Chapter Text
Episode 4: Minor edits
Keep opening montage
Scene 1: Exclude Maddie completely, she doesn’t add much to the plot
Caitlyn lies awake in her bed. Her eyes drift to an empty glass on her nightstand, and she sighs.
Caitlyn slowly gets out of bed, and goes to the bathroom to splash water on her face. A gaunt face stares back at her in the mirror – dark bags under her eyes, and her cheeks have thinned, making her cheekbones more protruding.
Caitlyn goes to check on her dad. He lies, sleeping in his bed, alone. She goes to caress his face, but he turns away. Caitlyn’s face saddens, and she turns away. Her back is turned to the audience as she pulls on her uniform.
Scene 2, 3, 4: Keep as is (i.e. Isha & Jinx bonding moment, Ambessa and Rictus scene, check point riot scene)
Scene 5: Keep as is, but exclude initial conversation with Maddie
Caitlyn looks at the wall of evidence for Jinx. She startles slightly when Ambessa walks in.
“The attack today proves Jinx is simply waiting for an opening to strike. It’s no question that the news of her return…”
Scene 6: Keep scene with Salo but trim it down a bit
Scene 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12-13: Keep as is
Except replace Maddie with Caitlyn’s dad at the vigil
Scene 14: Tone change
Jinx stares at the guard, the corners of her lips perking up slightly. Sevika glances first at the guard, then Jinx, and nods.
“Let’s gut some blue-belly,” Jinx whispers.
[Cut to the next scene when they’re on the transport]
Scene 15 – end: Keep as is (all the Stillwater prison scenes)
Episode 5: Major edits
Change end of Vi's montage:
Vi thinks she hears Jinx whistle, but it’s gone in a moment. She slowly gets off the floor, and hears Loris at the door.
“Vi,” he calls out. “Let me help you with your stitches. I'm sure you didn't replace them.”
“Fuck off, Loris. I don’t need your pity.”
“Do you plan on fighting in the ring for the rest of your life? You know, those people at the square could have really used your fists. Did you hear how many people got sent to Stillwater from that rally?”
“I said, fuck off Loris! I don’t need a lecture, least from you of all people.”
Loris sighs and leaves, and Vi sinks back to the floor again.
Scene 1-2: Keep as is (Ambessa & Caitlyn at Stillwater)
Scene 4: new version of Vi and Jinx meeting
Vi is sitting at the bar. She asks for another drink, but the bartender says she won’t get it until she pays her last tab in full. She stands up to fight, and immediately gets thrown out onto the street. She curses them, but stumbles onward, meandering until she accidentally comes up to the Jinx mural. She gawks at it in shock, and almost wells up.
“I don’t think they got my face right,” Jinx suddenly says, standing beside her.
Vi startles and reflexively swings at her, which Jinx easily dodges.
“Wow. I hate to break it to you, but you definitely look worse up close, sis.”
“What are you doing here? What do you want?”
Vi keeps swinging, and Jinx keeps slipping out of her way.
“If you stop punching for a moment, I could tell you!”
“Don’t play games with me Jinx—”
Vi misses again and punches the wall.
“It’s Vander! He’s alive!”
Vi riles up and lunges at Jinx, pinning her to the wall.
“We both know that’s bullshit.”
“Vi—”
Vi gears up for another hit, but pauses to search Jinx’s eyes and face.
“He needs our help. I can prove it.”
Vi huffs and lets go, looking away.
Scene 6: Vi & Jinx in the mines – keep as is
Scene 7: Ambessa & Singed – keep as is
Scene 9: Ambessa, Singed, Caitlyn – keep as is
Scene 11-12, 13, 14, 15: keep as is (bunker, Vi vs Vander, flashback, hug)
Scene 16: keep as is (Jayce returns)
Mel scene at the end of the episode:
Mel opens her eyes and looks around the room in confusion. At first, it seems like she’s back home in Noxus. She walks around until she stumbles upon her brother Kino asleep on a sofa. She rushes to him and shakes him awake.
“Kino?”
“Mel? What are you doing here? I thought you left for Piltover already.”
“I did…” Mel looks down at herself and sees that her clothes have changed. “Although, perhaps not. Hm.”
“Ha! What, did you only dream you left?”
“No, I…” Mel trails off as she notices a vase of red roses in the corner of the room. “Kino, since when do you keep roses?”
“Well, Mother likes them.”
“Mother? Likes roses,” Mel replies incredulously.
“Yes, of course.” Kino sits up. “She’s actually a huge romantic, you know. It’s her little secret—but I found out.”
“What do you mean,” Mel asks, as she slowly approaches the vase.
“Well, she won’t be happy that I know. She doesn’t want either of us getting pricked by their thorns. Although, I think she cares less about my blood getting all over them than yours.”
“And why would that be?”
“Because you were born in the roses.”
Black thorns emerge from the roses and trap Mel.
Episode 6: Medium edits
Replace opening scene:
Caitlyn dreams of Vi, and wakes up in a cold sweat. Caitlyn visits her mom’s grave again, but this time, she’s alone.
Scene 1: keep as is (Ambessa – Caitlyn sparring)
Scene 2, 3, 4-5, 6, 7, 8: keep as is (commune scenes)
Scene 9: Vi following Singed
Vi follows Singed back to Ambessa’s camp. Vi sneaks around the tents and accidentally ends up in Caitlyn’s tent. Startled, Caitlyn pins her with her gun.
“What are you doing here?”
Vi scoffs and looks away. Caitlyn loses her temper.
“If you don’t want to answer me—fine. But Ambessa won’t hesitate to put you back in Stillwater.”
“Ha! I’ve been there before, and I’ll get out again. Half of Zaun’s been in Stillwater at this point, all thanks to you two.”
“Because of your attacks! Because you keep protecting Jinx! And now you people have even unleashed a chemweapon monster on us! What line haven’t you crossed?”
“What line haven’t we crossed? The only line I crossed was wearing that Piltie uniform! But so help me, Cupcake, you better leave my dad alone.”
“…What?”
Scene 10 – end: keep as is
Change plan exposition w/ Cait & Vi to tent rather than outside
Isha sacrifices herself, and Vander dies (major change: he doesn’t come back in Act III)
Episode 7: Pretty good, no notes
Episode 8: Major changes
Opening scene with Mel: minor dialogue changes
[Keep the beginning of the scene as is]
“What happened to Kino,” Mel asks.
“Regrettably, his death was one of the few things your mother did not hide from you.”
“So you killed him.”
“I gave Ambessa every opportunity to atone for her transgressions. She chose pride and power over progeny. But you need not bear her crimes.”
Mel frowns.
“All these illusions—just to recruit me?”
“Your talents will develop quickly. It’s no coincidence. The Arcane is waking up.”
“What has my mother done?”
[Rest of the scene as is]
Scene 1-2: keep as is (Ambessa, Singed & Viktor)
Minor change:
“I thought the beast was done for,” Ambessa says, looking at Singed hook up what’s left of Warwick with vials.
“He is. The blast split him into pieces. But his blood may yet be useful to revive Viktor.”
Scene 3-4: Minor dialogue changes
“Shh. Easy there.” Loris says. “Took all of three docs to patch you up. Nothing like what you survived in the ring, eh?”
“Loris? Why…”
“Wasn’t sure you’d pull through. Thank that thick noggin of yours.”
“I’m not sure it’s so great—argh—"
Vi grimaces through the pain in her abdomen as she sits up.
“Where are the others? Cait? Jinx?”
“Jinx…Caitlyn wanted to be here to tell you herself.”
“Loris. Spit it out.”
Scene 5: major rewrite
Caitlyn holds one of the model ships in her hand. [Quick flashback to Ambessa’s stare before she charged the commune.] Caitlyn shakes her head, and puts the ship down.
“I need a plan,” she mumbles.
Vi bursts in.
“Arrested?!”
“Vi.”
“She saved your life—”
“If you will just calm down for one—”
“—even knowing you’d never have done the same for her!”
“We’ll never know, will we? You didn’t let me in on that part of the plan.”
“Clearly the right call, since you still can’t trust her enough not to shove her in a box.”
“Trust? You believe I’m so daft I can’t recognize a contingency? She wasn’t there for my benefit. She was there because you didn’t trust me to follow through.”
“Can you blame me? How long were you sidled up with that shifty, self-serving war pig? She oinked poison in your ear and you just ate it!”
“You don’t know what it was like! Everyone in my life just gone, and she was the only person there to support me. My father still won’t talk to me after all these months!”
“You would have had my support if you hadn’t told me I was scum! If you hadn’t shoved me away and sent the Noxians to Zaun for arrests every other day for months!”
“I—!” Caitlyn huffs and puts her heads in her hands. “I know! I regret it. All of it. I knew Ambessa was using me, but I desperately hoped something good would come from it—I don’t know. And now that I’ve betrayed her, she’ll be coming for all of Piltover.”
Caitlyn sighs and looks up at Vi.
“The only thing Jinx cared about was getting you to safety. Then she just surrendered. I let them haul her off because it seemed like the only option in the moment. She’s being held in the bunker while I decide what to do. I was waiting for you to recover.”
“Cait, she’s changed.”
“We can’t erase our mistakes. None of us.”
“Who decides who gets a second chance?”
Scene 6: keep as is (Cait vs Jinx)
Scene 7: major changes
Keep beginning of scene as is (Mel in Piltover, Jayce examining the table.)
“Jayce?”
“Mel?”
Both of their faces turn from relief to worry.
“What happened to you?”
“I’m not sure you’d understand.”
“Something…happened to me, too.”
Jayce pauses, looking away.
“I figured. You’re the reason we didn’t die in the attack.”
“Yes…”
“How long have you known?”
“It started then—feelings I couldn’t explain. But this…I still don’t fully understand.”
“Why just me? Why not save all of them?”
“It wasn’t a decision! One moment, you’re addressing the Council, and the next we’re standing in rubble. It was like a sixth sense, a tingling sensation—you were the first person I thought of—and then it was already all over.”
“How do I know you’re not lying to me?”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because you used me, and Viktor, for Hextech. You called us ‘investments!’ Did you even really care about Viktor’s health, about me?”
“What are you talking about? Two brilliant young inventors who shared a penchant for impossible surprises. Carrying magic from myth to machine. Rallying the hope and hearts of a nation. You were a wise investment!”
[Rest of the scene plays out as is]
Scene 8-9: Minor dialogue changes
“You don’t have to worry about me anymore. You don’t have to feel guilty about being happy. I don’t want to be your burden, Vi.”
“Wait!”
“There’s no good version of me.”
“What are you gonna do?”
“Goodbye, Vi.”
“Jinx!”
Scene 10: Jayce & Mel dialogue changes
“I’m sorry. I’ve been an idiot. And an ass.”
“No, Jayce. You were right. I chased the archetype of a Medarda, and all I did was play right into my mother’s hands. I thought it was my calling, my purpose. But it was all a lie. A lie, that has dictated the course of my entire life. And now, that life is gone. I don’t know who I’m meant to be now.”
Jayce sighs.
“I’ve been confused about a lot lately. But there’s also a lot I see more clearly now. And I know, that there’s no force in this world, that can truly control us. We always have to decide for ourselves.”
Scene 11: keep as is (Jayce rally)
Scene 12: major changes (Vi & Cait)
“Had a feeling I might find you here,” Caitlyn says, as she unlocks the prison cell.
Vi looks away.
“I really believed she’d help.” She scoffs. “Just say it. You ‘told me so.’ I thought—well it doesn’t matter what I thought. I choose wrong every time! And because of it, I’ve lost everyone.”
“Vi.” Caitlyn comes closer, and leans against the wall. “It’s not your fault.”
“It is!” Vi tightens her grip around her neck. “No matter what I do, I can never save anyone. Not my dad, not my sister, not—”
“Vi!” Caitlyn grips Vi’s shoulder and pushes it away from the wall, so that Vi would face her. “That’s not true. You saved me. And I’ve never thanked you for it.”
Caitlyn moves her hand away from Vi’s shoulder and caresses her cheek.
“I’m sorry. I know I can never erase my mistakes—”
Vi moves forward for a kiss.
[Rest of the scene plays as is – although Caitlyn doesn’t mention “seeing someone else” in this rewrite]
Scene 13: keep as is (Mel & Ambessa convo)
Scene 14: keep as is, except exclude Warwick coming back to life
Episode 9: Major changes
Keep opening Jinx scene
Scene 0.5: Extended convo with Jinx & Ekko
“I don’t know what you want from me,” Jinx says, turning away from Ekko. “I only know how to destroy things.”
“That’s not true.” Ekko grabs her by the shoulders. “Please, just listen—”
Jinx squirms out of his grasp and backs away.
“Why do you care? First Vi, now you of all people? Why won’t you let me go? I screw everything up.”
“No, Jinx! You’re the reason I’m here. You can help me make things better.”
Jinx pauses and eyes Ekko up and down again.
“Look, I don’t know what’s come over you, but you’re better off leaving me out of it. I’m not your hero.”
Jinx goes to leave, but Ekko gently grabs her by her arm.
“But you could be! I—” Ekko hesitates as Jinx narrows her eyes, and he lets out a breath. “I haven’t been here lately because I visited the Hexcore at the bottom of the Hexgates. The runes were all messed up, and I got trapped in an alternate dimension—”
“Oh, come on—"
“—where life in Zaun was beautiful and you were still Powder.”
“...What?”
Ekko moves his hands to grasp Jinx’s hand.
“And it made me realize that there was still hope for Zaun, but more importantly—for you. I should have never given up on you, Jinx. There’s so much good we could do, together.”
“You sound more delusional than me, Ekko.”
“Please? Can you give me this chance to prove it to you?”
Scene 1: keep as is (war planning scene w/ Jayce & co)
Scene 2-4: Needs to be shortened; dialogue changes
Cut part with undercity soldier/enforcer that dies
Cut part with Loris’ death
Cut part with Maddie’s “betrayal”
Instead, Ambessa and her troops simply overpower Caitlyn and her strike team on their own. Instead of stabbing Caitlyn, Ambessa simply knocks the wind out of her. Ambessa then orders a Noxian soldier to finish Caitlyn, but Mel intervenes with her magic.
“Are you happy, Mother?” Mel enters the courtyard, pulling back her hood. “All these lives lost—and for what? What do you hope to accomplish with this senseless bloodshed?”
Ambessa scoffs.
“Still a fox, I see. Soliders!”
[Rest of the scene plays out as is]
Scene 5: plays out as is (Viktor meets Jayce)
Scene 6-9: some changes
Viktor’s creatures swarm the resistance (but no Warwick/Vander).
“Mother. Look at the price of your ambition!” Mel takes a few steps forward. “You’ve sacrificed everything—Rictus, Kino, the city I built for our family.”
“If it was for us, you wouldn’t have fought me.”
“If you loved me, you wouldn’t have attacked.”
Ambessa scoffs.
“You remember your—”
Caitlyn interrupts her with a swift punch.
“Shut up and fight!”
Caitlyn and Ambessa arm themselves with spears for a duel. Mel shifts into a fighting stance.
Ambessa throws her spear first, and only with Mel’s help does Caitlyn survive the unexpectedly ferocious attack. Caitlyn tries to lunge forward, but Ambessa breaks her spear in half with one kick. As Ambessa puts on her mask, Mel eyes glow and she sheds her white cloak.
Mel and Caitlyn lunge forward together, Mel distracting Ambessa with magic while Caitlyn tries to take advantage of any opening in Ambessa’s stance. But Ambessa is too swift for both of them, and she sends them both to the ground.
[Rest of their fight plays out as is]
Ambessa slumps, and Mel catches her before she hits the ground. She cradles her mother’s head in her arms.
“Mother…”
“Do not mourn me, my little fox. We do not grieve a warrior’s death.”
[Cut Vi & Jinx vs Warwick – instead, it’s just the regular creatures they’re struggling to fight]
[Keep Viktor vs Jayce as is]
Vi runs to Jinx after the crash. She throws the debris off her, and pulls her into a hug.
“Why did you come back?”
Jinx sighs, and slowly pushes her away.
“Ekko promised I could knock some Noxian heads. That’s all.”
Vi scoffs.
“Noxians would be a lot better than these creepy motherfuckers, that’s for sure.”
Scene 10-12: Keep as is, but replace Vander w/ more of Viktor’s creatures (that are trying to drag Vi and Jinx to the top of the dome as well)
Scene 13-14: minor dialogue changes for Jayce vs Viktor
“I know their minds, Jayce. They want better lives. But emotion clashes with reason. Humanity’s self-corrupting contradiction.”
“I know you always resented your own weaknesses. Your leg, your disease. But you were never broken, Viktor. There is value in imperfections. They made you who you are. An inseparable piece of everything I admired about you.”
[Rest of the scene plays as is, w/ Ekko’s entrance & everything]
Scene 15: major changes
Vi and Jinx fall down the Hexgate shaft as Viktor and Jayce disappear. Vi breaks one of her arms upon landing, and Jinx lands beside her, causing the metal of the bridge to groan and shake.
“I didn’t think I was that heavy,” Jinx mumbles.
Ekko appears with his board, and lands on the ledge just up above them.
“Jinx! Vi!” He waives at them. “Need help?”
“Yeah, I think my arm is broken,” Vi grunts.
Ekko approaches the broken bridge on his board, careful not to land. He pulls Vi onto his board with one arm, and reaches out for Jinx as well, but she backs away.
“The three of us aren’t going to fit on one board, genius.”
“I’ll come back for you—”
“Don’t bother.”
“Jinx, don’t—” Ekko starts, but Vi cuts him off.
“Jinx, don’t leave me. Please don’t leave. You're all I've ever cared about—”
“Vi, don’t you get it? I need you to let me go.”
“But—why?”
“I’ve got an airship to catch.”
Scene 16 – end: minor changes
Keep bridge memorial as is, except Ekko smiles bittersweetly from his ledge
Council shot: Sevika is there with three other Zaun representatives, so the Council is evenly split between Piltover and Zaun (with only one chair left empty)