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My Only Request for Rework Pantheon's Lore

DR34DN0UGHT·7/5/2019, 1:27:15 AM·7 votes·5,733 views

Bring back Atreus.

Atreus, for anyone who doesn't know, was the ordinary guy who originally controlled Pantheon's body. After making his way up the mountain like every other Aspect character, his soul got wiped out his body for Pantheon, the actual Aspect of War, to take complete control of, since Atreus' personality and values were not in line with Pantheon's. Doesn't seem like a really big deal, right?

The issue with that is that Pantheon's lore isn't really his. For basically his entire bio, the story is all about Atreus, and how he grew up, how he came into conflict with Leona, and how he made the journey up Targon with his buddy. There's not really a whole lot about the actual Pantheon, the Aspect, that we get to know about aside from how he's in charge of defending the mountain and some tidbits in other champions' lores, like how he's at odds with Aurelion or that he waged war against the Darkin like the other Aspects. The Pantheon that we see in-game, the Aspect of War, isn't fleshed out or developed the same way Atreus was. It simply doesn't make a whole lot of sense for Atreus to be introduced and developed like the other Aspect characters before being shelved for someone we know precious little about, especially since no-one else gets their soul deleted like Atreus. Maybe that aspect of Targon lore can be a quick note in his bio? Overall though, I'd much rather see Atreus, the person who we get to learn about throughout Pantheon's lore, be the real Pantheon, due to the fact that Pantheon's story is his story, and he's the one we get to learn about.

TL;DR I don't think it really makes sense for a character to be built up from the beginning of his story only to be unceremoniously sidelined by some other guy who we know little to nothing about, and I'd like the real protagonist of the story to be the actual Pantheon in his new lore.

9 Comments

TheMan2927/5/2019, 1:46:55 AM3 votes

honestly, I think keeping pantheon as Pantheon would be more interesting to contrast all the other aspects. like how Aatrox is the only Darkin in full control.

but I agree with you. it was a very odd move to have atreus and his story like that then off him. it would be an even bigger insult to just scrap for the rework lore.

besides, having a character who does not quite sync in with his Aspect could prove very interesting. and I'm not talking a kayne and rhaast relationship, but one between a man and an otherworldly essence compelling him into more "acceptable" behavior.

EdgeLady7/5/2019, 2:44:19 AM2 votes

Judging by the Roadmap hint, it seems we will get more of Atreus, the man. It's possible that there'll be a duality between him and Pantheon, but I've heard fears that it could be too similar to Kayn and Rhaast that way.

However, if I come to think of it, they reworked Kayle and Morgana into sort of partner champions similar to Xayah and Rakan in their interactive voice lines, but they certainly feel unique from them, and not just because they're original champions who were reworked to be more interactive.

So I think that if Riot chooses to do a partner dynamic with Atreus and Pantheon, it can certainly feel unique from Kayn and Rhaast. In fact, something I'd like to see improved on in that area - and I think many Kayn/Rhaast lore enthusiasts would agree - is to be sure to give both parties sufficient lore, since Kayn's lore is all about Kayn and we know nothing about Rhaast (which worked fine when the Darkin were mysterious aliens who came through a portal, but now that they're Shurimans and even retconned Varus has more interesting lore than his hosts, Rhaast's lack of lore feels quite off-putting).

TzQGRUST397/5/2019, 12:30:31 PM2 votes

I always saw Atreus' story as a tragedy. You read his underdog story of friendship and perseverance just for him to essentially die, serving as a casualty in a story that ultimately wasn't his. I personally saw it as a statement on how little care these aspects have for mortals. If we were to get Atreus back, I'd prefer him to not be apart of Pantheon any longer, just completely separate. Like, have Pantheon somehow ejected from Atreus' body so that Pantheon can assume a "truer" form more equipped to stand against the dozen or so existential threats on runeterra. Hey, Atreus may even be able to keep some of the left over aspect juice.

mrmeddyman7/5/2019, 10:48:47 AM1 votes

They have to. Pantheon knows way to much about the Celestial aspects to be in the game in a modern form. Having him in the game and not lore bombing us is cheesy and people won't stand for it.

That and the "War against the Gods" line in the Roadmap suggests we will be playing as Atreus unless Pantheon is going full rebel mode.

My other working theory is that Pantheon will be "League of Legends Meepo" and only the most micro intensive players will be able to control up to 5 Pantheons, but I just like that idea because it would be cool.

Warlord Dienekes7/5/2019, 2:07:36 AM1 votes

Mate the rework will probably be dropping sometime this month. The design must have mostly been done when they released the teaser. And since the lore has to match the VO it is probably only being touched up at this point.

There’s no way anything we do or say at this point will have an effect on the lore.

That all said I agree with you. Atreus was the only part of the Panth lore rewrite I liked. They even had him go through an agoge analogue. Good stuff, until the Heavens opened up and the space parasites got him.

That said when people made a stink about exactly your complaint that the Panth lore is about Atreus and just killing him off like that was a low blow. Rioter Jaredan straight up said “Atreus story is not done.” So it’s looking like some part of him will make a reappearance.

I just hope in his VO he’s not bickering with the parasite the whole game.

SEKAI7/5/2019, 12:36:25 PM1 votes

I want Riot to never reveal Pantheon's hosts' faces.

Reasons:

  1. Pantheon does NOT care about their host, and has no connection whatsoever with them. Pantheon's hosts are completely interchangeable, and is viewed exactly that way by Pantheon themselves; Pantheon views their body as nothing but disposable tools and used with the least amount of care, and if destroyed they simply get the next one. They do not give a rat's ass about the host body nor their previous identity, therefore no connection should be drawn between Pantheon and their current host's face.
  2. The face belongs to the deceased, one that Pantheon flaunts as his tool and gives no fucks about. Their face should be covered to give them the least dignity they deserve.

Thus the face should never be revealed, and should be covered in shadows or at least something. It not only emphasises the fact Pantheon is this unrelatable faceless void, touches on the disposability of how Pantheon treats their vessels, but also as if giving the previous identity a "proper burial" of sort.

But of course, with Riot and their sick fetish of revealing the faces of characters whose faces are meant to stay hidden, I am not positive about the outlook.

FSRER7/5/2019, 3:43:41 PM1 votes

I just hope they don't make pantheon's character to be a selfish aspect. He has a lot of power as the aspect of war (also controls Aurelion) so I hope they don't mess it up like they did with Qiyana's character.

Wrathof3007/6/2019, 3:45:02 PM1 votes

The Pantheon fanbase has been incredibly unimaginative with regard to Pantheon's new lore since it's rewrite. The only suggestions that have ever been given any second thought are "Bring back Atreus" or "Keep Pantheon" nothing in between or anything otherwise have been given the time of day. Based on Morde's lore rewrite with his rework and based on the last roadmap, Pantheon is in for a lore rewrite as well.

The only thing we are certain of is that Pantheon's character will remain an Aspect/ be involved in the story of Mt Targon's gods.

I am looking forward to Pantheon's new lore because I both enjoyed the story of Atreus and was looking forward to the development of Pantheon as a part of Atreus' character.

since Atreus' personality and values were not in line with Pantheon's.

Atreus was chosen by Pantheon based on not only his strength but his personality and values included.