Among the secretive, Ionian warriors known as the Kinkou, Shen serves as their leader, the Eye of Twilight. He longs to remain free from the confusion of emotion, prejudice, and ego, and walks the unseen path of dispassionate judgment between the spirit realm and the physical world. Tasked with enforcing the equilibrium between them, Shen wields blades of steel and arcane energy against any who would threaten it.
"The Eye is blind to fear, to hate, to love - to all things that would sway equilibrium."— Shen
Shen was the son of Master Kusho, the previous Eye of Twilight of the Kinkou, whose role was to maintain the equilibrium between the spirit and physical realms. As Shen grew up, he was a good student when it came to learning the Kinkou teachings such as Pruning the Tree, Coursing the Sun, and Watching the Stars, and he was also able to make decisions dispassionately and without prejudice.
When Zed (then known as Govos) was invited into the Kinkou order, Shen was initially much stronger than the newcomer. But Zed was a fast learner and his abilities soon rivaled Shen, but he lacked Shen’s dispassion. Yet they grew up as brothers.
At one point, Kusho, Shen, and Zed set out to hunt down the Golden Demon, a murderer who had plagued the province of Zhyun. When they captured the Golden Demon, it turned out to be Jihn, a stagehand from a traveling theater. Shen was ready to accept his father’s wish to imprison the murderer while Zed wanted to get revenge by killing him instead.
Recent events[]
(TBA)
Appearance[]
Shen is a tall, muscular man with tan skin and brown hair. His hair is typically tied back with the sides shaved. His eyes glow white-blue whenever he utilizes his magic.
His signature armor is a full-body ninja regalia in pristine condition. It is dark blue with a silver trim, covering all but his eyes and upper arms. Though he carries a traditional blade on his back, he can also summon a spirit blade composed of ethereal violet magic.
Personality[]
Known for his dispassion, Shen is calm and even-keeled, possessing the aura of esoteric wisdom that befits his station. Extreme events, however, can cause him to become aggressive and emotional, especially in the presence of his despised rivals such as Zed or Jhin. Still, Shen fights honorably, striving to protect the innocent and preserve the balance of Ionia.
Abilities[]
Spiritualist: Shen has a deep connection to the Spirit Realm, created through meditation and spiritual practices, allowing him to sense the influences of the Spirit Realm, and use it's magic for several purposes. Shen carries the Role of the Eye of Twilight, and wields the powers that comes with it.
Transitory State: As the bridge between the Material and Spirit Worlds, Shen can shift from the Physical Realm to the Spiritual and vice-versa at will. This allows him to teleport to other's places at will, whether to avoid injuries or to aid his allies.
Spirit Sign: Shen's spiritual connections allow him to see spiritual forces.
Shen leads the surviving Kinkou which has a great conflict of interest with Zed's Order of Shadow and its defiance of Ionia's sacred balance. Kennen remains by his side while Akali went rogue. She and Shen parted on neutral terms. Neither hates the other but both disapprove of the other's methods.[1] After Akali and Zed made their choice, Shen is starting to doubt whether the old way still works.
Shen and Zed are childhood friends and used to consider each other as brother before Zed "murdered" Master Kusho. Master Kusho, Shen, and Zed were responsible for capturing and imprisoning Khada Jhin, but were traumatised by the Golden Demon's actions in the process. Later on, when Jhin was set free again, Zed sought out Shen in order to inform him about Jhin's reappearance and to team up with him to stop him. Shen, despite still wishing to avenge his father's death, accepted the truce for the greater good. The duo later saved a captured Akali from Jhin and caught him. Shen is torn between killing Zed to avenge his father Kusho (the Kinkou's previous master and wielder of the spirit blade) and enforcing equilibrium with the spirit realm (his duty takes priority, but he won't hesitate if given the chance). Zed could have revealed the truth about Kusho to Shen but then decided it was better for Shen to be disillusioned with Zed than to be disillusioned with his own father. That's probably not fair, and maybe Shen has a right to know. But Zed is flawed... and blinded by his need to feel he's worthy and honorable.[2]
Yevnai[]
Shen was arranged to be married to Yevnai but the engagement was called off after Zed "killed" Master Kusho. Zed and Yevnai were at one point secretly in a relationship even when forbidden by Master Kusho, unknown to Shen though he possibly suspected it.[3]
It was no tempest. It was a spirit' said the fisherman, still rattled by the shipwreck he'd barely survived two nights ago. The man told of his fishing vessel being sunk by a creature, large as a house and quick as the wind.
By Odin Austin Shafer, Edgar Salazar, Lorenzo Ruggiero, Chris O'Halloran
Zed is lured back to a village where he and Shen once encountered a great evil, a brutal killer from their past resurfaces: the magically gifted psychopath Khada Jhin!
By Odin Austin Shafer, Edgar Salazar, Lorenzo Ruggiero, Chris O'Halloran
Zed is under attack from all sides! He and his band of assassins are ambushed by the twisted Khada Jhin! In order to survive, Zed will be forced to confront his past sins and seek the aid of his most bitter enemy--the Eye of Twilight, Shen!
By Odin Austin Shafer, Edgar Salazar, Lorenzo Ruggiero, Chris O'Halloran
Khada Jhin's master plan comes together in a most explosive and deadly manner! But even if Zed and Shen survive, they might just kill one another! Only one will be left standing by the end of this issue!
By Odin Austin Shafer, Edgar Salazar, Lorenzo Ruggiero, Chris O'Halloran
Zed has been captured and is at the mercy of his most bitter enemy--and once most trusted friend--Shen! Meanwhile Akali sets out on her own in search of the deadly Jhin--a journey that may lead her to her own doom! But what is Jhin's endgame?
By Odin Austin Shafer, Edgar Salazar, Lorenzo Ruggiero, Chris O'Halloran
It's all led to this: Zed and Shen, united in a final battle with the psychopathic murderer Khada Jhin! And the life of the captive Akali hangs in the balance! Then--Shen and Zed's greatest enemy will stand revealed…and you'll never guess who it is! Shocking secrets about the past AND the present will be unveiled…and whoever survives will be left to pick up the pieces!
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Shen means spirit, holy, or deity;[4] from Mandarin shén [ʂə̃n˧˥] 神 < OC *m-lin.[5]
The Eye of Twilight is the title for the leader of the Kinkou Order, entrusted with the sacred duty of Watching the Stars - exercising judgment untainted by prejudice.
Ionia considers twilight as a time of when dark and light are in balance.
Zed was originally considered for the title The Eye of Twilight before he left the Order, which forced Shen to take it.
Shen wanted to leave the Kinkou Order to defend Ionia from Noxus during the first invasion but chose to stay mostly because of Zed leaving the order.[6]
He uses 2 blades: the Spirit blade to cut the spirits and the steel saber to cut the living.
The spirit blade has a vessel on his back that only comes off when he attacks. He can separate the blades power for his shield without moving the vessel.
He is between 33– 35 years old.
He was the same age as present day Akali (or around 19 years old) when he first caught Jhin.
Shen's Ki Barrier, previously known as Ki Strike, is one of the fighting ways of a combat technique known as Ki. Riven also seems to have mastered the technique of Ki Burst.