Viper No Longer the Mainstay of Major Matches
In 2021, Viper officially joined Edward Gaming, completing a collection of accolades for himself when the team secured the championship at the Worlds that year, defeating the formidable Damwon Gaming, widely regarded as the strongest League of Legends team at the time. This victory not only solidified players like JieJie and Flandre’s positions at the top of the global rankings but also garnered a massive fan following. With an impressive presence, extraordinary talent, and frequent engagement with fans, Viper undoubtedly became the standout player in EDG’s roster for the past year. Upon returning to the LCK, he unexpectedly became the visual representative of Hanwha Life Esports alongside Peanut.
However, upon returning to the LCK, Viper has also faced challenges that have impacted his previous success in the LPL, especially during the 2021 Worlds. Since joining Hanwha Life Esports, there have been two versions of Viper: one where he seems to carry the entire team, and another where his performance is merely average when HLE is not winning. In victories, Viper’s performances are often very solid, but they tend to be quite mediocre when the team is defeated.
Of course, in losses, not all the blame can be placed on Viper. The team’s overall performance also plays a crucial role. Since the addition of Zeus, Viper’s second version has become much more prominent.
Matches against Gen.G and T1 have shown a significant decline in Viper’s performance. In both matches, which totaled eight games, his performances were significantly below expectations. Notably, in the two games won against Gen.G, he showed flashes of brilliance, but the three losses against T1 were a domino effect, with Viper struggling to maintain his form against Gumayusi, which ultimately put HLE at a disadvantage from the start of the game.
The inability of Viper – Delight to overcome Gumayusi (or previously Ruler – Duro) has left Peanut unable to exert control like before. Therefore, HLE’s strategies have continuously faced challenges, resulting in losses that have become quite frequent. Furthermore, T1 appeared to have an overwhelming psychological edge during the matches, dominating from start to finish. In the third game, Viper – Delight’s lack of pressure allowed T1 to dismantle HLE from the very beginning.
Viper Might Not Always Be the Center of Criticism
As for now, Viper is still facing criticism, but he has not been targeted for negative remarks as harshly as players like Gumayusi or Ruler, or even Peyz. Additionally, when HLE fails, the player that often bears the brunt of the blame is Peanut. If Doran remains, the focus will shift to Doran – Peanut, and after that to Delight, Zeka, and Zeus. Viper, for various reasons, always seems to be in a “safe zone.” Even LCK fans must acknowledge this reality.
– If Gumayusi’s performance yesterday was a standout, today he must justify that status.
– If Ruler were to encounter Gumayusi, it would be a straightforward competition.
– Our current AD is the strongest in the league.
– Viper is talented, but right now he may not be the best.
Viper continues to excel and will remain a top-tier player in any competition he participates in. However, if HLE aims to clinch major titles like MSI or Worlds, they cannot solely depend on Viper being in the top 3. Players like Gumayusi, Ruler, and even Elk and Aiming have previously outperformed Viper.
