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An Open Letter To Narrative: Kayle and Morgana

Starlighte·8/6/2018, 8:51:00 PM·19 votes·8,823 views

Please don't botch their story.

Bluntness aside, I am genuinely concerned , especially with the current track record we are running off of with the retcon thus far and updating characters to fit the new Runeterra. I do not have the strongest of faith in your dedication to respecting what we the audience have already learned, and come to love about these champions.

Morgana and Kayle are a story about duality. About how good and evil can be so ultimately.... grey. And that is what is so enticing about the two of these characters. Morgana is a social pariah. She gave up her wings, and took on agonizing powers so that her people could be free from what she viewed as tyranny. Kayle is the knight with a bloodied blade, she will do the dirty tasks that nobody else will do, and she will have order so that all may live happily, from what she views as dissent. Kayle is both evil and good, as is Morgana. Their struggle is familiar to everyone, even if the emotional weight of what sorrows they inflict on their sibling is foreign to many. Their characters are hinged upon their shared duality, of both being a victim, a leader, an enemy, and hated but loved.

Not only can these characters not exist as anything other than siblings, but the core of their story has enough wiggle room to flesh out their storied pasts, build for their future challenges, all without needing to bury or cut away almost anything of their story so far. In fact, this should be one of the easiest stories to update, because it was so vague and open-ended to begin with, diverging from their core tenants would be harder than respecting them.

And on that note, I have to bend down and humble myself before not only you but anyone who might want to see Kayle and Morgana's story totally changed. Please respect their past story, however little exists of it. They are sisters, on either side of a political war for the soul of their people, where their places in this story could have been interchangeable, because they are so similar, yet so different.

The notion that they are up on the list makes me nervous, but gives me a spark of joy that my favorite story is finally getting some attention, after nearly 4 years since their reasons for being in Runeterra were ripped from the game. Please do them justice, you have really my last hopes for narrative hovering over how this story pans out.

Sincerely, An Overly Zealous Morgana Player

15 Comments

Lintu Puck8/6/2018, 10:52:54 PM7 votes

I have faith in Riot. Swain seems pretty morally grey.

Doctor Dyment8/6/2018, 10:29:47 PM5 votes

I think there needs to be careful consideration in regards to their new story as to not turn their story into something too similar to Renekton and Nasus or Leona and Diana. In the case of Renekton and Nasus, they were brothers who were great partners and allies until a tragic event that eventually lead Renekton to turn on and seek out Nasus for revenge in his madness. It also can't be Leona and Diana, with Diana committing a heinous act without realizing what she was doing at the time and fleeing rather than face the consequences and Leona going after her. I really want it to be a true "War in Heaven" type story.

Morgana should be a fallen angel type character, someone who has somewhat been corrupted by dark magic. But her reasons for doing so should be in what she believes to be the best interests of others. I think Morgana should, at least originally, be compassionate and maybe sees her corruption as a last resort to help the people she cares about. Kayle on the other hand should be a warrior, less like a regular angel and more like a Valkyrie. Stern, rather standoffish if one doesn't know her, and always dedicated to her task at hand. She inevitably has to represent the "good guys", the ones not corrupted by dark magics. She should see Morgana's rebellion, whatever it is, as an ultimate betrayal and go after her with fire and fury. Kayle should more or less massacre anyone even remotely involved with Morgana's fall from grace but I also think she should feel sadness about her sister. However Kayle should be ultimately loyal to her orders and be totally willing to strike down Morgana if the chance presents itself. Both should believe they are in the right and be really blinded from the bad things they both do to achieve their end goals. I'm thinking like Paradise Lost with a little more empathy shown for Lucifer's side of the story.

Larriet8/7/2018, 2:56:24 AM4 votes

I genuinely hope they make them similar to the 2017 VS event (Dawnbringer & Nightbringer), where they have clashing ideologies but ultimately both are sympathetic and believe their way is best for the greater good, just that the two viewpoints are irreconcilable. I want a Morgana & Kayle who aren't a malicious monster & a complete zealot, but two women who simply have opposing ideologies.

Pale Mask8/6/2018, 9:01:27 PM3 votes

[deleted]

AirKingNeo8/6/2018, 11:58:42 PM2 votes

Morgana and Kayle are a story about duality. About how good and evil can be so ultimately.... grey.

Except it isn't. Kayle's entire lore was about how she sealed herself in armor to fight as a warrior. She had sometimes tried to lift her opponent's up from her their dark ways, but most often than not she usually purged them. To Kayle, justice could be an ugly thing. Kayle and her side's forces were also locked in a war, which eventually was overturned when Morgana joined the opposing side. When her sister attempted to get help from an outside source, Kayle offered herself as a servant to that outside source in order to prevent them from helping Morgana. However, her master had gone missing (became Jax), so she began to look for why he disappeared. (3rd iteration of lore.)

The story isn't about duality at all because there isn't even any duality to be found. Kayle's side is all about loyalty and the slight depression from purging people because you failed at being able to save them.

Nevrankroaton8/7/2018, 5:30:31 AM1 votes

Do you mean "Don't butcher them" or "Don't write them differentely from how I picture them" like all champion main that always rant about how this change isn't what they wanted...

Maisanai8/7/2018, 2:07:08 AM1 votes

So what's really there between them? besides a very vague story about a couple angels, one goes bad/gets exiled and the other it Tyrael? I'm just not convinced that they already have a super compelling story, because they really don't. I've played a decent amount of Morg, the only thing I care about is her keeping her Q and E. She has no personality to speak of, and is so terrible in terms of her voice and looks that I pretty much don't play her unless I'm entirely focused on trying to win and not wanting to try something new or practice someone else. What do people see in their lore? please show me the rich lore, because I'm not seeing it.

sad þoy8/7/2018, 3:04:28 AM1 votes

Beautiful. Couldn't have said it better.

Votable Jester8/7/2018, 4:54:36 AM1 votes

What's your opinion on the lack of a full VGU for Morgana? I used to main Morg, but got a little bored. I still bring her out occasionally, but it just feels lame to me having everything except Q effectively guaranteed to hit.

Idk, I was really looking forward to a VGU for her to add some more depth to her gameplay.