#WE WILL NEVER GET VIKTORS BACKSTORY

[monimoonn]

My husband died at war (they cancelled Ice adolescence)

[always-concerned]

No but ur so right... and she was just being a business woman? Jayce is a GROWN adult man. he made his decision during progress day and went directly against her advice anyway. he proved then he could make his own decisions lmfaooo. ppl just wanna find a reason to hate her cuz she 'gets in the way' of jayvik(???)

(or cuz she's a black woman which would rlly be fucked up)

but like cmon... I've seen ppl also ship them as a trio! the three of them would be so cute together tbh. Even if it's mostly Jayce x Victor and Mel x Jayce. Jaymelvik has power throuple potential and I see art of it sometimes which makes me v happy.

Spoilers also didn't jayce literally made his choice to go down with his creation with Viktor? so it's over anyway. she's gonna find herself a good purpose now. idk if she will take the wolf route ambrosia wanted so bad tho.

[voidpacifist]

viktor headcanons

[modern-ish edition + meljayvik because I cannot resist, also I'm desperate to see more unhinged little ideas about him outside of being everyone's favorite blorbo. we should fear that man and this is my thesis]

learned a weird amalgamation of martial arts and self defense as a kid due to growing up in zaun. despite being in what was considered the "safer" part of the underground, his mother worried he wouldn't be safe on his own. his core strength and arm strength are absolutely ridiculous

in fact, one time he was hooking up with a fellow academy student, and by the time the whole affair was over with, he was hardly breaking a sweat while the other person was trying to catch their breath. he became somewhat of a local legend at frat parties because not only can he wear someone out for hours but, allegedly, he's real freaky with it too

knows the exact monetary value of different human body organs on the black market. whether or not this is from experience is something jayce and mel are unable to determine. vi is also knowledgeable of this and has traded tragic backstories with him in detail

has had to kill a man before, and tells this to jayce frequently to win petty arguments (jayce never actually believes him, even though it is fully and one hundred percent true). it doesn't work on mel

jayce and mel have a secret chart written of how many substances viktor has tried and with how much frequency. weed is at the top of the list, with alcohol being shockingly low. in spite of coming from a slavic background, viktor didn't learn how to hold very much liquor without feeling ill, but for some reason is fine with the illicit psychedelics that grow naturally in the undercity near the runoff tunnels. so far the list is nearly half a page long

will not hit anyone with his mobility aids but will ABSOLUTELY find ways to blackmail and hustle his way out of embarrassment. he learned the blackmailing skill from mel, and frequently looks to her for information since she somehow knows the most about the student body

extremely morbid sense of humor. jokes about being fatherless/motherless behavior and then hits you with, "I would know :]." mel is an honorary member of the motherless behavior banter, considering her own mother disowned her shortly before she came to piltover

taking care of one another is equal parts give and take with him, jayce, and mel, but it's never in a way that demeans each other or exploits each other's weaknesses. for example, viktor hates being carried or manhandled without consent and finds it incredibly patronizing if someone assumes he needs help without just asking him (common sense, but the student body is full of ableist sharks). if he's having a bad pain day or is finding it hard to move, he and jayce (or he and mel, depending on time and place) have a system for getting him to or from somewhere without drawing much attention and even have specific "I need help but don't want to be stared at about it" phrases

father's half of the family is slavic and mother's half of the family is romani. cannot follow a recipe unless it has specific measurements, but can improvise ANY stew or potato based dish with little more than his nose and a few kitchen tools. jayce can improvise any dish, but will always somehow overdo the spice if it calls for spice. mel is happy to try any and everything they make (on her birthday, she's spoiled with their attempts at making the ethnic food from her family, and she'll never tell them but she's very touched by their efforts)

owned ONE pet in his life and it was a hamster. instead of freaking out over it's death, he studied it's body post mortem until his father declared it a biohazard and forced him to dispose of it

learned most of his chemists knowledge from a disgraced former academy professor, but taught himself everything else he knows (if he couldn't get access to it in school). including, for fun, how to preserve and analyze body parts. he initially wanted to be a surgeon or biomedical engineer, but then stuck with chemistry (specifically regarding infectious diseases) to try and find a cure for the grey

shows up randomly at jayces or mels dorms at strange hours in the evening/morning. the first time he showed up at mel's, she thought a burglary was being attempted. he made it out with a bad knock to the head, but she did make him tea in the aftermath as an apology (he hated it but drank the whole thing anyway)

gets stoned with jinx on the weekends, since she's the only one who can find him good, ethically sourced weed. he pays her back by teaching her things he's learning and researching at the academy

meljayvik + caitvi + timebomb dates but they have to find a way to rent out the whole place because each and every one of them has Some Kind of History with the other academy students even though jinx and ekko are still a couple years shy of college age

viktor threw up at the distinguished innovators competition because jayce did first. it was a whole disaster. they spent hours after the ordeal hyping each other up on gatorade and pure adrenaline. it was the physically worst jayce has ever felt around viktor but far from the worst viktor has ever felt around jayce. this was just days after the two of them met mel, and she spent the rest of the evening forcing them to sleep or eat something that wasn't "pure chemicals." somehow, this ended in a heated debate between herself and viktor about the validity of gatorade as a substantial meal. he still refuses to admit he lost

I've said this before and I'll say it again: he has a closet full of ramen. mel takes from his stash often

can run on caffeine and very little sleep to the point where he is physically incapable of resting like a normal human being without feeling drained. flu season is absolute hell

showed up to one of his lectures shirtless once because he was in a hurry. fed everyone who looked at him funny the most outrageous sob story about how "weak" he was, then laughed about it with mel and jayce like an absolute sociopath for days about it. jayce did not find it altogether very funny. mel and him still joke about it

beat vi in an arm wrestling contest before he got sick. still almost beat her after his diagnosis too, but still took the betting money anyway. she'll never admit she's slightly terrified of him, but it shows

can wield many different kinds of knives but is terribly clumsy when it comes to other weapons like clubs and swords and staffs. tapped out of adaptive sports within his first week because it was "boring him." spent the next month teaching martial arts to his fellow disabled peers until the board made it an official extracurricular

turned sky down in the nicest but most insane way possible. nobody knows what happened or how, just that they ended up spending MORE time together after the fact and that it involved illicit activities. the rumors were insufferable for weeks. and wildly funny

(please feel free to add more, I'm gonna start a collection)

[inthehexcore]

progress day party

summary: Jayce convinced you to go to a Councilor Party as his plus one. You were terrified.

content: sweet jayce, shy/nervous reader, fluff, meeting some of the other councilors, fem! reader, little backstory part before the request! probably ooc jayce but im trying to get the hang of it!! <3

wordcount: 2.016

a/n: this one got requested! thank you so much, the request changed a bit i think, but hope you enjoy it nonetheless! not as long/exactly as i wanted but :)

⠂⠄⠄⠂☆

Piltover's Golden Boy. The man of Progress. Co-inventor of Hextech.

Your friend. Your partner. Jayce Talis.

The first time you met him, you nearly fainted out of nervousness. You had known about Jayce for a long time already. Sky, your friend and former roommate, had applied for an internship at Hextech. You were so excited for her to follow her dreams, to show the world what she could do. One day, she asked if you could come with her, something about needing help with research. Even though you knew close to nothing about all the difficult work she did, you agreed. Never would you have guessed for that day to turn your life upside down.

"They said that I could use their lab! With everything in it! Well, I can't use any of the Hextech without supervision, but that's no problem!"

Sky and you had a great bond. Friends - sisters, almost. Though both rather introverted, the two of you would always open up around one another. She already held a clipboard in her hands, crossing off random squares before turning the corner, you walking behind her.

"I still can not believe you did it! I mean, of course I believe in you, but wow! An internship at Hextech with Jayce Talis and Vik-"

The tall doors opened to reveal the huge lab behind it. Never had you seen something so grand, so bright. Your eyes were not even sure where to look. There were big chalkboards along the entire length of the wall, desks with tools, even a table filled with what seemed like new Hextech inventions. But something that might have shocked you most was the two men in the corner of the room.

Had you misunderstood? You thought it would just be Sky and you.

"Oh, Viktor!" she smiled, "Jayce! Could I still use the lab?"

"Ah, Sky!" Jayce looked away from his desk, smiling as he stood up and walked toward the two of you, "And your guest!"

"The unfortunate subject for my research," laughed your friend, quickly introducing you to Jayce as you stood there in silence.

"I tried to clean up as well as I could, but," Jayce chuckled, rubbing his neck. He could have swept one more time, "Anyway. Would either of you like something... to drink?"

Viktor looked back from over his shoulder, an eyebrow raised before he turned to his work again. Jayce, oh Jayce.

Ever since that day, both you and the golden boy kept finding one another. At the market you ran into him - quite literally. You did not pay attention to where you were walking, which ended in you on the ground and Jayce profusely apologizing. Then that time where you tried to enter the Academy without your special school card. The enforcers only looked at you with a raised eyebrow, not letting you through to retrieve the very card that you had left inside. Luck seemed to be on your side as Jayce just walked by at that moment, smiling at the enforcers before mumbling a 'she's with me'. Not to forget all the times that Sky invited you for more research, only to say that she needed to retrieve something from her new dorm, leaving you and Jayce all alone in the big lab.

All that felt so long ago.

Never had you expected that you would be standing in front of the tall mirror, nerves running through your body as you glanced at the floor-length dress again. 'It's just a small party with the council. We will meet some others, enjoy some drinks, and then I will do my speech!' Jayce had said, holding your hand as you walked through Piltover. Reluctantly, you had said yes, and the excitement in Jayce's face made you feel warm. But inside, you were terrified. The Council. Those weren't just any type of party guests.

"Hey," you heard a knock on the door behind you, "Are you dressed?"

"Yes," a shaky sigh left your lips as you furrowed your eyebrows, running your hand over your dress again.

The door slowly opened, revealing your one and only behind it. Dressed in a suit that was ironed to perfection, the red and gold colours of House Talis decorating it all over. No wonder that Piltover loved the man so much - so nice, so motivated, so gorgeous.

"My god," he smiled, walking closer to you to press a kiss to your cheek, "You look beautiful."

Your dress, too, was coloured red and gold. When standing next to Jayce, it was undeniable that the two of you matched. Belonged. Yet, you didn't feel like you did.

"Says you," it was impossible not to smile around him, "You look good in these colours."

"I have something for you," he hummed, revealing a small box that he had hidden in his pocket, "A little Progress Day gift."

"For me?"

He nodded, handing you the item with a big smile on his face. How could you say no? You opened the white box with a giggle, placing the red ribbon that was tied around it on the vanity next to you. The item inside the box made you let out a gasp.

"Do you like it?" Jayce excitedly asked, a big grin on his face.

"Like it?" you looked up at him, eyes big and mouth wide open, "Jayce, I love it! This - This is amazing!"

"Made it all myself," he proudly said, "Though I'm not used to making hammers on this scale."

Inside the box sat a necklace with the most beautiful pendant you had ever seen. A little hammer, silver with red details, resting on top of silky fabric.

"Here," he reached for the necklace, unclasping the necklace to put it around your neck, his warm fingers tracing along your back as he kissed your shoulder, "Perfect,"

It made your face heat up as you only smiled, turning around to press a kiss to his nose.

"Ready?"

"As ready as I can be," you breathed in deeply.

It made his eyebrows crease - not because you didn't radiate the same excitement as he did, but because you almost seemed... worried. Maybe even scared.

"Would you maybe rather stay here?" he offered, softly taking hold of your hand, "I can pick you up after the party."

"No, no! It's just..." you sighed, shaking your head, "Just silly. I can't help but feel nervous. It's the Council, and I am not a smart inventor like you, or..."

He nodded understandingly - he himself was still not even sure why he was dubbed as the Man of Progress. As if he was the only person who had worked on Hextech.

"If you want to leave at any moment, you can tell me. Promise?"

"Promise."

So, hand in hand, the two of you made your way to where the party was held. The doors you stood in front of were huge and the hallways were decorated with gold and many more expensive materials. Yet, with Jayce's hand in yours, you felt less afraid.

The doors seemed to open automatically when the two of you arrived, revealing the bustling party that laid behind. People greeted him almost immediately, shaking his (free) hand and babbling on about everything.

"Ah, if you'll excuse me," he apologized, rubbing your hand with his thumb as he softly tugged you along, "Miss Medarda is right over there."

Miss Medarda as in Councilor Mel Medarda? The woman stood in front of the balcony, looking out over Piltover. She turned around as she heard footsteps approaching, and you felt even more nervous than before.

"Ah, Jayce! And your partner, from what I have heard?"

Jayce introduced you to the councilor as you shook her hand, shyly smiling and nodding.

"She is," he proudly smiled, "I thought to introduce the two of you - I think you will get along well. Plus, I can assure you, Miss Medarda is much more fun to speak to than... Them."

Mel let out a laugh, raising the cup to her lips.

"It is not hard to be more interesting than them. We can stick together," she looked at you with a smile, "That is, if you don't mind."

"I do not," you softly responded, looking at Jayce one last time as he pressed a kiss to your temple, breathing out deeply before letting out a chuckle, going back to his duty as the Golden Boy.

Mel plucked another glass off a tray, handing it to you.

"Now, I have heard so much about you from Jayce, but I would love to get to know you myself."

Time seemed to fly by as you stuck with Mel, holding onto your empty glass as you listened to one of her stories. Elora had also come to join into conversation, and you appreciated that they stayed with you.

None of you even realized that it was time to head to the Speech until you felt big hands on your shoulders.

"Ready to go? I promised Viktor that we would meet him there."

"Already?"

He hummed and nodded.

"Why don't you sit with us at the speech?" Mel offered, smiling as she looked at you, "Mrs. Talis will sit in the front row as well. I would be happy for you to join us."

"I would love to," you nodded quickly, giving both women a big smile, "Thank you Mel, Elora."

With your hand in his, Jayce guided you back out into the hallway and toward where Viktor would be waiting.

"Mel, huh? No more 'scary' Miss Medarda?"

You let out a laugh, covering your face with your hand as you shook your head.

"Looking back, I can't believe why I was so nervous. Both she and Elora were incredibly friendly and warm."

It didn't take long for the two of you to meet Viktor, greeting him before you split up from the duo to go and find a seat. It made your nerves heighten again - being completely separated from Jayce was something that made socializing harder than it could be. As you went through the security, you followed the groups of chattering people. Did it look silly, walking in by yourself?

The room was grand, and Councilor Kiramman was already standing at the side of the stage, talking to one of the Enforcers. You averted your gaze to the first row of the seats, most already taken. Was this where you were going to sit?

Mel saw you before you could spot her, walking over to the enforcer who guarded the entrance.

"She's with me," the woman said, holding out her arm for you to take before guiding you to your seat, "Don't want you to get lost."

You giggled, thanking her as you sat down on one of the plush chairs, right inbetween Mel and Mrs. Talis.

"Ah," Ximena excitedly exclaimed, smiling at you, "I was hoping you would be here. When Miss Medarda told me that she reserved a seat for you, I could not help but be happy! Oh, isn't today an amazing Progress Day? And the speech hasn't even begun!"

Jayce's mother was one of the sweetest people you had ever met - it wasn't hard to see that she passed all that love on to Jayce.

"He will do amazing, I'm sure."

And amazing he did. With the fireworks lighting up the sky and Jayce's bright smile, you could not help but feel your heart bursting. You had held Ximena's hand as she looked up at her son, her eyes shining with tears and a proud smile on her face. Illuminated with the colourful and bright lights, Jayce looked like an angel.

After shaking many hands and receiving many congratulations, you and your partner were finally back home. He let out a tired sigh, flopping down on the couch as you let out a chuckle, taking off your heels and pulling pins out your hair.

"You did amazing, Jayce."

"You think so?"

You hummed, nodding before also sitting down on the couch, snuggling against him as you let out a content sigh.

"As you said - the future is bright."

[avelera]

I'm curious about your interpretation for post-hexcored viktor left jayce, and what you think he was planning on doing there before he was lead towards forming a cult. The first bit may sound weird, seeing as it seems obvious that it was, because it seems obvious to most that it's because he felt betrayed by Jayce after being revived with the hexcore after he'd been promised it would be destroyed. (thus all the divorce paper jokes, which are admittedly very funny) But... that doesn't seen entirely accurate to me. Or at least not the the only part of it, in part because he later invites Jayce down to the commune to see it and we never get an explanation as to how and why that changed - what happened that lead. And in the poke-wakeup conversation with Jayce, it seems important to me that the first thing he brought up was "what am i?", not "what happened?", or "are you okay?" In my take, there's context clues and backstory stuff that can help us infer the dots he's philosophically connecting and recontextualization he's going through in those moments (that then leads to a *further* recontextualization, and then one after that. SO much of this season on viktor's side is him internally going "hmm. apparently my entire thesis statement On How People and The World work was wrong. allow me to amend that and then act accordingly", is2g) of course, I'm not sure my take on How Deeply He's Thinking About This completely gels with your take on all his altruism is a subconscious excuse and front he made to justify his selfishness, so I'm just really curious to hear your thoughts on the subject!

I need to be clear: I do not think ALL of Viktor’s selflessness is a front!

Dear lord, he’s one of the most pacifistic, kind, generous, good-hearted people in the whole show. I do not want to imply at all that Viktor doesn’t actually care about other people!

If anything, my argument is that he cares SO MUCH about other people that when HE as an individual person needs something, like his partner to BE there for him when he’s feeling scared and alone and he wants HELP finding a way to save his own life, Viktor is literally so selfless and kind and altruistic he DOESN’T KNOW HOW TO ASK. He can’t forgive himself for prioritizing himself as an individual even when he has maybe weeks left to live, when by any measure he’d be a higher priority of urgency than the big systemic issues he’s hoping to address.

When I say Viktor is lying to himself it’s because he’s truly desperate and has spent so long thinking of others that he can’t conceptualize of how to focus on his own urgent needs. And then, when he does fully commit to saving himself, Sky dies horrifically, and it spirals Viktor into even deeper despair. He’s literally suicidal when he asks Jayce to destroy the Hexcore. It’s kind of no wonder Jayce ignores him on that front, he saw Viktor about to jump and then ask him to destroy the Hexcore, which is the same thing as jumping as far as Jayce knows (since he doesn’t know about Sky). Honestly, in most circumstances, Jayce would be unequivocally doing the right thing by saving Viktor’s life and refusing to indulge his suicide ideation by destroying his one hope in the first place.

I know you mostly asked about other stuff but honestly, it’s super up to interpretation. Fortiche is very good at offering multiple reasons for anything that we see. Maybe Viktor left because the Hexcore is controlling him, maybe he saw the weapons blueprints and gave up on Jayce, maybe he’s trying to protect Jayce by getting away, maybe he is just that fed up about the broken promise. Something weird and fucky is definitely going on IMO which is why I personally don’t buy that Viktor is totally in control there and there’s some level of Hexcore influence or mind control.

But since this isn’t prose and we’re not inside the character’s head, it’s all up to an individual viewers interpretation what’s going on and how much is Viktor. I’ve done numerous posts on how influenced I think Viktor is, why I think he left, etc and I can link those here in a bit but the newer and more pressing thing for me was clarifying: I don’t think Viktor is selfish. I think he’s so selfless he struggles to voice and frame his own dire selfish needs in a way he finds forgivable even to himself which unfortunately obfuscates their urgency to others, for example, framing his urgent person needs to Jayce as big systemic issues that will take years if not decades to address. I think Jayce in that instance could be forgiven for not seeing a couple days or weeks of detour as a big deal in the face of gigantic societal issues like how better mining equipment in the Undercity could help them, because he didn’t grasp that Viktor was talking about his own urgent needs.

Anyway I might add some links to this soon but I hope this helps for now.

[shtern-and-art]

Welcome to the little AU I like to think about, where Viktor and Jayce both live in Zaun, and Arcane is actually about class struggle and oppression. Let's start with Jayce's backstory (you can find Viktor's here).

First of all in this house we fully accept the theory that Jayce and his mother are not from Piltover. They moved there to live with Jayce's dad when Jayce was still a kid (most likely from Ixtal). We appreciate and dig deep into mixed immigrant kid Jayce Talis narrative (yes, there will be more posts exploring this theme in canon later). 

With that in mind, let's begin.

THE PILTOVER DREAM

- Let's imagine that house Talis was a bit further on the decline when Ximena and Jayce moved to Piltover. Couldn't keep up with the capitalist progress and the demands of high society anymore, losing even more of the status and wealth each passing day.

- They already downsized to owning only one factory somewhere in Zaun already. And eventually Jayce's dad had to sell it, too, to close the last debts.

A fun point to think about, because it was either leaving his grandchildren paying off the failed business expenses decades from now, or losing everything right now, and living in poverty, but without that shadow over the family. Let's not think too deeply about aggressive business takeovers and monopolies of Piltover, it'll get too sad and aggravating fast.

- Eventually, and rather fast in the grand scheme of things, Talis and his family moved to Zaun. Where he continued working as an engineer at the last Talis factory he had to sell. How about that turn of events, huh.

- Now imagine you and your mum escape poverty, get to the bigger, shinier city in another country to reunite with your dad... but end up spending only a year there at most, before you all have to move to the local poverty capital. And all the kids there look at you like "ew, you're one of those bourgeois bitches".

- So yeah, Jayce's formidable years were not as fun, not a lot of friends made between his autistic straightforwardness and the shadow of Piltover making up an imaginary chip on his shoulder.

- His dad had a nicer official job, too. Gained somewhat of a passable, if not overly friendly, reputation. Worked hard, and didn't complain or bring up any hazing. He needed this job and this reputation, after all.

"It's complicated" status on LinkedIn.

- He taught Jayce what he could in the late evenings, and let him rampage through the family's library before starting to slowly sell it off.

- Nice times didn't last long, though. Couple of years after the move to Zaun, Jayce's dad passed away at work, in a gruesome accident. Crushed to death while fixing up the broken machinery. The funding of the factory was dropping even more rapidly now, and it was not possible to keep up with all the safety protocols anymore.

- His family received a small compensation (he wasn't following the safety protocols, after all), and had to size down again, and move even deeper in the undercity.

- Ximena had to take on more work again, just like when Jayce was a (smaller) child. But now she couldn't take some of the finer, less stressful jobs, because of the missing fingers. This stuck with Jayce. This character will remember this from now on and forever.

But hey, at least there's no need to go into the mountains on the regular despite the weather conditions, right? Ha ha.

JAYCE (AND TALIS)

- Jayce stopped using or mentioning his last name even before his father's death. Though it stopped haunting him with biting remarks from the peers only after him and Ximena moved again.

- But Jayce still had his ambitions, his -dream-, his drive, the sleepless nights, and the remains of his father's library.

Never really leaving the bottom of the pit, ground 0, from the start, did make him even more passionate about harnessing magic and improving the lives of the workers.

- But let's be real here, he is kinda selfish about that. About his passion.

He could've gotten a job as an assistant in some repair shop or with a local mechanic. Be safer, have better chances of the job and salary growth. Of supporting his mother.

- And oh Jayce is all about that, that is also his big goal in life. He moved out and got a job (way too early) in his teens, to take some pressure off Ximena.

- But he got a job in the formerly Talis owned factory. The same one his dad died in.

- Because, you know. If Jayce wanted to make progress in his research, he needed access to the industrial forge and the finer quality equipment.

- So small repairs stayed as just a side gig, while teenage (maybe he was around 14 or something?) Jayce began the fast journey to permanently fucking up his back doing manual labor.

- And yes, his official position was linework, loading and/or (later in the timeline) smithing. Because they couldn't hire an engineer, no matter how promising, without papers confirming proper education. It was a proper Piltover factory, after all. They gotta do things the right and legal way.

- Instead of Kirammans, Jayce got the shift manager that lets him tinker with his own stuff at dead hours, because Jayce is a good boy who's ready to work two jobs, one under the table, all for under the table scraps pay.

- And when I say "moved out", I mean Jayce is living in prime real estate of a big industrial crate that got written off from the factory he works at. It's propped somewhere really close by to it, in the back alleyways that never see the sun.

Very practical of him, can catch more hours in the factory, and not worry about traveling back and forth, cutting down his research and work time.

- Only a few people in the factory know he's the kid of the Talis. Jayce puts a lot of effort into not bringing it up. No need to complicate things, and make more obstacles for his actual work and life goals.

- Jayce still signs every page of his research, though. But only with his last name. He thinks he's being bitter and conspiratorial about it. 

THE INCIDENT x1: THE CRASH

- But guess what. Nice times didn't last long, yes. After (at most) a year and a bit at the factory, the disaster struck.

Jayce was working his usual late hours all alone, fixing some heavy machinery that broke down for the third time that week, when some very out of date mechanisms gave out and very unfortunately crushed Jayce's leg way ahead of the schedule.

Oh, Jayce almost dying on company time, just like his father before him. And in an eerily similar fashion, too.

- He didn't die, though. He was brave, and (after waking up) put his bone back into its place, and (after waking up after -that-), asked the shift manager for his non-mandatory monthly couple of days leave. Like a champ.

- He was still young, and stubborn, and terrified by what happened, and of the look the shift manager gave him after dropping Jayce off at the crate.

So he laid there on the floor (no carpet in the crate) in a daze of pain and delusions, not thinking about how this injury may cost him this job and the chance of continuing his research. Like a champ. Until the night of his last day of leave.

- And when no new miracle came through, Jayce gathered all the scrapes he could reach to make a makeshift splinter and a crutch. Maybe even from the hammer prototype handle. And set out on the long trek to the local meat vendor guy.

People at the factory mentioned him sometimes as some sort of underground doctor that helps out factory workers that can't afford visiting a proper clinic. And asks a reasonable price, it seems.

- Neither gods nor Jayce know how he managed to get to this guy's place on his own, but it took a lot of hours.

- Imagine Jayce, already pumped full of not approved for humans painkillers slumped over the metal table, doing his best puppy dog eyes like "Can you do something quick? I have to make it to the morning shift, dowctor 👉👈"

And the local butcher shop surgeon going "Yeah, me too, boy".

-

Doctor: How did you get here, boy? Jayce: Hamner ✨✨✨✨✨*

His Best Friend.

*that's Jayce throwing up over the surgery table.

-

- Yes, Jayce's vague hopes of getting a really good splinter went out of the window real fast.

The doctor, looking at the cracked open leg with big signs of infection and pieces of bone all over the place: “Meh, not today. Not gonna perform a puzzle. You clearly won't be paying for the extra hours, and my slop coffee's getting cold.”

- Jokes aside, he did explain to Jayce that trying to fix his leg will take a long time and probably multiple surgeries, and even with all that it will never work properly again. He will not be able to get back to his previous work for a long while. Most likely – at all.

- And Jayce couldn't have that. So he swallowed his initial panic and agreed to the amputation. Because he may have a shorter recovery time, if he's lucky. Because he can start walking again in a shorter span of time. If he's lucky. Because, sure, he can't afford the prosthetic, but he can figure it out, he can make something himself, whatever, crank it, chop it off, boss.

THE FOLLOWUP

- And, well. Jayce did eventually figure it out.

He probably had to move back in with Ximena for a while, while he recovered, and build his new leg with some input from the back alley doctor. It was quite simple and basic, his first model.

- Jayce had to keep building new ones over the next few years, as he grew older and bigger.

- He did return to the factory as soon as he could (perhaps a bit too soon, even), and continued his research.

- Jayce tried to not draw attention to his missing leg. There were plenty of amputees on the job, but all of them got their work injuries way later in life, and had plenty of strength and experience backing them up. Jayce didn't have any of that yet, only the vague rumors that he's an outsider following him all his life. So he kept quiet, and to himself. A perfect cog in the machine.

- Meanwhile, his continued research of body augmentation and prosthetics got him into a new side gig.

As payment for his operation, the back alley surgeon got Jayce to work on prosthetics for his other clients.

As in, after their operations and/or amputations, the doctor would refer people to Jayce. For a reasonable fee, of course.

- The problem in Zaun lies not only in the low life expectancy and the amount of severe injuries in the workforce. Prosthetics can make life bearable for most. It's in the prices, too.

Can regular old uncle Fedya from the nail making factory get a pair of relatively ok working fingers to keep sorting nails 16/6 after he got his hand stuck while cleaning a press? Without going into lifelong debt? Much to think about.

- The market of prosthetics is monopolized by that sickly cat chem-baron that Sevika cut into pieces. But that will happen in the future, back then he was still very much alive and ready to absorb or eliminate any competition.

- So Jayce worked on the downlow, and never took money for his work.

- And even with that he eventually ended up on that baron's radar. The fact that he did his prosthetics for free made it even worse, actually. Hah.

- But Jayce's patients didn't rat him out. The earliest ones, at least. Maybe later the back alley doctor made the rule of blindfolding patients before Jayce will work with them. Just in case.

- Sometimes families of the people Jayce helps pay him back in food. Sometimes they bring supplies for the secret lab he definitely doesn't have, shhh. Such a bright gentleman can definitely find some use for all this toootally useless junk they had lying around. He takes it, or they throw it away, you know. Or whatever. 

THE OVERVIEW 

- I think it will be fun to have Jayce be a silent mechanic with no name.

The patients for prosthetics never see his face, or hear his voice much. Or at all. Jayce learned to work in silence. He never leaves signature markings on his prosthetics and machines. He learned to linger in the shadows and not draw attention to how he looks or moves. To who he is.

The need to fit in and being needed forced Jayce into another version of the same rigid mold.

- Jayce has unchecked social anxiety, and gets nervous and uncomfortable when too many people pay attention to him. Or just being around big groups of people for long periods of time. He, unlike the Arcane!Jayce, was not prolongedly trained to stomach it. Social events tire him 10 times faster.

- He doesn't ask many questions, he's just there. Slouching, to occupy less space with his (smaller and shorter than in Arcane, but still) giant frame, and also because of the back pain.

- And yes, almost 10 years of hard labor starting from teen years (with not much proper training, too!) got Jayce chronic lower back pain way earlier than his coworkers. It mostly bothers him at night though, so it's alright, hahah. Doesn't impact his work much. Still easy to hide, so it's basically neglectable. Ha ha.

- Jayce doesn't keep up with his appearance that much. Looks somewhat like a stray dog. Unkept, and sometimes grimy from work, but mostly clean. Hair reaching the chin, pulled into a half ponytail, Vander-style. It's only long enough for the layer of soot to protect from the fire and metals.

- He is mostly going by Jay in this timeline. At first, he did only at work, to have more distance from his family name. But then it just stuck.

Only his mum (and later Viktor) calls him Jayce.

- Sometimes Jayce traded various knick-knacks at Benzo's. He didn't always have the money to buy things, but Jayce can barter for stuff and do little repairs.

- And no, he's not gonna stay for a full-time job, thankyouverymuch. Jayce is -very- into 16-hour shifts and his damp crate in the alley. He's all good

- Yeah, put the box of discount parts near the door, Ekko. It's for the stray.

- The back alley doctor is a big, intimidating looking guy, who runs a meat selling or other kind of food shop. With the vibes of that food stand guy from Arcane.

(To the reader: if someone knows a character from the league that would fit the bill, then do tell. I will gladly adjust and implement more canon stuff).

--

NEXT UP:

Viktors bio / the story

[ballerinarina]

𐙚Okay, brellies, theory time!

I decided to rewatch TUA S1 and I noticed a detail that chilled me, and that somehow I missed the four times before.

In EP2, when Five gets lost, his first instinct is to call VIKTOR and BEN. Their NAMES.

Which means at this time the kids already had been named! I always thought Five was called Five because they were named after he went missing!!

That rented a triplex in my head and I could only think: So he has a name too? What is his name? Why doesn't he use his name?

And then I tried to search about it, because I was sure I was the only person that never noticed that, and you guys can't imagine my surprise when I discovered ANOTHER detail I missed.

MAX'S DELICATESSEN

MAX!

No way! I mean, it's a Five's cafe, created by five where all the Fives visit! Who else would be Max? Only him!

But that doesn't answer my questions:

Why doesn't he use his name? And why did he use it this time to name the cafe?

I really need answers, theories, opinions, anything, guys.

[EDIT] UPDATES:

The dear @bookbutterfly1999 showed me two old articles about it, one where Gerard Way talks and another with Aidan's interpretation about the matter! (Tysm!)

According to WAY Five not being numbered is integral to his character development. [...] “Maybe they [Luther and Diego] will learn the numbers don’t matter, as Five did, which is why I feel he embraced his number as a name instead of a rank, and rejected an actual name (which I hope we see one day!).”

&

GALLAGHER: “In Season 1, they referenced each other by name there, and Five was in that, but he’s never gotten a name. I suppose Grace was choosing names for the children, and there may have been one for Five, but it’s my understanding that he rejected it. That’s how I think about his relation to a name. A number always superseded him. It was almost a resentful, spiteful action, in the face of Hargreeves. I don’t really think he cares about such things as a number. Five has always been this brilliant, very cunning, and weird little mind, so a number suited him, in a way, and he grew accustomed to it. [...] He probably rejected the name because he thought it was petty, or something like that. [...]”

It's just so interesting to have the answer to why he rejected his name! Five is such a complex character.

Since Gerard insinuated that we could may see his given name someday, I think that the theory that it's Max is still super valid!

Which makes the question remain: what guided him to give this name to the delicassen? I would love to have this answer someday! Theories?

[LINKS TO THE ARTICLES]

[queermediaismypassion]

so i've been seeing people complain that the vander and silco backstory with the girls' mom retconned season 1 and i'm absolutely baffled by it

i always found the bridge scene a little confusing because of how trusting the girls were of vander after seeing him beat people up. sure, he wasn't in an enforcer uniform, but i'd still be scared of a big man like that who was just beating people to death lol. knowing they already knew eachother before the bridge, that he helped raise them as sort of an uncle, makes it make more sense. (i never saw it as a flaw of the scene, it was always really touching, but the added context helps)

the thing i see most people bring up is the fact that the girls would've known silco. yeah, and ? they never state that they have no idea who that man is, do they ? just because they don't talk about his past with them in season 1 doesn't mean introducing that in season 2 is retconning anything, it adds context.

i imagine silco is a sore topic for vander, and powder was so young who know how much she remembers of him. it makes complete sense to me that they wouldn't really talk about it and only focus on who silco is now in the present.

now as stated above, we don't really know how much powder remembers of him. we don't see him be as involved with raising the girls as vander in the flashback, but that doesn't necessarily mean he wasn't as involved. we see the flashbacks through viktor poking around in vander's brain after all.

we don't knowwhat powder is thinking when she tackles him with a hug; whether she was just desperately seeking comfort from the nearest person or from silco because she knows him. it does, however, add some context to how easily silco gave in and hugged her back instead of following through and killing her. not only did he see himself in her, he was close with her mother and watched her grow up. we know silco is more than willing to exploit and threaten kids. he was fully intending to kill powder until the moment she hugged him, but i'm not so sure he would've taken pity on just any child who did that if he had no history with them.

i'd love to see some arguments for why you think the backstory retconned season 1 if there's others, but the ones i've seen so far just makes me think people jumped to conclusions without actually thinking back on season 1 and just went with their understanding of it that was formed with missing context.

don't get me wrong, you're allowed to dislike the backstory if you liked the story better thinking vander was a complete stranger when he took them in and/or that silco and powder/jinx were complete strangers. disliking it and saying it retconned season 1 are however two completely different things.

[possibilistfanfiction]

for the caitvi prompts: university

been really enjoying the light heartedness lol

[a little backstory! v cute! we love them! fits in this little au here & here, also now up on ao3 if that's a better place to stay organized w them lol]

//

it’s your favorite kind of day outside, gloomy and rainy without being freezing cold. cait holds your hand without asking today, which makes you smile into her shoulder and you kind of hate it, the butterflies that you’d assumed you were too old and too fucked up for, but you’re also, just, thankful. you’d climbed together this morning at the gym closest to your apartment, which is a little smaller and older than the one closer to cait’s, but she always compliments the route setting and is friendly with the staff, enjoying your friends’ happy teasing that of course you’re on a date climbing, vi. she loves it just as much as you do, so the embarrassment, at least in that way, has faded.

but still, you had showered back at your apartment together, changed, and are walking, even with her pouting about how the drizzle will make her hair frizzy, around the old buildings of the university campus nearby, wandering until it’s time to meet jinx, jayce, and viktor for lunch. it’s a date-date, it occurs to you, your third official one, even though it’s just barely noon and cait is in a simple turtleneck, a practical raincoat, and pair of jeans, rather than anything fancy: you’re getting to know her, to learn her, to listen and encourage and laugh and, quite literally, catch her when she falls.

you acquiesce to her pouting eventually — jinx teases you all the time for it, but her eyes are so blue and she’s so pretty — so you duck into jinx’s favorite coffee shop and get her a warm, honey and mint tea for the rest of your stroll. she smiles into the steam, then up at you, and it’s really, terrifyingly easy to kiss her while you hope, a little tug in your chest, that the days continue on and on like this.

‘did you study at university?’ she asks, sipping her tea once it’s cooled down. she says it conversationally, like she genuinely wants to know, but still, you scoff.

‘what makes you think someone like me went to school?’

‘well,’ she says, never one to back down, ‘your sister attends university, and also you’re quite smart.’

jinx and vander and your therapist are always on you about accepting compliments, leaning into the way people see you now: kind, competent, responsible, intelligent. you try to let this one sink in, to trust that caitlyn will still see you as those things after you tell her. you tug her to a bench under a pretty awning covered in ivy. ‘thank you.’

she hums.

‘i — i got my GED when i was incarcerated,’ you say, the simplest way to go about it. if things go bad, at least jinx is close by and would probably be more than happy to ditch her class; you could make an escape.

‘oh,’ caitlyn says and is quiet for one of the most frightening moments of your life; her face is calm and doesn’t give anything away. ‘i hate prisons,’ she says, finally, which abruptly makes you laugh, one hard bark of a thing. she squeezes your hand and smiles. ‘i am glad they offered that program for you, at least.’

‘i — whew,’ is all you can really say, breathing into the bottom of your spine like you help jinx practice when she’s feeling really overwhelmed. your eyes prick with tears and you duck to wipe them away. caitlyn allows you this, but when you get it together a little bit and lift your chin, she’s looking at you with curiosity and very distinct admiration, not pity or disgust, and you might start crying all over again. ‘i — sorry i waited to tell you, or whatever.’

‘there’s no need to apologize,’ she says, then frowns. ‘but did i do anything to make you think that might be a problem for me?’

you sigh and then gesture to the gorgeous, huge building across the courtyard. ‘your last name is on the library right there.’

‘ah.’

‘yeah.’

‘well, i am much more than my last name,’ she says, puffing out her chest a little in defiance, and very clearly you think i love you. it’s not the time, but you’ll remember it as the years go on. ‘and even with it, my mother has advocated for years for policy and programs to shorten or eliminate prison sentences, and social supports to decrease recidivism rates.’ you know this, objectively, but caitlyn’s mom might be the scariest person you’ve ever had to even think about meeting. ‘which i don’t think is nearly enough, by the way.’

she stops herself from going on a longer rant, turning to face you fully with a smile, a cold hand coming to brush the scar on your lip and hold your jaw in its palm.

‘i know you, violet.’ as simple as that. ‘would you like to tell me more about any of it?’

you don’t, not really, because you never talk about it if you don’t have to, but some of the things you experienced, things you were forced to experience, still color the worst of your days. so you tell her some of it, at least: how you were only seventeen but sentenced to an adult prison, with an agonizingly long six years of an adult sentence, for theft and assault felonies, some of which didn’t even happen. you tell her about how you had to ration food — she hums in some kind of present understanding; it dawns on you that she’s probably noticed you’re always hungry, that it feels an impossible feat to eat seconds, even if there’s plenty — and about how you were in a lot of fights. sometimes it was because you had to, to protect yourself, and sometimes it was just because you were angry, because you got the shit beat out of you constantly, because you spent at least half your time in solitary, because a scar through your brow or the needles and ink pressed into your skin was better than the horrible, terrifying nothingness. you got so, so strong because it wasn’t safe, physically or in your own mind, to be anything otherwise.

‘my sister is the only thing that kept me going, sometimes.’

cait sniffles, wipes her nose with a shy smile, a little embarrassed to be crying at your story, but you love her all the more for her empathy. ‘it’s clear to everyone how much you care for her.’

‘when i got out, she was — well, the details are hers to share,’ you say, not wanting to overstep. ‘she has some pretty severe mental health stuff, and it was bad. my dad pulled some strings and got me into the fire academy, though, and i was able to get a place for us to stay together and get her some real help.’

‘it seems, at least to me, like you’ve worked incredibly hard to build the two of you a really beautiful life, vi.’ when you nod, she leans forward to kiss you, softly and tenderly, a reassurance, an offering, a balm. ‘i’m quite lucky to be included in it.’

‘we’re lucky to have you.’ your voice is thick with tears but it’s worth saying anyway. ‘even if jinx is a brat about it sometimes.’

caitlyn laughs, unfazed.

‘that’s just her countenance,’ you say. ‘i’m glad you’re smart enough to not take it personal.’

‘i’m brilliant,’ she agrees, ‘even for a kiramman.’

you roll your eyes, groan appropriately. ‘hey,’ you say, squeezing her hand before you stand, your lunch time looming. ‘thank you.’

‘you must know by now, violet, that i am quite fond of you.’

‘i — yeah, i do. still, sometimes this — it changes things for people.’

she nods, assenting easily. ‘it only makes me care for you, and admire you, more, if anything.’

‘jinx is never going to let me hear the end of it if i’m actively crying when we walk in there, cupcake.’

caitlyn just laughs and pulls you in for another kiss. it’s raining harder now — you’ll have to dash through it — but the awning protects you for now, and there’s some kind of home in the warmth of her mouth.

[applebuttercringe]

Arcane episode 7 initial thoughts

-OMG why won’t my internet work

-Ok it is here

-EKKO?

-Aw it’s adorable

-Aw it’s traumatized

-is he in an alternate dimension?

-Woah! Jinx without the trauma is adorable. So this is an alternate universe where the bad stuff didn’t happen? A canon fix it fic?

-IDK about the Imagine Dragons hate, this theme song is a banger.

-The song! Is this the Viktor and Jayce song?

-Is this a free Zaun?

-Not powder calling me out about my sleep schedule.

-Canon timebomb? Trouble in paradise?

-Claggor and Mylo.

-Oh that girl used to be a kinder in the other dimension. Mylo likes her.

-I hope this universe isn’t destroyed.

-Powder has a pink hair streak. Is it a Vi tribute? Is she dead? Is that the catch?

-Zaun is so much brighter here

-Heimer waiting for years is so on character.

-aw Vi is dead isn’t she. They’re gonna visit a grave huh.

-Jayce content!!!

-A lot of vomiting this episode.

-Is it the mage who gave him the gemstone, here to teach him like it’s the ghost of Christmas future? Or is it Viktor? Or both?

-called it on Vi being dead

-Does this alternate universe make it so that the only thing keeping Piltover and Zaun apart was the invention of Hextech and Avis arrest. That’s kinda lame? They weren’t this friendly before. The oppression is the character fault?

-I’m getting Fallout from the Jayce parts.

-There we get the leg injury.

-Are these the caves where Viktor met Singed?

-How did he find stuff to build a fire?

-oop he got Hexcore in his blood

-Won’t he starve, what is he eating? This is a lot to montage through.

-How long was it?

-Vi is badass

-Is he encouraging her to go crazy?

-A new generation of visionaries

-Aw they’re falling in love

-Jinx spent weeks helping them build a device and never asked what it does?

-Aw man

-Is Viktor gonna be in the orb?!

-SILCO SILCO SILCO SILCO SILCO VANCO VANCO VANCO?

-The made up in this universe? That was possible?!

-THOSE MEN ARE MARRIED

-timebomb prom. This is a fanfiction. Pure wish fulfillment. I love it.

-Are they gonna kiss? This is adorable. I love them. The almost kiss!

-THE ACTUALLY KISS

-Meanwhile jayce is fighting for his life

-Aw man, he has to leave. This was inevitable but still.

-Is the wizard someone we know? Jayce in the future? Viktor?

-Is heimerdinger leaving?

-Is heimerdinger dead? Is Ekko dead? Or is just leaving the Ekko he was inhabiting here behind?

-awww

Tbh the Jayce stuff fell flat for me. They used the most intense and non character specific trauma imaginable to turn him into a different character and put a montage over most of it.

Also the portrayal of Piltover and Zaun if there was no hextwch? It was adorable, tons of fan service. But it was also just…too perfect. The harmony defies the broken world the show started in. Hextech didn’t create the oppression Zaun experiences. Vi being alive didn’t prevent Silco and Vander from making up. I just don’t see how the changes we know happened would lead to this world.

The episode was entertaining, soul food. But in another way it was disappointing. The fact that this is Jayce’s backstory/justification was a wasted opportunity.

[blood-starved-beast]

You know what would be really cool and a hit and thus something Riot will never do? Make an Arcane Encyclopedia/Guidebook.

Basically a book full of cool details and lore facts that didn't get into the show itself cause of time-constraints/never came up, or simply wasn't relevant but would be cool to know. You know, details such as how the Firelights worked/routes/day to day things, names of some of their prominent members besides Ekko and Scar, so forth. Same thing with Silco's faction, or heck Vander and Benzo's. Life in the lanes, some lore about the initial Day of Ash Revolution and such. We learn more about Felicia. Heck info on Viktor's family life or backstory. More details about Vi in prison or Jinx being raised by Silco. Sevika's backstory and what she did after s2ep4. Some lore on the Kirammans and their Ionian connections. You know, stuff that would really enhance the lore.

[psychic-refugee]

I agree with pretty much everyone that the season was rushed. They had so much going on and just didn’t do any kind of exposition or building of the storyline. Even if they had the normal 10-episode season, I don’t know how they would have done anyone’s storyline justice.

So, even for a Netflix season, it was short and rushed.

I think it could have been a really good season if they had the time to actually tell the story.

Some things I wished they had developed.

The bond between Jennifer and Ben. Or just having a backstory for Jennifer at all. She was literally just there and I felt I knew nothing about her. Marigold made 43 gifted children, did Durango only make Jennifer? If Marigold gives powers, does Durango make them even more ordinary? lol

They could have had a plot where maybe both particles give powers, but when they are in proximity to someone with the opposite particle, their powers get nullified.

If Lila and Five were gonna go Timeline hopping, they could have shown several timelines where Jennifer and Ben keep meeting tragic ends when they meet each other. I would have loved it if they were “Star Crossed Lovers” on steroids where literally every time they meet, they either die or bring about the end of the world.

I wished they played up more the idea that the Umbrella Academy as a unit/existing at all meant doom for the Universe.

Where if Ben and Jennifer don’t meet/die early enough, then Viktor causes the apocalypse. If Viktor doesn’t cause the apocalypse, then it’s Five with his wrecking the timeline to the point it creates a kugleblitz. If Five doesn’t cause it, then show how the others all bring about the doom.

Klaus always awakens too many of the dead and they kill everyone, zombie apocalypse style.

Alison’s ability progresses to the point that anything she says becomes reality, and she inadvertently causes the world to end because she gets pissed and wished “everyone would drop dead” or some other kind of Monkey Paw consequence to a misguided wish.

Diego is blamed for every assassination because of his abilities, and it starts a nuclear war between countries.

Luther gets captured by a shady government entity where they want to use his DNA or recreate Reginald’s serum to create super soldiers, as his powers are the most coveted for a fascist regime. They’re successful and there’s an apocalypse created by world wars.

Instead of Viktor getting two seasons of ending the world and Five and Ben getting one; It should have been a 7-season storyline where they each end the world in their own way and they continuously try to fix it. Season 7 is where it ends with all of them voluntarily being absorbed by the Cleanse because they realize, “It’s me. Hi, I’m the problem it’s me.”

I wish they had gone deeper into Abigail Hargreeves, and not only on her research for Marigold and Durango, but her apparent resentment of being brought back to life. Like, how did she come to the plan of putting the Cleanse in motion? They couldn’t have at least done a montage of the six years between the resurrecting time reset and the beginning of season 4?

It would have been nice to see the dynamic between Reginald and Abigail. Is he so self-centered that he never noticed his wife was plotting to end the universe as they knew it? Was she horrified at the lengths he went to in order to resurrect her? Was he completely different around her? Soft, caring?

Did she try to live a happy life with Reginald, but couldn’t knowing that because Marigold and Durango still existed, that it was only a matter of time before it went to shit?

Was Abigail aware of the broken timeline and the inevitable eternal loop of apocalypse and resets, and that’s why she chose the Cleanse?

Season Four wasn’t finished, IMO, and we really only saw the Wiki version.

[gachagon]

The fandom rarely ever talks about Mel and her relationship with her mother and her family history and her actual story that the show literally tells us, because they're too busy trying to find a man to ship her with. I've found that there's this new phenomenon that happens in fandom with female characters that ARE written well in the piece of media they come from, where instead of focusing on her story, the fandom wants to include her in all of the shipping and romance side even if she might not be entirely involved with all of that.

So, they completely strip her of any backstory and just shoehorn her into whatever relationship they can think of, all the while telling anyone who DOESN'T ship her with someone that they're the REAL misogynists because they're not including her in any of the "real" discussions happening in the fanbase.

This thought has always bothered me since Arcane ended and people went from shipping Mel and Jayce, to shipping Jayce and Viktor, to shipping all three of them together because fighting over the ships was silly (it was) but leaving out the idea that maybe Mel's story was never about romance to begin with and the idea that she's single at the end isn't a tragedy because her being tied to a man is not a "happy ending". There's this overall pervasive idea that because a character doesn't have a romantic partner in the end, that they are alone and that the ending for them sucked.

I have never thought that Mel's ending was bad, and I was baffled by people who kept saying this, only to learn they were only saying this while posting screenshots of all the "couples" that got together in the end. Romance is not the end all be all of a characters story, and often times people forget that and completely disregard anything that happens to that character prior to any romantic tension they have with another, in favor of focusing solely on the "what-ifs" of a relationship between those two.

Mel's story is a beautiful one about learning to accept yourself in a harsh environment, growing into a person your parent can acknowledge and be proud of, the tragedy of not being able to show your parent that you were strong enough to take the mantle from her before it was too late and she died, the bitter acceptance that this was the only way she'd have ever accepted you in the first place and so many other deep familial themes of mothers and daughters.

Yet does ANYONE talk about that? No, all anyone talks about when they bring up Mel is something about how she was "manipulating Jayce the whole time' or how she was a "Mirror for Jayce to realize his feelings for Viktor" or how "She was rude to Viktor in season 1 and kind of dismissive of Zaun as a whole" it all just wraps back around to what Jayce and Viktor were doing and not her actual story.

Hell, it took me weeks to even find one edit on tiktok of her actual story arc, with her discovering her powers and fighting her own mom, and when there ARE edits of her? They are again just more ship edits of her with some man.

And look, none of this would bother me if the people who really liked those ships didn't act like shipping MelJayVik was some revolutionary idea, and that THIS is how you can finally include a woman in a story! Finally, now instead of her character revolving around 1 man we have managed to revolve it around 2 at the same time! Marvelous! I just hate that one of the best written female characters of our time is getting relegated to not just ONE mans "emotionally stable and hot girlfriend" but TWO (and she didn't even talk to him all that much!!!)

[cl-0v3r]

Any hopes or protections for act two or even three!? (Im asking for a friend(totally not just shy))

HIIIIIIIII ♡♡♡

I do infact have hopes and predictions for act two or even three !!! Not a lot of three tho because a week isn't enough time to think 😭

First of all, I think Mel is going to suffer the most in this act out of the other acts, she is in LeBlancs hands and leblanc tends to torture people she finds interesting (aka people w magic), not to mention she's her enemy's daughter. Wether its physical or psychological torture, she will make sure Mel will be on edge if it serves her an advantage. I feel like this act is when Mel sees, hears and learns about things that she'd never known before, so that really tips the cup for her into changing her course of action. As for if she will get out of it or not? I'm not really sure. She has armor, but we don't know how effective it is towards leblancs magic, I really hope she does get out and she most likely will find a way.

For act 3? there is nothing I could think of. I've heard people say something about how the trailers are mostly ~act 1- act 2, and honestly it all makes sense for it to be that way. I feel like act 3 is where everything ends, redemption starts, characters start going back to who they were at their core, characters pay the price, characters go through guilt and what not. So sum it up, its going to be more focused on characters emotional wellbeings rather than actions. I do think there will be an after-shock lf the war too, perhaps its where re-building happens.

Secondly, I think Jayce and Viktor are going to go through the ACTUAL break-up this act, with actual violence, considering there may be a timeskip? Viktor could've became machine herald already, and Jayce has grown a beard so, after sitting through viktors WONDERFUL MOSES SHENANIGANS he met his limit and went to stop him, or viktor finds Jayce in the undercity and approaches him. We also see caitlyn with a new gun so that could mean Jayce is still present on topside rather than completely focusing on ripping viktors head off.

Okay so caitlyn scares me, it scares me that Ekko is not there and caitlyn KNOWS where the firelight base is, I hope not but she might go there for god knows what, and lead the enforcers with her or soldiers or whoever, which could cause abseloute hell in the base.

I think the arcane will start appearing in random yet specific places too, the corruption will affect piltover and zaun negatively which could cause hindrance to everyone.

For ambessa, I feel like the reason she goes against the enforcers/vice versa is either because those aren't actual enforcers, but Inx/people of zaun. We saw vi carrying an enforcer on her back, which i don't think shes an enforcer here.. I think ambessa is going to go THROUGH IT with enemies all over.

Ekko, I think he builds his Z drive from wherever he is, I dont think it will be complete, but its going to be there. And he will actively be trying to find Jinx in admist of it all.

I think Jinx, Sevika and Isha will stay in the undercity for the most part, perhaps for preparation, or taking a rest, or maybe Jinx could be building things for everyone. but once they hear of them all being imprisoned she gets off of her ass and gets them out.

I want to see more character backstories too, that would make things so much more detrimental.

Im honestly not sure whats going to happen, I just hope Mel is safe and im really curious to know where they're going to take Viktor and Jayce, i need to see more of Ambessa aswell. I'm very excited for act 2 this week was LONG ENOUGH

THANK YOU FOR SENDING ME THIS ASK <33333

[stealerofthe2ndbraincell]

ARCANE ACT 3

LIVEBLOG TIME! 🎉🎉

(Once again, more like a reaction then a live blog but sssh)

S2 Ep8: Killing Is A Cycle

Mel in the Ebenezer Scrooge chains again (I know it was Jacob Marley that was in the chains throughout but still) :(

THIS TRANSFORMATION IS SO COOL.

Would be a bit cooler if she wasn't screaming bloody murder throughout but I get it.

They really took some of the excellent bits of her design and decided to really lean into them more for this.

I kind of wish the internet hadn't fucked over the word "empath" cause that made me giggle.

We can't see the sorceress from here but is she meant to resemble the girl from Mel's backstory?

I need to stop pausing to say this immediately before it happens.

Okay so it isn't her, duly noted. I would suck in a fight against this thing.

Did it really say "yeah you're cool but you can still be stabbed, so how powerful are you actually 🙄🙄".

Calamity and Red seem to be associated strongly cause I immediately thought of Breath of the Wild.

I'm living for this backstory.

She must be so cold.

It's all coming back :((

OH SHIT VIKTOR'S IN THE ORB NOW.

God. That's terrifying. Viktor is suddenly extremely terrifying to me.

I'm surprised Ambessa isn't remotely surprised at him mentioning Jayce. He was probably missing for months at this point.

"I will evolve all those willing" so everyone? Everyone in your cult, Viktor? Because they're a literal hivemind so I doubt he'd have much problem.

VI I MISSED YOU.

YOU DID NOT HAVE TO HAVE THAT ISHA FLASHBACK OMG:((

Why does it look like a pokeball? That's so distracting lol

God Maddie is failing across the board, it's embarrassing, girl...

This argument between Cait and Vi was so deserved to be honest.

Maddie is probably hearing all of this...

I never considered Jinx would surrender.

Is Jinx not eating?

Damn what if you just punched me in the gut wow...

Her nails bleeding HURT me so much

"no amount of good deeds can undo OUR crimes" I'm so interested in the "our" from Caitlyn....

Jayce, love ya, but I am not on your side in this argument.

Although, Mel I think calling him and Viktor a "wise investment" in this moment is probably not the move either but still

I was slightly concerned that Jayce's flashbacks (? Would that be the right term for these) would stop once Viktor was "killed". Apparently not.

I'm happy for this turnabout.

I thought in Act 2 he reminded me of S1 Jinx and I'm pushing with that idea now.

Oh nevermind. He almost shot Viktor again.

I know it is very likely one of his followers and not actually Viktor, but damn that robot waist line lmao

Poor Mel probably has very little clue what's going on right now.

I'm distracted by Jayce's design tbh. The black and red colour scheme is sooo nice on his new look.

....

...Well that caught me off guard...

He STILL wants Jayce to be his partner WHAT :'(

"My partner died in this room." OUCH

MEL, MY GIRL!!! 👏👏👏👏

I want to be more enthusiastic for her, but she looks borderline in pain whenever she uses her magic so far :((

WHY ARE YOU PURPLE, JAYCE??

WAIT SO WAS VIKTOR WAITING TO SEE IF JAYCE WOULD JOIN HIM BEFORE STARTING THE EVOLUTION?

After last episode I legitimately, for a second, thought Silco was still alive.

He's not a nice person at all obviously, but in Jinx's hallucination he seems to sound harsher to her?

I did not need to see her spit that out up close.

Wait. It actively fell from her mouth where is it?

O W

I AM SO SCARED, JINX. WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GOING TO "BREAK THE CYCLE"

Is there a reason Mel needs to wear the cloak?

"You will never be a passenger". Listen , I was actually hoping for more from my Jayce and Mel interactions. Both scenes they feel very off-kilter and standoffish of each other. A lot more tense then before (for understandable reasons considering what they both just went through) that I was hoping would start to heal.... but has'nt. However, that line hit.

I am obsessed with the designs of these background characters.

Am I missing something? Who is that playing that random piano??

I feel bad. I don't recognise him.

This entire sequence hurts.

OH. Wait I think I get the inclusion of the piano man. I hope I do otherwise I've just completely forgotten a character lol

[clonerightsagenda]

Arcane S2E6

The further we get into the season without the sex Netflix keeps warning me about appearing the more nervous I get. Sex jumpscare

"That isn't Jayce. There is another will at work within him." Pot, meet kettle. Interesting that astral plane Viktor looks like his old self and emotes, whereas real world Viktor looks off.

Imagining doing laundry for all the white robes in Viktor's commune… bold color choice

Is that really Sky after getting devoured by the hex core, or is that something else wearing a face that Viktor's guilt will respond to? The same way something pretended to be Mel's brother?

Emo bangs sisters

Hell yeah let's have fun with stylization again. This season sure likes its music videos

God damn it Singed

Viktor is still dying, huh? Man cannot catch a break

Caitlyn jumped Vi and started beating her with a rifle butt before even knowing who she was. What, does she just clobber everyone she comes into contact with now

One petname and Caitlyn cracks immediately. Most spineless military dictatorship figurehead

Is Jayce seeing possible futures, something he's being shown to mislead him, or is this Truesight?

Why did Shimmer give Jinx cool powers without any bodily distortions or side effects like all the others? Again. Is Jinx Dead

Where is Ekko. Is Ekko coming out of the orb with his time powers

I know in original LoL lore Jayce and Viktor were never on great terms and I feel like the show wrote a closer backstory for them and then went oh shit but they gotta fight later and so now Jayce is possessed by the spirit of League of Legends canon. Please do not get in my notes explaining how League of Legends isn't even League of Legends canon anymore. That post is getting so many notes rn that notification blocker keeps breaking and I keep seeing people um actually-ing me.

How many times can these sisters have their parents get killed in front of them. When is enough enough. I mean I assume he's sticking around in some capacity bc the werewolf guy is a playable character but his time with fragmentary memories is probably over.

Well at least I don't have to look at that guy's beard anymore

There goes Isha as predicted. Good luck hanging onto your hard won scraps of stability now, Jinx. They love putting her on the alignment merry go round

Maybe the plotlines will converge in a great and elegant way in the last 3 episodes, but this season is really lacking the tightness of season 1. I think it could have reasonably tackled half of this