Redemption was the name of the game for G2 Hel, as the team claimed its first League of Legends LAN victory of the year in Paris at the Coupe des Étoiles. In a season filled with highs and lows, the chance to finally hoist a trophy in 2024 arrived like a much-needed breath of fresh air for the ambitious squad, allowing it to end the year on a high note. In an exclusive interview, G2’s very own Rat Queen, better known as Caltys, sat down with our reporter to reflect on her year in the WNB scene, share her aspirations for the future, discuss her growth as a player, and touch on the scene's future.

How does it feel to end your year on a high note, lifting the trophy in Paris and defeating BDS once again?

Maya "Caltys" Henckel: "It feels really nice for our team to finally have our first win on LAN with this roster. It's definitely a cool way to finish the year. It's been a very long year with a lot of ups and downs, so it's like a relief.

Given G2 Hel's ambition to go beyond typical expectations in the EEC, and your journey from the NLC Division 2 to the Swedish League, how do you feel about 2024 as a whole?

Caltys: We obviously had a very rough split in the Nordic scene, but for me, the thing that's always driven me to keep playing is the will to compete in those types of leagues and not just the female-specific tournaments. Every year, I'm usually exploring my options for teams that are competing in mixed leagues. If I don't find anything, then I guess I'm staying here.

How do you feel about your career's progression so far, and do you have specific goals set for 2025?

Caltys: It's hard to say because there's a lot of uncertainty in the ERLs. I know they're reworking a lot of ERL 1s and 2s, so this makes it very difficult right now if you want to play ERL. To me, next year is very foggy, but I'll just take it as it comes. I still find joy in playing some tournaments here and there. It's really exciting, especially trying to play with different players because I've been in G2 for over two years now, and it's refreshing to have some variety.

Given the many discussions around the Women & Non-Binary scene lately and the lack of involvement from Riot Games, what’s your perspective on the current state of the WNB scene? Where do you see it heading?

Caltys: Like most teams in the scene, we're of course hoping for the Game Changers. Some teams are also relying on it because the tournaments now, while they're good, aren't consistent enough for organizations to invest a lot of money. That makes it very hard. I think it's also one of the reasons why we're forced to scramble into other tournaments or divisions that have a proper schedule. When we played SOL, we even had to forfeit some games because we have too many games in the female scene to play elsewhere consistently, but too few games to not play anything else. So we end up somewhere in between, and it's not good for anyone.

After eight years in the game, do you still feel you're growing as a player?

Caltys: I think I've matured a lot as a player, and especially my communication in-game has gotten a lot better compared to two years ago. I would like to improve more. You usually say that to really improve, you need to be put in an environment that is above your level, right? Otherwise, it's going to be really hard to take away from your practice. That's an opportunity a lot of players are waiting for, and I can only hope to one day... play with the GOATs.

Clef from Chester Gaming recently joined Myth Esports in the Benelux scene and moved into a mixed league. Do you think other players from the women’s scene could make similar moves soon?

Caltys: It's very hard to say because I don't know any of these players personally. Even if you have potential or show potential, a lot of it is your mindset, and you also need to get lucky to some extent. But I'm sure there are players that have potential, and I hope that there are because we need more of them.

Do you think playing in mixed teams is essential for the growth of players competing in the WNB scene, similar to how ERL players benefit from joining the LEC? Would these players develop faster by competing outside the WNB scene?

Caltys: It's complicated because if you're going from ERL to LEC, you're pretty much guaranteed to have a somewhat good working environment. But if I were to go from G2 to some mid- to low-tier organization that maybe doesn't care about me or wants to use my image, then it will not be an improvement, and I will probably learn less—it's a risk, right? Also, it's very hard to find an ERL team that sees your potential and wants to invest in you. All the staff and players also need to want to play with you as an individual and also you as a woman because there's always gonna be someone somewhere that doesn't want to.

Do you think discrimination against women players is still a major issue in the 2024 League scene?

Caltys: It's really impossible to say because everything is communicated behind closed doors, and you can never say with 100% certainty, "Oh, I didn't get this because of that reason."

What does it mean to you to have a following as big as the one you have currently? Do you feel pressured sometimes by how many people follow you?

Caltys: Thank you, but I don't feel famous. I'm just at home in my apartment, living my life in front of my PC, and what happens happens. It's really fun when you meet the fans in real life; it's like an epiphany. I want to meet more fans.

Now that you've won the Coupe des Étoiles in Paris, what are your plans for the next few weeks? How do you plan to rest and prepare for next year, and are you excited about what's ahead?

Caltys: I'm excited to see where it takes me, and now I'm gonna go home and play solo queue.

Do you have any ranked goals for this season?

Caltys: Yeah, I'm giga hardstuck right now, but I'm gonna get some motivation and I'm gonna grind."