Are champions going to die?

Andrei2119·May 8, 2016·14 votes·2,529 views

(This is my first post and my english is not that good.)

Obviouslly not in-game, they die all the time there, but in lore.

I mean, there are over 100 champions in league with diffrent levels of power and they live in a world with monsters, war, celestials, gods etc. And champions aren't invinscible, shown in the case of Gankplank when he almost dies.

Unfortunately, for me, this is pretty inevetable.

I the end the question is:

Is Riot willing to create a story where champions ( who are the main characters) are going to die?

P.S. It doesn't mean i wouldn't like a story where no champion dies.

Edit: No resurrection or other ways to cheat death ( I know. Kindred) The story ends.

53 Comments

Spacesuit SpiffMay 8, 201613 votes

That would be an interesting way to do a rework. Take Pantheon, which is a title rather than an individual. Lore event where current Panth dies, reworked Panth is the next one to take up the mantle.

Sahn UzalMay 8, 20162 votes

I wanted to use Vlad as an example, but Vlad works fine too.

MeilinIIMay 9, 20161 votes

Pantheon would be a great one to die and be reborn again. I didn't think about this but you're right, Fenris. It's not clear in his lore right now if Vladimir is an inherited title, just that he inherited the blood magic, and it could work for him too.

Sahn UzalMay 9, 20161 votes

The man who thought Vladimir all he knows is named Dmitri. He learned Vladimir the art of bloodmagic, and told Vladimir to suck all of the blood out of his body. By doing this Vladimir absorubed the knowledge and power of many generations of blood mages. Eventually, Vladimir will propably get a pupil of his own, who eventually will suck him dry.

Riot could remove Vladimir from the game, make a new champion with the pupil's name and give him Vlads abilities and skins. If Riot wanted to actually kill a champion, this would be the way to do it. (Not specifically Vlad perse, but this was an example of explaining a champ's death in lore without removing the kit and skins (that people bought) from the game)

Gogo Tomag0May 8, 20167 votes

They will if riot hire George R. R. Martin to write a champion lore.

SaltyToplaneGoatMay 8, 20163 votes

"Reworking a champion has proven to take too much ressources. So instead we hired a new writer... you guys are going to love him :)"

UomoAfideMay 8, 20162 votes

"The Red Urf"

SaltyToplaneGoatMay 8, 20162 votes

"The Shadow Isles send their regards..."

redniwediSMay 8, 20165 votes

It will happen eventually. I honestly think they missed an opportunity with Gangplank's story for that. Being the first major story to come out for the new lore it would have made a pretty big impact. I did like how it turned out, and how it sets the stage for a lot more instead of wrapping things up immediately, but it's a missed opportunity none the less.

I don't think it will happen until we start getting stories that are not tied to champion releases and changes, but it will happen eventually. Personally I hope it will have something to do with the Demacia/Noxus conflict.

Star GuardíanMay 8, 20168 votes

I don't think GP's "death" was a missed opportunity. His story still has many places to go.

MeilinIIMay 8, 20165 votes

I agree. The story of Illaoi testing him thinking she was issuing a death sentence was amazing. I much prefer characters that are recovering from a fall then a boring pirate king.

TzQGRUST39May 8, 20168 votes

It would've been a huge mistake to actually kill GP. To rework a character's personality only to kill him off immediately would be a very bad first impression for the lore reworks.

ViddaxMay 9, 20161 votes

Could have been a Dread Pirate Roberts haha.

SkypualMay 8, 20163 votes

Kill Xerath please he's such a bitch. After reading new lore I can't help but hope that Azir will find Xerath and destroy him.

TrylobyteMay 8, 20163 votes

In the old lore, death was cheap and lacked impact. I remember a JoJ article detailing a fight between Kass and Malz, where Karthus jumped in to protect Kass and Malz killed him. His death was treated as a footnote with the explanation of 'Eh, we have Revive.' It made death have no impact whatsoever because 'Eh, Revive.'

In the new lore? I don't think they're going to kill anyone. Not permanently. They could go for years without having to pull that card with just the champions they have now. Stories can be evolved, expanded, reimagined, or even relaunched, without having to take the dramatic step of killing a character for good. Plus, Riot has shown in the past that gameplay and story aren't entirely separate, since they disabled Gangplank when he was 'dead.'

AnìvìaMay 8, 20162 votes

"His death was treated as a footnote with the explanation of 'Eh, we have Revive.' It made death have no impact whatsoever because 'Eh, Revive.'"

I remeber that one as well. The explanation was that karthus actualy is already dead and thus cant be killed again. (Not for long at least, as he is basically undead and a reaper) In other words, they had a explanation that fits his charakter, not some herp derp everyone just gets revived thing.

If you have read old lore about this game you would now that the summoers rift is a place made by the summoners themself ( if that is still up to date, I did not follow lore since they completly changed the direction of it) As it is an arena they created ( just like they made the dominion map, because they are damn op ) it was stated that while the summoners fight with theyr champions, other summoners have permanent spells casted at the rift to prevent death to happen. The SR was mainly used to give wars a more peaceful way of dealing with it ( no one realy dies )

The case with karthus was special because it happened outside of the summoners rift. Just like the lore about bilgewater where graves and tf almost died.

And more over, Warwick killed urf bevore he could enter the rift :P

INoble KnightIMay 8, 20161 votes

Actually Karthus is a Lich King. He's king of the dead

GreenLoreMay 8, 20161 votes

He had some minions in his old lore,but he was never referred to as a king.

LordHippomanMay 8, 20162 votes

They've hinted that's a reason they wanted to do the new Lore format where it's not 1:1 tied to the game.

That said, I doubt that if they do it, it'll be a beloved character. Let's face it, if Riot kills like, Sona? People will absolutely flip shit. If Yorick gets axed? Eh. I think there's definitely a pecking order just with popularity/how much story there still is left to tell with a champion.

The consequences would be drastically different if say, Swain was killed than...Zilean. (And not because he would just come right back)

ModAcademy KaynMay 8, 20161 votes

Unless new Yorick lore is about getting killed. Plot Twist

Meep ManMay 8, 20161 votes

Honestly, the character's death would have to be a spectacular event to be accepted. I'm talking breath taking story telling events. Not Gangplank exploding on a ship. Gangplank exploding on a ship while saving all of Bilgewater from a Noxian fleet.

ModAcademy KaynMay 8, 20161 votes

Yeah exactly. What I don't want is a Roman Torchwick "Death" (He is still alive, I swear and believe it) where the character "Dies" rather lamely.

rtbf225618241May 8, 20162 votes

He got eaten whole. There's no way he's still alive. :)

ModAcademy KaynMay 8, 20161 votes

He got eaten whole, then the Grimm who ate him got killed, therefore the body dissolved freeing him before too much of whatever happens in a Grimm happens. We don't have a well enough understanding of Grimm biology since we know they don't have normal digestive tracts, due to them never using the bathroom, but we don't know what actually does take place in a grimm since any captive ones die and dissolve in captivity.

#RelightTheTorch

rtbf225618241May 8, 20161 votes

Well, you did notice the grimm chewing on him? Also, there's no way even if Roman did survive, that he would have gotten off that airship alive.

ModAcademy KaynMay 8, 20161 votes

Neo flew off with an Umbrella (albeit forcefully), you think Roman wouldn't have had a back up plan for getting off a crashing ship?

Oh, and there was no chewing done. Only swallowing.

rtbf225618241May 8, 20161 votes

I watched the scene. The Grimm literally turned into dust and crashed into flames.

Yeah no, he's dead.

ModAcademy KaynMay 8, 20161 votes

First rule of Stories, a character isn't dead until a body is shown. Second, we don't know Roman's Semblence. Third, Roman is a slippery weasel. He isn't going to die from some petty fire.

Roman is alive. If ya disagree fight me (งಠ_ಠ)ง

rtbf225618241May 8, 20161 votes

Pure bias. There's nothing to milk out of him but a backstory. It would be ridiculous to think he didn't die. That's like saying, Pyrrha didn't because there's no body.

And honestly, i don't care either. He's such a cliché character that he doesn't seem to be nothing but a nuisance.

I'd fight you but you're on NA.

ModAcademy KaynMay 8, 20161 votes

The difference is that we saw Phyrra die, burn to embers (ironically). And there is plenty that his character contributes. He was the first villain that Ruby has ever had to face, and instead of overcoming him, maybe by even killing him, he just gets sweeped off the stage.

And not to mention, his backstory would be incredible!! How did he get into this life and how did he get involved with the new main villain. He's so much more than cliché.

I'll fight you anyways (งಠ_ಠ)ง

rtbf225618241May 9, 20161 votes

But how can you know that's death? Maybe there's an alternative dimension from where she can influence people? Maybe somone has a semblance that brings people back to life?

Also, characters don't have to be alive to present their backstories.

You can punch the ocean but not me.

ModAcademy KaynMay 9, 20161 votes

You can make that argument with any sort of death. What do you mean by the second question "Alternative Dimension" about influencing?

Yeah, but Roman still alive, so thankfully that doesn't apply here. I'll fight you and the Ocean about that (งಠ_ಠ)ง

rtbf225618241May 9, 20161 votes

For someone who's from the NA, you seem to understand English pretty poorly.

Maybe Pyrrha didn't die but can still influence them? Perhaps she got teleported into another dimension that's all.

I didn't say Roman is still alive. I said, to present his backstory, all RT needs to do is rewind.

MavenSongMay 8, 20161 votes

Everyone's gunna have crazy thoeries. Hell, Phyrra might be gone but I still think she'll be relevant because of when she unlocked Jaun's aura back in the Emerald Forest, so maybe it intertwined their auras or something. Its probably not gunna happen, but its fun as hell to speculate.

rtbf225618241May 9, 20161 votes

Well, RT did say we've already seen his semblance. I guess it's the healing he did on his cheek right after his aura was unlocked.

MavenSongMay 9, 20161 votes

Could be, maybe thats just part of it, or maybe thats just how aura works. sadly we dont have enough details. but it is news that its been shown already, tempted to rewatch it to find out lol.

rtbf225618241May 9, 20161 votes

Well the only things he have done are basically sword & shield fighting. The only magic as that healing thing but idk, maybe we missed something.

MelledoneusMay 8, 20162 votes

Karthus I mean...

DecritMay 8, 20161 votes

Probably yes. And i tell you, probably they will add champions that at the present time in Runeterra are already dead. Kindred for example is already in a line between existant and nonexistant.

kasfasMay 8, 20161 votes

Sion : Hi.

Lady HammerlockMay 8, 20161 votes

Its possible that they could still play on the rift for the ,Summoners could summon there spirits on the rift

SeargentAnusMay 8, 20161 votes

They could. But as well all know. Legends never die.

To be serious though I think it's inevitable if they want to tell actual stories. The three major powers are going to have to have an issue sooner or later.

AutomatisMay 8, 20161 votes

Since they've explicitly said the lore is no longer tied to the game, having a champ die in lore wouldn't necessarily mean they'd be retired.

Tesla EffectMay 8, 20161 votes

Amumu Hecarim Irelia Kalista Karthus Kindred Mordekaiser Orianna Sion Thresh Urgot Xerath Azir Yorick Gangplank Hi. (did you mean permanently dead, cause that would salty up a lot of fans)

A LiberalMay 9, 20161 votes

to be fair kindred isn't dead

Tesla EffectMay 9, 20161 votes

{quoted}

to be fair kindred isn't dead

Kindred is Death itself. They embody everything that is dead.

Andrei2119May 11, 20161 votes

Yes! That is what i meant. No ressurection or something like that.

Tesla EffectMay 11, 20161 votes

{quoted}

Yes! That is what i meant. No ressurection or something like that.

Orianna is definitely dead. The robot we call Orianna is not her nor resurrected.

XulsigaeMay 8, 20161 votes

Doubtful. If they did, it would limit things more than they are now.

Cardinal SinveilMay 9, 20161 votes

Varus has been confirmed to be terminally ill by Karthus . Which means that it is only a matter of time before there is some event around Varus, where he gets his revenge and perishes into oblivion Kindred . However, since I am (unfortunately) convinced that the lore is not important enough to kill off a champion for it, I think that Varus will somehow be resurrected and renewed, having his Archlight Skin as default and the current classic one as "Traditional Varus".