Don't pull another Xerath with Viktor!

Malicious Metal·Nov 29, 2016·98 votes·3,903 views

Like, I'm somewhat optimistic that this whole tidbit about his Acolytes is just very colored and not exactly what Viktor stand for but really. Riot, do you have an aversion to GREY characters?

To redeemable "villains" to antiheros and misunderstood characters that are morally grey, that struggle, that are (ironically) human?

Just don't turn Viktor into what his fans have dreaded ever since Jayce's lore. An insane saturday morning cartoon villain that twirls his mustache and just spews irrational and delusional stuff all for the good of the machine gods.

Like, you saw what happened the last time you tinkered with Viktor's character. Just stop.

74 Comments

RalanrNov 29, 201628 votes

Honestly I hope Viktor is just sighing with every word the acolytes say.

A Superb VillainNov 29, 201634 votes

Viktor "I thought, 'an ideal is the one thing they can't possibly steal from me,' and I was wrong."

GreenLoreNov 29, 201627 votes

I actually think that would be a rather interesting take for his story.

After all we have a ton of leader figures as champions,who for the most part seem to have no problem with their leading role(the sole exception might be Ashe,whose peaceful approach is disliked by some of her people). So having a champion who is more or less the leader of a group,but doesn't have that much actual control over them would be quite unique among the roster.

RalanrNov 29, 201611 votes

Yeah. Sort of an unwilling figurehead.

ArcyvilkNov 30, 201623 votes

So having a champion who is more or less the leader of a group,but doesn't have that much actual control over them would be quite unique among the roster.

That would be so cool. He gives people the tools to toy with and some instructions, and then goes back to his lab satisfied because they seemed to be interested. After some time he reemerges; churches everywhere, artificial shoulder arm lazor cannon as a religious sign that people pray to while cutting off their limbs to sacrifice to the hextech gods

Viktor : ... Viktor : . . . Viktor : ._____.

TyrekGoldenspearNov 30, 201637 votes

item 3211 : Oh Glorious Herald, tell us more of the Machine's Wishes! Lead us on the path to enlightenment and let us cast off the shackles of flesh!

Viktor : Leave me alone, I'm working.

item 3211 : Of course! But one question, may I ask what is on your back, oh great one?

Viktor puffs himself up This is my very own creation, a Hextech Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation emitter inside a fully controlled apparatus that functions as an appendage, a welder, and a deterrent.

item 3211 : Le gasp It is as the prophecies foretold! A man that has broken the limits of both body and mind and has fused fully with flesh, his sign is a third arm! An arm that is the direct will of the Machine! Descended from the soul of the Grey Lady after she has grappled with the Nature Monster Arugualis in the beginning of time!

Viktor ...

ArcyvilkNov 30, 201610 votes

You made my day. Technically it's 1AM but w/e my day is made

TyrekGoldenspearNov 30, 20162 votes

Glad I did.

I saw your little scenario above, gave you an upvote.

Jet SettNov 30, 20163 votes

That means the other 23 hours you have left are gonna be great!

XIII VanitasNov 30, 20167 votes

{quoted}

: Oh Glorious Herald, tell us more of the Machine's Wishes! Lead us on the path to enlightenment and let us cast off the shackles of flesh!

: Leave me alone, I'm working.

: Of course! But one question, may I ask what is on your back, oh great one?

puffs himself up This is my very own creation, a Hextech Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation emitter inside a fully controlled apparatus that functions as an appendage, a welder, and a deterrent.

: Le gasp It is as the prophecies foretold! A man that has broken the limits of both body and mind and has fused fully with flesh, his sign is a third arm! An arm that is the direct will of the Machine! Descended from the soul of the Grey Lady after she has grappled with the Nature Monster Arugualis in the beginning of time!

...

It reminds me of "Life of Brian".

TyrekGoldenspearNov 29, 201613 votes

What is it with these people already grabbing their pitchforks? We have no clue on how Viktor connects to this. Only the Glorious Evolved, one phrase and everyone immediately thinks he's an emperor god

This could be a spinoff religion some Zaunites made after Viktor evolved them. Who's to say he approves of any of this? That's why this Gray Lady is in charge and not him. And before you say he could be the mastermind in the shadows I doubt it very much.

He has been an outcast from Piltover high society for so long, and all his credit for works that he had done has been taken from him. He wouldn't want to give credit to someone else for something he has done, especially something as important to him as the Glorious Evolution.

A Superb VillainNov 29, 20169 votes

I agree that we lack sufficient evidence to make many of the claims that are on the Boards. However, I believe it is more important that people are talking about Viktor than potentially making incorrect accusations since it can provide the Narrative Team with a clearer understanding of what people expect and want for Viktor.

Viktorious SayphNov 30, 20162 votes

Someone saying "trust us its not going to be shit" would calm down people :/

Dextix LTNov 30, 20164 votes

Not really, because its Riots Lore team......

Supreme Senpai69Nov 30, 20162 votes

...what's wrong with Riot's lore team? Did I miss something? They're amazing as hell and have been giving us an insane amount of content this last year. Each story is written very well and they're beginning to merge stories together.

AwoofNov 30, 20162 votes

[{quoted}](name=Revan Senpai,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=mZea3aNy,comment-id=00030000000000000000,timestamp=2016-11-30T07:03:53.240+0000)

...**what's wrong with Riot's lore team? Did I miss something? **They're amazing as hell and have been giving us an insane amount of content this last year. Each story is written very well and they're beginning to merge stories together.

The ~4 years before that. And stuff like Xerath and other retcons. There are still some wounds to heal for some people.

Dextix LTNov 30, 20164 votes

Because Riots Lore team changes and retcons EVERYTHING they can get their hands on. Such characters as diana, pantheon have been changed in the targon update (Which was total crap). Xertah was completely retconed too, for "reasons".

It is not behind them to just simply retcon victor into an idiotic evil character with no real characterization.

RozzetaDec 1, 20161 votes

Past experiences has led people to believe Riot's lore department is very prone to fuck up Viktor's lore.

TheMachineHeraldNov 29, 20166 votes

I just hope they revert these changes... I didn't worry too much about other ones, but please. Not Viktor. Why did they change Jayce's lore if they've ended doing exactly what they described there? Mindless acolyted devoted to some insane evolution, instead of the deepness it used to have...

333lomNov 29, 20165 votes

Yeah they're pushing Viktor down that hellhole again, this must not happen. I'm not quitting until they change this new lore.

HazyCloud7Nov 30, 20166 votes

I see viktor, I upvote.

Viktorious SayphNov 30, 20164 votes

I see viktor main upvoting a viktor post, i upvote

Off Meta EvanNov 30, 20166 votes

to be fair, as someone who liked xeraths old lore, i think that this isn't nearly as bad. The lore rewrite might have changed xerath from man who gave up everything to become something better to straight up villain. HOWEVER his role as a villain is actually interesting and cool. This idea of viktor being like this robo priest cult leader is really stupid and sounds like something out of Futurama than one of the most popular games in the world.

EbonyBladeJ88Nov 30, 20165 votes

To be honest, after Riot ruined Diana, Leona and Pantheon, I just stopped caring about the lore. It's sad, really. That's what drew me into the game, was the lore that they had with the many diverse and unique characters and the world they lived in. But with each new decision the Lore-team makes, I'm becoming more and more pessimistic about the future of Lore in League. I dread the day for what they do to Demacia and Noxus.

JustMonika13Nov 30, 20166 votes

{quoted}

To be honest, after Riot ruined Diana, Leona and Pantheon, I just stopped caring about the lore. It's sad, really. That's what drew me into the game, was the lore that they had with the many diverse and unique characters and the world they lived in. But with each new decision the Lore-team makes, I'm becoming more and more pessimistic about the future of Lore in League. I dread the day for what they do to Demacia and Noxus.

How was Diana's lore ruined? If anything, they pushed her away from the Crazy worshiper of the moon who kills anyone who does not follow the moon to misunderstood voidslaying badass heroine who just wants to be accepted.

EbonyBladeJ88Nov 30, 20165 votes

OK, to be fair you have me there, but I DO dislike what they did with Leona and Pantheon. Leona went from a firm protector-figure to a religious zealot/tyrant and Pantheon just gets completely screwed over by his body simply being the "vessel" for the Celestial Aspect of War from Targon.

JunkοNov 30, 20163 votes

Leona and the rest of Solari were tyrants ever since Diana came out.

I hate what they did to Pantheon tho. Went from a complete badass to some guy possessed by a spirit or some shit.

Warlord DienekesDec 1, 20161 votes

Honestly I liked the old division. Leona was obviously a good person but unbeknownst to her she was on the side of tyranny.

While Diana was obviously a flawed, rightfully angry but so zealous she became the evil she is rebelling against. But on the same time she is undoubtedly on the "right" side.

I enjoy stories that do stuff like that. Now Leona and Diana are both just kind of bitches kind of not and they apparently want to talk or something?

It's less interesting, to me. But is downright fine when compared to what they did to Pantheon. That shit is unforgivable.

Warlord DienekesDec 1, 20161 votes

Finally someone who shares my hatred for the new Targon lore. I've stopped reading LoL lore because of that piece of crap.

ScoroctNov 30, 20164 votes

Am I the only one who liked new Xerath lore? He was a villain but he was a sympathetic villain (at least if people actually read his damn story). He wanted to free slaves, liked Azir initially, even killed to protect Azir, but eventually grew tired of waiting for his people to be freed and then went ahead with the plan to steal Ascension. Then when Azir tried to reveal his plan to free slaves it either was 1: too late so he couldnt stop it, or 2: he had become too obsessed with his plan to turn back now. Either way you totally get where he came from.

Aside from that I really do hope that Viktor is not portrayed as outright evil, at worst just has a different vision that is misconstrued and/or few agree with anyway. If he is portrayed as a proper villain character even from his own view I will be quite disappointed indeed.

FasmodeyNov 30, 20163 votes

{quoted}

Am I the only one who liked new Xerath lore? He was a villain but he was a sympathetic villain (at least if people actually read his damn story). He wanted to free slaves, liked Azir initially, even killed to protect Azir, but eventually grew tired of waiting for his people to be freed and then went ahead with the plan to steal Ascension. Then when Azir tried to reveal his plan to free slaves it either was 1: too late so he couldnt stop it, or 2: he had become too obsessed with his plan to turn back now. Either way you totally get where he came from.

Aside from that I really do hope that Viktor is not portrayed as outright evil, at worst just has a different vision that is misconstrued and/or few agree with anyway. If he is portrayed as a proper villain character even from his own view I will be quite disappointed indeed.

No you're not, some people are just in denial about new Xerath's much better lore. They will never accept their overreact in the first piece of lore as a mistake, so improved lore does not matter for them. Otherwise it means they were wrong.

ScoroctNov 30, 20162 votes

glad to know someone else at their does. Have a great day!

QqFeedRageRepeatNov 30, 20163 votes

Still sad about what they did to Xerath :(

Sahn UzalNov 29, 20162 votes

I've been waiting for this thread, Malicious. What took you so long?

Malicious MetalNov 29, 20168 votes

Trying to wrap my head around the idea of a Tech priest and sacrificing rotting body parts to a mechanical deity. Trying to rationalize it.

But hey, when was the last time Riot did something good for their Metal champs?

A Superb VillainNov 29, 20166 votes

Well, they did change "Lord of Death" to "Iron Revenant" so that's something.

Malicious MetalNov 29, 201610 votes

After a huge community outcry, I hope we're enough to avoid another disaster like Jayce's lore release.

A Superb VillainNov 29, 20163 votes

We do what we must, and your perseverance with Mordekaiser is the best example we can follow.

NarasimhaNov 30, 20161 votes

Eh, to be fair, you have to have the simple with the complex. Not everyone can have a dark brooding past or a specific goal in mind. Sometimes, you need a guy who is just a hero.

A Superb VillainNov 30, 20165 votes

I would prefer that Jayce be a real hero, if a little misguided and naive since he probably doesn't have the first clue how to be a proper hero. He just wants to do his best and what is right, and that causes him to make mistakes, makes him human.

Some people don't like Superman because he's too perfect, but no one likes a lying, arrogant jerk. Jayce can be a nice balance between Superman and average joe.

NarasimhaNov 30, 20162 votes

Everyone has to start somewhere. Jayce hasn't had any real lore expansion (yet), so right now he is that idealistic and star-eyed hero. Who knows, maybe the upcoming events will change that.

A Superb VillainNov 30, 20162 votes

Time will tell. Him being a classic hero would pull back some of the darker trappings lore has been getting, someone worth looking up to in Piltover.

Dextix LTNov 30, 20162 votes

I know they hired a WH 40k writter, but do they have to copy all of 40k? I mean, this is more or less a shittier copy of adeptus mechanicus.......

TheHappyReaperzNov 30, 20161 votes

Grey Lady? Camille? Aatrox? Yorick? Brand? Varus? All of these characters are morally ambiguous.

Warlord DienekesDec 1, 20161 votes

How are Aatrox and Brand morally ambiguous? They're violent sociopaths that get off on destruction.

TheHappyReaperzDec 1, 20161 votes

Aatrox fought in a lot of wars, on both sides, and is worshiped in some way, by the Demacians. The original release thing for him talked about his motives being unknown, so what if he's orchestrating some larger/preventing larger conflicts in the future? Brand is a man taken over the spirit of vengeance. While what he does is burn everything, he's guided by some form of revenge/justice, that gives depth to his character.

Warlord DienekesDec 1, 20162 votes

Aatrox killed people in war without caring which side he was on. And he doesn't just win, he mind controls people and forces them to commit atrocities. That's evil. You can certainly try to justify his villainy by claiming he has some future sight, but since there is nothing in the lore even remotely suggesting that (as opposed to Bard's) I'd call that a pretty damn huge stretch.

Brand may be motivated by vengeance, but so what? He burns things and murders innocents. That's evil. Being guided by some injustice doesn't make his actions ambiguous. It does totally add depth. That's true. But depth and ambiguity are not the same thing.

TheHappyReaperzDec 1, 20161 votes

Bard and Aatrox are actually opponents. There have been a few references between each other, and they point towards them being opponents. Aatrox on release skin, Justicar Aatrox, was also released because it represents how some see him.

Brand's motivated by vengeance, but seems to just destroy stuff. However, the entire city of Piltover is built of the fallen bodies of Skarner's kind. It's not a strech to say that there is some reason for Brand doing what he does, righting an ancient wrong or some such.

Warlord DienekesDec 1, 20161 votes

Again burden of proof. And his righting of wrong is killing innocents. He probably does have a reason. That doesn't suddenly make him ambiguous. Real life people have reasons for doing things even serial killers. That doesn't suddenly make serial killers morally grey. They're not. Brand is basically a magical serial-spree killer by modern definitions. Unless it's revealed his spree killings are somehow saving the world. Which would be stupid. He's still a pretty blatantly evil villain.

Aatrox is the same. He's opposed to Bard sure. But nothing about his kit or lore or dialogue provide evidence anything he's doing is for some noble reason. He's just a killer with an unusually long lifespan.