LoL Noxus cinematic has Mel Medarda, potential Season 1 theme

M Alzamora Published 07/01/2025

Now that the LoL Noxus cinematic has aired as of January 7, fans may have a better idea of what to expect from Season 1 and new champion Mel Medarda.

League of Legends developers at Riot Games have been promising a lot in the lead up to the beginning of the revamped seasonal model. With new Black Rose skins for such champions as Katarina and Ezreal, and the importance of the Sanctum, fans have a lot of new content to enjoy. Now the LoL Noxus cinematic provides more clues about what to expect in terms of plot and theming.

The video, titled Welcome to Noxus, was designed by Arcane team Fortiche with music by TEYA. From the look of the ominous conversation involving Vladmir at the video’s end, many felt like it was a trailer for a new show rather than a season of League of Legends. Regardless, there’s a lot to be gleaned from it with regards to Season 1 and what players may be able to expect.

Featured champions in Noxus Season 1

The Noxus cinematic introduces a number of champions, some expected and others less so who are now revealed to play a part in the Season 1 events.

There are a number of conflicts and action scenes in the released video. Viewers can see the following champions in the Season 1 cinematic in order of confirmed appearance:

Mel Medarda
Trundle
Darius
Katarina
Elise
Leblanc
Vladimir

Previous data mines revealed that Leblanc would be getting a new VGU sometime between January and April 2025. Many suspected that her shadowy form in Arcane could provide clues to that visual update. With the new Noxus cinematic released, fans can see her black-stained fingers and a more conservative look than the original Leblanc model. This could be another hint as to possible VGU characteristics.

Leblanc in the LoL Noxus cinematic.

The LoL cinematic confirms another leak: new champion Mel Medarda will appear at some point during the Noxus season. Earlier leaks showed that she would be the first new champion released in 2025. Her prominence in the cinematic suggests that she may be coming sooner rather than later.

Fans may notice that some expected champions, including Ezreal and Ambessa Medarda, did not appear in the LoL Noxus cinematic. Ambessa is dead in Arcane canon, but it’s unlikely that Riot would forget her given all of the resources they’ve put into her. Ezreal is already confirmed to have a Black Rose skin. It’s possible that they could appear in Season 2, which is still set within Noxus.

LoL Noxus cinematic suggests overarching plot details for 2025

The new LoL Noxus plot may focus around Vladimir and Leblanc taking down Mel Medarda, as well as other side conflicts.

There are two options for the potential new threat. Vladimir states that it washed up on the shores, which Mel does at the very beginning of the cinematic. The conversation seems to connect to the difficulty Mel had getting into Noxus, having to use her powers. The Black Rose pair continue to see wolf illustrations on their wall. This likely ties into Mel Medarda and the wolf motif of her clan. Yet the art also looks suspiciously like the last shot fans see of Warwick in Arcane.

Fans can also see in the cinematic other conflicts that may play out in LoL Season 1. Katarina battles Elise while Darius fights and kills Trundle. It is unclear whether these are full plot moments or examples of featured gameplay in Season 1.

Developers confirmed in late 2024 that they would be adding more narrative storytelling to the game. This includes drops around champion and skin releases as well as an overarching storyline in the new season. It would make sense to use the Noxus cinematic to share the new plot theming of Season 1.

League of Legends Season 1 goes live on January 9 at 3 pm EST.

M Alzamora

About M Alzamora

There are few things that writer M Alzamora loves more in life than Pokemon. And there are even fewer things that she loves more than her favorite Pokemon, Eevee. But M’s appreciation for gaming isn’t just limited to Nintendo’s famous pocket monsters. She’s interested in every type of game across every genre of gaming, and she has the credentials to prove it. M’s work has also been seen on Working Classicists and gaming sites.

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