Ruler's Quest for His Throne

Ruler’s Quest for His Throne

Time Stamp: October 24, 2023 3:12 PM

In another life, in another story, November 4, 2017, has a different storyline. It became the year that broke Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok. And the man who did it takes his place on the throne.

It is Game 3 in what has been a grueling series for SK Telecom T1. The organization is attempting to do the impossible – complete a threepeat when it comes to Worlds titles – cementing their status even further as the greatest League of Legends organization in history. Yet just over 39 minutes into the game, they find themselves struggling to fight off being swept in the finals.

At 31 minutes into the game, a disastrous baron fight wiped away a significant gold lead. Two minutes later, Samsung Galaxy would nearly finish the game as Faker and Bae “Bang” Jun-sik were caught out of place.

Tensions were now incredibly high as both teams postured for one final fight in the mid lane. SKT1 would be split up, ready to collapse from multiple angles while Samsung remained grouped together. Because in reality, SSG only needed one angle. Faker and Bang were standing alone. This was the opportunity.

Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk on Varus took the risk. He flashed and landed the ultimate onto Faker – who was mere seconds from having a flash of his own. Samsung immediately pounced on the opportunity and SKT1 began to panic. Ruler somehow managed to stay alive.

As the world watched SKT’s nexus fall, David Turley would deliver the critical line: “The SKT dynasty is over, all hail the new kings!” The English broadcast goes silent, allowing the camera images to tell the story. Samsung is elated, unsure of who to hug first. T1 is silent, heartbroken.

Ruler leads the group to the opposing and pauses at the third desk in T1’s booth. Faker struggles to lift his head from his desk, even as Bang shakes him. The Chinese crowd assists as his lifts his head to congratulate his Korean counterparts yet the image remains of him with his head in his hands. 

It is easy to forget that just a year prior, the story was a little different. The same exact line-up from Samsung Galaxy were on the receiving end of a Game 5 loss. The responsibility arguably fell onto the shoulders of their then 17-year-old rookie Ruler, who questionably rushed upwards in the mid lane in a game where every single moment mattered. So close where they to pulling off an unbelievable reverse sweep.

The moment felt more special as a result. It did feel as if Ruler had finally made his claim to be recognized as one of the best players in the world. However, it has still taken some time to get the point across.

His individual skill has never been a question and one often admired by fans. His stylistic flexibility and excellence has broken a barrier that has limited some of his predecessors. He is a player that is able to dominate a laning period and then produce mind-altering mechanical performances in a team fight.  

Yet he has also been a player marred by his team’s results. Loyal to a fault, until 2023, he stuck with his trusted organization even though the name changes. He has his share of historic teammates – partnering with Gwak “Bdd” Bo-seong, Han “Peanut” Wang-ho and Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon – but has also had his share of disappointing teammate results. And sometimes, it has just been bad meta reads – specifically referencing how one patch change late in 2022 changed the course for their Worlds run. Since 2020, GenG has constantly been in consideration for a Worlds championship yet has failed to make a finals.

His move to China this past off-season – a move for a larger contract – brought him to a LPL God Squad. Despite finishing second in the summer regular season, JD Gaming has been a team unlike any other. All five members find themselves competing for the honors of best in the world at their respective roles and three of them arguably are – Ruler, Zhuo “knight” Ding and Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok. And the team is on track to complete the League of Legends “Grand Slam” – two domestic titles, a MSI title and potentially a Worlds 2023 title. And despite the notion of a super line-up, it truly does appear to be Ruler’s team as witnessed by the bliss that has been their ability to peel for their star marksmen.

Yet a second Worlds victory could also be what cements Ruler’s legacy as one of the greatest players ever in competitive League of Legends. He is one of two players to have won a Worlds, a MSI, a Korean Finals and a Chinese Finals – the other player being Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu. His individual accolades are excessive – three LCK 1st team All-Pros, two LCK 2nd team All-Pros, a LCK Player of the Split, a LCK MVP, two LPL 1st team All-Pros and a 2017 Worlds MVP. He is also exempt from Korean military service – which is just a cherry on top.

Despite what already feels like a surefire resume to be established as the best of the best, he does not find his story as the one being told. A year of incredible achievements so far and one more potentially looming feels like a side story in the narrative of this year’s World Championship – where the focus has been on the LCK teams understandably.

Ruler does not need another Worlds victory. Rather he just needs the spotlight and the ovation. Then again, a second skin doesn’t hurt. 

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