#augmented jayce

[mistresscitrusslice]

Our Glorious Evolution - Chapter 4: The Cage of Your Warmth

He slept an entire day again, didn’t he? Everything hurts. His joints hurt. His back hurts. His head hurts. His neck hurts. Most of his body isn’t even augmented but it feels like the rest of him underwent an operation too.

The bedroom isn’t dark despite the light being off. Jayce can clearly make out a picture frame on the dresser across the room. It’s a photograph of himself and Viktor at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the Hexgates. It took both of them to hold the enormous scissors, one of the few times Viktor was included in the celebration of their ventures and accepted the invitation.

Jayce shuts his eyes. When he opens them again, the room is pitch black and the silhouette of the dresser and its photo are barely visible. He sighs and slumps back against the headboard, willing the space around him to appear bright again. Naturally, his eyes would have night vision.

The door creaks open and Viktor peeks his head in. The orange light of his eyes reflects in the glass of the photo frame.

“How long-”

“It’s Tuesday,” Viktor says with a bit of pity.

Jayce does the math. He’s been out for a day and a half at least.

Viktor steps into the room, bringing the light of the hall outside with him, glowing golden against his neck and the Hexclaw.

“How are you feeling?” he asks.

“Like I just got my spine ripped out.”

His partner sits down on the other side of the bed. There’s a guilty look in his eyes. Jayce expected him to be callous about the pain of recovery, but he supposes he isn’t giving him enough credit. Viktor would know how it feels, after all.

Viktor clears his throat. He probably doesn’t need to, but it breaks the silence. “This drink is beneficial to recovery.”

He hands Jayce a tin cup of something warm and he takes a sniff.

“Viktor. This is sweetmilk.”

He shrugs. “Like I said, beneficial to recovery.” He reaches for the lamp, but Jayce stops him, irritating his chest a little.

“I can see just fine.”

“Oh, you figured it out.” He’s still keeping his distance, not moving to sit next to him, staying just out of reach. “Have you discovered the magnifying function yet?” He smiles a little, the side of his lips quirking up.

“The…?” He wants to laugh, this is so ridiculous. Jayce sets the sweetmilk down on the bedside table without taking a sip. He’s puzzled, but Viktor’s smile is contagious.

More on AO3 bc this is too damn long for Tumblr

[citrusmistressscribbles]

Our Glorious Evolution - Chapter 1: To Feel Your Love Again

It’s been three years since they parted ways and Jayce has never been more alone. With even his battles against the Machine Herald growing more infrequent, he begins to consider an option he swore he never would.

- - -

Jayce joins the Glorious Evolution.

[mistresscitrusslice]

With every passing day, Arcane’s marketing further convinces me that Augmented Jayce is going to happen

Good morning. the official arcane chengdu experience has something rly interesting going on 🫣

[thebctman]

I’m going feral over how Mel and Viktor’s parallels with eachother are rooted in magic. Both saw magic as their salvation and their prayers.

Mel is born with magic whereas Viktor sought it artificially. Mel is from privilege and born in wealth. She could see the sky as easily it was to breathe. She grew up in a culture that emphasized on physical strength. Viktor was born in poverty and Zaun’s inability to breathe set his life with a countdown. Zaun also valued adaptability and intellect instead. Mel and Viktor casted aside the mentalities set upon them by their mentors to fight for their own.

Both desired and dreamed to create their own paths with their own ambitions. Both saw and used Jayce as their way to do so.

[raevenswritingdesk]

Wanting to leave the council (and Mel) at the drop of a hat because he realised his place is in the lab (and with Viktor), but realising just too late and loosing him in the process due to the repercussions of not choosing him earlier (what happened with Skye and his night with Mel). Jayce Talis the bisexual disaster you are.

[ghoulwings]

I am seeing WAY too many posts about how viktor was pursuing the whole “glorious evolution” because of his illness. Like. He was literally dying. I saw a post a while back about it being a type of cancer (that, mind you, was probably caused by piltover and then made worse because he didn’t have access to any treatment) that causes an inversion of the femur (by the way, if anyone has that post I’d really appreciate it)

[mistresscitrusslice]

I WAS JUST SAYING THIS.

YOU GET IT!

And not like, “oh no he got injured and now Vicky needs to robotize him to save his life.” I need Jayce to do it willingly. No external uncontrollable forces. Just his own spiraling sanity.

You know what au i need more of? Jayce joining glorious evolution. Bro, imagine Jayvik as a cyborg power couple, being a figure heads to a whole ass cult. I just think it would have been fun af.

[mollysunder]

Where Does Viktor Fit in Zaun? What Kind of Message will the Herald Bring?

We all know Viktor's headed to Zaun next season, but I've genuinely been wondering what he'll actually do when he gets there. The obvious answer would be that based on previously canon lore Viktor will become the Machine Herald and preach the path toward Glorious Evolution through cybernetic augmentation. But when I look at the state of Arcane, I just can't see that happening. So much of Viktor's story so far has been entwined with his relationship with the arcane and his own mortality which only becomes more complicated as he feeds the hexcore his Shimmer enhanced blood.

While Viktor started out as an engineer, Viktor's work became more associated with a combination of Arcane study and biological experimentation. More often than not, Viktor’s future as the Machine Herald is teased with biological imagery.

When Viktor visits Singed, the equipment that frames him in the shot above is similar to his staff, but more importantly, Rio's silhouette resembles the shape of the Machine Herald's mask. The outline of Rio's body resembles the the 3-pronged shape of the Herald's mask as it appears on Sevika's tarot card. The mask on the card is actually different compared to all of Viktor's existing skins, the three spikes are designed in a way that resembles a crown.

The cave where young Viktor first meets Singed, is covered in holes that resembles thousands of pained howling faces, surrounding both Viktor and Singed. Is it to represent the suffering Singed and/or Viktor will create in the future? Could they represent creatures of the Void, calling out to break free? Maybe the faces represent the already existent suffering of Zaunites who choke and perish in caves similar to the one they stand in?

What's more interesting is that the entrance young Viktor reveals himself to Singed with has the image of ghastly hooded figure carved into it. At first I thought this was supposed to represent inhabitants of the Void. Later, I realized this figure more resembled Zaunites suffering from Shimmer addiction like Huck.

It all feels like the story has been steering Viktor toward Shimmer and the complications of the Void rather than using cybernetics avoid human vulnerability as he did in previous canon. And when you think about Zaun in the context of Arcane, Zaun doesn't need the Machine Herald to promote his augmentations. Cybernetics have already grown in use and popularity in Zaun. After the time skip there's a stark contrast between Vander and Silco's gangs, many members of the latter from Sevika to Ran use augments. It's so prevalent that even members on Piltover's Council know about it. Sure they don't follow the original philosophy of the Glorious Evolution, but Viktor himself doesn't have the foundations for what was originally introduced to League either.

If anything, the visual hints in Arcane lead me to believe that Viktor will become some kind of prophet to the Void. Think about it, so much of what Viktor has done has brought him closer to magic and he's only become further ensnared once Shimmer was involved. From the little that we see of the Shimmer corrupted hexcore, it's likely sentient and it's influence on Viktor will only progress further once he's been completely alienated from Piltovan society.

What does this mean for Zaun though? Well I think Viktor's presence will be a positive presence in the long term for Zaun. The brief moments we see real unobstructed reference to the Machine Herald, hhappens when the design of Viktor's various masks are integrated into the design of the water treatment facility he was implied to have made. The image of the Herald also appears as the the Magician tarot paired with the Death tarot (Jinx) to win Sevika's card game. I previously concluded that the card scene forshadowed that Viktor and Jinx would be the major factors that will win Zaun its independence. On top of that, no matter what universe you stick Viktor in, he fundamentally wants to help others. That drive hasn't stopped in Arcane, and won't stop next season.

Despite Shimmer's justifiably sketchy reputation, it earned it Silco's hope and Singed's interest on it's ability to both sustain life and change it. Outside of being a strength enhancer, Shimmer was shown to effect the rate and longetivity of plant growth in the background of season 1. I think Viktor will be the one to further explore this aspect of Shimmer's effects to make positive impacts in Zaun next season.

I have such confidence because one, Viktor’s research with hexcore and Sky's own note focus on the impact hextech has on biological matter. And two this one shot from Zaun's post-time skip music video.

In the shot above, we see two men with masks and staffs designed in a similar style to the original Machine Herald, stand guard for the building behind them. To the left of these masked men is a sign that reads, "The Herald's Palace". Lofty name aside, what could these men be protecting? If you look into the window behind the two patrons getting their shoes shined you'll notice the outline of broad leaf plants. The masked men are guarding a cultivair! In Zaun, cultivairs are essentially greenhouses only the wealthiest of Zaun can afford to maintain, they're the only sources of fresh air located within Zaun so they have to be well protected. Cultivairs also double as public parks for Zaunites when chembarons want good PR.

The sneakiest possible hint is the design on the wall where "The Herald's Palace" sign is framed, it foreshadows who could have backed Viktor for his rise in prominence in Zaun. It's Jinx. This will make sense, trust me.

First, the swirling patterns of the wall design resemble the smoke cloud tattoo patterns Jinx has around her body. The use of the neon lights in the shot make the swirls appear a similar blue to the real tattoos.

Second, this isn't the only time the artists of Arcane used Jinx's swirly tattoo pattern to refer to her influence. Another time that happened was in the Firelights' music video opening. In the montage, we see bullet casings engraved with cloudy swirls in front of Eve's mask, after Jinx killed her.

Jinx doesn't actually engrave her bullet shells, that's for rich people like the Kirammans. Those engravings are for the audience to know that Jinx was responsible for Eve's death, the early draft even shows the artists were thinking of invoking Jinx's impact by applying her more childish doodles on the shells.

Not only has Viktor and Jinx’s future partnership been foreshadowed more than once in the show, she's the only character outside of Singed I can see betting on Viktor. There's no real reason for Sevika to be interested in Viktor, because when Viktor's reputation is dragged through the mud, even other Zaunites will be wary of him. Sevika also already has a source for her augments in Chembaron Smeech's gang, the Scrap Hackers. What would Sevika want to do with a clearly unstable scientist that not only looks like he's been loyal to Piltover most of his life, but his own experiments killed a fellow Zaunite colleague? How would Viktor not come off any better than Jinx to her?

Jinx will likely be the more empathetic party to Viktor and the disaster he created for himself, she can relate to it. And in related media, like RiotxArcane, he's one of the few people that extends empathy towards her character. She'd be one of the few that probably wouldn't flinch at the line of logic he'll follow in the next season as he continues to double down on the hexcore and the Void. I can only guess, but based on how Viktor reacts in other alternate universes, he'll probably push to further integrate Shimmer into the physiology of its users. Viktor would see it as a means to embrace the necessary change needed to survive the harsh environment of Zaun and the world itself. Who better to pitch such an idea to than one of the more successful Shimmer mutants like Jinx, and probably the extremists who really like her.

Tldr: To understand how Viktor will find his niche in Zaun, we need to understand that Viktor isn't defined by robotics. Viktor's defined by his devotion to helping others no matter how unethical. It's a mixture of his genuine empathy and compassion to those in need, and in his characterization in Arcane, the fact that he sustains his self worth from his ability to create and innovate. So it doesn't matter what kind of world he's placed in, a gothic cowboy world, a psychic soldier battlefield, or a world that worships death he will embrace the most extreme elements of his world and turn it back against the obstacles that put the common people down. Even if his solution is off-putting.

Sidenote: I didn't know where to fit this, but the one concept art that had Viktor's Machine Herald silhouette only further convinced me that Viktor doesn't actually become the Machine Herald like in League.

Thanks to @MPiltovian on twitter for the sketch outline we can see in concept that Viktor's transformation is so stark he looks to be at least a full 2 ft taller. And I know that Arcane's a scifi-fantasy setting, but that's just not how prosthetics work. There's no way that even his full body could support the weight of all that metal, plus a giant laser claw on his back. Viktor probably completely fortified his body using Shimmer and the hexcore to strengthen it and is wearing an exoskeleton on the outside. Honestly, how does anyone single-handedly even turn themself into a full-conversion cyborg anyway?

[giohexora]

jayce giopara being about the same age as jayce talis, and yes, i absolutely love when giopara is slightly taller... but.... but.... can i suggest. giopara being slightly shorter than talis.

giopara being shorter than talis and herald, and them constantly grumbling about it

[mistresscitrusslice]

“Our Hextech dream” this, “our Hextech dream” that. What about “our Glorious Evolution”? Where are my “Jayce willingly joins Viktor’s Glorious Evolution under no duress except his own deteriorating sanity” fics?

[mistresscitrusslice]

like two halves of one heart; my life in your shape

I think this is the one you’re looking for. iirc Jayce almost died and Viktor saved him with augmentations.

The art is beautiful, but no longer shows up on AO3. Here it is instead on the artist’s Twitter:

Post 1

Post 2

Apparently it’s also an extended version of this oneshot by the same author.

Anyone knows or remembers the Jayvik fic that had post-divorce era Machine Herald Viktor treating Jayce's wounds for a while and having to reluctantly live together? It also had some amazing art.

I forgot to bookmark it and I've been looking for forever, tried everything so I'm shooting my shot here in case anyone remembers. Literally one of my favorites, I'd appreciate any help.

[citrusmistressscribbles]

Our Glorious Evolution - Chapter 3: My Heart in Your Hands

Viktor conducts the first of many augmentations. Jayce tries to ignore the doubts seeping into his mind.

[bringthekaos]

While I have a love/hate relationship with how dirty they did Viktor in the Convergence comics, I really did appreciate the closer look at Viktor and his tech. It was nice to see how the neural adaptors worked, how he intended them to work, and how they were then co-opted for nefarious purposes. But I can see how, in this hypothetical, he would use it as a tool that only he and Jayce share—a way to stay safe in battle, to protect and help each other.

Also dying at the thought of Jayce getting used to his augments—he walks like a newborn giraffe, doesn’t know how to control the more weaponized pieces-parts, and ends up frying half of Viktor’s lab. And the hammer recall, my god. It would definitely take some practice to master it. And in the meantime, it’s literally this.

In one of your most recent tumblr ficlets and in your overall writing, you mentioned that Viktor would love to augment Jayce. Assuming in „what if“ scenario, which designa would Viktor implement? More subtle? Even more obvious than his own augments? Does Jayce get his own his Hexclaw?

Hmmmm, if it were ever to come to that, Jayce trusting him to do that… I think he would set aside what he personally wants to do and work to execute what Jayce wants. And I think Jayce would want it more subtle; mostly internal augments, with any visible external ones more disguised.

Now on the off chance Jayce did not have any input and was willing to let Viktor do his thang… I do think it would be a lot less subtle. But still well-integrated into his body. I don’t think he’d get a Hexclaw, but I do think Viktor would try to integrate Jayce’s use of the Mercury Hammer—either by building it into an augmented arm, or utilizing Hextech-powered magnetism so that Jayce could recall the hammer a la Thor. I lean toward the latter, that sounds fucking epic.

I also think he might play around with neural adaptors which allow the two of them to communicate and locate each other anywhere. And depending on the complexity, this could even allow them to hear/feel the other’s thoughts and emotions (I’m sure he would build in the ability to turn this function off, it’s not meant to be an invasion of privacy, more to keep each other safe). This could make erm… their private time a hell of a lot more intense, too. Feeling your own emotions and sensations as well as the other person’s?? Oof. Talk about overstimulation.

Overall, I think Viktor would take into account aesthetics when it comes to Jayce, whereas he went with a more functional design for himself. Cuz Jayce built a nose hair trimmer ffs, he obviously cares about how he looks, to some degree. Which I think is another beautiful contrast between the two of them that somehow just works—they’re sun and moon, form and function. Human and machine.

[infinitelystrangemachinex]

Mel's protection should have saved Viktor too, and she's trying to figure out why it didn't

(Editing to add: see this post for details on the Mel's armor/shield theory)

S2 ep1 shows a circle of protected stone where Mel and Jayce were during the explosion. My theory is that Mel's magic armor activated and saved them both. It seems like it casts a sphere of protection around wherever Mel is.

The center of this circle is not Mel's seat - it's Jayce's. She ran to Jayce to save him.

No other Councilors were in range of Mel's protection, so they all got hurt or killed.

But Viktor was, in Jayce's words, "right next to" him. He was easily within Mel's circle of protection.

1) Viktor tried to run and mistakenly left the circle of protection. But are we meant to believe that Viktor, close to dying already and using a crutch, would have outrun Mel?

2) Viktor's augmented body clashes with Mel's

Why does Mel try to touch Viktor in episode 1? It seems like a throwaway moment, but not even Jayce touches him in this scene. So why Mel?

She's curious. And possibly, feeling responsible. She's wondering why her protection didn't work.

Is this Hexcore brand of the Arcane trying to reach out to Mel? Or trying to defend itself from her?

Mel was trying to protect both Jayce and Viktor, which is reflected in how she holds Jayce as well as Viktor's cane when she promises to protect Hextech:

But if, for example, Mel's magic is Solari in origin, and Viktor's is from the Void - or the Arcane equivalent of similar opposing forces - then it's possible that their magic rejects or hurts one another. So Mel's circle of protection either rejected Viktor, or was what hurt Viktor, and not the explosion.

[zaunmade]

[mistresscitrusslice]

Oh, I tried something like this. I made them reconcile, but I didn’t fix anything. Just had Jayce joined the evolution.

Still a WIP, but maybe if Jayce caved and agreed to be augmented, Viktor would be able to be convinced to use his emotional dampeners a lot less. If there’s more happiness in his life, there’s less grief and depression to suppress.

I'm still kind of struggling on how to actually like... Reconcile them. Without going full "yeah Viktor you were wrong and now that you see the error of your anti-emotion ways, we can be happy". Like I know how Jayce can change and what he'd apologise for, but I don't know how Viktor could make a step towards a mutual understanding 🤔

I realise Vik would probably always need emotion dampeners to cope with himself etc. but I mean how he could change from "the reason for most problems is human error, so the best way to save humans is to get rid of humanity and emotions" to something less Extreme. What even IS a less extreme view he could hold, coming from that???

If you have ideas, hit me up