Guan Yu, a man of the Oath of the Peach Garden during the Three Kingdoms, and his potential in Returners

Aug 28, 2018

Since 4800 B.C., the 7000 years of Chinese history has seen the rise and fall of countless nations. Within that long span of years, the Three Kingdoms Period is unarguably one of the most famous eras. Although some characters and backgrounds have been altered according to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, the period has and still serves as a wellspring of heroes and stories for many entertainment industries worldwide.

There are many renowned historical and mythical figures found in Returners, with some actually hailing from the time of the Three Kingdoms. Among them, Guan Yu is one of the most famous generals in both eastern and western countries; he took the Oath of the Peach Garden with Liu Bei and Zhang Fei and has been depicted in many entertainment adaptations of the Three Kingdoms story. Following the article of Hong Gil-dong, this piece will focus on Guan Yu’s life of ups and downs, his achievements, and how he appears in the game.

Guan Yu, a once-in-a-lifetime general during the Three Kingdoms Period

Guan Yu is one of the people who contributed to the establishment of Shu Han, one of the Three Kingdoms. He is also known as one of the sworn brothers of the Oath of the Peach Garden, alongside Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. He’s one of the most famous generals in East Asia and is even deified by Chinese people today. Guan Yu earned the admiration of many through tales of his loyalty. When Cao Cao, Emperor of Wei, tried to recruit him through a lavish show of hospitality, Guan Yu politely rejected his offer, steadfast in his loyalty to his sworn brother Liu Bei.

This took place when Guan Yu was in Cao Cao’s service for a time. According to Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao held Guan Yu in high regard, and treated him extremely well while he was with him in order to sway him to his side; despite all the gifts and favor, Guan Yu remained resolute in his loyalty and turned down Cao Cao’s offer. One day, Guan Yu received a letter from Liu Bei and decided to depart from Cao Cao for good.

After he set off, Guan Yu had to cross 5 passes and slay 6 of Cao Cao’s general’s before he was reunited with Liu Bei. This event, known simply as “crossing 5 passes and slaying 6 generals” is not a tale documented in official records, and in fact never actually happened, but is still well-known as one of the stories that showcase Guan Yu’s unwavering loyalty.

Through his exploits in the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Campaign against Dong Zhuo, and Battle of Red Cliffs, Guan Yu became well known throughout the whole of the Three Kingdoms, but his fame became the catalyst that would eventually lead to his death. He was tricked by Sun Quan, Emperor of Eastern Wu, and was beheaded along with his foster son, Guan Ping. This execution, directly and indirectly, contributed to the chain of events that later resulted in the deaths of both Liu Bei and Zhang Fei.

A fighter specialized in eliminating supports in Returners

It wouldn’t be strange if the Guan Yu in Returners was made into a powerhouse with incredible combat power due to his unrivaled achievements on the battlefield, and while he isn’t as OP as his stories make him out to be, he still can be a powerful force in League. As a Disruptor Fighter who primarily targets the support with the lowest PHY DEF, Guan Yu is the worst opponent for the support class. Not only does Moonlight Dive stun the target, it deals twice as much damage to supports, making the skill exceptional against supports like Victoria, who is often used in wombo combo teams.

▲ His superiority over supports comes from skill effects

However, he’s not that favored in Adventure. The ultimate goal of Adventure is to complete the stage within 40 seconds in order to get a 3-star rating, and this requires a significant amount of damage from each hero. Unlike Duelist heroes who generally possess more damage dealing skills instead of CC, a Disruptor’s damage is relatively lower than other heroes’. On the other hand, this is the reason why they shine the most in the League, where the time limit is not a concern.

As one of the Five Tiger Generals alongside Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Hang Zhong, and Zhao Yun, Guan Yu’s name carries much more power than any other general. His legacy, immortalized in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, has been a great source of inspiration for many entertainment industries. As such, Guan Yu in Returners is made to match his legend; a courageous figure on a horse, wielding a deadly falchion, with some strong stats to boot. Zhuge Liang, the Imperial Chancellor of Liu Bei, also appears in the game, so perhaps we can anticipate another brother of the Oath of the Peach Garden appearing in Returners.