Does Janna Have Healing Powers In Universe?

Freed By Frailty·4/18/2019, 12:40:45 AM·4 votes·6,248 views

So we all know that in game abilities are not always canon or truly represent what a Champion can actually do in Universe, take Garen's ultimate for example. However, with Janna, I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Can she actually heal people or not?

Janna originally started off as an ocean spirit, above it rather than in it, sending winds to help sailors, directing them away from storms, while sending storms out against those who deserve it, which doesn't have anything to really do with healing, nor imply she had healing abilities. Since becoming the protector of Zaun, her wind based powers have stayed the same, but now she uses them help people in unique ways, and if her color story "Deep Breath" is anything to go on, she doesn't really use her powers to directly help people, more so just a tool she can use at will. In the only instant that could have implied healing effects, when she blew out the corrosive gas as the people were sinking during the creation of the canal, it only says that they suddenly could breath again, but that's simply because she blew all the toxic gas away.

What brought this question to me was when I read Soraka's updated bio, and it says that she sometimes goes into the depths of Zaun to heal people's lungs. If Janna could heal people, why would Soraka be down there healing them?

Sure, you can argue that it's just because Soraka's nice like that, and the poorest of Zaun could always use more help, which they could, but I just don't think Riot's writers would have two champions with similar abilities stepping into the same role in the same domain.

While I do hope that Janna does have healing abilities in lore, mostly because, again, Zaun is a shithole that needs all the help I can get, I would find it interesting if she didn't have restorative powers. It helps express that you aren't restricted to helping people by fighting their enemies like Braum does, or simply healing like Soraka. Through indirect actions, and wise and kind words, you can make just as big of a difference, and that's how I view Janna in lore.

6 Comments

The Ecdysiast4/18/2019, 1:10:24 AM1 votes

it only says that they suddenly could breath again, but that's simply because she blew all the toxic gas away.

That's not how toxic gas works. She healed them as well, or the damage would've lingered.

EdgeLady4/18/2019, 1:11:18 AM1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Freed By Frailty,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=p791spJv,comment-id=,timestamp=2019-04-18T00:40:45.066+0000)

So we all know that in game abilities are not always canon or truly represent what a Champion can actually do in Universe, take Garen's ultimate for example. However, with Janna, I'm at a bit of a crossroads. Can she actually heal people or not?

Just for reference, Garen's ultimate is actually a bit of a mystery right now. Rioter and story hints imply that it is canon. How it is, however, is something we'll have to wait for. And since we have no lore news this patch, let alone news on the upcoming Demacia content, it looks like we'll have to wait a long time. [sg-ahri-1]

But as for Janna. It's not exactly as if her powers are just limited to controlling wind; she is a minor goddess, after all. It's perfectly possible that her healing is canon, and it would make sense with the kind of character she is. It might be healing in a different way than Soraka's, more related to her hope associations (though Soraka does have those too, come to think of it). In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if she and Soraka both go around Zaun helping people at all, since, like you said, those crowded slums need all the help they can get. Janna also might not be powerful enough to go and help everyone who might need her, which could be where Soraka comes in. The two of them might even know each other.

In fact, if they do know each other and are both doing their best to help and save people around Zaun (in Soraka's case, at least when she happens to be around there), I would be interested in seeing them interact and talk about hope, humanity, its potential, and how each of them feels when people lose faith and hope because they can't save everybody. Since they're two of the biggest embodiments of the "squishy ethereal healer support" archetype in the game, I'd love to see them share perspectives and experiences.

I'd add Sona to that equation, but her having a conversation is, of course, a little more of a complicated scenario. [sona-playing]

Terozu4/18/2019, 3:36:16 AM1 votes

Janna started as a bird, and was always a wind spirit actually. She was just originally worshipped by sailors.

AnotherPurple3794/19/2019, 6:46:41 PM1 votes

I'm not sure, honestly. The lore is pretty ambiguous, but I think she should have healing magic? It doesn't hurt to have two otherworldy magical healers around Runeterra. Plus, Soraka and Janna have enough major differences between each other to not be confused with each other.

But again, this is me saying that I think Janna should have healing powers. I don't know what Riot had officially decided.