Let's Talk about the Aspects

The Aspects of Targon are something that was added in the Targon Lore update. They are a point of contention for me because they are characters in their own right, yet don't have much characterization so to speak of. It makes it a little to easy to read between the lines and see some disturbing implications in their methodology and actions. I talked about this briefly here but I hope to go into detail in this post why I find them to be both a strange edition to the lore and why Blumenkranz sees like a perfect theme for them.

To start, let's discuss The Targon Empire. They are a star-faring empire of considerable size, which makes them the strongest faction right off the bat, as they also enslaved a being that can create stars. They also fight the void wherever they appear, which is a good thing considering they are now a galactic threat. Other than that, I don't believe we much other information.

The Aspects are some sort of spirit-like beings that need hosts to give their awesome powers to. There are implied to be a lot of them across the empire, I am unsure it's these aspects in particular or if they can be in multiple host bodies at once. These combined beings are no longer wholly human, nor are they gods. If i had to wager a guess I would argue they are at the very least on the level of the Ascended. The Aspects as a whole seem to focus solely on their own interests (with the noticeable exception of the Protector, whose goal is to protect all life on Runeterra.) While I have no doubt that the Lore Team had tried to make them mysterious and unknowable beings, but that they were ultimately a necessary force for good on Runeterra. I will be going into detail on each one, and i will leave it up to you to discuss in the comments.

The Protector

He and Taric seem to be the most harmonious of all the Aspects of Targon. Taric remains much the same way as he started out; an idealist out to save the world. Of course, when I first saw Taric's lore, I came to the conclusion that the Protector seemed to control Taric's life to bring him up to the mountain. I believe a rioter corrected me, but at the same time said it was understandable that I came to that conclusion. I believe it was his fellows painting him perception of him. It also doesn't help that i did not react to the retcon very well. Other than that, he seems like a genuinely good person...but at the same time Taric fought two armies over a flower that, let's be realistic here, will probably die out anyway. he does have some weirdness about him, but in general Both he and taric come across as good people.

The 'Moon'

I have made my positions on Leona and Diana very clearly, but their aspects are where it starts to get weird. Diana is nothing without the moon aspect. In her own lore, i complained that she didn't seem to do anything of her own initiative. the moon aspect seemed to find a way to get her to do as it needed, a book happened to be conveniently found. An old woman led her up the mountain and left her the armor and sword for her to find.

Then we get into some disturbing implications with what happens during her trial with the Solari elders( and Leona). Outraged at the fact that her proof was not being accepted, it's implied that the moon aspect took control and murdered the elders before feeling off into the night. Leona was the only one that was spared (more on that a bit later), and because of this Diana would, understandably, not be welcomed tot he temple on pain of death.

I am not sure if the moon aspect, or Diana herself for that matter, thought that killing them was necessary. It didn't seem like either of them had a chance to think about their actions, but It seems to be more of a move to preserve Diana's life. It is also possible it was trying to get the sun's host to the mountain top. This move also alienates Diana from the rest of the people of Targon. It comes across as the moon aspect trying to control Diana. It already displays the ability to do it, and Diana doesn't seem to have much of a will of her own already, so it's easy to see it as just the moon aspect looking for a host that depends on it.

The 'Sun'

Leona's aspect came to her as a golden demon. She spared it when she first met it, which led her to the Solari. near the end, it gives her knowledge and power and because of it. Thing is that I am not entirely convinced this is an entirely positive portrayal. I thought that it might be influencing Leona, due to the fact that she was a fanatic that gave it up once the Aspect entered her body.

Granted, It comes across as a better then the Moon, but there's the implication that both of them worked together to make the Current Diana and Leona. There is a sort of implication that the aspects or even some higher power are manipulating things to get their hosts. In the end, the Sun doesn't seem to be as bad as the moon, but it's still kind of disturbing.

Pantheon

I once compared Him to Kaela Mensha Khaine. It's fitting, as the Targon empire bares a lot of similarities to the Eldar and the Imperium of Man, being an empire that is in decline while still being absurdly powerful. Pantheon is one of the Darker aspects, as he doesn't share a body with a host (Zoe may be another exception... i hope) he kills them (sort of, Atreus is still alive, but the lore says he's dead so who knows?). Like Kaela Mensha Khaine, he is a being devoted entirely to war, and of course he has little beyond it. Atreus was a good Pantheon, but this thing just comes across as a monster.

Also like Kaela Mensha Khaine, he is hilariously pathetic when they need to boost up another. Luckily for him, it's only Sol so far, but considering he is in charge of him... it's not a good sign that Sol nuked him. There's also the fact that no one else likes him. It's like Riot put all of our reactions to him in the mouths of everyone else. It's honestly kind of pathetic, i'd pity him if, you know, he was likeable. I'm not sure if he needs to kill his host, or if it was just a fluke, but the former seems to be the case. He is the odd man out, and because of it is hard to see the aspects in a good light.

Zoe

I'll be honest, I'm not sure what to think about her. She's old and works as a gofer for the Targonian's but she is kind of cringy if you ask me. My first thought when i saw her was "I guess some aspects like them young" but as she's very old compared to the others while still being a child in body it's very weird. She's more of a weird choice then Pantheon because she seems to break a lot of the rules that they established for the other aspects.

There's also the fact that someone mentioned that she is as strong as Sol. This is an interesting fact because it's implied that when Sol get's free, Targon will become nothing. Having an aspect that can go toe-to... claw with Sol is horrifying. Especially that they assigned her to the role of messenger. It has a dark implication for Sol.

In the end. I feel like they just don't fit. They Just seem to be these things that honestly don't care about runeterra other than what they have to do of it. Especially because they already have similarities with 40k, i cant help but think of them as people who will gladly sacrifice their hosts well-being if it meant winning. I chose to up the song, Blumenkranz from Kill la Kill (and song with by Sapphire) is because i think it fits many of the aspects. It's very positive on the surface, but when you start to think about it, you see the implications. There's an implication that they played on their hosts former lives solely because they needed them. Some got a choice in being an aspect, but we never hear anyone say no.

The climb up to Targon is quite difficult... Those who climb down have been demigods because they 'agreed' with the aspect, but somehow, i doubt that it would be as easy if they had said no. Let's talk about this in the comment sections. Thank you for reading this.