Every week we take a look at the lore behind some of our favourite League of Legends champions. This week we have taken Aphelios' Lore under the microscope to figure out what makes him the Weapon of the Faithful. How did he become the fighter he is today?
When talking about Aphelios' lore it is important to understand that the story of Aphelios is not just his own, but that of his twin sister, Alune, as well. Aphelios and Alune are the two main characters and one cannot ignore the other when discussing who or what Aphelios really is. So without further ado let's jump into the lore of Aphelios.
Want more LoL Lore?
- LoL Lore: The Story of Aatrox, the Darkin Blade
- LoL Lore: The Story of Amumu, the Sad Mummy
- LoL Lore: The Story of Akali, the Rogue Assassin
Who is Aphelios According to LoL Lore?
Aphelios and his sister, Alune, were born during a rare lunar convergence, where the physical moon was eclipsed by the moon of the spirit realm. Each twin was touched by one half of the moon, Aphelios by the physical while Alune was touched by the spiritual moon.
They were born to the Lunari, a people who were faithful to the moon. They were forced into hiding by the Solari who deemed them heretics and thus the children had to grow up hidden by darkness.
As the years passed, Aphelios felt the pressure of being an example for the Lunari and tirelessly practiced wielding moonstone blades in order to protect those who believed in the Lunari faith. His sister on the other hand trained to be a seer due to her strong spiritual and magical energy.
- More LoL Content: Riot Games Celebrates Pride
Without his sister by his side, Aphelios’ faith wavered, so he chose to go on a spiritual journey to find his path. He followed the moon to a pond filled with noctum flowers. Drinking noctum flower essence would open him up to the night’s power, so Aphelios did. After consuming the essence he felt nothing but pain, numbing him to everything else around him.
It is stated in the champion lore that soon after, an ancient temple phased into the physical realm from the spiritual. Lunari from all over came out of hiding to witness this spectacular event. One of their own, gifted in magic, would be accepted into the fortress, signifying a change in the celestial cycle.
Alune would be the one to go. She ventured into the fortress, all other Lunari watching when the light changed and the Solari attacked. The Solari took no mercy, killing the Lunari without a second thought. Even Aphelios was taken down, his moonstone blades destroyed.
Meanwhile, Alune continued to march on into the heart of the temple, unlocking her full magical potential as she reached the deepest depths of it. She used her magical ability to reach out to her twin, pushing her magic onto him, creating new moonstone blades like a reflection of his original physical ones.
With the power of his sister, Aphelios killed each and every one of the Solari who had attacked them.
It is stated in Aphelios champion lore that Alune pushed the temple into the spirit realm, safe from the Solari. Alune was able to project her power anywhere as long as it found a focus – the noctum essence coursing through Aphelios. It was through this connection that their destiny became clear.
- Netflix and Chill soon? Netflix Series Arcane Release Date & More
Aphelios would hollow himself out, only filled with pain, and become the conduit for the moon’s power while Alune lived alone within the temple and live through her brothers' eyes. Together they would become the weapon the Lunari need in the ever-changing power balance between the Solari and the Lunari.
What Region in Runeterra is Aphelios from?
Aphelios is from Targon. Mount Targon is the largest peak in all of Runeterra and is situated west of Shurima. The region is almost impossible to reach due to its high altitude and therefore many believe it to be the beacon for dreamers, madmen and adventurers.
- Not sure where Targon is? LoL Lore: Welcome to Runeterra
There are two main faiths, the Solari and Lunari, which yield power in Targon. Depending on the celestial cycle. The Solari worship the sun and believe the moon merely leeches its power from it, hence why they want to eradicate the Lunari.
Are Aphelios and Diana related According to LoL Lore?
Aphelios is a believer in the Lunari faith and their greatest weapon, while Diana is the aspect host of the moon itself. She was once a member of the Solari but realized that the fighting between the two factions was futile and that the moon and sun weren’t enemies.
Aphelios and Diana are both part of the Lunari, but are not related directly. While Aphelios is a weapon of the Lunari to fight against the sun-faith, Diana is trying to find a way to unite the two peoples and have them understand that they aren’t foes.
What do you think of Aphelios and his lore? Would you want to see Alune get her own fleshed-out Champion in the future? Let us know on Twitter and Facebook!