"Sometimes You Need to Run Into Walls to Get Better" — Caliste After KC Qualify for MSI
Photo Credit: Riot Games
Karmine Corp are going to MSI. A dominant 3-0 over MKOI in the lower bracket final sends them into tomorrow's grand final against G2 — with an MSI spot already secured. For Caliste "Caliste" Henry-hennebert, it's his first international tournament since First Stand in 2025, and a chance to finally play without the mental block he's willing to admit was there. RFT.GG caught up with him right after the win.
How are you feeling?
Very very happy. We went 3-0 and there are still small things to review in draft and gameplay. But overall very happy with the way we played — we were confident going into this matchup. We know them very very well and we know how to play against them. And now there's the final tomorrow against G2.
Did you expect it to be this easy?
Predicting a 3-0 is always complicated because MKOI are still a very very good team, But I was very confident going into the series and I told myself that at the end of it, we'd come out winners.
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especially after that BO against G2 where they almost won.
A lot of things. First of all, I've changed a lot personally — I've grown a lot in terms of maturity, in how I'm decisive, both in communication and in gameplay. The roster has changed, the coaching staff, the players.
I think today we are a better team than we were at the same point last year.
And the experience against MKOI means we now know much better how they're going to play and we can adapt much better.
Has going through those disappointments also made you grow as a player individually?
Yeah, of course it's made me grow. When you lose, you basically have two paths. Either you lie to yourself and tell yourself you were perfect — that can happen, but 99% of the time it won't. For sure you first take your time, because after losing you have the anger and the emotions and it's complicated to be lucid. But eventually you take the second option — you take your time, you look at why things didn't go well, what you could have done better, what was actually controllable from your perspective as a player, as a human being. And then for the future, what can you replicate, and as a second step, what can you think through with the group, the team, and so on.
Since the start of the season you've won a lot of games through the bot side. Today it was more you and Busio in isolation — except maybe game three — and you won more through the top side. You told me before Spring that KC's big conclusion after Winter was that you needed to find a better way to use Canna. Do you feel you've finally arrived there?
I think today it was mainly that they overcommitted to the botlane, honestly. Game one is a good example — the matchup was already very tough because we messed up in draft, it happens. But they killed me twice early on cheese plays. The thing is, I'm playing TP, so they kill me, but I don't lose my waves, so I'm not completely out of the game. I think they forced a lot onto bot today and Canna was ignored. And I think that's also part of our team strength — if you overcommit to one side, kyeahoo is quietly farming, Canna is quietly getting ahead, and so on. Game three is a good example — we were left alone, we could make the difference in 2v2, take summoner spells, give priority to our jungle. It depends a lot on how the enemy plays.
Obviously our game with Canna has improved as well — he's improved too, both in communication and in how he plays with the team. But today they also shot themselves in the foot a bit.
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In teamfights as well — it felt like there was a class gap today. Something you've worked on recently, or did MKOI underperform?
I think I talk a lot more before fights arrive — with my team about how I see the fight and how we should play it based on the different compositions. 99% of the time, I talk about how we want to play the fight before it happens. And what's good is that even Canna now comes to me and says 'how do you want to play this fight' — those are things we didn't have last year. Everyone is really included in how we want to do things as a team, how we want to play things, trying to be on the same page. Obviously Yike and I are the two main pillars of communication who give the guidelines. And what I tell myself is that if we have those guidelines, if we're on the same page, with the individually strong players we have, it's going to go well.
You've secured MSI regardless. Do you feel like you've got the main thing done and the rest is a bonus?
We've secured the main thing, but the rest is not a bonus.This MSI format is quite punishing for the second seed. So if we can go to MSI by beating G2, getting our revenge, having a final — and on top of that being the first European seed, which gives us an advantage at MSI — obviously we have that in mind.
And don't worry, the moment the game ended, there were some 'job's not done' being thrown around.
We already have G2 in the back of our minds.
It's been a year and a half since you last played an international event. Was it maybe fundamental for your evolution as a player to go back?
Yeah, I think it's fundamental for me. In your career you need to — in quotes — run into walls. And then we'll see at international events whether I can play in an uninhibited way, an aggressive way, the way we've seen some ADCs play in recent years. I think Doggo last year is a very good example.
Photo Credit: Riot Games
Would you say you didn't play in an uninhibited way at First Stand?
No. At First Stand, no. I played uninhibited from the moment we played against TES and HLE — from that point, once we were eliminated, I played freely. First Stand was my first international event, and without realising it, afterwards I noticed I had been inhibited. It was especially after playing those games against TES and HLE in the playoffs that I realised I had been blocked. And now I'm going to do everything to get past that. For me, this kind of mental block at an international event should only happen once, especially for a young player at their first.
I want to go there, play uninhibited, aggressive, the way I like — playing on mechanics, skill check people. And if I die, it would mean he just played better than me, you know.
Tomorrow you play G2. It hasn't gone well for you the last few times. What's going to be different?
As Busio likes to say — our tactics. We have tactics against G2 now. The most important thing I think is going to be the early game. We're very confident in our mid-late game. If the early game doesn't explode, I think we'll be very confident in fights whereI think we're better than them. On the map we're better than them. Especially in terms of taking a position and that kind of things — so it will mainly come down to the early game.
There were also two times you threw advantages against G2. How do you explain that, if you're confident in the mid game?
I think we're confident in mid game but that doesn't mean they're bad or that we're clearly dominant there. You have to be careful. And I think those times, we weren't careful enough. They throw games against us too. Both teams are very good — you have to not underestimate them.
But I think the early game is going to be the most decisive factor. The team that wins the early game will have a very big advantage.
I think against MKOI it can matter a bit less — it feels more like a playstyle clash in the mid game. But against G2, I'm quite confident in our teamfighting particularly.
Aren't you scared there might be a mental block — maybe not in you, but in some of the other players?
No, I don't think so. We've discussed it, and looking back at the games, no one acts or feels differently than they usually do — there's nothing that feels that different. I don't think we have a mental block against G2. And anyway, we're the kind of team that could get beaten ten times in a row and still be happy with it. The goal — it's important to remember — is to be good at Worlds. To qualify for Worlds and perform at Worlds. The goal is to learn before that.
As I said — sometimes you need to run into walls to get better. And if the walls come at the right time, so that we become strong for the moments that matter, then even better.
Rapid Fire Questions
A rapid-fire round to close out — yes/no answers, with optional context.
Early drakes are overrated. → No.
In League of Legends, a team can win by playing through bot or through top — there's no better side to play through. → Hmmm. I'd still say bot.
The problems you have against G2 are more mental than gameplay related. → Maybe.
BLG looks scarier than the LCK top 3 right now. → Yes.
If you had to choose, you'd rather have the best teamfighting team than the best early game team. → Yes, best teamfighting.
The biggest improvement of this roster since the start of the year has been communication. → No.
KC can realistically win MSI. → Yes.
You will be a two-time LEC champion tomorrow. → Yes.
You will be the best ADC in the world one day. → One day.
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