almost finished with Arcane season two and so far my favourite characters are as follows

VIKTOR!

Ekko

VIKTOR!

Jinx

VIKTOR!

Mel

VIKTOR!

Alittle bit if Jayce maybe

VIKTOR!

Warwick/ Vander

VIKTOR!

Isha

...

did I forget to say that I fucking love VIKTOR!

This guy! Right here will be the death of me...

(what's with me and liking dudes that are either monsters or start with the letter V?)

[moonlightbae7775]

(Jayce narrating)

Jayce:this is Mel Mel loves her personal space

(Yn sitting on Mel’s lap cheek to cheek)

Jayce:this is Yn yn also loves Mel’s personal space

[dustinheaven059]

I'm a whore for my moots💯

[eeboor]

Btw like it’s ok if a character isn’t “fully enlightened”. Maybe mel doesn’t like viktor because he’s the only other person who fully has Jayce’s ear. She doesn’t have to like him just so the “yaoi can be ethical” or whatever the fuck. I don’t think I’d like the guy who had so much influence over the guy I was trying to fuck and manipulate. Mel doesn’t have to be a perfect patient saint, she can dislike the people and things that get in her way. And saying that about her neither implies that YOU dislike her as a character, nor that you think she’s a bad person. It means she’s a COMPLEX character who can have complex feelings about other characters who are perhaps fan favorites.

[mel-loly]

-Doing this↓ again but there is no character limit (that is, there won't just be 6 characters, each person can choose up to one or even two characters), and... It can't be Genshin Impact characters or very detailed characters.

(Sorry guys who like Genshin, but for me it's very difficult to draw the characters and it's very tiring for me to finish..)

I hope I can count on you! :DD

[mercymaker]

this is what i say before posting all of my self-indulgent oc gifs for the 5478th time this year

[fawnatrix]

omg fawn in my notifications!!! how are you? I hope you’ve been doing well!!! <3

Hi Mel!!! :D Mel in my notifications !!! I'm okay:) I kinda fell of the face of Tumblr once I started university last year and I've been lurking ever since. I'm gonna try and get back into it though, even if it's not Bleach stuff I'm reblogging. I appreciate you reaching out though:) I really like talking to you Mel <3