Photos: Best shots from the Legends Stage

High stakes, even higher emotions.

Another Swiss Stage has concluded, leaving us with yet more shots of the highs and lows only Major Counter-Strike can provide. Captured as ever by HLTV.org's photographers Radosław "MAKKU" Makuch and Josip "brcho" Brtan, take a look at the most memorable moments of the four day group stage.

So, without further ado, let's get underway.

There was the return of a familiar face, and a familiar organisation

Casper "⁠cadiaN⁠" Møller took a certain retweet personally

Storylines were shattered

Spirit qualified without losing a match, while the team they defeated in the 2-0 matchup, Copenhagen Flames, eventually joined them after slamming the fairytale run of Imperial shut.

Like in Stockholm, Copenhagen Flames were one win away from playoffs on day two, before losing in their first attempt

But there was no disappointment this time — Flames will be in the Palace.

And the first teams were eliminated

All these surprise packages — it will be the first Major playoffs for 18 of the 40 players who will compete in the Sportpaleis — meant the elimination of some big names: Cloud9, G2, and Vitality all failed to progress.

Vitality's former coach Rémy "⁠XTQZZZ⁠" Quoniam and his G2 side, too, will not be in the playoffs.

The (maybe not?) last dance

The final big narrative of the Legends was Imperial, who rolled back the years to put themselves in touching distance of the playoffs by defeating Bad News Eagles and Cloud9...

... before falling at the final hurdle of Copenhagen Flames.

Most of the big names, though, would make it through

Check out the full galleries for the first four days:

Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4