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Noxus vs Ionia, some stuff to take into account for round two

Falrein·2/26/2019, 12:51:58 PM·19 votes·12,423 views

Hi everyone! I’m Falrein (better known as Caithresh), and today I wanna talk about something that a lot of people want to see: a round two of Noxus vs Ionia. This thread is mainly about some new stuff that we have to take into account for a second round, as well as some theories (some are mines, and some were elaborated as a group on the Lore of League Discord). So, without further ado, let’s get into it.

Quick disclaimer: I think it’s already been said, but Twitter quotes aren’t ultimate truths. Most of them probably are true but what is not written and/or published yet can still change. And some of these quotes are just Rioters’ opinions! I'll just use some because I think they're worth mentioning regardless.

##Will there be a round two? Yes(ish). The question is, will it be another all-out war? We know that the Awaken cinematic is canon. But even before, it was teased. In The Dreaming Pool for example, our Vastaya traitor Kalan states that the war is far from over, which hinted back then that Noxus would come back (and even before, in Swain’s AMA (I think? Or was it Irelia's?), it was said that Noxus still had plans for Ionia). According to the lovely Philip Vargas (Riot KneecapPhilly), the scene in Awaken is a second, smaller incursion. This raises the following question: Why a small incursion? Some of us on the Lore of League Discord have theorized that this “small incursion” is in fact a diversion. If a full war did not succeed the first time, there’s no way a small incursion can do the trick, unless Swain wanted the Ionian forces to be there (but why?). Which leads to my second point…

##Swain, The Noxian Grand General After the first, failed invasion, Noxus gained a new leader: Swain. He tricked a demon and gained its powers (as far as we know). Swain is probably one of the smartest persons in Runeterra, and undoubtedly one of the most brilliant tacticians of Noxus. He’s a great asset for Noxus. He most probably organized the army and reinforced it too. Now that he is here, he is one of Noxus’s greatest advantages in the war(s) to come. I am mentioning Swain because even though he was there for the first invasion… His role in the second one will be much, much more important. Now, another crazy theory… What if Swain sent this small incursion in anticipation of something else… Like, let’s say… An evil, undead warlord coming for his Empire…? Ionia is a land full of magic and spirituality, and we know that magic can hurt the undead, so it’s not unthinkable that there might be something there that could help him fight against the Black Mist… Something, or someone.

##Syndra, The Dark Sovereign Syndra was awaken sometime after the invasion, full of anger and resentment towards Ionia and its people. She even said that she “may owe the Noxians a thank”. Now, why do I think Syndra will play a part in Noxus vs Ionia round two? First of all, because at the end of The Dreaming Pool, the seer seems to indicate she’ll play a role in Kalan’s children’s salvation (more information here), which seems to point into the direction that she may join Ionia… Maybe? Another reason why I think she’ll play a part in it is because the amazing Scathelocke kindly replied to one of my questions on Twitter. I’m taking this with a grain of salt, but it hints towards the fact that she’ll do something during this Ionia vs Noxus second round. Whoever she sides with (or will she even side with someone…?) will gain an incredible advantage. Her ability to saturate Spirit Magic might be what Swain’s looking for against the Black Mist… Who knows?

##Noxus, a stronger nation… Noxus is likely to be better organized now that Swain is here. Whether in term of army or in term of tactics, I think Noxus has evolved. If they decide to go to war against Ionia, they’ll be prepared, and they’ll have plans. They also still have some Ionian territories (including Fae’lor and some south-eastern parts of Ionia too), which may make it easier for them to attack. ##… That needs some minor fixing However, Noxus also faces other threats. Shuriman rebels to the south, Freljordian raiders to the north… And on the inside too. Not all nobles agree with Swain’s politics, and this might make it harder for Swain to do as he pleases. There’s also this weird dynamic between Swain and LeBlanc, who might get in his way.

##Ionia is now ready to fight back… On one hand, Ionia now has people prepared to fight (the Navori Brotherhood, Zed’s Order of Shadows). And now that most Ionians have experienced war and death, they probably wouldn’t take as much time as they did back then to fight back. They’ll counter-attack if they have too. The Awaken cinematic also shows Kennen and Yasuo fighting alongside Ionians… Could this mean that mentalities have changed? Is the Kinkou ready to fight back? Or did Kennen desert with Akali? In any case, our champions (or at least most of them) seem ready to fight, and that gives them a great advantage.

##… But still needs to work on some details On the other hand, Ionia is divided. There are those who want to militarize Ionia (Zed), those who don’t want to fight (Shen), and those who are ready to fight when necessary only (Karma). If they can’t get along, they might get in each other’s ways, and fighting against a united army as disparate groups is definitely not a good thing for Ionia. There’s also the question of the Vastayas, what will they do when Noxus comes back? They have an uneasy past with the humans, but can they truly stand idle and do nothing?

##In the end I didn’t include as much stuff as I thought I would, mainly because I think it would have been way too long (I could have mentioned Yasuo and Kennen in separate paragraphs for example, but we don’t know much about their conditions here, etc). So, I wrote down what I think are the two most important elements that could turn the tide (Swain’s intellect and Syndra’s immense power), as well as some other stuff about Ionia and Noxus.

Tell me what you think of it, if I missed something, and if you wanna add anything!

I'll leave you with a poll, tell me which nation you would like to see victorious if a second invasion happens!

38 Comments

OneNightStan2/26/2019, 5:21:20 PM11 votes

I'm supporting Noxus. They're definitely in the wrong and it would be horrible for all if they won, but I like them more.

PaffWasTaken2/26/2019, 8:01:37 PM9 votes

Ionia? You mean... KLED'S LAND??

Hovering Hentai2/26/2019, 1:52:05 PM6 votes

One thing to point out is that in a rough timeline it said that Harrowing mists have begun to bother Southern Ionian sea ports. Not sure if that's relevant at all just pointing it out.

Whyte Lyon2/26/2019, 1:43:10 PM5 votes

Slightly off topic, I dont understand how or why Riven goes back to Noxus if this 'second-round' incursion is supposedly happening at the same time. The amount of hurdles and potentially numerous stories that would need to cover that. Unless of course, the whole thing is done in only one or two stories, which would make the entire ordeal feel rushed just to make one scene from a friggin promotional trailer canon.

Riven either goes back to Noxus against her will. That means Noxians were deep into Ionia to find and recognize her, that means she wasn't killed on sight. That means for some unfathomable reason they bothered to ferry a deserter back to Valoran. She could have been fighting back with the Ionian's but if she was captured that means she was defeated, that begs the question once again why wasn't she killed on sight, or had a trial and execute her in Noxian occupied Ionia?

Or

Riven goes back to Noxus willingly. Would she even care about the second incursion? Clearly not if she happened to willingly leave Ionia. Anyway. Once again begging the question, how is a treasonous soldier not executed on sight. So maybe Riven has some McGuffin that will give her immunity, what the heck this bargaining chip is beyond my comprehension. Whatever it may be, it could get an audience in the capital. Maybe this McGuffin isn't enough to get her exactly where she wants to go, first she's tasked with surviving and beating (the Fleshing?) certain trials to re-prove her worth to the empire. That's the best I can conceive.

Still raises a bazillion more question on this particular subject. I honestly find it weird and am definitely skeptical about how the writers would ever plan to deliver this promotional cinematic into canon. Let alone start to cover these scenarios exactly from the cinematic in the near future or otherwise way off into years to come.

Xano5012/26/2019, 1:58:48 PM5 votes

Ionia, because canon ship Wukong and Ahri can beat them all.

CauseSCIENCE2/26/2019, 11:51:36 PM3 votes

Well, in terms of an all out war.

  1. Noxus has a much larger and better trained army
  2. Noxus has better military tactics
  3. Noxus's army works together while Ionia's forces would most likely take some unifying
  4. Ionia would take a long time to mobilize their army.
  5. Noxus has the element of surprise
  6. Noxus would go to overall greater lengths to demoralize and inflict damage on the Ionian forces.
  7. Ionia is mostly farmers
Overlord Forneus2/26/2019, 4:21:33 PM3 votes

Noxian strength will put down the Ionian savages!

Yet... you fail to see the true threat, and the true inheritor of Runetera, the Shadow Isles.

BioticFlux2/26/2019, 9:28:32 PM3 votes

Hmmm Ionia or Noxus...

I won't be able to choose between my two favourite factions;

And u can't make me!!

[sg-janna]

Groove Crusader2/27/2019, 12:41:19 AM2 votes

Noxus still fighting Ionia while Mordekaiser gettin ready to roll up on the Immortal Bastion smh

WAZZZUP5002/27/2019, 12:58:55 PM2 votes

I vote Ionia bc If they win Mordekaiser can reclaim the holy land.

Wert the Wacky2/27/2019, 2:55:04 PM1 votes

Noxus easily wins under Swain’s leadership. Only reason they lost before was because Darkwill was a dipshit and wouldn’t send enough soldiers. Noxus has way more powerhouses and actual fighters, not just a bunch of assassins. Ionia’s literally farmers and assassins, they couldn’t withstand a full Noxian invasion. Really if they were smart they’d just surrender, Noxus is perfectly willing to integrate peacefully with nations who surrender, they lose absolutely nothing by surrendering but will lose everything by fighting.

KnKitsune2/26/2019, 2:18:38 PM1 votes

What strings me as confusing on the cinematic is that Jhin is in Piltover during the start of the war.

Why is he over there instead of Ionia?

The Iceborn2/26/2019, 8:43:01 PM1 votes

This makes a lot of sense.Tho now I wonder if the trifarix want to offer Syndra a home in noxus? A place to grow her power and use them without restrictions in all the battles that will expand noxus further. But war seems to be too much just to get to syndra? Why not use spies or why doesnt Leblanc personally seek her out... But I think Phil Vargas implied that Syndra would eventually side with Ionia?

EdgeLady2/27/2019, 2:49:33 PM1 votes

By the way, about the Black Mist, there is another, smaller reason that Swain might want to fight back against it. Noxus has plans to conquer pretty much everywhere in the world, except for maybe Targon (the Targon hate even reaches Noxian plans it seems), and Bilgewater is no exception. Gangplank took Swain's boat. Swain wants his boat back. And I wouldn't be surprised if, what with his already-intelligent mind and Beatrice under his control, he already knows that Gangplank is still alive.

Wouldn't it be great to fight against the Black Mist in order to both defend your empire against an undead warlord coming back for it AND to have a clean path through the seas to retrieve your beloved Leviathan?