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Where Does Irelia's Control Of The Blades Come From?

The Soulforged·2/9/2015, 6:56:55 AM·2 votes·1,140 views

So, from Irelia's lore, we know that Irelia was the daughter of the great Master Lito. With his art, a highly guarded secret, It was said that swords would "breathe in his grasp", and his teaching were sought by "ruling classes from nearly every city-state," until he died of a mysterious disease, leaving Irelia and her brother Zelos his weapon. Zelos became a sergeant in the Ionian military and was sent to seek aid from Demacia, which was when Noxian forces struck. Irelia, who was charged with the protection of their home, fought valiantly, but was cursed with Noxian sorcery, and was dying. Soraka attempts to keep her alive, and as she is on the brink of death, she rises and her weapon literally rises with her. From what was said about her father's art, Irelia had just learned what her father was famous for. From her judgement, we can assume that Master Lito was a true master of the senses, and discipline. From what Irelia said about how Lito would have never allowed her to hit him, we can assume that Master Lito was far more powerful than Irelia was at the time, and that they were not even close the the perfection that Lito supposedly had achieved. From what I can conceive, Lito was the strongest a normal human being could become.

Now, look at Irelia's title. Irelia is known as the will of blades. One would think that this would refer to her control over her blades, but perhaps it hints at more. Perhaps will is literally what Irelia's (and Lito's if he had that ability) derives her ability to "will" the blades to do as she wishes. Perhaps in the world of Runeterra, ones mind is a force, and when concentrated, as was by Irelia's when she was revived by Soraka, by will, it can become a potent force?

5 Comments

Oleandervine2/10/2015, 1:28:37 PM2 votes

Sort of. Liches have what is called a phylactery, an artifact or relic that they house their life force and soul in, ensuring that should their physical form die, they will not be out for long as their essence will bring about their revival. Pretty much exactly like Voldemort's horcruxes in Harry Potter. What Soraka did to Irelia is essentially turn the blades into Irelia's phylactery. In the lore, it states that Soraka did a risky, crazy thing to ensure Irelia's survival, and that was to house her soul in the blades to prevent death. So Irelia isn't part of her weapon per se, but her weapons are the very things keeping her alive.

Melancholy Exile2/9/2015, 10:16:13 AM1 votes

While the use of the term has led to a lot of discussion in the past, it's more or less canon that Irelia's soul is bound to her blades and that subsequently she is something vaguely akin to a lich. I've even seen readings that Irelia's physical body is something of a meat-puppet for the spirit within her weapon - that her existence is literally the will of the blades.

The curious thing, and I'm fairly sure it was Grand Viper who first made me aware of this, is that her lore states very plainly that Irelia took up her father's sword at the defence of the Placidium even before her death. It's all well and good to explain her wielding it now through spiritual connection/psionic powers/magic, but how exactly did Irelia wield a weapon such as hers before Soraka's intervention?