f0rsakeN versus SiuFatBB: A clash of newfound leaders

As VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Masters Toronto 2025 reaches its climax, the two teams waiting to face off in the Upper Final have become the talk of the town.

On one side, the fan-favourites Paper Rex are looking like they are reaching the same form as the grand finalists from VCT 2023 - Champions, a profound achievement considering their disappointing 2024 season and position earlier this season, being one game from being eliminated from playoffs contention in VALORANT Champions Tour 2025 - Pacific Stage 1.

On the other side, Wolves Esports making it to the top 3 has been something of a miracle run. The Chinese region was already looking like the weakest region in the tournament with the exclusion of the international powerhouse that is EDward Gaming, and Wolves were its lowest seed. With everyone expecting them to depart the tournament early, Wolves made it further than any Chinese team other than EDG in an international, not dropping a single map since their opening loss to Sentinels.

f0rsakeN finds himself as the conductor of the Paper Rex train

Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto has been recognized as an exceptionally talented player ever since his debut at VCT 2021 - Stage 3 - Masters Berlin - Group Stage, and has gained newfound respect since 2023 as he redefined his previous duelist role into perhaps the most flexible player in the game, having played 23 out of the current 27 agents. In 2025, f0rsakeN went through another change that increased his already sky-high value for the team: becoming a strategic and emotional leader for the team.

It has always been known that PRX has never had a traditional IGL before. Instead, they implemented a system where players chip in and call certain parts of the game, depending on who's up for it. This unique approach to the game would only work for a squad like PRX, who all have unwavering belief in one another. Yet, since the inception of the partnership era in 2023, the responsibility of calling rounds has slowly shifted to f0rsakeN to provide more structure to one of the most chaotic teams VALORANT has to offer.

Former Fnatic coach Jacob "mini" Harris, who has been helping PRX out during Stage One with gameplans like defense side setups, has simulataneously been "planting the seeds for f0rsakeN to become the team's IGL." With a world class coach in Mini developing f0rsakeN's potential in calling, it comes as no surprise that he has taken on even more of the IGL role in Toronto. "It's hard for me to IGL and frag at the same time," he states in an interview fresh off a victory against Sentinels, hinting at the fact that he has completely transitioned into an IGL role.

Not only is f0rsakeN calling some amazing gameplans to shut down trophy contenders like G2 Esports, but his new role further extends to being the designated hypeman for the team. During Masters Toronto, he has been out of his chair after every nail-biting round win, yelling across the stage, interacting with the audience, and hyping his team up. The momentum that this PRX team has can be attributed to the boost in morale f0rsakeN has started bringing to the team.

SiuFatBB solidifies himself as a beloved icon in the VCT

Many factors contributed to Wolves' Cinderella run through Toronto. Liu "Spring" Chun-ting has been in unreal form, currently sporting the highest ADR and third highest ACS in the tournament at 160.1 and 245.8 respectively, while Tyler "juicy" Aeria has been a reliable entry player for them. However, perhaps the most important factor is Pong "SiuFatBB" Ka Hei's unbeatable stage presence.

Like f0rsakeN, SiuFat has been the high-octane leader Wolves required to build up momentum during their run. Not only is the IGL making incredible reads and calling solid gameplans for his cracked teammates to shine, his real value comes from his personality on and off of stage. On stage, he interacts heavily with his opponents: taunting them after a clean Wolves round win, yet giving them a toothy grin with a thumbs up following a lost round. He also plays into the crowd, similar to Zheng "ZmjjKK" Yongkang: hyping them up and getting them to cheer for him, solidifying himself as one of the most likeable personalities from this event.

SiuFat's energy is infectuous, extending his overwhelming confidence to the rest of his team, especially evident in Liang "Lysoar" Youhao, who now in tandem with SiuFat also gets up from his chair to celebrate exciting round wins. SiuFat isn't all about hype either, but he acts as an emotional leader for his teammates: when Juicy was having a slow start against Gen.G Esports, SiuFat was the one reinstilling confidence in him, eventually turning Juicy's performance around.

The high-speed PRX train and the unstoppable Wolves run are on a collision course in the Upper Final. With f0rsakeN and SiuFatBB taking turns to hype up the crowd, the energy in the venue is set to be at an all time high. Will f0rsakeN's newly develop leadership pave the way for a PRX reappreance in the Grand Final of an international stage, or will SiuFat's infectuous energy and loveable personality spur the international rookies of Wolves to claim another juggernaut? Stay tuned to THESPIKE.GG to watch it all unfold.