#merdardas

[v0ideddr3ams]

I really want to talk about how culturally speaking the moment Ambessa died and said, "You are the wolf." She emotionally and mentally doomed Mel.

I call this complex the burden of God's gift.

This happens a lot to pastors and chiefs who's children aren't fully expected to take over but there's an expectation that the child will have that interest.

Ie; my father is a pastor. Many were prepared for me, by the fucking 8th grade, would be into pastoral work. In fact, they have begun to ASK ME now that I'm an adult for things to preach about.

Keep in mind, the moment my father dies he will hand the torch over to me and I will throw it into a damn lake.

Pastoring is not for me.

Now, let's put this into Mel's perspective.

Your whole life you've had to prove yourself as a Medarda. As a Noxian. You think that's what you have to do, but you do not enjoy the way your mother rules.

You leave to carve your own path but she follows with the same ideas and ruins almost everything you've worked for, all for HER SAKE.

When you learn to retaliate, she keeps saying you're not ready until she fucking dies.

And then passes the torch to you saying "you are the wolf"

Congratulations, you did what your MOTHER. AND EVERYONE ELSE (Noxians) WANTED. AND NOW YOU MUST RULE A NATION YOU HAD NO INTEREST RULING.

Culturally speaking, you just crushed Mel's hopes, dreams, and goals.

Ambessa thinks she's doing a good thing bc of the wolf god thing and she's like "you're ready"

But clearly Mel was *not* training for that. Or may not even WANT that.

I just wanted to say that this post was made while talking about how the Medardas were based off of some African influences, specifically Eastern Africa, but yes many African influences. These analyzations come from personal experiences I've had with my father who is from Ghana

[xrnoodle]

woah really makes you wanna get a set huh

[arcanegifs]

ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS: Season 1 ↳ "Is there anything so undoing as a daughter?"

[robsdiary]

i REFUSE to believe this “jayce and mel didn’t love each other” or “mel was just using them” propaganda. I’ll ride for this ship until I die, and I hate how the fandom AND the writers are treating her like the disposable black girlfriend in the way of the otp.

[thesillyeli]

Thank you League of Legends and Fortiche for giving us more Mel content in 2025 ✨️✨️

[sapphiresaphics]

I love that Mel is a painter, but more importantly I really like how her artwork in season 1 teases her arc in season 2.

When we see her painting initially it’s a gorgeous view of Noxus with giant red sails on the boats. Not only is this our first glimpse of what will become Ambessa’s attack on Piltover in the season finale, but this is also an example of Mel trying to live up to the Merdarda standards.

Mel has spent her whole life feeling like a failure to her mother. Her idealistic perspective on life got her sent away and disowned by her family. She desperately wants to live up to her mother’s love and respect, but she doesn’t have the ruthlessness and disrespect for life that Ambessa has. These paintings are a way for her to vicariously live up to her imagined potential.

But then the events of season 1 play out and Mel does not want to go along with Ambessa’s plans for war. She’s horrified at what her warmongering has done to Jayce and she is shocked to learn that her mother sent her away because her idealism “weakened” Ambessa.

When we cut back to the painting, it’s been vandalized by Mel. She’s painted gold swirls and whip like lines of golden light all over the painting. It flows in and out between the ships. It’s both a rejection of her heritage, but also foreshadowing for Season 2.

Because as we learn, Mel was not just any daughter. She was a planned WEAPON of Ambessa. An illegitimate child born with Arcane abilities because her mother had a fling with a mage. A child who has so much power she could take on the Black Rose themselves. That’s why Ambessa sent her away, not because of weakness but because she needed to keep Mel safe for when her powers truly unlocked and could be used for her benefit.

This also means that Mel’s desire to live up to Noxus principals and heritage is partially a lie. There’s a WHOLE OTHER SIDE to her heritage that’s been denied to her and that she wasn’t aware she had connections to. This is why her attempts to live up to Noxian standards always fell short. She’s only HALF Noxian. There’s a whole side of her family/life that she’s only ever been vaguely aware of.

Which is why I love going back to that painting. The golden magical swirls and lines overtaking the Noxian ships isn’t just her rejecting Noxian society, but also an indication of her dual heritage.

[thewistlingbadger]

I really like Mel and Jayce's relationship because I think they're a great source of comfort for each other, but they're not endgame for me. They can't be due to the foundation of the relationship. I don't think Mel Merdarda loves Jayce Talis fully and unconditionally and that's completely acceptable. She doesn't have to. Jayce Talis is not there to be her husband. He's there to be her pawn. It just so happens that he was a pawn that she got too close to emotionally, a pawn she just so happened to have some level of care for. So yes, I like them, they're cute, but they're not everything. JayVik is everything. JayVik is coming home to your bed after a long trip that was pleasant but filled with hotel mattresses. JayVik is realizing that you had what you wanted the entire time. JayVik is being too late to save the day but still charging in like a hero.

[arcturite]

Excited for the next arc! (pose referenced from Alphonse Mucha's "Iris")

[themedarda]

How the hell do you have a crush on someone that makes you so fucking angry

[dasiesanddarkness]

i think the thing that pisses me off about the arcane fandom is that it seems like far to many people are missing the point of the show. like so many people are out here hating on characters (talking mostly about Jayce and Vi cause they're receiving the majority of the hate in my experience) for fucking up and having flaws when, like. that was the point. literally everyone did that. the show is such a great representation of how experiences shape people, because every single person in that show had different motivations and had their judgement clouded by the pain and suffering they experienced. not a single one of them was perfect, but all of them had good intentions.

not to mention these are always the same people that are out here defending their favorite characters because "they were TRAUMATIZED". okay and? take a number babe. so was everyone else. i thought we established long ago that backstories dont justify shit, they just explain it. if Vi doesnt get a pass for her mistakes, Jinx doesnt get a pass on being a mass murderer. stop hating on certain characters when, by your own logic, you should be hating on your faves too.

[im-not-batman]

Can people please send me memes and the arcane characters you want drawn into them?

[arcanegifs]

ARCANE LEAGUE OF LEGENDS: 1x02 - "Some Mysteries Are Better Left Unsolved" ↳ "Do whatever it takes. Turn the undercity upside down if you have to. Just find them!"

[robsdiary]

don’t EVER utter this foolishness in my presence.

[terrestrialtraveller]

Annette (Castlevania: Nocturne), Mel Merdarda (Arcane)

Their Golden Sunlight

[sapphiresaphics]

Mel said “fish-boy rights!”