#but he also has autonomy and she’s empowered him throughout s1 both in popularity and political power that he can act independently of mel

[mollysunder]

Jayce and Mel's Future in Season 2

I've been thinking about how Jayce and Mel's relationship will be put to the test next season. Obviously those two survive Jinx's rocket, but how both will react to the aftermath WILL lead to problems in their relationship.

I think they'd both initially agree that a response is necessary, but no matter how even-handed it could be (doubt it), but the next steps would a source of tension. From Ambessa's character bio on the Arcane website, we know Ambessa will act against Mel's wishes in s2, and we know that Ambessa will press for full on retribution against Zaun. So we can put Mel in the de-escalation camp for some point in s2. Meanwhile, we know that Jayce made hextech weapons for Caitlyn and her strike team, and by empowering Caitlyn and by extension Ambessa with hextech, Jayce only further escalates the conflict, putting him in the escalation camp.

Ambessa could also become a wedge between Mel and Jayce. From the trailer we can see that Ambessa is clearly flexing her influence over the council, including its newest members like Caitlyn. It's likely that Mel is in a situation where for the first time she is outflanked and outranked in the Council, thanks to her mother. It's pretty much Mel's nightmare scenario, to lose everything to her mother, and it can only be made worse if Jayce actually agrees with Ambessa.

And that's where the season of opposites really kicks off. Jayce resolved himself to not let everyone have his ear all the time. It sounds good on paper, but th wasn't Jayce's real problem, his problem was he thought he could solve all of PnZ's problems when he really didn't know anything about anything. And even when Jayce was given new information he didn't always follow the machinations of others, especially with Mel. Jayce is already headstrong and if he actively chooses to put his own opinion and expertise above others you get a really pigheaded man, which ironically makes him more easy to manipulate for a person like Ambessa.

Mel is unfortunately quite passive when she's upset so it isn't likely that she'd initially confront Jayce directly when she's upset, just isolate herself from him, which only leads to further miscommunication or lack thereof. Jayce could end up in a warhawk echo chamber and really fashion himself as paternalistic "Defender of Piltover" and it will probably do a number on him psychologically. The only way for Jayce to not die in the dumbest most world-ending magic fight with Viktor by the finale, is if Mel finally becomes assertive in saying what she wants instead of walking around it.