Faker’s Zed Outplay was the Catalyst to his Rise to Greatness
Anyone with even a slight interest in esports has likely heard of Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok. He’s a rare talent, a four-time World Champion, and widely considered the greatest player in League of Legends history. However, this wasn’t always the case. In 2013, Faker was an up-and-coming player, taken from solo queue to lead SK Telecom T1K into a new era. However, with an epic Zed Outplay by Faker, that all changed quickly.
At that time, many fans, especially those outside Korea, had not yet seen Faker’s incredible skills. This all changed on September 7th, 2013, during the grand finals of the 2013 HOT6iX Champions Summer.
The Stage is Set
The anticipation was palpable as SK Telecom T1K and the KT Rolster Bullets prepared for the decisive fifth game in their best-of-five series. With the series tied at 2-2, everything hinged on this final match. Faker and Ryu both picked Zed for the mid-lane. This set up what would become one of the most legendary moments in League of Legends history. The pressure was immense, and fans were on the edge of their seats, eager to see who would come out on top.
The Iconic Play
As the game progressed, KT Rolster Bullets took an early lead, putting SKT T1K on the back foot. Around the 20-minute mark, the tide began to turn in SKT’s favor. In a critical moment, Faker overstepped while trying to push aggressively toward the enemy inhibitor tower in the mid-lane. Ryu saw his chance and went all-in, igniting Faker and using his abilities to try and secure the kill. What happened next left the entire esports world in awe.
Faker, despite being at a significant disadvantage, executed a series of perfectly timed moves. He started by using his ultimate, Death Mark, on Ryu, making himself untargetable and avoiding the incoming damage from Ryu’s ignite. As Ryu used his own Death Mark in response, Faker quickly activated his Quicksilver Sash to cleanse the death mark’s damage.
Faker then dodged Ryu’s shadow attack by repositioning himself with Living Shadow and used Blade of the Ruined King to steal health and gain speed. He followed this up with a perfectly timed combo of Razor Shuriken and Shadow Slash to chip away at Ryu’s health.
In the final moments, Faker flashed to dodge Ryu’s skillshot and landed one last auto-attack, securing the kill. The play ended with Faker standing victorious, while Ryu’s stunned expression and the commentators’ explosive reactions told the entire story.
The Aftermath
When the clip hit the internet, it went viral. The global League of Legends community was amazed by Faker’s skillful play, and the young Korean player quickly became a household name. For many fans outside Korea, seeing this play for the first time was eye-opening. Although the outplay didn’t change the outcome of the game—SKT T1K was already on the way to winning. It changed League of Legends history. Everyone who saw the outplay knew they were witnessing something special. Everyone realized that Faker was a player to watch in the future.
Fun Facts and Legacy
Former KT Rolster Bullets jungler Choi “inSec” In-seo later shared on his stream that he could have used Shen’s ultimate, Stand United, to possibly save Ryu during the famous Zed vs. Zed duel. However, Ryu had told his team that he could win the duel by himself. InSec watched as Ryu got outplayed and decided not to use his ultimate. This choice sealed KT’s fate in that game due to Faker’s Zed Outplay. Despite this, inSec’s ultimate probably wouldn’t have changed the overall result. SKT T1K went on to dominate the rest of the match.
At the time, the fifth game of a series in the OGN Korean league was played as a blind pick, which led to many memorable moments, including the famous “wtf two Shens” scenario. The match against KT was a key part of Faker and SKT’s rise to dominance. This led them to win the Season Three World Championship. If KT had won that day, they would have been the favorites for the World Championship, but SKT’s victory marked the beginning of their legendary era.
Conclusion
Faker’s unmatched skill and game sense were truly exceptional, helping him rise from a rookie to a World Champion. That unforgettable moment of Faker Zed Outplay not only gave his team an edge against KT Rolster Bullets. It also launched his esports career and made League of Legends tournaments some of the most eagerly awaited events in the esports world. Now, with multiple titles, it’s clear that Faker was destined to become the greatest player of all time. But it all began with a stunning outplay that caught Ryu and the entire world by surprise.
