So, you’re playing Leona and you think you’re the paragon of virtue, right? You’re diving under towers, locking people down with the Zenith Blade, and shouting about the sun. Most people think of the Solari League of Legends faction as the "holy" faction of Runeterra. They’ve got the gold armor, the glowing shields, and the literal Aspect of the Sun on their side. But if you actually look at the lore Riot Games has been building for years, the Solari are way more complicated—and honestly, kind of terrifying.
They aren't just a religion. They are a literal theocracy sitting on top of the most dangerous mountain in the world.
Mount Targon is a vertical nightmare. It’s a place where the air gets thin and the reality of the universe starts to peel away at the edges. The Solari rule the upper slopes with an iron fist, or rather, a golden one. They believe the Sun is the only true source of light and life. That sounds nice until you realize that "believing in the sun" translates to "execute anyone who looks at the moon for too long."
The Bloody History of the Sun and Moon
The conflict between the Solari and the Lunari isn't some ancient, forgotten myth. It’s active. It’s brutal. For centuries, the Solari have effectively erased the Lunari from the history books. They call them heretics. They call them "the dark."
You have to understand that the Solari don't see themselves as villains. In their minds, they are protecting Runeterra from the emptiness of the night. But this has led to a society that is incredibly rigid. They have the Ra’Horak, which is basically their elite military wing. These guys aren't just soldiers; they’re templars. If you’re a Targonite living on the mountain and you’re caught whispering a prayer to the silver moon, the Ra’Horak aren't going to give you a warning.
They’re going to end you.
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Leona is the face of this. She’s the Aspect of the Sun. But even her story is tragic because it’s a story of a friendship destroyed by religious dogma. She and Diana were close. They were friends, maybe more, depending on which color story you're reading or which cinematic you’re watching. When Diana discovered the truth about the Lunari—that the Sun and Moon actually used to be honored together—the Solari leadership didn't want to hear it. They wanted Diana dead.
The Problem With Being "Right"
The Solari League of Legends champions represent a very specific kind of power: the power of certainty. When you look at the design of the Solari armor, it’s heavy. It’s immovable.
- Leona is the shield. She represents the protective, yet blinding, nature of the sun.
- Pantheon (Atreus) has a rocky relationship with them. He was a Ra’Horak trainee, but he eventually realized that the "gods" inhabiting these people—the Aspects—don't actually care about humanity.
- The Iron Solari (an item that used to be much more central to the meta) symbolizes the collective defense they offer.
There’s this weird tension in Targon. The Solari claim to be the highest authority, but they are essentially puppets for the Celestial Aspects. When a human climbs Mount Targon and survives, they might be "graced" by an Aspect. The human effectively dies, and the god takes over the driver's seat. The Solari worship this. They crave it. But as we’ve seen with Atreus, the "Warrior" Aspect was a jerk. The Solari are basically worshiping space aliens who think humans are ants.
Why the Lore Shifted
Back in the early days of League, things were simple. Good guys wore gold, bad guys wore purple or black. But Riot realized that’s boring. They started asking: What happens if the light is oppressive?
That’s where the modern Solari League of Legends identity comes from. It’s the "Blinding Light." If you stare at the sun, you go blind. That’s the metaphor Riot is playing with. The Solari have become so obsessed with their purity that they’ve become stagnant. They refuse to acknowledge the Void, they refuse to acknowledge the Lunari, and they refuse to change.
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I was reading some of the older flavor text from the Legends of Runeterra card game, and it really fleshes this out. You see cards like the "Solari Soldier" or "Sunforger." These people are hardened. They live in a desert above the clouds. There is no room for doubt. If you doubt, you freeze to death or you're thrown off a cliff.
The Gameplay Reflection
It’s interesting how this lore translates to the actual game. Leona’s kit is all about "Do not move."
- Shield of Daybreak: Stun.
- Solar Flare: Slow or Stun.
- Zenith Blade: Root.
She forces you to stay still. She forces you to acknowledge her presence. It’s the most "Solari" thing ever. You aren't allowed to run away from the light. In contrast, Diana (the Lunari) is all about dashes, resets, and moonlight. She’s fluid. The Solari are a wall.
The Secret Truth of the Solari and Lunari
Here is the kicker that most casual players miss: the ancient carvings in the mountain suggest that the Solari and Lunari were once one people. There are murals deep in the hidden caves of Targon that show the Sun and Moon in a cycle. It wasn't a war; it was a balance.
The Solari elders are the ones who started the "Sun only" policy. It was a power move. By claiming the Sun was the only source of truth, they could consolidate power. They turned a natural phenomenon into a political weapon.
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If you look at the champion Aphelios, his entire existence is a reaction to Solari oppression. He and his sister Alune have to hide in shadows, using ancient magic just to survive. The Solari are effectively running a genocidal campaign against his people. Suddenly, that gold armor doesn't look so shiny, does it?
Real Talk: Is Targon the "Evil" Region?
It’s not Noxus. It’s not the Shadow Isles. But Targon—specifically the Solari hierarchy—is arguably one of the most dangerous places for a regular person to live.
In Noxus, if you’re strong, you can climb the ladder. In Demacia, if you aren't a mage, you’re fine. But in the Solari lands? You have to believe exactly what the elders believe. You have to endure the blistering heat. You have to watch your friends get possessed by celestial entities that might decide to blow up a village just to kill one Void-ling.
How to Apply This to Your Games
If you're a lore nerd or just someone who likes playing Targon champions, understanding this shift in the Solari League of Legends narrative makes the game way more immersive.
Next time you’re playing Leona, don't think of yourself as a generic paladin. Think of yourself as a zealot. You are the "Radiant Dawn," and the dawn is beautiful, but it’s also the end of the peace of night.
Actionable Insights for Lore Fans and Players:
- Read "The Rise of Diana": If you want to see the Solari at their most oppressive, this story is essential. It shows the transition from a curious student to a "heretic."
- Watch the "Leona & Diana: The Iron Solari" Cinematics: Pay attention to the background details. Notice the harshness of the architecture and the way the Solari soldiers move—they are a phalanx, a singular unit with no room for individuality.
- Check out Pantheon’s interactions: If you play as Pantheon, listen to his voice lines when he kills a Targon champion. He hates the Aspects, and by extension, he has a very cynical view of the Solari religion. He sees the "divine" as a parasite.
- Build the "Solar" Theme: If you're into the aesthetics, using skins like Eclipse Leona actually explores an alternate universe where the Solari/Lunari dynamic is flipped or twisted even further. It gives you a "What If" scenario that helps highlight how rigid the main lore actually is.
The Solari are a masterclass in how to write a "Light" faction that isn't "Good." They are a reminder that too much of anything—even light—is a bad thing. They are the sun that burns the crops, not just the sun that grows them. Focus on that duality the next time you lock in a Targon champion. It’ll change how you see the Rift.