The Last Son Reborn

Almost exactly one year ago, Dark was crowned the Final Boss of Legacy of the Void.

And who could deny him such a title? Fighting his way to back-to-back star league finals, and finally establishing his rightful place as SKT's ace in Proleague launched him into long-awaited superstardom. Throughout 2016, there was no better player on the planet. His early statement of intent in targeting a ten-trophy career haul started to move from aggressive bluster to a genuine possibility.

It all came crashing down so fast.

First, the unthinkable happened. Proleague was suspended, and with it, the KeSPA teams that had been the lifeblood of the Korean scene for years dropped their support. Like so many others, Dark was left to find his own way towards an uncertain future. Retirement was out of the question, however, with so much left to prove. Rather than abandoning the only life he had ever known, Dark simply adapted.

There was still going to be the GSL, new international tournaments were going to open up, and Dark still had a promise to keep. Most importantly, the WCS Global Finals were looming over him, the perfect chance to show the world his unwavering resolve, his unmatched skill, his peerless raw power.

Dark entered Anaheim as the unquestioned favorite to win the entire tournament. He made his journey to the finals look easy, dropping only a single map along the way. PtitDrogo and Stats were simply appetizers to get his blood flowing, and Neeb and Elazer were likewise nothing more than speed bumps on a journey to success. On the other side of the bracket, ByuN had shown resilience and cunning in equal measure, the Terran having made his way through TY and Stats. It was to be an historic engagement. A recently resurfaced ladder hero against the formal training of the full Korean scene.

Then the Last Son of Boxer was brought down by the One Man Army.

Something was lost that day, something more than just the trophy. Dark’s ultimate failure to grab the title and secure his spot as the best player of the year was also a final nail in a tragic coffin. The old world was now lost to the ages, and a stark new reality had replaced what used to be. There was no point reminiscing the past.

Unfortunately, the new year was off to a rocky start. Both IEM Gyeonggi and IEM Katowice saw Dark bow out before reaching the grand finals. He failed to make it to the Postseason in SSL season 1. The first two seasons of GSL saw him exit in the Ro16 in typical Dark fashion. The first GSL Super Tournament saw Dark lose against a resurgent ByuL, the latter player afterwards disappearing once more beneath the depths.

Over and over again, Dark ran into a very fundamental problem. He kept facing players who were more prepared, more innovative, more precise. The Last Son, once a tour de force, was struggling to keep his head above the waterline. He wasn’t bad, far from it, but he was just not performing up to the expectations set by the previous year. But rather than give up and despair, Dark decided to fully embrace this new reality, and work harder than ever.

Slowly, spread across many months, Dark rebuilt himself into something resembling his old self. Over the hot summer, during two grueling star leagues, his performance showed constant signs of improvement. He was able to break through to the playoffs of a GSL for the first time ever. He managed to go through Dear and Classic to reach the grand finals of SSL once again.

It wasn’t a reinvention, exactly. What’s there is still quintessentially Dark. The same ruthlessness, the same thirst for blood, the same ability to smell fear, it’s all still there. He hasn’t changed who he is, because he hasn’t needed to. He has just needed to be better.

It of course needs to be pointed out that both star leagues failed to produce a title for Dark. It’s ironic in a way, finding victory in defeat, but the series themselves need to be examined. Losing 3-4 against Stats in a very close series is not a mark of shame, it’s proof of skill. Losing 3-4 against INnoVation in a very close series is not a failure, it’s a testament to tenacity. True, a loss is always disappointing, but such close calls herald of better times ahead. Dark once again enters Anaheim as one of the favorites to take the title.

But now there are others vying for the same trophy, and this time around their claim is at least as strong as that of Dark. The Last Son is no longer the undisputed champion surveying his kingdom. INnoVation rules the Terrans with an iron fist, Stats holds dominion over the Protoss with sheer force of will, and most importantly, Rogue and soO are waiting to see if their rival will truly measure up. For Dark, the stakes have never been this high. Perhaps he needed the humbling experience provided by the last 8 months.

Last year, Dark was looking to claim the title of the best player in the world. He was found wanting. Undeterred, he turned his failure into a weapon. He’s since then turned his eyes on something greater than an ever fleeting honorific.

This year, he’s about to forge a legend.