Warning, this is very long so buckle up. (Also spoilers for Arcane)
For those wondering where this ship came from and how it's bloomed from something that was pretty niche into something nearly mainstream. It's an interesting journey. So let's dive in.
(Note - Updated post with more information on the history. It's actually older than I realized.)
Let's start with some context, Lightcannon is the name of the ship between two characters from the MOBA game, League of Legends. Officially launched in October 27, 2009.
Luxanna Crownguard (though she prefers Lux) from the kingdom of Demacia. She's a mage whose skilled in light magic. She became a playable champion on October 19th, 2010. She is literally the Light...
...To the Cannon known as Jinx (formally known as powder.) from the slump of Zaun. A psychopathic loose cannon whose also a uncertified genius when it comes to tinkering. She became a playable champion on October 10th, 2013.
Both residing in the world known as Runeterra.
Now you might be wondering, "How in the hell does a pretty blonde noble mage girl from a kingdom of knights get shipped with a blue haired psycho steampunk Harley Quinn knock off that's a continent away?" (Don't pretend Jinx wasn't made to cash in on the hype of Quinn. Riot is known for cashing in on trends.)
(edit 12/3/2024)
Well originally, I thought it was due to the Cosmetic Skins that League is known for releasing for it's champions. They usually have some fun special interactions with characters and even some lore. Creating AU's of sorts. Some are one shots, and others get expanded up into full on spinoffs with stories and their own expanded narrative.
In 2015 RIOT launched the Star Guardian set. Basically a Magical girl set for the characters: Lux, Jinx, Janna, Poppy, and Lulu. And this set is what many thought kicked off lightcannon. Myself included.
In the Star Guardian lore, they are childhood friends. With Lux being described as, "Cheerful, courageous, and just a bit clumsy. Lux shines the brightest among her Star Guardian team as its captain."
While Jinx is described as, "The cynical teen rebelled, refusing to treat her powers as anything more than a plaything to serve her own interests. While Jinx scoffs at protecting a world she doesn’t trust, she does believe in her childhood friend Lux—and if someone could see into the depths of Jinx’s heart, they’d see a furious, burning need to keep those she holds dear out of harm’s way, at any cost."
If you are at all familiar with Magical Girl shows, you can see how this kicked it off. There is always an undercurrent of Yuri in ever MG series. For this, the classic, Good Girl x Bad Girl with a heart of gold. This even got it's own cinematic. With plenty of shots of Lux and Jinx Longing for each other.
With some rather fun interactions in game.
And a classic scene from one of the stories
However, it was pointed out to me by @questionablecuttlefish
there were people before the star guardians that were already shipping them together as for back as 2014!
Barely 3 months after Jinx was released. The first lightcannon fanfictions started to appear. Which is kind of crazy!
This also pre-dates ekko - who became playable on May 29th, 2015!
Now at the time, Jinx didn't have much lore. She was just the crazy boom girl, and it was hinted at that she had a history with Vi and Warwick. (Too be fair, VI's lore was kind of all over the place and she was mainly "Police Brutality, LoL.) So she was kind of malleable.
Lux however had a lot of lore. She was born into a high standing Noble family that is sworn to protect the king. Hence the name Crownguard. She is depicted as a bright, cheerful, and optimistic character. She's also related to the champion Garen, her older brother. However, she is a mage and magic is hated in her country of Demacia. So, she has to hide who she really is. Garen does know and accepts her. There are also a number of stories where she has done very questionable things. One of her decisions led to her trusting the wrong man, Sylas. A criminal mage that tricked her into helping him escape. Which ended up triggering a mage rebellion, which led to a lot of people dying. (And her OG lore, she operated as a spy. Which some people have played with.)
Sounds familiar right?
So a big part of what drew these two together was the potential these two could have if they met. The idea that Lux finds someone who encourages her to be herself. To let her magic free and accept all of her. Which could also apply to Jinx as well. The idea that they could be who they truly are with each other. And still drawing a bit from the Star Guardians down the line with the whole Good Girl x Bad Girl.
Again, this was still pretty niche. Very much a crackship, but people were pretty creative in what they thought of.
Then came a big shot in the arm for the ship, the Cinematic trailer for Wildrift.
This trailer had jinx hoping around runeterra and grabbing people to join her team to fight. The first person she grabs in Lux, whose bored and wants something exciting to do. And here comes this manic pixie dream girl who pops out of nowhere, jumps in her laps, takes a selfie, and then pulls her into a portal to fight a giant monster like she wanted. Plus the fact that Lux can create pretty shiny lights and massive magical explosions doesn't hurt either. With a lot of the promo stuff having them act like friends helped to fuel it further.
And then, a year after this, Arcane launched!
This not only gave Vi more depth, but also Jinx (Originally named powder). She went from, "lol, random, psycho murder, boom girl." To an incredibly tragic character who who just want to hug and tell her everything is alright.
And it wasn't that we wanted Lux to fix Jinx, we wanted them to help each other. And with the ending of season 2, the viability of Lux and Jinx actually meeting skyrocketed even further. With Jinx faking her death and sneaking onto an airship that was seen over open water.
Possibly to Demacia to get a fresh start? Not impossible. Maybe even be her guiding light.
Additionally between season 1 and 2 or arcane. There was this fun little Chinese Animated web series called, Valoran Town. It didn't have too much an impact on the ship, but was still a bit more fuel for it.
Basically, a slice of life series about the champions living in a small town. The main story focusing on Lux as she runs away from home trying to live free and independently from her overbearing Brother Garen. Her best friend and now roommate in the series is Jinx! Since a lot of promo material for wildrift did have them acting like friends, this felt like they were kind of leaned into that angle. Which worked pretty well.
Each episode is about 5 minutes long, but it's just super cute and fun. Also a nice pallet cleanser from the heart ache of arcane.
This person was kind enough to upload and subtitle all 12 episodes.
Give it a watch, it's free. (Just turn on closed captions.)
Valoran Town (瓦洛兰小镇) is a official League of Legends: Wild Rift animation published by Riot Games China. It tells the story of a rich girl,
So, yeah. That's the history of lightcannon. We love it for many reasons, but for me. It's the potential they could have. It's very much a crackship, but I will sail it everyday. Hope you learned something.
And some funny things to think about.
Lightcannon and Caitvi/Piltover's finest means that Jinx and Vi have the same taste in women. Upper class femme.
But it also means the Crownguard sibling also have the same taste in women. Or, at the very least, have a kink for criminals/killers.
Garen with the Noxian assassin Katarina.
Lux with Sylans and Jinx.
Which would also make Lux and Jinx Bisexual too, so represent.
Yes, I support timebomb too. Arcane Season 2 episode 7 is beautiful. I see why people ship Ekko and Jinx together. I'm a multi-shipper. You can do that. They both love Jinx, and she deserves all the love.
"the gomezification of wednesday" "no, enid's gomez" "wednesday's clearly morticia" "enid is-" SHUSH. ALL OF YOU. Wednesday and Enid are clearly BOTH Gomez and Morticia while still being their own thing.
Enid would rush into danger unarmed, uncertain, and unplanned if it means making sure that Wednesday was alive and safe. Enid would love the Addams Family as much as they adore her if it means she'll get to love and appreciate every part that makes Wednesday who she is, even the kooky and spooky parts.
Wednesday would fill in the silence and whisper sweet nothings in Enid's ear about how beautiful and courageous she is, and, in due time, kiss every scar that litters her body, from Enid's knuckles up to her lips. Wednesday would spend every waking second of her lifetime wishing and aching to be with Enid, having her thoughts still consumed by the wolf when they are apart, and being in ruin when she is absolutely gone.
"I would kill for her. I would die for her. Either way, what bliss." is a saying that both of them would fulfill without hesitation.
Wednesday would watch Enid tear a man limb from limb with nothing but her bare teeth and claws, feel fear for the very first time in months, then beg Enid to make her feel all of it again to an even greater extent. Wednesday would witness Enid break down until the wolf had no more tears left to shed, then go out of her own boundaries and embrace her, knowing it is the only way Enid can be comforted and feel loved.
Enid would be disgusted at even the idea of partaking in Wednesday's more macabre interests, yet hold her breath and brave the unknown if it means this is what would make Wednesday happy in her own weird way. Enid would see every danger and mystery threatening the love of her life, and bear it all with Wednesday if it means lightening her load and stress.
" 'I loved her not for the way she danced with my angels, but for the way the sound of her name can silence my demons' - Me, when describing the love of my life" is something they would both absolutely put in their yearbook quotes if they didn't have anything better to say.
I know we already established that Furina is both Jesus and Marie Antoinette, but istfg I am gonna shove my Julius Caesar Furina agenda in here somewhere because I swear I make perfect sense.
1. The infamous backstabbing. If we really think about it, Furina's friends can count as the equivalent of Julius Caesar's senators, mostly with half of them technically having some involvement with leadership/government. Though Julius Caesar's was a literal backstabbing and I know we all still have mixed opinions about the entire putting Furina on trial thing, the entire process leading up to the trial can count as a more metaphorical emotional backstabbing for Furina because even if we can all argue about its necessity, there's no doubt Furina felt really betrayed by the entire thing.
2. Julius Caesar conquered France back then. Do I even need to explain it in detail?
3. This is gonna be the most detailed point because my mind is still rotting with this, but there's the Triumvirate that existed before Caesar officially rose to dictatorship. If we follow the timeline and apply it to Egeria, Focalors, and Furina's two sides, I swear it fits.
The Triumvirate back then was comprised of Crassus (Egeria), Pompey (Furina's Ousia Side), and Julius Caesar himself (Furina's Pneuma side). For this, we also have to keep in mind that Furina's Ousia Side is the real Furina herself (the actor), and Furina's Pneuma Side is the "archon" (her role).
As all, it starts with Crassus dying in battle (Egeria's death). Soon after, the Senate (Focalors) endorsed Pompey (the real Furina) as the new leader (the acting hydro archon). And because of this, Julius Caesar had to defeat Pompey's forces to take his seat as the leader of Rome (The real Furina had to die inside little by little so "the hydro archon" Furina can properly take her place as the archon that the citizens wanted.)
I know all of this is a stretch but my Furina brainrot combined with my history lesson and my tiredness is still making all of this make perfect sense for me and I need to make this everyone's problem.
I don't know if you're willing to draw some angst or what would be considered comfortable regarding art requests, but I was wondering if you could draw some TogaChako angst. Maybe Toga performing CPR on Ochako to restart her heart.
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