History FanPreferredCouple / LeagueOfLegends

* Katarina and Garen. It began as a fandom joke of OppositesAttract, since Garen and Katarina had essentially nothing in common and are in opposing factions. Garen's background ''clearly'' shows he has a thing for her, but whether she would reciprocate is undetermined. However, Riot began piling on the tease as a result of the ship's popularity;
** 2015 champ Tahm Kench is a DevilInPlainSight who offers people what they most want and seems to be able to read their unspoken desires (e.g. nobody can understand Gnar, but Tahm offers to transport him back home through time). [[{{ShipperOnDeck}} Tahm's deals for Garen and Katarina are to take each to the other.]]
** 2015 champ Illaoi also favors the pairing, taunting Garen to forget his honor and duty and follow his heart and reminding Katarina that all love is possible.
** 2016 champ Jhin's taunts continue to fuel the fire, calling them "star-crossed lovers" and telling Katarina her "finale will be a duet".
** 2017 sees that Lux, Garen's sister, also finds shipping them together cute. [[{{LittleSisterInstinct}} Only as long as they don't go too far, though.]]
---> '''Lux''': Kat and Garen [[KissingInATree sittin' in a tree!]] And you'd better just be holding hands, or I'm telling!
** Maokai's 2017 rework added this gem.
---> '''Maokai''': Stop [[SweetieGraffiti carving words into my bark]]! [[EveryoneCanSeeIt Everyone knows]] G <3 K!
** 2018's God-King Garen denies any interest in Katarina, but he does profess his intention to [[FreudianSlip kiss h--]] er, ''smite''. Smite her.
** The Odyssey teaser from the same year showed Odyssey Yasuo enjoying a RomanceNovel featuring Garen and Kat.
** Pantheon's Champion Update in 2019 gave him this to say to the pair.
---> '''Atreus''': [[InterplayofSexandViolence Battle is a dance]], and the fortunate find their partner.
** In the 10th anniversary card game Legends of Runeterra, playing Kat when the enemy has a Garen or vice versa will have them loudly declare they will kill the other... Before quietly settling on date plans.
* Jarvan IV/Shyvana is a very popular couple in the fanbase, despite certain Riot staff stating a preference for J4/Quinn. The ''Lux'' comic runs with this, with Jarvan IV being very reluctant to marry anyone due to already being in love. He later states this someone is not so different from Sylas in terms of magical ability, which rules out this someone being anyone but Shyvana (since most Demacians have to hide their magic or risk exile or death).
* Soraka is sometimes paired with Warwick in a FoeYay relationship. As of the Retcon to Warwick's lore, their official relationship of being rivals have been reset, causing the pairing to fall out of favor.
* Some unusual members of the player base have started shipping [[CrackShip Soraka with Hecarim.]] [[http://elohell.net/chill/233437 Seriously.]]
* The Korean and wider Asian fanbase tends to pair up Ahri with ''Sona'', of all people, despite the two having never interacted in lore at all; you can find tons and tons of Ahri/Sona art on a casual Google search. This seems to be largely due to the two of them being [[http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=2844467 the most popular girls in general]]. This does actually have a certain amount of sense to it: Ahri is explicitly based on the ''[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumiho gumiho]]'' of Korean mythology, one of whose specific traits is a sort of telepathy. Now, given that the only way [[TheSpeechless Sona]] can communicate verbally with others is through them being able to hear her thoughts...
* Similarly, the Asian fanbase seems fond of shipping Lulu and ''Veigar'' together... or at least, Lulu ''to'' Veigar. Poor Veigar's willingness on this seems to vary, depending on the artist. [[http://na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=3174110 It's taking root in the NA community as well.]]
** This got ''so'' prominent, so quickly, that it essentially forced its way into [[AscendedFanon becoming canon]]; on the updated League main site, [[http://gameinfo.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/game-info/champions/lulu/ Lulu]] and [[http://gameinfo.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/game-info/champions/veigar/ Veigar]] are now listed as mutual friends. The "friends" listing is used elsewhere to include canon romantic interests like Ezreal/Lux.
** This has been around since her introduction, even in NA even if it wasn't as prominent it still held third most preferred in one old poll on the forums.
* Caitlyn and Vi... [[BattleCouple for obvious reasons]]. The subtext on this one was so thick (from Vi [[AffectionateNickname affectionately nicknaming her "Cupcake"]] to a few AlternateUniverse skin lines alluding to their couple status) that come ''WesternAnimation/{{Arcane}}'', nobody was surprised once the series and [[https://www.reddit.com/r/arcane/comments/qumn0d/arcane_does_femalelgbt_representation_perfectly/hkykdeg/?context=3 developers]] took [[OfficialCouple their couple status as objective fact]].
%%* Let's not forget Ahri/Wukong! And even that is teased with them being friends according to the site. Even the web-animation series ''WebAnimation/LaLaLaDemaCia'' ship them and gave them a tragic love story.
* There's quite a bit of support for Pantheon/Leona. Considering these two are the paragons of Rakkor (Pantheon is the strongest in the military, Leona is the most powerful in the "church") and childhood friends, it's fairly reasonable. The {{Fanon}} added up with Pantheon's baker joke and Leona's protective philosophy that Leona is a fan of Pantheon's cakes, and when they were children, Leona protected Pantheon from bullies that ridiculed his hobby before he became known as the paragon of the Rakkor warriors. (Seeing as how the Rakkor are a ProudWarriorRace, it makes sense that that kind of bullying could happen.) However, following Pantheon's lore update, the two no longer grew up together and Atreus is hostile towards all other Aspects. Now people ship Leona and Diana together.
%%* On the other hand, Zac and Twitch have also developed quite a bit of [[Rule34 fanart]], mostly due to both of them being sewer-dwelling loners who are each other's sole friends in-universe.
* Rengar and Nidalee are often shipped together due to both having wild cat motifs and being hunters. Unlike most examples, Riot responded by stating that they're both mutual ''[[ShipSinking rivals]]''. [[FoeYay Since when does that stop anyone?]]
* Riven and Yasuo, ever since Yasuo's conception and his interactions with Riven, half of which are sympathetic, and the other half hint that it was most likely Riven who killed his elder. Despite this, they're a popular couple, or at least on the way.
** Their legendary skins certainly are at least a nod to their popularity as a pair. Not only are they [[OrderVersusChaos counterparts to each other]], but they share many quotes and are fixated on the other to the point of ignoring everyone else. They both recite lines from Byron's bittersweet poem "When We Two Parted" and generally come across as a pair of StarCrossedLovers -- who really, really want to kill each other.
*** Further, in the comic's endings, Riven is touched by a bit of Chaos, while Yasuo is infected by a flame of Order (suggested to be the origin of Nightbringer/Dawnbringer Soraka).
** Riot pushed this ship a bit closer to launch with "Confessions of a Broken Blade," where the two canonically meet in Ionia -- and then possibly sunk it in the wake of "Sisterhood" and "Kin of the Stained Blade," which gives Riven's story a HappyEndingOverride and sends her back to Noxus, while Yasuo leaves for Bilgewater in the company of Ahri. However, thanks to the ending of "Ruined King", we now know Yasuo will be heading to Noxus to save Riven from execution.
%%* Korean webcomic ''Syndra and Zed's Ordinary Life'' has popularized Syndra and Zed, due to them being both evil-esque Ionian outcasts. It's also loaded with AlternateCharacterInterpretation. Even Riot eventually list both of them as Friends.
* The devs go back and forth on Ezreal and Lux. He ''was'' semi-canonically involved with her until her 2017 voiceover update sunk the ship.
-->'''Lux''': Are we supposed to be ''dating'' or something? We've never even talked.
** Then 2017 champ Zoe (who herself has it ''bad'' for Ez) hinted that he does have an interest in Lux, though Lux doesn't feel the same way (and may not even be aware of it).
-->'''Zoe''': [''attacking [[TheRival Lux]]''] Do you even know that he likes you?
** This was more or less confirmed by his own voiceover update in 2018. Ez's attempts to talk to Lux are downright [[CannotTalkToWomen adorable and dorky]], making it clear that he 1. ''really'' likes her and 2. has no chance.
** In non-canon skins, however, this ship sails freely. [[MagicalGirl Star Guardian]] Ezreal and Lux are openly, mutually attracted, and their [[StockShonenHero Battle Academia]] selves are actually dating.
* Graves and Twisted Fate were both paired together in a FoeYay fashion ever since Graves' release, given that the two had once been friends and Twisted Fate had betrayed Graves in exchange for power. At the time, Twisted Fate and Evelynn were listed as exes and TF was far from over her. However, as canon was expanded, Twisted Fate's backstory was retconned so he did not in fact betray Graves, [[PoorCommunicationKills Graves only thought he did.]] After the ''Burning Tides'' event, the two rekindled their friendship and fan content for the pair ''exploded'' in scope, so that Graves/TF is one of the fandom's most popular pairings. Ex-Riot staff Runaan even said she intended for them to be married in the ''Double Double Cross'' cinematic. When the ''Rise of the Sentinels'' event instead attempted to pair Graves and Vayne together, the fandom exploded with ire, calling it very out of character for Graves to be gaga over a woman he just met and not even ''mention'' his lifelong partner (for what it's worth, the actual ending cinematic for the event concluded with the more naturally rogueish Akshan attempting to flirt with Vayne rather than Graves).
* Along with FoeYay, Miss Fortune and Gangplank are often paired together regardless that Gangplank is a pirate that Miss Fortune disliked, he can totally resist her charms, they bicker each other over the course of Bilgewater's future direction. Before the League Judgment was discontinued, after all, Miss Fortune's past implied that after seeing her mother killed, she was rescued from drowning by a young pirate implied to be the young Gangplank before he dialed up his brutality (he's kind of a rowdy boy).
** Thoroughly [[ShipSinking sunk]] [[{{Pun}} along with Gangplank's actual ship]] by the Bilgewater event, which retconned the backstories of both champions; not only is Gangplank now definitely MUCH older than MF (in fact it's doubtful whether the boy from Miss Fortune's judgement is even still canon) he's now the one who murdered Miss Fortune's parents, [[WouldHurtAChild shot her]] and [[LeftForDead left her for dead]]. MF now hates Gangplank more than anyone in existence and would do ''anything'' to [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge see him dead]], and the feeling is presumably mutual after [[AnArmAndALeg what she cost him in her first attempt]]. There isn't even a slim trace of FoeYay left.
** In fact, it seems that Riot designated another champion to fill in 'Gangplank's girlfriend' with that: Illaoi. Had an item together with GP before his death, and much like GP and his oranges, she ate mangoes. However, the fans love to ship her more with MF herself, as Illaoi lore-wise dumped Gangplank when it comes between choosing her God or another man.
%%* Several video makers seem to like pairing both [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile Renekton]] and [[SnakesAreSexy Cassiopeia]], probably because they're both the only champions based on reptiles. After the Shurima arc, the pairing seems to be more plausible as Renekton and Cassiopeia are listed as mutual allies and Cassiopeia did play a part in Renekton's release.
%%* Lamb and Wolf, the two persons who make up Kindred, are often depicted as a couple. This art ranges from cute and cuddly to... [[ScrewYourself well, guess]]. It doesn't hurt that their creator admitted Wolf takes influence from him and Lamb from his wife.
%%** For thematic resonance/dissonance, Kindred (or at least Lamb) has been paired with [[TheMedic Soraka]] as well as [[SerialKiller Jhin]].
* Illaoi was a fan-preferred match for Braum before she was even released. Sure enough, when an Illaoi taunts Braum, all of her lines sound sexual. ("Northman. There are motions I would like to show you." "Finally, [[ManOfSteelWomanOfKleenex a man who won't break]].")
* Ziggs and Jinx are paired up together sometimes, [[BirdsOfAFeather again for]] [[StuffBlowingUp obvious reasons]]. Originally, Riot claimed that [[ShipSinking Ziggs would most likely terrified of Jinx's constant attempts to hug him]], [[SubvertedTrope but they've currently seemed to change their mind in agreement]], pairing them up since the ''Paint the Town'', which contains a surprising amount of [[ShipTease tension]].
* Another exceedingly popular [[LesYay lesbian]] couple among the fans (again particularly among the {{Rule 34}} crowd) is Zyra/Lissandra. Their popularity spiked when their Coven skins came out, giving them a shared world (otherwise ice and thorns seem hard to mesh).
* Another popular ship is [[IncestYayShipping Kayle/Morgana]]. [[BrokenBase Half of the fanbase seems to find it repulsive]] while the other half is extremely into it.
* [[FoeYay Talon/Quinn]] has a sizable following. Lore-wise, Quinn is the only one that against accusing Talon for number of Demacian being assassinated, citing that it's 'not his style'. In lore, the closest Talon has to a love interest is his one-sided obsession with Katarina, while certain Riot staff have suggested they wanted J4 and Quinn to end up together.
* Mordekaiser and Sona are also a popular pairing in the Pentakill universe. According to WordOfGod, Mordekaiser is very protective of Sona, as she is the most delicate of the band. A huge [[TheUndead Undead]] [[TinTyrant armoured tyrant]] with an imposing NoIndoorVoice having a friendship with a Mute who uses MagicMusic as her voice is rather amusing.
* [[HugeGuyTinyGirl Nami and Nautilus]] are often paired due to their differing opinions of the ocean as well as their in-game synergy.
* Swain and [=LeBlanc=] already had a following before the former's rework. However, Swain's new (and rather spicy) interactions with [=LeBlanc=], on top of [[WordOfGod several Riot employees]] confirming that they have a love-hate relationship, have garnered some new admiration for the pairing.
* Thanks to the [[GirlGroup K/DA]] [[IdolSinger line]], Akali and Evelynn are very frequently paired together in fanart to varying extents, in part due to them being frequently paired together in the group's "POP/STARS" video, and also perhaps due to [[TomboyAndGirlyGirl their contrasting dynamics]] [[BattleRapping being among]] [[TheDiva the strongest in the lineup]]. Even beyond K/DA, [[ShipsThatPassInTheNight despite the two having no connection whatsoever in Runeterra prime]], the two are often paired up in shipping fanart.
* [[MrFanservice Sett]] is far and away THE [[FemaleGaze most fanservice-y male character]] in the franchise yet. A lot of people in the Asian community (Korea and Japan, to be exact) ship him with either [[YouRemindMeOfX Soraka]] or [[BirdsOfAFeather Ahri]]. The former seems to be because [[TheMedic Soraka]] is considered protective and maternal ([[MommasBoy and Sett loves his mama]]); the latter for being MsFanservice and essentially Sett's DistaffCounterpart.
** Some of the Asian community also seem to be fond of shipping Sett with Xayah due to their [[BirdsOfAFeather shared vastayan lineage]]. Yes, [[OfficialCouple Xayah is canonically with Rakan]], but they often portray her as willing to cheat if it'll let her have Sett.
** And it's not just women. [[TheSpeechless Aphelios]] is the most common male champion he's been paired with due to their release dates being back-to-back, as well as having an OppositesAttract dynamic with both [[ForceAndFinesse contrasting kit complexities/role styles]] and [[SensitiveGuyAndManlyMan personalities]].
* Yet another arbitrary lesbian pairing the fanbase came up with (and consequently drew tons of RuleThirtyFour art of) is Taliyah and Qiyana.
* [[ScreamingWarrior Kled]] and [[AbsentMindedProfessor Heimerdinger]] are shipped together - mostly due to their [[OppositesAttract opposing personalities]] [[RedOniBlueOni and playstyles]] making for [[SlapSlapKiss fun]] (and [[AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther potentially sweet]]) interactions.
* Yone and Lillia have a non-romantic(?) OddFriendship. While Yone hates all demons, he calls out Nocturne in particular [[DeclarationOfProtection and tells it not to mess with her]].
--> '''Yone''': Living nightmare! I will end you before you cross paths with the dream fawn!
* Jayce and Viktor due to their history and FoeYay dynamic. The popularity of their ship skyrocketed with the release of the "Arcane" series.
----

* Caitlyn and Vi... [[BattleCouple for obvious reasons]]. The subtext on this one is so thick fans would not be the least bit surprised if Riot just flat out admitted the pair were a couple. Even [[OurDemonsAreDifferent across]] [[FairCop their]] skins, there are hints about them being together. And there we even more in "Arcane".

* Caitlyn and Vi... [[BattleCouple for obvious reasons]]. The subtext on this one is so thick fans would not be the least bit surprised if Riot just flat out admitted the pair were a couple. Even [[OurDemonsAreDifferent across]] [[FairCop their]] skins, there are hints about them being together.

** Riot pushed this ship a bit closer to launch with "Confessions of a Broken Blade," where the two canonically meet in Ionia -- and then possibly sunk it in the wake of "Sisterhood" and "Kin of the Stained Blade," which gives Riven's story a HappyEndingOverride and sends her back to Noxus, while Yasuo leaves for Bilgewater in the company of Ahri. However, thanks to the ending of "Ruined King", Yasuo will be heading to Noxus to save Riven from execution.

** Riot pushed this ship a bit closer to launch with "Confessions of a Broken Blade," where the two canonically meet in Ionia -- and then possibly sunk it in the wake of "Sisterhood" and "Kin of the Stained Blade," which gives Riven's story a HappyEndingOverride and sends her back to Noxus, while Yasuo leaves for Bilgewater in the company of Ahri.

* Illaoi was a fan-preferred match for Braum before she was even released. Sure enough, when an Illaoi taunts Braum, all of her lines sound sexual. ("Northman. There are motions I would like to show you." "Finally, a man who won't break.")

* Jayce and Viktor due to their history and FoeYay dynamic. The popularity skyrocketed with the release of the "Arcane" series.