The Lore of Naafiri's Cinematic Explained

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/ @necrit
0:00 TLDR Darkin History
2:49 Naafiri Cinematic
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[@mii-kun1143]

Alternate title: what da dog doin

[@battlingandballing]

Truly,truly.

[@cenachi]

what daa* dog doin

[@redknight759]

Do you want a bone girl?

[@mestre12]

Memes with her are already showing up

[@kepler4192]

What the dog doin

[@sandyboi3889]

There’s even a line in the cinematic where she references a little bird that’s running. Maybe she knows Azir’s been resurrected, but her corruption has made her forget her loyalty to the pigeon and drives her to chase after the emperor’s downfall.

[@max2x000]

I thought she was talking to xayah

[@miantava]

​@@max2x000there's no relation to xayah or her region

[@moebelhausmann_4753]

"looks like Chicken is back on the Menu!"

[@CentriPetalLover]

I think it’s about Caitlyn lol.

[@leeroystinson700]

The fact that you slide in pigeon in the middle of this deep analysis is a piece of art

[@mrsparkle7280]

Even the horse has so much detail, I love league's lore

[@Riot_Fauxfox]

The horse is important EDIT: WAS Important

[@imoto2764]

Shaco lore when

[@satriahadi1893]

the horse alone is better than the 2023 cinematic

[@Bubbenstyle]

It’s just a horse with no name

[@euphorium5768]

Wait what who which horse?

[@fpsDonor]

I feel like the RIOT artist loves Necrit, cause this guy really gets all the details they add to their animations!

[@Xeatra]

Also TB Skyen, how he breaks down the animation

[@Kratoks06]

@@Xeatra i actually prefered TB Skyen video, even if it was longer.

[@Riot_Fauxfox]

@@Xeatra I love them both equally. They nail so much

[@pinoproxy2828]

@@Kratoks06 tb skyen video talks more about the quality the style and everything visual which is so amazing actually he adds so much details explaining it and in necrit video he talks more about the details that are related to the lore and the champions both of them excel at what they do

[@ruansasa289]

Riot very much like necrit, they even say that the guys that are working on the MMO watched the videos he did on MMO ideas

[@dmitrishostakovich3156]

You didn't mention how after your favourite sceen of the pack leader biting the sun, the purple cave scenery has the moon in the middle. This is quite an obvious symbolism of Naafiri abbandoning her shuriman ways (biting the sun) and embracing her new life as a darking dog (the moon visible from hound cave). The cave together with the moon and the landscape has the shape of an eye, so we know it references Naafiri directly instead of, for example, showing how the houds lived before encountering her.

[@TGPgrxy]

Anybody ever find the old oak?

[@asmodiasmobilemoba]

Not me thinking it's a reference to sköll and hati...

[@lGold101]

I think the reason why the frame rate in the video is not the well is because they want to show how the pack was not united or as "one". When Naafiri said at the end "But together we feast" they all have the same frame rate and they all started a hunting pose at the same time, at the same frame rate to show us that the pack is now one and share the same mind.

[@bonktoryu203]

Can't wait to see Aatrox's dialogue shtting on Naafiri for becoming a hound

[@baronnachor6104]

Actually, is Varus XD

[@Morningstar787]

I wanna see her interact with yuumi XD

[@phelps6205]

"you were always a bitch"

[@Gencrossbones]

at least she got the Memo

[@aprammus9580]

ATt least the dog got the double A thing

[@n0obz27]

Necrit never lets us down

[@natsuo1891]

necrit will never give us up

[@callmep4139]

Necrit will never turn around

[@eliottlebris943]

​@@callmep4139it seems to be "run around", unless what I checked is wrong

[@allib8715]

​@@callmep4139Necrit will never desert you

[@Cbb88dragonborn]

I'm so happy they went with a full monster champion and the trailer reflects that. It's unhinged, brutal, and has that animalistic edge that perfectly fits Naafiri. Can't wait to learn more about her lore and play her in-game

[@Gamer9o]

They learned of their mistake of voidmommy belveth

[@ZdkDzk]

The whole sequence leading up to the hallway chase has Naafiri being reached for our devoured by the dogs. It feels like the process was less about possessing the them, and more about Naafiri fighting to stay herself while the dogs tried to consume her. In the end she changes and becomes one with the pack, but instead of being consumed she leads them. Give up or give chase.

[@colossaldonut5190]

I really hope the lore gets expanded for Naafiri. There's still so much to cover with Bel'Veth, Xolaani, Varus, Aatrox and the whole Darkin war but because the lore team has been missing for years it's impossible to know when all of this will come to fruition. There's still so much to go through but I hope that we will get to eventually instead of everything surrounding Naafiri just being in its own circle.

[@sweetfunnycake2100]

In Varus' new voiceline you can see that his Darkin Sisters are very ambitious (Xolaani, Valeeva and Naafiri). But we all need Baalkux. C'mon Riot do it.

[@shandyx9829]

Imagine if Naganeka was the new champion... I wonder how the cinematic would look like 🐔🐔

[@saltblood]

its da chicken, the DANGER chicken

[@MGZetta]

Their ancestor is a dinosaur, give them some respect. 😔

[@deepfriedthumb483]

it almost feels like League of legends are releasing trailers just for necrit to explain them and i love it

[@hunterwolf6646]

Note the way Naafiri is smirking at the end, as if satisfied with the new arrangement of circumstance.

[@Dolfn301]

Naafiri's dogs eating whole sun is a nice reference to Norse wolf-god Fenrir, which is known for swallowing whole sun. Also hounds represent the aftermath of war. After every fight or war, there come scavengers to feast on dead bodies.

[@xxbomba9780]

It's more likely to be a reference to skol a giant wolf who will eat the sun during Ragnarok in Norse mythology

[@Crabgar]

🤓aktschually that's Skjøll, Fenrir is the one who is chained because he keeps growing and breaks free during ragnarok and kills Odin

[@sapk3532]

Also in Chinese myth, there's a dog of a sky warrior, it was so hungry it ate the sun leading to the event of a eclipse

[@snakeinabox7220]

​@@xxbomba9780skol and Hati. The wolfs that chase the sun and moon. The children of Fenrir

[@JoaoPedroPT696]

It's not Fenrir, it's his offspring Sköll.

[@fishsticks6611]

11:48 Might also be a reference to Sköll, one of the children of Fenrir of Norse Mythology. It is said that he will chase after the sun and when Ragnarok comes he will finally catch it and swallow it whole.

[@ace_g4414]

It definetely feels inspired from it,thats what i thought as well

[@rociopaoloni5080]

It will also imply Naafiri's ambition. She doubts a pack of wolves is a suitable container for her but ultimately decides is her best available form to conquer all she wants

[@DEML91]

Honestly I'm just surprised that Riot finally did a non-humanoid champion.

[@bladeflammex9237]

Yuumi,Vel‘koz, almost every void monster, volibear

[@kagaminezera8320]

How does Bel'Veth qualify as a humanoid champion? She doesn't even have arms and legs, aside from having a human face nothing about her is even close to human

[@abra2133]

​@@kagaminezera8320 she has: human head humanoid thighs (fake ones, you can see on the splash art) caped appearance the splash art really makes her look more humanoid than monster her voice is more humanoid than any other void champion her intelligence and ability to use that intelligence in an abstract way (non-instinctual) shows that she is very close to humans (mentally-wise) for a creature to be humanoid you don't need to have same anatomy, you just need to be close enough to resemble a human at a glance

[@kagaminezera8320]

@@abra2133 regarding th intelligence arguement: is aurelion sol a humanoid character to you? And regarding the first one, I mean, her stick is kinda imitating humans to lure them in, no? She obviously looks like a human at times but she is very far from actually being humanoid considering she is as far away from human as reksai is when she isn't hiding behind her facate lol

[@OakenTome]

@@bladeflammex9237Good job naming 6 characters (most of which are around a decade old) in a game with over 160 of them.

[@matthewpelletier6900]

People have been talking about Darkin Dog for what feels like a few years now. Glad to see it finally come true.

[@invernofuyu2542]

The best champion in literally years. I hope they understand that we don't want everyone in the game to be a fairy or handsome. Everything the LoR team touches becomes incredible.

[@federiconadai5310]

My first experience related to mobas is tied to vainglory, in that game there was a character that was an alpha pack leader that could spawn his pack , i got caught by nostalgia plus I’m a huge fan of darkin designs

[@Benjaxiso]

I haven't been hyped for a new champ for a while, but I am so hyped for Naafiri

[@MajorHuggles]

I think the reason I'm more excited for this champion, aside from the cinematic itself, is that the concept is very unique compared to a lot of recent releases. The last monster champion we had was Bel'Veth, but even then they purposely made her slightly more human outside of her transformed state. There've been so many...humans, and while their designs differ at the end of the day they aren't really all that exciting. This champion just actually looks cool, and I think the Darkin are some of the most interesting entities in League's lore. It's refreshing after so many, honestly, bland releases lately.

[@rociopaoloni5080]

I'm happy there's one more non anthropomorphic champ in the game but I don't feel is distinct. Wolves with a blade on their mouths or on some part of their body (Naafiri is different because the blade actually fuses with her body) are very common on japanese or japanese inspired media (ams I think there are other mythologies who have them so it adds to the archetype), pokemon had one as a legendary pokemon not too long ago. I don't say it saturated the escene but it's already been seen enough to be a recognizable type. Don't get me wrong I wouldn't change anything of the champ, is perfect as it is, just that it doesn't feel as fresh. Evil scarecrows aren't exactly original either, for example, but hasn't been a common sight in recent media so it makes fiddle stand out more.

[@Attyraxia]

I actually think the darkin hounds circling around the one dune hound is just further signifying her acceptance of becoming a part of the pack but in the most brutal way lol. I think the hound in the middle is Naafiri herself (as seen when she turns into a hound in the previous scene) before they begin to subsume her which is why she emerges from that blob of daggers and dogs to assume her final form and then bite the sun. Not to mention if you look closely at her in-game model you can actually see the faces of the hounds on the spikes that encompass her body. Just my interpretation of it. Cheers!

[@joseescobar6910]

Remember reading something online, saying that the darkin were the 4 horseman of the apocalyps Rhaast has a voice line from him saying him and Aatrox are Death and War. Naafiri wants to spread the darkin blood magic to the whole world (pestilence). By default that makes Varus Conquest. (could be a stretch) -Varus but turn the V upside-down-

[@ThatLuckyKill]

I just love the Ragnarok reference of Fenri and him eating the sun. That would incline that Naafiri (like Fenri) is bringing the end of shurima in this case

[@yoshuachaerbautista3309]

at 11:09 I think is referring to naafiri's ability to assimilate the hounds into herself, since you know, blood magic is all about reshaping of one's body, furthermore, I leans perfectly with the next shot of the big form naafiri takes to bite off the sun, pretty metal

[@slickdoom7447]

What perfect timing! i just finished watching your reaction to the Naafiri's cinematic

[@brof1sh953]

Love that you’re still covering league stuff as soon as it comes out! Just wish there was more to cover

[@sashagarmash7853]

such a good video I missed that 14 minutes past it was like one shot. love your videos! ty and riot for content!

[@jakemilkshake257]

That recap of the Shuriman/Icathia/Darkin lore and Zoe connection was amazing! Would love more of that in many videos, since the amount of lore is immense and one just needs repetition on these main events. Awesome content, as always!

[@Riot_Fauxfox]

You NAILED so much. Love this video. Only thing is the team aint ex LoR- Some of us is new, others have been around for a Riot while. I left after Yuumi and came back for BelVeth. Next League one for me is next year, but videos like this one show how important lore and details are.

[@jonashammen953]

Good kayn music in the bg 👌🏼 and good video!

[@guentaa502]

Man i've been waiting for this!

[@negativeinstincts4854]

best league cinematic ever! Love it, keep up the good work and keep the lore videos coming🫀🫀🫀🫀🫀

[@Loliston]

I find it interesting that Naafiri probably only can inhabit multiple bodies *because* they're hounds, perhaps the nature of the host have these implications, other than her, the only Darkin capable of using multiple hosts is Varus, but at the same time, very differently. Varus has multiple conscious living within him but Naafiri can have multiple bodies without losing control of them, and they're completely detached from her main Darkin body, a truly perfect hive mind I think this wouldn't be possible with human hosts, but with hounds? Works perfectly!

[@rociopaoloni5080]

Someone mentioned that in the video several dogs are just about to maw at the dagger, implying that all of them touched the dagger at the same time. That would mean that Naafiri had to break herself in some way, risking in the process losing herself to the bodies of several creatures. It would also simbolically imply that she rejected ideologically the dogs as bodies initially. But at the end she achieves something that doesn't break her: she spreads among them while living primarily through one wolf as pack leader, which also would mean she comes to terms with the idea of having such animals as bodies.

[@CorvoAttano369]

I was waiting for this!

[@alitunaysara]

WHAT I BEEN WAITING FOR - thanks!

[@GustavoThimoteo]

0:38 Necrit: "long time ago...." me, who watches his vídeos since the Illaoi lore (7 years ago): "Oh boy, here we go again..." But I love the history soo is cool to me.

[@qan09]

It's really interesting that you and tbskyen have quite different perspective from the video, and both are really cool!

[@BearZA]

Like the shirt. And the classic pj bottoms really completes the ensemble.

[@vanguardCSG]

i think its not just the shuriman mountains in the cinematic, but those buildings which we can see at the end of Rise of the Ascended cinematic which fill with water oasis itself after Azir's reincarnation, cause at the end of the cinematic, when her whole pack stands in the dunes we can get a better look at them.

[@FuriCut]

Necrit has been waiting for new cinematics. Satisfying analysis.

[@DatCrazyOokamii]

Been waiting for hours for this

[@coldbread8313]

Now I want riot to turn her into the jungle mob . As an April fool

[@Jejeco]

Hey Necrit, great video as always! I have another interpretation of the nightmare scene :D In the scene, we see the hound itself running in the wall, so the camera is moving as the hound's POV. It also shakes to give the impression of the hounds gallop, while nafiri's voice asks for a choice. That reminds me a lot about Rhaast and Kayn. Rhaast can only fully control kayns body if he surrrenders to the corruption. In the scene, this choice is presented to the hound who got the dagger: do you surrender and be devoured by the other hounds, or will you pick the dagger? We also see the hound's reflection on the dagger as it is about to pick it up. Cheers!

[@Saphira3441]

i did wonder why the dagger was so focused durring the cinematic XD ty for explaining.

[@mr.mojo1014]

Feels good when necrit posts lore video after so long miss this shit man

[@lorddaraphin8637]

Thanks for pointing out how the dagger fused into her skull, did not realized that before and now its really obvious ^^

[@inceptioniist1113]

I agree. This champ looks SO cool and this video was amazing

[@nastalsi8823]

necrit is defo getting in shape. you can clearly see a difference, sweet!

[@baikennep4489]

You can pet Naafiri, and her pack start head bopping around her.

[@Aeeloran]

i remember a time where every new champion got a treatment like this and even better than this. i am glad i am seeing it back, but it felt like so loong

[@HiiImChris]

Honestly, I cannot wait for Arcane 2. I genuinely really enjoy League of Legends lore, I find it so fascinating and after playing this game since 2013 it's nice to get a new perspective and experience of the champions you play with and against. I hope in the future they expand Arcane (or at least the concept of it) into other regions, timelines, and champions such as one focused on Shurima, or another on Bilgewater.

[@cloverring]

If you’re a lore fan I’d highly recommend you try Ruined King. It makes SO many references to so many champions, colors the world so well, and has great gameplay to boot. I played it at first for the turn based gameplay but ended up lore hunting and found so many Easter eggs and expanded lore everywhere.

[@kaosmo4249]

In the cinematic, it actually looks like multiple in the pack touch the dagger at the same time, which would explain how it infects them.

[@Duhbooh]

This is off topic but Necrit you're looking really good!

[@LordLemoncake]

I am so glad to know Necrit and the lore.

[@cheshiretiger5698]

"Only a single dog picked up the dagger" 3 pounced on it in unison. Naafiri 's mind was already being connected with the pack mentality, not an individual hound, and quickly became aware of the animals scommunity and thus thier many eyes/minds sharing a common goal of survival and predation

[@victorduong7477]

I'm sure someone has already pointed this out, but I like the scene where it's like all the lost souls reaching out kind of looks like a giant maw or hound's jaw

[@bluebeasy6712]

Yaaay Necrit has lore again!!

[@SmallOneEyedKing]

I love the Darkin Lore so Much it is my 2nd favorite Runeterra lore

[@Marsbarization]

Never thouhgt I would see the day when TB Skyrens breakdown spoke to me more than yours homie. :D

[@etorobassey4532]

Trust you to break down a cinematic this good. Now just to wait for her spotlight

[@kimberlywhite2599]

Naafiri sounds like the wolf god in spirited away!

[@deezy4814]

Oo Necrit got a new shirt, nice

[@ahubb21]

Naafiri is the most hyped I've been for a champion since Ornn. I get she isn't going to be a tank, but damn is it nice to finally get another monster champ without some human form.

[@Varindran]

I bet when they do a deep dive on Naafiri's creation we might get a tease of her darkin form.

[@alexhide7943]

I like how they kept the *Four horsemen of the apocalypse* theme with the darkin characters. Aatrox is war, Rhaast is death, Varus is pestilence(blight) and Naafiri is famine .

[@jonathanwatson4484]

make sense since I think naafiri would be at the edge of the empire attacking traders, travellers and undefended settlements slowly building up a plague of hounds that would soon overrun the empire and devour everyone... so yeah she would be a big problem if not dealt with soon.

[@WildspeakerYT]

this almost kill my hype for more Darkin champions knowing that there're only 4 important ones >:(

[@kagaminezera8320]

@@WildspeakerYT Funnily enough the arguably most important darkin, Xolaani, isn't even in the game lol

[@jankieek8218]

​@@kagaminezera8320yeah her and Aatrox are made to be the center pieces of the whole Darkin story and she isn't even in league.

[@pathos92]

This champ lore concept reminds me of the Abyss Watchers from Dark Souls 3

[@Zwizard247]

3:50 Kayn: Ill pretend I didnt hear that

[@Derpe69420]

The mountains also look like howling hounds. Absolutely awesome

[@josc_d._ryu9226]

i noticed many things in that trailer on my own :D but i have yet much too learn i guess ty Mr fictional history teacher on the internet

[@chloesmith7871]

New darkin is always such a treat!!

[@123FireSnake]

the iconic pj pants + polo shirt look :D

[@cyberpsych6635]

uff the first 3 sec gave me the flashbacks yikes.... and yes we need more horror in this game.pls.

[@thevelocipastor1721]

honestly, since asol in 2016, this might be the first champion im interested in playing

[@Surgery7]

your last line about Legends of Runeterra made me think, its riot itself is kinda like Naafiri

[@calofkel]

Homie looking fit, well done !!

[@Chickensea10]

Love the kayn/rhaast board music in the background! Shoutout to LoR

[@noscopemonkey3369]

Cool to see a champion from Vainglory again. I miss that game

[@TheRedKnightOfPain]

Naafiri eating the sun is a referance to norse mythology where the hound Fenrir eats the sun and defeats Odin durring Ragnarok. Theyre probably going to draw very intentional paralells to that. Tinfoil hat moment, Naafiri will kill and eat both Azir and Leona before defeating celestials like Arelion Sol in some LOL version of ragnarok

[@irooi]

I’m glad we finally got a new monster champion. I love the new barkin

[@BeeToxicTV]

Wow bro you look great! Nice job

[@ToRecallE]

I dont play Riots games at all, but i watch all your lore videos, because they are amaizing.

[@whatdoesrsmean3627]

I think that the moment with smashed statue is actually a reference to the story "Faceless god".

[@umbralbushido8636]

oh god did you have to remind me of that freakin butterfly tour "cinematic"

[@maggomh7373]

NECRIT UR BACKK

[@SarosEreshkigal]

I can't imagine what Aatrox would say if he found out his comrades became dogs

[@guthw1485]

considering nasus and the other ascended were also aatrox's comrades, he wouldnt be too surprised

[@legoshirocha]

I miss so much the lore videos. Riot please release again stories in universe 🙏🥺

[@catgaming381]

Thank you very much.

[@XxAIZxX]

I do think that statue face in that one moment is a fragment of the "Faceless statue" aatrox destroyed

[@plaguedferret887]

Ever notice the mountain in the background looks like a wolf howling upwards

[@ArtIsMySin19]

I'm super excited to play some darkin doggos :)

[@EGOR-he1eh]

(3:25) O, maybe noxus got coordinates of darkin. And they thot that if kayn was fighting mentally with darkin pretty well. So they could got person who have incredible mentally trained mind and if he grabbed naafiri, he would just consume her. And with that he could become smart, strong noxus warrior with darkin power.

[@bustocream97]

Just throwing this out there to the ether. I would love league to introduce a character from Demacia that has been on the front lines when the black rose first tested out the gray legion. A footsoldier so full of grief and fear that he doubles down on the magic/noxus hate and goes insane. He thought that the northern region would be a cushy military position until Sion crashed through the barricades and slaughtered his comrades. Since he was the only survivor of the attack on the northern town he wouldn't be believed, Sion has been dead for years, driving him further down a pit of insanity. I just want more insane characters that double down on the evil concepts of each region in ways that make sense lore-wise.

[@soulhunter2720]

bruhhh I was wanting for necroit from yesterday

[@soulhunter2720]

I had a feeling that he will make this video

[@jaimecouto9450]

This is awesome, this is the vibe league was before, badass cinematics, and disturbed stuff. I'm not sad that LoR team got to league, it's a sign that they're very talented and now they got the opportunity to go wild!! Legends of Runeterra it's the one saved League Lore, and now both will prosper, as LoR just got Nidale a insane rework! And if old team cowork with this one... I'm having a good feelings Leagues Cinematics will now become legend!

[@SyndraEnjoyer]

I need skinspotlights to drop the voice lines already

[@answerunknown37]

Something I do want to point out, is that eyes have been thematically tied to Darkin since Kayn's release, as teasers for Kayn were similar; a single scythe with an eye in the center of the blade. It makes sense since eyes can be associated with consciousness, an open eye meaning they're awake, and a closed eye meaning they're asleep. The Darkin weapons with open eyes mean they're still struggling against their captivity.

[@jankieek8218]

Then what the hell does Aatroxes heart means. Or Xolaanis and most of the other darkin lacking eyes in their weapon ? Because funny enough the Darkin weapons with eyes are minority.

[@answerunknown37]

@@jankieek8218 For the heart on Aatrox's blade, it's the same thing as the eyes. Life. I'm not saying that all Darkin have to have eyes on the weapons, but that things such as eyes have been tied to them. Essentially, Darkin are tied to body horror of some sort, because of Xolaani. Be it eyes, hands, or spikes, Darkin distort the body of the things they control. Thanks for asking, though! I must have been a little unclear with my explanation.

[@jankieek8218]

@@answerunknown37 oh no, no I get it. Sorry I expressed myself wrong there I didn't want to say you were claiming that about the Darkin I just wanted to point out that the Darkin with eyes are a minority (I think other then the ones in league only Horazi and Baalkux have them) among the sealed darkin. English isn't my first language so sometimes I come out differently then I want to. Also for some reason Aatrox is the only one with a heart in his weapon but that can be somewhat related to the fact that he was the first Darkin sealed.