Mikky’s Vault

27 My ramblings, sorry in advance multi fandom Meljay enthusiast

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Ruination Spotlight

I finished part two and here are some of my thoughts.

I was surprised at the Soraka cameo. Didn’t think she would show up.

We’ve met Ryze and he’s ok. I’m used to his older self so this will take some getting used to.

Ryze impulsiveness will be his ruin, and everyone else’s.

Helia sucks, as do most societies that present themselves as a utopia.

Kalista remarks how soulless it feels and I feel like that’s important. Usually the price of “utopias” like Helia is the stripping of individuality.

Vennix and Jenda’kaya are fun

There’s not much to say on this part for my first read through. I definitely see some of the chess pieces moving but the board is basically shadow. I have no idea how any of this ends (besides Isolde and Viego’s fates). This part seems more like set up for these last two acts.

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Ruination Spotlight

I have just finished reading the first 100 pages of the book and here are some of my thoughts and feelings about the characters and some of the plot points so far.

Kalista is probably my favorite so far. I’m surprised this book seems more about her than Viego, whom I thought would be more prevalent.

I am enjoying the “love triangle” that we are getting from Ledros, Kalista and Hecarim.

I am team Ledros x Kalista as of right now

I am also in agreement with Kalista. I don’t distrust Hecarim but I also don’t trust him and I’m not really neutral on him either.

Speaking of Hecarim he is the most intriguing to me so far.

Kalista and Hecarim being engaged (it was arranged) is intriguing too. Especially because she made her peace with having no choice and assume she would be forced to marry some old fat guy (her words) for political gains. But was pleasantly surprised that Hecarim was an attractive man only a few years her senior. There’s still a political angle to their betrothal, but eh.

I also like the little world building of Kalista being in the moment with her hair as it just flows because when she marries she’ll have to start wearing her hair braided as many wives do. It’s supposed to symbolize the tying of her life to Hecarim’s.

I don’t know how I feel about Viego or Isolde. I thought Isolde would be more of a character so far.

Viego’s dad ain’t shit though. How are you gonna be an absent father then basically shit talk your last surviving son on your deathbed?

It’s taking me a minute to get into Thresh’s storyline.

I don’t know if it’s everywhere, but I know some people don’t like how Riot tried to portray Viego as abusive in his marriage to Isolde. Was it before or after this book came out? Because Isolde tells Kalista that Viego seems obsessive about her and how he flies into rages (it’s not directed at her but he’s so damn emotional that once everyone but Isolde leaves he doesn’t try to contain it anymore). Which tracks because Viego seems really impulsive and foolhardy.

His council aka Iron Order seems wary of Virgo and his temper. Multiple characters insinuate that Kalista should be on the throne. Something of which she quickly rebuffs, so I’m guessing either a jealousy or paranoia storyline between Kalista and Viego will happen.

I do think it’s interesting that the crown passed her to Viego though, she’s the oldest living heir. But her father died so it went to his younger brother, Viego.

I don’t know why Viego being Kalista’s uncle even though he’s younger and by her own accords she feels more like his older sister, is confusing to me but it is.

I’m not that versed on the Shadow Isle and its champions and lore. Which is ironic given I love Senna and Lucian, but I always leaned more towards Noxus and its champions. I basically know where Viego, Isolde and Thresh end up, no clue on these characters though. I always heard this book was good so I’m happy to finally be reading it.

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I finally got the Ruination and Absolute Wonder Woman. I plan on getting more of the absolute WW,Green Lantern and Martian Manhunter. Depending on how Ruination goes, I’ll probably do a spotlight series like I did with Ambessa’s book.

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Don’t give me hope 😭

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With the execution of Lady Mion, it forced Mel to grapple with her own moral dilemma. The pen or the sword, which Mel chooses the pen.

Azizi’s death was Mel’s point of no return. Does she continue down the path of nonviolence or will she let fear close her off? I often think of Ellie’s words to Joel in the Last of Us game. “After all we’ve been through. Everything that I’ve done. It can’t be for nothing.”-Ellie to Joel. Mel digs her heels in. It’s not explicitly stated but with the way her story has progressed, it feels like Mel needs his death to mean something. Along with all the other tragedies, she needs them to not be meaningless. That despite it all with her own solitude she can make new bonds, bridge gaps and be someone worthwhile to her family (Ambessa), to Noxus and Runterra as a whole. It all blows up in her face, almost spectacularly. It’s a lesson in rejection, woe and betrayal that only Azizi’s death could bring.

Azizi’s death is also seen as the catalyst with many of the other characters as well. Kino would more than likely still be alive, given he would not be as determined as he was to figure out the conspirators around his father’s death. Ta’Fik was always gonna die but Ambessa would not have blamed him for Azizi (she knew he wasn’t the direct cause of it but he’s guilty by association). Gintara and Tivadar would more than likely still be alive as well. Ambessa did not suspect the Black Rose yet when she confronted Gintara. Gintara would be more valuable as a hostage than dead. Mel definitely would not have gotten banished or at least not for as long as she did. I fully believed Azizi would have put the kibosh on all that.

It’s funny the exact moment Azizi dies, the rest of the book all the characters are in free fall to their most dire outcomes.

Postscript: This was supposed to be analysis post through the lens of Mel but morphed into a Azizi post, lol. That last of us quote also applies to Ambessa, know that I reread it.

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[silveredgalaxy]

Art by "@firslordzuko' on Twitter

[zlorelai]

"She watches herself, apart from herself, watches this other Ambessa dancing in a room full of others, lost in the feel of her body, of its strength, its beauty, its hungers and the beautiful hunger of those around her. This is what the body is for, this is what she is."

"She feels a pang of loss. That life is gone now. That body."

"The crowd bays for her blood, for the Shield's blood, the blood if all and any, and she will give it to them because this is what the body is for, this is what she is !"

"For a moment, Ambessa wondered what it would have been like to have an easier life life. A softer one. She couldn't imagine it. A softer body, with children all around her ? Fewer scars and calluses? It wasn’t her."

Ambessa's sense of self is deeply interwoven with her physicality

And I love the way that this was written for multiple reasons:

1. Her focus on her own body isn't just something that is dealt with in these few quotes. It's just most obvious there.

She has a scar on her palm that she touches because it connects her to her grandfather.

She has these very intense training sessions with Rictus to clear her mind.

She focuses on physical pain to avoid difficult emotions.

She views her weapons as an extension if her body.

She chooses physical affection over verbal affirmations time and time again.

2. Ambessa's character design in Arcane got a lot if attention right away. Obviously, a lot of people find her attractive but I kinda like that her attractiveness wasn't a topic at all in the book. For Ambessa the body just is. And the way it is, the way she trained her body to be is part of her identity as a warrior. Almost like a physical reminder of what she is and what she cannot stop being. (I feel like Ambessa would still be considered physically attractive in the book setting and she definitely likes the way she looks too, but while her character in Arcane is mostly praised for her attractiveness (by the fandom), the book engages with her character design in a different way)

I also love Ellen Thomas' delivery of the first and third quote.

When Ambessa watches herself dance, she says the "this is what the body is for" part with wonder in her voice.

When she says it again while fighting she says it a lot more intensely with determination in her voice. The quotes are a few pages apart but you really get the feeling that she is saying "no actually I was wrong the first time, I was made for fighting".

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I feel like this is the polycule that was promised.

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I do love that it’s canon that Azizi AND Ambessa (she can lie all she wants but she ain’t fooling me) spoiled Kino and Mel.

I mean who wouldn’t look at her wittle face.

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Ambessa’s life can basically be summed up as : “ the tools forged against me have prospered.”

And I hate that for her but also I find it hilarious.

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Art by "Bangg Cherry" on Twitter

[zlorelai]

The whole "Everyone but Ambessa thinks Mel would make a good heir" thing makes it sound like Mel has people advocating for her to become heir which just isn't true.

Katye and Azizi just tell Ambessa to give Mel more time because she is still very young. The implication being that Mel can still become someone who Ambessa would deem worthy to become her heir. We don't know what they think about Mel becoming Ambessa's heir because they don't talk about it.

Ta'Fik tells Ambessa she has wasted Mel's potential to antagonize her. He tried to have Mel killed ! We also learn what qualities he values in an heir through his daughters. What he says has nothing to do with Mel.

I don't remember there being a single character who says that Mel would make a good heir. This isn't Mel hate btw. Mel and Kino's ideals just aren't generally accepted by the characters in the book. Azizi and Katye both ultimately support Ambessa.

Ta'Fik doesn't in any way, shape or form act like someone who abhors violence. Like at all.

That's why it's actually impressive that Mel managed to get Tivadar on her side. Because she has a lot of people who love her (Ambessa being one of them) but not a lot of people who share her worldview.

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Chosen of the Wolf Spotlight

She will never forget the first wound she’d ever received on a battlefield. She hadn’t been fighting. She’d been collecting the weapons, and had cut herself on one of the enemy blades. She’d taken the wound to her grandfather, expecting him to take her hand gently and wrap it with ointment as her father's healers would have.

Instead, he'd taken the blade that had cut her and made her hold it, wrapped her fingers around it and made her squeeze tighter, deepening the cut just enough—not enough to ruin her but enough to leave a scar she would never forget. He’d stared down at her, his hard, clean-shaven jaw grimly set while she tried not to cry. 

"This will be your lesson," he'd said.

"Yes, sir," she had whispered. Pages 43-44

Whenever I start to feel a little too sad about Menelik, I think about this scene. Also I find it interesting that Ambessa expected some type of softness from him as she was given it before, not from her father but from her father’s healers. I think that distinction is meaningful. Ambessa is 10 years old here, and I believe it’s stated that before her parents passing, they were often away fighting in whatever campaign. She has no expectations and yet she still gets let down. This is too much for me.

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Chosen of the Wolf Spotlight

“She hadn’t let on to Katye how much it had shaken her, Mel’s failure. The look on Mel’s face … horror. Fear. And not fear of death, no — fear of Ambessa herself. She had always felt a distance between her and her children, but never had it felt so great as in that moment.” Page 43

Every time I read this, it hits me right in the feels. And the fact that she’s not wrong either.

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Chosen of the Wolf Spotlight

Another interesting aspect of Chosen of the Wolf is that we see how Mel slowly retreats into herself as the story progresses.

Don’t get me wrong baby Mel isn’t rabid or anything nor is current Mel meek. But at the beginning of the story, while still very much insecure, Baby Mel is stubborn and confrontational. She has a chip on her shoulder and ain’t afraid to show it. It’s only with every rejection, every secret withheld, and every slight levied against her that we start to see the beginning of what we now know Mel as. It’s why the banishment scene is pivotal. It’s the last time we see baby Mel stubborn and confrontational and it’s in the explosive argument with her and Ambessa.

That final scene, definitely drilled into Mel that no matter how right she is, it’ll never be enough because she is not enough. So we can assume that for the rest of her teenage years and adulthood she stops sharing her thoughts, stops laying herself bare. She would rather make you think it was your idea than for her to be rejected yet again. It’s why her relationship with Jayce is so important. She gets to share her thoughts and opinions freely. She is valued. That ending line in season 1 exemplifies this. Jayce says in a room full of councilors + Viktor, that Mel was always right and he only cares about what she thinks of him. The affirmation she always wanted coming not from her family but from the man she loves, whom resembles her younger self.

With the ending of season 2, her sense of self is shaky once again, but unlike her 15 year old self, she has mental framework to weather this storm.

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Once and Future Spotlight

Honestly fuck Fisher. This all lowkey started because of him. Yall hunted monsters to completion, and you want to bring them back? Because you’re bored? I know he probably struggled with his list of identity and purpose. They were monster hunters and this probably was a generational thing. His work and life purpose is gone, but the shit he pulled…

I’m lowkey happy Bridgette shot him in the dick. Imagine you and your husband are sitting and relaxing and he hits you with a : “you know those monsters that killed our son in law and various of other loved ones? Let’s bring them back.😀” I’m crashing out too.

Maybe someone else will have better thoughts than me, if so I’m all ears.