"Bard" is likely a counter/enemy of the void.

ModCaptainMårvelous··31 votes·10,708 views

Or, at least, Rek'sai. Let's point out some facts:

  • Riot's general champion release is "Bad guy first, good guy second". We've had rek'sai, so logically next comes....
  • "Bard's" release is listed as The Wonder Above. Conversely, Rek'sai was listed as The Terror Below
  • We have yet to see someone who speaks as a counter or a "good" version of the void, a being of benevolence and pure power far beyond the scope of mere mortals.

So, my guess is that "Bard" is of a race thousands of years old and sort of an omnipotent being that has only arisen because of the rapid void infestation that has overtaken Runeterra, Rek'sai's arrival the final catalyst to force Bard's hand....arm...tentacle....I have no clue what he/she gonna look like.

EDIT: Ok, been getting a lot of shit with the "Champion release villain first/hero second" point. Let me point out that it was originally Riot's plan of action, not my personal discovery, that went into making this point. As of late yes, they've begun to push that to the wayside. So take the first point with the grain of salt, as I am apparently using old information.

75 Comments

Kingsgrave24 votes

Im hoping Bard is just a mass of stars and doesn't really have a body or arms or whatever

Im going to laugh if he is another Darkin just randomly

ModCaptainMårvelous6 votes

I don't think that'd be a bad thing, especially if he was some manner of shapeshifting entity comprised of pure celestial power.

Verandure12 votes

Until you try to make skins for it.

Sharjo6 votes

If he looks anything like Algalon the Observer I think I'll be really happy about life

Dreamspitter3 votes

{quoted}

If he looks anything like Algalon the Observer I think I'll be really happy about life

#REPLY CODE: Omega

Sharjo5 votes

Your actions are illogical.

A Superb Villain5 votes

I. Have. Felt. Nothing.

A Superb Villain14 votes

Being so associated with a constellation, and consequently stars, I imagine this "Bard" may have a connection to Soraka The Starchild.

Perhaps the new champion was one among the voices that once guided Soraka, maybe even another guardian that sacrificed its divinity to better explore the world of Runeterra and truly experience the stories it collected and shared.

Rasv8 votes

•We have yet to see someone who speaks as a counter or a "good" version of the void, a being of benevolence and pure power far beyond the scope of mere mortals.

Kassadin? Read his lore. He is trying to protect valoran from the Void.

ModCaptainMårvelous15 votes

Eeeeeeeeeeh, not really.

Kassadin is less a "good version" of the void and more so someone who was infected by it and realized just how fucking awful the void is. He's at best an anti-hero, at worst a neutral warning party. He's not really doing heroic things, he just keeps telling people how awful the void is and hoping someone listens to him.

Celio Hogane HD3 votes

well, and that costed him his daughter.

The Soulforged1 votes

Well, I wish riot would at least make him have some crazy anti void adventures. He really seems like he is trying to stop them, but I wish we could really see what power the void has and how he could stop it. Knowing Riot, we won't get anything on it.

aaronconlin1 votes

Kayle while not against the Void, she is a being of benevolence and power

freeformline3 votes

As I understand, that is debatable. She seems to be a creature of power with a fondness for order, but not necessarily benevolence. Morgana's lore supports this idea. If you're looking for benevolence and power, I would think Soraka or Taric would make a better fit.

Gear Kitty8 votes

{quoted}

  • Riot's general champion release is "Bad guy first, good guy second". We've had rek'sai, so logically next comes....

Uhhh...

Vi was before Jinx

Viktor came before Jayce

Leona before Diana

Tryndamere well before Aatrox

Nasus before his brother Renekton

Rengar before his quarry/rival Khazix

Gangplank before little MissFortune

Need I go on?

Shield Villain3 votes

Mmm, I don't think Aatrox is evil though. He just seems to be like a war god, of sorts. And while he is atrociously blood thirsty, it doesn't seem like he takes sides. if anything I'd say he's neutral chaotic. The same would go for Rengar and Khazix, which seems to be more like a rivarly/hunt.

GenoXx1 votes

I beg to differ. Aatrox wants to bring out the dark cruel side of warriors and regular people alike so they can commit atrocities. And these atrocities is his "work" Given the fact that his name means Atrocity. He also steals the blood after battles and War as seen in his and login screen and his splash art. Aaotrox is evil because he manipulates people for his own benefits

ModCaptainMårvelous6 votes

You have my undying love for viktor before Jayce. Thank you for acknowledging that he's a dildos.

Anyways, on the list.

Vi before Jinx? Yep, that's an exception to the rule Vik before Jayce? Much as I'd like to say it's obvious, unfortunately Viktor is often painted as the bad guy so...y'know Leona before Diana is neat because there's so much fertile ground for both arguments to be made that it's correct or not correct. Tryn before Aatrox? Exception to the rule, yes. Nasus before Renek? Again, yes Rengo before Kha? They're both kinda neutral, not really good so that doesn't really count. GP before MF? Yep, MF is the bounty hunter and GP is the saltwater scourge.

Keep in mind I said "General" rule of thumb. There are plenty of cases that break the mold but for the most part, this is the standard flow and/or general acknowledgement. Not always true but it happens quite a bit.

PokladnicaZla1 votes

Thresh then Lucian.

nachocheeseeeee1 votes

Xerath ---> Azir Garen ---> Darius Thresh ---> Lucian

TheUntitledKing4 votes

[{quoted}](name=Gear Kitty,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=Gpa1z0rI,comment-id=0006,timestamp=2015-02-19T23:51:07.695+0000)

Uhhh...

Vi was before Jinx

Viktor came before Jayce

Leona before Diana

Tryndamere well before Aatrox

Nasus before his brother Renekton

Rengar before his quarry/rival Khazix

Gangplank before little MissFortune

Need I go on?

I like how you put Viktor as the good guy - misunderstood pragmatist - against Jayce's possibly egoistic meglomaniac.

Celio Hogane HD2 votes

Tryndamere, rengar and gangplank are good guys? Come on.

And i find ofensive that you said Diana is the bad one.

Gear Kitty1 votes

As I said, Gangplank not so much.

Tryndamere is the King of the Freljord with his wife Queen Ashe. His BEST FRIEND is Braum. Just because he isn't "nice" doesn't mean he isn't good aligned.

Rengar, also not nice, is not a ruthless unending killer like Kha'zix, his rival. He was showcased on the good team in A New Dawn.

Diana isn't nice (or comical, she could stand to smile more). She's not bad, but she is more ruthless, and would find more ill-intentioned allies than Leona. I do not like that though. I want her to be portrayed as a freedom fighter, but Leona and Pantheon don't need to be bad for her to be good. Everyone can be misguided in their own way.

Celio Hogane HD6 votes

it fits my teory about the bard being from icathia

Floating cities, the symbol matching icathia's one: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20140705084628/leagueoflegends/images/9/98/Icathia_Crest.jpg

So it can be like a pre-void destruction of icathia.

And it can finally be an ally to kassadin :D

trexmixG2 votes

"good" version of the void? you mean kassadin?

Helmight2 votes

So I have to disagree with OP's points here.

  • Riot released Zilean, then Vel'Koz. Theory busted. The claim also doesn't hold true for characters that aren't necessarily evil (Viktor and Jayce). Remember kids, "evil" is a point of view.

  • Varus is the "Arrow of Retribution", while Kalista is the "Spear of Vengeance". Look, I can make arbitrary connections in champion titles too.

  • The Void is an alternate dimension. There doesn't necessarily have to be a "good" version of it. Think of Minecraft - just because the Nether exists doesn't mean that there's a heavenly place known as the Aether or whatever.

Whatever Bard is, I'm doubtful that he has any connection to Rek'Sai or the Void. There's just too little information to go off of right now.

ModCaptainMårvelous3 votes
  • Already had a lengthy discussion about the Villain first, hero second dilemma. It was Riot's own words, not mine. Been ages since I've seen it so I guess they got past that. Asides, Viktor/Jayce was kinda pushed into the villain/hero aspect (Which I personally detest but whatever, Viktor-bias).

  • Good point with the arbitrary connections...except they came out one after another. Also, a direct contrast of "The terror below" vs "The wonder above" is a lot more poignant than simply comparing weapons/titles from two champions who were released years apart. I guess if this had happened ages ago your argument might hold some weight but one after another? Directly contrasting a hissing, vicious creature from another dimension with an apparently ethereal human/creature from the celestial plane? Eeeeeh, not so much.

  • Except the void is commonly referenced as both a homage to HP lovecraft and as a dimension filled with voracious, vicious monsters. Sure, I guess you could make the argument that they're chaotic neutral and destroy whatever they want but then again, most people reference the void as evil and with good reason.

So basically 2/3 points have some manner of backing to them and I've already discussed at length about the whole villain/hero stuff Riot said they used to do. Asides, this is mostly just speculation and what I consider likely using evidence and theory to back up. Totally just my personal theory but it's kinda ridiculous to discredit EVERYTHING about it.

Helmight1 votes

Yeah true. I was dealing some other shit at the time and not exactly watching what I was saying. Could have done a lot of that nicer than I did. Sorry.

Honestly didn't know the bit about Riot confirming the "villain first, hero second" thing. I figured it was just chance that the stars had aligned the way they did. Interesting that they don't invert the formula though, just to give us a bit of a curveball.

I'm not sold on a connection between the two of them simply because Riot generally does wait a bit before releasing a champion's rival. Rengar and Kha'Zix had a champ of separation, Zed and Shen were ages apart, Viktor and Jayce were relatively far apart - I just figured if Rek'Sai had a rival, they'd be released later.

GreenLore1 votes

I doubt that the villain-first and hero after thing is really a thing,I made a post down below listing all the hero-villain connections where the hero came first and there are a lot of them,with Vel'koz,Jinx,Aatrox and Lissandra being the examples of the last 2 years,while Lucian and Azir are the only good guys that were made to counter an antagonist.

MrBuffington2 votes

Riot's general champion release is "Bad guy first, good guy second". We've had rek'sai, so logically next comes..

But reksai is girl so dis no werk :P

A Superb Villain2 votes
TTUPhoenix1 votes

Actually, the reference to the Watchers and the fall of Shurima makes me think that 'Bard' might have something to do with Shurima or be an enemy of Lissandra.

Stars Shaper4 votes

That's probably just a reference to the major factions fall: Freljord, Shurima and the Shadow Islands

Verandure6 votes

I think it's more that they're paying homage to the two major lore events in the past three years: Freljord and Shurima. Honestly, there should have been a blurb about the Ionia vs. Noxus battle.

General Veers1 votes

{quoted}

  • We have yet to see someone who speaks as a counter or a "good" version of the void, a being of benevolence and pure power far beyond the scope of mere mortals.

So, my guess is that "Bard" is of a race thousands of years old and sort of an omnipotent being

Kayle

"In a world far away where an ancient war still rages, Kayle was a great heroine - the strongest of an immortal race committed to destroying evil wherever it could be found. For ten thousand years, Kayle fought tirelessly for her people, wielding her flaming sword forged before time itself. " - beginning of Kayle's lore

ModCaptainMårvelous2 votes

Can't really talk about that as 100% canon because of the change made to the League lore itself.

Asides, Kayle's people were rather cruel and a bit of a society founded on order-or-death.

Audiomancy2 votes

Don't know if I'd call Kayle benevolent exactly, especially considering that she says "An eye for an eye". She and her kind seem very "lawful before good" which isn't necessarily evil, but it certainly isn't good.

Celio Hogane HD2 votes

Actually i find that kayle is the bad one of the sisters... XD

Jarrito2321 votes

Riot's general champion release is "Bad guy first, good guy second". We've had rek'sai, so logically next comes....

Riot should say something else. RekSai Bad Kalista Good? Azir Uh also good. Gnar Still good. Braum OH COME ON!

ModCaptainMårvelous2 votes

The reference isn't to direct champion release schedule. The reference is to champions who are antagonistic to each other. (AKA, First we had Viktor, then we got Jayce )

Thewannabegamer1 votes

Rek'Sai is not from the void.

Sharjo5 votes

Factually incorrect. She's the VOID Burrower. One of her ability's is VOID Rush.

X Frady3 votes

{quoted}

Rek'Sai is not from the void.

I'm gonna treat this comment as troll

Thewannabegamer1 votes

She's from Shurima.... Seriously learn to read or fact check before calling people trolls.

X Frady1 votes

Even if she's currently from Shurima, that doesn't deny the fact that she came from the Void. But you're right about the troll.

warpenguin5551 votes

i thought bard would be anti darkin. like a Magelord or a Protectorate or something like that

Cake B0ss1 votes

I was writing a certain post when I stumbled upon this, and it kinda fits a part of my idea. I'll link this post if relevant, but thanks for the idea.

More from Story, Art, & Sound

More by CaptainMårvelous