Why Mordekaiser is the manifestation of a Blind Guardian song
Well hello there, been some time since I actually posted a proper thread on these boards, eh? Don't worry, I'm very much still alive and kickin', much more so now that Mordekaiser got the rework he deserved! And it truly delivers on everything I ever wanted from my favorite champion.
But I'm not here to gush about the intricacies of his VGU, well, that's a lie, it's just that today's topic is a bit different. Being on another good ol' Metal trip I've come to analyze Mordekaiser's connection to the music genre, and one band in particular.
I am of course talking about the Power Metal band #"Blind Guardian" You may already know one of their songs; Nightfal, which is the track Mordekaiser's mace is named after!
But Mordekaiser is STILL the Master of Metal as he is the true embodiment of the genre, and his connection to the band runs even deeper!
So, without further ado, let us jump into why Mordekaiser is imbued with the power of Metal itself!
#Otherland! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1wt5_lO6rA
The Song Otherland is a perfect representation of Mordekaiser and his connection to his very personal "Otherland", Mitna Rachnun.
They rule the land They're in command They hold all the strings in hand They are invisible Out of sight They've designed A secret place To play their games A world, they're in control Divine law
Otherland already starts off strong, painting an image of a dark entity who looms over the world, pulling string behind the veil of Death. It also introduces Mitna Rachnun as a constructed realm governed by these dark powers.
You're a part of the game You're a slave to the grind Oblivion Is your key to the Otherland You're a part of the game You're cursed You're damned By now you understand
The chorus though, oh boy, it is not just hauntingly beautiful, it does really mirror the image of Mitna Rachnun. Every human soul is part of this game, a slave to the mortal cycle of death and every last one of them shall serve him. You're cursed, you're damned!
Additionally, the line "Oblivion is your key to the Otherland" paints a vivid imagery of how to access the Otherland that is Mitna Rachnun.
"Welcome to Oblivion!"
He carved his kingdom beyond, and one may only enter his darkened gate through the passage of Oblivion!
Come take a look Breathe it in Artificial wonderlands We are wandering around Things shall vanish They won't last Now I know You understand This world is not true Nothing is real Nothing at all It's bits and pieces We walk through
These few lines feel almost as if from the perspective of a lost soul finding itself in this Afterworld of Mordekaiser's design. Mitna Rachnun, after all, is an artificial creation built within the Spirit world, with the phrase "Things shall vanish, they won't last" referring to how every soul was meant to fade into Oblivion until Mordekaiser came along.
The rest of the song has some great lyrical work but these are the few very prominent lines!
#The Soulforged! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIdzJnbUb5g
Based on the Dragonlance novels, the title itself can be used to describe Mordekaiser, especially when taking a better look at his ultimate icon. https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/584063487488032768/587824815596109835/upd8Uh_K_400x400_1.png
Mordekaiser's signature weapon, Nightfall, is forged from the Souls of his enemies too, which connects Mordekaiser with the idea of literally forging things out of souls!
But I'm digressing.
I'm not insane That's how it seems though Spiteful, cruel but wise beyond his age My body fails My soul will (rise) The end of life's immortalized
Already hits hard with the opening lines! It does describe the transition from Sahn-Uzal into the dread Revenant in a really nice way, as his reasoning for his greater ambitions might appear insane at first but he himself sees it as his greater destiny.
And from the flames As chance would have it The Soulforged will come into light And from the flames As chance would have it The Soulforged, the stainless will rise The Chorus itself is not really detailed but the repetitions do drive home the point of someone emerging from greater hardships, only to be reforged by then into something unwavering.
I will never change my mind I will leave it all behind And through the hour glass Everything's grey, everyone's pale Nor colour nor beauty will enlighten my heart The seat of life's empty and cold Cadaverous you all seem to me Stillborn but you're still alive You're still alive
This is the part of the song that made me pick it as a great representation for Mordekaiser being Metal incarnate. The lyrical work uses vivid imagery in this passage and describes Mordekaiser's attitude towards mortality.
He has seen the throne of the gods, and found it empty and cold. He regards all mortals as reeking with the stench of decaying flesh, they seem cadaverous to him!
Mordekaiser sees life in an entirely different light, as it seems not just frail to him but excessively petty!
#Curse my Name
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJch7UW_z88
"Let the foolish curse me!"
Let him curse my name On these blood stained pages of misery Let him call me a tyrant so cruel Let him curse my name But remember the truth
Curse my name's chorus is extremely powerful and is sung from the position of a Monarch looking down on those plotting to usurp him. Yet they all seem to forget who they are dealing with.
"See the truth and despair..."
In the end, they are mere mortals opposing what may very well be a god of death who knows just what may happen to their souls once their mortal lives fade into nothing.
Funnily enough, Mordekaiser has another quote that feels inspired by this specific song.
"Vladimir, you are nothing but a stain, splattered on the pages of history!"
Oh you'll be aware now That trial is near It's close at hand The masquerade is over It ends Remove his crown and bring him down Now we shall mourn no longer Our prayers they've been heard There's no more league That will bind us to the tyrant Our voices shall be heard Cause we won't take it anymore
This could very well be describing the toppling of the tyrant, with the masquerade being the Black rose's petty manipulations.
All in all, "Curse my Name" is a very strong musical piece that carries heavy themes of authorities and those who seek to end a tyrant's reign.
#The Throne! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uK5J0zTErQ
Finally, The Throne. It is one of the most powerful pieces in Blind Guardian's discography and it was the ONE song that haunted me after I returned from playtesting the new Mordekaiser back in February.
It's theme, the tempo and of course the lyrical work perfectly encapsulate everything the new Mordekaiser stands for, driving home the point that he, in fact, is more metal than he has ever been.
Mordekaiser has transcended the meme status of simply being a walking metal reference, he has become the genre himself, imbued with its dark, haunting themes and parts of him can be seen in almost every metal song.
Get him off the throne Moreover he's not in control no longer The King will come, it's over The game goes on Very powerful start, already paints the dark king sitting on top of his throne, and how he is playing his wicked game, already planning for his return.
Someone's waiting on the other side Trying to get over Got to be in this hour
There on the other side We know that someone keeps waiting
Don't you know your enemy? Don't you know you're damned?
Take a wild guess here. Who may this dark entity be that is waiting on the other side, waiting for his final reign to begin? His enemies don't know their foe, what they are dealing with, they are cursed, they are damned!
Release the beast Set it free I've come to tell you once more Don't let him break this seal Warnings of the Revenant's imminent return!
These were dark lands In a dead world Rearranged We brought it into light A union of the land and king
Sounds familiar? An oh so fitting description of Mitna Rachnun, a realm that is nothing more than an extension of Mordekaiser and his will. Him and his Afterworld are one and the same.
All I am is nothing else What you have made me Nothing more I am Your vision of another god All I know is they won't give But they will take Your sacred light away And still they come to praise the damned This might be sung from the perspective of the Iron Revenant himself, becoming the god of the afterworld he himself was denied!
The song ends fittingly with
Take a look at yourself There is nothing to fear no more
This thread is not meant to be taken all that serious, but to illustrate the point I'm trying to make here.
The new Mordekaiser has transitioned from being Metal in name alone, to being an extension of the genre's prominent themes. He is the twisted presence so many Metal songs sing about, his new narrative lends itself easily to these stories of wicked entities lurking in the beyond, these dark lords who seek to ascend beyond the realms of death itself.
All in all, Mordekaiser is simply #Metal as fuck!
's song will remain....
