History Awesome / LeagueofLegends

* [[https://universe.leagueoflegends.com/en_US/story/whatoncesailedfree/ "What Once Sailed Free"]] has Xin Zhao, freed from Noxian service and offered freedom by Jarvan III, ask to join the kings elite guard. When Jarvan asks him to prove himself, he does so by stomping his gathered guards, including Garen's mother, the then head of the Dauntless Vanguard. Jarvan offers him a spot then and there.

* After the well-received use of AugmentedReality to make the Elder Dragon fly down into the stadium during the opening ceremony of the 2017 Worlds Grand Final, Riot upped the ante during the 2018 ceremony by having [[GirlGroup K/DA]] perform their debut single POP/STAR live for the crowd- not just the real life performers, but also [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9oDlvOV3qs the characters they perform making a live appearance]]- Ahri, Akali, Kai'Sa and Evelynn dancing and singing for the cheering crowd.

* Braum can't get through a mountain gate in a backstory. So what does he do? ''[[CuttingTheKnot Punch through the mountain instead!]]'' Then, once on the other side, he lifts the massive gate off its hinges to use as a shield. Because if it can stand up to him punching it, it's MadeOfIndestructium.

* WhamEpisode MSI 2019: History has been made.

** And the winner of MSI 2019? After all the twists and all the anticipation, [[spoiler: G2 ''[[CurbStompBattle annihilate]]'' TL in a horrific 3-0 orgy of violence, setting a new record for the shortest best-of-five series in competitive LoL history!]] With MSI 2019 following on from the already shocking Worlds 2018, the paradigm has well and truly ''[[NothingIsTheSameAnyMore shifted]].''

* [[WhamEpisode MSI 2019: History has been made.]]
** [[spoiler: First, LCS's Team Liquid vs. LPL's Invictus Gaming. Team Liquid, who barely managed to escape the group stage with a 4-6 record, (also marking the first time TL's ADC Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng has advanced from the group stages in an international event) went up against Worlds 2018 champion Invictus Gaming, who breezed through TL (2-0'ing them) and the group stage with a 9-1 record. All eyes were on IG sweeping TL 3-0. But after a teamfight on the top lane that led to 4 for 1 trade in favor of TL, everything started to collapse for the reigning world champions, and they would lose Game 1. Game 2 was more of the same, with TL outplaying and making the proactive plays to bring them to the brink of eliminating the LPL Spring Champions. IG would hit back hard in return, with Rookie's Leblanc and Jackeylove's Xayah decimating the field to force Game 4. But TL would not be denied, dominating the Chinese squad in Game 4 with Xmithie's Skarner and Jensen's Lux, [[HolyShitQuotient eliminating the Worlds 2018 champions!]]]]
** [[spoiler: [[HistoryRepeats LEC's G2 Esports vs. LCK's SKT Telecom T1.]] The last time they met at the knockout stage of an international event SKT won 3-1 against G2 at the MSI 2017 Finals. Now, they meet once more. G2 Esports came into MSI 2019 as a favorite after having an absolutely dominant LEC Spring Split, but could only muster a mediocre 5-5 group stage record to finish 3rd, while SKT Telecom T1, who were looking to make a huge return on the international stage, notched a 7-3 record, and also being the only team to hand a loss to Invictus Gaming. It was a back-and-forth series with both teams trading wins. But the pivotal moments came in Game 4, where, after being behind for quite a while now, Faker, on Sylas, steals Wunder's Mega Gnar and unleashed it on all of G2, resulting in almost acing the European squad. Wunder, however, would retaliate in the closing moments where he and Caps went for a backdoor push onto SKT's nexus. While 3 of SKT came back to deny them the push, successfully killing off Caps, Wunder would use Mega Gnar and deal two more hits on the core, forcing Game 5! Game 5 was almost as close as the previous game, with SKT making the huge plays to try to comeback once more, even acing G2 before making the push onto Baron. But G2 would hand SKT an ace of their own, taking Baron in the process, and ultimately make the push to win Game 5. With this, G2 make their second MSI Finals!]]
** [[spoiler: So, if it hasn't sunk in for you just yet: '''[[CueTheFlyingPigs IT'S AN NA VS. EU FINAL!!!]]''']]

** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyogR2lfy88 [=Cloud9=]'s journey to Worlds (covered by [=theScore=] esports)]] and their performance there so far is something of note. At the NA LCS Summer Split, the team had decided to do some roster switching/experimenting between their main squad and their Academy squad, benching their Midlaner Jensen, their AD Carry Sneaky, and their Support Smoothie in favor of their Academy players, and this had resulted in them at one point becoming ''10th'' [[note]]i.e. ''dead last'' [[/note]] in the LCS by Week 5. However, that was when things started to click when they brought back Jensen and Sneaky, with with their subs Goldenglue (switching for Jensen from time to time), Zeyzal as their permanent support for the main squad, and Jungler Blaber (for Svenskeren from time to time as well) doing spectacularly in their games along with their main squad members, managing to claw their way back into contention. But while [=C9=] did get knocked out by TL (the same TL who knocked them out in the Spring Split as stated above) in the Summer Split Finals, they didn't lose their form, and it came down to the Regional Finals where they had to face NA arch-rivals TSM to determine the last NA representative at Worlds. [=C9=] won and qualified for Worlds for the sixth time and into the Play-In Stage. There, they dominated their group, but nearly had their chances to play in Groups ended due to Gambit Esports playing their best game in Round 2, but they won Game 5 to advance. [[spoiler: And of course, the phenomenal decider day performance that got C9 their fifth Quarterfinal berth. [[{{Irony}} While [=C9=] had the toughest journey to even make it to the Group Stage but got to Quarterfinals anyway, their other NA representatives, Team Liquid and 100 Thieves, had already qualified much earlier but were both eliminated in Groups. [=Cloud9=], funnily enough, has truly solidified themselves as North America's best representative at Worlds regardless of their journey.]]]]

* You thought the upsets were over? [[WhamEpisode The first two Quarterfinals series of Worlds 2018 proved that no one was truly safe from elimination.]]

** The other series was LPL 1st seed Royal Never Give Up vs. EU LCS 3rd seed G2 Esports. RNG came into Worlds having won both the LPL Spring and Summer Split ''and'' MSI 2018, cementing themselves as ''the'' favorite to win it all. G2, on the other hand, had to fight their way through the Regional Qualifiers and the Play-In stage to make it to Groups, and won in a tiebreaker over LMS 1st seed Flash Wolves for 2nd place in Group A, marking the EU team's ''first'' ever knockout stage appearance. [[EveryYearTheyFizzleOut And with a tendency for G2 to collapse in Worlds,]] many weren't favoring G2 to advance. And at first, it didn't look like they were wrong, as RNG dominated Game 1. However, G2 weren't gonna throw in the towel in the face of the strongest team in the world at that point, and went with their signature 1-3-1 play style to win Games 2 and 4 to force out ''another'' Game 5. In Game 5, G2 had drafted champions that heavily favored an early game, while RNG drafted a lineup that needed enough time to scale to the late game to overwhelm the opposition. Right from the get-go, G2 outpaced them in kills and net worth, but as time went on, RNG's champions were slowly starting to make things difficult for G2 to win fights. G2 were running out of time, but they managed to get Baron and gradually start to take down RNG's inhibitor towers. In a final teamfight that could tip the scales in either side, G2's Jankos managed to find the last hit onto RNG's Uzi, and from that point, everything collapsed for the Chinese squad, and G2, against all odds, eliminated ''the'' favorite to win Worlds!
** Up next was a series between the last hopes of the LCK (Afreeca Freecs) and the NA LCS ([=Cloud9=]). What many had predicted was that [=Cloud9=]'s miracle run would end, with their unpredictability being read and halted by Korea's inevitable advancement. [[HolyShitQuotient They couldn't be more wrong than that.]] Game 1 went to [=C9=] easily, but Games 2 and 3 had [=AFs=] winning the early game, but in Game 2, pick-offs from [=C9=] onto key members of Afreeca turned the game around in their favor, and Game 3 was highlighted by a 2v5 on Baron, and despite being ''three'' teammates down, [=C9=]'s rookie top laner Licorice, with the help of Jensen, '''STOLE THE BARON BUFF.''' From there, Afreeca had nowhere to go but down. The next teamfight resulted in a teamwipe in the NA team's favor, and [=Cloud9=] marched forth to destroy Afreeca's Nexus. For the first time in seven years, North America advanced to the semifinals, and more importantly, for the first time, [[WhamLine Korea has been eliminated from Worlds!]]

* Up next was a series between the last hopes of the LCK (Afreeca Freecs) and the NA LCS ([=Cloud9=]). What many had predicted was that [=Cloud9=]'s miracle run would end, with their unpredictability being read and halted by Korea's inevitable advancement. [[HolyShitQuotient They couldn't be more wrong than that.]] Game 1 went to [=C9=] easily, but Games 2 and 3 had [=AFs=] winning the early game, but in Game 2, pick-offs from [=C9=] onto key members of Afreeca turned the game around in their favor, and Game 3 was highlighted by a 2v5 on Baron, and despite being ''three'' teammates down, [=C9=]'s rookie top laner Licorice, with the help of Jensen, '''STOLE THE BARON BUFF.''' From there, Afreeca had nowhere to go but down. The next teamfight resulted in a teamwipe in the NA team's favor, and [=Cloud9=] marched forth to destroy Afreeca's Nexus. For the first time in seven years, North America advanced to the semifinals, and more importantly, for the first time, [[WhamLine Korea has been eliminated from Worlds!]]

** First up was LCK 1st seed KT Rolster vs. LPL 2nd seed Invictus Gaming. Right from the start, it looked like IG actually had KT's number, taking a 2-0 lead already in the series. IG would've swept them if not for an incredibly heart-stopping Game 3 that saw the game come down into an insane base race, with IG's [=TheShy=] racing out four of KT in destroying the Nexus, but KT's Smeb, who had stayed in their base to defend against [=TheShy=], stalled out IG's top laner and even teleported to assist KT in ending the game, forcing Game 4! KT took Game 4 easily enough, but Game 5 had IG recovering and in full control from the mid game and never looked back, eliminating one of the favorites to win the Summoner's Cup!

* At Worlds 2018, Group B was considered that year's 'Group of Death' due to the fact that both 2018 LPL Champions Royal Never Give Up and defending champions Gen.G (formerly the SSG 2017 roster) were seeded in the same group, with the 'unfortunate' West teams grouped up there being EU 2nd seed Team Vitality and NA 3rd seed [=Cloud9=] (who had one of the most difficult roads to qualify for Worlds), and many predicted that Gen.G and RNG would dominate the group and would meet in the Finals...[[spoiler:until Team Vitality made the first of many upsets at Worlds by defeating Gen.G. Things got worse for Gen.G as they were knocked down by RNG, but they did manage to win against [=C9=] to ensure themselves tied up against Vitality and [=C9=], and you'd think they'll bounce back better, right? '''WRONG.''' Gen.G went ''0-3'' in the Group B decider day, becoming the first Korean team in ''five years'' to be eliminated in the Group Stage from Worlds! It's worth noting too that in the decider day for Group B, ''both'' West teams managed a winning record, while RNG struggled before defeating Gen.G and [=C9=] in the tiebreaker to get first. In one day, Group B went from being the most predictable group to the most heart-stopping one yet, with epic games played by the Western teams. With [=C9=] taking second place in their group, qualifying for Quarterfinals for the ''fifth'' time in six years, and with Team Vitality making upsetting games against RNG and Gen.G in ''their first Worlds appearance,'' many fans had decided then and there that the West had truly caught up to both China and Korea.]]
** [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyogR2lfy88 [=Cloud9=]'s journey to Worlds (covered by [=theScore=] esports)]] and their performance there so far is something of note. At the NA LCS Summer Split, the team had decided to do some roster switching/experimenting between their main squad and their Academy squad, benching their Midlaner Jensen, their AD Carry Sneaky, and their Support Smoothie, and this had resulted in them at one point becoming ''10th'' in the LCS by Week 5. However, that was when things started to click, bringing back Jensen and Sneaky, with Goldenglue (switching for Jensen from time to time), Zeyzal as their permanent support for the main squad, and Jungler Blaber (for Svenskeren) doing spectacularly in their games along with their main squad members, managing to claw their way back into contention. But while [=C9=] did get knocked out by TL as stated above in the Spring Split and again in the Summer Split Finals, they didn't lose their form, and it came down to the Regional Finals where they had to face NA arch-rivals TSM to determine the last NA representative at Worlds. [=C9=] won and qualified for Worlds for the sixth time and into the Play-In Stage. There, they dominated their group, but nearly had their chances to play in Groups ended due to Gambit Esports playing their best game in Round 2, but they won Game 5 to advance. [[spoiler: And of course, the statements above that got C9 their fifth Quarterfinal berth. [[{{Irony}} While [=C9=] had the toughest journey to even make it to the Group Stage but got to Quarterfinals anyway, their other NA representatives, Team Liquid and 100 Thieves, had the easier qualification and were both eliminated in Groups. [=Cloud9=], funnily enough, has truly solidified themselves as North America's best representative regardless of their journey.]]]]

* The music video for the 2014 League of Legends World Championship theme, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmI_Ndrxy14 Warriors]] is pure VisualEffectsOfAwesome. It sums up ''EVERYTHING'' the grins to pro is in League of Legends.

** Riot raised the bar even further with [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tEnsqpThaFg "A Twist of Fate"]]. The animation quality has improved to such incredible levels that the human champions are almost possible to mistake for real people and the action is indescribably awesome, especially the sudden and unexpected appearance at the end of '''[[spoiler:Baron Nashor]]'''.

** Jinx is the first champion to get her own fully animated music video, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=0nlJuwO0GDs 'Get Jinxed']] in the lead-up to her release. Featuring a beautiful mix of 2D and 3D animation, it is ''incredible.''
** Riot has released yet another amazing, and surprisingly brutal cinematic in the form of [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzHrjOMfHPY "A New Dawn"]]. Featuring an entirely new cast of champions, outside of Katarina who makes her return from "A Twist Of Fate." Especially awesome is the use of Nautilus, who is outright colossal compared to the other, human sized champions, and Rengar, who's fuzzy appearance is masterfully rendered.

** Speaking of new skins, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAiOAert8us DJ Sona's Ultimate Concert]]. Fans had been clamouring for a DJ Sona skin for literal YEARS and the result not only did not disappoint, it ''smashed'' expectatations.

** The video reveal for the latest champion, Ekko, the Boy Who Shattered Time- [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtEpp9lkfxA Ekko: Seconds]]. You'd be hard-pressed to find a better representation of the abilities of a TimeMaster as scrappy young punk Ekko clashes against a giant cybernetic monster armed with a HUGE PowerFist using the power of SaveScumming.

* Kassadin deserves a mention for staring into the Void... and retaining his humanity (just his human form) that he resolves to protect Runeterra from the terrors of the Void. A heroic Void-based champion.
* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CYyuH1Bp2ZI Shurima: Rise of the Ascended]] features gorgeous visuals and breathtaking landscape shots. It's truly a step-up in art and cinematography compared to the usual lore overhauls that we tend to see. (YMMV on the storytelling part, however.)
* In act 3 of Bilgewater: Burning Tides, in which Miss Fortune pulls an impressive BatmanGambit against Gangplank involving Twisted Fate and Graves, destroys his ship and apparently ''kills'' Gangplank in front of the entire city-state. At this point, you'll never see MF as merely just your average '{{Stripperiffic}} [[BuxomIsBetter big titted]] PirateGirl' again.

* In ''A Good Death'', [[GrimReaper the Kindred]] tell the young actress Magga that [[WowingCthulhu they enjoy her acting]] during a chance meeting. Afterwards, she went on to become famous for being the greatest portrayal of Lamb and Wolf.

** Also, both Braum and Ornn get another moment. The "gate" that Braum wields? ORNN made it, and no one could ever get through it for centuries, since, as mentioned before, its MadeOfIndestructium. Braum not only did go through it, but he also wields it now.

** The upcoming champion Bard has an [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX8iSobsKTY AWESOME]] piece of animation as part of his introduction, done again by [[WesternAnimation/TheLegendofKorra Studio Mir]]. The animations are ridiculously fluid and the video makes you hungry to learn more about Bard's backstory.

[[folder:Other]]
* Behold, the first Pentakill [[https://youtu.be/5-mT9D4fdgQ music video.]]
[[/folder]]

** Not only did TL win, but two of the three previous champion teams didn't even make it into the playoff. And 3rd place TSM was knocked out by 6th place Clutch Gaming 1-3 in the quarterfinals. The reign of the old guard TSM, C9, and CLG has been toppled. TL's own run was no less impressive, beating out C9 3-0 in the quarterfinals, 2nd place team Echo Fox 3-1 in the semifinals, and 1st place team 100 Thieves 3-0 in the finals.