The rise, fall, and potential rise again of Unicorns of love

Unicorns of Love shattered League of Legends conventions through their distinctive approach to team identity and gameplay philosophy. Beyond their whimsical name and vibrant pink uniforms, they challenged established competitive norms with innovative strategies that captivated audiences worldwide.

Their success wasn’t measured by championship trophies or World appearances but through authentic self-expression that resonated deeply with fans. Examining their original squad’s rapid ascent from amateur obscurity to international recognition reveals crucial insights into building sustainable esports organizations.

Family Foundation and Strategic Origins

The organization’s foundation as a family-operated enterprise provided unique stability in the volatile esports landscape. Fabian “Sheepy” Mallant established the League division in August 2013, conceiving the memorable name specifically to psychologically unsettle opposing teams during competitions.

As a developing player lacking professional experience, Sheepy recruited his parents Jos and Vivien Mallant for operational support. They facilitated financial infrastructure development while becoming the team’s most dedicated supporters. As UoL expanded into multiple gaming titles, Jos and Vivien assumed executive leadership positions while Fabian transitioned to coaching duties by late 2014. Their continued involvement earned Jos the affectionate “UOLdad” designation, embodying the organization’s familial culture.

During 2014, the Unicorns operated as an unproven amateur collective. Initial achievements in Go4LoL competitions propelled them toward more demanding challenger tournaments including the Summer Black Monster Cup and Dailymotion Challenger Cup.

Consistent strong performances indicated genuine potential, though they consistently missed championship victories. In unexpected competitive developments, the lineup secured qualification for the Summer EU Challenger Series (EUCS), marking their first major breakthrough.

The EUCS structure divided into dual Summer tournaments, where accumulated points enabled top-six teams to compete for three promotional opportunities. Each successful team would advance to the 2015 EU LCS through subsequent promotion matches.

Across both series, UoL consistently advanced to quarterfinal stages before elimination, gathering sufficient points for sixth-place tie. Their playoff qualification against Playing Ducks represented a narrow escape from elimination.

Featuring standout performers including Vizicsacsi, Gilius, PowerOfEvil, Vardags, and Hylissang under coach Sheepy’s guidance, UoL had surpassed initial expectations. Established powerhouses like H2K, SK Prime, and Ninjas in Pyjamas presented formidable obstacles, seemingly destined to terminate the Unicorns’ journey.

Beginning from last-place seeding with demanding schedule requirements, any single misstep threatened complete derailment. Despite internal uncertainties, they refused to relinquish this critical opportunity for advancement.

Quarterfinal competition pitted UoL against third-ranked Gamers2, the precursor organization to G2 Esports. Despite G2’s previous accomplishments, Carlos Ocelote’s squad proved inadequate, resulting in 2-1 UoL victory.

Semifinal confrontation presented significantly greater challenges against second-positioned H2K. Vizicsacsi, already recognized for unconventional tactical approaches, utilized Yorick to overwhelm Odoamne’s Mundo, establishing early series advantage. H2K responded forcefully, securing the subsequent match during intense 52-minute engagement. During the decisive game, Vizicsacsi again selected Yorick while Vardags delivered exceptional Kog’maw performance. Ultimately, after securing three additional barons across another 52-minute struggle, H2K successfully halted UoL’s advancement.

Relegated to loser’s bracket finals, UoL’s final promotion opportunity required defeating top-seeded Ninjas in Pyjamas in extended best-of-five series.

Statistical analysis strongly favored NiP for victory. Previously competing in EU LCS Summer Split, NiP had been demoted to EUCS. Following unsuccessful promotion attempts during Spring Promotions, NiP desperately needed victory for LCS reinstatement.

Additionally, during regular competition NiP accumulated 17 championship points compared to UoL’s mere three. With Moscow Five’s iconic mid laner Alex Ich leading NiP, UoL’s improbable journey appeared certain to conclude disastrously.

Yet the Unicorns demonstrated their immunity to conventional analytical prediction. In stunning competitive reversal, UoL comprehensively defeated NiP with overwhelming efficiency.

Opening match featured Vizicsacsi employing unconventional Swain top selection to dominate NiP within 23 minutes, concluding with 14-1 elimination differential. Subsequent game maintained similar dominance, with 14/1/9 PowerOfEvil delivering Orianna expertise demonstration. Alex Ich’s Yasuo fulfilled typical negative expectations, recording 1/7/6 performance with 6,000 gold deficit.

NiP’s final competitive effort was defeated within 30 minutes, as Vardags assumed center stage with 15/2/10 Tristana showcase. UoL’s momentum continued unabated while NiP rapidly deteriorated and dissolved following catastrophic defeat.

Promotion Poppy and Strategic Innovation

Following impressive EUCS Playoffs performance, UoL secured position in Promotion Tournament for 2015 EU LCS Spring Split. Anticipation intensified while competitive stakes escalated dramatically. UoL committed fully to best-of-five confrontation against Millenium. Unfortunately, initial series development proved challenging as Millenium established 2-0 advantage.

Facing potential LCS qualification elimination, only one strategic option remained. Selecting Poppy for inaugural competitive appearance, Vizicsacsi utilized the visually distinctive pre-rework champion to achieve 8/0/7 performance, inspiring his team toward improbable victory that demonstrated UoL’s core competitive philosophy. With momentum shift established, UoL completed reverse sweep against Millenium 3-2 securing EU LCS Spring Split 2015 participation.

Millenium’s LCS aspirations were demolished beneath Poppy’s geometrically simple hammer, while UoL advanced toward subsequent competitive engagements.

Fan Selection and International Debut

Preparing for LCS entry, UoL implemented roster adjustment replacing Gilius with former SK Prime jungler Kikis. Recognized for unusual strategic selections and diverse champion expertise, Kikis integrated seamlessly with UoL’s innovative squad.

Rather than EU LCS competition, their next challenge emerged at IEM San Jose during December 2014. This significant international competition formed part of IEM Season 9, progressing toward IEM World Championships scheduled for March 2015. At this developmental stage UoL hadn’t yet competed in EU LCS, but received unexpected fan voting selection for event participation, substantially outperforming second-positioned SK Gaming’s established LCS roster.

“We maintained minimal expectations regarding voting outcomes. We acknowledged our dedicated fan support but competing against well-established EU organizations, nobody anticipated our decisive voting victory,” UoL stated during post-selection interview. “We express profound gratitude toward our exceptional fan community. We will maximize this opportunity through maximum competitive effort!”

This overwhelming community endorsement for emerging organization demonstrated UoL’s inspirational appeal, surpassing long-established competitive institutions. European representation included Alliance featuring Froggen, Nyph and Rekkles, while North American representation comprised Team SoloMid and Cloud9.

Remaining tournament participants were selected from Latin American and Brazilian regions. Competitive expectations remained modest for wildcard entrants while UoL represented clear underdog candidate in traditional NA versus EU competition. The team nevertheless embraced the competitive challenge.

“Honestly, we anticipate this experience enthusiastically! Competing against elite teams preceding LCS participation provides valuable competitive assessment opportunities.”

Competitive Resurgence and Modern Achievements

While their competitive misfortune persisted, UoL expressed no competitive regrets regarding IEM San Jose participation. They had established themselves as elite competitors while accumulating dedicated fan following through innovative strategic selections. Competing against premier western organizations provided significant developmental advantages before EU LCS participation.

During Spring Split competition, UoL achieved 9-9 record advancing to playoffs before impressive finals qualification. Unfortunately, competitive misfortune recurred with 2-3 defeat against European powerhouse Fnatic. Despite disappointing conclusion, the Unicorns preserved their distinctive identity as meta innovators. Utilizing selections including Poppy and Yorick top lane, Varus mid lane, Nautilus, Sion, and even jungle Gnar, UoL maintained the competitive spirit that defined fan appreciation. Notably, they achieved substantially higher victory rates when employing off-meta champion strategies.

Regrettably, their competitive challenges extended beyond original roster composition. Substituting Kikis for H0R0 during 2015 Regional Finals yielded only secondary placement. Subsequent roster iterations experienced similar competitive outcomes.

Before unsuccessful LEC franchising application following 2018 season, UoL had captured singular tournament victory throughout organizational history at IEM Season 11 Oakland, defeating Flash Wolves for $50,000 prize award.

Despite numerous competitive setbacks, UoL remained among Europe’s most entertaining competitive organizations. Their LEC departure after 2018 disappointed numerous supporters, though the Unicorns refused surrender.

UoL secured 2019 Summer Split championship and 2020 Spring Split title, alongside Spring Open Cup victory. They additionally qualified for Worlds 2019 Play-in competition, though eliminated by former adversaries Splyce.

With their competitive misfortune finally overcome, the Unicorns may potentially reappear on global championship platforms.

Rather than debuting in the EU LCS as anticipated, Unicorns of Love’s next competitive arena materialized at IEM San Jose during December 2014. This prestigious global competition formed part of IEM Season 9’s circuit, building toward the global finals scheduled for March 2015. At this juncture, the Unicorns hadn’t even competed in the EU LCS yet, but astonishingly earned selection through community voting, outpacing second-place SK Gaming’s established LCS squad by a substantial margin.

“Our expectations entering the fan voting process remained minimal. We recognized our dedicated supporter base’s enthusiasm but competing against such deeply rooted organizations within the European competitive landscape made any victory seem improbable,” UoL representatives explained in a post-selection discussion. “Nobody anticipated the decisive manner in which we would ultimately secure the vote. We feel profoundly grateful for such an incredible community backing our journey. We intend to maximize this chance and deliver our utmost performance!”

This resounding endorsement for an unproven roster highlighted precisely how endearing and motivational UoL had become, surpassing longstanding franchises with years of competitive heritage. European representation alongside them featured Alliance with legendary players Froggen, Nyph and Rekkles, while North American delegation included industry titans Team SoloMid and Cloud9.

The remaining two slots went to representatives from Latin America and Brazil. Prognostications remained pessimistic regarding the wildcard entrants while UoL represented the undeniable dark horse contender in this classic NA versus EU confrontation. The squad nevertheless embraced the formidable challenge ahead.

“Truthfully, we feel tremendously excited! Gaining experience against elite caliber opponents before our LCS debut provides invaluable perspective on our current competitive standing.”

The competition commenced as projected, with Cloud9 eliminating paIN Gaming. Unicorns of Love’s opening match confronted Lyon Gaming, the Latin American wildcard representative. Intriguingly, Lyon Gaming needed to substitute classic TSM jungler TheOddOne’s younger sibling ‘Maplestreet’ as their bot lane carry, creating linguistic complications that immediately influenced match outcomes.

During attempts to first-pick Lee Sin, Lucian was inadvertently selected instead. Conversely, UoL secured preferred selections such as PowerOfEvil’s LeBlanc and Kikis’ jungle Kayle. Given insufficient practice coordination and communication challenges, Lyon suffered a comprehensive 2-0 defeat against the Unicorns.

The Unicorns’ subsequent series would prove considerably more demanding. Facing Team SoloMid’s superstar lineup featuring Dyrus, Amazing, Bjergsen, WildTurtle, and Lustboy, UoL required extraordinary circumstances to progress toward the championship round.

This identical TSM roster had recently captured the LCS Summer Split Playoffs championship against C9, guaranteeing North America’s primary seeding for Worlds 2014. They subsequently advanced from group stages in secondary position, falling exclusively during quarterfinals against the eventual titleholders Samsung White. Adding further advantage, San Jose represented TSM’s home territory. Founder Andy “Reginald” Dinh established his roots and launched the organization there, ensuring audience support overwhelmingly favored the hometown squad.

Based on competitive achievements, TSM stood as North America’s premier team and by every reasonable assessment, UoL should have experienced decisive defeat and elimination. Consider that even Alliance’s more veteran lineup eventually succumbed 2-0 against C9, departing with a modest $5,000 prize allocation. How could these inexperienced European newcomers possibly compete with one of esports’ most established and accomplished franchises?

Not a single individual, including UoL’s own members or TSM’s strategic coach Locodoco, predicted this outcome. TSM’s practice sessions had proceeded successfully and they weren’t facing consequences for their ambitious selections and strategies. The finals appeared destined for exclusive North American participation, recreating the Summer Playoffs championship confrontation between TSM and C9.

However, Unicorns of Love’s fundamental existence perpetually represented an walking paradox. How could they be dismissed so readily?

The revelation emerged that the Unicorns had concealed a clandestine tactical asset in jungle Twisted Fate. With Kikis demonstrating capability to execute virtually any jungle selection effectively, UoL gained substantial draft leverage by initially selecting what appeared as a Twisted Fate mid lane pick.

Accepting the deceptive maneuver, Bjergsen chose a counter selection against TF, the vulnerable Xerath. With their strategic ambush activated, PowerOfEvil secured a powerful counter against Xerath utilizing LeBlanc. The stationary Xerath became effortless prey for the highly mobile burst mage.

Employing the targeted stun capability from TF’s gold card, a level-two jungle intervention against Bjergsen provided the Twisted Fate jungle with straightforward First Blood while simultaneously establishing PowerOfEvil for an extraordinary carry demonstration. A monumental Gnar ultimate execution from Vizicsacsi might have concluded the engagement for UoL, but demonstrating their veteran roster’s experience, TSM managed to reclaim several additional eliminations.

Regrettably for them, the response proved insufficient and belated as the Unicorns concluded the opening match slightly under 38 minutes. Securing this initial victory already constituted an enormous surprise, but the achievement meant negligible without capturing another match victory. Incapable of depending on their TF unconventional selection repeatedly, UoL needed to confront world-class TSM through conventional competitive means.

Determined to reclaim victory through mid lane dominance, Bjergsen selected Azir opposing PowerOfEvil’s Syndra. He exhibited assurance in his capacity to dominate late-game scenarios and outperform PoE, but this identical overconfidence ultimately caused his defeat. Advancing excessively forward while underestimating Syndra’s damage potential resulted in Bjergsen conceding a critical solo elimination and First Blood, signaling defeat for Team SoloMid.

With TSM outmatched across every position and Kikis’ atypical Wukong jungle distributing straightforward eliminations to his teammates, the kill count rapidly accumulated for UoL. The outcome became inevitable once UoL initiated pressure against the Nexus via top lane advancement, and TSM recognized their inability to prevent the outcome.

Alternatively, they elected to pursue one final opportunity through base race tactics targeting UoL’s mid lane inhibitor. Impeding their final effort stood Vizicsacsi’s Irelia, who successfully delayed them sufficiently for his squad to repel Dyrus’ Maokai and destroy the Nexus, overthrowing the colossal entity that was Team SoloMid.

The Unicorns had accomplished the implausible once more, propelling them into global recognition.

The Unicorns’ victory against TSM demonstrated how strategic innovation could overcome raw individual talent and organizational resources. Their approach to champion selection emphasized flexibility over meta adherence, creating unpredictable draft scenarios that opponents struggled to counter effectively.

Common drafting mistakes that UoL exploited included over-reliance on statistical counters rather than team composition synergy. Teams frequently prioritize individual lane advantages without considering how champion kits interact during teamfight phases and objective control situations.

Advanced players can optimize their gameplay by studying UoL’s approach to tempo control and vision denial. Their jungle tracking and objective timing consistently created windows of opportunity despite facing mechanically superior opponents.

Understanding champion power spikes becomes crucial for timing aggressive plays effectively. For teams looking to improve their competitive standing, our Class Selection Guide provides detailed analysis of role-specific strategies that complement unconventional approaches.

The psychological aspect of draft strategy cannot be underestimated. As demonstrated in our comprehensive Battlefield 6 Guide explores similar principles of breaking established conventions to gain competitive edges.

Modern esports organizations should recognize that fan engagement and strategic innovation often produce longer-term success than purely results-driven approaches.

In an astonishing turn of events, this newly qualified squad was suddenly hailed as Europe’s salvation while attracting an almost religious devotion from supporters. PowerOfEvil’s Twitter following exploded by thousands within hours, as dedicated Reddit communities chronicling their achievements emerged across the platform. Despite their monumental success, the Unicorns maintained their grounded, authentic personality throughout.

The First-Place Curse Intensifies

With Cloud9’s decisive victory over Alliance concluded, attention shifted to the championship match.

“The narrative leading into this confrontation is absolutely compelling,” observed MonteCristo from the analyst panel. “We’re witnessing North America’s most consistently dominant organization over the past eighteen months confronting this fresh European lineup that recently earned their EU LCS spot and completed this extraordinary journey, eliminating another NA powerhouse in Team SoloMid.”

“The mid lane duel fascinates me most,” commented Saintvicious. “PowerOfEvil completely deconstructed Bjergsen’s gameplay. The matchup appeared brutally one-sided, leaving me concerned about Hai’s prospects.”

Cloud9’s jungler Meteos expressed his perspective before the clash.

“Facing Unicorns of Love genuinely excites me—they’re an emerging organization demonstrating remarkable strength… Team SoloMid potentially misjudged their capabilities, but we certainly won’t repeat that error,” Meteos stated.

With Alliance eliminated from contention, the entire European region’s aspirations now rested completely on UoL’s performance. Supporters who previously held minimal expectations now experienced genuine competitive anxiety.

Could the Unicorns finally secure that elusive first-place finish in a premier competition? While they’d frequently achieved second, third, and fourth placements, the organization remained winless in tournament victories since entering challenger-level events. The community watched anxiously, hoping this would be the moment their longstanding misfortune would finally end.

True to their self-described “cheese team” identity, spectators anticipated additional unconventional champion selections during drafting. Delivering immediately, Kikis selected jungle Kayle once more in the opening match of this best-of-five series, while PowerOfEvil selected Lux to counter Hai’s Syndra.

The match began disastrously when a level-six turret dive resulted in Vizicsacsi falling to Balls’ Lissandra combined with Meteos’ Lee Sin pressure. Following a temporary combat lull, Cloud9 secured another elimination on Vardags’ Lucian, but UoL countered effectively by destroying the mid lane tower to equalize gold values.

The equilibrium shattered abruptly when Unicorns initiated a poorly considered engagement that deteriorated into a three-versus-four situation. This catastrophic decision yielded three UoL casualties for only a single elimination on LemonNation’s Thresh, handing complete control to Cloud9.

Capitalizing on their established advantage, Sneaky and Meteos began accumulating eliminations and strategic objectives to amplify their lead. With the scoreboard reading 13-3 favoring Cloud9, UoL executed a measured engagement to shutdown Sneaky’s Corki, attempting to regain competitive footing. Regrettably, an impeccably timed Baron Nashor capture, three dragon takedowns, and several powerful teamfight victories signaled the conclusion for the Unicorns, marking their initial defeat in the competition.

Witnessing Cloud9’s adaptive response to their distinctive style and neutralizing their unconventional selections, UoL faced significant challenges. While Team SoloMid struggled against unorthodox strategies, Cloud9 demonstrated they weren’t underestimating the Unicorns’ capabilities.

For Vizicsacsi, the situation demanded serious commitment through selecting the legendary Ghost Teleport Poppy once again. Meanwhile, PowerOfEvil chose his signature LeBlanc champion.

Although Cloud9 secured First Blood against Kikis and established early dominance, a flawlessly coordinated collapse around the Dragon pit granted the Unicorns four uncontested eliminations. By the 21-minute mark, both squads remained evenly matched with two towers destroyed, one dragon secured, and approximately 29,000 gold each.

Battling intensely, Poppy progressively evolved into an increasingly formidable threat. Leveraging Ghost’s mobility advantages, Vizcsacsi executed unstoppable split-pushing maneuvers, nearly eliminating two Cloud9 members during a one-versus-three encounter. The oscillating momentum continued until UoL impulsively initiated a base race scenario, which they ultimately lost in crushing fashion.

After losing their bottom inhibitor, UoL pursued Meteos and Sneaky directly into the remainder of Cloud9’s formation, nearly suffering complete annihilation from Hai’s Shockwave combined with Balls’ resilient Maokai. Recognizing their advantageous position, Cloud9 pressured the Unicorns retreating toward their base. The Unicorns resisted desperately, but their defensive efforts proved ultimately futile. Following 38 minutes of intense competition, Cloud9 secured the second match victory.

Facing elimination from the tournament, UoL deployed every available resource. Vizicsacsi selected Ghost Teleport Hecarim this instance, aiming to overwhelm his adversaries. Maintaining their “cheese team” reputation, UoL secured a level-one dragon by repeatedly resetting aggression to interrupt its offensive patterns. Even these extreme measures proved insufficient, as Cloud9 again secured First Blood during a chaotic teamfight to gain control.

Despite Unicorns’ maximum efforts, none of their counterattack attempts against Cloud9 produced successful outcomes. Through superior objective control and vision dominance, the gold disparity expanded rapidly, culminating in a Baron Nashor capture for Cloud9.

The Unicorns’ defeat at IEM San Jose revealed critical lessons about competitive adaptation. While their unconventional strategies succeeded against teams unprepared for innovation, organizations like Cloud9 demonstrated that disciplined, methodical play could neutralize even the most creative approaches.

Professional teams often struggle most against unpredictable opponents during initial encounters. However, elite organizations possess the analytical capacity and in-game flexibility to adjust their approach between matches.

Common strategic mistakes included overcommitting to lost fights, failing to establish vision control around major objectives, and attempting base races against superior teamfighting compositions.

For teams looking to implement similar unconventional strategies, consider these optimization approaches: practice multiple cheese picks to maintain unpredictability, develop contingency plans when initial strategies fail, and maintain disciplined vision establishment despite aggressive playstyles.

The psychological pressure of carrying regional expectations clearly impacted UoL’s decision-making in critical moments.

Advanced players should analyze how Cloud9 systematically dismantled UoL’s strategies through objective control, vision denial, and calculated teamfight engagements.

UoL’s legacy extends beyond their tournament results—they demonstrated that innovation and personality could thrive in professional esports. Their approach to champion selection and draft strategy permanently expanded the boundaries of competitive League of Legends.

For comprehensive strategic guidance on team composition and gameplay optimization, consult our Class Guide for detailed breakdowns of optimal team configurations.

Unicorns of Love revolutionized competitive League of Legends by consistently defying conventional wisdom. Their approach extended beyond mere gameplay into branding and team identity, creating a unique presence that challenged established norms across the esports landscape.

What made UoL truly special wasn’t tournament victories or international appearances, but their authentic commitment to being different. Understanding their rapid ascent from amateur status to fan favorite reveals valuable lessons about innovation in competitive gaming.

Humble Beginnings

The organization began as a genuine family venture in August 2013 when Fabian “Sheepy” Mallant conceptualized both the team and its now-iconic name. The unconventional branding was intentionally designed to provoke opponents while establishing a memorable identity.

As a developing player with limited experience, Sheepy recruited his parents Jos and Vivien Mallant to help launch the project. Both embraced the vision enthusiastically, assisting with financial setup and providing foundational support. As UoL expanded into multiple gaming titles, Jos and Vivien assumed leadership positions as CEO and General Manager respectively, while Fabian transitioned to coaching duties. Jos Mallant’s leadership role earned him the affectionate community nickname “UOLdad” that persists today.

The UoL Rollercoaster Begins

During their 2014 campaign, Unicorns of Love remained relatively unknown in the competitive scene. Initial achievements in Go4LoL tournaments paved the way for participation in more demanding competitions including theSummer Black Monster Cupand theDailymotion Challenger Cup.

Consistent strong performances indicated genuine potential, though championship victories remained elusive. Their qualification for the Summer EU Challenger Series (EUCS) represented surprisingLoL newsat that time, signaling their emerging competitiveness.

The EUCS structure featured dual Summer Series where accumulated points determined playoff eligibility. The top six teams competed for three promotional slots offering access to the 2015 EU LCS through the Promotion Tournament system.

UoL reached quarterfinal stages in both series before elimination, gathering sufficient points for a sixth-place tie. Victory over Playing Ducks in the tiebreaker secured their playoff position by the narrowest margin possible.

Featuring the skilled lineup of Vizicsacsi, Gilius, PowerOfEvil, Vardags, and Hylissang under coach Sheepy’s guidance, UoL had already surpassed initial projections. With established organizations like H2K, SK Prime, and Ninjas in Pyjamas obstructing their path, their journey appeared destined to conclude.

Starting from the lowest seed with an demanding schedule ahead, any single mistake could terminate their unexpected run. Despite internal uncertainties, they remained determined to capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity.

Quarterfinal action pitted UoL against third-ranked Gamers2, the precursor to G2 Esports. Despite G2’s previous achievements, Carlos Ocelote’s squad proved inadequate, resulting in a 2-1 triumph for the Unicorns.

Semifinal competition presented substantially greater obstacles with second-place H2K blocking advancement. Vizicsacsi, already recognized for unconventional tactics, deployed Yorick to overwhelm Odoamne’s Mundo, establishing an early series advantage. H2K responded forcefully, securing the subsequent match in a marathon 52-minute engagement. During the decisive third game, Vizicsacsi again selected Yorick while Vardags demonstrated exceptional performance with Kog’maw. Ultimately the effort proved insufficient as H2K claimed victory after securing three additional barons in another extended 52-minute contest.

Dropping into the loser’s bracket finals, UoL’s final opportunity to earn promotion required defeating top-seeded Ninjas in Pyjamas in a best-of-five series.

Theoretically, NiP should have dominated without question. The previous year, NiP competed in the EU LCS Summer Split before relegation to EUCS. Following unsuccessful promotion attempts during Spring Promotions, NiP desperately needed this victory to return to the EU LCS.

Additionally, during regular season play NiP accumulated seventeen points compared to UoL’s mere three. With Moscow Five’s legendary mid laner Alex Ich commanding NiP, the Unicorns’ improbable run seemed certain to collapse.

Yet UoL demonstrated once more that traditional metrics couldn’t capture their capabilities. In a stunning reversal, UoL eliminated NiP with overwhelming effectiveness.

Game one featured Vizicsacsi utilizing an unexpected Swain top selection to dominate NiP within 23 minutes, concluding with a 14-1 kill differential. The subsequent match proved equally commanding, with PowerOfEvil delivering an Orianna showcase performance. Alex Ich’s Yasuo embodied the champion’s typical reputation, finishing 1/7/6 while trailing his counterpart by 6,000 gold.

NiP’s final desperate effort was thwarted in merely 30 minutes as Vardags showcased his capabilities with 15/2/10 Tristana. The UoL momentum continued building while NiP rapidly dissolved following this crushing defeat.

Promotion Poppy

Based on their impressive EUCS Playoffs showing, UoL earned a position in the Promotion Tournament for the 2015 EU LCS Spring Split. Anticipation ran high while the competitive stakes reached unprecedented levels. UoL needed to commit fully in a best-of-five confrontation with Millenium. Regrettably, the series began poorly as Millenium established a 2-0 lead.

With their LCS aspirations hanging in the balance, only one strategic option remained viable. Select Poppy for the inaugural competitive appearance of this champion.

Utilizing the visually distinctive pre-rework Poppy, Vizicsacsi achieved an 8/0/7 performance while inspiring his teammates toward anunlikely victorythat demonstrated UoL’s core philosophy. Capitalizing on this momentum shift, UoL completed a reverse sweep against Millenium 3-2 to guarantee their participation in the EU LCS Spring Split 2015.

Millenium’s LCS ambitions were shattered beneath Poppy’s low-polygon hammer, while the Unicorns charged forward to their next competitive challenge.

Fan favourites

Preparing for their LCS debut, UoL implemented a roster adjustment replacing Gilius with former SK Prime jungler Kikis. Recognized for unusual strategic selections and diverse champion expertise, Kikis integrated seamlessly with UoL’s unconventional approach.

Rather than immediate EU LCS competition however, their subsequent engagement materialized at IEM San Jose in December 2014. This significant international competition formed part of IEM Season 9, progressing toward the IEM World Championships scheduled for March 2015. At this juncture UoL hadn’t yet competed in the EU LCS, but received unexpected selection for the event through fan voting, substantially outperforming second-place SK Gaming’s LCS squad.

“We genuinely anticipated nothing from the voting process. We understood our dedicated supporter base existed but competing against such well-entrenched organizations within the European competitive landscape. Nobody could have predicted the decisive manner in which we ultimately secured the vote,” UoL stated in aninterviewfollowing event selection. “We’re profoundly grateful for our incredible fan community. We’ll embrace this chance and maximize our efforts!”

This resounding endorsement for an emerging team demonstrated UoL’s compelling appeal and inspirational quality, surpassing major organizations with years of competitive history. European representation included Alliance featuring Froggen, Nyph and Rekkles, while North America was represented by Team SoloMid and Cloud9.

The two remaining slots were allocated to Latin American and Brazilian teams. Expectations remained modest for wildcard participants while UoL clearly represented the tournament’s dark horse contender in this classic NA versus EU confrontation. The squad nevertheless welcomed the competitive test.

“Truthfully, we’re extremely enthusiastic about this opportunity! Competing against such caliber opponents before LCS commencement provides invaluable assessment of our competitive standing.”

David and Goliath

The competition unfolded as projected initially, with C9 eliminating paIN Gaming. UoL’s opening series matched them against Lyon Gaming, the Latin American wildcard representative. Notably Lyon Gaming required substitution of classic TSM jungler TheOddOne’s younger sibling ‘Maplestreet‘ as bot laner, introducing linguistic complications that immediately influenced results.

During attempted first-pick selection of Lee Sin, Lucian was inadvertently chosen instead. Conversely, UoL secured preferred champions including PoE’s LeBlanc and Kikis’ jungle Kayle. Given limited practice coordination and communication challenges, Lyon suffered a comprehensive 2-0 defeat against the Unicorns.

UoL’s following series wouldn’t prove nearly as straightforward. Confronting TSM’s star-filled lineup of Dyrus, Amazing, Bjergsen, WildTurtle, and Lustboy, UoL required extraordinary performance to progress to the championship round.

This identical TSM roster had recently captured the LCS Summer Split Playoffs championship against C9, securing NA’s primary seed position for Worlds 2014. They subsequently advanced from group stages finishing second, only eliminated during quarterfinal competition by the eventual tournament champions Samsung White. As additional advantage, San Jose represented TSM’s home territory. Founder Andy “Reginald” Dinh established roots and created the organization there, ensuring audience support heavily favored their campaign.

Based on competitive results, TSM ranked as North America’s premier team and by all rational analysis, UoL should have suffered decisive defeat and elimination. After all, even the more seasoned Alliance lineup eventually fell 2-0 against C9, departing with $5,000 prize earnings. How could these inexperienced European competitors possibly contend with one of the game’s most established and accomplished organizations?

No one, including UoL themselves or TSM’s coaching staff under Locodoco, envisioned this outcome. TSM’s practice sessions had proceeded smoothly without punishment for aggressive draft selections and gameplay. The championship round appeared destined to feature exclusively North American participation, a rematch between Summer Playoffs finalists TSM and C9.

Yet UoL’s very existence consistently presented an analytical paradox. How could they be dismissed so readily?

Ultimately the Unicorns had concealed a strategic surprise with jungle Twisted Fate. With Kikis demonstrating capability to successfully execute virtually any jungle selection, UoL gained substantial draft advantage by initially selecting what appeared to be a Twisted Fate mid lane pick.

Taking the strategic bait, Bjergsen chose a counter selection to TF, the vulnerable Xerath. With their tactical trap activated, PoE secured a direct counter to Xerath through LeBlanc. The immobile mage proved completely exposed against the hyper-mobile assassin.

Employing the targeted stun capability of TF’s gold card, a level-two jungle intervention against Bjergsen provided the TF jungle with straightforwardFirst Bloodwhile simultaneously enabling PoE’s exceptional carry performance. Amassive Gnar ultimatefrom Vizicsacsi might have concluded the engagement for UoL, but leveraging their veteran roster experience, TSM managed to reclaim several additional eliminations.

Regrettably for them, the response proved insufficiently timely as the Unicorns secured victory in slightly under 38 minutes. Achieving this initial game victory already represented a substantial surprise, though the accomplishment would prove meaningless without subsequent success. Unable to depend on their TF unconventional selection again, UoL needed to confront world-class TSM through conventional competitive means.

Eager to reclaim mid lane dominance, Bjergsen selected Azir against PowerOfEvil’s Syndra. He appeared assured in his capacity to deliver late-game performance and surpass PoE, but this identical overconfidence ultimately caused his defeat. Positioning too aggressively while underestimating Syndra’s damage potential resulted in Bjergsen conceding a significant solo elimination andFirst Blood, indicating defeat for TSM.

With TSM outperformed across every position and Kikis’ unusual Wukong jungle generating straightforward eliminations for teammates, the kill count rapidly accumulated for UoL. Temporal progression alone determined when UoL initiated pressure against the Nexus through top lane advancement, and TSM recognized their inability to prevent the outcome.

Instead, they elected to pursue one final opportunity through base race tactics targeting UoL’s mid lane inhibitor. Blocking their path stood Vizicsacsi’s Irelia, who successfully delayed them sufficiently for his team to repel Dyrus’ Maokai and destroy the Nexus, defeating the competitive giant Team SoloMid.

The Unicorns had accomplished the impossible once more, launching them into global competitive recognition.

“They simply performed substantially beyond our expectations,” stated TSM’s coach Locodoco following the defeat. “We employed extremely aggressive strategies successfully during practice sessions so we assumed similar approaches would prove effective during tournament competition. They executed with remarkable aggression and maintained superior tempo control.”

The seventeen-year-old prodigy PowerOfEvil specifically demonstrated himself among the elite mid lane competitors, overwhelming Bjergsen throughout both engagements. “Their mid lane participant, PowerOfEvil, delivered outstanding performance.”

Suddenly, this recently qualified team began receiving praise as ‘the saviour of EU’ while accumulating an almost cult-like supporter following. PoE gained thousands of Twitter followers almost instantaneously, while Reddit discussion threads chronicling their achievements proliferated extensively. Even amidst victory however, the Unicorns maintained their grounded and genuine character.

The First-Place Curse

Following C9’s victory against Alliance, the stage was prepared for the championship confrontation.

“I thoroughly appreciate the narrative progression leading into this matchup, because we feature the most dominant North American organization throughout the preceding eighteen months, confronting this emerging European squad that recently qualified for the EU LCS while achieving this type of miraculous competitive run, eliminating another North American powerhouse in TSM,” commented MonteCristo from the analyst position.

“I’m anticipating the mid lane confrontation,” noted Saintvicious. “PowerOfEvil completely dismantled Bjergsen. The performance appeared quite concerning, so I’m apprehensive about Hai’s prospects.”

Meteos, C9’s jungle specialist, shared his perspective before the encounter.

“I’m quite enthusiastic about competing against Unicorns of Love, they’re an emerging organization demonstrating impressive strength…I believe TSM potentially underestimated their capabilities, but we certainly won’t repeat that error,” Meteos stated.

With Alliance eliminated, all European competitive aspirations rested entirely upon UoL’s performance. While supporters previously maintained minimal expectations, now they genuinely began experiencing competitive pressure.

Could the Unicorns finally achieve championship placement in a major competition? They had previously finished second, third, and fourth positions repeatedly, but the organization hadn’t captured a single tournament championship since commencing challenger event participation. Fans anticipated with intense anticipation for this competitive barrier to finally be overcome.

As the self-described “cheese team,” viewers anticipated observing additional unconventional draft selections. Delivering immediately from the outset, Kikis selected jungle Kayle again during game one of this best-of-five series, while PowerOfEvil chose Lux against Hai’s Syndra.

The engagement commenced poorly as a level-six tower dive resulted in Vizicsacsi falling to Balls’ Lissandra and Meteos’ Lee Sin. Following a temporary combat lull, C9 secured another elimination against Vardags’ Lucian, but UoL counterattacked and balanced the gold economy through mid lane tower acquisition.

The equilibrium was abruptly disrupted when UoL initiated an ill-conceived engagement that transformed into a 3v4 confrontation. The catastrophic decision yielded three UoL eliminations for merely one kill against LemonNation’s Thresh, transferring initiative to C9’s control.

Advancing their positional advantage, Sneaky and Meteos began accumulating eliminations and objectives to accelerate their lead development. With the score positioned at 13-3 favoring C9, UoL executed a calculated engagement and neutralized Sneaky’s Corki to regain competitive footing. Unfortunately, impeccably timed Baron acquisition, three dragon captures, and several powerful teamfight executions indicated conclusion for the Unicorns, delivering their initial tournament defeat.

After witnessing C9 adjust to their approach and suppress their unconventional selections, UoL faced significant challenges. While TSM proved vulnerable against unorthodox strategies, C9 maintained appropriate respect for the Unicorns’ capabilities.

For Vizicsacsi, the situation demanded serious commitment through selection of the legendary Ghost Teleport Poppy once more. Simultaneously, PowerOfEvil selected his signature LeBlanc.

While C9 secured First Blood against Kikis and established early game advantage, a flawlessly executed collapse surrounding Dragon provided the Unicorns four eliminations without cost. By the twenty-one minute mark, both teams remained balanced at two towers, one dragon and 29,000 gold each.

Combatting intensely throughout, Poppy continued evolving into an increasingly significant competitive problem. Utilizing Ghost to maximum effect, Vizcsacsi achieved unstoppable split push pressure, nearly eliminating two C9 members during a one-versus-three confrontation. The competitive exchange continued until UoL impulsively initiated a base race confrontation, which they lost in catastrophic manner.

After surrendering their bot inhibitor, UoL pursued Meteos and Sneaky directly into the remaining C9 members, almost suffering complete elimination from Hai’s Shockwave and Balls’ resilient Maokai. Recognizing their advantageous position, C9 pressured the Unicorns backward into their base. The Unicorns resisted desperately, but opposition proved futile. After thirty-eight minutes, C9 secured the second game victory.

Merely one defeat from elimination, UoL deployed every available strategic option. Vizicsacsi selected Ghost Teleport Hecarim this instance, aiming to overwhelm his adversaries. Preserving their ‘cheese team’ reputation UoL captured a level-one dragon through repeated aggro resetting to interrupt its attack patterns. Even this extraordinary effort proved insufficient however, as C9 achieved First Blood once more during a chaotic team engagement to gain advantage.

Despite UoL’s maximum efforts, none of their attempts to counterattack C9 produced successful outcomes. With objective and vision dominance, the gold disparity expanded quickly, culminating in Baron control for C9.

LemonNation’s precision Thresh hook executions secured elimination after elimination against the Unicorns, again forcing UoL retreat toward their Nexus Towers. In a final desperate attempt to shatter the curse, UoL engaged in a five-on-five confrontation that yielded a Pentakill for Sneaky’s Corki, positioning him at 13/1/11 as he concluded the series.

The Aftermath

While their competitive curse persisted, UoL certainly expressed no regrets regarding IEM San Jose participation. They had established themselves as elite competitors and gathered an intensely dedicated supporter community through their unconventional selections. Competing against premier western organizations also provided substantial competitive development before their EU LCS debut.

During the Spring Split, UoL achieved a 9-9 record and advanced to playoff competition before delivering an extraordinary run to the championship round. Unfortunately, the curse manifested again as they fell 2-3 against European powerhouse Fnatic. Despite this disappointing conclusion, the Unicorns never abandoned their distinctive identity as meta innovators. With selections including Poppy and Yorick top lane, Varus mid, Nautilus, Sion, and even jungle Gnar, UoL maintained the identical competitive character that supporters recognized and valued. Notably, they achieved substantially greater victory rates when employing off-meta champion selections.

Regrettably, their competitive misfortune wasn’t confined to the founding roster configuration. Substituting Kikis for H0R0 during the 2015 Regional Finals could only produce second-place achievement again. Even subsequent roster iterations years later experienced identical outcomes.

Before unsuccessful franchising application for the LEC following 2018, UoL had captured merely one championship throughout their competitive history at IEM Season 11 Oakland, where they defeated Flash Wolves for a $50,000 prize award.

Despite repeated competitive setbacks, UoL consistently ranked among the most entertaining European organizations to support. Their departure from the LEC after 2018 devastated numerous supporters, but the Unicorns refused surrender so readily. They currently maintain a Russian competitive squad participating in the LCL, where they’ve ultimately achieved the competitive success supporters envisioned.

UoL secured victory in the 2019 Summer Split and the 2020 Spring Split, in addition to the Spring Open Cup championship. They even qualified for Worlds 2019 Play-in competition, although they were eliminated by former rivals Splyce.

Now that this competitive barrier has been overcome, perhaps the Unicorns might eventually return to the global competitive spotlight at the World Championship stage.

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