Foreword: The S16 season has officially started, and I believe the vast majority of players have been paying attention to the recent competition. The LPL playoffs are extremely intense. After two rounds of the losers' bracket, the four semifinalists have all emerged: AL, BLG, IG, and LGD. Currently, the most prominent team is IG. After consecutively defeating two strong teams, they are getting closer to the S16 World Championship. They now need to win only two crucial BO5 series to qualify. Top laner Theshy has returned to his "Wusheng" peak form, and the roar of the on-site fans is truly spectacular.

Theshy returns to his Wusheng peak form.

I believe most fans are familiar with IG. As a top-tier team in the LPL, their popularity and performance have fluctuated significantly in recent years, with results declining rapidly. In the third stage, to maximize viewer engagement, they urgently recalled mid-laner Rookie and top-laner Theshy. It is evident that the team's overall state and results have steadily improved. At this point, they seem to have become a dark horse in the LPL. From the Phoenix Group, they have won all the way until now, only one step away from the World Championship. The match against WE surprised many fans, as people thought IG might be eliminated before the game started.

Only eight minutes into the first game, WE's Lee Sin helped Caitlyn secure first blood in the bot lane while also claiming the first dragon. The early game pace was tense for both sides. At 15 minutes, Rookie's Syndra landed consecutive perfect pushes, and Theshy's Gwen teleported into the team fight, wiping out WE and shifting the momentum entirely to IG. Finally, after a team wipe at 23 minutes, IG pushed WE's base and took the first game.

The second game turned into a solo show for WE's mid-laner Akali. A chaotic fight in the bot lane at 10 minutes allowed Akali to pick up three kills. Then, in a jungle skirmish at 14 minutes, Akali showed off with incredible mechanics, effortlessly securing a triple kill. Despite IG's stubborn resistance, the damage from WE's Akali was too high. At 31 minutes, the score was tied 1-1.

In the third game, WE again gained an early advantage. They took first blood from Theshy at just three minutes. At seven minutes, WE's bot lane killed three opponents, winning decisively. By 20 minutes, they held a massive lead and easily secured Baron. However, at 25 minutes, IG executed perfect coordination, pulling off an improbable team fight, killing four enemies and closing the gold gap. Finally, at 32 minutes, they staged a complete comeback.

In the decisive game, Theshy picked Kled to counter Olaf. Just five minutes in, both sides clashed in the top lane, resulting in a kill. At eight minutes, Theshy's Kled solo-killed his opponent. After that, Kled fully entered his "Wusheng" state, chasing down three enemies alone at the enemy's high ground. At 25 minutes, IG dominated, sweeping WE 3-1.

After this match, IG is getting closer to the World Championship. They only need to defeat their next opponent, LGD, to enter the winners' bracket of the regional qualifier, giving them two chances to secure a Worlds spot. Of course, they also have an opportunity to win the LPL's third stage championship. That goal seems a bit ambitious, as taking down both AL and BLG will be very difficult for IG. If they can actually overcome these two mountains, the LPL will see its highest level of excitement in recent years.

In my opinion,

Honestly, IG's current performance has caught everyone off guard. After the roster reshuffle, people thought it would be a victory if IG could just advance from the Phoenix Group. No one expected them to consecutively defeat TES and WE in the losers' bracket. In particular, top-laner Theshy and mid-laner Rookie have become increasingly stable in their pace. Is this the confidence of veteran players?

What do you, dear viewers, think about this matter?