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Code S RO24 Preview: INnoVation, Hurricane, soO, Zoun

Forum Index > SC2 General
11 CommentsPost a Reply

Code S RO24 Preview: INnoVation, Hurricane, soO, Zoun

Text byTL.net ESPORTS
September 11th, 2020 16:53 GMT

2020 GSL Code S Season 3 - Round of 24

by Orlok

Group E’s is a battle of between haves and have-not's. Two players have championships and fame to their name, while the other two have always been at the fringes of the pro-scene. Yet, despite their starkly contrasting resumes, their present-day forms are as close as ever. While that doesn't guarantee an upset as in the previous group, the favorites can't feel 100% safe about their chances at advancing.

More info: GSL Code S Season 3 on Liquipedia


Group E Preview: INnoVation, Hurricane, Zoun, soO

Start time: Saturday, Sep 12 4:00am GMT (GMT+00:00)

INnoVation's cycle of ups and downs continues, and he's currently at the point where his reputation outstrips his skills. On his best days, he’s still the macro monster of legend, bullying the best players on earth into submission with his nonstop stream of units. He even added some creative depth to his 2020 playbook, making himself a more unpredictable opponent to face.

In Season 1 of Code S, INnoVation defeated the likes of Rogue, Zest, Maru, and Trap. Last season, he dominated Dark 4-0 in the group stages. But what looked to be the start of a third renaissance for INnoVation (fourth? fifth?) came to an abrupt end both times, when he tripped up on unexpected hurdles in Cure and DongRaeGu. For most other players, top four and top eight in Code S would be results to be happy with. But if you’re INnoVation, especially an INnoVation who seemed scorching hot in the first half of 2020, those results can only be seen as disappointing.

And so begins Code S Season 3 for INnoVation, his last chance to reach a Code S grand finals in 2020. This first stage should be easy, at least. Hurricane, Zoun have been firmly middle to low tier their whole careers, while soO is headed into his last dance. A dominating first round performance akin to Dark or Maru would put some air beneath INnoVation's wings as he heads into the more difficult stages of the competition.

Who knows what Hurricane would give to have just a sliver of INnoVation's prestige? Due to just how long Starcraft II has been around, it feels like half the players players in Code S can say they're some kind of champion. But not Hurricane. Aside from one freakish run last year, when he hit the semi-finals of Code S and the quarterfinals of the Super Tournament, Hurricane has spent most of his career where he is now: at the fringes of Code S.

It's hard to tell exactly what happened in 2019 that let him hit that brief peak. Perhaps he was just taking advantage of the favorable Protoss meta that lasted for a couple of months, or perhaps he was just in the best mental state he'd ever been in. He seemed to channel some of that mysterious magic again at this year's IEM Katowice, where he reached the knockout round after defeating Serral in the group stages.

As a player with a low floor (he didn't even qualify for Code S last season) but surprisingly high ceiling, it's hard to predict how Hurricane will fare here. While he seems superior to Zoun or soO on paper, the vagaries of PvP and the unusual nature of soO's participation make it anyone's guess as to whether or not he'll actually beat them.

Does anyone remember when Zoun was a part of SKT? He was rescued from the wreckage of the S.S. Prime, tossed a lifeline by the legendary KeSPA team. Zoun initially looked to be in a good position, sitting on the bench but still practicing with and learning from the likes of Classic, soO, and INnoVation. Besides the mega-talents, that's the kind of position most great players start from, paying their dues as practice partners for the greats.

Alas, Zoun didn't end up being one of the diamonds that emerged from that pressurized environment. He played in just a single Proleague game and never made it past the qualifiers of any individual league. Maybe he would have found his footing given some more time, but after the dissolution of Proleague and SKT, he became an esports journeyman. He answered Myungsik’s call and joined forces with him on the Overwatch team Team First Heroic, got screwed by sponsorship issues twice, joined APK Prince as a LOL pro before simply calling it quits in 2018.

After a gap year of all that going back and forth, he’s back in Starcraft. One can't help but be cynical about how he finally qualified for Code S: the barrier to entry must have been significantly lowered for Zoun to finally get in, after such dalliances in other games. Still, even if Zoun has benefited from a thinned out Korean scene, one hopes that being granted these kinds of opportunities will motivate him to keep working harder and belatedly realize his full potential. After all, there are some big shoes that will need filling in Code S...

soO rounds out our group as the second half of the haves, and boy is he in a weird spot. Originally, we didn't think he'd even be here. Just before the start of Code S Season 2, he announced that he'd been approved to serve on the military police force (a cushier assignment compared to standard army service), and seemed to confirm Season 2 would be the curtain call to his StarCraft II career. Unfortunately for soO, his 'final' show was more tragic than triumphant, as he was eliminated in the group stages with two losses to SpeCial.

However, perhaps due to some fuzziness in his exact enlistment date (which we only knew to be some time in October), a change in the GSL schedule, or some unknown factor in soO's life, he’s back for his last-last dance. Given how poorly he played in what we previously thought was his last Code S appearance, one has to be skeptical about his chances of making a deep run and claiming that long-awaited seventh Code S silver medal Code S championship. It’s also questionable how long he'll be able to play, as one can project that Code S will be running deep into October.

But those are just side issues. It feels like we’re saying this for the umpteenth time, but at this point of soO's career, we're just happy to see that he's still playing. He deserves to have a stress-free, expectation-free run, after all that he's achieved and all that he's been through in his career. If he can give us some entertaining games, that will be more than sufficient note on which to send off a legend of StarCraft II.

Predictions

INnovation has no enemies of note and is definitely favored bag the first place spot here, barring a colossal, totally unexpected meltdown. Hurricane should be slightly favored to take second place, because he's far more established than Zoun and soO already has one foot out the door. However, Hurricane is a rather inconsistent player as well, so who claims the last RO16 spot really seems like a toss-up.

INnoVation 2-0 Hurricane
Zoun 1-2 soO
INnoVation 2-0 soO
Hurricane 2-0 Zoun
Hurricane 2-1 soO

INnoVation and Hurricane to advance.




Credits and acknowledgements

Writer: Orlok
Images: AfreecaTV
Statistics: Aligulac.com and Liquipedia

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TL+ Member
ShowTheLights
Profile Blog Joined June 2012
Korea (South)1691 Posts
September 11 2020 17:20 GMT
#2
Is this soO's ACTUAL last tournament? Thought last season was
•••Acer.MMA••• <> KT_Puzzle <> JinAir•GreenWings_CoCa <> CJ_herO <> Axiom CranK & Ryung <> IM_Seed <> IM_Squirtle <> le' ToD <> Innovation <> ROOT_CatZ <> inuh! <> Chobra <> SKT1_Fantasy
BisuDagger
Profile Blog Joined October 2009
Bisutopia19250 Posts
September 11 2020 17:27 GMT
#3
soO has been pretty solid this year and Innovation can still be Terran of the year with a good finish this season. It's hard not to pick them.
ModeratorFormer Afreeca Starleague Caster: http://afreeca.tv/ASL2ENG2
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33423 Posts
Last Edited: 2020-09-11 18:08:03
September 11 2020 18:07 GMT
#4
On September 12 2020 02:20 ShowTheLights wrote:
Is this soO's ACTUAL last tournament? Thought last season was


Well, October was the month he cited for military (though he didn't give a date), and if you project the schedule forward, this Code S season is definitely running deep into October, so I doubt there's a Super Tournament run coming from him
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
Zambrah
Profile Blog Joined June 2011
United States7327 Posts
September 11 2020 18:21 GMT
#5
I want soO and Hurricane to get out of this group 100%, I want soO to win this, hes the only Zerg I'll tolerate right now!
Incremental change is the Democrat version of Trickle Down economics.
Mizenhauer
Profile Blog Joined February 2015
United States1882 Posts
September 11 2020 18:34 GMT
#6
On September 12 2020 03:07 Waxangel wrote:
Show nested quote +
On September 12 2020 02:20 ShowTheLights wrote:
Is this soO's ACTUAL last tournament? Thought last season was


Well, October was the month he cited for military (though he didn't give a date), and if you project the schedule forward, this Code S season is definitely running deep into October, so I doubt there's a Super Tournament run coming from him


The tldr for soO's situation is: the military will tell him in october if he has to enlist in october or if they want him in november. He has no idea what afreeca will do if he is still in the tournament when he is forced to enlist, so we'll all be surprised.
┗|∵|┓Second Place in LB 28, Third Place in LB 29 and Destined to Be a Kong
rtomic
Profile Joined September 2015
40 Posts
September 11 2020 20:05 GMT
#7
BisuDagger 2 hours ago
soO has been pretty solid this year and Innovation can still be Terran of the year with a good finish this season. It's hard not to pick them.


Inno terran of the year? With TY winning season 1, getting top 4 season two? I don't know, kev...
KT FlaSh
JJH777
Profile Joined January 2011
United States4408 Posts
September 12 2020 02:22 GMT
#8
On September 12 2020 02:27 BisuDagger wrote:
soO has been pretty solid this year and Innovation can still be Terran of the year with a good finish this season. It's hard not to pick them.


Inno would have to win this GSL or another big event to be Terran of the year. Maru won ST and finished higher at IEM. TY won GSL S1 and got top 4 in season 2. They are definitely ahead of him and it'd take a big performance to change that.
col_jung
Profile Joined October 2017
139 Posts
September 12 2020 03:09 GMT
#9
Go INnno and soO!
Monochromatic
Profile Blog Joined March 2012
United States997 Posts
September 12 2020 03:17 GMT
#10
I can't imagine soO not getting out of this group.
MC: "Guys I need your support! iam poor make me nerd baller" __________________________________________RIP Violet
CatheadSC2
Profile Joined September 2020
26 Posts
September 12 2020 06:44 GMT
#11
oh snap
Mettis
Profile Joined June 2019
84 Posts
September 12 2020 14:31 GMT
#12
Nailed my liquibets for this group.
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