Boards›Story, Art, & Sound

Zed did nothing wrong.

Suspicious Salad·3/3/2017, 3:48:28 AM·1 votes·1,364 views

I have recently taken a liking to Zed as a champ I play, and it has recently struck me that Zed was basically a normal ninja, in addition to the fact of being a more realistic ninja in terms of his style. Now, no discredit to the anime loving creators at riot, but contrary to popular belief ninjas are not tanks, nor are they very honorable, and they sure as hell aren't aoe killing machines (It's a video game I know, but if it's a magic ninja at least make it a ninja please?) in reality. Zed is a single target assassin in the sense that he marks ONE DUDE and kills them, as close as you can get in a MOBA. Anyway, our story starts with Jhin's killings. Zed wanted him dead, like a reasonable human. Proof was there, Jhin had every right to a death sentence. Next we have their training. Zed and Shen were even, zed found a shadow box and it gave him an edge, LIKE ANY REAL NINJA WOULD WANT TO HAVE, DUH. But Shen's dad took it as cheating, and evil when THE SHADOW POWERS HAD NOTHING SINISTER ABOUT THEM YET. So he banishes Zed. Now Zed, being banished by some nerd who doesn't know how to be a ninja, gets mad like any person would, and wants the box so he can train himself in the shadow tactics. Where he ultimately kills shen's dad. And now he trains people in a "learn or die" way which, I'll admit is a bit cutthroat but a real ninja would want to learn how to be uh.. idk.. ONE WITH THE SHADOWS ANYWAY? So what did we learn here? Zed wanted to get better, so he learned better moves that had no clear drawbacks, and Shen's dad is an idiot who is too focused on fairness. When he's a ninja. People who literally fight "unfairly" (Stealthily) to win. Ninja does not beat samurai in an honorable 1v1. Ninja beats samurai in a cheap shot.

TL:DR Zed is closer to an actual ninja, but is a bad guy for it. Shen and all them filthy anime fanfic characters are all designed based on a far fetched fantasy outlook that ninjas are honor slaves, and Shen's dad was the whole problem.

If I'm wrong here, please give me an extensive explanation on how shadow powers work. Because rn they just look like a technique that idiots who call themselves ninjas think is bad.

Not trying to make anyone mad here, any seemingly insulting phrases are just banter.

11 Comments

ModAcademy Kayn3/3/2017, 4:15:51 AM6 votes

You see it as "This is an efficient Ninja move, why would they not use it". You are applying our world's view on Ninja's, and imposing it on a separate world that is not our own. In Ionia, the Ninja clan is meant to be Guardians, as Shen is, or the people who you call, when normal authorities can't handle it.

As shown in the Story where Zed, Shen, and Shen's Dad are trying to locate Jhin, as the normal authorities can't handle this case. They believed he was a Demon for pete sake, because of how horrific his killings were. This shows that they are much more "Detective" x "X-files", as they deal with the problems normal people can't. Sure, stealth is sometimes apart of that, but they act just as much in the light as they do the dark. Zed wanted him dead, but the Ninja's in League's universe are still The Law, and must follow The Law. Zed killing Jhin would still be a crime.

When it comes to Zed's powers, there is usually a History we haven't seen before. There is a reason for why this power was banned in the first place, and hence, sealed away. The entire point of the story is the desire to be stronger yes, but at what cost? There is likely a very bloody history used behind those techniques, one associated with Evil. Being the Law, they probably don't want another Evil roaming the lands.

You can't apply our World's Ninja to a fantasy Ninja, as the reason they exist is much more different than ours. Our Ninja were originally Farmers, who took to Guerrilla warfare, but eventually became indebted to The Emperor. Shen and Co are obviously not farmers. They are a part of a Dojo, a Monastery with ideals and beliefs around Balance. Zed broke that ideal, and as such was banished.

TyrekGoldenspear3/3/2017, 4:00:26 AM2 votes

I as a Zed fan like this idea.

Don't tell my buddy Melledoneous though, he's a big Shen fan.

GreenLore3/3/2017, 11:20:49 AM1 votes

Well you say that Shens father banished zed because he saw the shadow powers as cheating. But we don't know if there isn't something inherently evil about the box. The box might not have any immediate negative effects on Zed,but who says that there aren't long term problems? Also there is the point that Zed disregarded the orders of his master.You don't want a pupil who breaks taboos.

And Akali is pretty Ninjalike too.I guess you meant her when you were talking about how ninjas weren't very honorable,but Akali doesn't really seem to give a damm about honor,she just wants to get her mission done.

xSightlessx3/3/2017, 1:44:54 PM1 votes

The ninjas in league arent real ninjas. They dont stealth. Not even akali with her ult.

Meep Man3/3/2017, 4:14:03 PM1 votes

Except Zed did do something wrong since the Kinkou Order aren't a band of dishonorable ninjas. They ARE honorable ninjas and slicing off the head of your teacher/father figure because you used a technique that was probably locked away for a reason. Shen's dad was actually an extremely awesome and blunt guy. He served the lands of Ionia and was cool.

Also, I don't know why you think ninjas are "dishonorable". The ancient ninja clans of Iga and Koga were honorable to their cause. Assassination actually isn't something ninjas very commonly did. They were more about information gathering, sabotage, and the likes. The idea that ninjas are these "fast blades of the night" is false. Ninjas were whatever they needed to be to get the job done, even if that meant wearing fifty pounds of giant armor. They used stealth, but stealth in real life isn't turning invisible. It's disguises.

Ninjas aren't assassins is my point. We don't have a single ninja in our game that is like any ACTUAL ninja, but Shen is probably the most realistic ninja to be honest. Disregarding spirit abilities with Zed and Shen, Shen is very realistic in how he is a ninja in how he defends himself, being through mobility and deflection rather than armor. Even then, Shen, Zed, Akali, and Kennen are all not like real ninjas. An actual ninja would be probably be a Vision/Mind Games Support that tricked and gathered information on the enemy team through camouflage and such.