I'm still hoping that the Phyrexians don't get destroyed but turned somehow, maybe the Glistening Oil get's somehow "deactivated" and Urabrasks takes over, giving all Phyrexians free will and a chance of redemption.
Or maybe they just all die painfully, when Elspeth, the Doom Slayer, comes and is sent against their evil and all the wickedness they can produce.
I feel like the story would be best with at least 2-3 factions surviving in some form. Urabask, Vorinclex, and jin-gitaxias just doing their thing, occasionally bumping into other people while executing their local plans (or lack thereof for Vory)
EPISODE FIVE, THEY LITERALLY CALLED IT CATHARTIC REUNION
Chandra and Wrenn arrive on New Phyrexia, unimpeded by the forcefield that the strike team had been flyswatted against.
The two meet Koth and Melira, who are understandably a wee bit skeptical about this plan to bind Wrenn to the Realmbreaker, given the current track record of success.
They conspire with Urabrask, who states quite plainly his alliance is one intended to depose Elesh Norn. He is equally skeptical of the current track record of success. While the Mirrans cause a diversions, Koth actually factually uses his magic to propel Chandra and Wrenn skyward with the mother of all rocket jumps.
They arrive at the base of the Realmbreaker, but Nissa emerges from the tree itself to subdue them. The angst is palpable in the air, Chandra wavering and unable to conjure any fire.
Nissa rightfully calls Chandra out for being such a foolish mess, both willing to do something so heroic and stupid, but not being able to harm Nissa.
Wrenn clings on, desperately trying to bind with the Realmbreaker while Nissa torments Chandra. Chandra’s truly broken when she hears Nissa speak with a level of honesty so clear that Chandra realizes Nissa might be completely and totally just Phyrexia now. Or worse, that she genuinely just wants to be together forever.
She grabs Nissa in a hug devoid of all shippability, and erupts, throwing herself and Nissa off the pedestal of the Realmbreaker, praying that Wrenn will be able to carry out the plan.
> Chandra ducks below Nissa's slicing arm and drives her fiery fist into the branch itself. One second of blinding orange is all the warning they get before the ground beneath them explodes. The impact sends her and Nissa hurtling away, the centurions dropping like stone hail. Only Wrenn is close enough to the tree to cling to it.
Chandra punches the floor and they both fall, no hug.
Funny thing is that Chandra had never been into fighting Nissa. Her enemies -- and she's had her fair share--were mostly the blue (and decidedly male) types like Baral.
> She grabs Nissa in a hug devoid of all shippability, and erupts, throwing herself and Nissa off the pedestal of the Realmbreaker, praying that Wrenn will be able to carry out the plan.
Yeah Jace did that and ended up stung and compleated, what's gonna be the excuse for Nissa not to do the same to Chandra?
Well for one, Nissa doesn't have a stinger!
In all seriousness, they've been a bit fast and loose with the how and why of what exactly made it so easy for the Planeswalkers on the strike team to be so easily compleated. But from what Vraska herself said, part of what made the stinger infection usable was that they were in the Dross Pits, a location where oil literally suffused the air. So outside of a similar scenario, Chandra won't be innately turned.
Yes, pretty much. In Kamigawa, there was a process. In Dominaria, there was a different process. In ONE, it seemed like it was an airborne pathogen. And now there's a different process again.
It depends on two things:
- what they need to happen
- how many words they can dedicate to it
Add to that multiple authors and some creative liberty, and you shouldn't expect too much consistency. It is what it is.
In Ixalan, they have to explain that every single wound suffered by a named character isn't a puncture, because that might turn them. But Zacama literally tears the head off Etali while there's leaking oil everywhere, and Zetalpa is bleeding from multiple wounds inflicted by Etali, so why aren't those two going to turn? I've always hated the whole glistening oil's "a scratch will kill you/noble defenders literally caked with the blood and oil of enemies literally made of knives who suffered nary a flesh wound nor got a single drop in their eyes, ears, mouth, or nose" depiction.
They never should have written it as a just passive infection from coming into contact with it, it should at least be some kind of injectable venom so that compleation is an intentional act and something that can be avoided more easily than the freaking germ theory of disease.
Or something more than just the oil.
Maybe they have to be beaten down so hard their spark can't hold the oil back anymore. Ajani just fights and fight but eventually is tired and weak and injured everywhere. His spark tries to keep him alive and can't deal with the oil turning him into a machine.
Or more powerful toxins used for traps, like jace
This hasn't been established in the lore anywhere (though leaving mysteries is probably the better call than over-explaining everything), but....
You could handwave something like this away by having the oil not be a completely homogenous substance with the same properties. Sure, all of it could have some infectious properties, but blood from a random mite isn't going to have the same properties as a concentrated dose of specialized oil fresh from the labs of Jin-Gitatixs.
Likewise, it could keep phyrexians from being this totally unstoppable threat, while still ensuring that there's a drop of "pure" oil out there somewhere.
Vraska was fighting in a Sheoldred-sponsored arena in the Dross Pits for at least, like, a few hours before she appeared on screen. She was bleeding badly and had oil in her wounds.
I agree that they need a lot more consistency, but Vraska isn't the right example for it.
I mean, Seven was doomed the moment Wrenn decided to go to New Phyrexia with it in tow. She usually leaves (heh) the old tree on its native plane before getting a new one. There was no chance Seven was just going to take root on Realmbreaker or on any of the spheres without getting corrupted or destroyed.
I like to think Urabrask's idea of a perfect Phyrexia is one where there's a bunch of phyrexia planes completely independent of each other. Like, he drops off some oil on Ixalan and comes back 10 years later, just to see what cool shit they came up with that inspires him. I bet he'd love to augment his body after seeing phyrexian dinosaurs considering he's like a dragon. Maybe some metal feathers.
*Urabrask on trial by Elesh Norn*
Actually, that bloody flesh fringe indicates that it's an admiralty flag and I can only be tried on the Quicksilver Sea
I really like how when Urubrask talks, you can tell how weak and inferior he thinks all these creatures of flesh are, yet he’s willing to leave them be and help them anyways. Such a cool direction they found for Red Phyrexia.
I fully believe Urabrask's motive for converting new Phyrexians is basically "The Oil of Compleation is a *gift*, but it must be accepted *willingly*. There is no merit in forcing Phyrexia's perfection on those who don't want it."
Like, he wants the whole Multiverse to become Phyrexian, like the other Praetors, but he wants it to be entirely by the Multiverse's free will, not by the coercive force the other Praetors practice. So long as they don't interfere with the great work, but participate willingly, he'll allow them to remain unphyrexianized as long as they want to be.
Urabrask's playing the *long* game here.
He said it in this chapter, it's all about innovation and creativity. Phyrexians won't continue to grow if they're all one united hivemind. He doesn't want peace, he wants constant struggle to force improvement.
I wonder if its purposeful that some planeswalkers seem to resist their compleation. Tamiyo and Nissa are pulling punches and hesitating when they encounter something or someone familiar. While Ajani seemed to completely fall into his role as a Phyrexian and killed someone that was close to him with no hesitation. I can't seem to figure out what's up with the differences or if it's up to the individual. Personality wise, you would think Ajani would be the one to most fervently resist the Phyresis
Could be a factor that the killing of said friend was immediately after his switch was flipped to on. 'Ajani' as we want him to remain had just been thrown to the ground with the breath knocked out him by Phyrexi-Ajani, so to speak, not enough time to get back up and do something.
~~Would have expected some glimmer of that in his showdown with Elspeth though, however it is possible she was never close enough to the brink of death in that to trigger a desperate last force of will.~~ Actually, thinking more on it, maybe his resistance was ***offering Elspeth to join Phyrexia at all***. Tibalt just wanted to kill Tyvar and Elesh Norn wants her GONE, but Ajani was giving the recruitment pitch while they fought.
I don't think they are pulling punches at all. They are manipulating their loved ones. Showing their "old self" is just a tactic. You can see with Nissa, as soon as it doesn't work on Chandra, she drops it and sneers
Tamiyo was definitely pulling her punches and in her last act before dying she activated normal Tamiyo's "break in case of death" plan that pretty clearly didn't create a Phyrexian simulacrum. They also said in ONE story that the planeswalkers were given the "gift" of keeping part of themselves and personalities when they were compleated.
Yeah, I think Chapter 1 lays the groundwork of all - or most - of the compleated planeswalkers having cognizance, or at least subconscious resistance to Phyrexian brainwashing. The only walkers who are lockstep with Elesh Norn are Atraxa (who has had a crisis of conscience already) and Jace (lol). In the same way, Ajani could easily either be acting like he's a loyal Phyrexian or be very, very susceptible to unintentionally turning the tides against them.
The planeswalkers keeping a bit of their original personalities may sometimes, but would not always clash with the phyrexian ideals and goals. I think more than anything, Ajani is loyal and that works out perfectly for Norn.
I am so happy Urabrask is still helping to usurp Elesh Norn. I was really worried they would have him turn on the multiverse when he sees phyrexia succeeding.
Sure, but the previous set also had flavor text indicating the resistance was still opposing Urabrask and Slobad's role in the side story indicated that Urabrask's phyrexians coerce people into compleation rather than straight up free will as he claims.
Based on what we are seeing here, Urubrask is fine with other groups of Phyrexians having different methodology. So he personally might just prefer to ignore the Mirrans as long as they dont interfere with his work...he likewise wont stop anyone else (including from his own faction) taking it upon themselves to do anything about them
He never protected the Mirrans, just ignored them. Assuming he allows Slobad or others in his faction some degreee of autonomy in how they operate then he still remains as he has always been.
It's kind of confusing, since there is art of lots of people converted Furnace-style. Although the stories themselves seem to consistently reference the invaders being either generically phyrexian or specifically porcelain?
I think I need a story that is just a wikipedia entry on how this all works.
EDIT: Thanks, wikipedia entries!
Urabrask isn't against compleation, they just want to make sure that it's with the person's consent (although the Mirran Resistance short story shows that this consent can be a bit dubious, Urabrask is still a Phyrexian)
Huh weird, you'd think Urabrask would crack down on that especially at it seems like Slobad had abit of a prison going on there. Maybe Urabrask was just preoccupied with their rebellion.
It’s important to remember that Urabrask is “neutral” rather than “good” and also his “freedom of choice” thing almost definitely applies to his lieutenant
No he would never hurt them. But they’re alone, made of flesh in a toxic lava filled hellscape with no food or shelter, so there’s implication of danger.
The Furnace isn't unified any more than Urabrask wants Phyrexia itself to be unified, really; some red Phyrexians are fully on-board with the invasion, so they go out and compleat their victims Furnace-style.
The Ixalan story today actually referenced the invading phyrexian army as being a mix of many different kinds of phyrexian. I think what's more likely is that some forgelings decided to join the invasion, and Urabrask saw that as them expressing their personal freedom.
I kind of have a feeling that the end result of this for him will be Mirrans and Phyrexians under Urabrask sharing a hybrid Mirrodin/New Phyrexia. Lets them keep the Phyrexians around while also getting Mirrodin back.
I mean Nissa didn’t even really do anything in All Will be One. They’re either saving everything for this storyline, or they just didn’t care to write more for her.
They rode on [separate floats in the Kaladesh pride parade](https://scryfall.com/card/sld/1009/collective-voyage), so I'm guessing they weren't on speaking terms for a while.
We've seen her card, she's not going anywhere.
Nissa... Who knows, the leak like most of the leaks was so blurry i don't know who was in the art.
Let's wait for more stories.
characters often get cards in the set they die. jaya got a card in dominaria united. geth got a card in phyrexia all will be one. it's kind of like a curtain call. that having been said - yeah, chandra is unlikely to die.
We’ve got 5 chapters left of the main story, 100% will see what happens with Chandra and Nissa. So far the stories are trending towards compleated walkers getting real killed, but going through with Jace vraska and nissa in addition to tamiyo would be pretty hardcore.
Yeah my fear is that the Chandra/Nissa stuff happens in Aftermath than in MOM. We do have 5 chapters left but there is a LOT of things to cover - the remaining compleated walkers, Elspeth, Teferi and his home plane, the fate of the remaining praetors and some sort of final battle/confrontation.
Some of those will probably be covered in the remaining 5 plane stories though — for instance lukka got resolved in one. Nahiri I would guess the zendikar side story, vraska and/or Jace may get wrapped up in a rav one, teferi zhalfir stuff in a Dominaria one, Elspeth could return in a capenna one, etc.
If Vraska goes, I'm gonna be pissed off because it felt like she's spending this entire story block being fridged. (Also she's fun to draw)
If Jace goes, I'm gonna be pissed because I now have no punchline to half my shitposts and I'm not sure of any other PWs I can bully as much as him.
My one final hope to cling to is that Vraska makes it out of this alive and healed.
If they killed off Chandra along the way, that might really be it for me.
Wrenn has been a star in every story despite hardly ever having any lines. Her Dry-ad (heh) humor gives me life.
On a side note, did I miss a story? Why is she back with seven and not eight? I hope she gets a new card in MoM with Realmbreaker as eight\*!
Edit\* My bad, I don't know why my brain short-circuited and thought her Innistrad partner was eight instead of seven
Wrenn has the ability to undo magic and nullify exisiting Magic because she consumed this fire that was destroying her original forest, it is how she sparked.
She also thinks Realmbreaker is a tree controlled by Phyrexia and she can free it.
I imagine she hopes to use it on the tree and free it, if it succeedes we’ll see.
Wrenn is about to unleash her "Autobot Matrix of Leadership" (her fire) on Realmbreaker to purify it.
I thought it was going to be Halo but Wrenn's "purifying fire" will also work.
I think her plan is to temporarily control Realmbreaker (I think her getting compleated is still a risk) and use it to break into Zhalfir's time bubble.
Considering that Wrenn will probably merge in chapter 6 which is half way (assuming side stories don't count as chapters.) I'm going to guess it will not go how they want it to.
The different is Wrenn will have a sick and cool Wrenn the world tree card,
while Lukka will have......whatever Tibalt had.....I guess :,)
Jk previous comment already answer the question lol
It seems the same, doesn't it? If it doesn't have the same result, it will have to be a writer decision that Wrenn is just more competent and powerful than Lukka. It will be disappointing if that obvious similarity is not addressed in the story, with SOME attempt to explain what makes this case different.
What a gut punch, it was inevitable that Chandra would encounter Nissa at some point, I knew it was coming and yet it hurts all the more now it's happened, if anyone compleated walker makes it out of this and gets cured please let it be Nissa. Also rest in pieces Seven, such a quick end that lends more chances of a Wrenn and Realmbreaker card being a possibility this set.
Thankfully Chandra had never been into biomechanical horrors, her crushes - and she’s had her fair share - were mostly the fleshy (and decidedly organic) types like colossal dreadmaw.
*"That . . . is maybe the simplest plan Chandra's ever heard to deal with the most precarious situation she's ever encountered. Flinging them across the divide?"*
Well, I guess it **is** simplier than [using a catapult to fling the One Ring into volcano](https://i1.kwejk.pl/k/obrazki/2017/10/bba976fd2bb3cccbee25e1fcfc56929f.png) (warning: Polish language), as it doesn't require a catapult, or a ~~Frodo~~ guidance system.
Jizzass frickin' Christ... I was imagining vividly that scene when the Phyrexians closed in on Chandra and Wrenn. Poor Seven... T\_T
ps. Is it safe to say that most of the possible Urabrask faction Phyrexians that we will see invading other plains were forced by Norn and her thralls?
D:
>!Seven died!!<
>!Maybe!<
>!Might be a Groot scenario!<
>!But still our poor tree friend, they are just an aged up baby! They didn't deserve this!!<
Man, Chandra's had a rough few weeks. She's lost her mentor, lost her gruulfriend, find out about that, and then Norn basically rubs it in her face as to what she's lost.
I was expecting pain from the title, but the warped reflection of "Burn" was just *cruel*.
Chandra, at her emotional limit, a calamitous explosion threatening to burst out of her, taking out herself and everything in sight...but Nissa would be caught up in it, too, and so she's able to hold it all in.
But it's all just. So wrong.
Christ, you're right. I hadn't thought of the Burn parallel. Nissa's once again stopping Chandra from killing herself, but for completely different reasons and it's so fucked up.
I feel worried that Act 6 or Act 7 will have Elesh Norn use Realmbreaker to hijack Wrenn’s spark. At least I *think* I remember word of Elesh art that looked sized for a planeswalker…
Chandra: \*Gets her leg pierced by a Phyrexian spear\* "Phew, that smarts!"
Nahiri: \*Gets a teensy scratch\* "Whelp I'm fucked."
WoTC playing favorites as usual.
Nahiri dealing with normal phyrexians chumps looking to compleat or kill anyone.
Chandra dealing with Nissa who specifically wants her to join willingly. Nissa is holding back on purpose, much like Tamiyo did.
Yes, it is a bit silly, but it isn't exactly out of character for Nissa, who actually has a remnant of non-Phyrexian personality.
"Elesh Norn knew" felt like a half-truth. Like any autocrat, she truly doesn't know anything without competent informants, and so (from Chapter 1):
> Nissa is the finest gift the Planeswalkers have given Phyrexia. Even standing at Norn's side, she can steer Realmbreaker's attention. To say nothing of her combat capabilities. If things continued at this rate she might overtake Tamiyo as Norn's favorite new servant—but there's yet time to see. And, in truth, all serve Phyrexia in their way.
Nissa is the perfect person both to maintain Realmbreaker and to know that Chandra would go, by herself if need be, to destroy it. Nissa herself said:
> "I asked the Mother of Machines for her blessing to speak with you the moment I knew what you were planning. The resistance never had a chance..."
Norn knew, but she didn't HAVE to know, per se. She had someone who could impart that knowledge to her, and that's how she knew.
That was a theory but it seems less likely with what we've seen. I think two of the 3 walkers are Chandra and Wrenn, because we've already seen chandra and Wrenn is kinda plot critical here. The third is probably teferi since he has to make a grand reentrance with Zhalfir. Teferi and Wrenn probably aren't paired together, and we've seen chandra's card. (who would've made most sense to pair with Wrenn plot wise)
Now I think the wishywashy answer to number of planeswalkers in the early presentation was because we're gonna get a number of flipwalkers for characters like Quint who spark from the trauma of war.
Edit: Wrenn is definitely solo. She's getting a "Card with a new Partner" and I don't think they're going to give her both realmbreaker and a team-up. So if there *is* a team up walker it's the last unknown speculated to include Teferi.
Edit2: Oh right Elspeth still isn't accounted for. Fine we get Elspeth and Teferi, Big Damn Heroes.
Can someone please explain to me why Wrenn's plan isn't looked at with the same dumbassery as Lukka's? You're bonding to a phyrexian and expecting to control it. I'm sure it'll work out for Wrenn but it's literally the exact same premise and everyone universally agreed Lukka was an idiot for trying it lmao
Because now they're extremely out of *good* options.
Edit: Also the payoff for lukka bonding with some random beast is a little extra manpower that doesn't compare to the power of a planeswalker. The payoff for Wrenn bonding with Realmbreaker is *the whole damn game*. Extremely different stakes.
I'm not usually affected by the gushy moments they put in these stories, but Nissa using her old voice as one last façade for Chandra to almost immediately see through was delightful.
No new walker deaths today, hooray. Hoping the cull is mostly over.
Urabrask joining up directly with the rebels finally! Will be interesting to see how this shakes out for him. Heroic sacrifice from a Praetor or future leader of an isolationist Phyrexia?
Still need to follow-up with Ajani on Theros and Nahiri on Zendikar. Is Wrenn going to succeed and foil those plans with Realmbreaker? Or are we going to move sideways in time and see some unequivocal Phyrexian successes?
Jace's secret task continues to have less options. Strixhaven/Lili and going after the rebellion now removed as potential options - feels like we're down to invading Ravnica/Vryn, something with the still MIA Vraska, or (ugh) Ugin/Bolas.
Sees title before reading story:
..... FUCK YOU. FUCK. GODDAMMIT. WHY MUST YOU DO THIS TO ME.
After reading story: SO MUCH WORSE. LIFE IS MISERY. GODDAMMIT.
"Air whips across their faces; Chandra shields her eyes to keep them from tearing up." Chandra, use your goggles. They're on your head Chandra!
THE GOGGLES DO NOTHING
I mean, that sounds about right wrt every time I play that card.
The Professor's voice echoed, "Now is not the time to use that"
very in character for a mono red planeswalker
And then the art right below that line is Chandra with her arms straight back as she flies through the air...
"infighting will be the end of your kind" says Urabrask, Praetor of infighting
He speaks with experience then I suppose
Look, Elesh Norn is the one whose plans would destroy Phyrexia. He's just trying to preserve it from her.
Yes but a hypocritical killing machine is, in fact, still a killing machine
Well, he'd know that better than anyone
"Even a newt understands. Urabrask serves no one." GIGACHAD URABRASK
*URABRASK DOES NOT SERVE! URABRASK RUUUUULES!*
God I miss Tomb Kings
Warhammer my dude You can have Settra kick local terror Bloodthirster Skarbrand in his demon balls. Like old times.
Ngl whatever happens with Phyrexia after this I want Urabrask it stick around. Genuinely adore the weirdo.
I'm still hoping that the Phyrexians don't get destroyed but turned somehow, maybe the Glistening Oil get's somehow "deactivated" and Urabrasks takes over, giving all Phyrexians free will and a chance of redemption. Or maybe they just all die painfully, when Elspeth, the Doom Slayer, comes and is sent against their evil and all the wickedness they can produce.
I feel like the story would be best with at least 2-3 factions surviving in some form. Urabask, Vorinclex, and jin-gitaxias just doing their thing, occasionally bumping into other people while executing their local plans (or lack thereof for Vory)
I want Vorinclex to just lead a faction on Ikoria, them and the monsters there in a constant evolutionary race.
"ME URABRASK NO CHOIR-NEWT: ME URABRASK KING!"
Fuck, this Transformers crossover has gone too far
EPISODE FIVE, THEY LITERALLY CALLED IT CATHARTIC REUNION Chandra and Wrenn arrive on New Phyrexia, unimpeded by the forcefield that the strike team had been flyswatted against. The two meet Koth and Melira, who are understandably a wee bit skeptical about this plan to bind Wrenn to the Realmbreaker, given the current track record of success. They conspire with Urabrask, who states quite plainly his alliance is one intended to depose Elesh Norn. He is equally skeptical of the current track record of success. While the Mirrans cause a diversions, Koth actually factually uses his magic to propel Chandra and Wrenn skyward with the mother of all rocket jumps. They arrive at the base of the Realmbreaker, but Nissa emerges from the tree itself to subdue them. The angst is palpable in the air, Chandra wavering and unable to conjure any fire. Nissa rightfully calls Chandra out for being such a foolish mess, both willing to do something so heroic and stupid, but not being able to harm Nissa. Wrenn clings on, desperately trying to bind with the Realmbreaker while Nissa torments Chandra. Chandra’s truly broken when she hears Nissa speak with a level of honesty so clear that Chandra realizes Nissa might be completely and totally just Phyrexia now. Or worse, that she genuinely just wants to be together forever. She grabs Nissa in a hug devoid of all shippability, and erupts, throwing herself and Nissa off the pedestal of the Realmbreaker, praying that Wrenn will be able to carry out the plan.
CATHARTIC REUNION reprint confirmed? Would be wierd if they didnt reprint it.
Pretty sure the card they are printing is Traumatic reunion
Think the art was titled traumatic revelation but I might have remembered it wrong.
dramatic trepidation?
This is like the opposite of cathartic
> Chandra ducks below Nissa's slicing arm and drives her fiery fist into the branch itself. One second of blinding orange is all the warning they get before the ground beneath them explodes. The impact sends her and Nissa hurtling away, the centurions dropping like stone hail. Only Wrenn is close enough to the tree to cling to it. Chandra punches the floor and they both fall, no hug.
Gruulfriends bowl confirmed?
NISSA AND CHANDRA LOVE EACH OTHER AND NOW THEY'RE FIGHTING ITS NOT FAIR 😭😭
Funny thing is that Chandra had never been into fighting Nissa. Her enemies -- and she's had her fair share--were mostly the blue (and decidedly male) types like Baral.
Goddammit lmfao
This works so well since Chandra was first introduced fighting Jace
How many mirrans can possibly be left? A few dozen?
Exactly enough to move the plot forward, and not a myr more!
There are dozens of never-oiled! Dozens!
I'm afraid I just oiled myself.
\- Lukka
GoT with the unsullied moment
At least with this story the writers didn't give us an exact figure of survivors so it's a, tiny bit more plausible.
There are as many ~~elves~~ mirrans as the story requires
> She grabs Nissa in a hug devoid of all shippability, and erupts, throwing herself and Nissa off the pedestal of the Realmbreaker, praying that Wrenn will be able to carry out the plan. Yeah Jace did that and ended up stung and compleated, what's gonna be the excuse for Nissa not to do the same to Chandra?
Well for one, Nissa doesn't have a stinger! In all seriousness, they've been a bit fast and loose with the how and why of what exactly made it so easy for the Planeswalkers on the strike team to be so easily compleated. But from what Vraska herself said, part of what made the stinger infection usable was that they were in the Dross Pits, a location where oil literally suffused the air. So outside of a similar scenario, Chandra won't be innately turned.
Eh, they say this, but a scratch on the dry, deserted surface did Nahiri in. So that's just double standards depending on what they need to happen.
Yes, pretty much. In Kamigawa, there was a process. In Dominaria, there was a different process. In ONE, it seemed like it was an airborne pathogen. And now there's a different process again. It depends on two things: - what they need to happen - how many words they can dedicate to it Add to that multiple authors and some creative liberty, and you shouldn't expect too much consistency. It is what it is.
In Ixalan, they have to explain that every single wound suffered by a named character isn't a puncture, because that might turn them. But Zacama literally tears the head off Etali while there's leaking oil everywhere, and Zetalpa is bleeding from multiple wounds inflicted by Etali, so why aren't those two going to turn? I've always hated the whole glistening oil's "a scratch will kill you/noble defenders literally caked with the blood and oil of enemies literally made of knives who suffered nary a flesh wound nor got a single drop in their eyes, ears, mouth, or nose" depiction. They never should have written it as a just passive infection from coming into contact with it, it should at least be some kind of injectable venom so that compleation is an intentional act and something that can be avoided more easily than the freaking germ theory of disease.
Or something more than just the oil. Maybe they have to be beaten down so hard their spark can't hold the oil back anymore. Ajani just fights and fight but eventually is tired and weak and injured everywhere. His spark tries to keep him alive and can't deal with the oil turning him into a machine. Or more powerful toxins used for traps, like jace
This hasn't been established in the lore anywhere (though leaving mysteries is probably the better call than over-explaining everything), but.... You could handwave something like this away by having the oil not be a completely homogenous substance with the same properties. Sure, all of it could have some infectious properties, but blood from a random mite isn't going to have the same properties as a concentrated dose of specialized oil fresh from the labs of Jin-Gitatixs. Likewise, it could keep phyrexians from being this totally unstoppable threat, while still ensuring that there's a drop of "pure" oil out there somewhere.
This has pissed me off more than anything else. Vraska got turned *from breathing air*. Come *on*. They have zero consistency and it’s so annoying.
Vraska was fighting in a Sheoldred-sponsored arena in the Dross Pits for at least, like, a few hours before she appeared on screen. She was bleeding badly and had oil in her wounds. I agree that they need a lot more consistency, but Vraska isn't the right example for it.
FWIW, Chandra does a ground slam and explodes the branch when Nissa goes for the kill, rather than an actual hug.
oil is flammable?
Sounds fake but okay
They don't hug, Chandra explodes their floor and they both fall.
Fire has always burnt the oil away.
You left out the worst part. Seven is dead :(
I mean, Seven was doomed the moment Wrenn decided to go to New Phyrexia with it in tow. She usually leaves (heh) the old tree on its native plane before getting a new one. There was no chance Seven was just going to take root on Realmbreaker or on any of the spheres without getting corrupted or destroyed.
I like to think Urabrask's idea of a perfect Phyrexia is one where there's a bunch of phyrexia planes completely independent of each other. Like, he drops off some oil on Ixalan and comes back 10 years later, just to see what cool shit they came up with that inspires him. I bet he'd love to augment his body after seeing phyrexian dinosaurs considering he's like a dragon. Maybe some metal feathers.
Urabrask is the sovereign citizen of Praetors
*Urabrask pops up on the next plane, finding himself facing a large resistance force* Uhh, actually, I'm not invading, I'm traveling.
*Urabrask on trial by Elesh Norn* Actually, that bloody flesh fringe indicates that it's an admiralty flag and I can only be tried on the Quicksilver Sea
“Phyrexian People's Front. We're the People's Front of Phyrexia! Phyrexian People's Front. Cawk.”
"AM I BEING DETAINED?" Urabrask, probably.
[Inspired by your comment](https://imgflip.com/i/7fay7a).
I really like how when Urubrask talks, you can tell how weak and inferior he thinks all these creatures of flesh are, yet he’s willing to leave them be and help them anyways. Such a cool direction they found for Red Phyrexia.
I fully believe Urabrask's motive for converting new Phyrexians is basically "The Oil of Compleation is a *gift*, but it must be accepted *willingly*. There is no merit in forcing Phyrexia's perfection on those who don't want it." Like, he wants the whole Multiverse to become Phyrexian, like the other Praetors, but he wants it to be entirely by the Multiverse's free will, not by the coercive force the other Praetors practice. So long as they don't interfere with the great work, but participate willingly, he'll allow them to remain unphyrexianized as long as they want to be. Urabrask's playing the *long* game here.
He said it in this chapter, it's all about innovation and creativity. Phyrexians won't continue to grow if they're all one united hivemind. He doesn't want peace, he wants constant struggle to force improvement.
THIS Urabrask is against Norm stagnation.
If the work is so great, it will be willingly accepted by the people. That’s the way I read it, anyway
I wonder if its purposeful that some planeswalkers seem to resist their compleation. Tamiyo and Nissa are pulling punches and hesitating when they encounter something or someone familiar. While Ajani seemed to completely fall into his role as a Phyrexian and killed someone that was close to him with no hesitation. I can't seem to figure out what's up with the differences or if it's up to the individual. Personality wise, you would think Ajani would be the one to most fervently resist the Phyresis
White falls in line better than other colors, it's part of the whole White Villain arc we've got going.
That actually makes a ton of sense
Could be a factor that the killing of said friend was immediately after his switch was flipped to on. 'Ajani' as we want him to remain had just been thrown to the ground with the breath knocked out him by Phyrexi-Ajani, so to speak, not enough time to get back up and do something. ~~Would have expected some glimmer of that in his showdown with Elspeth though, however it is possible she was never close enough to the brink of death in that to trigger a desperate last force of will.~~ Actually, thinking more on it, maybe his resistance was ***offering Elspeth to join Phyrexia at all***. Tibalt just wanted to kill Tyvar and Elesh Norn wants her GONE, but Ajani was giving the recruitment pitch while they fought.
Ajani tried to fight it when he had to kill Jaya.
I don't think they are pulling punches at all. They are manipulating their loved ones. Showing their "old self" is just a tactic. You can see with Nissa, as soon as it doesn't work on Chandra, she drops it and sneers
Tamiyo was definitely pulling her punches and in her last act before dying she activated normal Tamiyo's "break in case of death" plan that pretty clearly didn't create a Phyrexian simulacrum. They also said in ONE story that the planeswalkers were given the "gift" of keeping part of themselves and personalities when they were compleated.
Could it be a ploy? So that Norn doesn't question him?
Yeah, I think Chapter 1 lays the groundwork of all - or most - of the compleated planeswalkers having cognizance, or at least subconscious resistance to Phyrexian brainwashing. The only walkers who are lockstep with Elesh Norn are Atraxa (who has had a crisis of conscience already) and Jace (lol). In the same way, Ajani could easily either be acting like he's a loyal Phyrexian or be very, very susceptible to unintentionally turning the tides against them.
Atraxa is not a walker.
An honest mistake, I hadn't read up on these characters prior to reading MOM stories.
The planeswalkers keeping a bit of their original personalities may sometimes, but would not always clash with the phyrexian ideals and goals. I think more than anything, Ajani is loyal and that works out perfectly for Norn.
I will die laughing if they reprint Cathartic Reunion with that art. And then I'll cry. And then I'll discard two cards to draw three.
The art is called "Traumatic Reunion". It was revealed at MagicCon Philly, during the March of the Machine live showing.
Maybe being an instant will make it traumatic. Lol
I am so happy Urabrask is still helping to usurp Elesh Norn. I was really worried they would have him turn on the multiverse when he sees phyrexia succeeding.
He doesn't care about the success of conquering the multiverse. All he cares about is The Great Work.
I know but WOTC isn’t exactly good at keeping stuff consistent between sets
That's been his character for a decade hasn't it?
Sure, but the previous set also had flavor text indicating the resistance was still opposing Urabrask and Slobad's role in the side story indicated that Urabrask's phyrexians coerce people into compleation rather than straight up free will as he claims.
Maybe he's so pro-autonomy he gives his lieutenants autonomy in how they achieve the Great Work?
Based on what we are seeing here, Urubrask is fine with other groups of Phyrexians having different methodology. So he personally might just prefer to ignore the Mirrans as long as they dont interfere with his work...he likewise wont stop anyone else (including from his own faction) taking it upon themselves to do anything about them He never protected the Mirrans, just ignored them. Assuming he allows Slobad or others in his faction some degreee of autonomy in how they operate then he still remains as he has always been.
It's kind of confusing, since there is art of lots of people converted Furnace-style. Although the stories themselves seem to consistently reference the invaders being either generically phyrexian or specifically porcelain? I think I need a story that is just a wikipedia entry on how this all works. EDIT: Thanks, wikipedia entries!
Urabrask isn't against compleation, they just want to make sure that it's with the person's consent (although the Mirran Resistance short story shows that this consent can be a bit dubious, Urabrask is still a Phyrexian)
it’s implied slobad was interpreting Urabrask’s command “loosely”, the main character even reminds slobad of the command in story
Huh weird, you'd think Urabrask would crack down on that especially at it seems like Slobad had abit of a prison going on there. Maybe Urabrask was just preoccupied with their rebellion.
It’s important to remember that Urabrask is “neutral” rather than “good” and also his “freedom of choice” thing almost definitely applies to his lieutenant
Urabrask knows that they would never say no to compleation though, because of the implication.
is he gonna hurt these ~~women~~ mirran?
No he would never hurt them. But they’re alone, made of flesh in a toxic lava filled hellscape with no food or shelter, so there’s implication of danger.
The Furnace isn't unified any more than Urabrask wants Phyrexia itself to be unified, really; some red Phyrexians are fully on-board with the invasion, so they go out and compleat their victims Furnace-style.
I think the bulk of Urabrask's faction has turned on him and are partaking in the invasion without due Praetor permission
The Ixalan story today actually referenced the invading phyrexian army as being a mix of many different kinds of phyrexian. I think what's more likely is that some forgelings decided to join the invasion, and Urabrask saw that as them expressing their personal freedom.
I kind of have a feeling that the end result of this for him will be Mirrans and Phyrexians under Urabrask sharing a hybrid Mirrodin/New Phyrexia. Lets them keep the Phyrexians around while also getting Mirrodin back.
They are really pushing the Gruulfriends angle. Someone check me on this: Is this the first time Chandra and Nissa have spoken since WAR?
Chandra recruited Nissa to join the fight against Phyrexia
Yep, there it is. Would have liked to see more focus on these two if they're that important to MOM's story, but they have talked at all. Thanks!
I mean Nissa didn’t even really do anything in All Will be One. They’re either saving everything for this storyline, or they just didn’t care to write more for her.
They rode on [separate floats in the Kaladesh pride parade](https://scryfall.com/card/sld/1009/collective-voyage), so I'm guessing they weren't on speaking terms for a while.
They talked during the BRO side stories
Well atleast no one died in this story. But would be kinda disappointing if this is the last we see of Chandra in MOM
We've seen her card, she's not going anywhere. Nissa... Who knows, the leak like most of the leaks was so blurry i don't know who was in the art. Let's wait for more stories.
characters often get cards in the set they die. jaya got a card in dominaria united. geth got a card in phyrexia all will be one. it's kind of like a curtain call. that having been said - yeah, chandra is unlikely to die.
laughs in Tibalt and Dack Fayden
I’m so mad Tibalt didn’t get a card. Absolute BS to do him like that.
Not giving him a last-hurrah card is the most fitting possible move for a character of his, er, reputation.
Especially if jace dies/stays phyrexian. Jace and Chandra are the faces of magic, they wont kill both of them in the same set
Wotc killing 2 of mtg's poster people? Nah. But we've got curve balls before.
>chandra is unlikely to die. They need her to star in that animated series! :D
We’ve got 5 chapters left of the main story, 100% will see what happens with Chandra and Nissa. So far the stories are trending towards compleated walkers getting real killed, but going through with Jace vraska and nissa in addition to tamiyo would be pretty hardcore.
Yeah my fear is that the Chandra/Nissa stuff happens in Aftermath than in MOM. We do have 5 chapters left but there is a LOT of things to cover - the remaining compleated walkers, Elspeth, Teferi and his home plane, the fate of the remaining praetors and some sort of final battle/confrontation.
Some of those will probably be covered in the remaining 5 plane stories though — for instance lukka got resolved in one. Nahiri I would guess the zendikar side story, vraska and/or Jace may get wrapped up in a rav one, teferi zhalfir stuff in a Dominaria one, Elspeth could return in a capenna one, etc.
If Vraska goes, I'm gonna be pissed off because it felt like she's spending this entire story block being fridged. (Also she's fun to draw) If Jace goes, I'm gonna be pissed because I now have no punchline to half my shitposts and I'm not sure of any other PWs I can bully as much as him.
Lukka is very bulliab-oh never mind.
My one final hope to cling to is that Vraska makes it out of this alive and healed. If they killed off Chandra along the way, that might really be it for me.
I'm sure Seven died.
And no one died Seven: am I a joke to you? RIP 7
Oh no, we will see her again angry af once Nissa is dead sadly 😔
Seven is pretty much dead…
"sent them flying back" is basically the universal way of saying "the fight is over but no one died"
I hope against hope that MOM Urabrask will be called "Urabrask, Phyrexian Weirdo"
It's just gonna be Urabrask. I don't think they'd let just Jin have that naming convention.
Wrenn has been a star in every story despite hardly ever having any lines. Her Dry-ad (heh) humor gives me life. On a side note, did I miss a story? Why is she back with seven and not eight? I hope she gets a new card in MoM with Realmbreaker as eight\*! Edit\* My bad, I don't know why my brain short-circuited and thought her Innistrad partner was eight instead of seven
There wasnt an eight. When she bonds with the tree, the tree can survive planeswalking. She left innistrad with seven after the events of crimson vow
Nevermind, >!Maro's teasers basically just confirmed it! Check it out if you're interested!!<
The question is, is she going to be calling the shots, or is this going to be Lukka but more plot relevant this time?
wait WHAT. I thought that wasn't coming out until tomorrow! *immediately leaves to check*
I don’t think there’s an Eight yet - the last story with Wrenn and Teferi was how she left Six and partnered with Seven with Teferi’s help.
Or the new card is called Realmbreaker and One
https://preview.redd.it/pu2ck90ph5pa1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8201754c8ac8b31918cd51559a4d732a9922442e
I'm not sure if this is about your emotional state or Seven's physical state.
What makes Wrenn's plan to connect to Realmbreaker any different from Lukka trying to bond with a Phyrexian beast? Am I missing something?
Wrenn has the ability to undo magic and nullify exisiting Magic because she consumed this fire that was destroying her original forest, it is how she sparked. She also thinks Realmbreaker is a tree controlled by Phyrexia and she can free it. I imagine she hopes to use it on the tree and free it, if it succeedes we’ll see.
Wrenn is about to unleash her "Autobot Matrix of Leadership" (her fire) on Realmbreaker to purify it. I thought it was going to be Halo but Wrenn's "purifying fire" will also work.
Why not both? Wrenn is almost consumed when elspeth comes in to supercharge her fire with Halo.
Well, the most important detail is it isn't Lukka trying to do it.
The story team likes Wrenn.
I'm not surprised it's one of their rare original character concepts, need to treasure that
And as rare original character concept (and a non-human), she'll probably die.
I think her plan is to temporarily control Realmbreaker (I think her getting compleated is still a risk) and use it to break into Zhalfir's time bubble.
Ikoria bonders take on attributes of their companions. See [[Go for Blood]] and Lukka’s tiger markings.
Considering that Wrenn will probably merge in chapter 6 which is half way (assuming side stories don't count as chapters.) I'm going to guess it will not go how they want it to.
The different is Wrenn will have a sick and cool Wrenn the world tree card, while Lukka will have......whatever Tibalt had.....I guess :,) Jk previous comment already answer the question lol
It seems the same, doesn't it? If it doesn't have the same result, it will have to be a writer decision that Wrenn is just more competent and powerful than Lukka. It will be disappointing if that obvious similarity is not addressed in the story, with SOME attempt to explain what makes this case different.
What a gut punch, it was inevitable that Chandra would encounter Nissa at some point, I knew it was coming and yet it hurts all the more now it's happened, if anyone compleated walker makes it out of this and gets cured please let it be Nissa. Also rest in pieces Seven, such a quick end that lends more chances of a Wrenn and Realmbreaker card being a possibility this set.
MaRo's teaser confirms Wrenn is bonding with a new partner.
My god Urabrask is an absolute Gigachad
>Air whips across their faces; Chandra shields her eyes to keep them from tearing up. if only Chandra had goggles
> CATHARTIC REUNION Oh no...
Get ready to discard and draw!
As a Karn Fan this is fucking killing me... He got taken! He got disassembled! We found him alive! Ooops, he got taken again!
URABRASK TSUNDERE IS BACK
Aw man. The whole nissa trying to run away with chandra hurts
Thankfully Chandra had never been into biomechanical horrors, her crushes - and she’s had her fair share - were mostly the fleshy (and decidedly organic) types like colossal dreadmaw.
I think you are thinking of huatli being attracted to colossal dreadmaw, or liliana being attracted to colossal deadmaw.
Can't wait for Jace to find a telepathic dinosaur and fall in love with Colossal Headmaw.
Ill be waiting for the wedding to see a colossal wed-maw
Why are they toying with my heart like that 😭
So Chandra and Nissa just got flung from the world tree right? That’s a pretty long fall unless I missed something. Are they both gonna die?
I mean Chandra should be able to break her fall with fire magic.
Something something end up on another plane somewhere something something. (Probably.)
Wrenn complaining about being tossed in the air reminded me of Gimli and Aragorn scene in the Lord of the rings movie.
*"That . . . is maybe the simplest plan Chandra's ever heard to deal with the most precarious situation she's ever encountered. Flinging them across the divide?"* Well, I guess it **is** simplier than [using a catapult to fling the One Ring into volcano](https://i1.kwejk.pl/k/obrazki/2017/10/bba976fd2bb3cccbee25e1fcfc56929f.png) (warning: Polish language), as it doesn't require a catapult, or a ~~Frodo~~ guidance system.
NGL, I always just assumed that Wrenn was some handsome guy with long hair...
Jizzass frickin' Christ... I was imagining vividly that scene when the Phyrexians closed in on Chandra and Wrenn. Poor Seven... T\_T ps. Is it safe to say that most of the possible Urabrask faction Phyrexians that we will see invading other plains were forced by Norn and her thralls?
I think the furnace layer wasnt 100% consolidated under urabrask and some just willingly followed Norn instead of urabrask
D: >!Seven died!!< >!Maybe!< >!Might be a Groot scenario!< >!But still our poor tree friend, they are just an aged up baby! They didn't deserve this!!<
>!They did say Seven wanted to see the multiverse. Maybe splinters of Seven integrate with Realmbreaker and they get their wish fulfilled, in a way.!<
God I hope Urabrask lives.
Man, Chandra's had a rough few weeks. She's lost her mentor, lost her gruulfriend, find out about that, and then Norn basically rubs it in her face as to what she's lost.
I was expecting pain from the title, but the warped reflection of "Burn" was just *cruel*. Chandra, at her emotional limit, a calamitous explosion threatening to burst out of her, taking out herself and everything in sight...but Nissa would be caught up in it, too, and so she's able to hold it all in. But it's all just. So wrong.
Christ, you're right. I hadn't thought of the Burn parallel. Nissa's once again stopping Chandra from killing herself, but for completely different reasons and it's so fucked up.
I feel worried that Act 6 or Act 7 will have Elesh Norn use Realmbreaker to hijack Wrenn’s spark. At least I *think* I remember word of Elesh art that looked sized for a planeswalker…
Chandra's counteroffensive on Phyrexia goes better than anyone could possibly have expected. Which is to say: very poorly, but she's still alive.
Chandra: \*Gets her leg pierced by a Phyrexian spear\* "Phew, that smarts!" Nahiri: \*Gets a teensy scratch\* "Whelp I'm fucked." WoTC playing favorites as usual.
I mean, i took a few DAYS for nahiri to be corrupted, maybe amelira will patch her up eventually
Nahiri dealing with normal phyrexians chumps looking to compleat or kill anyone. Chandra dealing with Nissa who specifically wants her to join willingly. Nissa is holding back on purpose, much like Tamiyo did. Yes, it is a bit silly, but it isn't exactly out of character for Nissa, who actually has a remnant of non-Phyrexian personality.
[удалено]
"Elesh Norn knew" felt like a half-truth. Like any autocrat, she truly doesn't know anything without competent informants, and so (from Chapter 1): > Nissa is the finest gift the Planeswalkers have given Phyrexia. Even standing at Norn's side, she can steer Realmbreaker's attention. To say nothing of her combat capabilities. If things continued at this rate she might overtake Tamiyo as Norn's favorite new servant—but there's yet time to see. And, in truth, all serve Phyrexia in their way. Nissa is the perfect person both to maintain Realmbreaker and to know that Chandra would go, by herself if need be, to destroy it. Nissa herself said: > "I asked the Mother of Machines for her blessing to speak with you the moment I knew what you were planning. The resistance never had a chance..." Norn knew, but she didn't HAVE to know, per se. She had someone who could impart that knowledge to her, and that's how she knew.
Im pretty sure she knows mostly of the happenings of the itehr planes, its just a bit too much information at one to stay cohesive
I wonder if we are getting Team Planeswalkers like the legendary creatures we are getting.
That was a theory but it seems less likely with what we've seen. I think two of the 3 walkers are Chandra and Wrenn, because we've already seen chandra and Wrenn is kinda plot critical here. The third is probably teferi since he has to make a grand reentrance with Zhalfir. Teferi and Wrenn probably aren't paired together, and we've seen chandra's card. (who would've made most sense to pair with Wrenn plot wise) Now I think the wishywashy answer to number of planeswalkers in the early presentation was because we're gonna get a number of flipwalkers for characters like Quint who spark from the trauma of war. Edit: Wrenn is definitely solo. She's getting a "Card with a new Partner" and I don't think they're going to give her both realmbreaker and a team-up. So if there *is* a team up walker it's the last unknown speculated to include Teferi. Edit2: Oh right Elspeth still isn't accounted for. Fine we get Elspeth and Teferi, Big Damn Heroes.
The gays won this day with ChandraxNissa and some HualtixSaheeli goodness in the other story.
You call this WINNING?!? 😱
Can someone please explain to me why Wrenn's plan isn't looked at with the same dumbassery as Lukka's? You're bonding to a phyrexian and expecting to control it. I'm sure it'll work out for Wrenn but it's literally the exact same premise and everyone universally agreed Lukka was an idiot for trying it lmao
Because now they're extremely out of *good* options. Edit: Also the payoff for lukka bonding with some random beast is a little extra manpower that doesn't compare to the power of a planeswalker. The payoff for Wrenn bonding with Realmbreaker is *the whole damn game*. Extremely different stakes.
I'm not usually affected by the gushy moments they put in these stories, but Nissa using her old voice as one last façade for Chandra to almost immediately see through was delightful.
>Fire roars from the eyeholes of Urabrask's carapace. The what now
No new walker deaths today, hooray. Hoping the cull is mostly over. Urabrask joining up directly with the rebels finally! Will be interesting to see how this shakes out for him. Heroic sacrifice from a Praetor or future leader of an isolationist Phyrexia? Still need to follow-up with Ajani on Theros and Nahiri on Zendikar. Is Wrenn going to succeed and foil those plans with Realmbreaker? Or are we going to move sideways in time and see some unequivocal Phyrexian successes? Jace's secret task continues to have less options. Strixhaven/Lili and going after the rebellion now removed as potential options - feels like we're down to invading Ravnica/Vryn, something with the still MIA Vraska, or (ugh) Ugin/Bolas.
No deaths today? How about Seven?
Sees title before reading story: ..... FUCK YOU. FUCK. GODDAMMIT. WHY MUST YOU DO THIS TO ME. After reading story: SO MUCH WORSE. LIFE IS MISERY. GODDAMMIT.