Riot Games gives us a look at new League of Legends champion Milio, The Gentle Flame, delving into the backstory of the next LoL character and dropping a stunning orchestral theme to welcome him into the MOBA game. A young boy from Ixtal who repurposes the typically destructive energy of fire into healing powers, Milio weaves adorable flame buddies to help him support his allies in battle.
Growing up under the tuition of his grandmother Lupé, who was “banished to the farthest reaches of Ixtal” after her twin sister, Luné, was caught plotting against the Yun Tal, Milio displayed a strong affinity for the elements but struggled with the rules and discipline, leading Lupé to abandon his teachings.
Milio, however, decided to keep teaching himself. He threw aside those restrictions and studied nature to master the one axiom his grandmother refused to teach him – fire, the element mastered by her sister Luné. Yet Milio queried why fire was always considered to be such a destructive force, and upon coming across an injured village hunter he found his answer.
“As he placed his hands on the hunter’s stomach, he felt a flicker of warmth… her inner flame. Then Milio began to feel that same flame within himself. Focusing all of his energy into that feeling, he used what nature had taught him to manifest that fire. What emerged was a creature – small and timid with wide, friendly eyes.” These creatures of flame, which Milio names his ‘soothing fire,’ seem to be core to how he’ll play in-game.
As a LoL champion, then, it seems likely that Milio will employ these flame spirits, summoning them to his side to heal and benefit allies. Looking at some of his concept art, it’s possible he’ll also have ways to use fire in a more classically destructive capacity, but it certainly sounds so far like we can expect him to be primarily support-focused. Alongside the lore reveal, Riot also released Milio’s theme, and it’s breathtakingly good.
The theme for Milio, The Gentle Flame is an absolutely beautiful orchestral score that perfectly encapsulates the wonder of an inquisitive youth sweeping through the forest, chasing fireflies and creating fire sprites with joy. The video also shows concept art of him crafting and playing with these fire sprites, which he seems to keep in a large satchel on his back.
That art also hints at possible Milio abilities – showing him placing a sprite onto Teemo as a shield, but also firing off darts of flame at his enemies. There’s also an adorable large sprite shown inside his backpack. We’ll be sure to bring you more on Milio as we get it, but for now one thing is certain – I absolutely adore this boy, and he must be protected at all costs.
Make sure to get up to date on the League of Legends 13.4 patch notes and take a look at our LoL tier list for the best champions in the current meta. If you’re just starting your adventures in Summoner’s Rift, we’ve picked out the best LoL champions for beginners in 2023. If you’ve been at this a long while, check how much you’ve spent on League of Legends – just make sure you’re sitting down first.