Garen
Garen, a proud and noble warrior, leads the Dauntless Vanguard with unwavering valor. He is admired by his comrades and commands respect even from his adversaries, thanks in part to his heritage as a member of the esteemed Crownguard family, charged with safeguarding Demacia and its principles. Donning magic-resistant armor and wielding a formidable broadsword, Garen is ever-prepared to face mages and sorcerers on the battlefield, becoming a whirlwind of righteous steel.
Opening
Welcome, lore-lovers, to another journey through the rich tapestry of Runeterra's history. Join us as we delve deep into the valorous tales of Demacia's greatest champion, Garen.
The Chronicle
Born into the esteemed Crownguard family, Garen, along with his younger sister Lux, understood from a young age that he was destined to defend Demacia's throne with unwavering loyalty. His father, Pieter, a celebrated military officer, and his aunt Tianna, the Sword-Captain of the elite Dauntless Vanguard, were both highly respected by King Jarvan III. It was anticipated that Garen would follow in their footsteps, serving the king's son with the same dedication.
Demacia, a kingdom that rose from the devastation of the Rune Wars, continued to face conflicts and challenges in the centuries that followed. Garen and Lux were regaled with stories from their uncle, a ranger-knight in the Demacian military, about his ventures beyond the kingdom's walls to protect its citizens from external threats.
He cautioned them that the current period of relative peace would inevitably be disrupted--whether by rogue mages, creatures from the abyss, or other unimaginable horrors yet to emerge.
As if to confirm those fears, their uncle was killed in the line of duty by a mage before Garen turned eleven. Witnessing the pain this loss inflicted on his family and the fear in his young sister's eyes, Garen became certain that magic was the greatest threat to Demacia. He vowed to never let it breach their walls. He believed that only by upholding their founding ideals and exhibiting unshakable pride could the kingdom be kept safe.
At the age of twelve, Garen left the Crownguard home in High Silvermere to join the military. As a squire, he devoted his days and nights to rigorous training and the study of warfare, forging his body and mind into a weapon as strong and true as Demacian steel. During this time, he met young Jarvan IV, the prince he would one day serve as king, and the two became inseparable.
In the years that followed, Garen earned his place in the shieldwall as a distinguished warrior of Demacia, swiftly gaining a formidable reputation on the battlefield. By the age of eighteen, he had served with honor in campaigns along the Freljordian borders, played a pivotal role in purging cultists from the Silent Forest, and fought alongside the valiant defenders of Whiterock.
King Jarvan III summoned Garen's battalion back to the Great City of Demacia to honor them before the royal court in the Hall of Valor. Tianna Crownguard, recently elevated to the role of High Marshal, singled out her nephew and recommended him for the trials necessary to join the ranks of the Dauntless Vanguard.
Garen returned home to prepare, receiving a warm welcome from Lux, his parents, and the common people living on his family's estate. Though pleased to see his sister growing into an intelligent and capable young woman, he couldn't shake a troubling suspicion. He had noticed subtle changes in her during previous visits, and now he grappled with a gnawing belief that Lux might possess magical powers. However, he never allowed himself to dwell on the idea, as the thought of a Crownguard wielding the same forbidden sorceries that had killed their uncle was too unbearable to confront.
Through courage and skill, Garen earned his place among the Vanguard. With his proud family and his good friend, the prince, looking on, he took his oaths before the throne.
Lux and her mother devoted much of their time to serving the king and the humble order of the Illuminators in the capital, while Garen attempted to maintain his distance. Despite his deep love for his sister, he struggled to grow close to her, fearing what he might be compelled to do if his suspicions were confirmed. Instead, he threw himself into his new responsibilities, intensifying his training and dedication to his duties.
When the new Sword-Captain of the Dauntless Vanguard fell in battle, Garen found himself nominated for command by his fellow warriors, and his selection went unopposed.
To this day, he remains steadfast in defending his homeland against all adversaries. More than just Demacia's most formidable soldier, he embodies the kingdom's greatest and noblest ideals.
Even though he was in the good part of history at the beginning of his career. From my opinion Garen misjudged for a long time the mages of Demacia. While the use of magic was banned across the kingdom, harsh punishments were inflicted upon those who were just born with magical talents. No matter if they used it for good or not. The Mageseekers had the authority of imprisoning and fighting every human that had magical powers. Sylas of Dregbourne was one of the Mageseekers and over the years, Sylas, having apprehended numerous mages for the order, began to question the ideals of Demacia as he observed the hypocrisy of allowing privileged mages to escape punishment. His doubts intensified when he encountered a young mage in hiding in the countryside. Moved by compassion, Sylas attempted to shield the girl from the mageseekers but inadvertently unleashed her magic through his own body, resulting in unintended deaths, including that of his mageseeker mentor.
Fearing the repercussions and feeling betrayed by the system he once served, Sylas fled and became a fugitive, gaining notoriety as one of Demacia's most dangerous mages. Upon his eventual capture, he received a life sentence and was confined within the mageseeker compound, restrained with magic-dampening petricite.
After fifteen years of isolation, Sylas encountered Luxanna Crownguard, a young Illuminator who visited his cell. Over time, an unconventional bond formed between them; Lux sought to comprehend Sylas's perspective on magic, while he reciprocated by sharing his knowledge with her. While all this time, Garen did absolutely nothing to help in fighting this huge injustice against the very people of Demacia. The only member of the Crownguard family was Lux who provided Sylas some comfort with books, including the Manuscript of Durand, broadening his understanding of the world outside his prison confines. This connection ultimately ignited a rebellious spirit within Sylas, propelling him toward a path of challenging Demacia's foundations of magic suppression. After the rebellion started, Garen and Jarvan IV still stood on the bad side of this story, fighting against the rebels to preserve the order and justice they thought or lied to themselves was right. Even though Garen knew about Lux's powers and Jarvan was in love with a freaking dragon lady full of magic obviously (we are talking about Shyvana). But, in the end, the story of the Mageseeker game came to fix this problem, we could see how Garen and Jarvan finally come to their senses and realize the stupidity with which the whole kingdom was ruled. Finishing with Jarvan IV being the first king that finally unbans the magic and the magic users and stops the cruel treatment of people that did nothing wrong but were punished for their innate talent.
Champion's relations
Now I propose to explore the relations Garen has with some of the characters we know about, and we are starting with:
Lux: Garen is Lux's older brother, and they share the family name Crownguard. He deeply loves and respects his sister, although he fears the consequences if her magical abilities were to be exposed. After the events of the Lux comic, Garen verbally acknowledged Lux's magic, leading to their amicable parting. Eventually, Garen accepted Lux as a mage, realizing not all magic users are malevolent. He and their aunt, Tianna Crownguard, intended to arrange Lux's marriage to Prince Jarvan IV to shield her from persecution, reflecting their dedication to serving and protecting the crown.
Katarina: There are implications and strong suggestions that Garen and Katarina share romantic feelings for each other. Their interactions in Legends of Runeterra hint at a secret romantic relationship, despite efforts to keep it concealed.
Jarvan IV: Garen and Jarvan IV have been friends since childhood. Garen felt responsible for Jarvan IV's capture and led the Dauntless Vanguard on a mission to rescue him.
Taric: Garen and Taric are longtime friends from their days in the Demacian military. Although Garen initially disagreed with Taric's choice to focus on different talents, he still had faith in him.
Pieter Crownguard: Garen and Luxanna's father, Pieter Crownguard, was a defender during the failed Noxian assault known as Cyrus's Folly. This event likely refers to the same Cyrus who conquered Basilich, Darius's hometown.
Nocturne: Garen and Lux expelled Nocturne from the Demacian settlement of Fossbarrow and sealed him in the grave of their great-grandfather Fossian, who perished in a battle against him.
Sylas: Garen has faced Sylas and his allies in combat on multiple occasions.
Galio: Garen encountered Galio when Lux summoned the Colossus to confront Sylas and the Winter's Claw.
Fiora: While Garen and Fiora know each other, they do not train together due to the predictable outcome of their sparring matches. They collaborated in battling the dragon that attacked Ehrenmount.
Closing Words
And there you have it, lore-lovers, the epic saga of Garen, defender of Demacia. If you enjoyed this video and crave more lore insights, don't forget to like, share, and subscribe for future adventures. Join our Discord community for in-depth discussions and exclusive content. Until next time, may the tales of Runeterra inspire and captivate you. See you in the next lore-filled adventure!
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