#syndra

[ohnoitstbskyen]

thoughts on the syndra redesign that just dropped?? including old vs new splash arts!! :D

It's just a splash art refresh, so I wouldn't get too excited - Syndra's been well overdue for one of those for a while now.

It's fairly conservative as a redesign for that reason - mostly just it pulls back on the sexualization of Syndra (which her story has never supported anyway so that's a decent move), and... it gives her a face. Syndra's old splash has a very indistinct face that's mostly smudged out in the shadow of her helmet, but here we get a much more visible set of facial features which has the benefit of making her a lot more identifiable.

Much in the same way that Syndra's story doesn't really support sexualization, though, I would argue that it also doesn't really support immaculate makeup, perfect nails, high-end Dark Queen fashion and flawless smooth skin.

Syndra is a rage-driven, traumatized, magical explosion machine, who spent literal centuries sleeping imprisoned in a pool of magic water and upon awakening tore a mountain out of the ground and flew off to live alone on it, because she fundamentally does not want to be around people. She hates them, they are the source of her pain.

But she's designed to look like a cool, calculated, scheming Evil Sorceress who lives all day in a big opulent castle, sending servants into the world to do her dark bidding while reclining in a bed attended by captured slaves. There's a disconnect there - the design is trying to communicate a rather different character than how she's actually written.

Personally I'd like to see a Syndra who is wild and maybe a little bit feral, or hermit-like, an isolated lonely misanthrope who lashes out against others and uses her power to control and dominate her environment and others by sheer force and power rather than by any form of subtle manipulation or social intimidation. Less cool, calculated Maleficent evil queen self-control, more Carrie, more unstoppable force of nature.

There's this unexamined Default™ priority with female characters in League of Legends to make them look cool, beautiful and glamorous, regardless of whether that's what their story or concept actually invites, and I think it occludes a bunch of more interesting and unique design options. Syndra is an example of that.

Like, the best design Ahri's ever had was in the Ruined King game, where they leaned into her feral and animalistic nature, to better tell the story of how she's struggling between her desire to be human and her Vastayan instinct to feed and hunt

It didn't desexualize her or make her not beautiful in any way, but it did, at least, allow for something other than the immaculately composed not-a-hair-out-of-place silky smooth Default™ beauty that dominates her League of Legends incarnation to be a part of her visual storytelling, and I think she was a lot better for it.

I wouldn't mind if Syndra got that treatment as well.

[aurelion-solar]

Coven Chroma Splash Art from LoL CN

Coven Ahri, Nami, Syndra & Elise - Pearl chroma

Coven Akali - Sapphire chroma

[greenstellar]

Two sides of Syndra

[notoriouslydevious]

Withered Rose Syndra & Zed by Piscina

[rennebright]

Skeb by くみこ [Twitter/X] ※Illustration shared with permission from the artist. If you like this artwork please support the artist by visiting the source.

[synthwolf]

yea

[hekatiane]

Syndra doing her makeup based on a Riot Goblin post!

[phalanxus]

This comic series titles "Magically Oblivious Garen" explores different aspects of Runeterra's lore as if viewed by someone who cannot (or refuses to) perceive magic/supernatural beings.

It's mostly a joke, of course, but I really fell in love writing and drawing these 🥰

[kumihogames]

kumihogames | icons coven 2023

do not repost my work anywhere. like or reblog if you save it. psd 288 by @opulenceps.

[draxstic-s]

ᝬ Amantes

pedido pessoal. ⌕ Ahri & Syndra - 13/07/24

[ssephyr]

Syndra

[aurelion-solar]

Inkborn Fables Unit Art - Battle of the Golden Spatula

[greenstellar]

Akshan the drama queen💅✨️

[snoweyart]

I don't remember if i had posted this Syndra but this is one of my favourite drawings sooo

[bestwitchsam]

[mutuna-x-blog]

STAR GUARDIAN // STAR NEMESIS