Impact makes his mark on the LCS
If ever there was a man whose name accurately reflected the style with which he played, it is Eon-Young "Impact" Jeong. Whether it be his ability to affect the outcome of a game with a single play, or the force with which he'll knock his enemies into the afterlife, the man knows how to make his mark.
A champion emerges
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When the mob of fans streamed through the gates of the Staples Center in 2013 for the World Championship Finals, they were met with massive posters of the two finalists: SKTelecom T1 K and Royal Club. These massive murals loomed over the sea Teemo hats and Rammus caps like frescoes in a cathedral.
With a jaw that could cut glass and a glare that will send ice down your spine, top laner Eon-Young "Impact" Jeong's picture emulated the confidence, and the style, that he brings to his position. At the age of 18, the young man looked like a prizefighter, daring his competition with nothing more than a look.
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Throughout SKT's World Championship run, Impact would crush top lane match ups and make plays that would earn him the title of carry on nearly any other team. As talented as he and the rest of the SKT squad were, Sang-hyuk "Faker" Lee was indisputably the primary carry of the team. Yet Impact's seemingly flawless ability to be exactly what his team needed, when they needed it, was crucial to their success. This trait, in addition to his indomitable spirit and sheer resilience, has proven to be his most defining quality.
A new challenge
Following a less than optimal 2014, by SKT standards anyway, Impact made the move to Los Angeles to join Team Impulse's 2015 roster. Impulse was still very much Yu "XiaoWeiXiao" Xian's team when Impact landed in North America. Formerly known as LMQ, Impulse had relied heavily on then-MVP XiaoWeiXiao to enter into the NA LCS and quickly transition into one of the region's strongest contenders alongside squads like Team SoloMid and Cloud9.
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When the 2015 season began, TiP operated largely around how XiaoWeiXiao wanted to play. Impact, as he has been accustomed to, fit in by having the skills necessary to play according to the needs of his team. As time wore on, Impulse's texture as a mid-centric team began to fade, and they began to rely more and more on the early game aggressiveness and playmaking capabilities of their new jungler Yoon-jae "Rush" Lee. Rush and Impact developed their own chemistry, and as a result, Impact began to show the flashes of brilliance that had led him to the World Championship nearly two years earlier.
Infinite hope
As the conclusion of the 2015 Summer Split drew near, Impulse jockeyed with Team Liquid, Gravity, TSM, and Counter Logic Gaming for Playoff seeding. In the middle of Week 8, Impulse's support Adrian "Adrian" Ma announced he would be leaving the team, to be replaced by Austin "Gate" Yu. However, on the eve of Week 9, the team learned that XiaoWeiXiao was to be suspended and would be unable to play the in the remainder of the team's matches. Adrian swiftly and selflessly returned to Impulse's bot lane alongside AD carry Apollo "Apollo" Price and the newly acquired Gate made the move to mid.
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This last minute roster shuffling, combined with the fact that Impulse were embroiled in the one of the most competitive regular season finishes in history, would have left many teams drawing their last breath. Team Impulse are not your average team though, and Impact is exactly the man you want by your side when times get tough.
"We all believed that all of us remaining members had to try hard and so we put in a lot of effort," says Impact. Sure enough, Team Impulse rolled into Week 9 with no intention of just surviving for the Playoffs. They were going to fight.
Kicking and screaming
Impact lit up Week 9, earning himself the MVP title for the last week of play, and helped Team Impulse finish with a 8-1 record to close out the last half of the Split. He capped off the regular season with a staggering 15-5-43 combined KDA in the final week, but it was in the conclusion of their epic match against Team Liquid, that Impact's incredible force of will was most recognizable.
"How many times can he do it? Impact are you kidding me?!"
Caster Sam "Kobe" Hartman-Kenzler reflected as we watched Impact hurl his team on his back and refuse to give up. With all three inhibitors down, Team Impulse nearly pulled off the impossible comeback victory against Team Liquid in a game that stretched mere seconds shy of an hour. In the end though, it was Impact's former SKT teammate Gwang-jin "Piglet" Chae who drove the dagger into Impulse's nexus, handing them their first loss in weeks.
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This loss would force Impulse into a tiebreaker match with Gravity, where Impact would yet again show his leadership and determination. "I've improved at seizing the opportunity to carry when I see that I can," explains Impact. "I always tell my team how we can better control the game and make better calls."
More to prove
With their win over Team Dignitas in the Quarterfinals, Impulse now move on to face Counter Logic Gaming in the 2015 NA LCS Summer Split Semifinals. For Impact though, securing their ticket to the Finals isn't the only aspiration they're working towards. "The World Championship is our goal. Even if we win, we need to win because of superior team play and not because of any one individual carrying. That's the only way we will be able to improve," says Impact.
If Impact and Impulse have proven anything this Split, it's that they have determination. A determination to improve, to win, and to never give up.
Find out if they can rise to the occasion yet again this Saturday, August 15 at 12:00PM PDT right here on Lolesports. To rewatch Impulse's incredible late-season run check out our spoiler free VODs page.
