What's the deal with Zeri and Neon? || character review (League of Legends)

[@TBSkyen]

The first 1,000 people to use the link will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare: skl.sh/tbskyen06221

[@cass6020]

Ya know, you say we're here for league, and thanks to you my level of investment in LoL has risen above 1%, but I'm mostly here to listen to you talk about just whatever. The perk is that Bloodborne Hollow Knight, and Celeste are a couple of my favorite games and the playthroughs on them are fantastic

[@cass6020]

Like, you get to see the analytics and, you know, are the channel, but as a non-LoL player, I found it from the Bloodborne run and then noticed in the credit links that there was an HK playthrough and was like, oh yes please

[@insectostrich4407]

Great video Skyen, I can see you put a lot thought into everything. I especially loved the whole “alternate universe” transition when you changed the subject to Valorant.

[@kaitogirldraws]

Thanksm Skyen! I definitely didn't expect the link to still work, but here we are!

[@HalfFang]

around 15 minutes if you look at the hand inside her gun, her hand is shivering, like Neon's hand does when she's sitting still and in her run. Her other hand isn't really twitchy just moving along with her breath but her gun hand is like Jittering and shaking inside the gun

[@viridian8786]

Another thing to note, Zeri with a more positive personality has a positive symbol on her cheek Neon with a more negative personality has negative symbol on her nose They're also both voiced by the same VA

[@52bowls29]

I never noticed that that’s really fuckin cool actually

[@dapperparraper860]

There is also the fact that the minus sign on her nose resembles a bandaid over the nose which is something that I know anime likes to use. Sometimes just to look interesting or cool but I think it might be used to signify someone as like young and rambunctious sometimes or something(but don’t quote me on that) which could connect to her fast, sporty and young themes. Since it resembles a bandaid it could also allude to her being afraid of injuring herself or others or something.

[@Xul-Xata]

So basically, Zeri and Neon is like Plusle and Minun.

[@yagasii]

@@Xul-Xata aksara?

[@koathekid8255]

@@Xul-Xatabasically

[@Kmartwastaken]

It is somewhat hilarious to me that you mentioned Neon needing to confront her powers to save her friends by using a large surge without the protection of the resistor, when literally the next day a Valorant cinematic came out showcasing that exact situation. Awesome video as always!

[@TBSkyen]

I swear to god Riot is just waiting to snipe me sometimes lol

[@reno9821]

I think Zeri's design is supposed to reflect Zaun's entresol level, where she lives. It's the part closest to Piltover and pretty much the best part of Zaun. I think her clothing reflects that pretty well, it's fancier than most Zaun champs, but it's definetly not Piltovan.

[@hugof2490]

She's from suburban Zaun lol

[@PremPnamNam]

Piltovan

[@reno9821]

@@PremPnamNam Damn, I knew Piltoverian sounded weird. Couldn't think of the right word, thanks.

[@violetsmith8693]

I thought promenade was closest to piltover?

[@uns33nbois81]

Promenade is the closest to piltover and the fanciest, the entresol is where the working class is and where most of the business happens

[@5q1d87]

There is a thing u forgot about: when looking at the face of both characters, there's a character design aspect which reinforces both of them: Zeri has a bandage in the shape of a + on her cheek, and Neon has a metal patch the shape of a - on her nosebridge. This not only defines the voltage hence linking characters together, but also represents their views: Zeri is an optimist she believes that her powers bring good and uses them without restraint, while Neon is a pessimist and thinks her powers will only get her in danger, hence why she restrains them. I like this because it gives a sense of duality to the character, what would one be if they acted like the other ?

[@thegames4565]

But then, if Zeri WANTS to use her powers freely why the jacket? wasn't that supposed to restrain her?

[@5q1d87]

@@thegames4565 I mean she knows that even she can go to far, it doesn't change the points of view each character has.

[@koathekid8255]

@@thegames4565no Direct A guide rather than a prison

[@NickyBoi]

Ugh, I hope this video doesn’t have any cameos.

[@Haha_You_Fool]

Thank god it was just another Skyen and not some other League KZbinr!

[@fallingheadphones]

F to pay respects

[@boredhuman6512]

Its very creepy how the alternative universe skyen sounds exactly like you nickyboi!

[@NOLMAD6]

yeah got to watch out for those portals to alt dimensions, never know what going to happen

[@neoretrothemasksculptor6261]

F

[@toastedmarshmallow6474]

Zeri accepting renatas deal and in fact to a small extent helping her by stopping ekko and seraphine would be fucking monumental. She doesnt care about piltover she cares about zaun and while shes a good person her being a good person is allowed to have a cost. In a world where the villian is a playable character everything cant just be “oh well together with the power of bright hair and friendships we stopped the big baddie” it would be such a breath of fresh air

[@bye1551]

Agree with this wholeheartedly. Character wise, she has *every* reason to want Renata to succeed. She has absolutely *no* reason to give a singular fuck about top side. "It's the right thing to do" doesn't *work* with her, she doesn't *care* about the grand political world and how her actions are morally justified blah blah blah she *cares* about her people. And if some wealthy assholes die so another wealthy asshole can pretend to care and inadvertently helps the people she cares about.... Good.

[@xelith6157]

Shit this would be so cool

[@nerdyandweirdybutmighty5256]

A fight between ekko and zeri would be soooooo EPIC and this fit with Renata she herself doesn't fight she manipulate others to fight for her, and this would be interesting bec here she doesn't use her mind control formula instead she present zeri with the choice if she takes her down and the community service she provides for zeri's neighbourhood or does zeri bite the bullet and for just this one time she helps a chem baron like this would be soooooo interesting

[@Xzcouter]

Thanks for talking about the Filipino aspect of Zeri. She and Neon are genuinely the first filipino characters I have seen in video games that are handled with more nuance in the sense that they dont feel like caricatures of filipino values and culture. There are small habits in their speech patterns that really makes them feel filipino to me and generally make them feel familiar.

[@Zero0Zero0000]

@@yogeybogeybear3542 wtf are you even talking about? Neon's trailer is literally heritage praise. Even the singer for her theme song, Ylona Garcia, is Filipino(-Australian). In-game, Neon talks in Tagalog (like most characters have a few phrases in their native language). She is STRONGLY defined by her culture and country you dimwit. In Valorant, agents are very characterized, but not stereotyped, around their country of origin.

[@thoseriseofkingdomsadswith972]

I mean the bar is very low. We got Josie Rizal who is just.. huh.

[@iwatchstuffs7933]

​@@thoseriseofkingdomsadswith972 the only thing Filipina on Josie is Her fighting style, I much rather prefer Talim

[@chad6060]

@@thoseriseofkingdomsadswith972 weirdly enough i know a lot of filipinos who main her because shes filo lmao (me included) xd

[@tenou213]

That was an interesting point. Zeri first struck me as more Latina in attitude and design (the brash defiance and focus on community + color themes more closely matching a Mexican or Brazilian influence) but I can faintly see the Filipina possibility.

[@Ecto-Punk-Art]

I will say, as a punk, this IS a punk aesthetic, it's just a very Modern and Comfortable punk aesthetic. This is what you'd see a crust punk wear to the grocery store. Personally, I think the punk theme would come through more clearly if her Big jacket (one of her main design components) was a Battle jacket. Cover that bitch in Patches, and Pins, and Chains, and Little Metal Bits she found on the ground. I think that could help the design look more Zaun as well. :)

[@chaonis24601]

Great suggestion honestly!

[@DoktorBeta]

covering her jacket in little bits and bobs would be very poor for gameplay visibility

[@janjems_1210]

I'm sorry, but seeing Crust Punk made me imagine a very badass Pizza man

[@magniwalterbutnotwaltermag1479]

It would in theory but zaun and piltover are more in line with archaic depictions of punk and steampunk, it's the same reason piltover is split between 1800's victorian fashion and early 1900's mafia aesthetics, for Zaun it's roughly 1900's-early 2000's with all of the leather and haircolours, but that's pretty much it they still look like they're peasants from the 1900's if you take away the bright colours

[@mistahchad220]

@@janjems_1210 Goddammit, reading that just makes me want like... a comic book series starring a very badass pizza man, preferably in a very gritty explosion-heavy action adventure. I must know the story of the CRUST PUNK!

[@CooledEvergreen]

God the idea of Seraphine Ekko and Zeri going on a heist sounds like so much fun, maybe Seraphine would use her status as a celebrity and start a surprise concert to cause a distraction, letting Ekko and Zeri to sneak in

[@flamesoul3778]

Add Zak in and it would be perfect

[@victorjandre7276]

zeri could play a role like anne heathaway character in oceans 8, if you ever watched that movie

[@forcefulstorm6187]

@@victorjandre7276 honestly my mind instantly jumped to the "laser dance" scene set to the instrumental of thé à la menthe from ocean's 12

[@cloudynguyen6527]

Ekko: Yo Sera, pass the aux cord Seraphine: "YOU AND I... We've been through the distance. Aiming for the sky. With a secret ambition. And there's a flame in your eyes that's igniting mine. I know I've seen it before .In the gaze of the prowling lion. I'm not afraid anymore!" Let's break the rules! And really put our backs into it Max out, pursue it What's a better time than now to cross the line Don't brake, let loose And make sure that your heart is in it Start line to finish For every second rushing by we're losing time You and I Breaking free of our prisons We defy The control of the system The thunder's growing louder in our hearts A storm is rising, this is where it starts! Let's break the rules! And really put our backs into it Max out, pursue it What's a better time than now to cross the line Don't brake, let loose And make sure that your heart is in it Start line to finish For every second rushing by we're losing time We're losing time! You and I Let's break the rules! And really put our backs into it Max out, pursue it What's a better time than now to cross the line Let's break the rules! And really put our backs into it Max out, pursue it What's a better time than now to cross the line

[@flyingfeesh427]

That's almost the same plot as AKB0048 Anime.

[@rjsagaya8316]

My favorite part of the writing for both is that they're Filipino-coded even in motivation and story. The Philippines is such a collectivist culture and we focus on our community a lot. That pressure to contribute and give back to our community is especially apparent for the Filipina women in our culture.

[@aldrichvalloyas8130]

As a member of the Filipino community, the subtle hints that you mention are obvious in Neon and Zeri's accents. However to me and maybe to a lot more people who come from the Philippines, Zeri's lore of protecting her community and her relationship with her family really shine through as genuine Filipino traits because of how closely knit we are as a people. So when you stated that through the transitive property, Filipino people belong in Runeterra I nearly cried. On a happier note great video as always!!

[@eraldsazon7493]

As a Filipino myself, I never paid much attention to Zeri's lore because I simply wasn't interested in her. However, after learning more about her through this video, I love how Zeri's story is about her and her community standing up against their fellow Zaunites who, instead of bettering the community, choose to exploit it. For those who don't know, the Philippines' political situation went completely down the drain in the past month or two after the son of a former dictator won the presidential elections. So seeing how Zeri fights for her community because she loves it despite the corrupt people who rule it was truly inspiring and uplifting to me who's been having a rough time going through my personal life because of what's happened. This video came at the perfect time, so thanks Skyen for indirectly helping me cope better with what's going on here and for showing people the importance of representation through Neon and Zeri.

[@fistmakeandfishiro5565]

Hey, saw you commented this about a month ago, checking to see how you're doing.

[@thethalecress]

it's becoming worse lol.

[@Cricket0021]

Here we go again with the philipinos making the video about themselves

[@rafaelmartinez4803]

​@@Cricket0021 what's your problem?

[@cianpangan-eh2nm]

​@@Cricket0021 well the characters are voices by a filipino va so..

[@bye1551]

I personally think Zeri would absolutely team up with Renata. Having dirt on one of the most powerful figures in piltover (if her plan succeeds) would do wonders for her community. She's a good person in principle, not in moral. Her "good morals" extend as far as those she supports and those who fall outside that boundary must prove why they're deserving of her time and resources rather than her circle. Every second she spends helping someone is a second she's not fighting chembarons or stopping robberies or teaching school kids. And for a group of wealthy assholes who've done nothing to help her? She has no reason to care, hell I'd honestly be frustrated if they went with that route because it's shallow and lazy "good guy beats bad guy because espionage is evil or something". She has every reason to side with Renata. She gets a wealthy philanthropist that can direct even more resources towards her and Renata gets the devotion and aid of a well respected figure in the community who can help raise her status both in Zaun and Piltover.

[@tiazoh]

With Zeri's taunt I interpreted it motivated less by anger and more as having something to prove, like she wants to fight to prove she's capable in a scrappy Zaunite fashion

[@zeno3568]

I personally think her shoes are something that I´d personally consider a missed opportunity. Like for a character who ingame is all about being fast, running a lot...her feet/shoes are very understated. Even more than that it feels very weird to me that the character that runs around a lot in the dirty, poluted, dangerous undercity of Zaun...has her toes out. Wouldnt you want good protection for that area?! Now, I also get that since League is top down most of the interesting bits of a character are usually well the top half (a concept artist once mentioned, that Riot is very carefull to make sure the characters get darker values on the lower half of their body) but I think you could still do more interesting things than just "leather shoe with toes out". I mean Camilles selling point are her legs, surely you could do something (interesting rollerscates maybe? Where her energy forms the rolls or smth like that? You wouldnt even have to change her animation for that o.0)

[@njalsand133]

toes is on of hose bodyparts that always gets injured >_>

[@benf262]

If i played zeri i would consider buying her crystal rose skin so she has boots that actually protect her feet

[@SpoopyBoy-yg7hb]

Give her wheelies.

[@stormstrikerpro]

I think what gets me about Zeri and Neon is that they did all this stuff to connect the two but they have nothing lore wise. They’re not the same character across multiple universes they just look similar. Feels like a let down

[@valeviloria1460]

As a filipino, one of the things that kinda irked me and my friends was the decision to give Zeri a fairly prominent Filipino accent in a region that is already established to have either British or American accents. It kinda felt out of place where she lives ( like how you wouldn't find an Australian accent in the middle of China). The only way I could see the accent working was if she was based off of OFW's and moved to Piltover in hopes of sending luxury back to her homeland (a very important and prominent part of Filipino culture) and this could've given Riot a chance to make a South East Asian inspired region. Idk if it sounds nit picky, but we have to eat up the scraps for representation, even when its really not the best cough* Raya and the Last Dragon cough*

[@SaschaV]

I mean Viktor has a Russian accent, Fiora has a French accent etc. so the accent thing is very random.

[@valeviloria1460]

@@SaschaV In the case of Viktor and Fiora, they were released when league didn't have a proper fleshed out lore.

[@SaschaV]

@@valeviloria1460 That's true

[@Nonickname231]

You will find a vast variety of accents in most metropolitan cities

[@valeviloria1460]

@@Nonickname231 Yea, and they're always immigrants. Like, a Chinese accent isn't gonna pop out of nowhere in the middle of India unless that person was originally from China.

[@AeIyx]

22:01 I just wanna note how it plays well into how Filipino kids and teens that you encounter in the streets of the Philippines generally act aggressive to other people visiting their territory especially in more shady areas. I love how the animations reflect that specific cultural norm for most street kids.

[@frisolaxod3835]

8:03 THE FUCKING CALLOUT THEY GOT US QUEENS RUN RUN RUN Also I hope they do a story centered around both Neon and Zeri. It doesn't have to be canon, but I feel like relating the two for more than just a reference would really help to develop both characters.

[@fleurenheit329]

QOL KEEPS LEAKING FUCKING RUN YOU HOES

[@tovi3280]

OH NO WEVE BEEN FOUND OH FUCK

[@zekexvii]

lmao 💀

[@seraphineslittlecatbao2370]

I really like Skyen. I see him as the most professional and reliable source of review and criticism upon a variety of my favorite video games, from the Souls series to Pokemon. When it comes to League of Legends, my favorite champion is obviously Seraphine, going so far as to impersonate her cat on the internet. When Skyen made his criticisms on Seraphine on both his main and his KZbin Shorts channel, I have never seen more professional reviews on the many things Riot did wrong with her, even going as far as to uncover some other shady things Riot has done in his What's The Deal video on her that I would have never known about in the time I have been a League player (about a year from today). For this he has my full respect as a critic. In this episode of What's The Deal, he mentions how some other people view him as a "mysoganistic women hater". I never knew so many people would have such an opinion on him as that, but I cant disagree more. I could kindoff see where it comes from, with his points on characters like Ashe or Miss Fortune, but no where does Skyen being an incel is ever shown, especally with his reviews on characters like Evelynn, Vayne, and Sejuani. Thats just my personal take on the matter. If Skyen made a video about what actually goes into reviewing and creating criticism, all the aspects of it and what exactly to look for, not only would it be really intriguing, but I think it'd clear a ton of air.

[@digitalbard350]

I think the comment about him being a “woman hater” is especially baffling to me- if anything, Skyen has shown his beliefs to be socially and politically very progressive or “left”, even dipping into the more radical aspects at times.

[@tovi3280]

People think he’s misogynistic?? He’s always seemed like not only a total ally for us gays but also has a view of girls and guys as equally human and discusses them accurately as female characters

[@AllYourPals]

honestly after the nilah trailer im a lot more willing to believe the creatively unmotivated part than i would have been a few days ago

[@Autumnsys]

Super excited for another entry to the series!!! I just recently binged most of the series and it's helped me get through a couple shifts at work. Love all the stuff you put out and I'm sure this will be no different ❤️

[@MoriBoita]

For me, i just loved Zeri, and by extent Neon, character by basically everything, even more being so out there, explicit that she is Filipino/Philipino, unlike character that you can assume sometimes, like Neeko (100% Brazilian, down to the cheese bread and voice actress, colors and everything) or Fiora (accent and theme), and doing like this can attract the interest of others on those Asian countries and people, and teach people how to like them, break stereotypes and all. I haven't played Zeri, due to not playing league as a whole, but seeing interactions, voice lines, animations and even the playstyle, she would be one of my favorites, and being kinda of a lesson to stop asian hate would just boost this. Everyone deserves respect, and I bet anyone would like a good representation of their people in a game as big as league. It's kinda beautiful seeing this, idk why, i just loved it, and now knowing even more, well also, sorry for any typos, english is not my first language

[@AlexNewmantheNewMan]

Hey TB. Just wanted to say thanks for the content, your voice is soothing and your understanding of narrative and design is a pleasure to hear. Hope the new home is going well and all the 4 housemates are getting along!

[@venus5106]

If it's any consolation, as a single voice among thousands, the specific reason I watch your videos is *because* you don't have a binary view or commentary on the characters and world your discussing. In all honesty I couldn't give a rats arse about LOL, but YOU make me care about the characters and the lore and in a way that encourages deeper thought, so in short, thankyou and keep doing you :)

[@maty3098]

I loved the conflict that you layed out about Renata and Zeri, its amazing when you create this scenarios, and really great video Skyen

[@will_khp]

Your point at 48:10 with Neon/Zeri saying "I belong here. We all belong here" reminded me of Caitlin's racebend in Arcane. There was a post on Reddit discussing her race change and how a lot of people believed that she was made part Asian in order to appeal to the audience in China (as if lack of representation has stopped marginalised communities from engaging with media). And while yes, it might have been a marketing ploy to tick off another box in today's "woke" era, I think Cait's racebending had a similar sentiment. A lot of people in the post had the attitude of "Why is Cait Asian now?" and all I could think of was "What's wrong?" and "Why not?". They acted as if the character was completely changed because of a 23andMe result and she was somehow "less British" and therefore less Cait, when in reality, she is still the exact same character and just as British as before. There seemed to be an idea that not being white took away from her character, her character being British, and that being British is an ethnicity and you had to be European white, rather than it being a nationality. Just because she's now part Asian, it doesn't make her any less "British" than her white counterparts and echoed the quote from above. There's a great significance of "Asian" characters (Cait/Zeri) being from P+Z, rather than Ionia (same thing applies to Samira and Noxus), same way how a poc is casted as a character based on their nationality rather than where their ethnic roots lie. There also seems to be confusion with white-washing and race-bending and how the latter seems to be perceived as having the same effect as the former; someone responded to my comment comparing turning Cait half-Asian to turning Lucian eastern-European white. The cast of Arcane is majority white/European with only three important Asian characters that I could name off the top of my head (two of them being villains, none of them being main characters, and all of them being dead). Like you said, with representation in modern media comes with companies being fake "woke" (I mean I'm writing this in June where companies rainbow-wash themselves for marketability) and there's the debate as to whether you should create new roles for minorities or diversify old characters, so it's all a very tricky topic and it's debatable whether Riot did this for the "right" reasons. Being a first-gen Hk immigrant born and raised in London, I guess the post just triggered something within me and it goes to show how representation really does matter in media. Especially with the increase in East Asian hate crimes as a result of Covid, we (POC/minorities) "all belong here". I don't even know if you (Skyen) can even see this message, never mind read it to this far (or anyone for that matter), but thank you so much for including this in the video and it meant a lot to me.

[@isabellamorris7902]

Hi! I'm drunk but just wanna say I love this comment and everything it represents as a fellow Londoner. I'm white as the driven snow so can't speak about any lived experience that might echo here, but I've been belittled for "confusing ethnicity with nationality" when I've complained about whitewashing in the past so I can't imagine how exhausting it must be for yall. Have a great night

[@marinhaalternativa3829]

Was she even racebent? Didn't notice, not a big deal.

[@alannar6189]

Also her voice actor is Asian

[@anshnanavati]

Good comment op

[@Martin-yh7vi]

@@marinhaalternativa3829 A lot of people on social media like to exaggerate things. Tbh, she did look a lot more east Asian in the show but even before that, her splash art in league always depicted her being Asian in some way.

[@shilohmagic7173]

Did someone say “league of legends is the nexus for a multiverse?” Zoe’s known that since she left runeterra.

[@zyibesixdouze4863]

it's admittedly amusing that SG Zoe isn't vanilla Zoe, so her multiversal powers aren't that far-reaching

[@welcometomylives]

Always nice to see another one of these. And it's nice to see a double feature, since Zeri and Neon are, indeed, the same character. I enjoy how alternate universe Skyen used different characters from League as their 'avatar'.

[@benepic3101]

Damn I can’t believe Skyen vored Nicky. I’m intrigued how this new plot development will effect the greater league KZbinr lore.

[@TheLanach]

Also, the most important aspect of their design that Skyen didn't mention, Zeri has a + thing on her face, and Neon has a - That clearly has a lot of meaning and potential for future stories

[@iwatchstuffs7933]

might probably means on their personality for such as Neon-Reserve,Introvert,Has to always hold back to not instantly killing everyone she touches. Zeri-Expressive,Extrovert,is constantly fighting to the point that her ability to produce electricity can't catch up to her routine.

[@emilianop8598]

19:19 Hi really insightful video. I just wanted to point some thing out. The animation of the jacket and the hair you were talking about is, according to "The Illusion of Life", called follow through/ overlapping action. It often gets confused with secondary action and can actually be difficult to tell apart sometimes. Basically, overlapping action is the result of the main action, while secondary action is independent of the main action. The smile she makes while she's jumping would be the secondary action, or if she was waving her hand while jumping that would be another example of secondary action. I just wanted to point it out since you're using animation terminologies to really dig into the animation of the character so it's worth using the right terms. Thank you for shedding light on the otherwise underappreciated idle animations. Keep up the good work.

[@mylestoby2]

totally would have Zeri siding with Renata, Zeri is a good person but i can't see her giving two shits about the rich pricks miles away that have never lifted a finger to help her or her community. doubt she'd like it or be happy but she'd defiantly fight for Renata only for so long as she needs her help, the second Renata is no longer necessary Glasc shatters.

[@EuclideanVision]

Glasc voice absolutely on point xD & your extension of the storyline really works for me! I'd say your setup really does lead into Zeri aligning with Glasc at least briefly, perhaps building up to her accepting the burden of "the grand lie" or becoming a mitigating partner to Glasc so as to direct her influence for the best? Could be an interesting alternative to outright conflict at first, even if her efforts would always be fruitless :)

[@ShadowSlith789]

Lowkey forgot you made these with all the content you put out on your other channels

[@TBSkyen]

Me too

[@teenyTinyToping]

I don't know if this matters, but her idle animation of where she's jumping actually is something I did a lot of the time to keep myself warmed for soccer. We often times did rotate the hips as well to make sure the hip joint doesn't 'act up' so to speak. Hope that helps!

[@GrayVBoat]

Cool stuff, as always. I said this at the end of the premiere, but I figured I would mention it again in the hopes of a possible response: ​I'm slightly surprised you didn't mention Kay ("Practical Perfectionist" from LoR) who is suspiciously similar in her visual design, in addition to being a character who explicitly makes copies of things. Her voice lines also mention timelines and paradoxes, and she has an Ekko-specific voice line where she says, "Ekko! Guess who I cloned?" I know her accent is Australian and her design isn't exactly the same as Zeri, but I feel like the similarities are clear enough. Also, I seem to remember hearing that a dev said Zeri's release had been somehow teased in LoR, but maybe I'm wrong or I misinterpreted something. If true, though, that'd be yet another weird thing about her. Maybe there was gonna be a connection, but it got changed mid-development? Any thoughts on any of this, Skyen?

[@Repicheep22]

This is why I keep coming back to your videos, Skyen, even though I don't play League; you take nuanced criticism to a whole new level. Examining a character design by itself, within the context of its fictional universe, within the context of the game that it is in, within the context of literary archetypes, *and* within the context of the real world, all takes a lot of time and energy, and I always come away from your videos educated and enriched. Don't let people incapable of nuance get you down. You're doing great work here!

[@khadrathunderborn5180]

Great video! Remember to pause it at 8:05

[@emberthecatgirl8796]

Good ol’ QoL

[@kindatim]

21:34 - *petition for Skyen to do an Evelynn video entirely using that voice!!!*

[@jackthegeat2234]

i think the most defining characteristic that places zeri in zaun are the tubes on her jacket and the bright green hair dye.

[@rence234]

Filipino here, at first I was disappointed that Zeri is from Zaun, but then I realize how much the dynamic of piltover and zaun and how represents the massive income inequality Filipinos experience

[@Le_Dave]

One of the thing I'm disappointed with Zeri is that there was the potential to add Urgot to the story since they share the same goal of overthrowing the chem-barons, they would probably fight if they met but maybe team up just for one operation. But I think it's never gonna happen and my boi Urgot will not get any attention...

[@truckerdave8465]

TB - My audience is here for LoL Me - I don’t even play LoL…but I love it here

[@waschoy]

About the Ethnicity in-Game thing, some voice actors have been hinting at it very directly, when the Samira voice actress announced that she would be in the game in an Instagram post that she captioned it with something like, the first middle eastern character, the same way the League's Taliyah's voice actress said that she didn't get to be LoR's Taliyah's VA cuz Riot wanted a more ethnic appropiate voice. That aside, i love your videos! Keep up the great job and even tho i don't know much bout Dark Souls or Elden Ring i absolutely enjoy the videos on them too, they are very well thought out and entertaining

[@cartoonishidealism582]

Yeah Samira was also stated to be based on Michael Luo and concept artist Kindlejack's experiences as immigrants.

[@leaf_of_the_wind]

Before you brought it up near the end of the video, I had thought to myself "I love how TB Skyen always brings up so many different ways to view the designs of these characters. Like how many different takes you can have for Zeri and Neon.

[@theso6ever]

genuinely i love that theyre the same in 2 diff games, i play both val and league and i feel like zeri and neon both have a weirdly similar playstyle.. or as similar you can get between the 2 very different types of games i played a LOT of neon in val, and then ended up picking up league. i didnt play zeri for ages, but when i did it felt weirdly similar, and i feel as if its made me find more immediate success on the champ

[@kittyplayz1480]

Ngl, in the scenario you suggested, I’d side with Renata wholeheartedly. I’d rather have someone doing the right things for the wrong reasons that actually knows what the consequences of the system look like than maintain the status quo. I’d straight up help her, actually.

[@tongtelong1543]

I think Zeri's lore is based on a Filipino Character which She is. Filipinos are proud about where they came from, their own country or town. Plus how they dress, you really cannot put them in one stereotype, some likes to dress like Koreans, some likes to dress like Americans yeah. I think that's how She's written.

[@IDoNotFeelCreative]

The slow zoom in at 11:29 after making that neon parallel while we ruminate on the implications... well played, adds to the drama, I love it

[@merlinriches]

I love watching these videos as an aspiring writer and artist. They remind me I have a lot to learn and help me by giving me ideas of what and what not to do. (I.e. Not putting the cart before the horse, writing mistakes like that)

[@FarhanH1]

Really phenomenal video. While I don’t agree with every thought you had about Zeri’s design I absolute agree with one thing in particular. *Stop Asian Hate*

[@lizardirl9488]

I don't entirely think the argument that Neon negatively influenced Zeri's design entirely holds up. Let me explain: One of the big flaws in Zeri's design is that, while good, it isn't distinct to league because of her more modern streetwear aesthetic. I think her coat is the biggest offender there as I could easily explain the jeans and bright shirt for a working class girl in a punk city. Her coat is also the only thing that sets her silhouette apart from Neon, who wears much tighter clothes. Both games have different design goals after all (League needs distinct silhouettes and Valorant needs similar ones. As for her body type being copied... Yeah, that is undoubtly true, but it also serves Zeri's character, so I don't think it's a knock against her, even if it's a little generic. I think Zeri's design flaws are hers and hers alone. The streetwear in my opinion does serve a purpose: Zeri uses electricity, which is more modern than the steampunk Zaun, so her clothing being more modern is an interesting way to reflect that. This would be fine, if Zeri was an outsider story-wise, but she isn't. I feel that's moreso two departments not communicating subtle design goals, rather than Neon being a bad influence. I'm also slightly disappointed you didn't touch upon the other links between them. My favorite is the bandaids on their faces. Neon forms minus, Zeri's forms a plus. You could even link tat back to their characters, as Zeri is much more optimistic positive than Neon. That's such a cute detail that it almost makes me wanna forgive the corporate high synergy digital ecosystem dissemination customer satisfaction metaverse. Almost. That combined with the fact that it makes Zeri Filipino by proxy makes me believe it was just two riot departments having fun working together with corporate seeing it as opportunity for metaverse saitsfaction cross-promotion. Perhaps I'm not cynical enough though. I also wish that they explored being the same character in two different worlds more. That could've been used better, but aside from them having different outlooks and attitudes due to their backstory it's sadly not used. What does make me a little sad is that it makes her feel a little undercooked. I feel her story and design may not have gotten developed as much because she had to pull double duty as Valorant promotion and Arcane hype-rider. I don't know how that affected her development, though. All in all, way cooler way to do cross-promotion than "heehee thanos in fortnite". As far as cynical corporate schemes go, this one is pretty creative and fun in my opinion. Other than all that I think you made some great points and loved watching the video.

[@Zoe-cy3ex]

i really love this whole comment

[@cynthiahembree3957]

I never would have made the band aid connection with Zeri and Neons outlook.

[@sharlockshacolmes9381]

Zeri's iddle animation where she does a little dance is also very reminiscent of the skating aesthetic, it's like she prepping herself to grind or slalom.

[@t.h.mcelroy6597]

I gotta say, I enjoy all of your content, but these character lore breakdowns/discussions are far and away my favorite. They are what drew me to your channel, and subsequently to League itself. I love how much you've expanded your horizons and I'm glad it's been successful for you, but I will never tire of these 💛

[@Nayayom]

Interting, I always had the thought that the connection between Zeri and Neon was not done because of Riot X Arcane was probably on a tight schedule and both Valoraant and League teams did not manage to deliver in time.

[@52bowls29]

I would love that whole confrontation with Glasc if zeri just responded with “eat the rich” as both a ok and a threat if she doesn’t keep her promise

[@BenjiBloodshed]

It's a shame some people think such harsh things about you; ignoring the fact you are just a person who is trying to point out what is good and what is interesting in all kind of character design. Cause your insight is the main reason I follow you. All because you do a great job not only trying to be critical and pointing out everything you see good or bad; but you are also honest. You admit some characters are still appealing to you and you make that clear. You also make it clear sometimes you're critical because you want to see better cause there's potential that feels like it never gets reached. Thank you for another interesting video; looking forward to the next one.

[@jjplz7091]

The only reason I started playing league was cuz I mained neon and then I saw a “neon like” character and was immediately reluctant on playing Zeri and tried league.Now I still main Zeri. Riots plan worked.

[@VentiLator7]

Personally I found it very cool to have 2 alternate versions of the same character across the 2 games (both of which I played anyways). It's a crossover without being a crossover in a way. I feel like with this one there doesnt HAVE to be a point to it. One of the very rare times where I disagree with *that part* of the criticisms (The one thing I agree with is the point on Zeri's looks (clothes) and wanting to fit into Zaun). I want to add that I too look at a lot of things in this industry through a rather cynical lense and still I found this to be just a fun little gimmick. Now if they were to do it more often and in similar ways, THEN I would have to revise my opinion on this but for now I really have zero problems with it. Regarding the representation part, I didn't think much about it but now that I know what the shared voice line means, it made me happy that it had a deeper reason beyond the games. That is very cool and the kind of stuff that we like to see. Also great final statement that the positive and negative coincide, it's not just "perfect" or "terrible".

[@reno9821]

Great video, I was finally able to catch up on all champ lore and what's the deal with videos before this came out. Judging by some of your twitter posts, I'm assuming Renata is next and I am beyond excited for that one. I have to say the future segements are my favourite, I love theorizing like that, please never get rid of it.

[@williambell3304]

It's not just on the internet. Many people just treat any kind of disagreement with any aspect of what they believe as an attempt to undermine and destroy all that they are and believe in. It's just easier for them, because that way they never have to consider other viewpoints or modify their beliefs. This is as true in academic discussion in archaeology as it is on KZbin.

[@HelloAmANoob]

Neon has blue and yellow hair which together is green like Zeri’s hair

[@DarkKnight95sm]

I wasn’t aware Zeri and Neon were so closely related, I wasn’t really paying much attention to either game at the time they were released. But now I’m wishing they released Zeri in LoR and WR at the same time, kind of like Akshan but this it’s a character going to every game the same time.

[@AlexiSonic]

You made me way more invested in the whole "We belong here" than anyone else could have. Well done.

[@Epic_Semibold]

Isn't it also because thr guy who made Zeri also made Neon aka Riot August? He said he found it funny if both character looked alike on a stream. But idk if there is only that. I still think it's interesting to point it out.

[@xidjav1836]

When I heard that Zeri is "filipina" I was like "Neat cool" then I read her and Zaun's story. She is an optimistic worker in a 3rd world nation with a rich history and great potential covered and made almost forgotten by the topheads, who's values are to love there community and to work hard yet due to there status it enables some of that nation to fight itself from people hussling to get by even if it's to bring others down to the upperclass of the nation who couldn't care less for there own people and instead squabble amongst each other like rats in a bin. Like I'm stretching a ton here and it could be all coincidence that i stiched with cobbleweb and you could say this to about any 3rd world nation, but that's a little too on the nose when I realized it. That aside it's neat how she is put here in a way that showcases some of the good and bad of my culture. Designwise she is arguably very compromised and limited, but it could go harder with what she wears, her jacket could definitely needs some more patches and stiches, some nick nacks on her person, maybe an amputee that's powered by her electricity and helps enhance her weapons, but that's going a little too far. Her story is definitely deliverable but disappointing in a way she is left forgotten and not using her being an alternate neon Ranata is a good foil for her and having an altruistic character join the bad guys is a bit more unique and interesting, but I would've liked it if there was a definitive contrast with neon and zeri that makes each other unique where it benefits both characterization where Zeri is the Neon that stepped out of her comfort zones to control her gifts, Neon is the Zeri that is willing to make hard decisions for her conciousness and push there stories that way, making them face those challenges of self confidence and responsibility yo when the climax of them meeting is where they finally compete each other

[@acehealer4212]

Alternate universe Skyen sounds suspiciously like NickyBoi... Anyway this is the first I'm hearing about Valorant's story and lore. And I really liked that you brought up Filipino representation in this video. Reading through the comments from viewers who are Filipino themselves has been moving.

[@Badger_Nerd]

God after watching your Renata video your fanfiction section hits HARD. I would kill to see a zeri-Renata glasc debate. Heck, I'd kill for Zeri to side with Renata, it would be such a great fucking dynamic

[@crusaddy]

the way Zeri should solve the hypothetical issue with Renata would be to side with her so we can get an epic cinematic or something and still manage to not really move the story forward classic Riot style

[@kaesunico6901]

Super huge fan of the transitions between sections for the video, really gives me "Invincible" vibes. Love it! Keep up the amazing work Skyen

[@EliniLinxfoot]

Dude when you were talking about the Fan story of Zer Ekko and Sera against Renata I was over the moon, I want that so bad omg

[@thesolarhunter]

8:40 Just wanted to say Morde was expanded upon when Annie was added to LoR. Spoilers below. Apparently when Morde took over the world he used two demons, one of which is the demon that lives within Tibbers

[@JayStorm199]

He only took over Valoran

[@zeppelincraft1443]

Tiberius is a badass name.

[@Liam-fd4uh]

I do enjoy the concept of a demon with the power to rule an entire continent being content to stroll around with a 9 year old who calls him tibbers.

[@abrawolf]

At least with neon, it seems they actually have some kind of development going on given the poster for the next cinematic and the email we have with the pbe from reyna. Poor zeri though

[@celestee2264]

Maybe it's a bit obvious, but something I find very cute is that Zeri's second idle animation dance kind of traces the step-down shape of a lightning bolt This is the first WTDW... video I see "on launch" since I became a fan of the channel. Keep up the good work, Skyen!

[@tedweird]

The Zeri/Renata interaction you proposed is excellent

[@Flavorless13]

Zeri's story is basically a ficitional reflection of a country irl (at least the past)..admittedly it's gotten a tad better now, not much, but still liveable. From the power interruptions, to the corrupt folks in power, and even fellow citizens divided.

[@lore_wa]

By releasing Zeri and Seraphine, in Zaun/Piltover, I feel like Riot doesn't know what makes that region special, almost as if they came up with the anime-character first and then slapped it onto the closest region they could get away with. Zaun/Piltover is probably my favorite region, where no one is special due to an intrinsic reason but because they made themself up, e.g. Viktor, Jayce, Singed or even non-released character like Silco have nothing special if not what they do or say. Releasing character with powers in this region really feels out of place.

[@lore_wa]

Btw I forgot the two primary examples of "making themself up": Ekko and Renata, since not only they were born in a poor family but also their powers come from their technology and personality.

[@McJethroPovTee]

there was only one of magic powers in p and z, and that was Janna.

[@markopusic8258]

@@McJethroPovTee Well you could argue that Janna feels really out of place in there. Yes there is lore behind why she dwells around the cities, that I really like, but at the end of the day she's still a godly being that's just there and doesn't usually interact with the ongoing matters.

[@Martin-yh7vi]

@@markopusic8258 Of course she looks out of place cause Piltover/Zaun didn't use to be this high tech. Back in the days it was just a simple trading city and underground it has ruins related to Shurima.

[@lorgranz7051]

Ohhh you bastard, you got me with that last question about bel’vet now I have to wait for the next video love the content though I hope you get better

[@doodlertoodlert8728]

-takes a breath- ok so speaking as someone who designs characters and who comes from old mining blood, jean as a fabric has been around since the 1600’s and Jean pants are historically accurate in at least 1700’s to now. Also. Zeri’s Jacket is a slightly more steampunk version of a vintage coal miner’s jacket. As is the boots. Those look like fancier work boots. If her neighborhood got mixed up with mines she reads like a kid who snagged her family member’s jacket and boots. I would just like to say though can’t tell you where the shirt comes from, but if you look up “vintage jeans” and “vintage miner coat” you’ll see what I mean with her clothes. It reads like she took a family members coat and it’s still too big for her. A strange mix of modern street design and vintage american working mining class. It’d all I want to say lol. This is a great video. It’s just…I hope we see more mining oriented characters to see if those jackets and boots are normal. So I suppose my answer to the trolley question; a company town is still a company town and eventually people will revolt against the company. The best way to do it, is if the kids in the town come back. The question could be answered fairly easily; “you helped us train our own doctors, our own teachers, our own businesses. You made use self sufficient.” Yes, she’d more than likely waffle about it but…as you like to say “the costume should inform the story” and she feels like a miner-miner adjacent and her backstory has mines.

[@123silverslash]

The interesting thing to do with that trolley problem I think would be to have Zeri give up the fight, and have Ekko and maybe also Seraphine judge her for it, maybe even fight with her. I think that would not only give interesting character development to Zeri, but Ekko going all in on stopping Renata and realizing his mistake after the fact, and Seraphine thinking they'd saved the day right up until she hears the songs of the Zaunite crying in pain. Sometimes the heroes need to stumble, and this would be a great catalyst for that.

[@InoMercy]

yea, here's the problem with that. It's out right saying that siding with Renata is objectively the right thing to do. That because the rich assholes in Piltover don't care about, or are actively harming the people of Zaun, they don't deserve to be saved. But that's not the point of a trolley problem. It isn't about deciding who "Deserves" to be saved, it's about trying to think up a third option. Figuring out how to save everyone. Being Good is hard. Being a Hero means saving someone, even when they don't "Deserve" it. And Saying that the only right choice is just the lesser of two evils, that just says you're not creative enough to make the actual right decision. Why do you think Skyen brought up Man of Steel before setting up this situation?

[@ButterflyScarlet]

@@InoMercy There is no "right" decision though? That's the whole point of the Trolley Problem. There is no magic third option. Either way, someone is getting hurt, and whatever choice made is dependent on your own idea of what is ethically justifiable. Are you a utilitarian who minimizes suffering at the expense of a few (whether or not they deserve it) or do you ascribe to Kantian schools where all that matters are morals rather than consequences? The only option where no one gets hurt is if Renata decides to speedrun a whole character arc willing to be a philanthropist out of pure altruism (i.e., become a totally different character altogether). That's something Zeri cannot do. Also, and I know this comment is old, but I thought it was funny that you denounced the OP as lacking creativity and yet you didn't suggest any solutions either.

[@InoMercy]

@@ButterflyScarlet Actually, the point of the trolley problem is that there is a third option. And that option is to throw someone else in front of the trolley to stop it before it even gets to the people tied to the tracks. The idea is that just letting the trolley hit the other people is largely passive. The trolley's coming on matter what, it's just trying to figure out whose getting hit. By throwing just one person on the tracks, you are sacrificing only one person to save many others, but you are directly responsible for that person's death. that's what the Trolley Problem is supposed to trip people up on. If the idea is to make sure the most people as possible are saved, only letting one person die is ideal, but you are the one actively ending this persons life instead of just letting it happen. I should have stated that what I said earlier is just my interpretation of the Trolley Problem. That the idea is to find a better third option. but even then, the original intent of this particular thought experiment is lost without the inclusion of the intended third option. And I didn't include what I thought would be a better option because that would involve writing a whole ass fanfic just to just to reply to this and I didn't want to.

[@abbywoodhead2764]

OMG thanks for this video. i have been think all of these point that you are making to my self even befor the video came out. i nice to know that even tho we never talked we came to the same conclusion on zeri it validates it a lot for me

[@chysandzain7303]

I found your channel a few weeks ago, and while I have no interest in LoL or much of the other games you talk about, I do enjoy the things you have to say and your personality in general. I think I set your six hours something video on while drawing one day and was pleasantly surprise to hear this guy being passionate about characters all the while being very understanding of other people’s perspective (and is ALSO sex positive/proudly supports lgbtq??!!?) So your channel kind of becomes comfort content for me, where I just set in the background and maybe learn a thing or two about character design. I truly appreciate what you do and hope you’ll continue to make videos the way you want to. Have a great day!

[@bainbonic]

Okay but like, your performance of Renata was REALLY good.

[@jinsator4616]

Okay had to stop the vid when you said "but zeri's grandmother needed that heart medicine" hits close to home. Banger vid! Cant wait to see more!

[@allmensland2106]

18:23 that slowed down version actually reminds me a bit of Noodle’s dance in Gorillaz’ song Dare

[@Ant-keys]

I did not find slesh, on my way through the warp but I did find some Kornflakes. The box was not open so...You want a bowl? Sky?

[@Lizzie_Lavender]

I feel like the reason why zeri's design just doesn't land properly or leave a lasting impression for me at least is due to its abundance of indecisive elements. Her hair isnt fully up but it isnt fully down its in an awkward middle, she isn't wearing sandles but she isn't wearing full thick boots which would go better with the wheels. The jacket while unique just looks really invasive like the kind you'd be constantly adjusting to sit comfy but also seems to be slipping off her shoulders at the same time. For how much movement zeri does the jacket looks like it would just get in her way or would just fall off onto her arms if that makes sense. And a smaller detail is just the one knee pad she has, why not just have both? I feel like her design just needs to pick a lane and stick to it but right now theres just some much visual tension so its just awkward to look at. Plus the only reason i know she has electric based powers is because of the bolt on her shirt which seems like such a cop-out to me they could've done so much more

[@alexmcfly31415]

1:20 you just summed up so many of my struggles with lol fanfics

[@chronowolf4734]

Heh, as someone who got back I to League and Valorant a few days ago, I did find the similarity between Zeri and Neon curious. What a fortuitous upload.

[@underscorebunnies9684]

Yo I would read the hell out of that story you were detailing with Renata/Zeri midway through the video. That was fantastic.

[@pikamoustache1146]

Seeing you analyze zeri’s idle animations makes me want to see a video of you analyzing all the champions’ idles!

[@Ty-cz6ei]

Since I first got into league Ekko has been my favorite character but I relate super hard to the theme of a female who stands against capitalism in their community

[@evelmichael]

"I'm dropping you unprotected in the warp" *Chokes on water in panic*

[@darthgriff3007]

there can be only one . (the music kicks in) Here we are, born to be kings We're the princes of the universe Here we belong, fighting to survive In a world with the darkest powers

[@NBSF41917]

I've been playing zeri for almost 2 months straight now... and I just noticed she has open toed shoes because of this video. I'm stunned I never noticed that

[@Arsanthania]

@36:50 gives a whole to meaning to her ult call of "you work for me, now!" Not everyone needs to be convinced with drugs.

[@droozlex]

I didn't even get your videos on Elden Ring recommended to me. Even though I have been on elden ring youtube for a while. Can't wait to go back and watch em

[@defaultplayer6115]

So in summary Neon is color Yellow-Blue and Zeri and Yellow-Green! 😁