Riot Games continues to expands its iconic MOBA League of Legends every year. Between events, skins, and brand-new characters, fans keep reinvesting in the game. Part of what makes League of Legends so popular is its impressive roster of characters, which is now over 150 champions ranging from youthful mages to colossal guardians and even a sinister succubus. As Riot Games continues further into its portfolio-wide Ruination storyline, another character will soon be released into Runeterra.
The newest champion for League of Legends is Akshan, the Rogue Sentinel. Growing up as a street urchin in a Shuriman village, he always stood up for what's right. One day, Akshan stood up to the wrong person, and was beaten to death, though he ended up being resurrected by an ancient weapon that belonged to the Sentinels of Light, and the woman who brought him back trained him in the ways of the ancient order. While Akshan may be a unique champion in the League of Legends universe, he gives off vibes reminiscent of Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise.
Akshan is Literally an Assassin
Right off the bat, Akshan is another League of Legends character that fits into the role of an assassin. Even in the role of a mid-lane marksman, he is able to quickly close in on an enemy and cut them down. While Akshan's trusty weapon is an ancient Sentinel of Light gun instead of an Assassin's Hidden Blade, it is still the easiest connection to make. Like other highly mobile mid-laners such as Talon, Akshan will be able to quickly rotate to a fight in another lane or area of the jungle to eliminate enemies.
Akshan is a South Asian-inspired champion, and his garb reflects his roots as a Shuriman street urchin turned suave rogue. All together, his look is reminiscent of several pieces of key art for the Assassin's Creed games, especially when Akshan wears his hood. The iconic look of Assassin's Creed characters have inspired cosplay, fanart, and more. Akshan's own shroud and cape capture the essence of the typical stalking Assassin, especially when Akshan himself enters into his stealth ability.
Of course, more similarities can be drawn between Akshan's backstory and the overarching stories in Assassin's Creed. The Assassin's Creed games have ancient secret organizations that can both help maintain peace or alter the course of history. From Ezio Auditore to the Frye twins, most playable characters in Ubisoft's franchise are part of the secretive Assassin Brotherhood. While the Sentinels of Light aren't as secretive as the Assassin's Brotherhood, it is still and\ ancient order that influences the course of Runeterra's history.
Much like the Assassin Brotherhood, Akshan and the Sentinels of Light seek out and use powerful ancient relics. The Pieces of Eden in Assassin's Creed hold immense power, as do various Sentinel relics, including the weapon that brought Akshan back to life. Typically, Sentinel weapons are made from stones from Runeterra's Blessed Isles, which hold the arcane power of light. Akshan and his mentor used to go around collecting the powerful Sentinel weapons to put in a stockpile before facing the events of Viego's inevitable Ruination.
Whether it's just the white shroud, or the suave demeanor that players may recognize in a character like Ezio, Riot Games must have infused a little bit of Assassin's Creed DNA into its newest champion, at least on a subconscious level. However, it's also possible this was intended to be a reference, in which case the original subject is more than apparent.
League of Legends is available now on PC. Akshan releases on July 22, 2021.