Riot Games has officially clarified in a short story that two of their champions in League of Legends are a lesbian couple: Leona and Diana. The LoL short story has not been released in China and Russia.
This is the situation:
- For 5 years, it has been suspected that the two LoL champions Leona (The Radiant Dawn) and Diana (The Hecatomb of the Moon) could be a couple. This would be the first homosexual couple in League of Legends. However, this was not further explored and remained limited to fan speculation.
- During the event for Pride Month, it was already hinted that the two are a couple. In a new short story on the LoL website “Rise with Me,” the relationship between Leona and Diana is now explored in more detail.
- The story cannot be found on the Chinese LoL website; only the poem that precedes the short story is available. The Russian LoL website even lacks the entire entry.
A Schoolgirl Romance in the World of League of Legends
What is the short story about? The short story “Rise with Me” takes place during the school years of Diana and Leona. They are about 14 years old. The two schoolgirls sit in the same rhetoric class and participate in combat training. They apparently show an interest in each other early on.
Leona asks Diana for tutoring in rhetoric. The two debate theological questions: Diana is known as a talented rhetorician, while Leona feels more comfortable with sword fighting:
- Diana repeatedly earns the wrath of the teachers for her radical approaches due to “blasphemy.” She is absorbed in her own thoughts.
- Leona is seen as a good model student who wants to make her parents and teachers proud.
A delicate teenage romance develops: Leona thinks carefully about how to ask Diana on a date. Diana dreams of escaping the strict confines of education and running away with Leona.
In the meantime, a crisis arises: Diana believes Leona only wants to “convert” her and has no real interest in her. Misunderstandings develop, leading to conflicts, but these are quickly resolved.
The story ends with a kiss between the two.
LoL Community Receives Story Warmly and Heartily
This is how the story was received: Users discuss the story on Reddit. One user bemusedly notes: All typical clichés of a “Shoujo-Ai” anime have been crammed into a story, even a summer festival is included.
However, the story is generally received very warmly and heartily. It is the “LoL equivalent of a romance in a debate team,” but set against the backdrop of a fantasy world.
The details of the characters that emerge even at a young age are also appreciated. For example, there is humor in a quote from Leona, who says: “She does not want people to perceive her as merely decent – she is quite funny.”
Leona has always been seen as somewhat of a conservative figure in LoL.
Overall, the story is well received in LoL.
This is the bitter aftertaste: LoL is played worldwide, but not in all regions is there an open attitude towards homosexuality:
- The Russian LoL website completely lacks the story.
- The Chinese LoL website does have an entry for the short story, but only the introductory poem can be read, as the website Mixrod reports.
Recently, there was already a similar incident during the “Pride Event” in League of Legends:
