I Wanna Create A Long Ass Post About How I Believe Mel's Trauma From Her Youth (her Mother's Reign Through

i wanna create a long ass post about how i believe Mel's trauma from her youth (her mother's reign through violence and death) culminated in Mel's politics being heavily conflict avoidant - to the point wherein, i believe, her decision of a free zaun came not from a desire to actually see zaun as independent, but more because she wanted to avoid the possible upcoming war ("you dont know war, Jayce - i do") - and how, if the writers continued the Zaun/Piltover conflict in season 2, it would have been so interesting for her to actually confront her mother (and not in a magical girl battle... Mel u deserved better than thee Black Rose plot istg) and show her that being the fox is NOT a bad thing, instead of making her (supposedly) turn into the wolf.

But also, like, have Ambessa confront Mel too, and have Ambessa point out that in Mel's desire to avoid direct conflict with the Undercity, her (and the fellow councilor's) decisions to suppress the Undercity only paved the way for more violence in the future and out of her sight ("you've always been a part of this; you just never had to look it in the eye before" type of convo with Mel would have been SO interesting. make her go through change and make her recognise that her avoidant politics still led through death and misery, but just outside of where she was directly confronted with it).

Just... Mel's season 2 arc could have so easily started from what was build up in season 1 - her fully distancing herself from her mother, her voting for Zaun indepence but not out of care for them, her slowly learning to open up (to Jayce in s1) - and turned into this beautiful story of an aristocratic incredibly smart politician who has always wanted to live up to the "power is important" standard of the Medarda's (richest person in piltover while people r starving yall) who learns that letting go of power and directly adressing conflict can lead to more safety instead of less, and who learns that she can not only be vulnerable about her past but also about her present and her current fears (with Jayce, and if i had it my way also with Caitlyn as i think they are very cool mirrors in how they react to privelege and power and mothers).

instead she got shoved to the side in a plot which is nigh impossible to follow/understand if you do not know any league lore and which, in the end, doesn't add anything to the over-arching plot of arcane except give Mel a reason to fight in the Big Finale Battle and which is only there to be a soft-pilot for Corporate Riot's next show. Mel deserved better and a plot that is more respectfull towards her as a character.