What Happens in Phyrexia: All Will Be One?

[@MagicArcanum]

Hello! Thanks for watching What Happens in Phyrexia: All Will Be One! I wanted to answer a few of the most common questions I've been seeing in the comments. Here we go! 1 - "How is everyone getting compleated so quickly? / How are planeswalkers affected at all?" -- We can imply that Jin Gitaxias improved the phyrexian oil "recipe," applying the things he learned from his experimental surgeries on Tamiyo. In my "Welcome to New Phyrexia" video, I point out that the oil behaves more like nanotech than actual oil. It can rapidly propagate itself, and so if Jin made adjustments to the stockpile in the Surgical Bay, it would eventually spread to all the other oil on the plane, making a single drop if it anywhere enough to infect and eventually compleat even a planeswalker. 2 - "Why did Elspeth take the Sylex?" -- She entered a room where two people were trying to stop Jace from setting it off and figured they must have had a good reason. Remember, Jace was in danger of becoming a phyrexian at any moment. From Elspeth's perspective it was possible he had turned, and if a Phyrexian was trying to set off the sylex for their own purposes, that would still be bad. Even if he hadn't turned, the fact that Kaya and Kaito were also trying to stop him meant there had to be a change in the plan, and so Elspeth took quick action. 3 - "Why did Kaya and Kaito want to stop they Sylex though? Wasn't their plan to blow up the tree all along?" -- The plan was to use the Sylex on the tree BEFORE it breached the Blind Eternities. They arrived too late for that, but they did not have a contingency for reaching the tree AFTER it breached but still BEFORE most of the invasion armies crossed over. Jace was acting as if the original plan was still valid, and Kaya and Kaito were acting as if it expired. In truth, it was a sort of grey area, and I personally think Kaya was right to point out that the original plan was no longer valid since their window to (safely) execute it had closed. 4 - "But surely blowing up the tree was still the best option since the other planes were already infected!" -- I'm not convinced. We were dealing with an untested sylex, and its energies would ripple up the tree and outwards through the branches into an uncountable number of other unprepared planes. This might do nothing. It might destroy every known living corner of the multiverse. Is it better to live as a phyrexian, or be destroyed with no choice in the matter? Is it better to sacrifice worlds that might not have been infected, or wait and see if another solution presents itself? Either choice was a huge gamble, and I don't think it's fair to say Jace was right, and Kaya was wrong. We can make 'the call' from the comfort of our own lives, but we don't have the pressure of saving the entire multiverse on our shoulders. 4b - I want to also add that Jace wasn't necessarily acting in the best interest of the multiverse at that point. From his perspective, he was already dead, and so was Vraska, so he had nothing left to even try and live for. He didn't really care if other worlds also died, because he wouldn't be there to deal with the consequences or even feel guilty about it. All he wanted to do was punish the phyrexians, but blowing up the tree at this point wouldn't have even achieved that. It might have just been an empty gesture that doomed an unfathomable number of innocent lives.

[@Soulflame27]

My take on 4 is also that they established with the Brothers War that Urza's solution to a similar problem had as much people cursing his name as praising it. There are so many parallels drawn to the original Weatherlight saga a this one, that a similar (perhaps only amplified to #worlds) solution was actually something to ponder for many Planeswalkers (and indeed divide them on the solution). This having different ending is exactly how to keep people in suspense and open up a venue for their plan that 'nothing will be the same afterwards '.

[@viviblue7277]

It’s a gamble either way but one gamble seems like it has better odds. The multiverse is so big that making sure it doesn’t fall to Phyrexia is worth a huge risk.

[@ximbabwe0228]

What happened to the mirran outpost in the red phyrexian underground cave base?

[@DavidSmith-rb8fp]

I'm torn on 4. At first I thought they were idiots, of course they should've activated it. But then I thought of Lord of the Rings, and the idea that standing in defiance of evil, even in the face of hopeless odds, is better than consigning oneself to their fate. Maybe it was better to allow each plane this chance to fight for itself, rather than potentially obliterate everything. After all, Dominaria was a single plane, and the actions of Urza and the Weatherlight crew on that single plane stopped the Phyrexians. Granted, that was before Phyrexia connected itself to the entire multiverse, so it's extremely unlikely that a single plane will mount a successful defense here as Dominaria did in the past. It's a really tough call. There is no right answer, in my opinion.

[@MagicArcanum]

@@DavidSmith-rb8fp I agree. I think it's a lot harder of a choice than most other people in these comments are making it out to be.

[@Gears-rb2ox]

Elesh Norn better hope that Worldbreaker didn’t open a portal into Eldraine. Otherwise the next set will be called “March of the 3/3 elks”.

[@williestroker3404]

Or else she'll end up compleating cute stupid shite instead of industrial power. Better try Kaladesh.

[@genzo454]

Oko be like: "Hey red lady, -no I don't care who you are, you are 3/3 now, goodbye."

[@RibusPQR]

The next two main sets after March of the Machines are Eldraine and Ixalan.

[@Morte_n]

@@RibusPQR Since Ixalan is about dinosaurs and Hasbro has the rights to WotC and Transformers I might assume we'll get dinobots in Ixalan thanks to Huatli and Saheeli. ;)

[@TheSilverTiger510]

And if it enters inistrad, at least there will be something that don't try to kill all the humans on the plain. Emrakul might join as well to "march of the eldrazi".

[@methmeth]

Two things I wanted to bring up 1) The card "Tyvar's Stand" flavor text is “When they write songs about this battle, I will make sure your name is forgotten, devil.” which might just be one of the hardest MTG lines of all time especially coming from a Viking Elf from a plane known for its story telling. 2) Not lore per se, but it's kinda like meta lore. It seems that last time we went to Pyrexia the set also leaked. So it seems New Phyrexia's sets leak just like their warriors leak oil

[@Integer_Overload]

That was probably my favorite moment in the online story! Tyvar getting revenge on Tibalt for what he did to his home is so satisfying and was a pleasant surprise amid all the horror. My favorite line was when he said to Elspeth something like "you go on ahead, I've got him. He owes me a death for what he did to my home" and then he proceeds to immediately take that payment😂

[@penguindrummer252]

It's a nice reversal of something tibalt said to tyvar earlier too, belittling tyvar's mark on the history of his plane and the multiverse.

[@mr.mammuthusafricanavus8299]

3) The previous Phyrexians were Infected and any damage would be Infect/Poison counters for players and -1/-1 counters on creatures; now they are just Toxic, the infection is stabilized and now they are just a new Toxic form of life. I like how WOTC has shown this evolution :P

[@AzazinNote]

That, and Tibalt never got a phyrexian card before dying.

[@AnimeProfilePicture]

​@@mr.mammuthusafricanavus8299 story wise that makes sense. Mechanic wise, its cause infect was broken and would end games in like 3 turns( Glistening Elf)

[@Thickolas]

The goobers refusing to use the sylex reminds me of Karn when he decided not to drop a bomb in the Caves of Koilos. In order to avoid killing any innocents, they let the Phyrexians kill ALL the innocents. Great job as always, Gatewatch.

[@anothertarnishedone5960]

As the old saying goes, "The only thing neccesary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

If you think about everything they saw and did - it makes things like this even dumber.

[@davidd.w.8681]

Not everyone is prepared to solve the trolley problem successfully.

[@joebaumgart1146]

Wait until they have go fight Megatron. Who isn't a SLD card, but can be found in any set or collector brother's war booster

[@JottoHearthStone]

so obsessed with doing the right thing, that evil always prevailes. I do feel bad for Jace in this story, which is sometihng I never thought I'd say.

[@veersstreams9065]

Elspeth took the sylex to the blind eternities and punched a hole in spacetime. Hobbits, tyrranids, and all matter of cross-licensed IPs surged through. Bolas and Emrakul are freed from their prisons, as is Teferi. A grand truce is formed between all parties, who unite as one to fight off the invading teletubbies, waifus, etc.

[@GreatgoatonFire]

Would be hilarious if they used that as an excuse to import all the crossover stuff.

[@veersstreams9065]

Saheeli, Macguffimancer equips the heroes with filigree Miraris, filigree Chalices of Eternity, etc. Everything is going fine until many suffocate in the vacuum of space when it is revealed that there were several "holes" in the filigree Death Star plan.

[@krzyszwojciech]

@@GreatgoatonFire You mean, it would be a terrible idea.

[@GreatgoatonFire]

@@krzyszwojciech One Phyrexia is dealt with MTG will need another horrific villain to deal with and the 40K universe would provide plenty. =P

[@vicentesulbaran307]

To the realm where Eldrazi's live :v Emrakul dont like dat

[@hero1151]

"I have plenty of terrible ideas, but they don't usually get everyone around me dead. But Jace has special bad ideas, I guess" - Kaito I love this line sooooo MUCH

[@jacob4920]

Jace is an idiot, at multiple crucial points in this story, and I honestly am glad that he is compleated now. Maybe his idiocy will rub off on New Phyrexia, and be the source of THEIR downfall now. At least that's what I tell myself.

[@rinp9666]

My favorite part of the story is probably Jace taking Vraska on that illusion date. MtG's story has been rather serious for a while, that it might be easy to forget the planeswalkers are also mortals, with mortal desires. The illusion date is illogical by all accounts, but you can understand it. You can understand why Jace would want to do that for Vraska, and you can understand Jace's hubris for thinking he could escape Vraska. Finally, Jace has been painted as a boring character for a long time, so seeing him do something so human is just great

[@hulud]

The time he spent as a clueless pirate is my favorite Jace. He showed he was much more than just the blue mind mage guy.

[@__g__1400]

@@hulud agreed. allison luhrs made me like jace and vraska as a character

[@Midknight0122]

I agree, lovely to see Jace actually being a human being, surprised that Nahiri let him do that though. If Lili or Sorin where there i don't think they would have given him an option, just a "do you want to see her become a monster, no, good, imma kill her now, sorry boi"

[@StealthNinja4577]

Maybe it was at that moment Vraska's mind was sealed and Jace casted the greatest illusion to make him seem like he was turning but in reality this is a big brain 4D chess move.

[@janmelantu7490]

@@__g__1400 Himbo Pirate Jace best Jace. I love how his first post-Ixalan card has a static ability that lets you win if you mill yourself out aka bimbofying yourself.

[@Supportivechaos]

I like the gritty and serious tone of the story and how various Planeswalkers got completed. However I really don't like the idea that Kaya and Kaito just deciding that they don't want to detonate the sylex because it "might have unintended consequences for the other planes" when they are literally about to all be invaded by the most infectious and dangerous evils in the history of magic

[@williestroker3404]

and, of course elspeth actually coming in and blocking the decisive move that could have ended New Phyrexia- ...hero-blocked.

[@sammyiel9626]

It pissed me off. Nothing about that was smart. It's all fucking plot

[@williestroker3404]

@@sammyiel9626 U vs W conflict- reason and decision vs rules and niceness.

[@Pistolsatsean]

The story put me under the impression that Kaya thought that because the Realmbreaker has connected to other planes through the Blind Eternities, that it has effectively connected TO the Blind Eternities, so if it were to "wipe everything" it would be wiping the entire multiverse, making it a situation of lose, or lose more.

[@VultureXV]

It might be a subtle hint to their color identity. Kaya having white mana strongly within her would resonate with a sense of "preservation rather than destruction". Kaito having blue would want to see if there's a way to fix something rather than destroy something. If there was more red presence in that lil trio the Sylex would have been activated without a moment's hesitation, as red is impulsive and would rather see something destroyed before it becomes a threat.

[@BlueBarren115]

Lucca's side story I felt was a huge highlight for the story. Getting incite into how an infection subtly influences decision making of those not expecting it sort of highlights what the sleeper agents were going through. All of that culminating in Lucca going down in history as the "smartest" planeswalker by completing himself without really noticing is just perfect.

[@VoidArchon]

Something tells me he's going to get along really well with Tybalt, now that they're in the same team

[@NeoSlimey]

I think the process of him getting slowly corrupted mentally was really cool, but I also really hate how Nissa told him straight to his face "Don't bond with the Phyrexian monster, you will get compleated" and Lukka turned around said "kay got it" and IMMEDIATELY gets hisself riddled with Phyrexian.

[@christopherb501]

Sure...if you just forget that it's Lukka it's happening to...

[@wordsmith451]

Makes me think of drug addiction or mental illness. Scary how easy it can be, and how quickly it can rob you of your senses and convince you that you remain uncompromised.

[@riccardocalosso5688]

Yeah, it was a great insight into drug abuse and the illusion of control. Definitely redeemed the otherwise useless character of Lukka. He always had a good concept, but a lousy execution.

[@tubawarrior6970]

Phyrexians: We did it, we pierced Blind Eternities, now we can share the gift of completion with everyone! Incomprehensible Eldrazi door-to-door salesman: Hello, may I introduce you to the V̵̨͎̗̰̟͇͌́͝ ̸̩̠̣̦̬̅̈͠ͅỜ̶̠̲̝̮̂̐̆̍ͅ ̸̗̹͓̥͘ͅỈ̸̯͗̎̀̕ ̶͉̺̯́̀̑͝͠͠D̴̺̭̥̔͑̚ ?

[@deifiedtitan]

They managed to compleat literal gods and planar elementals. It would not surprise me one bit if they can compleat an Eldrazi considering the writers let them do whatever.

[@noahcarroll4944]

@@deifiedtitan If they can survive the Eldrazi's environment-warping powers, that is. Maybe they can since most, if not all, of their body is artifice, but maybe the Eldrazi's powers extend beyond that. Only way to know is to hope.

[@WolfsøülMusic]

Facts

[@eddyrapino9071]

What do you call the writing there? How do i google how to do it!?!? Lol

[@lordofmorgul]

Anyone else thinks Emrakul will sense the piercing of the Blind Eternities and not like it? It's a long shot, but it would be neat seeing her in March of the Machine taking care of Phyrexians. Also, the Realmbreaker probably pierced Bolas' prison realm behind the scenes, so we might see that homicidal maniac back again soon.

[@GoldenSunAlex]

Yeah, I can just imagine Elesh Norn's (and everyone else's) horror when they realise she just freed Bolas. As for Emrakul, what Phyrexia is doing isn't really anything new. Planar Travel used to be pretty common before the Mending.

[@The2012Aceman]

@@GoldenSunAlex Bolas was scared of Phyrexians, that's why he sent Tezz out to mess with them.

[@GoldenSunAlex]

@@The2012Aceman No, he sent Tezz out to spy on them. He was never scared of them, he just viewed them as an amusement.

[@CharuzuAutomatonArtificer]

My theory is that the remaining Planeswalkers are going to go to Emrakul for help and considering how Emeria's last words to Jace were "The Soil was not receptive" makes me think the Planeswalkers will work to free her and set upon New Phyrexia where the last and most powerful Eldrazi Titan will fight the leader of the Phyrexian Praetors.

[@AnumaElish]

Am i crazy for lowkey expecting bolas redemption arc?

[@iamnill_real]

Nahiri and Tyvar were personal standouts for me from the stories. I was very indifferent to both of them going into this, but I ended up enjoying their characters and growth a LOT, Nahiri as an elder badass and Tyvar as a reasonably bold leader

[@johnwhite3215]

I was pretty bothered by Nahiri choosing to forgo dipping out of the fight to heal because there's not enough time just push on and turn phyrexian a few hours later. Her sacrifice didn't seem worth it.

[@seasnek7024]

Tbh really felt like Jace was the only one talking straight when it came to how dire everything is, but nope everyone else was willing to make their sacrifices leading up to the sylex destruction worthless

[@Luircin]

4 sets building up the sylex as a great weapon against the Phyrexians, only to have Elspeth yoink it away? THAT would be really bad storytelling. Having said that, the last time we saw a sylex blast, it resulted in Urza Planeswalker. Maybe that's the payoff.

[@XragebootsX]

I think people forget how MASSIVE the side effects of OG sylex blast were. It caused an ice age, the time distortions that ultimately ended in the Mending, which nerfed ALL Planeswalkers. With no Old-walkers left they might not be able to put the multiverse back together from a multiverse-wide sylex blast

[@karifur]

I think it's significant that it was Elspeth who took the Sylex after what we learned on New Capenna, about how Elspeth may or may not be angelic, and that angels were important to destroying the Phyrexians in Old Capenna. It's possible that destroying her physical form may release her true angelic form, making her the key to destroying the Phyrexians somehow. I'd love to see Elspeth return as a legendary angel creature instead of a Planeswalker.

[@ana-alyciajuarez5958]

Perhaps being a Planeswalking Angel that travels through the Blind Eternities eradicating the remnants of Phyrexia that got through from the Seedcore.

[@MakeVarahHappen]

I read the Streets of New Capenna's story and why do people think she's angelic? Is it just that she resembled Giada?

[@barbedwire9975]

I suspect she’s still coming back as a walker, just with more angel stuff going on. It was already kind of weird that the wanderer got to be the main sets mono white walker despite barely being in the main story and elspeth being waaaaay more important, so it makes me fairly certain that elspeth will get a new walker card in MOM

[@Liliputian07]

Elspeth keeps fucking dying and getting more powerful it's really good

[@Putrefax]

She's got to be Serra right? Like come on, planeswalking angel, it has to be Serra's reincarnation or something

[@finks1]

This feels like what War of the Spark should have been. Im loving it.

[@micahneill8550]

So something I am excited about is the fact that Jace is the only other planeswalker in the multiverse to know that nico bolas lives but in a coma-like state. Which means that now with him being completed the phyrexians know that nico bolas lives. I am hoping that we get to see the machines try to complete Nico Bolas and wake him only to find that he is not having that at all

[@apjapki]

Although Jace can probably delete his own memories where needed. He may have had time to do so.

[@jojotheswede8444]

wouldn't surprise me if good ol' Nic knows of secret ways to combat the phyrexians

[@Fennaixelphox]

@@jojotheswede8444 He canonically does, he's the one who gave Tezzeret his immunity to compleation

[@jojotheswede8444]

@@Fennaixelphox tezz is immune? i didn't know that, need to brush up on the lore

[@ETRHeydrich]

@@Fennaixelphox also dragons are very resilient to phyrexian influence mainly because they just murder you or are mad proficient at magic examples nicol bolas and Chiss-Goria from the set.

[@Baron_Lio]

Elspeth out there discovering new places. Can't wait for her to be Elspeth, Thrice Reborn.

[@janmelantu7490]

Elspeth Ascendent. Going full Angel with Old-Walker power

[@Baron_Lio]

@@janmelantu7490 As Elspeth is one of my favorite planeswalkers, with the last card of her making angels token, (also my favorite creature type) I would practically fall over foaming out the mouth with joy at this. I like the way you think.

[@GuelermeDias]

MOM Mythic card: Elspeth, Just Won't Fucking Die

[@Baron_Lio]

@@GuelermeDias Elspeth, AGAIN? lol

[@felipeattux9616]

HAHAHAHAHHAAHHAHAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA

[@ernestosalinas1091]

A flavor fail: You can't normally sacrifice a Nahiri Planeswalker for Nahiri's Sacrifice

[@drfuzzy3977]

well she failed to die so flavour win?

[@fancytoxicsoda]

Very disappointed in Kaya's actions at the end (and to some extent, wizards). But proud of nahiri for putting the group before herself in order to keep the sylex moving.

[@christopherb501]

Wouldn't have thought that Nahiri would wind being the most interesting of the Three that sealed the Eldrazi and then some. Life, huh.

[@sammyiel9626]

You cant say " to some extent" when Kaya isn't real dog. It's all fucking wizards wtf does an imaginary character have accountability on? Do people forget they're written. If so complain about the writers. I'm so tired of people blaming character and their arcs for writing and not the writer itself. It's so dumb af

[@fancytoxicsoda]

@@sammyiel9626 no duh dude. That's how books and lore works. Doesn't mean I can't be mad about it.

[@dark95123]

Detonating the sylex in the blind eternities could stir up eldrazi trouble. Which could be horrifically funny for everyone at such a pivotal moment 😬😅

[@jojotheswede8444]

"Elspeth, where did you go with the sylex, what happened?" "Eldrazi are back." "What?" *Elspeth grabs a gun* "Eldrazi are back."

[@raser4329]

@Jojo the Swede That fits the meme even better, cause Emrakul is in the moon.

[@dannybeane2069]

Or ya know, Completed Eldrazi...fucking hell imagine a paired hive mind of elesh norn and emrakul.

[@amiablereaper]

At this point I think the Eldrazi are the only things capable of cleaning up this mess

[@mana191god]

Tezzeret's story is also VERY important to the overall story as it started a long time ago. I have a feeling that his story is the glue that binds the multiplanar stories we had. His set up towards the end kind of sets up of future sets. Teferi's story seems like a parallel that may become relevant eventually. Elspeth may have gone straight to the Eldrazi as (iirc) they exist beyond the blind eternities. A Sylex boom may wake up more of the Eldrazi that we have not yet met who may want to free up their queen.

[@oom-3262]

Dust cannot be compleated. All will not be one. All will be dust.

[@RawkLobstah88]

I feel like Teferi's story will become the most relevent in how the New Phyrexians will be stopped. I don't think it's a coincidence with what we learn in that side story and who's involved.

[@dannybeane2069]

@@oom-3262 Is that a fact? Has it been tested, I bloody well hope it hasn't, but if it has, I wanna know how big a gun I need.

[@Tclark6199]

I love that the story in this set finally feels like it's broken the stagnant adventures of the planeswalkers, the dire circumstances and *hopefully* irreversible compleation of major characters was a much needed change of pace.

[@spencerschmidt-rundell1612]

I hope it's permanent as well so that we know there can be actions taken with weight, but I'm not happy about four of the planeswalkers that were compleated (Jace, Nissa, Vraska, and Tibalt)

[@christopherb501]

@@spencerschmidt-rundell1612 Can we compromise and still have them be magirek cyborgs if not dying in madness, or make a cure possible but shenanigans ensue, making it impossible to apply for the better part of a decade?

[@TetsuRiken]

@@spencerschmidt-rundell1612 I think perhaps the physical parts can never be undone but perhaps their minds can be restored somehow perhaps with the help of Urabrask who doesn't like forced completion he can help them some and free them even if they can never be restored fully

[@sk8paradoxity]

Ah yes, because the events of the War of the Spark didn't have some pretty severe consequences. We lost Gideon permanently, probably the most favored planeswalker next to Jace, and Ugin is pretty much stuck for the remainder of Eternity guarding his brother Bolas in a place only Jace knows about (who has now been infected, soon to be compleated). So that's gonna lead to some serious bull-fuckery I'm sure. Also the writing is just fucking awful, Planeswalkers: "Hey let's go blow up their world tree." then as soon as they get the opportunity after an extremely botched attempt to infiltrate. Also Planeswalkers "nawh, JK what if this hurt everything?". Literally nothing makes sense about that sequence of events. Like how dumb does that make all of the planewalkers seem? There was no reason to rush the invasion of Phyrexia with so little intel on it to begin. Now the multiverse is categorically fucked because they pussied out at the last second despite making it to the end point, all because the writers couldn't fucking figure out how to write a coherent story. This wasn't a good change of pace; this was going from 0 to warp speed with no inertial dampeners to keep your head from separating from your body.

[@BigMikePlays]

Meh they will just magic them back to normal or do a time travel bit.

[@joshuahowell4785]

I suspect that we're returning to Eldrain for the Cauldron of Eternities. It was powerful enough to cleanse Garruk of the Chain Veil's curse, so it may be used to de-phyrexianize some characters after March of the Machines. I'm curious if we'll get a full retcon for the 7 current Phyrexian walkers or if it will just be used for a few legendary characters converted in March of the Machines and Aftermath.

[@christopherb501]

Let Lukka be gone for good, let Lukka be gone for good...

[@ETRHeydrich]

@@christopherb501 oh he gone.

[@htdbass]

@@christopherb501 Knowing how Lukka works, he will probably lead the invading force right into the Cauldron of Eternities by accident thus stopping the villian's plan yet again

[@insainraven9875]

I love this channel, it has single handedly introduce me to new characters, inspired me to build whole new decks based off those characters. Encouraged me to appreciate the art even more for little story nuggets. This channel is such a huge reason why I love magic outside of just playing the game. Thank you for every upload.

[@christopherealy8025]

Something to note, the set symbol for March of the Machines is Elsbeth's sword, distinguished by the two large circles on the blade. It's almost definite that elspeth is going to return as the hero of the set.

[@christopherfu2169]

Seeing as Lukka is completed what I would really like to see would be him leading an army of phyrexianized creatures on Dranith via worldbraker. Imagine Jirinas Horror when she sees how far her former fiancee has fallen and then, maybe, make her the one who has to destroy Lukka for good. Just a thought that I had.

[@Gzilla313]

If Lukka bonds with living creatures, isn't it incredibly bad for him to be completed? Like, wouldn't that make him a pied piper of sorts, commanding living creatures to become completed without Phyrexian needing to attack a new plane?

[@DDT1482]

Wotc: Write that down

[@christopherfu2169]

@@Gzilla313 I think it was established that his abilitys only work on non sentient creatures like beasts. Going back to the Ikoria for an example, I doubt that his powers would work on an apex monster, considering how it is established how intelegent they are.

[@nik700]

I never felt so bad about being right on the nature-aligned walkers (Lukka, Nissa and Nahiri) being compleated. And I feel like Elspeth is gonna return with angelic powers. Also, a phyrexian set and we don't know Koth's fate? yeah, that tracks

[@chrayez]

Poor Koth never gets a resolution.😢

[@SquidWithABigIdea]

I so hope we get an Angelic Elspeth!

[@GreatgoatonFire]

With our luck Elspeth will get Eldrazi-fied

[@christopherb501]

At least Yanggu, Esrid and Garruk weren't present...? Also: Nahiri?

[@nik700]

@@christopherb501 Nahiri's lithomancy can reshape earth, nature but not necessarily organic

[@sprgeorge333]

The breakdown on cliffhangers was awesome. I've been feeling for years that something is wrong with cliffhangers and couldn't quite say what, this made it super clear what I was feeling. Well put.

[@greatfrito]

Even after reading through all the stories, I really appreciate these overviews. You really help to pull everything together into something comprehensible.

[@and_also_aaron3372]

This is why you bring giant mechanical titans powered by Old Walkers on your Phyrexian planar assaults. That way you only have to worry about betrayal and insanity...oh wait.

[@StealthNinja4577]

Honestly they should have gone to 40k and gotten a space marine chapter to go on this mission. Least they would have come in armor. Fking scratches being enough to turn a planeswalker and they come in robes and tunics

[@NeroVingian40]

Oh boy, here comes the Gundams again lol

[@amiablereaper]

​@@StealthNinja4577the Phyrexians can infect metal too, you know.... it's not the *march of the machines* for nothing.

[@StealthNinja4577]

@@amiablereaper yes they gave phyrexians plot armor so no matter what black oil can phyresis anything. It's lame, boring, and what 5 year olds do on the playground when coming up with stories.

[@amiablereaper]

@@StealthNinja4577 the phyrexians infecting beings of metal has been a quality they have possessed their inception. In fact, I'd say the adeptus mechanicus and the original phyrexians would actually have a lot of the same ideas!

[@franbh94]

I'm with Jace with the Sylex on this one. I can blame him for risking the operation by saying "We are going to go get my gf back and I'm taking the ball with me so nobody gets to play" but, sure, let's file that under "Love/Connection like no mortal ever had or could understand" (like we did with Nissa/Chandra on Zendikar). But the Sylex? Everyone saw the Phyrexian Ships waiting to Invade, everyone heard Karn saying "Go to the basement and blow everything up" and everyone saw how fucked up Phyrexia and Phyresis are. Those are the stakes, that's what they are up against: Against an inexorable enemy that feeds on you and gets bigger and bigger the more room you give them. An enemy that leaves you with no means of getting back what they took. Hexgold can only hold that off temporarily, Melira has her limits and Halo has undefined effects. Kaya and Kaito may say that this would end other planes, endless lives... All of that with no voice in the matter. But, what's the other option? Leaving everything up to chance? Leaving countless planes to be consumed by the Phyrexians? They are also condemning endless lives to Phyrexia! Blowing everything up and destroying Phyrexia from the core was the way to go. Time rifts, Ice Ages, a destruction beyond words... Those were the effects of the Sylex on Dominaria... But still, Dominaria endured, but with no Phyrexians. But still, let's wait for Summer and see what the story has to say. Becuase I doubt that all of Magic story will end in "Phyrexia wins, the end".

[@dannybeane2069]

I'm thinking we get a crisis style reboot. Cause they're killing off peeps faster then a DC Crisis event.

[@Thickolas]

It should end with Phyrexian total victory. Then we play Phyrexia: The Consolidating for the rest of our lives as Compleated players

[@BigBadJupiter]

Ashiok is just floating in the dark rubbing their hands together laughing at the chaos they started by messing with Elesh norn so hard lmao

[@jasongordon460]

I love your content so much. It makes the story so much easier to parse and its gratifying to see related cards pop up. This is one of the first stories I've read just do to the gravity of it (I've only been playing 2-3 years) and there were some details I gathered differently. 1. Jace landed with Nissa onto new phyrexia. She was forced to planeswalk away via some trap that afaik never gets explored further. 2. The reason the phyrexians in the Dross Pits didn't notice the group wasn't just because of the rebellion, Jace also decided to cloak all of them.

[@spacefreak5064]

I read the side story of Atraxas "daughter" Ixhel. I am so excited to hear more of her and her teenager like rebellion against her mother! Just has such a cool coming of age story vibe whilst being on a super alienesque plane! I love it

[@XragebootsX]

I personally think that Jace was in the process of being completed for longer than we were told, he shows up alone, and is acting very unusual, acting without thinking, “forgetting” that he’s holding the Sylex… I think he was going to betray the party but once he was stabbed he had to accelerate the plan

[@Professor_Smoak]

Several things 1) When bitten/scratched by the monster, it always infects you. Nahiri did the zombie movie thing. 2) Tyvar gets so much love in these stories. He was very valiant and friendly. I really like his depiction. 3) The love story of Jace and Vraska is so beautiful and tragic. If any two characters deserve to be happy, it's them. 4) Poor, stupid Tibalt 🤣🤣🤣 5) I'm very worried for my favorite walker, Teferi. Not sure how I'll go on if the worst were to happen.

[@flailingdragoon1072]

But I thought the whole point behind the reality chip shenanigans and Jin Gitaxia's work was that walkers couldn't be compleated normally via phyresis.

[@Ser_Nathor]

I suspect the glistening oils first effect is to bolster confidence and to make you feel like you are fine. That's why so many planeswalkers were so easily swayed. Secondly Melira doesn't know that it affects planeswalkers faster, and I assume it's because they channel so much mana that it allows the oil to flow through them significantly faster which is why it only takes hours for them to be compleated. The spores in the air likely affect them faster as well, and it's their overblown confidence that becomes their biggest flaw. The oil twists the mind first as we know, and so I think that's why Jace falls. He's emotional because the oil just makes him overthink and not see the logic he almost always does. Jace isn't perfect after all, he's made bad choices before. Anyway I think it's quite brilliant how the oil works thanks to Jin's upgrades.

[@tonycouch2966]

Rules of the author’s hand dictate that If you can’t show your character as a dead person, they aren’t dead; they’re a plot piece that can be used later. Elspeth is highly likely alive and we will probably see her as a planeswalker card in March of the Machines

[@scarecrowlukluque9907]

I agree, There is no cure for compleation. But I believe Jace being stabbed with Luxior will be very important (even in the Variant art is depicted). I think he is the only one with the ability to retain his conscience after compleation via Mind Sanctuary (Like that time with Emrakul) and possibly, Considering what halo did to his mind abilities, he will go down giving back their consciences to the others Planeswalkers before they permanently die. Giving Jace a good sacrifice.

[@lawrenceblade4437]

I have a theory, because the next set has a focus on battles across the multiverse, it is possible that, once again, time is messed with, and this results in a "reboot". Which will explain why the sets that follow after that are on "familiar planes"(Familar but with a twist). I would like to see the opinion of the Arcanum community.

[@rowanpatrick6484]

I for one, am quite disappointed in the lack of info with Urabrask and Sheoldred teaming up for the second time. The original Brothers War and everything that happened on Argentum are some of my favourite moments and stories in Magics history with inclusion of Urabrask being my most favorite character. Luckily they have yet to ruin my boy, but it is irritating that they have all but skipped the re-alliance with Urabrask and Sheoldred and not mentioned anything about Sheoldreds reasons for teaming up for the second time. Urabrasks reasons don't really need addressing since, in a way, conforming to someone else's ideals goes against his very being as the Red aligned Praetor. Sheoldred however, had to bend the knee to Norn so that she and her realm could survive, after the Mirridon Civil War. So the conversation they must of had, leading to the second insurrection against Elesh Norn seems like a pretty major discussion the writers just brushed aside and, in my opinion, a missed opportunity to develop the main outlier of the Phyrexian Praetors (aka Urabrask) as a character. #urabraskneedlovetoo 🤣

[@oliveragag8576]

Personally I would've liked one of the planeswalkers going to him and purposefuly getting compleated by Urabrask to stave of Norn's control. Maybe Nahiri.

[@momothedragon]

The flavor text on Resistance Reuinited is emotionless. Didn't Elspeth think Koth was dead? "Aren't you a sight for sore eyes" is how you greet a friend after a tough week. Elspeth and Koth should be crying.

[@XerroMedia]

Jase being compleated could give the Phyrexians access to where Bolas is imprisoned, I swear, if March of the Machines features a compleated Nicol Bolas, I'm going to flip a table lol

[@Icretz]

The plane is sealed from the inside and the outside. It's impossible for Jace to do anything regarding Bolas or Ugin + Bolas would never join the NP as he will always want to be the main character and not some side piece for Elesh.

[@ther3aper561]

God I want an animated series of the entire Phyrexian stuff, including the traversing of the spheres.

[@thatepicwizardguy]

oh man thank god you put this video out lol I've been waiting for a decent explanation of what madness is happening ever since I've seen the cards in the set.

[@MTGJosh]

You are THE BEST channel for lore recaps thank you so much for your time and effort! Also love the Resident Evil 4 reference 😍

[@willhopkins8539]

One of the side stories takes place largely in Urabrasks forge, could be why it’s a spot light

[@Zytri92]

Dude this story is amazing. Honestly the first one that really hooked me. Everyone feels mortal, and their downfall is their internal emotions and decisions swayed by them. Incredible stuff.

[@philzan3627]

5 buckaroos that elspeth will not die as she held the sylex like Urza and in fact re-awakens as an angel and provides unlimited font.

[@philzan3627]

Called it, gimme my 5 buckaroos!

[@thenardedgamer247]

Was waiting for this video so bad! You guys always break everything down in such an excellent and entertaining fashion!

[@icholi88]

Sylex going off in the blind eternities attracts Eldrazi, when the dust settles we get our first Phyrexian Eldrazi. If that idea seems horrifying to you, don't panic, it means you're still sane.

[@RedSpade37]

See, I've been worried about that for a while, but my one "hope" is the question: Are the Eldrazi "compatible" with Phyrexia? Aren't they, like, neither dead nor alive? Still, though, thematically, it would be wild to see.

[@icholi88]

@@RedSpade37 Jin Gitaxias literally had a whole anime arc experimenting and learning how to compleat the Immaterial on Kamigawa. If they can preserve a planeswalker's spark (literally the most valuable immaterial thing in the multiverse), its not out of the question anymore.

[@oom-3262]

@@icholi88 i really doubt that. If we believe what the chain veil told liliana, fighting Eldrazi like emrakul is useless. She literally defines the laws of physics around herself. She never lost, she just decided to leave. About Ulamog and Kozilek, well we really dont know.

[@icholi88]

@@oom-3262 Compleation isn't fighting

[@oom-3262]

@@icholi88 it overrides the hosts mind. The eldrazi mind isn't there in the lesser spawn and is clearly not comprehensible in the titans.

[@Keinish79]

Thanks for uploading the story beats of every set. Your channel is the way I have kept up to date with the happennings of the multiverse.

[@tyshawnbacchus8546]

I can't belive how many people we lost this set I can't wait to see what happens in March of the machines

[@BugioPimposo]

Your videos are such a delight, thank you for your work! Even though I'd read everything, I still watched the video to the end just to see how you'd tell the story, and for the indispensable mustache minute.

[@joshhudgins5228]

Awesome I've been looking forward to this one I appreciate you always taking the time you need to make such high quality content

[@DerronOfCairon]

Thanks again for your videos! The art in the cards this time around TRULY reflect what was told! Remember when that wasn't the case for their last MAJOR event?

[@Prymalfire]

I feel cheated that we don't get a pov of Jace dealing with phyresis induced madness in his mind palace.

[@RoastedPheasant]

I am the most excited I've been about magic's story since I started playing during Guilds of Ravnica.

[@forloveofthepage2361]

Imagine bringing the only cure to a universe ending disease in glass vials that can easily break. Oh wait. We don't have to. The heroes did it despite having artificers among them. The ham fisted writing sometimes gets me, but the phyrexians are just such good badguys.

[@shiranui498]

I like how they only just considered the implications of the Sylex at the destination point.

[@Nozdormu1982]

@@shiranui498 the story is full of holes. It has been explicitly stated that the spark planeswalkers makes planeswalkers immune to compleation and the only way around is using the reality shift device. The oil by itself can't do it alone and shouldn't be able to. It is bad writing and making things happen for the sake of it. In fact introducing the reality shift device wasn't bad story wise, but it should have been the only thing that could do it or otherwise you make the damn thing meaningless.

[@weishin]

Definitely frustrated with the lack of story telling on the cards. Good thing you're such a good explainer!

[@trevellution4205]

I’m not really a fan of Jace as a character, but I feel like his compleation leaves a dangling thread to another story in regards to Nicol Bolas and his imprisonment. To my knowledge, Jace and Ugin are the only characters who know Bolas is alive, and Jace was trying to prepare for a potential Bolas return as recently as our last trip to Zendikar. If Jace’s character/personality is “dead,” then the impact of him hiding that information from everyone else will fall very flat. It almost makes me think that they will find a way to reverse compleation, or at the very least to undo the brainwashing and restore their precompleated minds (although the past couple set seem to imply that won’t be the case.) Who knows, maybe I’m wrong and the compleated characters are gone forever, but if that’s the case then I think they’ve tanked the value of at least one future storyline.

[@perezo27]

Lucca got compleated, and I'm sure someone, somewhere, was sad.

[@janmelantu7490]

I think this set’s story is where sticking to the 5+5 format really hurt the story as a whole. I think we could’ve had a couple more to really flesh out the whole set, get all the legends involved, etc. But I actually don’t mind where the story ended, it felt like the end of “The Best of Both Worlds, Part 1”

[@MissingNovice]

I think I'm kinda with Jace on the whole Sylex thing. Like... what other options did anyone have at that point? They couldn't know if the planes would be safe, but the planes fate being uncertain sure is better than the planes GUARENTEED falling to Phyrexia, and you could argue pretty well that even if the planes were destroyed, that its better than an existance of war, turmoil, and inevitable 'I have no mouth and must scream' Phyrexian un-life. Like the worst case scenario from using the Sylex is bad, but its very clearly a situation where there were no good options. Plus the last time they were worried about an interplanar portal possibly destroying other planes as collateral damage that wound up just being handwaved away once Tezzeret got his hands on it.

[@LoganDray7]

So here's my two cents... we've been following the fears of Kruphix; - He feared the Eldrazi: we had a block - He feared Nicol Bolas: we had a block - He feared the Phyrexians, and even though my friends called me crazy for saying, "hey, what if the Phyrexians came back? You know, because Kruphix?" Well surprise, surprise! To my point, two of those three issues have had one person at the heart of it all: Liliana, who just so happened to not be in this story. After all, Gideon sacrificed his life to save her after she turned on Nicol Bolas. What better way to show just how important that sacrifice was than for her to be the key, once again, to saving everyone from a multiverse ending threat? I'm still personally not sure how it would work, but after reading the wiki about Glistening Oil destroying the soul I feel pretty confident her skills are once again going to be clutch.

[@Romashka_Sov]

You mean controlled zombies can not be completed?

[@LoganDray7]

@@Romashka_Sov I mean most compleated creatures are, in one way or another, a zombie. I know it's a stretch of course, but I can't shake how Kaito and Kaya's observed there not being any spirits on New Phyrexia. It can't be a throwaway line, so I'm thinking that's the connection.

[@Romashka_Sov]

@@LoganDray7 it isn't a throwaway line - phyresis destroys soul in a process, that's why phyrexians could not get completed planeswalker for a long time - pw spark is a part of a soul. So Liliana can't control phyrexians, and I don't remember if undead can be completed (though I remember a goblin-zombie card in the Mirrodin Besieged block, so I guess they can)

[@LoganDray7]

@@Romashka_Sov oh I understand the first part, but it doesn't intrinsically mean the claim about Liliana not being able to control, or at the very least be very powerful against them, is true. In the fandom wiki about Glistening Oil and Compleation it states that as part of the process if the creature dies, necromancy is used to bring them back and finish the Compleation. That aside, I know I'm making a stretch to say she'll be able to control them. However, I do believe ultimately she'll be a lynchpin in defeating them.

[@Romashka_Sov]

@@LoganDray7 i think she will battle against them at some point is true, because she can control many puppets at once, making her powers great against hordes that can take over their opponents with a scratch

[@nicolasblondel4615]

Hello, just wanted to stop by and put a comment for algorithm. I've just discovered your videos this week, and I already saw like 20 videos by now ! I'm addicted, great job !!

[@MagicArcanum]

Welcome aboard!

[@trogdor221]

Some of the planeswalkers that got compleated are the iconic ones for their color. Right now Jace is not just A blue planeswalker, he's THE blue planeswalker, same with Nissa and green, and Elspeth and white. What I'm curious about is, if compleation is not reversable and these planeswalkers are, for all intents and purposes, "dead" who will replace them? I can see Teferi for blue, but who gets green? I hope its Garruk but feel it'll be Vivien. And while i don't think Elspeth is dead who'll be the new white planeswalker? Ajani is gone, will it be the wanderer?

[@MagicArcanum]

Tyvar could be the new face of green, and Teyo and Basri are on standby for white. Narset may take over blue (she was mono-blue for War of the Spark) if not Teferi, and there is also Kasmina and Will Kenrith available. Black might become Davriel, and red probably stays with Chandra for the time being.

[@drakmendoa]

Or we get another timetravel story like it was with Tarkir. I mean Teferi is still out there and already messes around with time.

[@VoidArchon]

@@MagicArcanum Tyvar becoming the face of green would be a welcome change from the "stoic inexpressive nature mage" spectrum both Nissa and Garruk are in

[@StealthNinja4577]

@@VoidArchon Nissa was cool but over the years she kinda just meandered around and her story was kinda lame. They kinda hinted at time travel stuff so maybe dead walkers return like Freyalise and Serra. Jace and Vraska I'm torn on cause while Jace has been the hero and it might be time to retire him I don't want him dead just on a vacation and Vraska was just a cool green black character.

[@UbrShadow]

18:40 No I doubt that is a bluff. I believe as you mentioned he has knowledge of Nicol Bolas's magic, and can mind wipe people. Besides the card mind sculptor's ultimate implies he shreds all memories from your mind leaving just your last moments (your hand) all you remember.

[@MagicArcanum]

But can he do it fast enough to beat Kaya, Kaito, and Tyvar all at the same time? Jace might be a powerful telepath but he's not known for his speed or durability. Can he win 3 on 1?

[@oom-3262]

I feel like this is the perfect point to have the multiverse re-written. If elspeth jumped ship right into the blind eternities, and the silex exploded, the shockwave might have attracted our colorless friends. Because, you know, dust cannot be compleated. “The emergence of the Eldrazi isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as long as you’ve already lived a fulfilling and complete life without regrets.”

[@Romashka_Sov]

Not sure if Eldrazi cannot be compleated. Imagine Phyrexian Eldrazi lol, this would be truly terrifying It may be hard to compleate, because they are large and chaotic, but a million cuts onto their spawns that are part of one big thing will make things go faster. Out of 3 known Eldrazi titans, only Emrakul controls other people instead, so she is the only one who can do anything against Phyrexia

[@StealthNinja4577]

As a story it seems well written. The main problem I have is that lorewise it treats the walkers like any old creatures and a single scratch is enough to turn them. You'd think that they would be wearing layered armor that could be shed if it showed any signs of taint. Their sparks also don't offer them any protection like they use to. How exactly did Vraska get stuck if she's a planeswalker and being surrounded alone is such a huge red flag that she should have just walked away and walked back to try her luck elsewhere. Why did Elspeth take the cylex anywhere instead of letting blow up where it stood, like it was already where it was supposed to be this was the whole point of them pushing through and losing Jace and Nahiri. What exactly do the brilliant minds of Kaito and Kaya think they are gonna do having watched a single scratch and an impaled wound both lead to their friends turning and there being millions of these things literally everywhere. I get it their planes were potentially gonna get f'd but clearly they weren't doing so hot in just getting to the core. Strategically this plan sounded terrible and I can't believe that any of the planeswalkers having seen all the shit they have came up with it, went along with it, stuck with it, and then fucked it all up at the end.

[@MagicArcanum]

There were plenty of knights in armor on Dominaria and they got killed or compleated just as easily. Even their very best tech, Hexgold, can't stop it. The oil is simply too corrosive or invasive or whatever word you want to use; any exposure, even behind a plate of steel, still ends with you joining them. With that said, heavy armor tends to inhibit magic use, and characters like Jace or Nissa would be at a huge disadvantage in combat. Better to stick with the fighting style you know, and trust speed and stealth to carry you to the objective, than risk being encumbered by armor you're not familiar with. As for Vraska - the planar shield already messed up planeswalking for everyone. She probably wound up in the Dross Pits as a byproduct, and was attacked immediately, just like everyone else who landed higher up on the Monumental Facade. Leaving might not have been physically possible - the only ones we see do it are the Wanderer (who is unique in her situation) and Elspeth (who was holding a supremely powerful magical artifact, and was at the Seedcore, where the planar shield might not cover, since it could interfere with the Realmbreaker tree.) Elspeth took the sylex away because she saw two people trying to stop Jace and figured they must have had a good reason. The plan was to reach the tree before it pierced the blind eternities. They didn't really have a contingency for if they were too late, but not so late that the invasion armies had all crossed over. There is logic to both sides: Jace wants to blow it all, risking destroying hundreds (maybe thousands) of planes that aren't infected in the hopes of demolishing the waiting armies and the rest of the tree. Kaya wants to wait and see if a better alternative presents itself. Jace was acting as if the prepared plan was still valid, and Kaya was saying it had expired and deserved to be rethought. Besides, everyone else here seems to think time travel or even the Eldrazi might still end up getting involved, so perhaps Kaya is right, and some other non-multiverse-destorying solution is still out there. So in short, I don't think anyone messed up at the end. Each character had a valid point, and every other issue you brought up as a problem was answered for within the story itself.

[@StealthNinja4577]

@@MagicArcanum there's just a time and a place for second guessing yourself and surrounded without an alternative usually isn't it xD making the oil soooo over powered and not confirming if planeswalking away was an option just makes it seem like everyone was stuck there when they really weren't. They could have formed a list of goals for each member and planeswalk away if you get in too deep or finish your goal. Just would have liked more strategy that I know Jace is capable of

[@piperisanerd5912]

I really enjoy that the people in this story made illogical decisions when scrutinized. if you think about any other plane that the gatewatch/main story walkers had to go to, none of them are anywhere near the danger of phyrexia. it would make sense for them to get overwhelmed by a terrifying situation & act a bit irrationally. Jace, Nissa, Nahiri are the only people who've even dealt with a threat comparable to them (the eldrazi), & even then it was a them-invading-us scenario. none of the walkers had ever encountered anything remotely close to this. I really enjoy how idiotic this plan & these people where, because being smart in this situation would be so unrealistic.

[@roronoa1243]

Planeswalker sparks actually never provided them any protection in the first place, that's why Koth and Elspeth had to be inoculated against the infection by Melira way back in the original Scars block.

[@StealthNinja4577]

@@piperisanerd5912 I think by the time battle for zendikar occurred the eldrazi were pretty well established on the plane hence why Emrakul got bored and left. Idk every plane they're on there's zombie hordes, goblin armies, knights galore... after all this is a combat card game. Scared irrational for us non combat weebs and for the younger walkers makes sense to an extent. That's why you don't bring them and turn it into a bad horror plot.

[@VictorAntares]

Just a compliment, still pretty new to the lore and this channel is a Godsend (sorry elspeth). Keep on truckin...which i imagine is still a thing the kids say

[@MagicArcanum]

Welcome aboard!

[@Infernoblade1010]

Really think this is some the best writing they've had in a long time. Excited to see where we go in the next two sets and the crazy events that will occur.

[@gonzluisd]

The story always disappoints until you make these videos. Such a missed opportunity with the richness in lore that magic has.

[@aaronrodriguez4451]

I'm really starting to hate playing but the stories are always kinda badass

[@Aldissimo90]

I have just discovered your channel and I'm in love with it!! You should take your audio recording and upload them as podcasts, they would be perfect for the format

[@MrSirbra]

So in the side story, we see vorenklex. If Sheoldred joined urabrask and we assume Jin is with norn, why is vorenklex just chilling in his area fighting for fun? Shouldn't he be gearing gearing up for the invasion?

[@kakerlake4468]

Vorinclex porbably doesn’t care that much about the fight, but will be willing to help Elesh Norn if it’s very important

[@mikastrae]

Vorinclex more or less believes in perfection through survival of the fittest, not compleation. he also deeply hates jin and avoids him

[@oom-3262]

he doesnt give a fuck about anything other than eating and shit. I think he got to kaldheim because jin lured him to the portal with fresh meat or something. He's legit braindead.

[@chrisosborn3653]

Another terrific recap. The Saturday morning cartoon example was spot on! There's no suspense, it's more like someone hit pause on the movie to go to the bathroom.

[@ericjoedegamio]

Ryan, Thank you. The work you do to explain what’s happening , I love it. You have this way of making me stay tuned and listen idk what it is but man you work such great magic and have a way to keep me interested in what you’re talking about. This is just a Thank you comment.

[@MagicArcanum]

I appreciate that!

[@jonathanhalligan9667]

My only worry going into the next set is that teferi will do some time-travel shenanigans to undo all the horrors that happened here, but from his side story it looks like he's making an offensive where he's at. (I won't spoil where that is though.)

[@christopherb501]

Don't forget the other time-warper; be the ultimate ass-pull if SHE shows up to be the one to push the reset button.

[@steventinker3958]

@@christopherb501 who?

[@christopherb501]

@@steventinker3958 Aminatou, of course.

[@scarecrowlukluque9907]

Not time travel, he's totally doing the avengers endgame thing with an entire nation. And I like it.

[@fungusguava]

Finally!!! I've been checking every morning this week!! So excited to watch!

[@brunosoares1500]

All I can say is that I love your takes on those stories to the point I've long stopped reading then and only get to hear about then from you (that coming from a avid reader, past MTG included). You do then good and they become much more enjoyable like this and won't stop as long as you go on. As for the story itself... well, it's ok so far. Kinda brave, kinda thrilling really. Just hope they don't undo that with time magic and all. I love Teferi, really (not card design wise...), but his presence is a constant treat to continuity.

[@christopherb501]

*threat?

[@duckdodgers7808]

If I had to guess, I would say that Elspeth returns as an Angel Planeswalker to act as a stand-in for Serra. If I had to really take a guess, I would say that both Urza and Yawgmoth exist within Karn to some degree and wotc will use that to fully reintroduce the two of them back into the story.

[@linkal_8097]

As a patreon, i can confirm this set is very neat

[@waves-]

i really appreciate your narration style

[@Ale-mv3gr]

Make Teferi discover that Urzas secret plan was a way to revive Yawmoth, he comes back and demands immediate worship from the New Phyrexians, some do, but Norns factions is not willing to surrender her power to a fallen God and now you have a Phyrexian civil war, weaking them and giving the good guys time to prepare a multi-plane coalition.

[@josueantonio12]

Finally! Been waiting for this recap way too long! Thank you kindly Ryan and Nicole!

[@aliceplanque]

They ruined Nissa and Chandra and i are awfully sad because of it 😭

[@chrayez]

Chandra can still join Nissa in compleation. 😯

[@aliceplanque]

@@chrayez at least they would be together 🥺 bet they will make Chandra kill her or something in MoM, i'm not ready

[@rayzhang7591]

They will probably just kill/complete/get rid of all the planewalkers to make way for planeswalking legendary creatures. Then they will have a lore friendly way to keep reprinting popular commanders.

[@Okamiden15]

So this story confirmed one thing that was lingering in my mind from Dominaria United, Liliana is 100% infected. My personal theory is that with Strixhaven being the center of learning and knowledge in the multiverse right now, Liliana will be able to halt the spread of her infection, and that her next card will be called something like "Liliana, The I compleat" and I think that'd be cool as fuck

[@co1inn]

Thanks for all your work, turning flawed story craft into actually compelling narrative experiences. I personally hope that part of the resolution of the Phyrexian arc would be ‘Phyrexians liberated’ with Urabrask, and we’ll keep a few of the compleated planeswalkers with their personalities intact, on new purposes

[@herbievalerius5740]

The Re4 reference deserves a like, all by itself, but you are good at this story telling 😊

[@bluecraftsandgarden5130]

Thank you so much for this! I love your story telling and was so pumped for this.

[@Fleru-ls8tc]

Yep, story telling is perfect! Simple and no confusing sidetracks.

[@BigDiff7]

Elspeth may have moved the Silex between planes and the resulting blast is what opens up the planes for non walkers to travel between (as we've seen in the March art).

[@mrsrefrigerator]

Im new and honestly the only thing that has helped me here is people like you, so thanks.

[@MagicArcanum]

You're welcome!

[@ludovicdisson3668]

One thing that I really like is the new title of Elesh Norn : Mother of Machines... And I completely agree when you say that everything implies compleation is irreversible, and that we really shouldn't expect a miracle cure, sadly

[@michaelhealy1000]

Not sure how it turned from planswalkers being immune to the oil and only being completed by special processes, to a dumb zombie movie but hey it is what it is. I love you breakdowns.

[@christopherb501]

I'm going to assume "oil a year later in its home domain" and/or "Mirari", because yeah; otherwise, it doesn't fit.

[@GuelermeDias]

Glistening Oil kinda works like a hivemind of nanomachines, if Jin Gitaxias' experimentations figured out a way to compleat planeswalkers, I feel like he could have just "coded" those instructions into it.

[@michaelhealy1000]

Feels like we are doing legwork for the writers. But it does make sense if the oil can be upgraded. Still cheap, but works.

[@viviblue7277]

Here’s what I think: the spirits are all trapped in the tree. When the tree inevitably gets blown up, we will have a hoard of angry planeswaker ghosts who will then destroy their own bodies in dramatic fashion.

[@LLmsn941]

Favorite moment? The moment that kaya smell tyvar's mana, great insight as to how it would be to channel mana from different plane's lands. least liked? the pikachu suprised face that kaya had when jace told that the world ending bomb could end worlds so she decides that "possibles" consequences are worse than known consequences. Also, blowing the sylex on a tree conected to the blind eternies, problems, blowing it IN the blind eternities, nothing? In addition , 2 sylex down without being of any use.

[@GM-lx7ji]

Moral of the story, never put all eggs in one basket.

[@apjapki]

This New Phyrexian oil spontaneously growing wires and machine parts is definitely an upgraded form of the oil developed by Yawgmoth. I guess the Mycosynth is just part of the oil now and gives it these properties, making it much scarier and more infectious.