This article is part of our Dota 2 Recap series.
The final day of Boston Major saw two challengers emerge from different sides of the battlefield for a final showdown to determine who would hoist the Eaglesong trophy, take home $1 million dollars and earn a direct invite to the Kiev Major. From one side, the underdog Ad Finem, came forth after handing Digital Chaos their first loss of the tournament with a 2-0 victory. The foe standing between Ad Finem and glory was none other than OG, reigning champions of the Fall Major. OG having gone through a final test of their own by beating Evil Geniuses in the semifinals, managed to take the final series over Ad Finem 3-1 to claim yet another Major title.
Grand Final: The Clock Strikes Midnight
The first two games of the series put OG firmly in control of the series. Through incredible teamwork and individual discipline, OG showed that they had the answer to Ad Finem's hyper-aggressive strategy. OG also won the war of attrition through the first two games racking up an astounding 60 kills to Ad Finem's measly 13.
All that aside, Game 3 will undoubtedly go down as one of the best and most entertaining games of Dota 2 in competitive history. Ad Finem took it down to the wire against OG, getting ahead early and then being rebuffed until OG could catch up to them. Ad Finem's exciting style of play wowed the crowd, who could be heard chanting like the Spartans at Thermopylae in the background, "A'ou! A'ou! A'ou!" Ad Finem left everything out on the battlefield, taking every opportunity they could to bring themselves a much needed victory. As the game neared its end, Ad Finem made one final push towards OG's unprotected Ancient. As the Ancient's health waned, OG cut down all but one member of Ad Finem, all but winning the game. Living up to his name, Apostolos "Maybe Next Time" Verros, the lone survivor of the aforementioned bloodbath, used his invisibility items to sneak into OG's base and deliver the final blow to OGs Ancient, snatching victory from the jaws of defeat.
After being stunned in the epic Game 3, which lasted an hour and twenty minutes, OG recomposed themselves to dominate the fourth and final game. Though Ad Finem, renewed with vigor from their victory, fought valiantly and fiercely, fatigue took its toll. Ad Finem played the most games of any team in the tournament and reaching the finals was no easy task.
Despite losing the Grand Final, Ad Finem was all smiles upon exiting the booth. The one-year-old team has already flown further and higher than ever before. Not only was this their first placement at a Valve event, it was their best finish at a non-minor event. Ad Finem, who walked away with $250,000, earned more with this tournament placement than they have made in their entire one-year existence.
Not to be overlooked, OG also made history. With the win they became the first team in history to win three Valve events, but also the first team to hold two of the same trophy and earn said trophy in back to back years. OG is also the first organization to win the same trophy after changing a majority of the lineup in between victories. They will seek to set the bar even higher by breaking their own records in Kiev, where the next Dota Major will be held. OG will receive a direct invite to the Kiev Major along with $1,000,000 for winning the Boston Major.
