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Jericho and Evaine's relationship could be the best way to humanize Swain once he gets his VGU

Malicious Metal·7/22/2017, 12:52:49 PM·64 votes·5,149 views

Swain's VGU is going to finally lead us back to Noxus, a nation we haven't visited since the retcon. And just like the empire itself Swain as a character has a lot of potential, especially when it comes to making him a strong personality who's relatable and believable while still being the ruthless Grand general of Noxus.

And what makes us human in the first place? Well, it's how we interact with others. The people we surround ourselves with are just as important and Swain's a very influential figure.

He's connected to Noxus' high command but also to the shady Black Rose.

Yet one particular relationship that should be explored in more detail is the one between Jericho Swain and Evaine Leblanc. While the lore we got on them isn't exactly canon I feel it's something very important to Swain as a character.

Just like Evaine, Jericho rose through the ranks in order to stand on the top of the pile and in the lore we've gotten it seemed like both of them have known each other before they ascended to power. And it makes their relationships so much more interesting.

Be it as a Friend, or a Lover (my preference may already be clear), Evaine can serve as a way to humanize Swain as the larger than life "Grand General" has to still be human at his core. We're talking about NOXUS here.

The Nation that has had a very bad reputation in the past and Swain's VGU should remedy that. We don't need them to be "Misunderstood", we need them to be morally grey and relatable, making the most Important Noxian display affection, trust and other human emotions is key to making Noxus more than just the "Bad guy" Nation.

In the end, their old League Judgement painted a great picture of what they'd be like. Having tea and dwelling on their past memories, giving them brief moments of tranquility between striving to conquer valoran.

To Quote Evaine's league judgement (read it, it's great, really portrays how Swain and Leblanc's relationship should be in the new canon? #"I have made sacrifices. But I made them for us."

http://68.media.tumblr.com/896006e762961e758ab16bb0ce2db15a/tumblr_n2wnciLODf1t007tuo1_540.jpg

59 Comments

OurLestrade7/22/2017, 1:00:46 PM58 votes

A strong, friendly rivalry with plenty of jabs and one-upmanship is what I want, nothing cutesy animu feely. They're old, high ranking politicians, not a pair of teenagers. She'd definitely call him Jerry or Jericho just to wind him up :P

Tattersall7/22/2017, 2:25:46 PM21 votes

I see Swain and LeBlanc's relationship as a thing where they're both manipulating each other to further their own goals, and they both know that they're being manipulated, and they both know that the other knows that they're being manipulated, but they don't care because they're still furthering they're own goals and they both believe that they'll be able to come out on top in the end.

I'm not even joking, this is how I interpret their relationship.

Jbels7/22/2017, 1:35:42 PM16 votes

As long as they aren't as obnoxious as Xayah and Rakan. Rakan : Er mah gerrrd Xeryerhh, hermerns er ser sterperd, bird perperl er der merster rayce Xayah : er ner rert? also, er mah gerd yer ser hawt Rakan : ner you Xayah :ner you Rakan : ner you Xayah :ner you Rakan : ner you Xayah :ner you Rakan : ner you Xayah :ner you Rakan : ner you Xayah :ner you Rakan : Personally I believe that the attire the enemy team has chosen to wear today is tacky, and that their wardrobe could do with a bit of updating. Also, NER FLEWER FER YOU

Over Innsmouth7/22/2017, 12:58:20 PM11 votes

So on board with this.

Krabohod7/22/2017, 3:19:44 PM6 votes

TIL that LeBlanc have a first name

TheGreatRasputin7/22/2017, 9:59:09 PM3 votes

I personally want Swain to have a taunt line to Lee Sin. It goes as follows. "You remind me of... a crow of some kind." If you get the reference, upvote if you want to.

Warlord Dienekes7/22/2017, 4:20:09 PM3 votes

Huh. I always saw the two using each other for their own machinations that will eventually lead to one side betraying the other when they finally get to the point where only one can sit the throne.

But your way is interesting too. So long as they aren't obnoxious about it.

Penta Penguin7/22/2017, 7:56:50 PM3 votes

as someone who has not poured over the lore of pre-retcon league, I really don't want this. Swain is the leader of Noxus and has transformed himself into a bird-demon. I want to see this turned up to 11 and don't care about that cutesy shit

6FlagsFunnelCake7/23/2017, 1:49:15 AM3 votes

As nice as this is, I've honestly always thought of Swain's relationship with LeBlanc (not Evaine, keep that in mind) to be that of an adoptive mother and child, in a manipulative way. Let me explain.

Based on the old lore (which may be non-canon by the time Noxus is updated), LeBlanc is an immortal 'evil-witch' of League who passes onto different bodies using her headpiece, while Swain, though altogether having an unknown origin, is highly suggested to have been raised in a sense by the Black Rose. This is also pretty interesting considering the theme of conspiracy theories and secret, political manipulations with the Black Rose (having the highest political official being highly involved and practically raised up by a secret society to lead the nation in their wishes, sounds like a perfect conspiracy!) Now in the lore, Evaine is the newest host for LeBlanc's body, and with the interesting relationship of LeBlanc being Swain's adoptive mom, I think Evaine would be an interesting love interest for Swain, as it'll make his relationship with his momma LeBlanc a lot more tense.

That's just me though, I personally think the ship's a little weird considering I've been having an interest in more of mother-son relationship, but hey we don't know what New Noxus is gonna be.

TheUltimateSpear7/23/2017, 1:57:53 AM3 votes

Sion's relaunch came with some lore implying there is (or at least was) something between Swain and Leblanc/Evaine. Albeit, it seems Evaine sort of flirts with Swain and he kind of ignores it.

P0IS0N IVY7/23/2017, 6:10:13 AM3 votes

Well shit cuz I ship Elise and Leblanc

I Main Swain7/22/2017, 7:41:10 PM2 votes

YES PLEASE!!!!! I've been shipping these two for a very long time as that classic world-dominating-couple kinda dealio. ive always felt like swain's lore, while the mystery is great, made him seem a little more legend than man.

another idea is they could be siblings maybe?

Oakleaf Ranger7/22/2017, 7:49:00 PM2 votes

I always imagined they had a relationship similar to Joel and Tess from the last of us.

ScarletSurgeon7/23/2017, 11:56:47 AM2 votes

I like to think of them as the opposite sides of a coin. As the unofficial King and Queen of Noxus.

However with the current state of their lore I see LeBlanc as the actual ruler of Noxus, because Swain (as a member of the Black Rose) is still under her command.

In the updated lore their motivations might be connected to love, but if I were one of them, love would be but a distraction for my goals. I do however think that they just will share some affectionate rivalry, and I would be ne happy about that.

Somnitsu7/22/2017, 8:10:27 PM2 votes

Then one day an ultimatum.

Leblanc : "I'm sick of that bird, you can have me or have him. You choose"

Chromatic Eagle7/22/2017, 2:26:37 PM1 votes

I've seen a lot of ships, fics, and pictures with LeBlanc, but never with Swain.

Snowplosion7/23/2017, 3:15:21 AM1 votes

To me Noxus is like Sparta (sorry Targon). The things most important to them is power and war. All it cares about is showing its strength.

Craft Zeppelin7/23/2017, 4:26:12 AM1 votes

Leblanc and Swain's goals is to get back the aristocracy back after they stabilize the military. They want a long-going empire with a immortal ruler and the rose as it's chief consultant like old times.

You might or not know that the rose was on the brink of extinction before leblanc inherited the title, and they were being hunted down. Swain surely helped them a lot, and because of that debt they can operate safely and they provided all the magic knowledge and secret intelligence they can provide, if Swain can afford it.

(Remember that Sion campaign, filled with propaganda and necromancy.)

I say they are a good long going business partnership.

Ionian Vulpix7/23/2017, 3:02:53 AM1 votes

Swain looks more like a psychopath, literally unable to feel love. I could see both of them on a strictly business relationship though.

Lintu Puck7/22/2017, 10:54:58 PM1 votes

what is wrong with having Bad Guys? >.> Given how Noxus has handled it's...."interactions" with practically every other nation can paint a pretty clear picture already.

WestTiger7/24/2017, 11:31:42 AM1 votes

If, in all the special interactions for Swain with other champions, there is like, 3-5 dedicated flirt lines for LeBlanc...

...I'll be good.

If he has unique flirt lines while in raven form to LeBlanc.

....I'll be even better.

Meep Man7/23/2017, 2:26:58 AM1 votes

I personally would rather Swain's backstory be what makes him human, not his current interactions. Have him have a very "human" backstory, but have what he is right now be the result of years (centuries?) of climbing through the ranks of Noxus and becoming what he is now. I've always seen Swain as more of a bitter, dreadful, yet incredibly smart and strategic leader that goes about ruling in an incredibly brutal fashion. Swain is a the sheer brute strength of Noxus given an incredibly smart and devious brain behind it. He rules with an iron fist that can pretty easily disembowel you. He cares not for morals, just that he gets what he needs and that he does so with as little sacrifice as possible. If a demon infested scythe requires slaughtering an entire village of innocents, the young and old alike, so be it. Swain was likely a very human person before, but now he is not much of one anymore. At least, not in the eyes of others. His morals are about as black as they can be, but all the emotions and sensations that make him such are very human: wrath, greed, pride, etc..

TL;DR Swain should seem like a soulless monster and probably is, but what motivates him are the most human emotions that any villain could show. Maybe he was once a better man, but he's too far gone to be considered one at his core anymore.