HLE’s Galaxy Battleship title stripped

After HLE signed AD Xiaolübu, jungler Kanavi, and coach Hongmi in the transfer window, numerous fans praised HLE as the most powerful Galaxy Battleship in the LCK. Many spectators thought HLE might overtake GEN and become the league’s top powerhouse. However, as the LCK matches progressed, many LPL viewers noticed HLE’s performance was extremely erratic; whether facing strong or weak teams, HLE inexplicably gave away kills in the mid-game.

Due to HLE’s severe inconsistency, their league points currently place them near the bottom of the LCK standings. So far, HLE’s record is only 1 win and 2 losses, with the sole victory against BRO, widely regarded as the weakest team in the LCK. After witnessing HLE’s performance, many viewers started to strip HLE of the “Galaxy Battleship” title. After all, other Galaxy Battleship teams in the LCK beat BRO easily, while HLE narrowly won 2-1.

HLE labeled as the wheelchair team

Many LPL viewers analyzing HLE’s poor results began calling HLE a “wheelchair” team. Top laner Zeus and mid laner Zeka are the “wheels”; if these two players underperform, the “wheelchair” will topple. Support Delight is the seat cushion, AD Xiaolübu sits on this wheelchair, and jungler Kanavi is the one pushing it. If Kanavi becomes unhappy, he might just flip the “wheelchair” over.

Many LPL viewers strongly agree with the “wheelchair” theory about HLE, since anyone who has watched their matches knows that once problems start in the mid-game, it’s usually Kanavi carrying the team while the others falter. Some viewers also feel that given Kanavi’s recent form, he’s unlikely to be selected for the LCK’s Asian Games roster this year. Kanavi has been a “super beast” jungler in both LPL and LCK over the years, but many believe the Asian Games jungler spot will probably go to ONER.

AI mid laner’s performance is extremely disappointing

Since BRO’s mid laner ROamer was officially confirmed by Riot as the owner of the “AI mid laner” account, many LPL viewers had high hopes for his performance. However, much to their disappointment, ROamer played more like a diamond-level mid laner lost in a challenger match rather than a pro. During games, ROamer failed to show strong laning skills and was repeatedly dominated by Xuge, V God, and Zeka.

ROamer has played three matches so far, with no wins to his name, and in many games he died more than six times in a single match. Many viewers believe that a high ranking in solo queue does not necessarily prove a player’s strength. For example, LPL’s jungler Xiaohuangren, mid laner Tangyuan, and kiting specialist have all been hailed as prodigies in Korean solo queue but performed poorly in official matches. (Why do you think ROamer is so strong in solo queue but gets crushed in pro games? Can ROamer prove his true strength in the future?)