Possible Yone splash art latest leak ahead of Spirit Blossom event

With Riot, and the League community in general, gearing up for the upcoming release of the Spirit Blossom Festival with its accompanying bevvy of skins and new champion Lillia, rumours and leaks have been coming thick and fast regarding the event. 

Allegedly the base splash art of new champion Yone. (Picture: Riot Games)
 

One rumour, in particular, has sparked widespread discussion - namely the leaks around the supposed release of Yone, brother and rival to League’s wind-wielding samurai, Yasuo.

PBE files for champion interactions with Yone had already been spotted, and unconfirmed splash art for a Spirit Blossom skin had also made waves in social media, but now Yone’s base splash art has supposedly been leaked.

The leaked picture has a heavily bandaged Yone standing above his defeated foes, twin-blades in hand, - one notably glowing with malevolent energy. Moonlight, flowing-hair and a traditional Japanese (or rather, Ionian) castle in the background complete the anime-come-samurai flick villain aesthetic with room to spare.

Riven Haunted by her past - or perhaps Yone. (Picture: Riot Games)

The splash art mirrors other teasers that have been attributed to Yone, as well. Lilia’s “Beyond the Garden” cinematic featured Riven haunted by a nightmare that bears a striking resemblance to Yone’s leaked splash, and Yone’s demonic looking sword and its distinct hooked base can also be seen mirrored in Yasuo’s upcoming Spirit Blossom splash art.

Does Yasuo sit above his brother’s reflection? (Picture: Riot Games)

Narratively though, this leaves Riot with some questions to answer. Namely, Yone is supposed to be dead. Killed by his brother in a revenge-fueled duel over Yasuo’s involvement in their master’s death, no less. How is he still alive? Or has he been brought back from the dead? The answers still remain unclear, but we do no one thing - 

As confirmed by Michael Yichao, one of Riot’s narrative designers, Yone is not a Darkin. With glowing evil weapon in hand, and returned from the dead, one can forgive the assumption that League’s cadre of bloodthirsty weapon spirits had a hand in Yone’s revival. That assumption has been nixed though, leaving Yone’s lore still shrouded in mystery.

Time will tell what has truly happened to Yone, and what powers that sword of his will unleash on the rift.