As we know, Faker has recently “locked in” the champion that will receive a skin for the 2023 Worlds, which is Orianna. In fact, prior to this, everyone was convinced that Faker would choose Ahri, especially since he had used this champion once in the finals (just enough to meet Riot’s champion selection criteria). However, Faker’s “U-turn” left fans astonished and disappointed for Ahri. After all, Ahri is also one of the “national champions” of League of Legends, boasting a stunning design. But the choice is solely up to Faker.
However, for a player like Faker, could there be a case where he chooses hastily? Of course, Faker may have made some decisions that weren’t entirely correct, but for this particular skin choice for Orianna, he did not only consider it carefully, but recently, some fans even discovered the truly touching reason behind it. But this reason, even the hardcore fans of Faker may not remember well.
Specifically, around 2018, when Faker was going through a tough time with SKT T1, as the team he had fought with for many years, conquering many major tournaments around the world had disbanded. However, Faker still showcased his remarkable quality and skills, and was called up to the Korean national League of Legends team for the ASIAD, even though League of Legends was just a demonstration sport at that time. In an interview, his grandmother shared that he practiced very late at night, using the champion Orianna. And his grandmother would sit there, just to watch her grandson play the game. This was also the only champion among all League of Legends champions that she could recognize and name.
Orianna is the champion that Faker’s grandmother watched him play even late at night, and this is also the champion that his grandmother remembers best in League of Legends.
Thus, it was not a random decision; Faker considered it very carefully before making a choice for himself. Having lived with his grandmother since childhood, the beloved grandmother witnessed every step of her grandson’s growth and his journey to become the greatest player in the League of Legends scene. Therefore, a League of Legends skin for Orianna – the only champion familiar to Faker’s grandmother, now becomes incredibly reasonable and meaningful.
For Faker, every important choice will be carefully considered. And at this moment, many fans might realize: Faker is truly a very emotional person, especially towards his loved ones in his family.