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Did Riven Kill the Elder?: "Facts, Myths and Theories"

dialMARK4acti0n·12/8/2014, 6:58:16 PM·65 votes·101,512 views

For more discussions like this, check out the "Facts, Myths and Theories" main post! You can also follow me on Twitter: @dialMARK4acti0n

Welcome summoners, to "Facts, Myths and Theories". A series, here on the Story & Art board, that talks about all the mysteries surrounding the League of Legends lore. ** I grab what we know, what we don't know and mesh these together to form - you guessed it - theories, to try and crack the lore wide open.**

Now, you may have noticed the lack of discussions in the past weeks and basically, long story short, I haven't had the time to make the series in the last weeks and I've decided to not promise you guys a weekly series any longer. Don't worry though, "Facts, Myths and Theories" is here to stay! It just won't be as regular as I'd like it to be. For a more in-depth explanation, you can just read this discussion. Also, I'm writing a book. ^^ Since the series will not be as regular from now on, I now have a Twitter account that you can follow to keep yourselves updated on everything I post: @dialMARK4acti0n. Alternatively, you can also simply use the hash tag: #FactsMythsTheories. This will hopefully be helpful to you guys that want to be updated. Now that the boring stuff's out of the way... Let's talk some lore! Today's discussion is structured a little differently to accommodate the theme. Hope you like it!

Today's Topic: Did Riven kill the Elder?

http://i.imgur.com/JkJ0DL8.jpg Fan art by ae-rie

Y'know, there's a reason Yasuo is exiled and "unforgiven" as his title suggests, but most of you already know that. We'll go a little more into detail in a bit. Long story short, Yasuo was falsely accused of killing an elder he was meant to protect. The thing is, he had an alibi for the time of the murder. It couldn't have possibly been Yasuo, so why is everyone accusing him? Well, with his dying breaths, Yasuo's brother told his brother the killer used a wind technique, the same technique Yasuo used.

You see, Yasuo was the only student in his generation to actually master the ancient Ionian technique that allows him to use his sword to fight with the wind. So, naturally everyone assumed he had killed the Elder, because he was killed by the technique that, supposedly, only Yasuo mastered. But, the thing is, we know for a fact that he didn't kill the Elder, but who else uses the wind to fight?

And that's where the assumption that Riven did it comes up. I mean, it does make a lot of sense. A Noxian killing an Ionian? Nothing new there. And she does master some sort of wind technique. Any Riven players out there will know that Riven's second ultimate is called "Wind Slash". Yasuo, being a smart guy, as also been pondering about these facts and has tons of special interactions with her that imply that he suspects her involvement in the Elder's demise. For example:

"Who taught you that?"

Yasuo has been looking for the Elder's killer ever since he was falsely accused to have committed the murder and is hunted for something he didn't do. He must find the Elder's killer in order to avenge all the blood on his hands and to protect his own honor. So... Did Riven actually kill the Elder? Well, I have some theories... but first, let's go over the facts.

The Facts

http://i.imgur.com/NikJ6Nh.jpg

Ok. So let's start by going a little more into detail on Yasuo's story. So, Yasuo was a student of a renowned Ionian sword school in his youth and he was also the only one of his generation to master the wind technique. This is really interesting wording we have here... More on that later though. Moving forward with our little story here, we know that Yasuo was thought by many to be destined to become a great hero. But his brother, Yone, didn't think so...

Yone was Yasuo's older brother so, naturally, when it came to his little bro, he was quite judgmental. In Yone's eyes, Yasuo was a sword without a sheath. He mentions that it's easy to teach a swordsman how to kill... but difficult to teach him not to do so. As Yasuo's skills began to grow, so did his ego. In Yone's words, "he was impetuous and boastful; he ignored our master's lessons and knew nothing of patience". He was afraid he had 'strained way too far out of the way'. Thus, he appealed to his brother's honor by giving him a maple seed... their school's biggest lesson of humility. Then, this happened:

"Yasuo took my gift, and the following day he accepted a modest guard post. I had high hopes he would learn the patience and virtue required of a true swordsman..."

So, the following day, Yasuo accepted to guard an Ionian Elder... that's when Noxus invaded. That day Yasuo's life changed forever! You see, Yasuo felt powerless guarding the elder, thinking that his own blade could change the outcome of the entire war. Foolishly, Yasuo left his post to fight. When he returned however... the Elder was dead.

"My honor left a long time ago." http://i.imgur.com/85WMfZU.jpg

Yasuo knew he had to take responsibility for his wrongdoings. But, he was surprised to know that everyone thought he was the one that had slain the elder. He was about to be taken in for the crime he did not commit, but knowing that the real killer was still out there, he raised his sword, fighting his way out and escaped. Alone for the first time in his life, Yasuo was now on the run from all of Ionia, in search of the real killer. Yone, deeply saddened by Yasuo's betrayal, began searching for his brother.

Years passed and Yasuo was not much closer to finding the true killer. During the years he was forced to fight with people he had considered his friends... his allies. Ultimately, he was forced to fight his own brother. Yasuo and Yone, forced to do so by the warrior's code both followed and had trained under their entire lives, clashed steel against each other. In the end, Yone was no match to Yasuo. With his dying brother in his arms, Yasuo asked the obvious question. How could his own kin believe that he was guilty? Yone's answer was a revelation.

"'The Elder was killed by a wind technique. Who else could it be?'"

Yasuo finally understood why he had been hunted all those years. He begged his brother for forgiveness and professed his own innocence as he passed in his arms. Burying his brother, Yasuo finally had a lead. The killer knew a wind technique! Now he was closer to finding the killer and bringing the guilty to justice, restoring his honor.

Well, we can gather quite a lot of information from this. We know that the elder died during the Noxian invasion on Ionia. Namely, on Yasuo's village. Also, we have Yone's contribution to the investigation: the killer used a wind technique. But, that's pretty much it. Since Riven's one of the prime suspects for this felony, let's take a look at her lore entry and see if we can find an alibi or something of sorts.

"Broken sword. Broken spirit." http://i.imgur.com/gz0zLEO.jpg

Well, Riven's story is similar to Yasuo's. An exiled who betrayed her own people in order to fight for a greater ideal. In Yasuo's case it was a necessary betrayal in order to find justice for the Elder's killer. In Riven's case however, it was different.

Riven was a Noxian girl who strove to achieve greatness. She trained hard since young, forcing herself to wield swords that were bigger and heavier than herself. As she grew she became an efficient and ruthless warrior. She was very convicted and never thought twice about joining the fray. This was where her true strength lied. This passion did not go unnoticed:

"Riven became a leader amongst her peers, poster child of the Noxian spirit. So exceptional was her passion that the High Command recognized her with a black stone rune sword forged and enchanted with Noxian sorcery."

This tidbit is particularly interesting, but we'll talk more about it later. Soon after receiving her new sword, Riven was deployed to Ionia as a part of the Noxian invasion. So, we know for a fact that Riven was there in Ionia for the invasion. Anyway, it was in the war that Riven's perspective of Noxus changed. She wasn't being part of the glorious battle she was trained to be a part of... She was being part of a slaughter. She witnessed the Noxian forces exterminating the Ionians, without showing mercy. Her superiors were ordering Riven to terminate all the wounded and the remnants of an already defeated enemy.

As the invasion continued, in an engagement with Ionian forces, Riven's unit was surrounded by enemies. She requested reinforcements. Instead, what she got was a bombardment of the entire area carried out by Singed, killing both Noxian and Ionian alike. Riven survived the slaughter, but couldn't live with what she had just saw. Being reported dead, Riven saw an opportunity to be 'reborn'. Looking for a new start, she shattered her sword, severing all of her ties with the past, and imposed exile on herself, à la Yoda, seeking to atone for her sins in the past and to try and save the pure Noxian vision she once fought for.

Now, you may be thinking: "Wait... that doesn't add up... does it?". If you are thinking that, than your right up there with me brother. There are a number of reasons to naturally assume from both lore entries that Riven was nowhere near the elder the night of the murder. So, what gives? Well, time to talk some myths!

The Myths

Now, in this Myths section, we're going to talk about the potential killers of the Elder. First up, we have:

Riven http://i.imgur.com/QnlZxLC.jpg

So, let's talk about the reasons that Riven could've been the killer. It is no secret, as we mentioned, that she has the ability to do a "Wind Slash" with her sword. But, Yone said the Elder was killed by a wind technique... Not wind magic. Different things. Riven is not the one from which the magical properties of the sword come from. The sword itself is the one that seems to exhibit these abilities, not Riven. Yet, Yasuo does seem to be rendered in suspicion when Riven uses that technique.

Now, the reasons why she couldn't be the killer. For one, Riven's unit was carrying out a slaughter wherever she passed through, yet Yasuo's village's only casualty seemed to be the elder. I mean, the way his lore entry is written, it seemed as the battle going on did not affect Yasuo's village. Also, Riven wasn't keen on carrying out the murders that she was tasked with. Murdering an Elder of Ionia? Why would she do that? Why would she go out of her way just to murder the elder?

It seems to me that the cons outweigh the pros. So, let's assume for a second that Riven did not kill the elder, right? Who else could it be? Well.....

Janna http://i.imgur.com/VQhztZh.jpg

Ok, ok, ok. Before you type in the comments, something like "Wait... that's dumb!", let's just think about it ok? Well, an obvious pro is that Janna is the avatar of air and she can certainly use the wind as a weapon. So, it's possible that what Yone described as a wind technique could be coming from Janna. But then, there's just that. Yone seems to be pretty sure about what a wind technique is, and that it's the same as Yasuo uses (which again is another counterargument for Riven, since she has a drastically different style from Yasuo).

Some other cons are the fact that Janna had absolutely zero reasons to even consider killing an Ionian Elder. The way Ionia works is that Elders 'rule' over their respective province. The Elder we've been talking about being the Elder of Yasuo's province. So, why would Janna be interested in any of that? Why would she go all the way out of her way from Piltover, and go all the way to Ionia and kill some guy? It just doesn't add up.

But, assuming Riven didn't do it and absolutely guaranteeing that Janna didn't do it, who else could it be?

Third Challenger? http://i.imgur.com/XzPancY.jpg

Wait... but that's crazy right? Well, it wouldn't be the first time that Riot released someone teased in another champion's lore entry (e.g.: Tryndamere and Aatrox). So... why not? I mean, it would be interesting to see another wind technique master. Speaking of which, in order for this new challenger to be the culprit, he'd have to be a master of the wind technique, thusly, having learnt it in a different generation of students than Yasuo, because remember, Yasuo was the only to master the technique in his generation. Attention to detail my friends! Never forget...

But why would he kill the elder? There's a myriad of reasons that could be, but just to name a few... Personal reasons. Noxian dude. Ionian exile from the past, back with a vengeance. Crazy whacko character. Self-taught agent of chaos. Good guy making it so the Elder was actually a bad guy. Watcher working for Lissandra that knew the wind technique for some inexplicable reason. Traitor. Sell-out. Turncoat. And/or selfless reasons (e.g.: "Oh no... mah family!").

In all seriousness though, there's a pretty good likelihood of the killer being someone we may have yet to meet. To me at least, I think this is most likely killer. Or it could just be Yone, in some sort of Shyamalanian twist. But, like the term Shyamalanian suggests, that would probably be a lame twist.

Yet, the main question has yet to be answered... Did Riven kill the elder or not? Well, I have some theories...

The Theories

http://i.imgur.com/9cULoB8.jpg

I gotta be honest guys... I'm torn. They seem to be pushing in the direction that Riven is the killer and I really don't believe that Riven could, would or should've killed the Elder. So, instead of talking about both and going over everything we already spoke about, I'm just gonna go with my gut feeling and say it: Riven did not kill the elder.

As we talked in the Myths section, Riven had tons of reasons to not kill the Elder, although she also did have reasons to kill the Elder. But, after reading both lore entries, it seems as though they were in completely different parts of Ionia when the Noxian invasion happened. Riven also had no reason to kill an Elder of Ionia unless instructed by her superiors, but that wouldn't fit with Riven's unit's MO of wreaking havoc everywhere they went. Besides, Riven is not a master of the wind technique. At least, it's not mentioned in her lore entry nor safe to assume... It's undeniable though that her sword does use some sort of wind power... Yeah... her sword... wait... Let's rewind a little bit and see where she got that sword from:

"The High Command recognized her with a black stone rune sword forged and enchanted with Noxian sorcery."

So, her sword was enchanted with Noxian sorcery... Hmm... Is it possible that the sword was mass-produced? Well, it's possible, but even if it's unique, the Noxian sorcery could enchant anything really to use the same type of powers as Riven's swords, following that same line of thought... Even the Wind Slash! Who gave her the sword in the first place? The High Command? Isn't Swain the leader of the Noxian High Command? I mean... he is a master over sorcery, there's no secret there. Also, he was a member of the Black Rose, who is also composed of various sorcerers, like LeBlanc or Vladimir... They were the ones responsible for Sion's resurrection after all... Wait! Could it be that the Black Rose and Swain are planning a second invasion to Ionia...? Or even to take charge over Ionia? After all, the one who died was an Elder of Ionia. Who's to say that one of the Elders hasn't been replaced by LeBlanc yet? Oh no... Could it be? Is Noxus' rise to power being kept that secret? Maybe, the murder of the Elder was all part of a ploy by Noxus... And they had control over someone or something with the wind technique... Maybe, just maybe.... I guess, we just have to wait... and see...

It's all just a theory though... Thanks for reading!

I missed this guys... But don't worry! I'll keep writing. Just keep in mind that I'll only put up more discussions when they're done. These aren't as easy to make as one might think. Also, the poll no longer defines the next topic. It's just a way for me to keep track of what you guys want to see. When I'm inspired to write a topic you want, I'll write it for sure! Otherwise, I won't. I do this for fun and I won't write about what I don't have fun writing about. Anyway, let me know what you thought of this discussion in the comments below. Do you think Riven killed the elder? Or do you agree that she may haven't been the felon? Let me know! Also, feel free to scream at me on Twitter: @dialMARK4acti0n. Sorry if today's discussion wasn't too polished! I'm kind of rusty... x) See ya next time guys! Thank you for all your support.

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Hey guys! Here with a super awesome update!!! Redmercy has done a video based on this discussion. Awesome right? Please check it out!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78XNwwK8Bzw

163 Comments

gubigubi12/8/2014, 11:48:30 PM79 votes

Yasuo YOU KILLED MY ELDER Riven No yasuo Riven I am your elder Yasuo NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

RiotMANWOLFAXEBOSS12/9/2014, 2:16:31 AM52 votes

it seems as though they were in completely different parts of Ionia when the Noxian invasion happened.

Dude, between Broken Wings and Valor, Riven could be across Ionia and back again in no time.

Also, what if Yasuo did do it...

BRBGTGBOWFLEX12/9/2014, 8:32:09 PM8 votes

Fact:

  • The Riot Lore team does not actually provide answers to anything and never really will. Any question asked in an AMA that could have a conclusive answer or resolve a plotline is always left unanswered. The only answers given are restatements or clarifications to already resolved plotlines.

Theory:

  • This is because they have learned from shows like LOST that it's way easier to provide a bunch of questions and dangling plotlines than to provide answers. People are usually disappointed by answers and resolutions, but will remain interested in questions that keep piling up, so long as they are continuously diverted to the next question.

Myth:

  • That the above constitutes good storytelling. In reality, it's a low-risk/low-reward strategy preferred by people who cannot tell compelling stories and are more afraid of failure than pursuing success.

  • That any champion has an actual reason to be fighting in the League of Legends. There's actually zero clarification on what, if anything, fighting in the League brings anyone, and there are no examples of the League ever actually rewarding or advancing a champion's goals.

Terra Booma12/8/2014, 7:33:20 PM7 votes

YOu have no idea how much my favce lit up when I saw this! :D

I've always fought to say Riven didn't do it, and I'm glad you agree! Noxus has no reason to use her for an Assassin, she's better in the field!

Ebonmaw Dragon12/8/2014, 9:14:47 PM6 votes

Plotwist: It was Kennen

Just look at this:

The elder was killed by the wind

Kennen IS the wind Kennen "I am the wind!" http://images.wikia.com/leagueoflegends/images/3/32/Kennen.move4.ogg

And Yasuo hates the ninjas Yasuo "Ninjas... I hate those guys." http://images.wikia.com/leagueoflegends/images/a/ad/Yasuo.Ninjataunt02.ogg

COINCIDENCE?

I THINK NOT!

ok no, its just a joke...

IronyOwl12/9/2014, 12:28:52 PM6 votes

I find your conclusions dubious and your opinion of your waifu Riven skewed by fondness.

Now, you may be thinking: "Wait... that doesn't add up... does it?". If you are thinking that, than your right up there with me brother. There are a number of reasons to naturally assume from both lore entries that Riven was nowhere near the elder the night of the murder. So, what gives? Well, time to talk some myths!

What doesn't add up? She learned the meaning of Christmas eventually, so she couldn't have murdered some dude beforehand? You just spent like four paragraphs detailing what a ruthless elite Noxian agent she was. Where does it say she defected before the Elder's death?

So, let's talk about the reasons that Riven could've been the killer. It is no secret, as we mentioned, that she has the ability to do a "Wind Slash" with her sword. But, Yone said the Elder was killed by a wind technique... Not wind magic. Different things.

Oh come on. "Technique" is totally different from "magic?" Says who? "Nosir, couldn't have been me. See, the Elder was killed by wind thaumaturgy, whereas I'm a wind sorcerer. Totally different things, you see. One's magic sword magic hurled out in the form of cutting wind, the other's sorceous blade sorcery hurled out in the form of cutting wind. Really no confusing the two, if you ask me."

Except the expert in wind techniques accused of doing the deed finds it suspiciously familiar, so if there is a difference, either Riven's indeed using "techniques" rather than magic anyway, or the distinction is too fine for the most qualified person in Ionia to comment on to notice.

Plus, later on you talk about Swain The Mage being Master of Sorcery to mass produce swords that could have committed the crime. Not even you believe this part.

Riven is not the one from which the magical properties of the sword come from. The sword itself is the one that seems to exhibit these abilities, not Riven. Yet, Yasuo does seem to be rendered in suspicion when Riven uses that technique.

Do we have any reason to believe this whatsoever? I mean... you probably wouldn't argue that Caitlyn's just some schmuck and all of her abilities are intrinsic to her rifle, not her, right? So why would you assume the same about Riven's sword?

Now, the reasons why she couldn't be the killer. For one, Riven's unit was carrying out a slaughter wherever she passed through, yet Yasuo's village's only casualty seemed to be the elder. I mean, the way his lore entry is written, it seemed as the battle going on did not affect Yasuo's village. Also, Riven wasn't keen on carrying out the murders that she was tasked with. Murdering an Elder of Ionia? Why would she do that? Why would she go out of her way just to murder the elder?

Being part of the army probably doesn't necessarily mean sticking with them at all times, especially as she was known to be a potent and reliable agent. Noxus ordering her or her and a small squad to sneak around and assassinate an Ionian Elder seems pretty plausible to me... and apparently, it was pretty plausible to the Ionians as well, given that they tasked Yasuo, one of their finest swordsmen, with hanging back and protecting against just such an occurrence instead of fighting in the battle in the first place.

I gotta be honest guys... I'm torn. They seem to be pushing in the direction that Riven is the killer and I really don't believe that Riven could, would or should've killed the Elder. So, instead of talking about both and going over everything we already spoke about, I'm just gonna go with my gut feeling and say it: Riven did not kill the elder.

Then I'll just say it too: Yo' waifu was a stone cold bitch, dawg. She ain't proud of it, but damn she kill a bitch dead back in the day.

dialMARK4acti0n12/8/2014, 7:05:34 PM5 votes

Whoops... I can't seem to see the poll in my browser... Weird. Keep voting and hopefully things will sort themselves out x)

I'm just so happy I could finally make a new post!

Grand Viper12/9/2014, 6:08:43 AM4 votes

Why it cannot possibly be Riven

Quotes from the old Lore forum:

((Please note that none of the aggressive tone here is directed at anyone in this thread. This is a quote from the old Lore forum and here is a direct link to prove it: http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=4057441&page=2

Yasuo's techniques are literally point blank, in your face and personal and they all require him to do so. Yasuo was also out killing Noxians, he wasn't there, does that mean everyone who didn't see him assume that he killed the Elder? Was the Elder alone with him when they were on the road together? What was the scenario per se that everyone assumed and made the mistake of accusing Yasuo? How exactly did this arise, if it is during the Noxian war? And an Ionian Elder isn't someone that's meant to be taken likely. Irelia's father was an Ionian Elder and it was because he had to prove himself why he deserved this title. Karma is the youngest Elder, and look at what she's capable of. Elders aren't just "guys".

Riven's ultimate is quite literally a gale of death, and is ranged.

You are comparing the damage between a 7-15 lbs sword and a 150+lbs runic greatsword made of stone. And if she used it from a far distance, it wouldn't have just killed the Elder, it would have taken out the Elder, his dog, the structural columns with it, and whatever else was in his general vicinity. She would also have to get in close enough to be able to use her Wind Slash if we go with in game logic, she has to be seen by the Elder.

Then let's look at the fact that they said, "A wind technique did it."

What does wind damage look like? Does it cauterize? Does it leave behind wind residue? No? The common interpretation of blade wind is that it is so fine and focused that it causes a wound like a blade?

Can you tell me what "wind damage" looks like otherwise?

And lets go into how her windslash works. In typical anime and the "rule of cool", it comes from the general "swishing" sound you hear when you waggle around objects. Grab a pen, bring up close to your ear, and wave it as fast as you can, that's the "wind slash" because you're meeting resistance via the air. What Riven does, as she shows, is she swings her blade in a huge arc to cause this gale of death to race at someone, and it is used as an execution technique. It would cut the Elder in half to say the very least unless it was sorta but not really a good swing.

And if Riven's group was supposed to be an extermination group, why is there anyone alive at all that can attest that, "Yeah a wind person did it but we didn't see who. Btw Yasuo, we're blaming you because of reasons."

Yasuo wasn't there. He was out killing Noxians, he can use that as proof that he was derelict in his duties which he admitted to. Riven would not just kill 1 guy and go "Okay later everyone!"

None of the scenario makes sense, none of it brings any sensibility to it, and to say it was Riven was subtle enough to do this is the equivalent of screaming in someone's ear with a bullhorn, "yo mama" jokes. Katarina, Talon, an assassin can get in, out, kill 1 guy, no one knows, no one sees. Riven? No way. No way in hell. And besides, as I said, Riven already has enough antagonists to contend with.

Another quote:

"What began as war quickly became extermination. Noxian soldiers followed the terrifying Zaunite war machines across fields of death. It wasn't the glorious combat for which Riven trained. She carried out the orders of her superiors, terminating the remnants of a beaten and fractured enemy with extreme prejudice. As the invasion continued, it became clear that the Ionian society would not be reformed, merely eliminated."

This is why it's an out of character moment for her, because only this one elder died, and everyone else could assume it was Yasuo? What was the scene like? Where was the Elder? Where was Yasuo? Were they at a temple?

Rune Ocarina12/8/2014, 9:35:40 PM4 votes

Yes! I'm glad the voting doesn't matter anymore and that the Riven/Yasuo conflict is the next Facts, Myths, and Theories update XD

One thing I wanted to add was that in volume 1 issues 29 of the journal of justice, there was an interview with Riven about her gauntlet and if it by any means amplified her strength (in a magical way) to wield her large sword. In response, Riven said:

“The gauntlet does nothing to increase my strength by any magical means—strength must come from within. It is a remnant of the armor I have possessed since my time in the service of Noxus. Like my blade, it is a reminder of where I came from.”

My question is, doesn't Riven seem like the person who wouldn't rely on magic? If she knew her Wind Slash was the result of the Noxian sorcery on her sword and not through her own strength would she still have used her sword? That's if she knew. Maybe she was tricked into thinking that the Wind Slash was a byproduct of her own physical strength - swinging a large sword so hard and fast causing the wind to slice her foes. Now I know gameplay != lore but seeing how Wind Slash does physical damage instead of magical damage, is it safe to assume that the Noxian sorcery on her sword was for something else? I loved that lifelink idea Sir ArmaMalum brought to the table. That's super creative.

I'm kind of torn where Riven stands on the murder of the Elder. On one hand, if she did kill him she was just doing her job at wartime. Something Yasuo can't claim since his specific goal was to guard the elder but he abandoned that role - even if he did go out to fight in battle. If Yasuo confronts Riven with this setting in mind, I'd like to see Yasuo finally growing up and accepting that his actions where what led him to where he is now. I say growing up because to an extent the way Yasuo has been portrayed in his lore he seemed young, overeager and impatient; and while being attacked by his own people and killing his own brother have toughened him up, the fact that he now accuses Riven for ruining his life while not taking into account how his own actions have affected him are kind of childish to me. This would be a great way to give Yasuo some growth in a manner I think his brother was hoping he'd reach.

Now, that's great an all, but as mentioned above I can't see Riven killing the Elder - I hear Elder and assume old man. However this is Ionia. I think of Ionia I think of Asia. I think of Asia and I think of - filtering other things out and keeping it relevant - old men still being able to kick ass because of their Kung Fu training. (Using Kung Fu because you get the gist). So while Riven may have been against killing helpless and broken people. Would she be against to fighting an old man (Elder) who is physically capable to defend himself? Sure the Elder may have had guards, but we can't rule out that the Elder was capable in a fight can we?

Out of all the lore in League of Legends these two are by far the most interesting to me. I really want to see how Riven and Yasuo react when they finally do meet. Battling is no doubt one of the obvious things to happen with the confrontation but I want to see these two characters develop. The possibility of a third party make this more interesting because once everything is revealed, Riven and Yasuo can confront this third party. Yasuo has reason to attack the third party but Riven needs one. Atonement for what she did in Ionia? Maybe this third party could also be threatening Noxus or is directly linked to the Noxus Riven gave up on and killing it could bring the Noxus she believed in back. As Yasuo and Riven are both - from what it appears like - travelers wondering around I think these two are perfect for eventually working together to survive rather than trying to do everything alone.

It'd be super disappointing if Riot just decided to kill off either Yasuo or Riven if the two ever did meet. You hear me Riot. SUPER DISAPPOINTING!!!

Arcus Diabolus12/9/2014, 5:46:56 AM3 votes

Well friggin done. Good Read.

In my personal opinion, I don't see Riven killing the elder. The only chance she would have is after she already exiled herself to stop herself from doing such a thing again. Theres no real reason Riven would want to, thanks to the very core of her lore.

Vanra12/16/2014, 2:50:50 AM3 votes

No what happened is the Elder was warming up and doing jumping jacks, and while he was in the air Yasuo ulted, and didn't realize he was hitting the elder because of his massive range. When it ended he didn't realize what happened and set off to find a killer that doesn't exist.

Diahane12/9/2014, 2:15:45 AM3 votes

As always, kudos for the good work you do for us people on the boards!

I'd like to add some personal theories to a point you mention, that is on Riven's sword and its power. I don't think that she needs her sword to do the wind slash, I think it's more of a combination of her having both a proper blade and a clearer resolve while ulting. When her ultimate is down Riven is all about "burdens of the past", her hands being stained, how should she proceed and so on: she probably has doubts and feels unrest. To that add that she wields just a rather short piece of a sword and we get a possible reason as to why she doesn't use the wind slash unless she pops her ult. But what does it mean for her to ult? I think it's all a psychological thing for her. It's her will that shapes the sword (source: [x] ) and in Riven's own words from the JoJ, Issue 29 "strength must come come from within". The latter quote was about her gauntlet being not magical at all, but I think they give a good idea of what Riven is about: willpower. She shattered her giant runic sword, when it gets back to be a proper sword it's not because the sword itself has a magical power, it's because it reacts to Riven's heightened resolve by bending itself to her will. In my opinion, it's her finally experiencing "a moment of clarity", knowing her purpose and leaving doubt behind (intentional quite literal references to her VO when her ult's up) that allows her to unlock her full potential and execute the wind slash.

All this said, which I hope is an interesting contribution to the discussion, I do agree with you on the fact that it seems that Riot wants us to think she's the culprit of the elder's death, but at the same time one has the feeling that it's all a red herring. Nonetheless, I don't think she has a real alibi, in the strict sense of the word. She may as well have been where Yasuo was before she suffered her tragic epiphany through Singed's chemical bombardment. Given how Noxians think, she probably even wouldn't have a problem killing the elder. To Noxians if you're weak it's your problem and having to be strong in order to keep your role of importance in society kind of comes with the job there. So finding an important target she'd proceed to confront him and if he's no match for her it's not her problem, it's his for not being strong enough, which should kind of be his duty if he held a position of prestige. After all, with her own words only the strong survive. Even when she was ambushed with her unit by cunning Ionians she stuck to this moral, it'd be fair for her if she died there, because the Ionians had deserved to win. So, given this forma mentis of Noxus and how much ingrained it was in her, to the point of being a trauma for her the fact that Noxus didn't follow it by requiring Zaun's bombardment, she wouldn't have any problem dealing with the elder. Nothing personal nor a subtle assassination, a fair and square fight.

Doing a bit of meta-game reasonings, I doubt they will craft another wind techniques sword-master champion, because that would threaten Yasuo's niche and make him less unique. That archetype is covered, so I don't think they will release someone overlapping with it. If anything comes out to solve this mystery in a different manner, it won't be a swordsman in my opinion, but something maybe more unexpected. Ao Shin as a culprit could be a good twist, for instance. But then, seriously, how did people miss the part in which a f***ing dragon killed their elder? xD

Raccuun GG12/8/2014, 9:16:40 PM3 votes

That was AWESOME! I was never really given an opportunity to be linked to a lore/ theory story and i truly enjoyed it.

Thank you so much Dialmark4acti0n and le Rito team.

Grand Viper12/9/2014, 6:15:57 PM2 votes

Something else I forgot to add: Yasuo, Yone and every single other student in their discipline could utilize wind techniques for their blade art. So it could have been any single practitioner of Yasuo's discipline that could have killed the elderly fellow.

Although I do have a question that I don't have the answer to, was he an Elder of Ionia or some elderly fellow? I legitimately have no idea.

ModWulf Helhammer12/8/2014, 9:07:40 PM2 votes

A little edit you might want to make: Janna lives in Zuan, not Piltover. Although she seems that she is from the good guys, she is a good person in Zuan, and is trying to reform it

Tapu Fini12/9/2014, 9:46:04 PM2 votes

Janna's lore also points to the fact that she began to learn from other wind users, before surpassing them. Zaun is a crazy place, the people there go every which way possible, so it's very reasonable to say there's other wind mages that could have been acting on their own, or employed by Noxus, Demacia to frame Noxus, or any number of variables.

Pinjakri12/9/2014, 5:15:10 AM2 votes

Well if we look at the ties and connections between all of the lores and dial it down to those in Ionia or Noxus then maybe.... ....wait..... How exactly do these people know that a wind technique was used here at all?Maybe singed poisoned the elders tea. Plus they only said that Yasuo was the only one to master the wind technique in his GENERATION but what about other elders?Maybe the elder killed HIMSELF. Think about that league community.... Plus I don't know how riven could sneak up behind a master with her gigantic sword and kill him with out a mark.... Singed"...He's on to me..."

PL5512/8/2014, 11:16:20 PM1 votes

Wait, if Riven might not be the killer then why would Riot add in quotes as interactions between Yasuo and Riven? A good explanation might be that it is a question that will never be answered. But if it is, then the only options would be Riven or another person who won't be added into LoL. This is because the quotes would have to change since the actual killer will be revealed.

Tulare12/9/2014, 1:10:45 PM1 votes

Not that I believe the lore team is quite this subtle but you've stated it as a fact that the elder was killed by a wind technique. We don't know that, though. All we know is that's what Yone told Yasuo. Since he was willing to fight to the death, it's a pretty good bet that Yone believed it but that doesn't necessarily make it true.