The one time we see Mel as a child, she's with Ambessa in Ionia, a war zone, acting like she's in a training phase for a role as Ambessa's advisor, because that's what she's doing, advising her mother on the aftermath of Noxus' campaign of conquest. Now in the prequel novel, we see that Mel has been put to task to shore up support for Ambessa in the family's current war of succession to be the head of the Medarda Clan.

Mel seems to have only been in her twenties when we meet her in Arcane, and her exile has lasted for well over a decade, so she couldn't have been more than a teenager during the succession crisis. And here Mel is employed as a diplomat for her mother's war.

It's really the same position Silco had Jinx in but for different reasons, their thing was consolidating power through violence and politics to make Zaun independent, while Ambessa and Mel's dynamic (warmonger mother and intrigue daughter) suited the expansionist agenda of the Medarda Clan and Noxus in general. The important part is that the role of parent and child is blurred as both duos become working "partners" that only exist because they're set in systems that necessitates violence and dehumanization at early ages.

For one, not everyone likes every ship and that is okay. You don't have to like Meljayce or Jayvik, it's okay to only like one of the two or none at all.

But then there is the disposable black gf trope that makes this whole thing tricky. I hate this trope so damn much, it isn't fair. At all.

But then also Mel is SO MUCH more than Jayces lover in the story, like her romantic relationship with Jayce was a tiny part of her character and their relationship with each other as well. So I don't like the idea of reducing her to just that. Mel's arc this season was all about her other qualities, her intelligence, her power and her relationship to her mother, not about her love for Jayce or whatever.

I absolutely love Mel as a character. She went from someone who I thought would be a cunning villain, to this caring and intelligent leader, who will do whatever she thinks is best for her people.

I think it should be noted that ppl who are calling this trope out in arcane are calling it out in the way fans engage with mel and her relationship with jayce not the show itself. I do not think that was how their relationship was used in the story or for both characters. But when you have fans that boil down her relationship or sometimes even her character herself to prop up jayvik that is the DBG.

(Editing to add: see this post for details on the Mel's armor/shield theory)

S2 ep1 shows a circle of protected stone where Mel and Jayce were during the explosion. My theory is that Mel's magic armor activated and saved them both. It seems like it casts a sphere of protection around wherever Mel is.

The center of this circle is not Mel's seat - it's Jayce's. She ran to Jayce to save him.

No other Councilors were in range of Mel's protection, so they all got hurt or killed.

But Viktor was, in Jayce's words, "right next to" him. He was easily within Mel's circle of protection.

1) Viktor tried to run and mistakenly left the circle of protection. But are we meant to believe that Viktor, close to dying already and using a crutch, would have outrun Mel?

2) Viktor's augmented body clashes with Mel's

Why does Mel try to touch Viktor in episode 1? It seems like a throwaway moment, but not even Jayce touches him in this scene. So why Mel?

She's curious. And possibly, feeling responsible. She's wondering why her protection didn't work.

Is this Hexcore brand of the Arcane trying to reach out to Mel? Or trying to defend itself from her?

Mel was trying to protect both Jayce and Viktor, which is reflected in how she holds Jayce as well as Viktor's cane when she promises to protect Hextech: