@Riot. What skins can be considered canonical?

Solideus·Mar 10, 2015·4 votes·2,831 views

Hey! Some skins have been spoken of as "lore skins"; either canon or alternative timeline canon. For example, Pre-Void Kassadin has been described as the former, Anivia's Blackfrost-skin as the latter. (Then there are skins that follow a loose canon for an alternative world, like Battlecast. Those are entirely separate from the main canon though, I assume.)

It'd be interesting to have an official word on what skin designs can be considered legitimately canonical and what skins are just non-canonical interpretations. For instance, is Tyrant Swain his proper dress as Grand General? Is human Ryze what he really looked like before his tattoos, lore-wise? I hope you got time to drop some knowledge!

Best regards, Solideus.

14 Comments

TrylobyteMar 10, 20152 votes

Far as I know the official stance is that no skins are canon. There are some that could be considered more or less canonical though. Here are the ones I know of:

Pre-Void Kassadin - Just what it says. Kassadin from his researchin' days. Prototype Viktor - In the same spirit as Pre-Void Kassadin. Viscero Xin Zhao - See the above two. Xin from his gladiator days. Unmasked Kayle - It's her sans helmet, and every other helmetless skin has her look the same, so we can assume that's what she really looks like. Dragonslayer Jarvan IV - The only 'Dragonslayer' to have canonically slain a dragon, which he does in Shyvana's lore with her help. Sinful Succulence Morgana - Yup, Morg's bakery is legit canon and even has that name. Blood Moon Akali and Blood Moon Shen - If I remember there was an entire JoJ thing about these two starring in the performance.

Melancholy ExileMar 10, 20154 votes

To add to this:

Queen Ashe and King Tryndamere - Both appeared in the JoJ.

Some of more vague canonicity: Freljord Ashe - Certainly was canon before the Freljord Event but is now of debatable canonicity because we can't say whether Ashe's battle in the Gelid Vortex still took place. Exiled Morgana - Is likely a representation of Morgana's appearance before she truly fell. Acolyte Lee Sin: Likely represents Lee before the war in Ionia. Spellthief Lux: Certainly could be intended to represent Lux on an infiltration mission for Demacia, but that's entirely speculation.

A Superb VillainMar 10, 20152 votes

Tyrant Swain is pretty much the Master Tactician following his coronation as Noxus' new leader.

Justicar Aatrox is how the (initially) losing half of a conflict view him before he turns them into blood-addled murderers.

Queen Ashe is just the Frost Archer in her royal getup, which is not terribly practical for a battlefield. Then again, neither is her standard uniform, but that is an issue for another topic.

Redeemed Riven might be Riven once she has come to terms with her place in Noxus and Valoran.

NarasimhaMar 10, 20152 votes

Justicar Aatrox is how the (initially) losing half of a conflict view him before he turns them into blood-addled murderers.

I don't think so. Skin lines tend to generally be connected, and what would that say about Justicar Syndra? I think the skin line is just a "What if these guys were more 'light' than 'dark'?"

A Superb VillainMar 10, 20153 votes

His appearance in the Demacian stained glass window bears a much closer resemblance to his Justicar skin.

http://riot-web-static.s3.amazonaws.com/images/news/April_2013/post/stained-glass_thumb.jpg

NarasimhaMar 10, 20151 votes

That..actually looks closer to the Mecha skin...

Holy shit Demacia used to have ~~ Gundams~~ giant robots of doom.

libraryseraph Mar 10, 20151 votes

Freljord Ashe is Ashe before she lost her companions in the same blizzard that turned her hair white, too

libraryseraph Mar 10, 20152 votes

I think the Pentakill skins are canon too, because there is pentakill lore, but maybe that lore was always meant to be a joke

Melancholy ExileMar 10, 20153 votes

They're non-canon now because Riot put out a new backstory for the band with the release of their Pentakill album that certainly doesn't fit in the main universe. Back in the old days the JoJ material on Pentakill was canon, if a little head-scratching.

kitcat300Mar 10, 20152 votes

Many of these may not have huge lore implications, they are probably canon for the reason that they may just be outfit changes depending on location or situation. I know almost all of the champions have alternate costume skins, but these I can actually imagine in the world of runeterra.

Debonair Jayce - Being a figure head in Piltover Gladiator Draven - His lore dose say he has many outfits when performing Explorer Ezreal - As the name says Pool Party Ziggs - Speaking strictly canon here, I think hes the only one in the pool party line who would actually do this

DoomsdayFoMar 10, 20151 votes

I'm not an expert on the lore (since it was retconned before i joined league) but i'm pretty sure redeemed Riven might be canon (either way its a cool idea for her)

Tesla EffectMar 10, 20151 votes

Varus Archlight Varus - His Pre-corruption form.

Soraka Divine Soraka and maybe even Celestine Soraka - Her pre-exiled form and her enhanced exile form

Karma Traditional Karma - Her regular clothing before she tried to mix it up

Udyr Spirit Guard Udyr - His enhanced form

Morgana Sinful Succulence Morgana - its canon that she has a bakery

Amumu Pharaoh Amumu- Maybe, cause he is from Shurima.

Talon Riven Crimson Elite Riven and Talon - would include Katarina in this one as well, all of them in canon are part of this special forces.

Zac Special Weapon Zac - His final form

Leona Iron Solari Leona - Her Solari special forces clothes

Possible canon skins: Runeguard Volibear, Rune Wars Renekton, Jayce Full Metal Jayce, Jayce Ezreal Debonair Jayce, Vi and Ezreal, Ezreal Pulsefire Ezreal, Sona DJ Sona, Pentakill skin line, Officer skin line, Ryze Human Ryze, Kayle Aetherwing Kayle ....

kitcat300Mar 10, 20153 votes

Full Metal jayce, Pulsefire Ezreal, DJ Sona, and Aether Wing Kayle I think are all alternate universe skins.

I don't think Rune Voli or Renekton are canon either, just different character interpretations.

Xano501Mar 11, 20151 votes

Ahri Popstar - Make peoples accept her with musical. Sona Arcade - Using for the show. Vladimir Bloodlord - He may great evil. Shyvana Iron scale - Her human form. Orianna Winter Wonder - When she try to look like a human.