History Characters / LeagueOfLegendsIToJ

* TheAce: The greatest weapon-master in Runeterra, able to stomp trained soldiers with a lamppost.
--> "Learned every weapon, bested every opponent."

"Wanna line up for your beatdowns or go all at once?"\\
"Let's do this!"\\
"Who wants a piece of the champ?!"

--> "For Icathia! And you know what? Also for me!"

** Also in-universe: Jax is one of the guys who can back up his bravado.

* Really700YearsOld: Jax was present during the events of the destruction of Icathia. His next mention in the lore is his bio where he tries to cross a bridge in modern day Demacia, making him several thousands of years old.

** Even his weapon has been retconned. Now written as a stave containing the last bit of magic from the unleashing of The Void.

** In "Where Icathia Once Stood", despite the story never specifying that Saijax is Jax as we know him, the fact he's described as having and sharing half of one is a notable nudge to the audience.

Jax's alternate skins include [[UsefulNotes/IceHockey The Mighty Jax]], Vandal Jax, [[TheHermit Angler Jax]], [[Webcomic/PennyArcade PAX Jax]], [[GladiatorGames Jaximus]], Temple Jax, Nemesis Jax, [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming SKT T1 Jax]], [[ThePaladin Warden Jax]], God Staff Jax, [[HumongousMecha Mecha Kingdoms Jax]], Conqueror Jax, [[GoldenSuperMode Prestige Conqueror Jax]], and [[ParadoxPerson Empyrean Jax]]. ''Wild Rift'' exclusively includes [[{{Magitek}} Hexplorer Jax]] and [[StarPower Stargazer Jax]].\\

* With his first ability, ''[[DropTheHammer To the Skies!]]'', Jayce leaps to a nearby enemy and slams them with his hammer, damaging and slowing them and other nearby enemies.

* DropTheHammer: The Mercury Hammer, his favored weapon. In his ''Battle Academia Jayce'', he instead chooses to rock [[CarryABigStick a big, high-tech mace]].

Irelia's alternate skins include [[{{Ninja}} Nightblade Irelia]], [[AdventurerOutfit Aviator Irelia]], [[ClassyCatBurglar Infiltrator Irelia]], [[AnIcePerson Frostblade Irelia]], Order of the Lotus Irelia, [[{{Wuxia}} Divine Sword Irelia]], [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming Invictus Gaming Irelia]], [[{{Cyberpunk}} PROJECT: Irelia]], [[GoldenSuperMode Prestige PROJECT: Irelia]], [[WeirdWest High Noon Irelia]], [[ThePaladin Sentinel Irelia]], and [[{{Wutai}} Mythmaker Irelia]]. ''Wild Rift'' exclusively includes Soul Fighter Irelia.\\

Janna's alternate skins include Tempest Janna, [[SteamPunk Hextech Janna]], [[AnIcePerson Frost Queen Janna]], Victorious Janna, [[IntrepidReporter Forecast Janna]], [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming Fnatic Janna]], [[MagicalGirl Star Guardian Janna]], [[{{Wuxia}} Sacred Sword Janna]], [[HotWitch Bewitching Janna]], [[DishingOutDirt Guardian of the Sands Janna]], [[LadyOfWar Battle Queen Janna]], Crystal Rose Janna, [[PoweredArmor Cyber Halo Janna]], and Prestige Cyber Halo Janna. ''Legends of Runeterra'' exclusively includes [[WitchClassic Coven Janna]].\\

* AmbiguouslyHuman:
** Riot has confirmed that they deliberately choose not to confirm if Jax is (or was) a human before he got corrupted by The Void. In a long board post, Riot Scathlocke, Lead Narrative Editor, has deliberately stated that Jax's appearance at that time was normal by Icathian standards, raising the possibility that Jax was a normal human before he was corrupted by the Void OR that Icathians found nothing wrong with having purple 3 fingered warriors among their ranks.
** One possibility is that he may be a [[OurTrollsAreDifferent "sand troll"]], a seemingly mythological being native to Shurima and Ixtal only recently confirmed by Ezreal in his field notes to still exist. We have no definite visual descriptors for what a sand troll looks like, but the fact the ''frost'' trolls in the Freljord feature characteristics similar to Jax (namely [[FourFingeredHands reduced phalanges]] and [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation blue-purple skin]]) lends credence to the theory.

* GlassCannon: At least until he unlocks and is able to properly time the use of his ultimate, then his damage and hardiness both increase dramatically. Jax is one of a few Skirmishers (along with Riven, Yasuo, and Tryndamere) that can easily get away with item builds that are entirely glass cannon since his active ultimate scales in both attack damage and ability power that grants him armor and magic resistance respectfully. He also would be doing a lot of damage with his auto attacks with his mixed-magic damage as icing on the cake depending on how much attack speed he would also have.

* HotBlooded: A spry and boisterous old dude lives for battle.

* ImplausibleFencingPowers: His counter-strike ability consists of him twirling his lamppost around, deflecting all basic attacks: whether from swords, maces, arrows, magic, punches, kicks, bombs, daggers, regurgitated saliva... you get it the idea.

* LightningBruiser: Gains attack speed for a few seconds by hitting basic attacks that stacks up to a cap, can leap towards a target, has an ability to dodge all basic attacks for a short while and then stun enemies around him, and his ultimate passively causes extra damage every three attacks which can be activated to give him bonus armor and magic resistance. Basically a fed Jax hits so hard and fast while being tough that a golden standard for describing how good someone is at dueling is whether or not they can hold their own or even beat him 1v1, especially in comparison to champions who need to build attack speed from items and boost it from an active, Jax passively gains it, so he always has a form of DPS (which makes him one of ''the best'' split-pushers in the game, since he always has attack speed in his kit without any need of an active or setup from runes and items).
** In fact, it's almost an obligation to purchase health items firsthand before going offensive because being able to last in teamfights is much more valuable as Jax than being able to one-shot someone, as the items that he most commonly buy (Sterak's Gage, the first Death's Dance rework, and pre-reworked Titanic Hydra) syncs really well with his playstyle, even after the item shop rework in the following preseason. The addition of Divine Sunderer into his purchase list does help wonders, giving him sustain and burst all in one purchase.

** Again this is on Summoner's Rift, on Twisted Treeline he's one of the most dangerous characters to go up against from the start. There's also the fact he may eventually have his killing sprees end against more savvy teams and players at higher levels of play, since you have to be wary of anyone who can properly kite him and disable him before he can even get close to them.

* NiceGuy: For a warrior well past his hundreds, Jax manages to be a pretty chill and amicable guy outside of combat with most of his lines showing a very lax attitude towards danger. He's on good terms with the band of unlikely warriors he's cobbled together in his travels.
* OddFriendship: Apparently he's drinking buddies with Gragas, a bit of lore from before retcons that snuck back into his modern voice over.
-->'''Jax''': "Hey Gragas! What do you say you and I grab a drink after this?!"

-->'''Jax''': "Got more scars than years, and got a ''lot'' of years."

--->'''Jax''': "Wanna line up for your beatdowns or go all at once?"

* PunnyName: Jaximus, a play on the Roman name Maximus.

-->'''Jax''': Fiora! Ready for a rematch?!

* TalkToTheFist: Well, to the lamp at any rate, but Jax really doesn't care for grandiose speeches. He can back up his {{Badass Boast}}s - his opponents seldom can.

Jax's alternate skins include [[UsefulNotes/IceHockey The Mighty Jax]], Vandal Jax, [[TheHermit Angler Jax]], PAX Jax, [[GladiatorGames Jaximus]], Temple Jax, Nemesis Jax, [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming SKT T1 Jax]], [[ThePaladin Warden Jax]], God Staff Jax, [[HumongousMecha Mecha Kingdoms Jax]], Conqueror Jax, [[GoldenSuperMode Prestige Conqueror Jax]], and [[ParadoxPerson Empyrean Jax]]. ''Wild Rift'' exclusively includes [[{{Magitek}} Hexplorer Jax]] and [[StarPower Stargazer Jax]].\\

* TheFaceless: Never seen without his masks, which raised the question of whether those glowing lights seen through the mask-holes are a set of goggles (like Master Yi's) or if those ''are'' part of his face. Jax's short story, ''[[http://universe.leagueoflegends.com/en_US/story/jax-color-story None Shall Pass]]'', confirms he wears a mask and he has a face under it, but we still don't see it. The story implies that Jax may have been disfigured beyond recognition and that even Jax himself doesn't know what he looks like anymore, either way.. don't ask about it. He's [[NeverHeardThatOneBefore heard that question enough]] that it ''ticks him off''.

* OddFriendship: He and Caitlyn have been portrayed as friends as of late despite the fact that she's a rather straight laced by-the-book cop and he's kind of an assholish inventor with an independent streak. In a trailer for ''Wild Rift'', they are shown having a friendly competition during target practice before setting off together to deal with a nearby threat of some kind. ''Arcane'' depicts a friendship between the two of them that began due to her mother serving as his patron to the Piltover Academy that continued years later even after he had lost her family's patronage (and gained it from another family).

* OddFriendship: He and Caitlyn have been portrayed as friends as of late despite the fact that she's a rather straight laced by-the-book cop and he's kind of an assholish inventor with an independent streak. In a trailer for ''Wild Rift'', they are shown having a friendly competition during target practice before setting off together to deal with a nearby threat of some kind. ''Arcane'' depicts a friendship between the two of them that began due to her mother serving as his patron to the Piltover Academy that continued years later even after he had lost her family's patronage (and gained it from another family).

Illaoi's alternate skins include [[PowerOfTheVoid Void Bringer Illaoi]], [[LaResistance Resistance Illaoi]], [[CosmicEntity Cosmic Invoker Illaoi]], and Snow Moon Illaoi.\\

In season 3 of ''Teamfight Tactics'', Illaoi was added in the ''Return to the Stars'' mid-set update using her Resistance Illaoi skin and is a 1 cost Battlecast Brawler. Her ability is ''Tentacle Smash'', which slams a tentacle in a line in front of Illaoi, damaging all enemies hit and stealing a percentage of their armor and magic resistance for a few seconds. She was removed in season 4, returning in season 6 using her base skin as a Tier 1 Mercenary Bruiser. Her ability was changed to ''Harsh Lesson'', which slams her target for magic damage and links their souls for a few seconds, healing Illaoi for a percentage of all damage taken by the linked enemy. In season 7, she uses her Cosmic Invoker Illaoi skin as a Tier 3 Astral Bruiser. Her ability was changed to ''Cosmic Smash'', which is largely identical to her season 3 ability aside from slamming three tentacles in a cone instead of one. She was removed in the ''Uncharted Realms'' mid-set update, returning to her base skin in season 9's ''Horizonbound'' mid-set update as a Tier 1 Bilgewater Bastion, with ''Harsh Lesson'' returning as her ability.\\

In season 2 of ''Teamfight Tactics'', Jax uses his God Staff Jax skin, and is a Tier 2 Light Berserker. His ability is ''Counter Strike'', which lets him dodge all enemy basic attacks for a few seconds then damaging and stunning all enemies around him. He was removed in season 3, only to return essentially unchanged in season 4 as a Tier 2 Divine Duellist. In season 5, he uses his Warden Jax skin as a Tier 4 Ironclad Skirmisher. His ability was changed to ''Empowered Strike'', which strikes his target for a percentage of his attack damage and grants Jax a stacking attack speed bonus for the rest of the round; Jax will also leap to the nearest enemy if there are no enemies in his attack range when casting. He was removed in season 6, returning in season 7's ''Uncharted Realms'' mid-set update using his Prestige Conqueror Jax skin as a Tier 2 Jade Shimmerscale Bruiser, with ''Counter Strike'' returning as his ability. In season 8, he uses his Mecha Kingdoms Jax skin and was changed to a Tier 3 Mecha: PRIME Brawler. His new ''Adaptive Strike'' ability is a passive that causes Jax to leap to his target and deal bonus magic damage with every third basic attack. Each empowered attack further increases the bonus damage up to seven times.\\

[[caption-width-right:308:"Let's do this."]]

Individual Champions: [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsAatrox Aatrox]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsAhri Ahri]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsDarius Darius]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsFiddlesticks Fiddlesticks]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsGaren Garen]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsGraves Graves]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsJhin Jhin]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsJinx Jinx]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsKayle Kayle]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsLux Lux]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsMordekaiser Mordekaiser]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsMorgana Morgana]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsNunuAndWillump Nunu & Willump]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsPantheon Pantheon]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsSwain Swain]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsThresh Thresh]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsUdyr Udyr]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsViego Viego]] | [[Characters/LeagueOfLegendsYasuo Yasuo]]\\

* CherryTapping:
** In his old lore, Jax faced a slew of restrictions from the Institute of War because he was undefeatable and it was not fair to the other competitors. Jax responded by wielding a number of joke weapons instead and his winning streak remained unchanged. Afterwards, even after the sanctions were removed on him, he continued to use his lamp post to both challenge himself and to mock the other competitors. Of course, when you're Jax, the damage is very real, JokeItem or not.
** The Institute of War no longer exists, but he still fights with a lamppost to give his opponents a winning chance. Subverted in that the lamp post may very well contain the last light of Icathia and may very well be an extremely powerful artifact on its own.
--->"Yes, you did just lose to a guy with a lamppost."

* TheFaceless: Never seen without his masks, which raised the question of whether those glowing lights seen through the mask-holes are a set of goggles (like Master Yi's) or if those ''are'' part of his face. Jax's short story, ''[[http://universe.leagueoflegends.com/en_US/story/jax-color-story None Shall Pass]]'', confirms he wears a mask and he has a face under it, but we still don't see it. The story implies that Jax may have been disfigured beyond recognition and that even Jax himself doesn't know what he looks like anymore.

* GameBreaker: An in-universe example, eventually resulting in [[ExpospeakGag "special sanctions"]] being [[{{Nerf}} "placed against" him]] to keep the League fair.
* GameplayAndStorySegregation: In Jax's initial lore, Jax was restricted to only using a lamppost, a chicken’s foot, a spatula, and a fishing rod. However, in his Jaximus, Nemesis Jax or Temple Jax skins, he is NOT using any of those things and is rather using actual weapons, though Riot themselves say on some source they're actually props.

* HighTierScrappy: His backstory is an in-universe example of this trope. When you solve political struggles by gladiatorial combat, having an unbeatable fighter in the mix can cause quite a few concerns.

* MyGreatestFailure: From his interaction with the Icathian Mirage, the Fall of Icathia is still somewhat of a sore spot for him.
-->'''Icathian Mirage''' (upon seeing an allied Jax arriving on the field): "You bound towards war and cower from Icathia!"
-->'''Jax''': "Guilty! And...guilty."
* NamedAfterSomeoneFamous: It's possible his name is derived from Ajax, the mythical Greek warrior from Literature/TheIliad. There's also Garret Jax, the Weapons Master from Literature/TheWishsongOfShannara.

* NoodleIncident: It's never really explained how or why he was granted immediate entrance to the League while skipping most of what normal entrants have to go through. Whatever it was, the lore says, the League's High Councilor saw fit to grant him the quickest Judgement and acceptance in League history.

-->"Hey Gragas! What do you say you and I grab a drink after this?!"

* OneManArmy: It's often been pointed out a fed Jax can become this for sure, if you can get past his aforementioned MagikarpPower that is. However, like any melee carry, he can easily be kited, and baited into a situation disastrous for any person focusing on 1v1 regardless. Most likely Jax can't take out a fully-healthy team all by himself unless he's truly fed or even initiate a teamfight like most bruisers, otherwise, he's better at taking out only select targets, forcing 1v1, split-pushing, or even more fitting for his role as OneManArmy, cleaning up a teamfight that involves his enemies having most of their resources used up or almost dead.

-->Fiora! Ready for a rematch?!

-->'''Aatrox''': A worthy vessel! Come, Jax!

->''"Wisdom is frequently a kick in the head."''

Illaoi’s powerful physique is dwarfed only by her indomitable faith. As the prophet of the Great Kraken, she uses a huge, golden idol to rip her foes’ spirits from their bodies and shatter their perception of reality. All who challenge the “Truth Bearer of Nagakabouros” soon discover Illaoi never battles alone—the god of the Serpent Isles fights by her side.\\

->''"There was a time when I danced only for myself. Now, I dance for the First Lands."''

The Noxian occupation of Ionia produced many heroes, none more unlikely than young Irelia of Navori. Trained in the ancient dances of her province, she adapted her art for war, using the graceful and carefully practiced movements to levitate a host of deadly blades. After proving herself as a fighter, she was thrust into the role of resistance leader and figurehead, and to this day remains dedicated to the preservation of her homeland.\\

->''"The cleverness of mushrooms always surprises me."''

Ivern Bramblefoot, known to many as the Green Father, is a peculiar half man, half tree who roams Runeterra’s forests, cultivating life everywhere he goes. He knows the secrets of the natural world, and holds deep friendships with all things that grow, fly, and scuttle. Ivern wanders the wilderness, imparting strange wisdom to any he meets, enriching the forests, and occasionally entrusting loose-lipped butterflies with his secrets.\\

->''"Do not fear the winds of change – they will always be at your back."''

Armed with the power of Runeterra’s gales, Janna is a mysterious, elemental wind spirit who protects the dispossessed of Zaun. Some believe she was brought into existence by the pleas of Runeterra’s sailors who prayed for fair winds as they navigated treacherous waters and braved rough tempests. Her favor and protection has since been called into the depths of Zaun, where Janna has become a beacon of hope to those in need. No one knows where or when she will appear, but more often than not, she’s come to help.\\

->''"Words may make a ruler, but only actions make history."''

Prince Jarvan, scion of the Lightshield dynasty, is heir apparent to the throne of Demacia. Raised to be a paragon of his nation’s greatest virtues, he is forced to balance the heavy expectations placed upon him with his own desire to fight on the front lines. Jarvan inspires his troops with his fearsome courage and selfless determination, raising his family’s colors high and revealing his true strength as a future leader of his people.\\

\\

->''"Picking a fight with me is the dumbest thing you’ve done today – and that’s saying a lot."''

Jayce is a brilliant inventor who has pledged his life to the defense of Piltover and its unyielding pursuit of progress. With his transforming hextech hammer in hand, Jayce uses his strength, courage, and considerable intelligence to protect his hometown. While revered throughout the city as a hero, he hasn’t taken well to the attention heroism brings. Still, Jayce’s heart is in the right place, and even those who envy his natural skills are grateful for his protection in the City of Progress.\\

* PlayingWithFire: His lantern lets him imbue his attacks with magic fire, giving an extra edge to his strikes like when he uses ''Empower''. The flame element is a lot more pronounced with his visual update, leaving trails of flame with every strike.

Jax's alternate skins include [[UsefulNotes/IceHockey The Mighty Jax]], Vandal Jax, [[TheHermit Angler Jax]], PAX Jax, [[GladiatorGames Jaximus]], Temple Jax, Nemesis Jax, [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming SKT T1 Jax]], [[ThePaladin Warden Jax]], God Staff Jax, [[HumongousMecha Mecha Kingdoms Jax]], Conqueror Jax, [[GoldenSuperMode Prestige Conqueror Jax]], and [[ParadoxPerson Empyrean Jax]]. ''Wild Rift'' exclusively includes [[{{Magitek}} Hexplorer Jax]].\\

Irelia's alternate skins include [[{{Ninja}} Nightblade Irelia]], [[AdventurerOutfit Aviator Irelia]], [[ClassyCatBurglar Infiltrator Irelia]], [[AnIcePerson Frostblade Irelia]], Order of the Lotus Irelia, [[{{Wuxia}} Divine Sword Irelia]], [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming Invictus Gaming Irelia]], [[{{Cyberpunk}} PROJECT: Irelia]], [[GoldenSuperMode Prestige PROJECT: Irelia]], [[WeirdWest High Noon Irelia]], [[ThePaladin Sentinel Irelia]], and [[{{Wutai}} Mythmaker Irelia]].\\

Jarvan's alternate skins include [[TheSquad Commando Jarvan IV]], [[TheDragonslayer Dragon Slayer Jarvan IV]], [[BlackKnight Darkforge Jarvan IV]], Victorious Jarvan IV, [[VideoGame/DynastyWarriors Warring Kingdoms Jarvan IV]], [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming Fnatic Jarvan IV]] [[PowerOfTheVoid Dark Star Jarvan IV]], [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming SSG Jarvan IV]], [[{{Magitek}} Hextech Jarvan IV]], [[BeachEpisode Pool Party Jarvan IV]], Lunar Beast Jarvan IV, [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming Worlds 2021 Jarvan IV]], and Nightbringer Jarvan IV. ''Wild Rift'' exclusively includes Crystal Rose Jarvan IV.\\

Janna's alternate skins include Tempest Janna, [[SteamPunk Hextech Janna]], [[AnIcePerson Frost Queen Janna]], Victorious Janna, [[IntrepidReporter Forecast Janna]], [[UsefulNotes/ProfessionalGaming Fnatic Janna]], [[MagicalGirl Star Guardian Janna]], [[{{Wuxia}} Sacred Sword Janna]], [[HotWitch Bewitching Janna]], [[DishingOutDirt Guardian of the Sands Janna]], [[LadyOfWar Battle Queen Janna]], Crystal Rose Janna, [[PoweredArmor Cyber Halo Janna]], and Prestige Cyber Halo Janna.\\

%%[[caption-width-right:308:some caption text]]

[-"Let's do this."-][[/labelnote]]]]

''[vs. Void Champs]'' Voidborn, I'll light the way back to the pick you crawled out of!

* CarryABigStick: Jax fights entirely with pole-arm-based combat, with every skin equipping him with different staffs and long-ranged melee weapons, his default being his famous lantern.

* CarryABigStick: Vandal Jax wields a wooden club with nails in it; overall, this is how Jax fights in all of his skins as he focuses so far more on pole-arm-based combat.

* CostumeEvolution: ''[=LoR=]'' takes some notable liberties with his classic outfit; not only is his mask more ornate than before, but he also [[SleevesAreForWimps ditches his sleeves]] to show off some huge biceps, and is adorned with several pieces of leather and gold armor for protection. Not to mention the puffy fur collar for traveling. This design serves as the basis for his 2023 Visual Update.

-->Hey Gragas! What do you say you and I grab a drink after this?!

->''"Who wants a piece of the champ?"''

Unmatched in both his skill with unique armaments and his biting sarcasm, Jax is the last known weapons master of Icathia. After his homeland was laid low by its own hubris in unleashing the Void, Jax and his kind vowed to protect what little remained. As magic now rises in the world, this slumbering threat stirs once more, and Jax roams Valoran, wielding the last light of Icathia and testing all warriors he meets to see if any are strong enough to stand beside him...\\

** Come 2023, after over a decade of retaining his original model from ''League'''s original launch, Jax is slated for a full visual update, rebuilding his model and animations from scratch.

-->Eatin' good tonight!

-->Yes, you did just lose to a guy with a lamppost.

* SmugSuper: Oh yeah. He makes Fiora look humble. Specifically his quote [[http://images.wikia.com/leagueoflegends/images/0/0d/Jax.taunt.ogg "Who wants a piece of the champ?"]] or [[http://images.wikia.com/leagueoflegends/images/d/d2/Jax.joke.ogg "Imagine if I had a REAL weapon!"]]
* TrademarkFavoriteFood: Hard-boiled eggs. In "Where Icathia Once Stood", despite the story never specifying that Saijax is Jax as we know him, the fact he's described as having and sharing half of one is a notable nudge to the audience.

''[vs. Malzahar]'' Prophet of the Void? Bet you didn't see this coming!