With Kayle and Morgana's Duo VGU on the horizon let's talk about my favorite League Rivalry
They might not be the most popular champions and oh boy, don't get me started on how how terrible it can feel to play against either one of them. But they still hold a special place in my cold, dead hueart.
I'm talking of course about none other than 
and 
Both are champions whose thematics resonate deeply with me as a player and with Riot getting invested in things such as "VgU"'s like Ezreal's receiving and Dual updates like the Angel Sisters are in line for I've been thinking that this particular duo would be bloody perfect to receive a combination of those two.
Why? Well, several reasons, and biases aside, they're some pretty damn good ones! Both champions have horrible rigs and their updates didn't really fix them, they still suffer from being visually outdated, both have gameplay that could need some touch ups to make them more engaging and healthier for the game.
But what is, in my opinions, the biggest reason for them to be blessed with the VGU package is the sheer amount of lore potential those two have!
So, without further ado, let me get into why YOU should care about what are essentially different sides of the same coin.
Let's start with the Prophet himself. Malzahar was one of my most played mid laners in season 3, and for good reason. His thematic niche is extremely interesting, embodying nothing lesser than the "Prophet/Herald of Eldritch Horror"
Malzahar is what happens when strange fanaticism drives a person gifted with second sight to worship the notion of utter annihilation in form of an eldritch, ancient force. Malzahar has seen into the void, and IT has seen into him, taking root in his heart and turning someone capable of perceiving multiple futures to seeing strictly one: One where the Void succeeds in consuming all of existence.
Malzahar is when an exceptionally gifted individual whose powers could be used against an existential threat is corrupted by said enemy, turned by the horrors of something so vile, so overwhelmingly alien that it consumed his every thought.
Whereas ascended went mad simply peering into the Void, Malzahar did stare back, and it opened a literal third eye in his head as his visions aligned with those of the Eldritch Watchers who seek to destroy the abomination of sentient life and magic.
And instead of simply falling into madness and succumbing to the overwhelming presence of the void, Malzahar saw himself the herald of the end.
In the face of something so bizarre as the Void some might seek to stand against it, like Malzahar's counterpart but we'll get there shortly, some may simply surrender to it and others might just despair to the point of taking their own lives. But there are also those who turn to worshipping the Void, seeing the ultimate fate of becoming one with Oblivion as their true calling as fanaticism and strange cults give rise to what would become Malzahar's flock.
This is what the recent void lore updates lack: Seeing the effect it has on those not directly involved with it, showing what humanity turns to in the face of utter, overwhelming and seemingly inevitable doom in form of an eldritch realm that seeks to consume everything.
A Malzahar VGU should expand on his title of "Prophet of the Void" by giving us juicy, juicy insights into his void-touched mind and the cult he built around worshipping the end of all things. His Gameplay should reflect his eldritch mastery over the void, but allowing him to pull its influence into the mortal plane and summoning forth the horrors of a world devoid of light, love and everything good.
Minionmancer might have to take a backseat here, like it bloody used to!, in order to give Malzahar more of a feel of a Prophet of the Void, heralding its coming by warping existence around him. https://johnjohns1.fjcdn.com/pictures/Eye+of+togruta+this+eldritch+artifact+appears+to+be+a_236f8f_6725229.jpg
We saw how being touched by the void and being faced by what seems like an inevitable fate of being consumed by it can do to a man, turning someone who saw the future into someone who only sees oblivion gathering the masses who heed his call of the void, but there's a different side to this coin.
Where some men might despair, others can muster up the strength to overcome overwhelming odds. This is the story of Kassadin.
https://pm1.narvii.com/5806/c469ebbf8bd3a398a324c515972d857474f89c2d_hq.jpg
Kassadin is one of the few "Dads" of League and it shows in his character. He does not stand against the Void because of some naive sense of heroism nor for his personal gain, but because it is his responsibility as a Father and a Husband.
He is just a man with a strong sense of duty and justice, which lead him to venture where no one has ever treaded to save those he holds dear, and to bring the Prophet to justice.
Him and Malzahar have been through the same traumatizing experience of coming face to face with the void. But where one succumbed to it, surrendering himself to its will and seeking to summon it forth to consume all, the other chose to stand against it.
One man against overwhelming odds, driven by duty. Kassadin came from humble beginnings, he wasn't born with a gift like Malzahar, nor did he acquire power simply for the sake of it. He did so for his daughter and wife, and for all of Runeterra.
Unlike Malzahar, Kassadin's character is already somewhat reflected in his current VO but he struggles from the same problem Galio and Swain did: They don't fit their region aesthetically.
Kassadin already got a minor VU and changes to his kit would be minor, instead focusing on making him fairer and more nuanced to play, but his Visuals would have to change to better align him with the Void. A good basis for this would be how Kai'Sa's suit looks, borrowing some of it for Kassadin's design.
But I'm digressing, what I want truly explored in a Duo VGU would be their relationship as same halves who chose a different Path when faced with the Eldritch horrors of the void.
https://78.media.tumblr.com/2dac68cc5cb87b28a492b8e2794aa1a5/tumblr_p4gq5m9uFW1qj40kfo2_1280.png
It isn't present in the lore right now, but If I were in charge of it I would add some stray encounter the two might have shared in the past. Kassadin was a guide, leading travelers through the hazardous Sai and earning himself quite the reputation, and Malzahar was an aspiring Prophet who heeded the call of the void.
I would have Kassadin help Malzahar on his pilgrimage as it would give their rivalry more weight, I want them to maybe have met at a moment in time where they could have been allies, friends even. But now all that remains is Kassadin's guilt and Malzahar's mad visions of Oblivion.
Their relationship as one who embraced the void, and the other who defied it is something I would love to see explored.
But alas, the VGU process is long and tedious and it might take a while until the pair is even CONSIDERED, and even then they might not even share the spotlight. But I hope that Riot sees the potential for story, hype and awesomeness that would be a duo update for those two.
Anyhow, those are just some of my musings on the topic, I'd love to hear what others think of it!
