The importance of metal migration during multi-electron redox activity has been characterized, revealing a competing demand to satisfy bonding requirements and local strains in structures upon alkali intercalation.The local structural evolution required to accommodate alkali intercalation in Y2(MoO4)3 and Al2(MoO4)3 during Li (de)insertion has been contrasted by operando characterization methods, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy and diffraction, along with nuclear magnetic resonance measurements. Computational modeling further rationalized behavioral differences. The local structure of Y2(MoO4)3 was maintained upon lithiation while the structure of Al2(MoO4)3 underwent substantial local atomic rearrangements as the stronger ionic character of the bonds in Al2(MoO4)3 allowed Al to mix off its starting octahedral position to accomodate strain during cycling. However, this mixing was prevented in the more covalent Y2(MoO4)3 which could only accommodate this strain through rotational motion of the polyhedral subunits. Knowing that an increased ionic character can facilitate the diffusion of redox-inactive metals when cycling multi-electron electrodes offers a powerful design principle, to improve kinetics for example, when identifying next-generation intercalation hosts that can store more than one electron per transition metal.