Two mechanical thumbs up for Viktor's lore.

Over Innsmouth··117 votes·11,348 views

There's not much to say beyond infinite praise. I'm biased, I've loved Viktor ever since I learned about him and his lore, but this is fantastic.

He's flawed, he's not perfect. He's trying his hardest to better humanity and himself. He's a genuine utilitarian, but because his methods are unorthodox and controversial, he's shut down at every point by people who don't understand him. He's not a strictly bad guy, or a strictly good guy. He's just a man trying to do right by the world, and trying his damn hardest to make everything better.

The only problem is, what he views as the core problem is placed upon a pedestal by most of society: human error.

His interaction with the boy in his colour story was frankly heartwarming. He's not a villain, a roguish scoundrel tenting his fingers and laughing maniacally in the darkness. He's a human being trying to improve himself and others around him, granted, by stripping away the flaws borne of humanity itself.

Which is part of where the moral complexity and ambiguity comes in. Supporting Viktor's cause is an entirely valid stance, while not supporting it is equally valid.

Of course, there's still no denying Jayce is a huge ass.

Bravo, lore team, bravo.

72 Comments

RiotRiotJaredan51 votes

It's been a while since I've been biting my lip as hard as I have waiting for this piece to land on your screens. It made me like Viktor even more, Jellbug did a great job.

[zombie-brand-clap]

Over Innsmouth19 votes

Tell him I thought so too. Absolutely full props to you and your team! I can't wait for what you do with Noxus and Vlad, when you get round to it.

RiotRiotJaredan30 votes

*"her" And not my team! Jellbug is on the Foundations team, I just say "Hi," here and there and spout nonsense that might accidentally make sense from time to time.
[slayer-jinx-wink]

Over Innsmouth3 votes

Regardless, champagne and blood all around! Can't wait to see what else you or whatever wonderful people over there with you get up to next.

Ralanr3 votes

How many teams are a part of the lore group?

And is there ever an opening for internships in that area or is that just not an internship friendly job?

RiotRiotJaredan17 votes

Actually, there's not really any 'lore group.' Allow me to explain:

Narrative is the craft discipline that focuses on our fictional stories, the Champions, and Runeterra (character, story, thematic cohesion and world building). Members of that discipline work on various Product Teams, each team is focused on making a thing and is made up of various craft Disciplines (such as Art, Game Design, Dev Management, etc.).

Teams that Narrative are a part of include Champion, Champion Update, Promo, Personalization (Skins! At last!), Foundations and others. Foundations, for example, has a few Narrative Writers who work with members of Art, Dev Management, Publishing and so on to create materials that help Riot further develop the League IP in conjunction with other teams.

In regard to internships, we haven't done any in a few years. This is mainly because we have been through a period of restructuring and hiring and we won't bring in interns until we are sure we can provide a great experience through the proper project, mentoring, and coaching. I'm happy to say we've made strides in that direction, but we're not quite ready yet, sorry.

Sorry for the long-winded response, but sometimes I try to help explain how things work as I know a lot of folks misunderstand how we work and the connotation of the 'lore team,' for perfectly understandable reasons.

Tattersall3 votes

Good guy Rito. Not bringing in interns because the interns might not enjoy themselves xD

The Whamboozler1 votes

If you believe this excuse, I have a bridge in San Fran to sell you... cheap.

Tattersall6 votes

Joke's on you, a Nigerian Prince already sold me a bridge!

SpecterVonBaren2 votes

Give whoever made Mundo's new lore a high five for me too. Love how it kept his goofiness intact while still making him a dangerous (And surprisingly scary) person.

It doesn't have the flashiness or seriousness of Viktor's new lore but I think it's still very good for what it does.

Dessem2 votes

Could you drop a line by the lore team then? When Jayce's lore hits, I was worried Viktor's been made out into some kind of 1-dimensional cartoon villain. Complete with drug-enhanced minions.

But my question to the lore team is thus:

Viktor's apparently just chilling in his home while Jayce is completely convinced Viktor's his rival. He was attacked by "chem-slaves" with green tubes in their neck.

Warwick has a huge green tube in his back.

Is Jayce's rival actually Singed? Is Singed the one sicking chem-slaves on Jayce instead, who blames innocent Viktor?!

RiotRiotJaredan8 votes

As I've explained elsewhere, and it is a bit confusing from the outside, there's a few different teams that create the stuff you read (in this case, Foundations was rocking the stories and bios released today). Narrative (the story/character/worldbuilding craft discipline made up of writers and editors which I'm a part of, as well as Jellbug, Ant in Oz, Dinopawz, Loping Cinder, Interlocutioner, Thermal Kitten, WAAARGHBobo, FauxSchizzle, Redactor, ReverendAnthony, John O'Dyin, RiotTigerLily), works within those teams.

And to answer your question about Jayce's rival...

[slayer-pantheon-popcorn]

Dessem4 votes

I read the bio and it does make a reference to the attack on Jayce, but... I keep thinking Viktor is just a misunderstood anti-hero and the great thinker and mind Piltover and Zaun need (though not necessarily the one they deserve).

;_; Please pass on to Foundations that I really loved their work and I am super happy they made Viktor the way he is. I really want to go out and play him more now.

Mercury Knyght1 votes

Viktor is actually the opposite. An anti hero is someone who's less than heroic goals just so happen to align with doing the right thing. Viktor is an anti villan, someone whos noble goal is tainted by his means to an end. Improving humanity is indeed a noble goal, however striping people of their humanity and freewill is an evil method.

Dessem3 votes

however striping people of their humanity and freewill is an evil method.

I'd argue humanity need not necessarily be considered "Good", and from what I gather he wants people to voluntarily surrender it, as in the colour story: he offers the boy a choice but does not force him or anything.

I always believed an anti-hero is "a hero who lacks conventional heroic attributes". I think that fits Viktor well: the goal itself is noble (to save humanity from deadly mistakes and improve everyone's lives), just the way he goes about it is not conventionally heroic.

Wanting to save people with toxic in their bloods? That's heroic. Stealing Jayce's crystal to power the devices? That's anti-heroic, because heroes don't conventionally resort to theft and force of might (unless it's to take a villain's stuff, so arguable here).

As a protagonist, at least, he is the one character I want to read much, much more of.

lumbergiant1 votes

its pantheon. I knew it. its him. gotta be.

i kneeewww it

Malicious Metal30 votes

This is the Lore team's greatest achievement to date. They managed to capture Viktor's character, give him a character, make him relatable and managed to make him 'human' in a sense. It was probably a huge undertaking trying to nail Viktor and paint him in the light he's supposed to be portrayed in but the Lore team delivered 100%

I loved how he might be seen as a mad scientist but his color story showed the man within. He's far warmer and kinder than the cold, hard steel he's augmenting himself with and the lore perfectly showed his intentions and where he's coming from.

Over Innsmouth22 votes

Viktor is a precious cinnamon roll and should be cherished.

Onkel Malte19 votes

He's a real glass of sweetmilk

CasterGilgamesh2 votes

i prefer goats milk Braum.... but i guess ill drink this as well

DragonShea2 votes

Saw someone post a thread about Victor being form the Freljord, Maybe that could be true since he likes milk.

CasterGilgamesh3 votes

well that and vik has a Russian accent IMO

Melledoneus1 votes

*Serbian

CasterGilgamesh1 votes

I can't tell the difference

Melledoneus1 votes

Neither can I, but people from those regions explained why it's Serbian a few years ago. I just forgot.

CasterGilgamesh1 votes

I find Russian accents hot on guys....just something ima put out and one of the reasons i play Braum

Ralanr18 votes

The amount of fucks Viktor gives is perfect. He is a man of science and pragmatism, not pery revenge.

He's also apparently that creepy neighbor down the street who is actually really nice.

CasterGilgamesh6 votes

so like the old guy with the shovel from home alone

RiotDinopawz13 votes

I'm glad me and Jellbug made you happy with Viktor... Long game is where it's at. :-)

mmmm...melty marshmallow...

Over Innsmouth1 votes

I'm also glad you made me happy, funny how that works out.

Please tell me there's something for Noxus and Vlad in the works

Keep up the stellar work!

Electro5222 votes

Considering Galio is the next champ update, and he's part of Demacia, chances are they're working on Demacia's stories. And if thats the case, Noxus shouldn't be too far behind.

Valaran Nara2 votes

{quoted}

I'm glad me and Jellbug made you happy with Viktor... Long game is where it's at. :-)

mmmm...melty marshmallow...

What I love most about Viktor is the foil of him and Jayce in the color text. If we ignore any possiblities of them having to interact, Jayce was just a point in his life that doesn't need itteration.

That and both of them had a young child in their story. For Jayce, it was a sweet little girl who thought highly of him.

For Viktor, it was a lowly sump-snipe that feared him.

Jayce was rude and curt with her Viktor took his time, soothed, and alleviated the child's concern.

Each was the good guy of their own story. Jayce being an accidental villain and Viktor being a misunderstood hero.

You gave the Glorious Evolved exactly what they wanted Jayce as a bad guy, without having to actually make him a bad guy!

Mordepool12 votes

3 mechanical thumbs up for the lore team.
as always "more more More GIVES US More we wants it, my precious."
"But precious we must wait."

"We know. BUT WE HATES IT!"

Epicurus3 votes

Join the Glorious Evolution! You'll get more thumbs.

RiotJellbug4 votes

Now I want to see this on a PR ad for the Glorious Revolution!

Epicurus2 votes

Hi Jellbug! Awesome work on Viktor's lore! [slayer-jinx-catface]

DragonShea8 votes

Man oh man, Victor is officially the better man despite being in the grey, while Jayce may be a "good" guy is just a villain at heart. akin to a villain with good publicity.

I like victor because he is a man that went through a bit of hell, did good, people shit on him for it, went back to Zaun and became more extreme but never lost what made him good or went (completely) off the deep end. This. This is a character we can relate to and love.

Jayce on the other hand has really shown to be someone that doesn't give a shit about people, he really is delusional and thinks that he is better than everyone else and fails to see his error until they are too late and failing to repair them too.

BTW, did we just get some a bit of Nautilus's Lore as well????

Ravore2 votes

So in turn...Viktor = mid laner gone support main. Jayce = Yasuo/Riven main when fed and feeding

Azuregore8 votes

Shouldn't the title be 3 mechanical thumbs up? I mean, he does technically have 3 hands...

Mogarl6 votes

I feel bad now. I was kinda hostile in my expectations, and now I'm actually really happy with how it turned out. Also if Viktor is still that nice now, what was he before? A melty marshmallow?

Over Innsmouth12 votes

A smol cinnamon roll made of steel and hope.

Meep Man5 votes

And people doubted...

Scoroct5 votes

Viktor walked to his stovetop. He mixed a blend of dark powder and Dunpor cream into a saucepan, heating the liquid with his laser.

This line is pure gold. He makes food with a laser. Thank you riot. You did fantastic.

Legacy Hydralpha4 votes

Viktor had my favorite lore, aside from Mundo's. He isn't evil, he's extremely neutral, in a sense. He doesn't see right or wrong, just improvement and what's left in the dust. There is the issue of having no feelings of sympathy or anything, but that's replaced by his mental need to better humanity in his own way.

TyrekGoldenspear4 votes

This was awesome.

One of the best I've read. As I was reading it I recall saying aloud. "Oh the guys on the boards are going to LOVE this."

H1tM32 votes

I have this strange urge to join the Glorious Revolution

Blitzidious15 votes

It's not a "revolution", it's an EVOLUTION! Sorry.

Meep Man7 votes

In a technical sense, it can and will easily become both.

kitcat3002 votes

I did to, it's cool how scary that is.

Looking at his bio alone, it paints a pretty picture of what he wants to achieve. In doing so, you forget for a moment what you would actually be giving up.

Someone brought up a what if scenario in another thread. What if the boy had foolishly confronted the chem-barons that he was so scared of? Then the story would have a whole different ending.

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