The Hidden Worlds Objective
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The main event portion of the League of Legends World Championship is set to kick off on the 5th of October in what promises to be an exciting five-week affair. The biggest international LoL tournament is running across 4 venues in China in its 7th year.
A total of sixteen teams remain in the running for the Summoner’s Cup but only SK Telecom T1’s motivations are different from the rest of the competition.
SKT’s Origin Story
The beginning of SKT’s legacy in LoL began during the 2013 season of the game. A talented rookie in the mid-lane named Faker elevated his team through Worlds 2013, eventually arriving at the grand finals against Royal Club. SKT swept the China squad in a 3-0 victory that formed the foundation of their dynasty.
SKT would go on to win multiple world championships every time they competed at Worlds. This record is only marred by their performance during the 2014 season where they failed to qualify for Worlds. SK Telecom T1 were bumped to the Korean Regional Finals after finishing 6th in the Summer Split of the LCK league. Their last hope qualifier dreams came to an end after a 1-3 defeat at the hands of NaJin White Shield.
Faker and SK Telecom have achieved something that no other LoL organization could ever imagine winning their third World Championship by the end of 2016. They now return to the Worlds stage to defend their throne.
Can We Bring to Fall the Giants?
The Summoner’s Cup has been the longstanding beacon of the peak of LoL since early in the game’s competitive history. It represents the world championship and the lengthy year-long journey any team needs to go through to claim. But now, the fifteen teams at the Worlds 2017 main event are fighting for something infinitely grander than the iconic Summoner’s Cup. Which team will successfully halt SKT’s reign?
SK Telecom T1 is no means an immortal team. They’ve experienced more than their fair share of losses in championship matches, but they have consistently secured the wins when it mattered the most. The Korean powerhouse has created something by securing their third championship last year. SKT has birthed an ultimate goal for any professional team aiming for the top of the ladder. The Summoner’s Cup has become inconsequential. The true goal is being the team who will finally defeat SK Telecom T1 at Worlds.
Many of the older world champions are already fading from memory. xPeke is the only recognizable member of the first world championship squad, while not many even remember any player from the 2012 Taipei Assassins world champions. Even some of Faker’s old teammates from 2013 only find their moments of glory in old videos and the fans who may remember them. 2014’s glorious Samsung White saw its roster and terrifying power scattered to the wind.
People will forget teams and players that manage to win the world championship, but no one will ever forget which team defeated SK Telecom T1 at Worlds. Will that team rise this year?
The groups stage kicks off on Thursday at 3:00PM with China’s Royal Never Give Up taking on Turkey’s 1907 Fenerbahce Espor, so stick with us here at Mineski.net for all the Worlds 2017 updates!
