Riot lore update : What about Xin Zhao ?

Hi there !

So, through all of these lore updates and new champions, Riot has shown a relatively good amount of high quality LoL universe content. Demacia, Noxus and Ionia have been worked on with the reworks of Galio, Swain and Irelia. But one character, linked to each of these nations, haven't been treated in the same way as the others : Xin Zhao. I feel like a lot of opportunities have been missed through all the events occuring with those lore updates.

Who is Xin Zhao ?

Xin Zhao, as his present self, is a loyal warrior serving under the Lightshield house of nobility in Demacia. That is to say, under the King of Demacia. But, who was he ? Xin Zhao was from Ionia and nothing is known from that time. It is only known that he was condemned as a gladiator in one of Noxus arenas. Possibly a prisoner of war. Known as Viscero, a name earned in the arena. He was part of the Fleshing. It is a gladiatorial event in which a gladiator must fight against a growing number of opponents each time he has won. Starting with one, opponents are added to the previous record through an unknown period of time. It was meant to ultimately cause the death of the gladiator with no other possible outcome. His final match for the Fleshing was to be fought against 300 opponents at the same time. Said to be nearly six times the previous record, that is to say a bit much than 50 opponents at the same time. Xin Zhao was way past this amount. It means that he probably killed thousands and thousands of opponents throughout the years in the Fleshing (nearly 45000 fighters). Only if one opponent at a time is added to each victory. But still, his performance is clearly above any reasonable amount of battles. From that only, a lot of things can be brought up on the plate.

Xin Zhao is undoubtedly incredibly powerful. Handling dozens of opponents, again and again, without dying. Who was he in Ionia ? Highly Ranked Ionian commander ? Great Master of a renown martial school in Ionia ? A legendary warrior of his land ? A fierce peasant ? What happened to him ? How a man that strong could possibly lose ? Did he surrendered to protect his people ? Trapped ? Exhausted after days of last stand ? He has been a puppet for entertainment. Enslaved. How does he feel like ? I mean, he probably killed a lot of demacian soldiers, freljordian warriors, traitors, spies, innocents... brothers and sisters from his land, etc. What is he fighting for ? He knows that he'll die. Defiance ? Hope ? There's A LOT to tell on him that could have been told through the Demacia-Noxus-Ionia lore update.

And then, Jarvan II and his boiz came to free him and the other slaves. Xin Zhao, in a selfless act of sacrifice, took a poisonned dart that was directed at Jarvan II. He survived and was honored to be at Jarvan II side until his final days. He is still under the Lightshield house. But what has he left behind ? Or maybe, what is left from where he comes from ? Does he miss Ionia ? Does he have a familly ? Does he feel Demacian ? People are suspicious about him, they seem to don't like him? Demacian mentality is quite... tough sometimes. Like Irelia says "Once an Ionian, always an Ionian. You'll never be one of them." What does it mean for him to be Demacian now ? He seems to be proud of it. What remain from his enslavement in the arena and his resentment for Noxus ? Many notions of those updates are perfectly fitting for him. There's enough work on the LoL universe to give him more depth, especially with the Ionian conflict and his "life" in Noxus as a slave.

Xin Zhao seems to be a very strong man, mentally and physically, with a strong sense of honor and justice. I think that his story could be really good and he deserves a thorough work on it.

So, what do you people think about our boi Xin Zhao ?