Ever since 2020 began, a combination of League of Legends’ 10th season and stay at home orders across the world means more people are playing the game than ever before. While the past few months were filled with champion releases and reworks, several dead weeks since the previous Pulsefire event have resulted in players anxiously waiting to hear more about what else is coming soon. In response, Riot Games released a new video this morning teasing the next event: Spirit Blossom.
Spirit Blossom is a new skinline that represents various myths from the region of Ionia. Because of their stated importance in Ionian culture and festivals, the champion skins can be considered canon to the main League of Legends universe. With that distinction in mind, the teaser has some deep lore implications for the fate of one particular individual.
In an artstyle heavily influenced by anime, a swordsman finds himself in what seems to be the Ionian afterlife. After noticing a fox, the man follows the spirit before being distracted by an ominous gate. Inside, he is confronted by failures from his life including some presumed deaths before an evil sword-wielding spirit appears and fights the man. While the swordsman eventually disarms and triumphs over the spirit, it grabs him right before dying and apparently fuses them together. Back in the real Ionia, the now masked individual briefly stares behind him, leaving the question of who is in control.
Throughout the video, there are brief cameos of several confirmed Spirit Blossom League of Legends skins. The 9-tailed fox spirit that appears initially is Ahri in her presumed animal form, guiding souls into the afterlife. As the swordsman followed Ahri throughout several locations, Spirit Blossom Cassiopeia shows up as a statue in front of a crowd of petrified onlookers. Finally, the Wolf half of Spirit Blossom Kindred floats past the man and Ahri as they travel along. But the presence of these skins is further evidence that the swordsman himself is a champion or the Spirit Blossom version of one.
After today’s teaser, it’s basically confirmed that the individual is Yone, Yasuo’s half brother who was killed in a duel against him. Over the years, Yone continued to have a presence in lore and even became a card in Legends of Runeterra. With recent leaks and the video’s revelations, Yone is definitely the “masked Champion who refuses to die” hinted at back in January.
With Yone’s all-but-official debut, both he and Lillia are set to release together with the upcoming Summer Blossom 2020 event. Although Yone’s ultimate status and current plans remain a mystery, players won’t have to wait long to find out since the event starts next week on July 22nd.
League of Legends is available on PC.
