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What is Viktor's Niche?

A Superb Villain··9 votes·1,131 views

Something I have experienced difficulty in understanding is where exactly does Viktor fit within lore. There is an unfortunate disconnect from his character presented in-game to the character described in text, the most significant being his status as an augmented human. Prior to the great lore revision, Viktor was the first example of extensive hex-tech augmentation, a status that was something of a novelty in League at the time, and exceeded the imagination of Runeterra's inhabitants when the Institution of War was still a thing. This made Viktor different, it made him unique, it was enough to sell a character on. That was Viktor's niche.

Presently, his role is no longer clear because it is not unique. Viktor the Machine Herald was stripped of his significance apart from being a rival to Jayce, which is an incredibly flimsy reason for existing. Augmentations are no longer strange or new to the lore. In fact, they are so banal that augmentations are treated as fashion statements in Piltover, whereas before Viktor was practically ostracized for how invasive his designs were. Contrary to his own statements, Viktor is no longer the first of many since the procedure of modifying flesh with technology existed well before his birth as evidenced by Camille's lore. He is not the first to fully transition from flesh to metal since that space is now occupied by Orianna. What is left that makes Viktor interesting as a character and a champion?

Is he a mad visionary? Jhin is the epitome of this archetype. Is he a mad scientist? Mundo is built around this concept. Is he an amoral inventor? Singed is a war profiteer and performs human experimentation without consent. League is not lacking in champions that could fulfill Viktor's potential niches better. All he has left is an interesting design. Viktor, as he is, has no role in League as a character or a theme that makes him distinct from anyone else. How do we move forward with someone who provides more backstory for the world and other characters than himself?

25 Comments

Beyond Legends6 votes

I think Viktor fit in the role of a radical revolutionair that believe that human should undergone augmentation. He's different from camille who see her augmentation as a sacrafice made for her family, Viktor preachs about people evolving to a high life form.

Current Viktor has shifted his idenetity as the herald. Personally I feel Viktor lore a bit unsatifying because I felt that neither tHe glorious evolution was expanded upon.

A Superb Villain3 votes

He's a martyr with a cause that has already been taken. Viktor may be radical, and possibly encourage a revolution in how people perceive the role of machinery in society, but he has no followers. A cult has sprung up around the Grey Lady and championed by the Glorious Evolved, a party Viktor has been explicitly stated to disdain for their deeply religious fervor. Anyone who would follow Viktor's ideal already has a home in the Church of the Glorious Evolved.

Beyond Legends2 votes

Which is strange because old Viktor had apstoles in the old lore. personally I find the glorious evolved and intrested aspect which is criminally under used explored and under used.

Also which champion fit the role of martry with a cause? I can't think of a champion that fit.

A Superb Villain2 votes

[{quoted}](name=Beyond Legends,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=xrKtOuLU,comment-id=000000000000,timestamp=2017-10-23T02:27:55.418+0000)

Also which champion fit the role of martry with a cause? I can't think of a champion that fit.

I believe Diana qualifies, as she is wrongfully persecuted despite worship of the moon being a legitimate practice in the past. In addition to Xayah and Rakan who fight for the Vastayan, though not all Vastayans appreciate their efforts. Morgana might qualify depending on how you view her fall from grace.

Epicurus4 votes

Irelia literally died in defence of Ionia. Her martyrdom is something I hope the VGU expands on.

Melledoneus2 votes

There is a fundamental difference between hextech augmentation and full-body replacement. Augmentation is similar to prosthetics and mechanical organs in that they replace damaged or missing body parts. Whereas what Viktor wants is for humanity to essentially achieve immortality and rise above their flaws via turning them into walking metal versions of themselves.

The Glorious Evolved worship the idea of mechanization, while Viktor has more meaning behind what he does. His designs are still far superior because of how technologically exquisite and detailed the body is designed, made to mimic the human body and even improve upon its limitations. The writers should have expanded on this point more because of its importance.

Overall Viktor has a vision to turn flesh into steel and in the process re-configure the brain to be more efficient (by removing emotions that weigh them down). It is more thorough than "we love steel" and Orianna's "I am a living set of delicate mechanical transplants." Viktor is still the superior engineer and much more innovative than the pretenders in Zaun.

That's just my two-cents on the subject. Correct me if I'm wrong.

A Superb Villain3 votes

This conception and the evidence in lore is what strikes me as curious, in addition to exacerbating the disconnect with Viktor's character in-game. Complete mechanization may be a solution to Viktor's goal, but it is not the goal itself, simply the means to an end. Charting the path towards improving the human condition is his vision, and this opens up new opportunities. In the lore we have now, Viktor isn't limited to mechanical augmentations. In his short story there is clear evidence he also dabbles in chemistry when he offers the boy a small implant that would dissolve over time.

This leads us to a problem with Orianna. If complete mechanization is the solution, and Orianna fulfills this stipulation, but does not meet Viktor's criteria for Glorious Evolution, does that mean wholly replacing flesh with metal is insufficient?

Melledoneus4 votes

I think the problem he finds with Orianna is that her mechanical parts are replicas of human ones, and changes nothing about it. The functionality is essentially the same. Viktor, however, wishes to create parts that include improvements (i.e. the inability for the joints of a finger to bend backwards, the limitations of the functionality of lungs being two disconnected motions, etc).

Orianna is a perverted representation of his vision, where they take full-body modification and modify absolutely nothing about it besides what it is made of. Orianna is comparably delicate, lacking proper analytical and mechanical thought processes, and is not open for augmentation. She is basically moving backwards where she retains all the flaws of flesh but none of the benefits of mechanization. Imperfect, archaic, narrow-minded. It is something that Viktor sees as lacking the imagination and ambition that he sees in his Glorious Evolution.

A Superb Villain2 votes

I see the logic of your argument and agree that Viktor would likely view Orianna as squandering the potential of her transformation. However, In spite of retaining many flaws, she is fundamentally different from a human and exceeds some of the limitations inherent to flesh, such as illness. In other words, she isn't "optimized," but still fulfills the most basic principle of the Glorious Evolution.

If we need an example of someone fully embodying Viktor's philosophy of Function over Form, Urgot now satisfies that category exceptionally well. He is a walking, talking death machine that does exactly what he was designed to do extremely well: intimidate and overpower. Urgot transcends quite a few limitations of the human form, mental and physical, though succumbs to some of the worst instincts one could indulge, namely anger and violence, at least by Viktor's measure.

That is why I ask what makes him different if the world is taking his ideas and running with them? He is a superb engineer, and an altruist in his own manner, but what is he now but the forgotten catalyst of change that is prevalent throughout Piltover and Zaun?

Melledoneus1 votes

[{quoted}](name=A Superb Villain,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=xrKtOuLU,comment-id=000000000001000000000000,timestamp=2017-10-23T21:59:05.644+0000)

If we need an example of someone fully embodying Viktor's philosophy of Function over Form, Urgot now satisfies that category exceptionally well. He is a walking, talking death machine that does exactly what he was designed to do extremely well: intimidate and overpower. Urgot transcends quite a few limitations of the human form, mental and physical, though succumbs to some of the worst instincts one could indulge, namely anger and violence, at least by Viktor's measure.

Urgot has not yet let go of the brutal side of his humanity. He uses anger and hatred to fuel himself. Viktor would not approve of Urgot's existence and his methods, because they do not share the same ideals or goals. Perhaps he is glad somebody is out there actually pulling the Chem-Barons off their high horses.

That is why I ask what makes him different if the world is taking his ideas and running with them? He is a superb engineer, and an altruist in his own manner, but what is he now but the forgotten catalyst of change that is prevalent throughout Piltover and Zaun?

He is a force of nature waiting to happen. One day Viktor will gain enough followers and rise to take Zaun by storm. Perhaps so suddenly that not a drop of blood will need to be shed to complete the Glorious Evolution.

Meep Man2 votes

Cyborg Revolutionary

He is the prophet of a new age.

A Superb Villain2 votes

But what about him is revolutionary whenthe act of improving humanity is already in action as evidenced by Urgot, Camille, and Orianna? They depart from his ideal of transcending the limitations of humanity since each became what they are for different reasons, but the fundamental act of becoming something other than human is still there. Viktor's Glorious Evolution is the same method with a different coat of paint, and the problem is that it defines his entire character.

GreenLore2 votes

Overall I think that Viktor could be differentiated if they focused on how he actually uses his technology to also alter his mind.

Piltovians and zaunites alter their bodies to surpass bodily limitations,but as seen in his color story,Viktor is analyzing how to remove emotions from humans,so that humanity could also surpass their psychological limitations.

The Anagram King2 votes

Oh yeah, totally. He's lame now. Just 'another guy.'

From herald to a new age, to awkward guy in a lab that children avoid because their parents tell them stories. It's a shame. I'd always considered him a contrast to - and eventual (coincidental) foil of - Malzahar. A man who transcended humanity and utterly befuddled his peers. A new stage of human evolution, completely and utterly incomparable to anything, any man had seen before.

And still evolving.

The void invades, Viktor reacts. Headcanon justification for the battlecast universe, right there.

But now he's a guy in a lab. Not even his backstory is as fun as it used to be. :P

A Superb Villain1 votes

I agree that many of Viktor's unique qualities have been stripped down, and that is why I ask what direction can he be taken that stays faithful to his character while making him stand out. How does Viktor matter in the greater scheme of things?

The Anagram King1 votes

He needs something to fight. The void will be my pick.

Adversity. He needs to be relevant to something. And he needs to be portrayed as something of an unstoppable force. Well, his ideology does, at least. Fill in the gaps with storytelling. Maybe he accepts his cult of acolytes again. Tries to direct them to what he sees as a benevolent and/or productive cause.

Whyte Lyon2 votes

I would just encourage Riot to push for a VO updated above all else. I mean out of most of the champs who arguably need one, I think Viktor is definitely an unsung hero who requires it as much as MF and Blitzcrank do.

It could at least answer a few of the curiosities we have here.

Wrathof3001 votes

Beyond Legends is correct. The augmentations ppl in Piltover undergo are necessities to life, although some imitate it for a fashion display. Like Beyond said, Viktor wants huminty to evolve into a perfect species, void of error, and as a scientist he seeks to do so through technology.

Orianna did not choose to give up her flesh, although she may be an example of a stepping stone of what Viktor wishes to achieve for all of humanity. Even Camille and Urgot who choose to be augmented, didn't do so to achieve perfection, but for power (more so Urgot than Camille).

Just because he has no followers doesn't mean he will go no where, every cults/ organization starts with little to no following. Its even enitrely possible we get a champion dedicated to the Glorius Evolution, int he future, this was the purpose of Viktor's short story, its ppl like that little boy, who will come back to join his cause, even if Viktor himself shuns the religious order that took claim to the title of the Glorious Evolved.

GreenLore1 votes

Honestly I can kinda understand why they made augmentations not limited to Viktor,as they open up the possibilities for a lot of characters and honestly Viktor never really filled the cyborg-archetype since he barely used his augmentations.

Now he is the one who wants to go further than others,body modifications may be the norm,but Viktor wants to modify the human brain to make it more efficient.

Also Mundo might call himself a doctor,but he isn't a doctor in the new lore anymore(he only thinsk he is). Singed is more like our mad scientist(he barely uses his "inventions" anyway).

Beyond Legends1 votes

Honestly I'm not the biggest fan of the Mundo change, I kinda liked the fact he had that sort of evil doctor jeckle and mr hyde character type he had in the old lore.

GreenLore1 votes

But there was never a Jeckyll side in the first place...

Beyond Legends1 votes

It was kinda implied though with. Old lore Mundo was more of a mad scientist that transformes himself into his purple skin self through bio engineering and that he potentially had a more intelligent form.

GreenLore1 votes

no it was never implied to be the case. Old mundo was a sadistic psychopath from the beginning(first murdering pets,later his parents) and eventually turned himself into the monster he is now.

It's just that old Mundo was actually rather smart from a scientific standpoint. Sure he spoke like a moron,but his intellect regarding science was still intact.

DWT123451 votes

Viktors augmentations are waay different than anybody elses. Everyone else has augmentations that are simple hextech advancements; Viktor is a full-on robotic cyborg. He can use his technology to actually alter the way the body works, not just tack on a prosthetic hand. Basically everybody else is using steampunk technology, while Viktor is way ahead of them with actual robotics and circuitry. His technology is on a whole other level, one most artificers cant even begin to understand.

Besides the technology, there's the purpose. The person with the most advanced augments besides Viktor is Camille. She got those augments because she needed a way to enforce her clan's agenda on Piltover. Viktor on the other hand is obsessed with perfecting the human race. Viktor still has ample combat abilities based on the fact that he's in the game, but what really makes him a special character is his motivation, which is to eliminate things that have cost thousands of lives in the past, such as fear or greed.

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