If Counter-Strike esports were ever accused of being scripted, the semifinals of PGL Bucharest would be Exhibit A.

In the first matchup, Falcons took down FaZe in a thriller that doubled as a farewell tour for two of their soon-to-be ex-teammates.

Falcons dominated Nuke in a one-sided opener, but FaZe bounced back with an overtime win on Ancient. Mirage was the decider, and despite the back-and-forth, it was Falcons who sealed the deal.

Degster and TeSeS - both (reportedly) on their way out - delivered standout performances. Just check this 3K from Degster. It seems like being kicked is the new meta for peak motivation.

Maybe FaZe should try it too - broky might actually start hitting some shots. At the very least turn the guy’s monitor on, please.

The second semifinal had Complexity facing off against G2. Yes, Complexity. No, we still don’t know how they’ve made it this far.

Somehow, this team is kind of good now? We’ll admit it - we wrote them off after EliGE left and they brought in two inexperienced NA talents. But credit where it’s due, they’ve been proving us wrong.

That is, until they ran into m0NESY.

G2 swept the series in two maps that felt more like a highlight reel for the AWPer than a semifinal. The kid ended the day with a 1.63 rating, absolutely dismantling Complexity. There’s really not much you can do against that.

Ultimately, it was a hell of a run for the Complexity boys, when no one had them even making the Playoffs. We bet that win over EliGE probably tasted sweeter than the trophy ever could.

And just like that, the stage was set – not just for a grand final, but for a showdown that meant more than just a title.