#the firelights

The Firelights are an actual community not a hive mind. We see through small interactions between Ekko and Scar that the Firelights aren’t mindlessly obedient to Ekko and his will. They follow him because they trust and respect Ekko, but that doesn’t mean they can’t disagree with him.

The Firelight’s base is also this brightly colorful and vibrant hub, but unlike the commune it looks to be from Zaun made by Zaunites; rather than inspired by the Arcane and another culture, that’s distinctly not Zaun-like.

Finally, despite Viktor’s genuine desire to help people, his changes and progress are at best temporary because everything is 100% reliant on him – we literally see that when he dies, everything crumbles instantly.

But when Ekko went missing (presumed dead) the Firelights continued on; sure, they’re struggling and mourning their leader, but they’re still working towards a better tomorrow. Ekko actually made something bigger than himself; a real community that will last well beyond him.

You are right. Jayce doesn’t do that.

He does end his partnership with Viktor (throws the divorce papers at Viktor) and then leaves Piltover behind for Zaun. But he doesn’t start going around healing people or starting a commune/cult. Instead, he starts trying to find ways to help his people directly.

When he leaves Piltover, Jayce is tired and drained and angry and kind of just done with everything. He’s still kind of processing a few things. He’s getting used to this new… “heart” that he has (that he didn’t even want). But he keeps pushing forward what he wants to do. Eventually, he reaches the forges where he used to work and live around. Where he finds things kind of getting crazy due to the power vacuum created by Silco’s disappearance and the Chem-Barons all fighting for power.

He isn’t even really sure what he’s doing, but he starts to use his knowledge of hextech and his forging/inventing skills, on top of this newfound strength and stamina he has from his new hexcore heart. To begin to make air filters to create better ventilation in the forges, and water filters to give the workers actual clean water. Slowly, he begins to earn some of the workers’ respect and Jayce continues to just stay around helping to fix things. Repairing whatever he can and working to rally the workers into holding down their area from the other gangs and the enforcers.

Jayce begins to reconnect with his Zaunite roots and starts fashioning his own new outfit. Creating a new identity for himself, one that HE wants and can choose for himself.

^^^ I am of the opinion that Jayce starts to look more like this concept art version of him. Growing out his beard and hair again. And creating that concept art outfit (it’s too good NOT to use). Maybe even his full outfit later on. Also because I like how his jacket kind of looks like Silco’s here, which I think fits with Jayce really well here.

Meanwhile, the Firelights end up having trouble with the tree due to increased pollution. Mainly polluted water that begins to affect the tree and their fresh water supply. On top of the added people coming in, Ekko is thinking of how to fix this issue.

So, when they hear of a man who is supposedly creating water filters that allow for clean water. They decide to go check it out. Leading to Jayce meeting the Firelights, who he offers to give the water filters to without much issue. He may still have some remaining suspicions of them, but Jayce isn’t about to turn away people who need help.

When the new water filters are brought to the tree, Heimerdinger inquires about the man who invented them and Ekko describes Jayce to him (but Heimerdinger doesn’t know it’s Jayce yet). This perks Heimerdinger’s interest and he suggests that perhaps a collaboration would be beneficial to the future of the Firelights. If this man was willing to hand off the filters without any questions, surely he could be a valuable ally.

So, Ekko thinks it over and he doesn’t want to risk revealing their base to a potential threat. But he does return to the forges and asks to speak with Jayce. And they form a sort of mutual alliance, an exchange arrangement of sorts. Jayce will offer the Firelights his new inventions and in turn, the Firelights will bring some food to the workers. As a mutual trade that will benefit both groups.

Ekko and Jayce begin to spend more time together as the two leaders (or Jayce is an unofficial leader) start sharing their ideas about which inventions would benefit their groups more. They don’t trust each other much at first. Jayce is more open to Ekko, seeing him as someone else he wants to help. And he admires Ekko’s own inventiveness and teaches him about Hextech and other things. Ekko isn’t jumping to trusting Jayce, but he does begin to respect the other man’s hard work and creativity along with his desire to help.

Something I absolutely love about the Firelights (and Timebomb) in season 2 is that in episode 2 Scar notes that they soon won't have enough space for all the people coming in, and Ekko doesn't deny it but says he doesn't want to turn anyone away. They kept letting people in. Admirable.

And you know what this here means??? That when Jinx came in the Firelights hideout before the war I can assure you she slept in Ekko's room and oh boy there canonically wAS ONLY ONE BED

Idk, got the idea this morning and had to make it real.

Me: "The only one whose 100% right and has done nothing wrong literally ever"

"...Oh? Is that right"? *pitchforks slowly raise and torches alight*

Me:"It's Ekko."