There are teams that seem to undergo a bizarre metamorphosis the moment a 'Road to' qualifier title is slapped on a tournament. Take T1, for example, who snatched the final MSI ticket in a gruelling full-set thriller against Gen.G on the 14th. After virtually sinking themselves with questionable draft choices and a dismal performance against Hanwha Life Esports just prior, they walked a tightrope against their arch-rivals Gen.G, giving their poor fans a collective heart attack in the process.

Facing the final hurdle to MSI, the T1 squad—barring Kim 'Peyz' Su-hwan, who looked suspiciously consistent—showed some rather erratic form that had everyone on edge. Yet, they found their focus when it mattered most in the fifth set. In the midst of the chaos, Peyz left a lasting impression by consistently outplaying his lane opponent, 'Ruler', throughout the series. With this victory, T1 has etched their name in history, securing their '5th consecutive MSI appearance'.

On the flip side, Gen.G failed to address the bot-lane slump that has haunted them all season. They initially seemed to mask their tactical blunders by relying on the sheer individual mechanical prowess of Kiin and Chovy, but even Chovy, the team's steady anchor, stumbled at the finish line. Their dream of a third consecutive MSI title is now officially over. Best of luck to them in the off-season.