✅️Vetted by @gazavetters , my number verified on the List is ( #515)✅️
Please help me in sharing @90-ghost
I'm a teacher who lost her job and some of her students also lost my home and my school. We lost everything here in Gaza. Please if you care about us don't left me alone. I'm fighting for my dreams and hope here. Also my 3children and my husband need your support. Your kindness isn’t just about helping us meet our goal—it’s about reminding us that we’re not alone in this fight. It’s about hope. It’s about survival. And it’s about giving my family a chance to rebuild our lives, even in the face of unimaginable loss. Also I need to rebuild my future and to start building my project to teach students who are in need so my friend it will be great from you to help you this war destroy everything and many schools here in Gaza.
We need to raise total of $40,000. Every dollar you contribute will make a tangible difference in our lives.
Please do your best to save my family and students we are waiting for your support.
Personal hc: Mel was already on Piltover's Council during Vander's and Silco's uprising. In S1, Mel mentions how it's been over a decade since her mother sent her away from Noxus and in my timeline, that's 13 years after the opening scene showing Vi's and Jinx's dead parents. I think it's fair to consider her around 28 in Act 1, which makes her 22 during Vander's and Silco's failed uprising. So, I think that works. She approaches this 'negotiation' with nothing but mercy, diplomacy, and a pure commitment to peace.
Here is how she managed the fallout: She identified Vander as the de facto leader of the Undercity by reports of Enforcers who fought on the front. She sends after Vander with an unofficial 'peace treaty.' No official paperwork because that would imply that Piltover acknowledges the independence and legitimacy of Zaun as a nation Vander and Silco fought for. Mel can't do that because that would reward violence, invasion, and brutality as a means of political negotiation. And we all know how much she despises politics through violence and brutality. It would show these terrorists from across the river that violence gets results, and her mother is the best example of where violence and brutality lead if it gets you what you want. From her perspective, the violent criminals of the Undercity threatened the peace and civility of Piltover, where conflict is resolved through deliberation among wise and accomplished Councilors, debate, negotiations, and diplomacy. She will not allow these brutes to set the terms for political developments. She will not allow them to brutalize the civility of Piltover. Such unrefined methods are below the City of Progress. This isn't Noxus, after all, and she will not stand for it becoming like it.
Mel is used to making unofficial deals in backrooms. She's master of cunning and stealth, just like her brother, the Fox, taught her. So, she doesn't talk to Vander, who they call The Hound of the Undercity, directly. She just sends the trusted and moderate Officer Grayson to his lair with an offering from the Council (of course, she leaves her name out of it to not incriminate herself should her strategy backfire). Here is what she offers:
The Council is considering executing arrested insurgents from the mass arrest during the uprising to make an example. However, the Council is willing to show mercy and grant full amnesty to everyone who participated in or organized the violent uprising. No executions; all arrested insurgents will be released from Stillwater if Vander agrees to the Council's conditions.
As an additional demonstration of goodwill and accountability, the Council will dishonorably discharge the Enforcer Commander, whose command caused the carnage among the terrorists on the bridge. The Commander will be replaced by Grayson, who demonstrated heroism, restraint, and wisdom when protecting Piltover from the violent and merciless attack from the Undercity.
Instead of installing a Piltoveran Governor in the Undercity (as more conservative voices in the Council demand), Vander will be entrusted to keep order among his own in cooperation with Commander Grayson. He knows their crude culture and mindset, so he is best suited to moderate his people. If Vander can keep order and his people in check, Piltover will not interfere with the Undercity's affairs. (In other words, Mel offers him semi-autonomy for the Lanes under his guidance.)
Unions or other assemblies demanding independence will be considered terrorist cells henceforth. Thus, Vander is to handle their disbandment as they pose a constant threat to peace, civility, and lives on both sides of the river. Should they be refounded, Piltover will consider it as preparation for terror and invasion.
Additionally, Vander will coordinate the immediate and full disarmament of the Undercity's terrorist cells to prevent more senseless bloodshed and protect the peace from further violent disturbance.
Mel's message concludes with the following words, "The Council expresses high hopes for our generous offer to be accepted and honored. We implore you to show reason and civility in the face of our mercy, compassion, and patience. May it serve you as an example for you and your people to aspire to."
Vander, who saw so many lives perish on the bridge at the violence of Enforcers, who adopted four children after their parents died in his charge, who knows so many comrades in Stillwater waiting for a miserable existence in cells where they'll be abused every day or waiting for the death as a spectacle, as a demonstration of justice... Vander can't say no. He has to sacrifice the resistance to spare Zaunite lives. He will carry this burden, the hate, the resentment, the guilt. Because he has nothing to bargain. He can just accept mercy and be the traitor.
You know who is among the terrorists released through this deal?
Sevika. She was arrested on the bridge. And when she was imprisoned in Stillwater? Her girlfriend died in her arms during this time. Her girlfriend wasn't lethally wounded during the massacre on the bridge. She could've made it if she hadn't been so blatantly neglected. Because no one in Stillwater bothered to provide medical aid.
And this? Coopting a trusted figure/leader of the party that threatened your safety, peace, and stability? Putting them in charge because they know the people and the culture of the ones who need to be held in check? That is precisely what baby Mel describes to Ambessa in her flashback when mother and daughter stand in the throneroom of the conquered and defeated. This is exactly the strategy Mel describes to Ambessa as a child.
"We can show them we are merciful!"
Unlike her mother, Piltover's Council listens and follows her insight.
They see that you don't have to waste the leaders of the aggressors. You just absorb them. You don't need violence to destroy those who threaten you. You just need to have mercy.
Zaun's old guard is now a gatekeeper of peace.
(Thanks @melmedardaapologist for sharing the passage from the Ambessa novel highlighting that Mel sees executions as a waste of resources. I've already known that because it's heavily implied in the flashback of S1, but now we have it black on white for the 'canon' fetishists.)
I love your arcane posts!! I'm saying this specifically as a poc from a third world country- the reason why s2 pissed me off so much is that it is literally following the same ideology as "developed countries - which consistently exploit developing and third world countries - are actually just trying to help!!" (sevika being indian does not. help with this I love her so much and then she got screwed over)
First, thank you! Second, regarding Sevika, I share that sentiment. Sevika's treatment calls for a severe course correction.
I may have something to restore/reinforce Sevika's agency, dignity, and power—a little snippet from the Season 3 fanfic From Heads Unworthy I'm working on. It's a little rallying cry by Sevika redefining her role in the Council from a token of performative empowerment to a vanguard of revolution. In my version, Sevika isn't on the Council to play their game; she prepares to burn the board. She doesn't comply; she conspires. Taking the seat isn't reactive; it's proactive. (I hope I can do her justice.)
"I learned from the best and survived the worst. I can handle the pressure. Let Piltover think they’ve won; let them feel confident, comfortable, and in control. Let them sleep soundly while Zaun is wide awake. Let them believe they command you by leashing me. I give their eyes something to observe, to glare at, so they don't watch as you sharpen our spirit and teeth. I hold the line—you hold the future. So, don't let it slip through your fingers. Get it together! Figure out how we take what's ours! Breathe. Regroup. Refocus. And, then, rise. I don't want to regret trusting you to carry our fight. Zaun's path won't be determined in Piltover's Council Chamber; it will be forged in Zaun's streets by Zaunite hands and hearts. Let's get the foundation and walls of our house in order before we march on theirs. Because one way or another, we will. And I'll make sure they won't see it coming. Our future isn't theirs to grant; it's for us to claim."
Like, that's what happened off-screen. It's canon for me.
I've seen Sevika referred to as the Lioness of the Lanes. I don't know if it's official or fanon, but either way, I tried to channel that energy. A lioness is a protector, a hunter, and a survivor. She doesn’t roar for the sake of being heard—she roars to rally her pride, to strike fear into her enemies, and to signal that she is ready to fight.
@silly-soup-drinker , @blog-i-hate-friday — I hope it's okay I tagged you; I figured after you seemed already intrigued by the arc I illustrated for Vi, you may also appreciate the trajectory I crafted for Sevika. I'm definitely more invested in Sevika's story.]
What is your issue with arcane-critical posts? Genuinely. Imo they're still better than the "Season 2 was slay you're just illiterate" part of the fandom.
I think I've been very specific regarding that I, for the most part, don't have an issue with the posts. I've just lost all respect for the people publishing that. Expressing disappointment is not inherently better than expressing admiration. However, I do find the idea that the first is inherently better than the second laughable and childish, tbh. I actually published an extensive rant (am I petty? probably. but you are not so much better than you think and superiority among critical fans is often unearned.)
There just isn't much won to declare something is bad without, but the fact that you deem one position expressing diappointment as inherently superior to another is a strong symptom of a reactionary mindset, and that's something I just can't respect. Being reactionary is literally the death of critical thinking, and I observe that Arcane-critical is increasingly reduced to a set of opinions that feel/are accepted right or, as you put it, "better."
I talked excessively about this over the past few months, so if your interest is genuine, just browse and you will find details.
In general, though, I have more an issue with the mode of operation than the actual posts. Y'all may critize that Arcane was centrist as fuck (correct), and than act exactly like pathetic centrists, who complain about problems and that's where their engagement stops.
They want to feel smart for recognizing the problem without actually participating in a solution. Which, yeah, is literally the centrist approach to politics:
"Oh, I hate the system, but real change is too hard, so let me just complain about both sides instead."
"Oh, I hate that Arcane S2 doesn’t engage with real revolution, but I also won’t read a fic that actually does because… well, I just want to be mad about it."
But, yeah, if you actually are interested in what to do with frustration that Arcane S2 sucked, feel free to take a walk through my collection of how to enhance the story or to have an actually rigorous analysis:
Post-S2 story development: Sevika as vanguard of revolution
Filling the Gaps and Blanks: The politics of mercy post Vander/Silco-uprising
Wasted Story Potential around Shimmer
Actual anti-fascist critique of Piltover and Caitlyn. Instead of just confidently throwing around the term, I took a whole workday dissecting and examining the text for evidence that Pilotver is indeed under a textbook fascist leadership with a government that is centralized, militarized, and unaccountable.
A sneak peak from the KitTy fanfic I'm working on, enjoy babes!
English is not my first language and I've never wrote anything similar before (I'm more used to poems and essays) so constructive criticism is more than welcome!
***
Kit stood by the window, his gaze aimed at nothing in particular. The room felt far too small, as if the walls were inching closer with every passing second. Ty’s presence was something he couldn’t quite escape, even if he was doing his best to act indifferent. He hadn’t wanted to meet up with Ty at all, but here they were, in Berlin, in the same hotel room, once again stuck in this weird, complicated tension.
Ty, of course, didn’t make it easier. He had a way of being completely unaware of the effect he had on people, or maybe he just didn’t care. Kit suspected it was the latter.
"Did you know your heart rate synchronizes with the person you’re closest to?" Ty’s voice broke through Kit’s thoughts, smooth and steady.
Kit blinked, looking over his shoulder. "What?"
Ty had moved closer without Kit realizing, his fingers already brushing lightly over Kit's wrist. "If you care about someone, your heartbeat matches theirs. I wanted to see if it works." His voice was soft, but there was a playful glint in his eyes - those damn eyes that always made Kit feel like he was both burning up and freezing at the same time.
The color of storms, or the edge of a dagger, one Kit Herondale wouldn't really mind being destroyed or killed by.
Kit’s pulse sped up at the light touch, despite every instinct in him telling him to pull away. "Ty, you can’t just do that to people-" He gasped.
Ty tilted his head, the smallest smile pulling at the corner of his lips. "I thought it was interesting."
Kit’s breath caught in his throat. Ty wasn’t just touching his wrist anymore. He was tracing his fingers so lightly, - reverently - that Kit could feel every single movement, almost as if Ty had memorized how to make his heart race without even trying.
Internally, Kit was spiraling.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck
He could feel his pulse in his ears now, pounding louder with every second. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Not after everything. Not after the way things had fallen apart between them.
But Ty, as always, was too calm. Too unaffected. Or at least, that's how it seemed like.
Ty’s fingers slid from Kit’s wrist, over the back of his hand, until he gently took hold of it, guiding it toward his own chest. Kit’s body went stiff, his breath hitching as Ty placed his hand right over his heart.
"Can you feel it?" Ty asked, his voice barely above a whisper. His eyes never left Kit’s. There was something in his gaze, a quiet intensity that only made Kit feel more exposed, like he was under a magnifying glass. Like he was being stripped bare.
Kit’s mind went blank, the warmth of Ty’s chest under his hand distracting him from everything else. And then, the undeniable thump of Ty’s heartbeat beneath his palm hit him like a wave. It was fast. Really fast.
It was... perfect.
Kit swallowed hard, struggling to maintain his composure. "Ty," he started, voice thick, but the words didn’t come out the way he wanted. His heart was hammering against his ribs now, and it had nothing to do with Ty’s proximity or the heat of the moment. It was just Ty. Ty and the way he always had this effect on him, the way he seemed to have an effortless hold on Kit’s emotions even when the boy was trying so damn hard to be distant and cold.
"Yeah?" Ty asked, his voice a low murmur, that almost teasing smile still present. He wasn’t even out of breath. Was Ty even aware of how much Kit was spiraling?
Kit suspected he, in fact, was.
Kit quickly pulled his hand back, shoving it into his pocket, unable to meet Ty’s eyes. "You shouldn’t do that," he muttered, trying to sound angry, but it came out more breathless than he intended.
Ty looked sad. It wasn't too obvious. Not to anyone who didn't know him well. But Kit could see it in the way his brows furrowed just the slightest bit, the way his breathing became uneven, just a tiny bit off, the way he crinkled his eyes. "Why? Because it works?"
Kit’s chest tightened. He was so damn tired of this - of Ty always finding a way to make him feel like he was the one who was losing control, when all he wanted was to be left alone. He didn’t want to care anymore. He didn’t want to feel like this, like everything about Ty was a constant pull, a force he couldn’t resist no matter how hard he tried.
But no matter how cold he acted, no matter how many walls he put up, Ty always found a way through. And he was damn good at it.
