There aren't really enough side/minor characters and those shown usually die

Darrosh Jewfist··29 votes·2,331 views

One problem I'm seeing with League and a potential issue in it's lore unfolding is the lack of really well developed side characters. A lot of the IoW summoners got erased during the Retcon and they were probably among the most recurrent characters in the roster.

Now most of the side characters left - such as Blitzcrank ' creator prof. whatever and Irelia 's mentioned brother - are missing lore-wise or aren't afforded enough lore time.

And then, the characters that we are shown such as those in RekSai and Bard 's video basically die. Or they portray a very flat, one dimensional character that serves more story purposes like a plot device or a destructible target rather than characters themselves. This is especially true in Kalista 's short story where the essential protagonist, the wife or whatever, basically dies and becomes assimilated.

If Riot wants to make a universe that would rival that of Warhammer or Warcraft in terms of scope (which is probably what they want given they just hired Graham McNeill), then they need to start - um- not killing off every non-Champion character and treating them as expendable.

I mean, it'd be so interesting for me to read about Garen 's life as a Dauntless Vanguard captain and having to deal with the little rascal recruits in his barracks who constantly prank on him or Ekko's gang and their shenanigans. You know, the part of his gang that isn't, once again, dead.

48 Comments

Shield Villain23 votes

Viktor Would like to have a word with you about the creator of Blitzcrank.

Seriously though, don't steal credit from Viktor, he doesn't take that very well.

terkmc2 votes

Stop triggering him

Gorgannan1 votes

That's assuming we got the full story there.

I mean, out of him and Jayce, at least one of them is a liar.

I know it's his lore, so we take it for truth, but still. I wouldn't put it past him to BELIEVE that's what happened, when he may or may not have had an important role in the creation of Blitzcrank.

GreenLore2 votes

I dunno why you say that viktor or jayce is lying,when jayce had nothing to do with the whole blitzcrank fiasco

It was a different scientist named stanwick piddly who claimed to have built blitzcrank,despite the fact that it were viktor and his team.Stanwick later stole inventions from viktor to built urgot too,which is why viktor fell into depression. And we can be sure that this info is correct because it isn't told from anyones point of view,its just a piece of information that we got here.

Same goes for Jayces lore,which is also told from a third person perspective.

333lom2 votes

It has not been stated only in Viktor's lore that he did the most important work for creating Blitzcrank's sentience, it is said so even in Blitz's lore. And besides, if professor Stanwick could steal some of Viktor's early research, he could have very well stolen Blitz too.

333lom2 votes

The poor guy still gets his work miscredited to that professor Pididly.

sp44111 votes

Let's start by developing the champions first.

...Removing the League of Legends was a mistake.

Darrosh Jewfist1 votes

You're right in that Riot should develop champions first but that doesn't mean they can't introduce side characters as well. Also, I really wanted to avoid bringing the retcon into this but in terms of providing a roster of side characters... it certainly didn't help.

sp4417 votes

Well, what hope do side characters have of being developed when not even the Champions are? Fuck, Noxus is still mostly an evil totalitarian state with little redeeming value.

And for some reason they introduced Bard, who is pretty much what the League was supposed to be, only less interesting.

Aych Pii2 votes

Noxus is actually a state run on rule of power, where even the lowest born orphan can become a leader if he's strong enough. It's not about evil, it's just about strength. They feel they have the right to conquer other lands because they were raised being told that power was everything, and if Noxus is the strongest country than by rights it should own all the rest.

Demacia, on the other hand, basically has its champion pool populated by nobles and knights who were born into their positions, and groomed to achieve the strengths they now have. It's a very interesting dynamic between the two cities.

sp4415 votes

Well, yeah, but the whole "power rules all" thing hasn't really been shown how it could help somebody climb out of the gutter, all it's been used really is to show that Noxians are big ol' mean bullies. The few champions that demonstrate that well (Darius and Riven) also demonstrate that there's corruption in that system, therefore, lessening the positivity of such system (Corrupt nobles on Darius' part, and dishonorable combat conduct for Riven). Also doesn't help that so far, Riven is the only Noxian who isn't a douche.

BeatinWarDrumz2 votes

Noxus = meritocracy best way to run things

sp4412 votes

Well, what if you're crippled, or was born with a deficiency, or the nobles get together and rig up a system so that you can't climb the ladder so they don't have to share the wealth?

It's the best way to run things if you weren't completely fucked by life.

BeatinWarDrumz4 votes

lol swain is a cripple, and i doubt that LB is very strong... Yes, if you are born with both physical and mental disabilities, ur going to be in a rough spot in any society (and, btw, it's not as if Noxus kills of it's own citizens if they're weak - it's not sparta)

Narasimha2 votes

Fuck, Noxus is still mostly an evil totalitarian state with little redeeming value.

Yeah... no. Power itself is not evil. And that's all Noxus cares about. Power, and the strength to wield it. Anyone who meets those conditions is treated as equally as any other.

Besides, Demacia isn't all 'good' either. It's been implied that the nobles there have a lot of push and use their power, wheres the more common folk don't really have any chances to advance in society.

Trumpet1 votes

"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely." - the first Baron Acton

As such Noxus is entirely corrupted as their entire system is based on power.

Narasimha2 votes

Ah, but therein lies the answer as well. No one has absolute power. Even Swain has to look over his shoulder every day, because with one misstep, there are plenty of people who would love to take his place. It's hard to be truly corrupt when even the people in power have to fight to keep their power. And after all, no one stays strong forever.

Saxy Beats8 votes

There's no way to develop the champions without a context for them to be in. The context becomes extremely limited without minor characters to fill the gap since so many champions are completely remote from one another.

That's I think the main point of the original post, there's nobody to live in the world for the champions to interact with.

And no, the champions do not live in the world, they do things in the world. You need regular every day people (or people who are special in their own right but noncombatants) for the champions to interact with, or else they lack the tools necessary for proper emotional growth (human/animal/robot/whatever interaction).

sp4418 votes

Well, they haven't really defined a world after the reboot, we don't even have a map of Valoran...

...I miss the Journal of Justice. I liked how it showed champions doing things off hours and whatnot, it was silly, but it solidified that they were people with their own lives.

Darrosh Jewfist3 votes

This is my point: Champions aren't living in a world filled with people - they're Champions essentially in a world with other Champions. Worse yet, if you aren't a Champion, you're simply irrelevant or sidelined to obscurity.

It's kind of like having a Justice League, with Superman, Batman, Wonderwoman, Flash and etc... but then you don't bring in Lois Lane or Alfred. It just feels more hollow with a cast that's heavily focused on the Champion side of things.

Vistha Kai1 votes

If everybody is a superhuman, doesn't it make them all just humans?

Xano5011 votes

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4th Chiming Lamb1 votes

...What? "They want players ship Wukong/Ahri like what they ship it." I don't understand this.

Xano5011 votes

[deleted]

4th Chiming Lamb1 votes

Explain "ships". Are you saying that they "are shipping"? Listen... I'm an idiot! You have to talk to me like an idiot.

Vistha Kai1 votes

Funny fact: Both Wukong and Ahri are from Ionia so League of Legends wasn't an issue.

It NEVER was an issue, but if you really want to do something...

Finding problems where there were none is the easiest thing to do.

GreenLore1 votes

Actually Wukong is from the kumungu jungles,he merely traveled to ionia.

Vistha Kai2 votes

Actually from Plague Jungles, but "currently" resides in Ionia.

For all we know might as well be "Wukong has a past."

GreenLore1 votes

ah you are right,mixed it up.

And yeah Wukongs lore might or might not change.

Baron of Bread4 votes

Blitzcrank's creator was not Professor Stanwick. Stanwick took credit for the creation of Blitz from Viktor.

GreenLore3 votes

Stanwick piddly is still alive,irelias brother is still alive,the dude who tried to capture rek'sai is still alive and one of the bystanders in bards video actually becomes the narrator on the bard promo page.

Aside from those we also got the piltovian who killed ekkos friend who is still alive.

terkmc2 votes

TL:DR: Write more lore for Helmet Bro

YOU BEEN WARNED1 votes

Urf approves q_q

Akesgeroth1 votes

The problem is that it's impossible to have "side characters" if you don't have any consistent story telling.

ElJanitorFrank1 votes

Well first of all, I'd say Blitzcrank's creator has a fairly thorough lore, considering it's Viktor. Stanwick Pididly, who you're talking about, didn't make Blitzcrank, he was just the head of Viktor's team that didn't do much to further the research on Blitz. And I think he's fleshed out a bit, he lied about creating a scientific breakthrough and used his new fame and power form this to become an important member of Zaun's political system, if I remember correctly.

I agree side characters aren't THAT fleshed out, but you really don't seem to be putting in any effort to learn about them in the first place.

Chaotic Reks1 votes
TSM Joshuaa1 votes

really ???

Schenix1 votes

Not to mention Rengar We know nothing of his species or origins.

There's even just champions who have no real backstory, but just a shroud that tries to explain why their kit is what it is.

Nuclear Panda1 votes

Rengar x Nidalee needs to be a thing. Same with Zac x Riven also knife cat was adopted so I guess rito wanted the whole mystery thing again.

Vistha Kai1 votes

Then you realize Roit made Rengar and Nida rivals.

Xano5011 votes

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Vistha Kai1 votes

No, they're just nitpicking IoW, because the Narrative(or whatever the hell it is) was lazy.

Impetual1 votes

I fully agree. The lack of non champion characters in Runetwrra is making things start to feel pretty stale.

It would be nice to have interesting lore that spawned interesting side characters again.

Vistha Kai1 votes

I'd say you forgot about Orianna, but then I realized her reason to exist dun smite'd with IoW.

Move along.

Krigjer1 votes

Honestly, League was introduced as a game full of short skirmishes that you start by waiting in a lobby.

Story was never the forefront of their design goals, and the retcon is IMO necessary. And they're taking so long because they're practically rewriting things from scratch. Of course the side characters aren't fleshed out yet.

McAllister1 votes

There are 125 champions. We don't really need minor characters. Rammus wishes he got to be a minor character in someone's life... actually, Rammus just wishes he got to be in someone's life.

KING OF MASKS1 votes

This was my biggest problem with the Shurima event. When every character in your story is a "legend," none of them are.

P.S. Using the word "story" very lightly there.

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