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The Appearance of the Frozen Watchers

Sharjo·1/1/2016, 3:21:47 AM·67 votes·24,035 views

It's been a while since we've heard anything from Freljord hasn't it? Well while everyone's theorising about this Jhin fellow a fellow on reddit posted a question asking about the image below from a turkish League of Legends magazine called "League of Legends Special Edition Magazine", wondering if this was the true appearance of the Watchers. The image itself is called "Evolution of Freljordian monsters" or "Changes in Freljordian Monsters in time".

http://abload.de/img/wp_20151231_001lupji.jpg

The post itself can be found here: https://www.reddit.com/r/leagueoflegends/comments/3ywaw9/is_this_how_the_watchers_look_like/

Figured I'd bring this around here since for you all to see if you haven't already. I think the thing that gets me about this is that while all of this is concept art (and I can't stress that enough) all three forms of the Watchers have appeared in official lore, which seems weird given how organic their modies seem to be in these concepts, and given the title of the piece, which would indicate some of these concepts are old and defunct.:

http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/9/9e/Bard_lore_1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150219223007 http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/4/45/Emptylord_Vel'KozTheWatcher1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140204045655 http://img4.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20150607002128/leagueoflegends/images/7/75/Howling_Abyss_turret.jpg https://ginganoyosei.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/45716_318452098277591_2112619586_n.jpg

So there you go. Again this is concept art as far as I can tell, so it's perhaps not 100% accurate, but It's still a nice find. Thanks to Remoondee on Reddit for bringing this to light.

EDIT: Something I never considered before and I feel dumb for not - Lissandra's headpiece and overall design is also Frozen Watcher inspired. The great spikes coming out of her head were likely made in the Watcher's image. I feel so bad about not realising that until...what twenty months after the fact? Bah.

54 Comments

Auroramancer1/1/2016, 8:41:25 AM20 votes

My god you've stumbled upon something great.

That first Watcher model corresponds perfectly to the Watcher constellation from Bard's promo.

We finally have an idea of what the Watchers look like now!

Tesla Effect1/1/2016, 6:39:36 PM5 votes

http://abload.de/img/picture33r6rro.jpg http://abload.de/img/picture358ypa6.jpg http://abload.de/img/picture36qlpws.jpg http://abload.de/img/picture343hr9x.jpg

Also some additional Ionia, Bilgewater and Shadow Isles concept art

ModKnightsKemplar1/1/2016, 7:38:13 PM3 votes

Is it possible that there are several different "varieties" of watcher?

It wouldn't be the first time in game or film lore for another "species" to be more diverse than humanity. Since there are statues and constellations showing different forms, perhaps we should consider that a clue about the breadth of physical forms the watchers can take? Just a thought.

kaltenashes1/1/2016, 6:01:40 AM2 votes

its really close to the one in gnar's promo (the 2nd picture) i believe it was gypsylord who affirmed that it was a watcher

http://promo.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/gnar/

Disneylord1/1/2016, 9:14:30 AM2 votes

what are the watchers exactly are they the strongest beings of freljord?

Skelenth1/1/2016, 11:56:02 AM2 votes

Maybe the picture from Bards teaser is the true appereance of the Frozen Watchers and in the first picture from the magazine they are possessing/merging with the Freljordian wildlife? Thats what it looks like to me. First picture: Watcher on top of the beast, still has some kind of clothing on the watcher part Second picture: Clothing is nearly gone, arms are gone, icy watcher body still distinguishable from the furry beast body Last picture: Beast is now bipedal, clothing moved to the tigh area <- civilization/intelligence (don't know the right word for this, but I think you get what I mean), watcher body disappeared, but ice-horns now located at the beasts head.

GreenLore1/1/2016, 12:59:42 PM2 votes

I wonder if those are different kinds of watchers or if they are different stages of adulthood. You know the one on the right being a young watcher and the one on the left being an adult watcher.

And anyway,nice find,they look amazing.

GreenLore1/1/2016, 2:38:23 PM2 votes

Seeing the one on the right actually gives me hope that we could get a watcher as a champion.

Previously I thought that was unlikely cause Riot basically makes champs so that they fit some sort of unique archetype(Illaoi is a priestess,Kindred the yin-yang-spirit of death,tahm kench a frog-monster/businessman/deal-with-the-devil-kind-of-guy,etc.) and what we've seen from the watchers just seemed so off that it wouldn't really fit anything(especially since the lovecraftian stuff is pretty much taken already by the void),but the right one could pretty much be LoLs cyclops-champion.

Tesla Effect1/1/2016, 7:06:01 PM2 votes

Also what if Poros are just baby Watchers? Or tiny watchers but when fed enough by magical energy, love, or poro snax, they become the Watchers. That would explain their large presence in Howling Abyss and why Poros share some appearance similarities with the Watchers (horns, white fuzzy fur...)

Tesla Effect1/1/2016, 7:16:31 PM2 votes

Also, why did only Turkey get to have a magazine filled with juicy LoL concept art?

Gapybo1/1/2016, 7:26:35 PM2 votes

I really like their design. They managed to deviate them enough from being void-like but they still feel alien and ominous

Lithium Rosa1/1/2016, 7:27:50 PM2 votes

I think that image is just "evolution of Poro"

Maple Crusader1/1/2016, 3:34:25 AM2 votes

Fascinating. I thought that the Frozen Watchers would have looked more human. The designs in the magazine make them look very alien and bestial. The first design remind me of the Ethereals from XCom.

Ralanr1/1/2016, 3:46:56 AM2 votes

Are they supposed to have thumbs?

Splision1/1/2016, 4:40:35 AM2 votes

I love all of these designs and I hope that if there is ever a lore event where the Watchers come back that all of these designs are implemented.

CasterGilgamesh1/1/2016, 3:37:42 PM1 votes

looks like something out of silent hill

PerchancetoGame7/10/2018, 1:31:16 PM1 votes

Actually in light of recent lore updates that the Watchers are from the Void, this is pretty good timing.

Likely this concept art no longer applies (if it ever did) and the Watchers would have more of a traditional Void look - purple, black, etc.

Of course, if they’re sticking with the Frejlord and Lissandra connection then the Watchers could have taken a more...appropriate form for the occasion or the Iceborn made statues interpreting them in a way more connected to their culture (ice, horns and the like).