Studio Fortische’s animated adaptation of the lore behind Piltover and Zaun from League of Legends has been nothing short of groundbreaking, bringing some of the series’ most iconic champions to life and adapting their original backstories with sensible and modernized rewrites that have been extremely well-received by every corner of the fandom. In addition to the show’s stellar writing, the animation quality has been consistently gorgeous throughout, upping the ante with every single episode that’s been released. Now that Arcane has finally begun to wrap up its story and is rocketing toward its grand finale, fans have begun to speculate what Riot Games could be planning to do for their next television series.
Videos by ComicBook.com
For those unfamiliar with the vast world of League of Legends, the game’s events take place in Runeterra, a high fantasy setting with thirteen regions, including Zaun and Piltover. While Arcane throws nods and winks at fans of the game’s original lore, specifically for those familiar with the many conflicts that Noxus involves themselves with, the exact destination for the next series is a mystery. Thanks to many of the clues in Arcane, though, as well as the state of League of Legends‘ story as of writing, there are some pretty decent indicators of what future show writers may choose to tackle.
[RELATED: New Arcane Season 2 Poster Released Ahead of Impending Trailer]
The Conflict Between Noxus and Demacia Could Further Explore the Ramifications of Magic in Runeterra
One of the most iconic conflicts in League of Legends, the ongoing “war” between Noxus and Demacia is one that plays far more into the world’s high fantasy roots compared to the steampunk and hextech flavor sprinkled throughout Piltover and Zaun. As fans have already been introduced to, Noxus is an authoritarian government where those that can steel themselves and prove their worth climb the ranks and succeed while the weak wither into nothingness. In stark contrast, Demacia parades themselves as a glittering utopia, when in truth, their distrust and hatred toward magic and anything “different” is tearing their society apart from the inside. Noxus is an expanding empire with aims to take the world by force. Demacia, a monarchy, directly oppose the Noxian takeover and have been fighting back tooth-and-nail to keep their land safe. A series based around the conflict could bring characters introduced in Arcane, like Ambessa and the elusive Black Rose, back around full circle while introducing audiences to many of the champions that make up what makes Demacia so complex.
Seeing the star-crossed relationship between Garen, a Demacian soldier and Katarina, one of Noxus’s finest assassins would make fans of Arcane‘s angsty relationships absolutely overjoyed while also introducing champions like Lux, Sylas, Jarvan IV, and Shyvana – all of whom have incredibly complex stories, with Lux and Sylas being able to further explore Runeterra’s unique relationship with magic, and Demacia’s innate hatred toward mages. Introducing fans to Demacia also opens doors for fans to potentially see references to Kayle and Morgana, who are considered godlike beings to the people in the region, and could domino into introducing other, bigger threats in the lore.
Fans of Ruination Yearn to See Viego’s Tragedy Animated
One of the biggest – and most infamous – events in League of Legends, Ruination was a catastrophic event that effected Runeterra on a large scale, but, the majority of the action took place in a region now referred to as the Shadow Isles. The crux of the story follows the tragedy of Viego, the heir to Camavor who was crowned king despite being wholly unprepared to fill the shoes his father left behind. After becoming king, Viego fell in love with a peasant woman named Isolde and swiftly married her. Tragically, during an assassination attempt against the young king, Isolde become poisoned, which sent Viego into self-destructive agony. In his irreparable grief, Viego learned of a place called the Blessed Isles from his cousin and guard Kalista that was rumored to heal any wound. By the time she returned, however, the queen had already perished, but Viego refused to give up, gathering his company and set out to the Isles to attempt to bring his beloved wife back to him.
Though the people of the Blessed Isles refused to grant Viego passage, the king ordered Hecarim and his other soldiers to carve a path for them. Once they made it to the Waters of Life, Viego managed to revive his bride, although, she was a shadow of her former self, and the destructive reaction of the resurrection process ravaged the Isles, turning the location and all those inhabiting it into twisted, vile wraiths of their former selves. Viego’s tragedy is a heavy one, and ultimately leads to one of the biggest moments in League of Legends‘ modern lore, however, seeing the reckless king’s backstory be animated in the same vein as Arcane would truly drive home how complex and horrific the event truly was.
[RELATED: Bandle Tale: A League of Legends Story Release Date, Collector’s Edition Revealed]
Ionia Boasts Some of League of Legends‘ Most Unique Characters and Storylines
Sequestered away from much of Runeterra due to how treacherous it is to actually make it to Ionian shores, the region is filled with mysticism, a struggle for balance, and is home to one of League of Legends‘ most interesting species: the Vastaya. In the current lore, Ionia is still recovering from an invasion attempt by Noxus – which would also be an interesting event for an animated series to explore – creating an air of unease around the region. While on one end, there are monks striving to achieve pacifistic ideals, there are other groups, such as the Navori Brotherhood and the Order of Shadow, that wish to see Ionia turn into a militaristic nation to take proper revenge on Noxus for what they’ve done.
Ionia is rich with lore opportunities and incredible backstories that would translate flawlessly over to an animated medium. While many fans’ minds might turn to the story between Yasuo and Yone, for those wanting their League of Legends shows to move away from sibling angst, a series rooted in Ionia could just as easily follow the conflicts faced by Vastayans in the region, and potentially explore the story of how Xayah and Rakan met, or even look into one of franchise’s most iconic Vastaya, Ahri.
The Next League of Legends Animated Series Could Spin-Off Material From a Popular Skin Line
Something that makes League of Legends relatively unique compared to other titles that sells skins of popular characters is that the franchise’s skin lines are actually fully developed alternate timelines featuring the characters in new, different situations, even going as far as introducing new relationships and character traits not seen in the “core” lore. Some of these skin lines have become just as, if not more popular than League of Legends‘ actual lore, and it’s possible that exploring one of these many AUs might be the best possible route for a new League of Legends show to take.
One of the more popular skin lines that would absolutely flourish with this treatment is the Star Guardian skin line, which reimagines some of League‘s iconic faces as magical girls fighting back against a mysterious, malicious otherworldly entity. In addition to bringing back characters like Jinx and Ekko and changing up their current look from Arcane into something entirely new, it would also introduce prospective audiences to one of the most beloved relationships from the lore: the friendship-turned-rivalry between Lux and Jinx. The lore from the Star Guardian skin line borrows heavily from anime tropes, and could be a unique way of bringing back fan-favorite characters. Another great pick for an AU-based show would be the Spirit Blossom lore, which primarily focuses on champions from Ionia and other regions being reimagined as spirits in the afterlife.
