The improbable has happened. Many things had to go right for Fnatic to achieve the greatest comeback in Worlds’ history. It was a day of insane pressure, grueling fights, and undying spirit, and though Longzhu were the ones stepping away with a clean 6-0, Fnatic were the stars of Group B.

It must be hard to start a day with a loss and not let it affect your spirit, but in Fnatic’s case, their first loss to Longzhu may have been an advantage. They had been losing all Group Stage, so stepping into Week two, losing one more game to Longzhu wasn’t exactly getting their spirits down.

In fact, for Fnatic, this was a chance at redemption. It wasn’t about the tournament; it was about pride. It was about sending a message. And that’s exactly what they did. While their opponents fell apart under pressure, Fnatic took their experience and their discipline and played beautifully.

Against Immortals, Fnatic simply let them dismantle themselves. CodySun was off the entire game, constantly out of position and at one point hurling himself into the middle of FNC and actually using Tristana’s ult to rocket an enemy into his team. Pobelter also felt the pressure as he whiffed numerous ults and attacks and was completely routed by FNC’s Caps.

Against GIGABYTE Marines, FNC recognized it would take more than the mental game to win, and they out-played them at every turn. GAM drafted a nearly identical team to the one that defeated IMT, but FNC identified Archie’s Urgot as the primary threat and focused him hard in the early game, shutting him down so that he could never become the juggernaut he wanted to be. Without Ashe or a powerful Urgot, GAM simply had no proper engage, and it was a beautiful and well-deserved victory for FNC.

Oddly enough, forcing the Group into a three-way tie actually played to Fnatic’s strengths. By the end of the day, every team was making mistakes as physical and mental exhaustion took hold, but it was FNC and Caps in particular that outlasted their enemies and made fewer of them.

Fnatic have already climbed what seemed like an impossibly high mountain to come back and sweep four wins in a row after a three game loss, but next they will have to take on one of the top teams in the Worlds in the quarterfinals. If the Group Stage has been any indication, Fnatic might just conquer that mountain too.