ETL Week 1 showed a great start with tons of hype moments and intensive matches. So for now, let’s recapitulate what madness we witnessed so far.
Logic of Madness vs Bee Gasses
This first week started in a strong way with a friendly rivalry between two teams. Indeed, Logic of Madness and Bee Gasses (who displayed singular identity and creativity thanks to their CaS) respectively led by Taokaka_Meow who has been part of the event since Season 1 and the new Captain Fotten, are two teams from the same group of friends.
The encounter began with a classic match-up for those players, Kellerak vs Loz Kias. Despite the fact that these two play together a lot and know each other inside out, the score was unequivocal. Thanks to his “NightBee”, Kellerak gave his team their first victory with a clean 5-0.
Undoubtedly, the second match was one of the most intense and emotional of the first week. Taokaka and Lyonide (known for his aGI success rate over 80% as Xianghua) played a very interesting and nervous match. The encounter went to the last round and last pixel, and Taokaka eventually triumphed by the skin of her teeth.
Aarpia and Ssylus, both Aces, didn’t wait for players and chat to recover from their emotions and immediately started their set. Led 3 to 0 at first, Ssylus managed a great comeback and even brought the game to a tie. Unfortunately, the Welsh player couldn’t keep his momentum and eventually lost to Aarpia 5 to 3.
At this point in the competition, Logic of Madness didn’t have the choice: they had to win the final match and secure the draw to not start the season at the bottom of the ladder. Everything was on Hazu, an inconspicuous French Ivy player who did excellent performances during ETL Season 2 with his former team, Scarlet Thunder. Once again, Hazu showed that we shouldn’t underestimate him and that he is a fearsome player. He scored the final victory over the Horseface Captain and in doing so, secured the draw for his team (has Fotten become a kind of chimera now…?)
Global score: 2-2. Draw ! Click here for the VOD.
Dark Love vs Eternal Souls
The fight between Dark Love and Eternal Souls (Team “Peace Souls,” as it was known in the previous seasons) is a classic ETL fight. These two teams and their Captains have been part of the event since Season 1 and fought against each other many times.
The encounter begins with Aelz “The Substitute Teacher” – who came back recently from the WUFL tournament in Ukraine – and MPhantasm the “Supreme TO”. MPhantasm expected to lose in a harsh way but against all odds, the TO did very well against the most mĂ©ga chaud player of the league. However and despite his best efforts, the match ended 5 to 3 in favor of the purple Ace.
Next, VileMuffin had to fight Tadlos, the valiant samourai. After a very good start, the Captain couldn’t keep the momentum and had to bow 5 to 2.
This encounter also showed the comeback of one of the french gods: KiraDems and his Cervantes who hadn’t been seen in tournaments and events for a long time. Unfortunately, his patience and poke game didn’t impress Sett who (after some stressful moments) gave the victory to Dark Love over Eternals Souls.
The last match was between Valhanya and Ceiwen and it surely was the most impressive match of the week. Everything seemed to be lost for Eternal Souls. While the Dark Queen was showing no mercy to his opponent and led by a solid 4 points, Ceiwen suddenly pulled an impressive and unexpected comeback, crawling straight from hell and thanks to an oppressive use and abuse of MED K, saved the honour of his team and won the match 5 to 4.
Global score: 3-1. Dark Love win ! Click here for the VOD.
Idol Stance vs ALL STARS
The show started strong for the new team Idol Stance created and led by Kusoge (member of the idol group J’ADORE). For their first week they had to fight against the season 2 champions, ALLSTARS, led by the extravagant but tyrannic Zanaken who forced his teammates to wear the mustache and uncomfortable clothes.
Kusoge was the first player to step in and he had to fight Danurai, who had barely recovered from the WUFL tournament. Kusoge did a pretty solid first match but couldn’t keep the rhythm nor adapt to Danurai’s gameplay. This match scored the first loss for Idol Stance.
It was then Silent Joel’s turn to try to put down the star-studded Captain. After a very solid start from Zanaken and his Raphaël, Joël made a pretty nice comeback, managed to tie the score 3 to 3 and bring hope to his team. But the former champion wasn’t about to let him have his way mercilessly crushed this tiny hope and won the match 5 to 3.
At this state of the competition, the Idols had to be very strict and there was no room for failure. That was a difficult task, but it was not impossible. Both team’s Aces entered the octogone. Ganondeurf, the best european Azwel player – who entered for the first time the ETL and made very good results in every online tournaments – had to fight the WUFL tournament MVP aka Myloes “Your Girlfriend’s Favorite Player”. Unfortunately, Myloes failed to find answers against Ganondeurf’s aggressive gameplay and after a tough match, lost 5 to 1.
The delicate mission to secure the draw fell to Ventras “NightKitty”. The Nightmare French player made a very good start and was able to show his opponent all of his technical knowledge in the Yoshimitsu match-up. However, he showed a lack of stamina, as he eventually was confused by Domitto’s mixups. During the match point, he managed to find his second wind and led the match 2 to 0 but his momentum was quickly broken by an excellent Ring Out from Domitto on the astral Chaos stage and the idol lost 5 to 3.
Global score: 3-1. ALL STARS win !
Manji Carp Fish vs Return to Monke
The first week’s penultimate encounter took place in a dense tropical forest who has never seen civilization. In this forest, littles monkeys, who mostly ate bananas and pineapple pizzas, were living in harmony. But this peace was disturbed by the appearance of strong black and blue fishes who showed a very warlike attitude. They had one single goal: extend their territory and steal the forest’s wealth and resources.
Aby was the first one to defend his territory against the oceanic beasts’ invasion and crossed swords with the Polish ninja, Darxy. She had a slight advantage at the beginning of the match but Aby managed to turn the situation around and took the lead. Armed with nothing but a braided basket made of banana leaves, he put up a ferocious fight and won the match 5 to 3.
Without a doubt, Graveryl and WorldBranstar’s match was by far the most barbaric one. They gauged each other during the first matches and then, both of them decided to ignore entirely the overrated social construct known as frame data and switched to a completely unhinged approach. Graveryl ultimately showed to his opponent that he was the King of Mashing and won his match by a hair’s breadth, 5 to 4.
HolyCarp couldn’t let his teammates fall one after another, so he decided to step in and challenge Baddy, the leader of the forest. All were expecting him to pick Setsuka, yet the Manji Carp Captain decided to go Ivy, his true main in his heart of hearts. He hadn’t played with her in a competitive way since the numerous nerfs that hit the english alchimist. Despite that, he showed in a very solid match that no one should underestimate his skills with this character and won 5 to 3.
The defense of the monkeys territory was on this last match. Habaduba was fully aware of the stake and showed no mercy to Guilu. With a very explosive gameplay mostly made of 44B+K, Habaduba literally incinerated the fish General who was powerless and had no choice but to bow down 5 to 0.
“Haba discovered fire and is roasting Guilu on a pit ” VileMuffin (Dark Love) commented while he was observing the match from bushes.
Global score: 3-1. Return to Monke win ! Click here for the VOD
To the Moon vs #ZweiforS3
First ETL week ended with the first match of another newcomer team, To the Moon, created by Neon, against #ZweiforS3 led by Pikapi. To the Moon showed one more time the will of the teams to create and affirm their identity with a very personal overlay.
The last encounter started with Captain Neon against Yin the Portuguese veteran. This first match, which was very intensive and close, ended with Yin’s victory over Neon.
Sekirei – who has also been part of the ETL as a player since season 1 – had to step in and crossed swords with Zollith, a new entrant. After a breathless match where it was almost impossible to proclaim a winner during the first rounds, the young priestess managed to show her strengths and knowledge, filled the gaps with a shameless use of RE cancel, and gave the first victory to her team.
The third match was an outstanding victory from Blade of Flame who showed a very clean and precise match and didn’t give a chance to DarthSeppius the Italian pirate, to express himself and take the advantage.
#ZweiforS3 victory was on their Captain’s shoulders, Pikapi and her Zasalamel. Jacky, preacher of the #BuffX commandment, had a very clear mission: he had to secure the draw for his team. After a difficult start for the Ace who was losing 2 to 0, he managed to find his own rhythm and utterly destroyed Pikapi’s momentum who lost 5 to 2 after a valiant fight.
Global score: 2-2. Draw !