Caitlyn & Vi: The Void to Fill (an Arcane Season 2 Story)

Mel and Jayce Power and Magic

A season 1 deep dive into Mel and Jayce's characters based on Arcane season 1 on Netflix.

Jayce was enamored by magic since he was a boy. He was saved by an ancient mage (possibly Ryze) as a child. Ever since that day he obsessed over finding the source of that magical power and using it himself.

He became a ward of the Kiramman's but they turned their backs on him swiftly when he is convicted in court. They discover that he was working on magic which was a taboo to their society. He was no longer high society standards and consequently he was expelled from their academy. Essentially Caitlyn's parents disowned him for this. He never really forgave them for that. Though he still maintains an older brotherly role for Caitlyn. He is about a decade older than her.

Mel Medarda- seeing an opening for some new modern developments (perhaps intrigued by magic) and with little risk to herself- allows Jayce and Victor to break in and finish their work proving their theory and propelling Piltover into a new age.

It's clear Mel is manipulating Jayce's successes from the beginning.

She seemed bored or rather on a mission to find something or someone worth investing her time and energy into. Perhaps she has been on the council for a while. She may be several years older than Jayce but still young and bold. Her interest was peaked by magic and the possibilities that hextech could bring as it was synthetic magic - more controllable perhaps. She wanted it to succeed and build something new and to seek further power.

Mel's running motivation seems to be power with a hint of caring. We see her back story of her mother being brutal and barbaric for which Mel cannot stand. She is more civilized and wants societal changes as well. She says so directly to her mother.

She's a representative of the council yet also from Noxus. Which is a signal that outsiders can influence Piltover and be respected (something Vi doesn't believe is possible).

Slowly Mel sees more in Jayce than just a ticket to success. Though she pushes most of his moves politically and personally. She makes a move, perhaps feeling deeper feelings for him, and they find themselves lovers. Jayce confides in Mel continually, he's likely been attracted to her and attached since she saved his career and threw him into politics. Which are two of the leading loves of his life and now Mel is a third.

It's easy to see Jayce and Mel as a bit superficial perhaps even selfish overlooking many aspects of life and realities around them because they're caught up looking for further power.

Jayce continues his pursuits to conquer magic and tries (in his mind) to benefit all people putting Piltover at the top of their region's technology age. Bringing Piltover out of just reliance on industrialism. Though they have electricity and some astounding mechanics it's not really shown that there is any further technological feats until hextech. He makes nods at helping the people of the Undercity but doesn't fully commit to it until later. Only after seeing that their extremists are a real threat after Caitlyn and Vi plead their case.

Although the council disagrees Vi comes to him with a proposal to bend the rules and go in by force anyways (without council approval) because they have common ground -a common enemy - Silco.

This is where you see Jayce embracing his true nature. He wants change and to save his ass. He does this reluctantly but decides it's a noble endeavor especially because wants to save people. He leaves this security and roll of power to literally wield his own weapon against the enemy. This is now personal - it's directly threatening him his loves and everything he knows.

Fighting in the Undercity changes him further. He's personally seeing the children ravaged by the effects of their hard lives (largely Piltover's fault for turning a blind eye and oppression). Then the drug lords' affects on the already least advantaged people. He accidentally kills a child and that horrifies him. He sees war as a terrible last resort now. Finally seeing the impacts of his own singular decisions and that of the society and dynamics that has been perpetuated by himself and his predecessors of Piltover. He resolves to do this another way and leaves Vi.

He is able to arrange a meeting with Silco himself brokering a deal for peace and independence. This is making a deal with the devil but he feels this is a necessity for the greater good to save lives. He convinces Mel and Viktor and together they convince the council to vote for Zaun's independence. Just as the rocket from Jinx impacts the council chambers...

*come on Riot you're killing us with this ending. So with that we continue further into our story... while we wait impatiently for season 2...