The immortal god of war (I don't think he's really a god, but it's just more fun to think of it as that) who always shows up at the most influential battles in history to turn the tide in the way he desires, even if that change is as simple as inspiring the vengeful wrath of a young berserker.
KING OF MASKS10 votesNOT EVEN CLOSE.
Downvote me if you will, but in my opinion Aatrox is without a doubt the most boring champion in the League.
That's it. The only one of those points that's even mildly interesting is the third, and that's contained in (if I recall correctly) a single voiced interaction. Edit: The connection is also drawn in Tryndamere's lore as well, missed that.
Yawn. You can fill in the holes with speculation if you want, that's fine, but I personally just can't stand him. I would record his lore and use it as a sleeping aid but he's so tedious to me that it's actually irritating.
Baron Von Bangin2 votesSince his release his massive red lips have always bothered me.
I Main Swain2 votesand downvote you I did
aatrox is not just an alien with a sword that digs war. he is one of the last five of the Darkin and arguably as strong as or stronger than lissandra. his sword is a living sword that basically sucks the life out of his opponents. his relation to tryndamere, if you went and read the lores, is that he killed the whole of tryndameres clan, stirring him to a furious, vengeful rage bent on destroying aatrox. if you tie that into the fact that aatrox only appears at the most influential points of history, you know that means something HUGE. none of this is speculation. in fact, much of what makes him cool IS the speculation. Who are the other Darkin? Will there be any more? What else has aatrox done? What is so significant about tryndamere that he personally came and altered his fate?
How is this in any way boring, let alone the most boring in league? In comparison to this, every other champion but a select few seem rather tame.
KING OF MASKS3 votesTo address your points in (ultra) rapid-fire mode:
You're free to disagree, but if I were to put my finger on exactly why I have so much antipathy for Aatrox, it's because he's soooo powerful and soooo mysterious without having any actual character or motivation beyond an extraordinarily bland preference for war and battle. That's entry-level blood knight stuff; I could literally get that from pretty much anywhere.
I agree that speculation regarding mysterious characters can make up for deficits in actual characterization (Nautilus is one of my favorite champions for this exact reason), but like I said... for Aatrox, it's not nearly enough.
I Main Swain1 voteswe aren't talking about visuals (which I agree on) we're talking lore
you aren't meant to know who the Darkin are yet, and honestly if you don't care then that just means you want a bio, not lore
if he isn't interesting power aside then honestly most league champs aren't
that is definitely not the only "mildly intriguing" aspect of his lore.
again, we aren't talking visual, we are talking lore
and again, he isn't meant to have character that we see. he is meant to be a legend, not a character. that's why his lore is the way it is. I personally would also like to know more about him, but I don't think the lack of information on his character itself makes him boring or dull.
KING OF MASKS1 votesThe end result of him being a "legend" (as you describe him) rather than a character, is that he comes across as a TVTropes checklist. Blood knight, check. Proud warrior race, check. Cultured warrior, check. There's no substance to any of it.
But anyway this is all supremely subjective, so further discussion would be pointless. Glad you like him, that's great, but personally I can't stand him.
Dreamspitter1 votes[{quoted}](name=KING OF MASKS,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=7c3iEZRb,comment-id=00030001000000000000,timestamp=2015-04-16T23:40:06.098+0000)
The end result of him being a "legend" (as you describe him) rather than a character, is that he comes across as a TVTropes checklist. Blood knight, check. Proud warrior race, check. Cultured warrior, check. There's no substance to any of it.
But anyway this all supremely subjective, so further discussion would be pointless. Glad you like him, that's great, but personally I can't stand him.
Couldnt you describe 
as a list of tropes too punctuated by DEMACIA!?
KING OF MASKS1 votesWell, that was a slightly silly thing of me to say since every character ever written is essentially a list of tropes, even ones (like Garen) who have actual personality traits.
My ultimate point, though, was that I find the combination of Aatrox's tropes to be extremely boring, and the fact that he's meant to rely on an air of mystery as opposed to a real personality only exacerbates that.
Dreamspitter2 votes[{quoted}](name=KING OF MASKS,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=7c3iEZRb,comment-id=0003000100000000000000000000,timestamp=2015-04-18T18:31:24.141+0000)
Well, that was a slightly silly thing of me to say since every character ever written is essentially a list of tropes, even ones (like Garen) who have actual personality traits.
My ultimate point, though, was that I find the combination of Aatrox's tropes to be extremely boring, and the fact that he's meant to rely on an air of mystery as opposed to a real personality only exacerbates that.
Perhaps in time things will improve. As you and others have said, a lot of the mystery relies on WHO are the Darkin? We know there are 4 others -things will really get interesting when we have a few more. What are they like, how are they alike and similar to Aatrox? Do they share themes of blood and war, or do they each have their own assumed niche and have they affected history in different ways? Also while 5 darkin would lend itself to them each filling different roles on the standard 5 man team, that doesn't say anything about what their interactions and actual relationships to one another will be like, nor their perspectives on their "kind". It would be kind of nice if at least one or two of them would acknowledge their race in the way of Skarner's "I miss my kind" (but then again, dat retcon...) or their home, or something about either without going full on 
and mentioning it in every line.
DaedricTerror131 votesWell if you are gonna say there are no visually unique things about him thats a flat out lie.
Never once in all the fictional and non-fictional media I have ever seen have I seen a creatures wings completely represent War Banners thats extremely unique concept in-of of itself so much so I don't think its ever been done before EVER.
Also the fact that people may think he is his sword as when you see his artwork and model he himself looks very much like an elegant blade.
Dreamspitter1 votes[{quoted}](name=KING OF MASKS,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=7c3iEZRb,comment-id=0003,timestamp=2015-04-15T16:07:42.324+0000)
NOT EVEN CLOSE.
Downvote me if you will, but in my opinion Aatrox is without a doubt the most boring champion in the League.
- He's a demon with a sword that likes war.
- He's part of a mysterious, possibly alien, extremely poorly defined race.
- He has some relation to Tryndamere.
That's it. The only one of those points that's even mildly interesting is the third, and that's contained in (if I recall correctly) a single voiced interaction. Edit: The connection is also drawn in Tryndamere's lore as well, missed that.
Yawn. You can fill in the holes with speculation if you want, that's fine, but I personally just can't stand him. I would record his lore and use it as a sleeping aid but he's so tedious to me that it's actually irritating.
Do you also hate 
and 
? Why are they popular characters (Even if second to Garen, Kat, and other iconics)? Do 
and 
suck as characters for the same reasons?
KING OF MASKS1 votesNo, can't say for certain, and no.
I hope it came across in my posts, but my animosity towards Aatrox is a personal thing. I'm not trying to say his lore is objectively terrible* -- I'm just giving reasons for why I don't like him (rather than just saying "lol no aatrox sux"). Jax/Shaco/Fiddles/Noct (and Nautilus, whom I mentioned previously) all rely on a similar air of mystery, but they don't bore me in the same way Aatrox does (quite the opposite in Naut's case).
*granted, I don't think it's particularly good, but at this point, when it comes to League of Legends I take what I can get
terkmc3 votes Sure his lore is ambigous, but he definitely have character. Cocky, boisterous, battle hungry in a non-malicious way. His lines reflect his personality. He taunt, he says "bring it", he jokes around "surprise, im back", he use a lamp and he even goes out drinking after battle, which shows him as a character, not just here's a cool demon. He like war and stuff. We dont really know anything else. His design is unique (lamp) and his backstory is unique (Canonly OP and currently treating the entire League as a joke and fight half assed with a lamp. Aatroox = Bloodthirster of Khorne. His line have no real personality beside WAR). He has a pivotal thing that makes him unique, his lamp. Aatrox is just you know, warrior demon dude.
Dreamspitter2 votes
Bloodthirsters of Khorne are more like Sion 
, if they say anything at all.
Aatrox is actually a hybridization of Khornate violence and Slaaneshi excess (which takes all forms). He has distinct elegance as devs noted during is AMA, as well as desire for perfection, and a little bit of showmanship
"This battle will be my masterpiece." 
"Violence is elegance."
"Surpass the frailty of your form."
, yet retains the blood/war/brutality themes.
"True warriors are born in blood!"
"Let fear become fury!"
"There will be no retreat."
One player said of Jax
Jax isn't a character. He's the "badass" fantasy of a 13 year old. Lets be honest, there's nothing interesting about Jax. He's a mystery that doesn't actually have a hook. Who is Jax? Better question, who cares who Jax is? I certainly don't. Because there's nothing there to even give a hint. He has no personality. He has no identity. He's just "a badass." That's the only reason he exists. He was a niche that needed filling. Much like how Mundo and Singed are "the mad doctors," Shaco is "the killer clown", Soraka is "The healer", Warwick is "the wolf dude", Annie is "the creepy kid", Morg is "the fallen angel", Kayle is "the not-so-fallen angel", etc. etc. That was how old champions were designed. They were given an archetype to fill, and they filled it. Some of them filled it well (Yi, TF, etc.) Some didn't (Pretty much everyone I just listed and then some.)
Still as I and others have agreed, every character has tropes and we have a limited amount of voice acting, a limited amount of writing, and everything else to get who they are across -and it's ok if they dont develop much as evolving personalities over time, and change with life events like so called "round characters" vs "flat characters" that stay the same. I dont think either Jax or Aatrox is something altogether "new", but they do both fill roles and archetypes people have enjoyed before.
DaedricTerror132 votesIf you are really going to talk about Jax's lore compared to Aatrox's (which Aatrox's is actually MORE fleshed out)
And say its merely because of jax's Quotes what I think Quote wise, Aatrox is FAR more epic.
Aatrox views battles as masterpieces and works of art and views battle as elegence and yet is brutal enough to have that pure warrior aspect.
Jax is just a cliche.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCaXnG7y368
00:38 in for it reversed.
YOu can hear him say "I will lead the freljord" "Violence is elegence" and that "One day" is sooooooo fucking omnious and leagues more interesting.
Destínum5 votesI think it's the complete opposite actually. To me, Aatrox as a whole is just extremely bland and forgettable, which is a huge shame because his concept is quite cool.
I Main Swain4 voteshe appears in the first written history ever in which he single handedly turns the tides of battle and turns the protectorate into an incredibly powerful force. he comes in at the key points of history, and gives them just the push needed to completely change the world. in fact, he does this during most (if not all) of the most important wars in history. how is that "bland and forgettable"?
Destínum5 votesBecause I don't think he has a lot going for him. He is this demon that wants war and he can "inspire" people, that's pretty much it from his lore. There's nothing about why he uses blood magic, there's nothing about his race (not even a definition), he barely has a personality, so there's nothing pointing towards why his motives are what they are etc. Not to mention his actual abilities (which are also a part of his character) who are nothing unique either. I know he's meant to be a mysterious character, but the only thing I've ever seen people actually speculate about is what the Darkin are, and to me that's not enough to make a mysterious character interesting.
I Main Swain1 votesactually, he doesn't just inspire people. before they joined the fight, they were just watching him single handedly take on the entire enemy army.
and I agree that that isn't enough to keep a mysterious character interesting. what keeps it interesting to me is the relation to tryndamere (tryn was my first main, so I was gaga when I figured out the guy in his lore was aatrox). and he's meant to seem godly, which is why so little is known about him himself. he's a legend, not a person.
Destínum7 votesTo me, being a legend doesn't really feel that special in a game called League of Legends, but that's just my opinion.
Dreamspitter1 votesBecause I don't think he has a lot going for him. He is this demon that wants war and he can "inspire" people, that's pretty much it from his lore. There's nothing about why he uses blood magic, there's nothing about his race (not even a definition), he barely has a personality, so there's nothing pointing towards why his motives are what they are etc. Not to mention his actual abilities (which are also a part of his character) who are nothing unique either. I know he's meant to be a mysterious character, but the only thing I've ever seen people actually speculate about is what the Darkin are, and to me that's not enough to make a mysterious character interesting.
Aaaaand. What about or or ?
Destínum1 votesI never said he's the only character like that.
DaedricTerror131 votesHes the reason Tryndamere has the power of his undying rage.
Helmight4 votesWhile I REALLY liked Aatrox's concept and a lot of things about his lore, overall he doesn't have much going for him other than "he's mysterious oooooo". Once we get more backstory about him and what his current goals are, he'll be a much more interesting character. At the moment though, his lore has a lot of flaws.
And this is coming from a guy who regards Aatrox as his favorite champion of all time, period.
I Main Swain1 votesthe two huge non-mystery parts of his lore that make me love him are his power and his relation to tryndamere. his power, obviously, because he is an immortal being that basically appears in history at the perfect moments to change the world. tryndamere because considering that aatrox only appears at those times, tryndamere must be important as crap to have aatrox come to alter nothing but HIS fate. he kills everyone else, its only tryndamere he cares about.
Boulderox1 votesthat is just it, if you think about it, what do they all have in common, stepped in to help a fighting side, while also changing history.
If we look at tryndamere, what role does he place in the freljord, as Ashe's arranged husband....
Curiously what could be problematic here?????
THE WATCHERS, we have heard many hints at how the watchers are the worst of the worst, and the idea that assisting tryndamere in a way where he can live on and change history for him, shows the volume of how is an amazing character.
HELL SUMMONERS rift is the protectorate and the Magelords BATTLEFIELD, no matter where you look is to be found...
http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20150528160537/leagueoflegends/images/f/f5/Summoners_Rift_stone_wall_carvings.jpg and he is even in the map itself...
http://forums.euw.leagueoflegends.com/board/attachment.php?attachmentid=241675.jpg
Saying is forgettable is laughable, because you are playing on the field that Aatrox helped create....
You like the freljord, is influencing there as well to this day through 
Tesla Effect3 votesDaedricTerror131 votesRofl I love aatox, but thats fucking brilliant!
terkmc3 votesBitch please
(Pre-Retconing
. Yes my salt about this is infinite)
Pæan2 votesI like all the other questions that his ore brings up about who/what the Darkin are, and whether or not there are other Darkin in the league (jax maybe?).
GenoXx2 votesHe does, this is why i main him. He want's to bring out the darkness of people. And view it as art. I fucking love that aspect.
Tesla Effect2 votesThe Protectorate and Magelords in his lore maybe hinting at something more than we think, possibly the Summoners Rift battlefield or maybe even the origins of Demacia and Noxus.
Rebonack2 votesGeneric Fighter McBruiserson, the Definitely Not a Bloodthirster of Khrorne.
Aatrox is literally the most uninspired champion in the whole of League. There is nothing about him that's particularly memorable and I still can't fathom how he made it off the drawing board. His lore is that he likes it when folks fight and does stuff to encourage folks to fight. Neat.
I Main Swain1 votesthat...is most definitely not all aatrox is, nor all his lore is. his lore, put simply, describes a legendary figure that appears at the most pivotal points in the most important wars in history to give them the push to change the world.
and lets be honest, most of the champions in league aren't exactly super inspired concepts.
Rebonack2 votesThe most pivotal wars in history that we have no reference to apart from Aatrox' lore.
Aside from being the impetus for Try's awful new 'oh noes my village was destroyed!' generic adventurer backstory, he has no impact on the rest of League Lore what so ever.
I Main Swain1 voteshe has no impact on the rest of League Lore what so ever
you just described almost every single champ in league perfectly
Dreamspitter2 votesThe most pivotal wars in history that we have no reference to apart from Aatrox' lore.
Aside from being the impetus for Try's awful new 'oh noes my village was destroyed!' generic adventurer backstory, he has no impact on the rest of League Lore what so ever.
#He's been EVERYWHERE in History
http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3422263&page=1#post37517935
http://riot-web-static.s3.amazonaws.com/images/news/April_2013/post/ez-desk_thumb.jpg
Targon, Shurima, Noxus, Demacia- the latters churches even have pictures of Justicar Aatrox in their stained glass windows (not as he is, but how they chose to remember him). He's one of the few "true legends" in the League of "Legends"
A Superb Villain1 votesI bet he practices calligraphy.
The blood of his enemies serves as ink.
Ebonmaw Dragon1 votesJust because he is powerful and has participated in the wars of Runeterra, it doesn't means that his lore is "the coolest"
He is a strong creature that likes to fight against noobs for fun, he doesn't actually cares about who wins the war or even why they are fighting for... he just goes there, kill noobs and flies away.
Aatrox is like "Little Boy" or "Fat Man"... Sure, he is powerful and has changed the course of the war, but is not interesting as the persons who started the wars, generals, soldiers, etc.
I Main Swain1 voteshe doesn't just "fight noobs for fun", and to an extent he does care who wins. otherwise he would just go, kill everybody, and leave. he basically goes around playing with the future of the world by appearing at key moments during key wars.
Ebonmaw Dragon1 voteshe doesn't just "fight noobs for fun", and to an extent he does care who wins. otherwise he would just go, kill everybody, and leave. he basically goes around playing with the future of the world by appearing at key moments during key wars.
Of course that he can't kill everyone, he needs a winning side to worship him.
... Deep deep inside him, there is an egomaniacal godwanabe.
Aatrox doesn't cares about who wins, he always help the side who is loosing, no matter what they are doing. He is just searching for a "worthy opponent"... like Fiora... but in a bigger scale.
I Main Swain1 voteswhich you'll notice is most definitely not simply fighting noobs for fun. and actually, I think a better comparison would be rengar. fiora is just fighting to regain her honor. rengar wants an opponent worthy of his skill.
DaedricTerror131 votesHes the Avatar/Aspect of war.
He by that definition is a Deity(god) they actually call him a Deity in the lore.
Sneak Dog1 votesThis is a seven months old thread. If you want to talk about Aatrox, it's more appropriate to create a new thread than to necromancy up this one.
