Jayce Talis and Letting go

So the lovely divomria on twt (plz follow them, I love their content) asked a really good question about Jayce's willingness to let go or the lack there of. To me, and mind you, this is all personal opinion on the matter, BUT, considering I relate to Jayce a little too much on a lot of things, I get the feeling he would not let go. Not without help, persuasion or by force. But for time's sake, I'll just go with he'd never let go until he knew he too was going to die. Here's why: Think about it, although Ximena loved him unconditionally, she was afraid of where it would lead her son. His obsessive tendencies, bouts of depression, isolation (due to research i'm sure), no social skills, just a big ol nerd obsessed with magic rocks and science. imo she was all he really had. And the fact that she openly called him mentally ill in front of THE COUNCIL OF ALL PEOPLE, no wonder he gave up in that instance. He had NO ONE LEFT that could lift him up, and, he really couldn't rely on himself due to his self esteem. Then comes this tawny haired, amber eyed, full of energy asshole who stumbles into his broken into lab and actually takes a *look* at what he had to offer. Viktor actually LOOKED without being pushed to. Viktor took *time* to read his notes, time that others refused to spare or even give chance to Jayce through the years. Viktor didn't brush him off, he saw potential in something Jayce couldn't let go of. And it was when he was ABOUT TO LET GO, in a way, Viktor told him not to. "If you're going to change the world, don't ask for permission." Jayce wouldn't have given up on Viktor until his very last breath. Because he knew deep down, whether it was mental or not, Viktor believed in him, and it was Jayces turn to believe in Viktor. There was a comment in this post that kinda struck me too, here:

This is something else I could see happening too. Either this, or Jayce would end up becoming a machine himself from a life time of losing his mind without him.

While in the trenches of his sorrow of Viktor not awake yet, I can see him also doing this. Keeping busy, hardly sleeping or eating, finding something to bring him solace that what he chose did some good for the people around him. He'd probably quit the council, or, try to run it completely on his own in order to get what he needed along the way. BUT REGARDLESS OF ALL OF THAT, IN SHORT, No. Jayce would not let go. If he lost Viktor, He'd lose himself. And at the end of it all, he would not live long afterwards. Affection held them together, and, in a way, keeps them together through all the timelines. Over, and over, and over again. thank you for coming to my ted talk. ✌🏻

When it comes to Jayce's decision to end his relationship with Mel, there were a lot of things said that I agree with. For example: him changing as a person because of the traumatic experience, him feeling betrayed after realising about the steps she carefully placed to get closer to him in order to control his decisions about Hextech, that she was preparing him for war against her mother basically behind his back (yes, she changed very quickly into the kind and compassionate person she always was in her core but the damage was already done), and realising that he and Mel had different motivations for bringing magic to the world, when for him, it was the most important reason why he was drawn to her in the first place.

But one significant reason I haven't seen being discussed is Jayce himself. Let me explain what I mean. I think Jayce began to hate the version of himself that emerged from getting close to Mel. Not because of who she was as a person, but because of the world she was tied to: politics.

He despised being part of it, what it almost turned him into, and how much it affected his relationship with Viktor. The bridge scene, nearly agreeing to weapon production, losing Viktor’s trust, Viktor working alone on Hexcore, almost dying, killing someone in the process—it all weighed on him.

Even if Jayce still had feelings for Mel, would their paths have ever truly aligned? Mel was bound to return to Noxus. She felt responsible for her family’s legacy. That was her destiny, not just as a Medarda but now as a mage. I can’t imagine Jayce being happy there, once again entangled in politics—only this time, exponentially worse.

In the end, all Jayce wanted was to be with Viktor—to die together or to build something new somewhere else. Somewhere, they could both be happy.

So, yeah... Also, I’m not saying this is canon, btw! just my interpretation. That’s why every time I see Mel or Noxus reappear in their lives, I find myself thinking: Would Jayce really want that? Honestly, I don’t think so. Because sometimes life is more than whether we care about someone or not; sometimes it is also about who we want to be.

viktor is crossing the line 

he had more thoughts

"And so it is made clear to me, as it should be to us all: That magic which fuels itself by harming others, by the letting of blood, is hated by the Maker."