#who really is essentially a villain next to Silco

[jumumo]

The writers did play softball with Piltover, huh?

Is it because they wanted to make the transition of Vi being an Enforcer (apparently) more smooth?

Because they wanted a villain to make the story flow better?

Because it's a lore dump for a game that probably fleshes it out better?

Or the game was already set up like this and they were constrained to that?

It's been bothering me since I first watched Arcane. The treatment of Silco, Piltover and Undercity/Zaun. It's a bit confusing to me with the way I understand it.

Piltover and characters from there barely acknowledge their horrible side even though I know it must be there because you don't get a schism between the Undercity and Piltover with jack shit happening inbetween. I'm pretty sure Piltover exploited the Undercity for resources without care of their wellbeing. The Councilors, well most of the Councilors are portrayed as being feeble minded, up their ass and stupid. They are treated as ineffective. Then there's Mel, the true brains! Except... We're not supposed to see her as actively malicious (and I don't wanna see her as that because Implications on several levels). She knows about the state of Undercity enough to know there can be a messy war but has seemingly done nothing to deescalate this type of situation in the first place?? Don't think about that because she has a character exploration about Choosing peace and it's really all she ever wanted.

Learning about Heimerdinger punched me in the face because this Fluff Ball let the state of the Undercity happen??? He founded Piltover and is all about safety and not letting things be misused but The Wretched Poverty of the Undercity happened under his supervision?? BUT we're not supposed to view him as hurting and making a population destitute. It was accidental?? I don't know. It's like the writers are having Piltover characters just dodge accountability.

The Piltover characters are framed as Misguided, sympathetic, not really all their fault.

Meanwhile.

Silco gets this red carpet treatment. He's in a chiffon dress with a dangerous deep V neck and a risky slit up to the hip. Villianous ass and tiddies on display. He even gets the classic evil capitalist tropes (Even though I'm pretty sure this should be applied to Piltover too with what Silco brings up). It's amazing. Even though the main drive he has is the oppression from Piltover. They don't ever validate Silco on this because he's such an eviiiill man, and wanting to fight is bad. Don't you see, Piltover didn't mean to do it. That's why Vander is capital G, Good. He wants peace no matter how precarious and still very much fucked over everyone still is. This isn't a dig at Vander, I like his character. Just how the story uses him. Even the Enforcers get a sympathetic lens through Marcus because of his relation to Silco.

I have more thoughts but they're scattered. I didn't even get to how Caitlyn seemingly functions to soften Piltover even more with her Not All Topsiders framing she got going on. The amount of frustration I have with her in The Council scene with Vi when she shows pity of all things. Comes off more to me like "Poor little baby Undercity people can't help themselves, they're sick so we need to take care of them" instead of actual solidarity. Is this intentional? Or is it just at face value?

I'm holding out if some of this would be pointed out in Season 2. Maybe Ekko will be my lifesaver in this situation.