Varus Legendary skin : the Darkin Within

Eeyore··7 votes·4,499 views

So Rhaast recently confirmed that Varus is a Darkin, or at least occupied by one. I had already speculated this prior due to visual similarities between Varus and Aatrox, and so I was super stoked to hear it was true. In my head-canon, Varus made a deal with "the corruption" sealed with the Pit of Pallis: "help me enact my vengeance, and I will surrender to you willingly". The Darkin Bow agreed. And that's how we got to where Varus is now.

But I think it would be an awesome skin-concept to explore Varus' future, similar to Blackfrost Anivia.

Now, rather than just create a skin that would essentially be Aatrox/Rhaast with a Bow - I think it would be cool if Varus' Darkin were female - or, at least, sounded and presented female. Two motivations for this: we do not yet have a female Darkin (although there's still 2 more to be released); and we've never done a gender-swapping skin before. For the latter case, I think a possession/possessed champion would be the perfect opportunity to try.

And what d'you know: while reading Evelynn's development blog, I saw an image that looks remarkably like how I was imaging The Darkin Bow.

https://i.imgur.com/Vd0Ac8k.png

Now I'm just imagining that if you select this skin, you would spawn in as Classic Varus and then trigger a transformation sequence followed by "Thank you, Varus!" or "The deal is done."

(Because I wouldn't want her to mock Varus like Rhaast mocks Kayn).

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/leagueoflegends/images/4/48/Jhin_divider_1.png/revision/latest?cb=20160130005041

P.S. Of course, there's always the possibility that Varus is like the Shadow Assassin - i.e. he won. But even if that's true, exploring an "he lost" skin would be cool.

P.S.2. Other champions that could have a lore-friendly gender-swapped skin are: Brand, since he is just possessing a random body; Zyra, since she grew hers and could grow it to look however she wants; or Evelynn, since her body is just a disguise anyway.

P.S.3. I don't necessarily want this champion to be super-sexualized. The Bow represents Pestilence, so the Darkin Bow could have blotchy skin, and her "demon pants" could look a lot more like being wrapped in tendrils.

P.S.4. Prior to Evelynn's development blog I was using a picture of Nyx from Warframe. I thought her singular horn would make for a more unique silhouette compared to Aatrox and Rhaast (I do like to think in terms of design clarity). Nyx is also... less sexualized. However, the image would take a lot more editing to make look like Varus.

https://i.imgur.com/y9iUvvR.png

24 Comments

Nanuk Pihoqahiak3 votes

I actually like this concept, as it's a skin that isn't going into some other fantasy, but rather plays on an outcome we wouldn't see until he got some kind of update, which would likely never happen.

Tesla Effect3 votes

Why make the most nude male become Evelynn 2.0

Let Varus be the naked dude. Have him have a Darkin skin where he is a buff dude thats an unrealistic standard for men. Cause thats true Equality. Hot chicks and dudes.

Eeyore1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Tesla Effect,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=yFgkbRRI,comment-id=0002,timestamp=2017-10-14T02:57:46.305+0000)

Why make the most nude male become Evelynn 2.0

Let Varus be the naked dude. Have him have a Darkin skin where he is a buff dude thats an unrealistic standard for men. Cause thats true Equality. Hot chicks and dudes.

I'll be completely honest - Varus with his pink leather straps (in his Heartseeker skin) is definitely more my thing than Evelynn or my proposal. However, I'm not suggesting this skin for sexual kicks. I legitimately want to explore a skin concept of a female possessing a male (or vice verse). I also legitimately want to explore a female darkin.

Assuming the Bow, the Sword and the Scythe are actually meant to be a parallel to the Horsemen of the Apocalypse - then this Darkin is Pestilence. I don't necessarily want the character to be super sexual - make her skin blotchy, and her "demon pants" look more like tendrils (this is an Evelynn concept art, after all, and so won't be a perfect match). Plus, she would still have to look like Varus' silhouette from a gameplay perspective - move like he does (stalking around), fire the weapon like he does (i.e. nothing like Ashe), etc.

P.S. Rhaast and Aatrox are already mostly-naked, buff dudes (well, Rhaast is closer to lean, which is much nicer tbh). Part of the reason I want to make this Darkin female is to shake things up.

Dreamspitter2 votes

Do Darkin have innate genders?

Nik Nikerson2 votes

They identify as weapons.

ChuShoe1 votes

Why does varus have the boobs?

does this mean that varus is a hermaphrodite? https://youtu.be/ZBmHBX_w_-s

Eeyore8 votes

I don't think hermaphrodite is the word for a male possessed by a female demon.

ChuShoe1 votes

I'm gonna be honest I really just wanted to use the hermadaphodite meme.

UnboundHades2 votes

the darkins from what we know do not have genders and are just living weapons that possess other beings so he wouldnt magically transform into a female due to a darkin

Eeyore2 votes

{quoted}

the darkins from what we know do not have genders and are just living weapons that possess other beings so he wouldnt magically transform into a female due to a darkin

It's already been stated they are not actually living weapons - they are demons that were imprisoned within weapons. The belief they are living weapons is in-universe only, much like the in-universe belief there's only 3 of them (Riot's really been playing up meta-knowledge in their stories lately).

Plus, even if they do not have genders, they can still present however they like. Rhaast decided to grow hooves, for example, and last time I checked Kayn wasn't a goat-man. Plus, what if Rhaast possessed a female human? It would just keep the boobs with its husky voice? I definitely think there's room to explore Darkin that present differently to the body they infect.

Wrathof3002 votes

Brand is a fire spirit it was a column of fire before it possessed Kegan Rodhe, more than likely it is also using Kegan's voice, unlike Rhaast.

Arakadia1 votes

Why is that more than likely?

Wrathof3001 votes

Brand (column of fire) didn't speak to him or try to tempt him, unlike Rhaast when Kayn came to steal him from the Noxian caravan, this could change in the future though.

Arakadia1 votes

Okay but Brand is both not a darkin and already completely in control of his host. Rhaast is still a weapon during the time you talk of.

Wrathof3001 votes

Rhaast still uses his own voice after taking over Kayn in game, and in the op's initial comment they mentioned that having a male host but a female darkin (or vice versa) would break the meta and be interesting, and for some reason mentioned Brand.

Eeyore1 votes

{quoted}

Rhaast still uses his own voice after taking over Kayn in game, and in the op's initial comment they mentioned that having a male host but a female darkin (or vice versa) would break the meta and be interesting, and for some reason mentioned Brand.

I mentioned Brand, Zyra and Evelynn as other champions that could be gender-swapped and be lore friendly. I'm gonna move that to the bottom of the post, since it appears a lot of people were putting a lot more emphasis onto the fact I mentioned Brand than I intended.

Kaeblen2 votes

He has a point though. I saw that picture before I had read all the way through and was seriously confused.

######Also, I don't think Darkin actually have gender. Still a great (albeit weird) idea though.

Tesla Effect1 votes

While Im totally up for a Female looking Darkin, having it placed on Varus wont work for the simple reason that Darkin dont change the body structure in such a way that they alter the sexual appearance from male to female and vice a versa (this is pretty much confirmed with Kayn and Rhaast since the Darkin form still retains the body shape of its host, no matter if the Darkin in question). They mostly take the sexual form of the host, but in the end it doesnt matter for the Darkin since it just wants a host body to control (they dont have any sex or gender, rather the emposed one by the host)

If at all, the next Darkin character should have a female host body for the same reasons as you stated to have the veriety there. Pallas is already on a male Varus figure, so its kinda late for it to take a female form until that body expires and the weapon picks up by a female host.

PS: Demitsotou art is okey, but the person behind it is horrible and elitist. Not really much related to the post just pointing it out for you.

Eeyore1 votes

[{quoted}](name=Tesla Effect,realm=NA,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=yFgkbRRI,comment-id=0004,timestamp=2017-10-14T22:23:26.340+0000)

While Im totally up for a Female looking Darkin, having it placed on Varus wont work for the simple reason that Darkin dont change the body structure in such a way that they alter the sexual appearance from male to female and vice a versa

If Rhaast is the only case study then that is no proof one way or the other. We have no idea what Aatrox's host looked like - it could have been a yordle. Rhaast has always given the impression he likes Kayn, so maybe he didn't want to change much. However, evidence to the contrast your claim: Rhaast grew hooves. Those aren't part of human physiology.

But even if I run with your rather boring purview, it would still be interesting to have a female voice in a male husk. She could still grow armoured plating to simulate breasts and hips, if she actually cared to.

Tesla Effect1 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Empty Lord,realm=EUW,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=yFgkbRRI,comment-id=00040000,timestamp=2017-10-14T23:56:20.239+0000)

If Rhaast is the only case study then that is no proof one way or the other. We have no idea what Aatrox's host looked like - it could have been a yordle. Rhaast has always given the impression he likes Kayn, so maybe he didn't want to change much. However, evidence to the contrast your claim: Rhaast grew hooves. Those aren't part of human physiology.

But even if I run with your rather boring purview, it would still be interesting to have a female voice in a male husk. She could still grow armoured plating to simulate breasts and hips, if she actually cared to.

Rhaast still retains his human hosts body shape. He didnt grow boobs or change the waste diameter more visual of a woman. He still is comparable to Kayn. Also no on the Aatrox and yordle thing, that just silly to be legit of an argument example.

Eeyore1 votes

It was meant to be silly - it was a response to a silly argument. How can anyone seriously claim that one case study is sufficient to claim it's proof?

Tesla Effect1 votes

[{quoted}](name=The Empty Lord,realm=EUW,application-id=6kFXY1kR,discussion-id=yFgkbRRI,comment-id=0004000000000000,timestamp=2017-10-15T00:08:36.241+0000)

It was meant to be silly - it was a response to a silly argument. How can anyone seriously claim that one case study is sufficient to claim it's proof?

Because the example is the best we got. Speculating with drastically different examples with no foothold in canon material is not a good starting point. We go from what we got, and then speculate from there. Kayn and Rhaast example is a far more important example than a made up one because by the very fact its the only example of an officially confirmed Darkin and Human symbiosis and transformation. Its a proof of what we can expect at the current time and knowledge we have.

A male body going to a female one through Darkin transformation is an example not based in current knowledge we have.

Before the Darkin could have been speculated to the extent of what we had with Aatrox, now to the extent of Aatrox and Rhaast. Varus is still not fully confirmed to have a Darkin weapon despite what fans desire and see similarities with older examples. We go from what we have with Aatrox and Rhaast for now.

iLBGAMing1 votes

I like the idea overall but I don't think making Varus's Darkin female is the right approach, not to sound sexist or anything..

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