God damn these are great. The For Demacia, The Soldier and The Hag, Tallest Daisy, and so many other great stories. Just got to applaud Riot for making so many great stories. If you haven't had the chance to read them do yourself a favor and go read them. They are pretty damn good.
Salson2 votesYeah, they're great. Some became a bit too dark like the Zac's, but overall they end up good.
They're a bit rare though, not sure if the writers are full time employees or not.
Dreamspitter1 votesYeah, they're great. Some became a bit too dark like the Zac's, but overall they end up good.
They're a bit rare though, not sure if the writers are full time employees or not.
I've never seen Zac's
Salson1 votesHe's a lab experiment adopted by his scientis creators.
The new lore simply kills them off for the sake of edginess. Orphaned characters have become a cliche these days.
Dreamspitter1 votesHe's a lab experiment adopted by his scientis creators.
The new lore simply kills them off for the sake of edginess. Orphaned characters have become a cliche these days.
Well. It's not just these days. It's been a long, long time.
All people come with a past, a family, friends, a heritage, and more. Every person has roots!This past can become a large burden on the character: They need an excuse to leave their family behind, or need to constantly visit their parents and other family members in between adventures. Otherwise the hero can't believably be a social, likable good guy. Orphaned heroes, on the other hand, never have to deal with all that. They don't need an excuse to go on wild adventures or stay away for days on end, they don't have anyone waiting around for them to come home! Conveniently, these heroes can answer the Call to Adventure because they don't have other responsibilities. This lack of older responsibilities is also exactly what allows the heroes to take on the new responsibilities that come from being hero.
Giving you an example...
The Lord of the Rings: Frodo Baggins was orphaned at twelve, but was raised in his family's home by said extended family; when he turned 21 (adult-ish but not yet legally adult for hobbits) he was adopted by and went to live with his 'uncle' Bilbo (who conveniently leaves once Frodo is legally an adult). Bilbo himself is technically an orphan (his parents died of natural causes after he was fully grown), manages to avoid marriage, and thus has no family ties holding him back when he goes on his adventure.
And all the related tropes. Tropes are...well, as you said kind of like cliches. They aren't really bad by themselves but you can do interesting things by combination, or by subverting what the audience might expect.
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ConvenientlyAnOrphan
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MyParentsAreDead
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeathByOriginStory
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/DeceasedParentsAreTheBest
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/ParentalAbandonment
There's a reason they do this though.
"Every superhero needs a tragic family story: Spiderman's parents... Dead. Batman's parents... Murdered. Superman's parents... Exploded. I actually had the best requirements." — Ben, Who Am I
A stunningly large number of heroes and their coteries are lacking in the parent department, either through death or in that they just aren't talked about. Even if both parents are alive, they may well be emotionally or physically distant (although that's just Parental Neglect). Everyone is, for the sake of the plot, Conveniently an Orphan, whether they actually are or not.
In families with servants, this can lead to the Old Retainer acting as a Parental Substitute. If they were traveling abroad when both parents died, the child may be Raised by Natives. If the parents die in the wilds, their surviving child may be Raised by Wolves. It is also possible the parents left them out there to die, expecting them to be a meal, not an adoptee.
When the parents had to separate from the child in order to protect it, this results in Moses in the Bulrushes. When the parents had to leave the child in order to give it "a better life", then it leads to Give Him a Normal Life.
I mean since Zac was created from toxic waste, in theory in shouldn't have parents or doesn't need them. In theory. But since he stays in one place, it would be nice if he formed lots of friendships, maybe like an Anti-or Reverse Ammumu.
Salson1 votesAnd all the related tropes. Tropes are...well, as you said kind of like cliches. They aren't really bad by themselves but you can do interesting things by combination, or by subverting what the audience might expect.
Tropes are fine as narrative devices. But this one is used so often it's becoming stale, so I don't get why add it to existing characters who never needed it.
Characters like Braum are awesome because they break the writers obsession with tragedy. Again, nothing wrong with tragedy itself, but there is the whole ** dark > grim dark > shit dark ** thing that too many writers fall into.
Dreamspitter1 votesTropes are fine as narrative devices. But this one is used so often it's becoming stale, so I don't get why add it to existing characters who never needed it.
Characters like Braum are awesome because they break the writers obsession with tragedy. Again, nothing wrong with tragedy itself, but there is the whole ** dark > grim dark > shit dark ** thing that too many writers fall into.
Well see. Braum 
is implied to be a legend. Literally -a Legend in the League of Legends. He's a semi-mythical figure. His video/story IIRC has a Grandmother telling his tale to HER grand children, while she says that HER grandmother did the same.
If Braum is an immortal Iceborn from the original era just like Lissandra he's insanely old. And....it means all of his friends, or anyone he knows would/will grow old and die while he will not. That in itself is.....kinda sad. But Braum clearly doesn't let it bother him. Some speculated that perhaps Braum truely was a 'Legend' that is to say mythical to the LoL universe and did not truly exist. People pondered the same about Tahm Kench. But now that we have Evelynn's background that connects her as a product of the Rune Wars this says more or less that's she's real. Some Tahm Kench could, or should certainly be real as well.
Also take a Character like Quinn 
.
Yes, her fraternal twin Brother died in her background. BUT her parents are still alive
With her parents' blessing, Quinn and Valor traveled to the capital and petitioned the drill-masters of the Demacian army to join their ranks as a ranger-knight.
So there's that. Then there's other tropes like characters all being young, inexperienced, but naturally talented 20 somethings.
Ordinarily, years of training were required to serve in the highly disciplined Demacian military. Quinn did not have such training, but she easily passed every test the full ranger-knights set her.
Overwatch sort of subverted this trope by having lots of older veterans from the 'old guard' if you will, and even characters like both Pharah and Mercy are over 32-37 years old. Even Sombra who was a genius from a child age is still 30. Though you have younger characters like D.va, the mean age of the cast is 37.
Salson1 votesYeah, I know Braum's story, one of the best designed/writen/original characters in League.
Yes, her fraternal twin Brother died in her background. BUT her parents are still alive
That's the original story. My problem is people changing stories without the care for the fans of the original.
Just as I hate changing races or genders of cartoon characters like in Avatar or Death Note.
Then there's other tropes like characters all being young, inexperienced, but naturally talented 20 somethings.
That's just appeal, most players are young and like attractive characters. Imagine if Illaoi was Tentacle Ahri, she'd have like 15% playrate.
Dreamspitter1 votesYeah, I know Braum's story, one of the best designed/writen/original characters in League.
That's the original story. My problem is people changing stories without the care for the fans of the original.
Just as I hate changing races or genders of cartoon characters like in Avatar or Death Note.
That's just appeal, most players are young and like attractive characters. Imagine if Illaoi was Tentacle Ahri, she'd have like 15% playrate.
What do you mean by 'Tentacle Ahri'. Tell me more. Please.
[sg-lux]
Salson1 votesHahahaha
Basically a Monster Girl, or as Riot calls them Vastaya that looks of an octopus. Based on a Greek monster Scylla, just as Ahri is a Nine-tailed-fox.
Illaoi's personality is actually rather 'playfull', on Ahri/MF level, she is just in her forties and full of muscles.
I'm rather conflicted about it. Her looks are rather unique and creative, but her popularity suffered greatly because of it.
Dreamspitter1 votesHahahaha
Basically a Monster Girl, or as Riot calls them Vastaya that looks of an octopus. Based on a Greek monster Scylla, just as Ahri is a Nine-tailed-fox.
Illaoi's personality is actually rather 'playfull', on Ahri/MF level, she is just in her forties and full of muscles.
I'm rather conflicted about it. Her looks are rather unique and creative, but her popularity suffered greatly because of it.
I honestly don't think she's that old for some reason. But then again how old was Plank when they were together?
Salson1 votesShould be in her 40-es in the current timeframe.
GP is about a generation older than MF, and she is in some late 20-es or early 30-es. He's about 50 I guess. Illaoi should be a couple of years to a decade younger, at least it looked like it in her lore.
Epicurus2 votesMaokai's story Nightbloom makes me cry.
Fairyfleur2 votesI suggest reading 
Fieram, Progress Day , 
Deep Breath, and 
The Bird and the Branch next. These are all some of my favorites to come from them so far.
I wish I could have more
[sg-soraka]
Edit: Also would be worth giving 
's A Good Death a go.
