Is Vander a League of Legends Champion?

Is Vander a League of Legends champion?

Riot Games recently dropped their new Netflix show, Arcane, on Nov. 6, going into the lore of the League of Legends champions and introducing new characters that have stirred up theories in the community. The Arcane character Vander has caught the attention of many fans, with speculations that he may be the League of Legends champion, Warwick.

Is Vander a League of Legends Champion?

Spoilers ahead.

At the beginning of Arcane episode one, Welcome to the Playground, a young Vi and Jinx are shown walking down the fire and smoke-covered streets of Zaun. The sounds of explosion are shown throughout the opening scene as Vi and Jinx stumble across the body of their mother, leaving the sisters in shock. Vander is introduced as the father figure to the orphan sisters, as he picks the girls up in his arms and walks away into the smoke.

The first episode contains several clues that have led to the theories that Vander is Warwick, the Uncaged Wrath of Zaun. In the show, Vander is referred to as the "Hound of the Underground." Vander's rugged and bearded appearance could also be in connection to Warwick's beast form.

Vander's character also fits this theory in accordance to Warwick's lore. Warwick was once a man who was "a gangster who put down his blade and took up a new name to live a better life." The beast, Warwick, became the result of Singed's human experiments, causing Warwick to lose all memories of his human life.

An older theory also resurfaced due to Arcane that Warwick used to be Vi's mentor. Warwick's interaction with Vi says, "Who taught you how to punch?" In Vi's lore, it is mentioned that she would meet with her mentor at the edge of the Lanes at a bar. The first episode confirms that the bar Vander is seen is located in the Lanes.