Rush
Rush
There have been more than a few "Whoa, are you kidding me?!" roster moves in the offseason, but perhaps the most exciting is Cloud9's pick-up of 2015 Summer Split MVP Rush. Sure, it shores up the uncertainty within C9's jungle game, but Rush brings more than just a stable roster to the storied club.
Rush's infamous aggressive playstyle aims at securing an advantage in the early game and snowballing it out of control, making victory quick and decisive for his team. When he invades your jungle, you can be certain he's already thought of the possible outcomes, and his mind is ready to execute jaw-dropping mechanical skill to make sure that he gets the upper hand.
The fear factor that this provides means that with Rush, there is no blue side or red side; every square foot of Summoner's Rift is his to threaten. Before he even shows his face on the minimap -- frequently, it should be said, at times and places that defy logic -- Rush's presence can make his enemies alter their play.
This kind of early-game power is exactly what C9 wants and needs. In the matches where Rush is able to snowball the early game, C9 will find victory more often than not. In the instance that Rush does not succeed early, he will most likely have garnered enough attention to ensure that Cloud9's carries, Jensen (formerly Incarnati0n) and Sneaky, will be able to threaten in the late game.
With Team Impulse's original roster parting ways during the offseason, Rush could have chosen any region in the world for his second pro season. In the end, it was his unfinished business in North America that drew him back. "I started my career in NA. I want to win NA LCS at least once," says Rush.
I started my career in NA. I want to win NA LCS at least once.
As the new starting jungler for Cloud9, Rush's mission for a NA LCS title could solidify the team's return to the upper echelon of NA. Though the team made a miraculous run at the end of 2015 to punch its ticket to the 2015 World Championship, C9 had clear issues with its roster.
Namely, Rush is taking the jungle reins from Hai, who will move to support -- his third position in less than a year. Hai retired as a mid laner halfway through 2015 only to return as Cloud9's jungler in Week 6 of the Summer Split. And though Hai's shotcalling and leadership got C9 back on its feet, it's been clear his return was a stop-gap measure for the team.
Rush is the jungler C9 needs, and with Hai staying on as shotcaller, Rush is left to do what he does best -- dominate from the jungle.
In fact, part of Rush's decision to join C9 was because he felt he would be given the opportunity to do just that. "Traditionally, Cloud9 puts a lot of resources in junglers compared to other teams," he explains. If ever there was a jungler that you wanted to give the freedom to play his own game, it's Rush.
So, with Rush in tow, C9 will clearly be this year's NA LCS champion, yeah? Well, let's not rush to judgment here. A lot will hinge on just how well Rush will fit in with the boys in blue.
Sneaky is helping me! Sneaky can teach me what I shouldn't say...
But so far so good. "It's fun!" he told us. "Basically the teammates never get mad...and they're really, really positive." Sneaky has even taken to helping Rush with the finer points of the English language. "Sneaky is helping me! Sneaky can teach me what I shouldn't say because he knows every bad word. I can look to him to find out what I shouldn't do," laughs Rush.
Rush has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that when he sets his mind to something, he is very difficult to overcome. With a new mission and team alongside him, Rush is set to take the NA LCS by storm -- again.
-- By Schuyler "Wints" Winter