"Not all angels are good..." Champion Morgana and the Demonic Archetype

Today's post is about a very old champion in the League, Morgana, the Fallen Angel.

Her lore is very sparse and she has no more than 9 in-game lines, but both sources of information are very consistent with Catholic Demonology and have created a quite philosophically interesting character.

Everything from her appearance to her lines to her abilities are resplendent of the demonic.

Ghost Bride Morgana, skin (cosmetic modification) based
off of the Central American legend of  'La Llorana'

Morgana Quotes:

Since there are only 9 in total there is no reason not to put them all here:

¡Los haremos sufrir!
(Spanish selection quote, We'll make them suffer!")
Image credit: leagueoflegends.wiki

In addition, here is a relevant lore related quote:

"There is no rest while Kayle's brand of tyranny still exists."

(Kayle is Morgana's sister and represents one side of an angelic conflict in the League of Legends universe, the one that at the very least appears to be the good one)

Demonic Tactics and Characteristics: Garnering Sympathy; Supreme Loneliness; Creating Doubt

As a result of their decision to rebel against God and of their perfect knowledge of the consequences of that course of action, the devil and his angels are forever cut off from that only source of life and communion, God Himself. Combined with their characteristic pride, this means that demons suffer from a severe and insatiable loneliness. 

"Cocytus" Dante's vision of Satan's suffering in Hell, in his "Inferno"
He is forever alone, trapped in his prison of pride and conceit.
He doesn't even notice Dante and Virgil when they walk near him (Credit: wikipedia)

        One of their tactics, therefore, is to arouse sympathy for their plight. Sympathy for the devil makes one doubt God's goodness. "Is God really a cosmic killjoy?" one might be tempted to ask when faced with temptation to a sensibly pleasurable sin. And indeed, The first time Satan ever tempted anyone, he tempted Eve by creating doubt over God's word, "Did God really say..." He called "evil good and good evil," (Is. 5:20) by making God's original command appear evil, while making himself appear good. Riot perhaps unintentionally drew on this when creating Morgana, as she calls her sister Kayle's vision a form of "tyranny" much like the devil tries to characterize the Divine Law. She similarly tries to coax her summoners into a sympathetic relationship by her *commands,* "Feel my pain!" and "Share in my torment!"

The old axiom remains true, "Misery loves company." Miserable humans often attempt to assuage their misery by finding companionship with other miserable people. Here I do not speak of true empathy and communion in suffering but rather of misery in its worst sense, which is to say of "wretchedness." Morgana, and the fallen spirits of this world, also attempt to create similar friendships. Of course, for them, and for any man who pridefully wallows in his own misery precisely because it is HIS, only their pain and torment really matters, because to them, only they matter. 

For if God is not the most important, ain't nobody else gonna be. 

Corruption of Goodness, Truth, and Virtue

Drawing on similar points, I believe Morgana's most interesting line is her /taunt. She stretches out her hand, pointing, and says menacingly, "You too will be judged."

It is a threat, and is clearly meant to inspire fear. It does so, however, in a patently demonic manner: by distorting the truth. Morgana's taunt intends to terrify by creating awareness of sin and judgment, one again with a self-reference. "You too will be judged, as I have been for my so-called 'sins.' For if anyone dares to rebel against the arbitrary tyranny of God, he will most assuredly be damned, as I."

In the Latin American Spanish version of her "Ghost Bride" skin, which is based off of their own legend of "La Llorona" her taunt is, "Suffer as I, in eternal pain!"

The Final Judgment is a reality we all will face, and damnation is a possibility which must always be admitted. To think often of this Judgment, and to have fear of God are good things, and indeed one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah. However, thanks to the incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven of Our Lord Jesus Christ, those who trust in Him and do as they ought in this life need not fear this judgment. The just do not fear a Just Judge. 

To use God's Wrath and Justice as clubs to drive souls to despair of God's Love and Mercy is a demonic tactic as sly as it is common. How often are we driven to despair by our past sins? Or to wallow in shame over a present failing when free forgiveness awaits us in the Sacrament of Confession? This excessive focus on our own weakness can engender a false fear of God, one which is based on a false image of God. Sound familiar? This is the same as the first tactic, in which God is subtly portrayed as the actual evil, and so called "freedom" from His laws and authority as the actual good. 

God's voice calls us to repentance and life, Satan's to despair and death.

Though Morgana is quite a simple, and in the estimation of some even a flat, champion, nevertheless she is an almost perfect literary representation of a fallen angel.