The third stage playoffs of the LCK ended flawlessly after two weeks of matches. On the previous day, GEN suffered a surprising loss to KT, dropping to the losers' bracket, yet managed to win two series in a row to reach the finals, where they faced HLE for the championship. Before the game, HLE was underestimated since GEN players had given up their fighting spirit to focus on ranked games, regaining their peak condition. KT was crushed 3-0, making it difficult for HLE to withstand the pressure.

The result was as expected; the two teams played only four games, with GEN easily defeating HLE 3-1 to claim the annual championship. Reviewing this BO5, we can see how HLE lost: in the first game, Hanwha had an advantageous start, with Peanut ganking bot then mid, helping both carries secure kills. The team fights were evenly matched, and the economy remained balanced until the third dragon, where HLE ran into trouble.

GEN won a team fight 1 for 4, securing both the dragon and Herald. With both carries ahead in farm, HLE had no chance in team fights. The second game was unfortunate for HLE; Zeus dominated top early, and mid-game team fights helped them claw back some ground. Both teams dragged the game on, but near the 40-minute mark in the late game, Peanut’s successful smite steal in the dragon soul fight led to the death of the third uncle first. Hanwha was at a 5v4 disadvantage, and that fight was winnable.

However, Zeka made a critical mistake: he walked straight forward, got hit by Taliyah’s knock-up, was forced to use his stopwatch under pressure, and despite having six items plus Dragon Soul, and all summoner spells available, Akali only dealt 161 damage before being instantly killed. After HLE’s collapse, GEN quickly pushed and destroyed the base. In the third game, Zeka finally stepped up, with Sylas weaving through team fights, achieving a 9-0-8 score and leading the team to even the series.

After carrying one game, Zeka faltered again. At 4 minutes, Chovy chased from mid river into the enemy jungle for a solo kill. Later, Peanut helped establish advantages top and bot. At the crucial 38-minute Baron fight, due to poor positioning, Zeka’s replicated Akali’s stopwatch was used too early. With Ruler and the third uncle securing the Baron, the game was effectively decided. Viper had a tough time this match, never dying even though his base was destroyed.

If Zeka’s Akali and Viktor hadn’t made fatal errors in either of those two games, HLE could have dragged the series to a decider. It’s a pity his teammates couldn’t carry the struggling mid laner. As for Zeus, his BO5 performance was underwhelming; he was either invisible or dying. In the final game as Ornn, he barely contributed—neither initiating fights nor tanking damage effectively.

Ruler’s performance in this BO5 was truly outstanding. He made no mistakes in lane across four games and dominated team fights in the mid to late game, taking control every time. Even in the lost third game, his Ziggs went 6-5-2 and participated in 8 of the team’s 9 kills. Ultimately, the Finals MVP was undisputedly awarded to Ruler, who, after receiving the LCK Finals MVP, became the only player worldwide to earn Finals MVP titles in two different leagues.

With GEN’s victory over HLE securing the championship, the seedings for LCK’s four World Championship teams are finalized: GEN as first seed, HLE second, KT third, and T1 fourth. The top three teams will directly enter the Swiss stage, while T1 must face IG in the play-in to fight for a main event spot. Watching the LCK finals, it seems the LPL still has a chance this year since aside from GEN, the other three teams aren’t particularly strong.

Conclusion:

Zeka’s current form feels similar to Rookie’s—though he can carry occasionally, his lowest level is too weak. HLE’s winnable games often fall apart due to his mistakes. Honestly, his floor is even lower than Ruler’s substitute, but whether he can regain form for Worlds remains uncertain, as there is still half a month before the tournament begins.

So, who do you think is most responsible for HLE’s problems?

Feel free to leave your thoughts and discuss!