Cloud9 has defeated Team Liquid 3-2 in the finals of the 2021 League of Legends Championship Series Mid-Season Showdown. In becoming the LCS champion, Cloud9 has also punched its ticket to the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational as the North American representative.

Cloud9 came into the finals heavily favored. and for good reason. The undefeated squad of C9 had most recently dispatched of Team Liquid on week prior by a score of 3-1. and TL entered the finals having to start Team Liquid Academy jungler Jonathan "Armao" Armao due to health issues affecting Lucas "Santorin" Larsen.

Despite these factors pointing towards a swift C9 win, the series was anything but. Armao outperformed expectations as C9 only managed to win the second of the first three games, the sole win being a very close game that was almost entirely decided by the immaculate teamfighting of mid laner Luka "Perkz" Perković on Orianna. Cloud9's win in game 4 was the most convincing win of the series, and that queue'd up Silver Scrapes on the speakers of the Greek Theatre for game 5. 

In game 5, Cloud9 looked every bit the team everyone expected from the start of the series. A rare and incredibly well-executed lane swap gave C9 an advantage from level 1 in game 5, and Perkz's Sylas was instrumental in complimenting the Tristana of AD carry Jesper "Zven" Svenningsen while simultaneously threatening to steal pivotal ults from Team Liquid's composition, partiuclarly the Cho'Gath of TL top laner Barney "Alphari" Morris, Jo "CoreJJ" Yong-In's Rell, and Armao's Hecarim. 

Cloud9's final victory ultimately ended up being the most one-sided as if to re-assure fans that the team retained this higher level of play despite not showing it four the first four games of the series. In becoming the first LCS Mid-Season Showdown champion, C9 will represent NA at MSI 2021.