Janna: A Character Exploration
Probably not surprising anybody, I'm a huge Janna fan, main, and enthusiast, which is why I've created this post. Lore wise, I feel that Janna is a character most like to write off as unimportant, while I feel that, although she is not one the most important, she in actuality has a much larger sphere of influence than people give her credit for, and contributes a lot. I was mostly inspired to do this by Malicious Metal's post on Mordekaiser, which was both interesting, and for the lore whores like myself, thoroughly enjoyable. Here's the link, I highly recommend looking at it.
Anywyas, this will be Janna character study/overview, where I will briefly go over her purpose currently in the lore and dig in on her personality, then look at her relationships, both allies and enemies, as well as a random that I believe nobody will expect.
Backstory and Personality
Janna is an elemental wind spirit born form the prayers of sailors and explorers, who now watches over the people of Zaun, and has come to be worshipped as a deity of some level in both Piltover and Zaun. Currently, she helps those who others will not, bringing hope to the hopeless, but this isn't to say she's a pacifist, as it says in her own lore "For those sailing with ill intent – pirates, raiders, and the like – Janna was sometimes said to blow them off course with sudden squalls and storms." Going to the very beginning of her story, we will find that not only did she help the common sailor, but also other seafearers and explorers, even further opening up her shpere of influence and connections across Valoran/Runeterra. As a spirit, she has lived for untold centuries, for her "birth" dates back to sailors, her name itself being Shuriman, possibly implying that she was at the very least existant during the hight of the ancient Shuriman Empire. Born from prayers and hopes, she's a being of the purests altruism, and quite literally lives to help people.
Onto the personality aspect of this character study, I feel that the best parallel to Janna's own character is Soraka. Where Soraka watched from above, Janna expierenced humanity's plights firsthand, having been there since her creation, thus possibly giving her a more realistic and keener eye when it comes to humanity. As an example, imagine a man at the brink of death in horrible, agonzing pain. Where Soraka would probably cut off her hand if it meant saving the man, Janna would end their suffering with a quick, painless death. This isn't to say Janna is distant, ruthless, or cold, not at all, but rather, she's seen the darkest parts of reality, and has accepted them. She's accepted that you can't save everybody, and that not every problem can be fixed, but this does little to stop her from helping when she can. Watching over the denizens of Zaun, she feels their pain, and pities them like a mother watching their child cry. Through a playful, if perhaps mischevious facade, as shown in her short story "Deep Breath" she teaches people the harsher lessons in life, but not without helping them at the same time. Perhaps, living such a long life has made her distant from humanity, but none can deny that her aid is often the best and most sought out.
Relationships
Choosing three allies, and three enemies, and the secret surprise guest, I will try explore their connections, and try to describe how they feel about each other, whether it be negative or positive., starting with the allies..
Within Ekko, I feel that Janna see's all the good that Zaun has to offer, and if anything, she's a bit proud of him. While no doubt Ekko has heard of Janna, and might possibly believe in her, Janna knows Ekko all to well. Being a magical entity of sorts, it would not be surprising if she was aware of his time traveling, and with it although she fears what he may do with it, she has no doubts that anything he will do will in some way be for the greater good. In him, she see's a purity, something untouchable, and she can't wait to see what he has to give to the world. Having been around since his birth, she views him as her child, perhaps even more so than she see's other Zaunites. Janna is, although a cliche term, Ekko's guardian angel.
Though not necessarily allies, I wouldn't quite classify them as enemies, as they are both just trying to do good in their own differing ways. Janna views Viktor with a mix of pity and respect, and despite that on the outside what he's doing may seem twisted, she see's the good within him, the drive he has to help people. Her pity comes from in reality, regret, as she views Viktor as a mistake on her part, not his existece, but what he has become. Though she's aware that not everybody can be saved, she can't help but feel bad for the misery that befalls the Zaunites, and this is no better exemplified than with Viktor. Janna seeks a way to help him, to try and help him see the perfection in human flaws, and try to restore his humanity. Conversely, Viktor see's Janna not with outright disdain, but just a little contempt. Though he does not damn her, he does believe she weakens humans, having them rely on her, rather than their own strength. He does however respect her, even if he's not entirely sure she exists, as even he can't help but feel a glimmer of hope at the thought or mention of her name, a side effect of his time as a child in the streets of Zaun. Within Viktor, she see's much of what she see's in Ekko, but also believe that f anything, Viktor could do even more good for Zaun than anybody, even herself.
Of all the champions, I want to see more action between these two. Personally, I'd like for Viktor to be one of the special few that Janna has made her existance known to, thus giving them an even deeper connection compared to others who view her as a distant presence. This would also only deepen their rivalry.
Of all the mistakes she has made, Warwick is her biggest. Pitying him more than any other, just looking at him overwhelms her with a sense of sorrow. She witnessed him during his time as a thug, and saw him try to become a better person, only to have it all ripped away from him. Now, a near mindless beast, running around the alleys of Zaun, I feel that Janna is somewhat of a leash for him. In some way, she helps keep him from losing that little bit of humanity he has left. Though thankful that even in his primal form he is still in some way trying to do good, she can't help but be slightly against his more violent than necessary ways. Perhaps, Janna protects him from himself, as well trying to control when he goes rampant with bloodlust. Warwick might have been a believer in Janna back when he was trying to become a better person, but now who's to say in his animalistic form.
Now, onto the enemies...
Janna probably views Singed as the worst of Zaun, not even seeing him as person, but just an entity of twisted wrongness. In her eyes, he is beyond redeemable, and one of the biggest threats to the people of Zaun as a whole. There really ins't much more say. Singed cares little for what some fairy tale spirit has to say, and is utterly unconcerned about her and her attempts to stop him. As a spirit who apparently tries to only act indirectly, it would be quite interesting to see Singed as one of the few people she believes she must use her full force against.
and 
Janna views them only slightly better than she does Singed. Although all three of them have different reasons, Singed for science, Mundo out of insanity, and Urgot out of betrayal, all three of these are only bringing harm to the people of Zaun, something she cannot stand for. Out of the trifecta, the only one she comes close to even so much as pitying is Urgot, as in his own way he believes he's helping people, but to Janna his form of help is more twisted than Viktor's, and to put it simply; just plain awful. Urgot is the only one of these three who is probably concerned about Janna, though not directly. He most likely views belief in her as yet another weakness, much in the same way Viktor does, but with much more radical enthusiasm, and views it as something that must be crushed.
Now for the mystery guest...
My reason for seeing a connection between these two doesn't come lust filled fantasy, but simple analysis. Shen is the Eye of Twilight, the one who keeps balance between the Spirit Realm and the real world, and Janna is a spirit. While they probably have never met, they are probably at the very least aware of each other's existence.
If you read all the way through, then thank you. Please feel free to tell me what you think!
