The 2022 LEC Summer Finals made history like no other. Rogue took their first-ever LEC title, and Caps lost his first-ever LEC Final. Perhaps the biggest Victory though was for Odoamne, who, after 478 games without a title, the most in the league, finally took one home after 7 years.
While the series looked like an off day for G2 Esports to many, I think that Rogue earned every last kill on their road to victory, and here's why.
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Rogue Dominated in Draft
With Dylan Falco behind them, G2 have found much of their success this year, and previously, with dominant, often novel drafting strategies. The Senna/Seraphine in bot lane that no-one expected dominated Rogue in the Semifinal, to name just one.
This time though, Rogue was ready. On red side for Game 1, many would have expected them to be reactive and take counters, but they surprised everyone. A team renowned for playing safe, by the book League of Legends went for anything but.
Super-comfort picks for Comp and Trymbi in bot came through, with Kalista/Soraka, a combination no one expected. Malrang took Trundle, early game power that he excels on, and Odoamne on Ornn, to facilitate his team in a way only he can.
The biggest surprise though for Larssen fans was his Leblanc pick, his first of the year. The control mage master, most expected him to be playing second fiddle to Caps in mid, but he took agency and damage and ran rings around G2.
The mental warfare was complete after Game 1. After showing they could play a whole different style, G2's strategies were in shambles. Forced to ban 3 ADCs and Soraka for Game 2, Comp took his signature Caitlyn anyway, and with a team of peel around him, still carried the game.
When Game 3 came around and G2 tried to counter again, Rogue defaulted to scaling. With 4 ADC bans now and a Soraka pick-away, G2 were marching to Rogue's tune, and drafted straight into their hands, with Larssen's Azir the nail in their coffin.
Rogue's Supporting Cast was unbreakable
Trymbi engaging on Soraka in Game 1 perhaps best embodies how this series was won. Between Odoamne and Malrang, there was always either a Jarvan IV Cataclysm or Ornn Horn to make fights unplayable for G2.
Malrang was omnipresent in the early game, and Odoamne was always willing to sacrifice his lead, his lane, or his life to help the team. This was a man that was fed up with second place and would do whatever it took to get the win.
With only 2 deaths for Trymbi in the entire series, he was always available to heal, shield, or eat the carries, and make sure they were always available to dish out the damage for Rogue.
Rogue's Carries were Unstoppable
The 5-man fountain dive to secure the pentakill for Comp in Game 1, showed that Rogue came to play, and they did not come to be second best.
Comp played three different AD Carries, with three very different styles. Despite target bans being thrown at him left, right, and centre, he adapted and showed he can compete with the best.
Finishing the series a combined 24/0/14, and with the Finals MVP award in hand, after being benched by his last team, Comp made a statement that he is ready to take on the best at Worlds.
Larssen was not far behind. Usually on control mage carry duty, he showed this series that he could facilitate or output damage as his team needed. He ran a lane kingdom, and even against Caps looked unmatched.
Rogue will face a tough group at the League of Legends World Championships, with the LPL second seed Top Esports, but if they maintain form then they should be in a good spot to contest at least second place, and advance to the knockout stage.
Watch the games here, for a taste of what's in store for Europe at Worlds.