It’s a yearly tradition for Riot Games to release a new cinematic for League of Legends. In fact, when Riot went with a minimalist tour of the Rift with the 2023 cinematic “Brink of Infinity,” fans revolted on social media. Riot noted the desire for a big CGI cinematic, and this year, the developer has delivered with “Still Here.”
“Still Here” is the season 2024 cinematic, and it shows off some familiar faces from League of Legends’ roster of champions, including Kayle, Morgana, Aatrox, Yasuo, Tryndamere, Kindred, and Ashe. It doesn’t seem to advance the lore in any way; we don’t see any characters exchanging dialogue or resolving plot threads. Instead, we see a montage of battles from the history of Runeterra.
The cinematic opens with Kayle and Morgana, the twins imbued with divine power from Mount Targon, facing off against the monstrous Aatrox. Based off their snazzy matching attire, this may take place during the earlier days of Demacia’s history, when the two heroes protected the fledgling nation from harm.
We also see an elderly ronin protecting innocents in a burning village; the warrior reveals himself as a much older version of Yasuo. Perhaps this is a future where Yasuo has found peace over his various moral plights, and continues to stand in defense of the innocents of Ionia.
Finally, the barbarian warrior Tryndamere faces off against Kindred, who serve as a metaphysical metaphor for the concept of death in Runeterra. Tryndamere, who is famous for his undying nature, battles off both the peaceful Lamb and the vengeful Wolf. Just before they can claim his life, he’s saved by his wife. Ashe takes out his enemies and the two of them regroup.
It’s neat to see a cinematic cover so many different scenarios, including a far-future glimpse at one champion’s future.
