Theros: Pastoral & Pastiche | Greek Myths in Magic

This video is about the plane of Theros: Magic's pastiche of Ancient Greece.
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[@threefirsts]

This is the most eloquent shade I have ever seen thrown.

[@VincentAlucard]

I know right?

[@AliIKarimi]

Comes second only to “I don’t know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve”.

[@kiwiwasoncehere3623]

Someone @me when it hits 666

[@josephbiggs6620]

@@kiwiwasoncehere3623 got it just for u bb xoxo

[@threefirsts]

@@kiwiwasoncehere3623 sup

[@frankie_peanuts]

I’d like to take a moment to appreciate the outro music in this video. It’s totally recognizable now as “Floral Shoppe” by Macintosh Plus. it itself isn’t quite a “pastiche,” but a “remake” in a way of “It’s Your Move” by Diana Ross (played/arranged beautifully btw). I see what you did there rhystic.

[@RhysticStudies]

I'm so glad you caught on.

[@Galmion]

the album is called Floral Shoppe, the track itself is "リサフランク420 / 現代のコンピュー" (or "Lisa Frank 420 / Modern Computing")

[@positivecontacts]

I second that emotion.

[@KingBobXVI]

An aesthetic reference of an a e s t h e t i c remake :P I do think it presents an interesting thought though - as someone who enjoys both classical music and the gaudy memery of vaporwave, the piano rendition is actually quite nice, and is something that wouldn't be the same or carry the same weight if it was just a piano cover of the original song. I've quite liked what I've played from Theros, it's mechanically interesting and the draft environment is quite good. I don't disagree with the video either though, as I missed the first Theros block so all the rehashes and fairly substantial retreaded ground is still new to me.

[@metalsabatico]

That was the cherry on top of an already excellent video.

[@TolarianCommunityCollege]

“What do you know of Greek Myth?” Three words for you, my friend: Xena Warrior Princess.

[@TheMcleetsauce]

*slow claps* This one should be pinned.

[@veggiedragon1000]

A man of culture I see - even more than was already apparent!

[@pvtpain66k]

I believe you spelled "Hercules: The Legendary Journeys" wrong. :>

[@joeyhamilton6854]

Percy Jackson anyone?

[@finnlewis2528]

plebs be plebs

[@florianw116]

I've waited patiently for this triumphant return.

[@sirreginaldfishingtonxvii6149]

And wait again we shall. And wait again we have.

[@justabeholder4753]

@@sirreginaldfishingtonxvii6149 and now we're waiting again

[@sirreginaldfishingtonxvii6149]

@@justabeholder4753 _The cycle continues..._

[@ghoum56]

Do you know why he left?

[@daredaemon8878]

The new Theros set should've been and likely was initially conceptualized as the first set of a two set block, to introduce new players to the setting and remind old players of what the setting was like. And then in the second set they should've explored the underworld; and it's that set which should've been called Theros: Beyond Death.

[@The_Loreseeker]

This was, perhaps, the most beautifully-worded insult I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing. Let me say, good job.

[@torysaccount5753]

Experience-wise, I think, making 2 small sets would've been better than one. Generally I think it was a good move to abandon the Block structure, but here it would've been handy. Imagine this: In the first set we are in the underworld. We explore the realm of death and the surreal landscape where dreams can become real. There we need a mechanic that symbolizes that, that creates tokens based on cards in your and for example. We see Elspeth as she tries to escape. And like Elspeth, we want to escape to see the world of Theros. Then, in the second set, we finally escape - and so do a bunch of other creatures. We get the new Gods, we see them at war, we get to fight Polukranos and the Titans, Calix becomes a 'walker, etc. The way it is right now, we see little about a war and we never spend any time in the underworld and that is a shame if you ask me.

[@lucasenraraujo]

Us, Vorthos, hardly matter to WoTC since we don't make them nearly as much money as the other demographics, so it wouldn't surprise me if originally they meant for it to be an underworld set but when the first struggles started they dove into scraps of design from the past and just threw a set together from there.

[@jeffreydenenberg7101]

Maro talked about this and said that 2 sets was the original plan, but they wanted to show off the new lack of a block system after spending 3 sets on ravnica and visit 4 worlds in one year, something that hasn't bee done in magic yet.

[@florianw116]

@@jeffreydenenberg7101 They already showed it off with Dominaria and Eldraine tho

[@estebanrodriguez5409]

I come from the future! they did the same for Innistrad... ehmmm didn't work so well

[@elijahlaino5436]

The little reference to Macintosh Plus with the outro music was such a nice touch at the end there, to choose a genre based within the sampling of music of bygone decades, while rehashing Greek busts to develop its aesthetic is such a perfect touch to end the video, very well thematically linked.

[@juchemz]

I have played a lot limited of this set and have loved every minute of it, so to hear a less than perfect review of it from you was a surprise. In the end though, I think you are right. I wasn't around for the first Theros block and now I wish I had been. Thank you for reminding me that there is so much more to love about this game than the game itself.

[@quintonhoffert6526]

Having been around for original, I would say that Theros: Beyond Death is much better as a set. The limited environment is more fun, and the cards in general are more powerful and relevant than most were in the original three sets. Unfortunately, barring a few key cards that were very powerful in the original Theros block, most of the actual cards were received quite badly in terms of pure power level. Cards like the Grey Merchant became well known because they were the key break-out cards from a block that was considered quite weak. Thematically, I think that Rhystic Studies argues well that the original block was much more innovative and interesting than the return. However, I think that as a set, speaking specifically about the cards and their interactions with the Standard meta, Theros: Beyond Death is a better set than any of the previous three, and could be argued to have been better than the entire previous Theros block. I also think that Rhystic Studies is being a bit too hard on Theros as well. In general, returning to a previous plane is a tricky bargain because you both have to hit what people liked about the original visit, and do something new and interesting with it. This is especially hard in a top-down set that exists as a reference to a specific mythology or literary trope. In Theros's case, the original block hit so many myths that it would be really hard to do more of them, since Greek mythology is a self-contained subject and there aren't more myths coming out; once you've hit them all, there aren't any more to do. Now, there definitely were more myths they could have done, which is why I don't fully disagree with Rhystic Studies, but I think overall that Theros: Beyond Death does an acceptable job at returning to Theros. The other thing I would say is that the very nature of Theros itself makes dramatic changes less likely. The five main gods of Theros are embodiments of their color alignment, and their unchanging nature is a major part of the plane's lore. In fact, it is precisely this point that prompted this return, as Heliod killed Elspeth because, needed or not, she had introduced a massive change in Nyx, a realm which was supposed to stay static. Klothys, God of Destiny, from the new set, is also a living embodiment of this concept, as she exists to ensure that the order of the Underworld is not disturbed: in other words, to prevent large-scale changes to the metaphysical reality of Theros and Nyx as happened at the end of Journey Into Nyx when Elspeth killed Xenagos, and as Elspeth plans to do a second time by escaping the Underworld without becoming a Returned. So from that perspective, you could argue (as I am) that making too many changes is antithetical to Theros as a plane. It's a place where the order of the world is memorialized, and any change to that order is seen by its gods as a bad thing. This was true in the first block, with Xenagos's ascension being considered a plane-threatening disaster, and it is still true in Theros: Beyond Death. I would specifically counter Rhystic Studies's point by saying that before Theros was created, Theros was an idea for an MTG pastiche of Greek mythology, but that now that Theros exists, it is a functioning plane in the multiverse with its own rules grounding it aside from just its status as a pastiche. I would agree that Theros: Beyond Death is a worse pastiche of Greek mythology than the original block was, in much the same was as modern high-budget remakes of old classic pastiches usually are, but I think it does a reasonably good job of being an addition to Theros as an existing plane. I think that dramatically altering the status quo of Theros is a great idea, but it would be a fundamental, world-altering change akin to loosing the Eldrazi upon Zendikar. The functioning order of Theros as both a set and a physical/metaphysical place would have to be completely upended. And again, I think that's a great idea, and could result in some seriously interesting cards and a very cool story that doesn't just pastiche ancient stories, but also examines them and helps players look at them in a new light. However, I think that a single set would be way too short for that kind of thing. You'd need at least two sets, but probably a full three, showing the dissolution of the old Theros, the chaotic in-between period as it struggles to become something new while keeping elements of its old nature, and finally the new thing that Theros evolves into. I think that this is a fantastic idea for a three-set saga, but for a singleton set whose point was to reintroduce Elspeth and Ashiok while continuing the story of Theros, Theros: Beyond Death did a good, if not fantastic, job.

[@YourPalJamieEllis]

I don't think you're crazy to enjoy the Limited of Theros: Beyond Death. To my taste it is assuredly deeper and more fun to play overall than any combination of sets from the first Theros block.

[@TheRichardson711]

This is an art channel. He rarely references the quality of the game play and mechanics. He's simply talking about the artist merits of the 2 sets. You can still enjoy all the art from the original block without playing with them. I never played theros either but I hear it was one of the least enjoyable blocks of the last decade, in terms of gameplay.

[@victorvelle8269]

I've never played magic, this channel was recommended to me one day, and I've been a huge fan ever since. Whatever you're doing, you're doing it right.

[@flametitan100]

At least as far as Gray Merchant goes, it kinda falls into that trap of, "what to do with magic as a game," and, "What to do with the planes as story." People want to play with it and use is, so it gets reprints so people can use it. Unlike a lot of other cards, though, The name makes it difficult to fit into non Theros planes, so it ends up being printed back into Theros. It's funny how the shock lands of Ravnica avoid the problems Gary does, even if their need for constant reprinting is significantly greater. Unlike Gary, who just got art to match the 2020 Art direction, the shock lands at least have the benefit of changing to match the situation of the new planes. The overgrown Tomb of GRN is not the same as the one in the RTR or Ravnica blocks; it says different things about the setting, even if they're the same card mechanically.

[@pavarottiaardvark3431]

I think this is why bringing Core Sets back was a good idea - reprints, plus a facility to scratch little nostalgia itches.

[@Izandaia]

I don't even slightly understand what the supposed "problem" with Gary is. Reprinting one of if not the most beloved cards from the original block (definitely much more than a mere "cult classic") is a no-brainer if you want people to love your set.

[@alexandrevinicius2324]

I see the reprint of Gary and shock lands are completely different. We need shock lands for a greedy mana base of a block like ravnica, but they cloud build a better devotion card than Gary, it's like reprinting Bob just because it's ravnica, or to put in a gameplay perspective repri thing the same Niv mizzet reborn that was printed last year, not a new version like the gods or Niv himself, just the good 5c legendary dragon again

[@quailfeather]

Alex Vinicus Now see if they printed an homage to Grey Merchant, people would be upset. You have all these other obvious parallels, but amid all of them Grey Merchant remains unchanged (other than rarity). I think it's probably one of the things they got right with the set, but most of the other self-referential content just seems to be a rush job/extra pressure from Chinese overlords.

[@WestPictures]

When I think of Greek myths, I go back to the big hardcover children's books sold at the book fair. There is a nostalgic feeling that lines up so clearly to me involving the first time I actually wanted to read something, as opposed to it being forced on me. It was about ancient myths, and the various gods and monsters of mythology. Discussing Greek mythology takes me back to that musty elementary school library.

[@electromancertech5622]

Everytime you release a video, I feel a compulsion to pull out all of my cards and stare at the artwork. Great job as usual!

[@Mucch1424]

While I think the overall quality of this video is remarkable as always, I have to disagree with most of your premise. I love Theros: Beyond Death because I think it succeeded in capturing what we all loved about original Theros while still bringing new ideas to the table. It was cool and fun to see the little references to the old art and cards, the returns of fan-favorite mechanics like devotion, etc. I think this video and my opinion simply represent different philosophical approaches to the idea of returning to an old plane. In my opinion, not every Magic set has to be focused on taking huge risks and exploring totally new design space. Sometimes the point of a return is that you just miss the world and want to play around in it again. No, it's never going to be able to recapture the nostalgia perfectly, but that just means you get to have a new experience while still feeling like you're reliving an element of Magic's past.

[@RhysticStudies]

I can dig it. there are so many little elements I love about TBD, as with all new magic sets and worlds, and Theros is still very much among my favorite planes. I took a holistic approach here to give some bird's-eye observations, but I agree that it can nonetheless be enjoyable to visit a familiar place. cheers, thanks for responding.

[@Mucch1424]

@@RhysticStudies Thank you for making such consistently great content!

[@twenty-fifth420]

Rhystic Studies Also thank you for not going “EWWW YOUR OPINION IS WRONG.” Or some other dumb fallacy. Someone countered your point? You take it like a champ. BTW I agree. Theros inspired me to write fantasy/sci fi. And TBD was more of a disappointment then War of the Spark. ...which I never thought i would say back to back but whatever.

[@tzarl]

I agree. I totally understand feeling like the second go around not being as special because of the existence of the original, but I find it really hard to agree with the concept that "when you copy a copy there is a tangible loss of quality". I don't think for example Frankenstein movies are any less worthwhile because the book they are based on is itself heavily based on several other classic stories. I definitely agree that maybe centering the block only in the underworld would have been a really novel and interesting way to take this block, but asking a return to Theros block to not touch on at least some of what people liked about the original block is a really hard sell.

[@danlewis7707]

I would absolutely agree. Theros: beyond death has some very interesting cards, and i enjoy the mechanics that were introduced. But from a lore perspective, they devolped some of the characters. But the world itself saw little change.

[@nathanl8622]

"That is Green's territory, and by extension belongs to the god Nylea" he says, as Dictate of Karametra appears onscreen. (I kid, but fantastic video as always)

[@Jon-yv4iu]

I think what is meant to be shown there is that even though Both Dictate and Blessing of Karametra (Both are shown in the same image) are the blessings of a White-Green God when they are in the trees of the forest it is a mono-green spell. Kinda the idea that the landscape where the individual is has more powerful than the god themselves.

[@Simon-ow6td]

I absolutely love Theros Beyond death and enjoyed the art and flavour tremendously, but I think you have a point well made.

[@Drifthut]

Come back man... we miss you. I barely play magic now days but I still think about your videos all the time.

[@ianrennhack965]

I thought of this video when writing a paper for my film study class in college. I wanted to reference the opening quote from Homer but I couldn’t remember the exact wording. However, what I’m more amazed by is the fact I thought this was a recent upload from the channel. Finding out this is already two years old blew me away for a moment. I am left stunned.

[@levijohnson8100]

Dude, you always destroy these videos. Great work.

[@xavierlanglands9486]

The quality of these videos cannot be overstated.

[@romelhernandez8659]

The end with the reimagination/cover of a reimagination/cover with just a tiny bit of greek it’s just Perfect, thank you so much for this video, made me incredibly happy in this strage days.

[@threepizzaemojis]

What a powerful closing statement. Dude I literally sat back in my seat and just... stared for a few seconds. Wonderful.

[@charmandenator5686]

I made a Greek setting for my current D&D campaign, and when Theros was coming back, I wanted to relook to it for inspiration, but I didn't find anything new. This video has a very solid point in that regard- it's a remake, not a sequel.

[@IronFairy]

The piano cover of flower shoppe at the end caught me off guard. What a perfectly thematic way to end this video.

[@Padm2415]

What a great video essay; as always the moment I saw this video on my homepage I stopped all I was doing and watched the whole thing. The way you talk and present the topics are a pure pleasure. So well researched and the information is presented in such a beautiful way visually and audibly. I know everyone asks for more all the time, but I feel your videos are so well done because you become inspired to do a video on a certain topic that you delve into out of personal interest. I just wanted to give my personal appreciation for your videos. Cheers mate.

[@seanguilfoyle5328]

Honestly you just knock it out the park with every video you produce. The tone, colours, editing, content and just everything is done so well. I love your videos, please keep making them!

[@gavcanflip]

Oh man, loved every second of this. So much nostalgia here: RhysticStudies videos, Greek mythology, OG Theros

[@johnbaird6752]

Wow, that encapsulates exactly why I was underwhelmed by THB and I didn't know why consciously myself (well of course besides the complete lack of written story following the War of the Spark: Forsaken disaster)

[@kraxosOBK]

I am consistently satisfied every time I watch one of your videos. The mixing of your inherent talent, calm and calculated voice, and acquired skill make these some of my favorite videos to watch intently upon my first viewing and then listen to in the background when I work on something that's related to the game. Keep thinking outside the booster box.

[@Megalabs101]

Lucent Liminid was one of three cards that I got from my brother when he opened a pack of future sight like ten years ago. Seeing it in this video really made me realize that maybe that’s why theros is one of my favorite blocks

[@bendertusepaki8995]

As a fan of original Theros, this is one of my favorite video you made. Not as iconic as bolt or siege rhino, but right in my personal enjoyment of the game.

[@nothing4mepls973]

This video really sums up my problem with it. I used to proudly declare Theros as my favorite plane and eagerly awaited the Return To. "Trust me guys, they'll fix constellation this time! Sword and sandals, here we come!" Boy did I eat those words. They dropped the ball so hard I didn't even crack one pack and I'm quietly on team Innistrad now - until they fuck that one up too later this year.

[@WeirdTroll666]

I'm from Greece and I loved those magic sets with Greek mythology

[@sparticusfinch8588]

Sam, you're videos are all fantastic. You give a voice to the emotional connection I feel to art, and your words help me to really internalize what it is about art that mystifies me. While I enjoy the cards for the exciting game, the real attraction for me has always been the illustrations. Thank you for loving it as much as I do, and thank you for helping me to understand why I love it.

[@AlexDeMiro]

I am SO glad you're back, you have an unique view on art, myth and their use in culture, which I greatly appreciate.

[@go1988]

What a fantastic video essay. It is so well written, so well thought out and done. The end gave me chills, referring back to the very beginning with a nw better understanding of how you meant it. Astonishing work. Thank you

[@artemi7]

While I definitely see some areas where they hewed too closely to the last time (the gods in particular really don't stand out from their prior version), bringing Gary back was probably the boldest and most surprising thing they did. Bringing a powerful, fan favorite card back so you can relive old glory, or taste it for the first time, was a great move. It's the same as that cheeky flavor text when they brought Lightning Bolt back; unexpected but a love letter to everything that makes this game great.

[@meltie77]

You put in words what I have felt but could not put a finger on when I looked at Beyond Death. Great video!

[@jakoberbe4374]

I feel like they tried to avoid what happened when we returned to Innistrad. People, me included, didn't like that WotC changed the original plane and feel of the plane so much in favor of the story, which had nothing to do with Original Innistrad.

[@kappaross6124]

Wait, really? I loved what they did with their brief return to Innistrad. Rehashing the plane would've just been more of the same (even if original Innistrad was fantastic), but the set wasn't about Innistrad, it was about the event that was happening on and to Innistrad. And idk I thought what was happening was really cool.

[@jakoberbe4374]

@@kappaross6124 the thing is, and that's kinda the point of the video. Just trying to invoke the "original feel" of the world is kinda doomed to fail. And I do think that the approach with shadows over innistrad is the better one, as the story itself was good imo, but the expectation of the original innistrad was too hard to overcome. I did say that I didn't like the new innistrad, but I also think, that that's on me... basically people like me are a problem for wizards, who want to design cool new things, but have to please all the "back in the olden days"-folks...

[@TheSkizz89]

@@jakoberbe4374 And no offense to you in particular, but the approach Rian Johnson/Grant Morrison took to Star Wars and X-Men respectively are the far better options when taking an existing IP in a new direction vs appeasing the fans of the original. As a huge fan of OG Theros, I was disappointed with Beyond Death. 1) Because one set had to balance old flavor with new ideas instead of spreading out an entire block. 2) It went the Rise of Skywalker route with rehashing old ground and light sprinkling of new ideas.

[@metalsabatico]

Why want more of the same? You will always have the original Innistrad that you love. Let things change.

[@FishHookEXE]

I almost wonder if WOTC heard the criticism of "too much changed about Zendikar/Innistrad/Ravnica, they don't read like their former selves anymore" and decided with this set to go hard the other way. Just play the hits, no need to change. That's why I think that bittersweet nostalgia feeling you mentioned rings so hard in this set. It's been over 10 years in real life time, but almost nothing in Theros has actually changed. Unlike Innistrad, which I think did the best job of taking cards from the original, putting a twist on them and shifting them from gothic horror to cosmic horror with the Eldrazi, everything in Theros has just kinda...stayed the same. It feels like we're only here because People Like Theros and we wanted to see Elspeth's story continue instead of end in tragedy which.... isn't that kinda the point? Great job putting into words a feeling I couldn't quite describe, and thank you for your content.

[@Go1denOw1]

This is my fav of your essays, its so beautifully built and wrapped

[@CM-um8ef]

You videos are my favourite video essays on KZbin. I'm so glad you're still around, and so sad that KZbin never told me about this video

[@hellosurge4622]

Hey Rhystic! Where have you been man? I'm itching for some new content. Hope to see you back one day. Love your videos. Hope you're doing well.

[@JenxRodwell]

I'm not entirely sure where to ask this, so I might as well just throw it into the void that is KZbin comments - Do you plan on ever making an artist spotlight for one of Magic's original important artists Mark Tedin? I think his work is greatly deserving the attention and detailed analysis, and would love to see it. Also, great video, as always! Keep up the excellent work!

[@patrickgavinodonnell]

this is, easily, one of your best. hit it right outta the park!

[@Dskinny23]

I'm excited for more to come from this "series" and more from Mary she's awesome and did a great job.

[@calebj5852]

You put a much finer point on my feelings of "wow THB fell kinda flat compared to the first go-around..." Excellent as always.

[@JukesMcGee]

Please do a video on innistrad. Its very beloved and I think it deserves its own love letter.

[@lukestacey9018]

While it takes half a millennia, I thoroughly enjoy all of your content. It’s so polished and pristine, if I ever decide to make video essays, I hope mine can one day live up to this quality.

[@TheCrAzYfox2332]

I see you're a man of culture as well. That outro was such a good choice. Floral shop is, and will always be iconic.

I'm really really enjoying your essays on the various cultures in the MTG various planes and their influence and, as a matter of fact, enjoy all the video essays you do on MTG, so please don't stop.

[@greytoeimp]

Nice to see that I wasn’t the only one who was a bit disappointed by TBD. Somehow, it was really hard to put my finger on why I wasn’t as excited by the set as I wanted to be, but this video does a great job of pinpointing how it falls short. It felt solid in every way, yet somehow lackluster.

[@Isador7]

Piano cover of Lisa Frank 420 at the end is a nice touch. Great Videos.

[@wesleymyers7144]

Absolutely brilliant video and it’s great too see you’re still at it making videos. I began playing magic during the Theros block. You were always my favorite mtg KZbin channel back then. I stopped playing around Origins. I got back into magic recently and it’s great to see that you’re still making videos. And the first one I see is of my favorite plane! I’m currently building a Theros themed EDH. Not a single card outside of the Theros plane. I’m also heavily sticking to the “Nyx” starfield stylization they do in a lot of the art. Much like the nebula lands.

[@RhysticStudies]

thanks so much. I also started around Theros, so I'm glad we could both share a love for the plane. cheers.

[@RobertJW]

Honestly, it fascinates and somewhat baffles me that E.V. Rieu’s translations of the Iliad and The Odyssey still have so much cultural traction. At one end we have Alexander Pope - perhaps shackled by the famous line “You have given us a very pretty poem, Mr Pope, but it is not Homer” - and at the other, translators like R. Fagles, whose work is immediate and accessible while still maintaining the epic. Yet E. V. Rieu abides.

[@aidancossin1524]

I really liked this. I understand why it can take so long for a new video to come out now. I thought tbd was a good set. But it takes an extremely well polished essay to convince me, and even have me agreeing with it that I was wrong. Last time was so beautiful, and the quote at the end me me tearing up

[@6LordMortus9]

I have a much deeper interest and appreciation in the art of magic cards now.. thank you very much for this video!

[@TalkernateHistory]

Something important to realize about Greek myth is that The Mythical was not contemporary for the Greeks. In these stories, all the Heroes and Monsters and Gods coming down to Earth all happened in the "Heroic Age" which for them was in some impossibly distant past; similar in a lot of ways to how they feel for us today.

[@tribute731]

I shall lie in wait patiently for a new video to listen to as I fall asleep

[@QuietAsHeimdal]

I got so excited when I saw you'd made another video; thanks Sam!! The insightful and well-crafted content is a real treat. Hope you're well.

[@Xenos_hive]

Theros and tarkir where my first planes, my home sets and the fact that tarkir was ruined then hurt but I’d always have theros and now, theros has been done dirty

[@Michael_Raymond]

Given the sentiment here surrounding Theros and Greek myth, I'd like to see your thoughts on Kamigawa. You seemed disappointed at the places Magic deviated from the authentic myth but didn't really show an understanding of the concerns that authenticity wouldn't resonate with Magic's audience. I think a case study on why Kamigawa didn't connect with players - artistically *or* mechanically - would be valuable given that, by MaRo's account, authenticity is a large part of what killed Kamigawa. See also; Lorwyn.

[@lavashot449]

This is as close to Magic Lore ASMR we have and im grateful for it

[@redsxncubs23]

The designs for the gods are soooooo cool

[@prometheusrises]

I'm so happy you have another video. You sir are an amazing analyst and meditator of art, of gaming and of mythology.

[@conceptcenter4151]

Absoluetly great! Happy to see a new video. They are always fantastically produced!

[@danielmeyers1711]

Theros was th frist set I have a lot of cards from, and I have read all of them time and time again. And still this video tells some mache new. Think you

[@jeffalchemist]

Great video Sam. Thanks for sharing how similar yet different the 2 sets are. I also agree that we should have been shown more of the underworld. Since that was what was promoted most about this set.

[@clauderains1894]

Great episode. I am reminded of the saying 'you never step in the same river twice'. I am also reminded of the end of the Lord of the Rings when the Hobbits return to the Shire and they find it to be a different place to the one they left behind. This is what I am pondering after watching the episode, with planes that are entirely an inversion of the designers they seem to have more courage to tell the new story of the plane not having any qualms about disappointing fans who wanted it to be the same as it was before. In those moments the designers put there foot down and show have things have changed between sets. In Ravnica they show the result of the politicking within the guilds with new legendary creature are introduced who are vying for power and influence. I see it most poignantly in Innistrad on the cards 'Make a Wish' and 'Grapple the Past'. At once so familiar and so flatly stating 'this is not the place you once knew'. Perhaps it is the case that wizards lacked the boldness to show this type of change on Theros. But as you have said Theros itself is a pastiche, a copy of a copy and with all of these retellings of Greek myths they seek to capture a specific moment in time preserved through the ages. And by returning so Theros we are simply looking at that same captures moment, like going through old photos. Which leads to the actual question: 'how might they have shown change on theros?' For this I think it would be an idea to look at history rather than myth. Though we have a mythic view of Greek history anyway. Like with the myths greek history our general perception of Greek history is of the forty years after they defeated the Persians but before they defeated themselves in the peloponnesian war. This will probably show my ignorance about the Theros sets, but they could have looked to the later periods of Greek history to see how Theros could evolve over time. The peloponnesian war. Alexander. Rome. I suppose this runs into another issue with showing change on Theros. How can you show the intercultural exchange that came as a result of Alexander's conquest of Babylon in a world that is entirely devoted to one place and one culture: Greece.

[@RobertJW]

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he, not the same man.” I appreciate that for this discussion, you quote Heraclitus, the pre-Socratic Greek philosopher from the Ionian coast, which is part of modern-day Turkey.

[@lorenzotii1989]

You have been the first person that has encapsulate my feelings on this set. I never liked it as I felt it never went to place that the original set went. People called me a hater but now your video sumed up my feeling.

[@helloimvic7451]

I started to play MTGA because of your channel, cant wait to build a deck soon

[@Galmion]

I really wish you'd do more plane-specific studies such as this or the Ravnica ones. this is fantastic content!

[@briochebrioche8976]

This might be the first time I don't agree with you on something. This is just my opinion of course : When talking about Theros, we encounter different types of people, but the two I see the most are : -The ones who love Greek mythology and want to see references to that in the card -The ones who hate worlds that are too inspired by real life stuff and therefore hate some amount of cards in Theros. For my part, I really don't like "copy/pastes" of real life into Magic. When I first saw Alirios, enraptured, I thought "Yeah, this is Narcissus, and this is a very nice way to showcase this story into gameplay. But that's not Magic". One of my friends hates Theros because some gods are just Greek gods, with very little modifications. But I've also noticed that I love Theros, and Innistrad too, and both are heavily inspired by real life. But when I try to see what I love in these, I see that I love the story in general, how the characters interact with each others, and usually the characters I like the most are not the ones inspired by real life, unless I can really relate to them. In Theros, my favorite god is Kruphix, and that's for a lot of reasons, one of them being that he feels unique. I know he might be inspired by multiple greek gods, yet this is not copy/paste. He fulfills a role in the Theros story and universe before all else. When reading the books, I didn't care if Purphoros was mostly Hephaestus. I loved his relationship with Kruphix, Heliod, Thassa. But that's because I managed to deactivate my brain and avoid thinking about greek mythology. However, not everybody is able to do so. So when we went back to Theros, I liked it. It was in fact a reference to Theros, not to greek mythology, and that's fine. At least it would be fine if the story was not so poor and the universe was a little bit more developed. I feel like a lot of people started to love Theros over pure greek mythology, perhaps because they are familiar with this world. I think this "remake" being a reference to Theros itself is not only fine, but also a good idea, because that's when they should have expanded Theros the same way they used greek mythology as a basis to create this great plane.

[@danni3387]

For the gods, it would have been so easy to make versions based on other aspects of the same God. A new Thassa based on Poseidon being god of storms would rock.

[@lucasenraraujo]

Always a treat to watch and I must commend you on the font choice

[@ThreatLevel9]

Man your content is so well made. Love your videos.

[@francisvillarreal3743]

Keep up the good work-I loved the ravnica architecture video

[@TheOrian34]

Beyond the amazing work, it's always a delight to see those carefully placed references, that are so subtle that for a second, you might even think it's a mistake of your brain, a projected image from nyx. But no, it really is Initial D.

[@DerickTheHeroV2]

Hey Rhystic Studies, have you considered talking about the nightmare that was Oko, Thief of Crowns absolute dominance in many formats? There's so much to talk about there. Brawl dominance, standard warping, modern ban, Black Lotus being turned into an Elk in a Vintage tournament. There's a lot to unpack, and I think you could do it justice. Friendly reminder that Oko should have never been allowed to leave playtesting in its current state. Fight me.

[@kwads1909]

Derick Lee his channel seems to be focused more on the artistic elements of Magic as opposed to the balance of it. Not sure this would fall within his wheel house.

[@DerickTheHeroV2]

@@kwads1909 Meh, I think it could fit right in with his videos on Thoughtseize, Seige Rhino, and Bolt, but that's just me.

[@QuantillusVarus]

Another masterpiece. Thanks Sam.

[@samuraibeck]

I absolutely love your content, insightful, thought-provoking, and artfully scripted are some praises that come to mind. Thank you for what you do.

[@lucarioknightb7685]

That...says a lot. This set didn’t seem to be as magical as my first visit, but I’d just been chocking it up to burnout and that old Theros was when I started and everything was new, but...damn this “echo” feeling makes too much sense

[@KingBobXVI]

"this “echo” feeling" Did you remember to pay its mana cost again on upkeep? :P

[@Devoider]

Thank you for finally putting my finger on what frustrates me about beyond death.

[@lindakan9809]

I dont know what either of those words mean but its rhystic studies so its gonna be amazing

[@SmugLookingBarrel]

I really liked Theros: Beyond Death, but that might be due to a difference in perspective. I wasn't playing magic at the time of the original Theros, so to me, the set feels like ancient Greece: It's a bunch of stories from the past, tales I heard of powerful gods and heroes, of powerful monsters, of a standard ruled by mono-coloured Devotion decks. To me, the original Theros block was the plane as told in myths, the gods as people spoke about them, the monsters as described in epic poems, and the return in Beyond Death was how the plane truly is. I finally got to see the world as it was, rather than through the lens of time. Through that lens, I really liked the fact that things were just subtly different from before, that some things were the same. It was like coming to a place yourself after hearing stories about it and finding those stories to be mostly true, like looking at the source material after reading a myth and realizing what inspired the myth.

[@DarthTUK]

You did it once again. Great job.

[@zakorlando2462]

Yaaaaaas! I been waiting ages for a new video

[@Sey318]

Superb video, as per usual. One could make a video-essay/analysis like this very video... about his very video! Art imitating life, and life imitating art.

[@krim7]

Wow. High quality work. A+!

[@clarkmoore4]

Jesus Christ Sam, you destroyed me with that ending. KZbin ain't supposed to make me feel like that.

[@joncarroll2040]

It's important to remember that in this case the source material itself is a pastiche. Our best source for most of the stories of Greek mythology is Ovid writing at the time of Augustus Caesar 700 years after the Iliad and the Odyssey. In between the two and after them there are dozens of writers in the ancient world alone who contributed versions and probably more whose work has been lost to time. All of these writers had different motivations and modes of writing. Sophocles was a playwright trying to appeal to the audience for highly ritualized dramas. Seneca was a philosopher who was trying to teach the future emperor Nero the virtues of stoicism, lessons that obviously didn't take.

[@phineas7423]

The classic read so much better in their original languages. If you ever find yourself with 3 to 4 years of Latin under your belt, read the Aeneid. Some sections are sublime.

[@vincentst-gelais1453]

Always happy to see a new video come out!

[@texier13]

I really liked Theros Beyond Death but know i see that what i like of this set the way they created something new and not only the remakes of old Theros. My favorite things of the set are the escape Mechanic and the Sagas (which i already loved in Dominaria). A lot of other things, like constellation, seems a tweek of something already determined, TBD doesn't feel like a topdown design cause the elements of greek mithology were stablished in the original Theros. Really good job, as always!

[@themearkat]

Another beautiful video as always

[@Morenojorgem]

As always, thank you for your amazing work, Sam.

[@pestofan3]

Your videos are so captivating, the way you incorporate subtleties into your videos. I was wondering if there is a style you strive for or a specific flow of thought which can be applied to other topics when writing?

[@tosei91]

He's back!

[@raseaces]

I understand where you're coming from, but you've already answered "why cover the same ground again?" earlier in your video- you've acknowledged how Greek myth itself is inconsistent and filtered over and over again. But it's that retelling that keeps those stories alive thousands of years into the future. Even a far from ideal retelling of something like Clash of the Titans can lead to someone finding out about the original, just as how an excellent pastiche like Theros can lead to someone learning about the original mythology. In THB's case, yes, a lot more treading on new ground and more glimpses into Nyx would've been cool. But from the perspective of someone new to the game like myself who didn't play original Theros block, the non-Nyx parts have been a great introduction to the world. Which is better for the player base in the long run, since I'm here to play and learn about Magic, not greek mythology. That sort of retelling and self-referencing is arguably even more important in Magic's case since unlike video games, the game is time-limited. I can access God of War or the original Clash of the Titans even now, but I can't *ever* fully experience original Theros block or play it as it was release. Those sorts of references are vital in keeping the history of the game alive.