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The Netflix seriesArcaneis filled with rich lore and subtle references to the wider universe of League of Legends. Among these is the enigmatic mention of the Black Rose, a name that carries weight and mystery within the world of Runeterra.
While not a focal point in the show, the Black Rose is steeped in secrecy and tied to powerful figures and hidden agendas, so secretive we only know so much about them. If you’re trying to figure out what exactly the Black Rose represents, its potential role in Arcane, and its deeper connections to the lore of the games, here’s what we know.
Spoilers For The Second Season Of Arcane
What Is The Black Rose?
The Black Rose is ashadowy organization from Noxus, an expansionist empire that values power and might.This organizationexisted before Noxuswas first established as a nation, and it is made up ofarcane users,military leaders, and many, if not all,the noble houses of Noxus.
The Black Rose In Arcane
The story of Arcane is set inthe city of Piltover,and there are many conflicts with Zaun, but there wasalreadysome Noxian influenceback in season one.Ambessa Medarda, a Noxian warlord, arrives at Piltover with the pretense of visiting her daughter Mel, but in reality she is looking fornew weapons for her country.
During season 2 of Arcane,Ambessa is targeted by the Black Rose, who claim she took something from them andthat something is Mel.Ambessa hada child with a member of the Black Rose, which meant thatMel inherited the ability to control the arcane.
This points towards the fact that, at least according to the Netflix show,the most prominent members of the Black Rose are all magic users, and that is what makes them dangerous. Ambessa wanted a weapon tobring the Black Rose down, but all she managed to find was her own demise.
The Black Rose In League Of Legends
The Black Rose, as described in the game, isnot exclusively made up of magic users, but their founding members are.It was formedover 1,000 years agowhenthe illusionist LeBlanc and the blood mage Vladimirjoined forces to take downthe necromanticwarlord Mordekaiser, creating the nation of Noxus in the process.
This makesthe Black Rose a core part of Noxus, since the organization and its founders have beenguiding the nation since the beginning.Many among the Noxian people want to berid of the Black Rose’s influence, with a man known asJericho Swain being the one that got the closest.
Swain And LeBlanc
In the lore of League of Legends,Swain manages to find and execute all the leaders of the Black Rose, bringing an end to the organization. This, however, was somethingorchestrated by LeBlanc, whofaked her own executionso she could continue to rule from the shadows.
Afterward,the then-emperor Boram Darkwill sent Swainto an impossible invasion of Ionia, wherehe was expected to die.Instead, Swain came back to Noxus andgained control of a demonic entity known as Raum, which often manifesteditself as a raven.
The Timeline Of Arcane
With his newfound demonic powers,Swain kills emperor Darkwilland establishes a new governing method,the Trifarix.This method sees the responsibility of the nationfalling on three distinct people:the vision, represented by Swain,the might, represented by the commander general Darius, andthe guile, withan unknown representative.
Due to Melreturning to Noxus at the end of Arcaneand the raven flying aboutclearly representing Swain, it is expected that the formation of the Trifarix will beanother story told.This would potentially makeMel the one representing guile, the third value, and leader that Noxus needs.
