MaRo: "getting desparked by an eternal is lethal 100%"
Novel and cards: "Ehm... No it isn't..."
I mean, there are always exceptions that prove the rule. Bolas is an oldwalker, not a neowalker, and he's an Elder Dragon which likely adds all manner of extra constitution to survive really awful physical and spiritual harm. And Bolas has had shenanigans revolving around his spark before. So it's entirely possible he is, in fact, one of the extremely rare exceptions. Additionally... he literally MADE the spark harvesting by the eternals, which is, as far as we can tell, uniquely lethal (that is, taking a spark normally, as opposed to with an eternal, is not lethal). If there's any one being in the Multiverse that would either have a failsafe built in, or simply know how to survive having an eternal harvest their spark, it's Nicol Bolas. The individual who CREATED the magics that caused the eternals' harvesting to be lethal.
So yeah. There are completely reasonable explanations why Nicol Bolas would survive what is otherwise a lethal process.
MaRo: "getting desparked by an eternal is lethal 100%"
Novel and cards: "Ehm... No it isn't..."
I mean, there are always exceptions that prove the rule. Bolas is an oldwalker, not a neowalker, and he's an Elder Dragon which likely adds all manner of extra constitution to survive really awful physical and spiritual harm. And Bolas has had shenanigans revolving around his spark before. So it's entirely possible he is, in fact, one of the extremely rare exceptions. Additionally... he literally MADE the spark harvesting by the eternals, which is, as far as we can tell, uniquely lethal (that is, taking a spark normally, as opposed to with an eternal, is not lethal). If there's any one being in the Multiverse that would either have a failsafe built in, or simply know how to survive having an eternal harvest their spark, it's Nicol Bolas. The individual who CREATED the magics that caused the eternals' harvesting to be lethal.
So yeah. There are completely reasonable explanations why Nicol Bolas would survive what is otherwise a lethal process.
In addition, MaRo isn't really the leading authority on story matters. Doug would've been a better person to ask.
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On prision Realm flavor: Was it really milleannia? or was just centuries? I mean, did bolas plan soo ahead of it that even before his ressurection during the mending he was actively plotting to cast the elder spell and regain his spark ? humm
I love this set, I love the cards that we are getting. I love the artwork and how they've pushed recent boundaries with the card design.
But goodness the story is so basic hahaha. It just reminds me of the depth that a high school student would develop.
In what way? Because Bolas gets beaten?
Of course he gets beaten.
Given both the history and foreshadowing in the Core 2019 story, this is honestly a truly poetic and satisfying payoff.
This isn't just "Nasty villain gets foiled and sent to jail!" It's a deliberate, mocking echo of Bolas's origins, and a poetic closure to everything we know about him and the nature of his evil.
Bolas's first sensation in life was the fear of being powerless, of being trapped in a strange, frightening, arbitrary and uncaring world. Everything he has done since then, all his atrocities and power-seeking, have been an attempt to place himself above fear, above weakness. He was the youngest and least of his brood, and a runt who often found himself at the mercy of his bigger, more powerful siblings; hence he became obsessed with being the First, the Best, the Greatest.
All his atrocities ultimately stemmed from the things he was running from, the things he feared (weakness, helplessness, powerlessness, being prey in a world where predators dominate) and thus he taught himself to disdain and despise those things.
Now, in the end, that is where his path has lead him: back to the very fear, powerlessness, and patheticness he once butchered entire worlds to avoid.
As far as Bolas's character is concerned, it's a perfect ending, and I couldn't have written it better.
It's so nice to see Bolas get his just deserts. I have never really been a fan of him, back in Legends as a card and even more so as his character and deeds have been brought to us. I wonder what the new evil will be though. That is the big question now that Bolas is trapped in the Prison realm.
Adore the flavor text on Despark! The Amonkhet gods were owed payback on Bolas. At least they got it at the very end.
Edit: It actually looks like Bontu deals the killing blow (bite). Fitting given how he double crossed her (thought she kind of had that coming). I'm guessing the art on God-Eternal Oketra is her firing her arrow at Bolas since it seems like she's shooting in the direction the sparks are flying.
Ah! Liliana did turn the God-Eternals against Bolas! And his Elderspell along with them! I can appreciate the karmic irony.
So, now that our leading ladies - Chandra, Nissa, and Liliana - have all gotten to deal the finishing blow to the big bad guy, Liliana at least twice, are the guys finally allowed to shine again?
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
I love this set, I love the cards that we are getting. I love the artwork and how they've pushed recent boundaries with the card design.
But goodness the story is so basic hahaha. It just reminds me of the depth that a high school student would develop.
In what way? Because Bolas gets beaten?
Of course he gets beaten.
Given both the history and foreshadowing in the Core 2019 story, this is honestly a truly poetic and satisfying payoff.
This isn't just "Nasty villain gets foiled and sent to jail!" It's a deliberate, mocking echo of Bolas's origins, and a poetic closure to everything we know about him and the nature of his evil.
Bolas's first sensation in life was the fear of being powerless, of being trapped in a strange, frightening, arbitrary and uncaring world. Everything he has done since then, all his atrocities and power-seeking, have been an attempt to place himself above fear, above weakness. He was the youngest and least of his brood, and a runt who often found himself at the mercy of his bigger, more powerful siblings; hence he became obsessed with being the First, the Best, the Greatest.
All his atrocities ultimately stemmed from the things he was running from, the things he feared (weakness, helplessness, powerlessness, being prey in a world where predators dominate) and thus he taught himself to disdain and despise those things.
Now, in the end, that is where his path has lead him: back to the very fear, powerlessness, and patheticness he once butchered entire worlds to avoid.
As far as Bolas's character is concerned, it's a perfect ending, and I couldn't have written it better.
My feelings are more about the means rather than the end. But with regards to the end; sure, you can say it’s poetic, but it’s also redundant. This result has literally already happened to bolas albeit a different means.
Regarding my own feelings about this story, I find it completely silly for a plan that’s supposedly been developed over millennia to not have prepared for something as simple as his army being turned against him.
I get it, he tried to eliminate Liliana when he saw her turn against him (in the trailer) and Gideon intervened. But c’mon, this has to be the most simple thing to prepare for. Instead, an ancient dragon with a melennia-old plan put all his eggs in one basket and didn’t protect that basket?
Atrocious, hollow, laughable story yelling for their "most ancient evil". He was the smartest dragon for so many sets. In the snap of a set, he missed on so many things it's like he had to lose to make a card game keep going.
So a desparked Bolas somehow gets to the meditation plane.....another execption to the rules.....because Ugin shenanigans
Well. We already know Bolas in the lore has some sort of intense connection to the Meditation Realm, and that his mortal form outside of that is a reborn form he basically cloned to escape from being trapped between the Meditation Realm and the material world of Dominaria as a spirit once before, while he was dead. And that after doing so, he suddenly had a large gem between his horns, and another one even larger floating between the horns of the Meditation Realm itself, that are likely connected somehow.
Additionally, the Meditation Realm doesn't work like other planes; Tetsuo Umezawa and Ayesha Tanaka transported to it as non-walkers, before. And Bolas himself transported his spirit to it while dead.
So yeah. Actually. The Meditation Realm appears to be very unique and special in that regards far as planes in the Magic multiverse are concerned. Not like other planes, despite walkers being able to find it. But they only appear to be able to find it when invited by someone; only Ugin and Bolas appear to have found it on their own.
So we desparked Nicol Bolas and threw him to a nearly empty plane to starve to death. Yikes...
Anyways I'm so glad Despark and the rest of the flexible, efficient removal from this block exists as an answer to all this ridiculously powerful stuff that will be popping up in EDH.
Adore the flavor text on Despark! The Amonkhet gods were owed payback on Bolas. At least they got it at the very end.
Edit: It actually looks like Bontu deals the killing blow (bite). Fitting given how he double crossed her (thought she kind of had that coming). I'm guessing the art on God-Eternal Oketra is her firing her arrow at Bolas since it seems like she's shooting in the direction the sparks are flying.
Yeah and for some reason this all powerful Dragon God didnt just crush the eternals when they turnedon him or fly (you know like a dragon) up in the air to escape. And depending when the Immortal Sun was destroyed possible why he didnt just Walk away....nope he just stood there on top of the citadel and waited to be killed...(yeah yeah arrogance and narcissism)..just silliness
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Been a member here for over a dozen years. Playing since '95 just got lost in the twitch shuffle.
So, why din't Bolas just killed everyone? I assume he was busy casting The Elderspell so he couldn't cast any other powerfull spell. I do like that the Amonkhet Gods got their chance on payback for Bolas ruinning their lives.
Adore the flavor text on Despark! The Amonkhet gods were owed payback on Bolas. At least they got it at the very end.
Edit: It actually looks like Bontu deals the killing blow (bite). Fitting given how he double crossed her (thought she kind of had that coming). I'm guessing the art on God-Eternal Oketra is her firing her arrow at Bolas since it seems like she's shooting in the direction the sparks are flying.
Yeah and for some reason this all powerful Dragon God didnt just crush the eternals when they turnedon him or fly (you know like a dragon) up in the air to escape. And depending when the Immortal Sun was destroyed possible why he didnt just Walk away....nope he just stood there on top of the citadel and waited to be killed...(yeah yeah arrogance and narcissism)..just silliness
Well, he was also in the middle of casting The Elderspell, and Liliana had just shattered his Gem of Becoming (he has it in the art of Despark but I think this is an error).
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Good best thing IMO to happen to Bolas and it closes his story just like it had opened;
they do not notice the last egg-stone. It unfurls into not one, but two small dragons born twinned together. Not twenty paces from the clearing they hit the canopy, crashing down through branches and, with twin thumps, come to rest on the forest floor amid a welter of needles and fern.
"Ouch," says the smaller of the two. He rubs his head against the ground to wipe away a trickle of blood where the tough branches have scratched through the still-tender scales.
The other one tries to shake open his bruised wings but is trapped by branches fallen like a net over him. A broken tree trunk pins his body. "I'm stuck," he says.
"I'll help you," says the first, studying the other with a keen eye. "You're Nicol, aren't you? That's your name."
bye *****.
Wait. Is this how an actual MTG novel reads? Wow, dodged a bullet there, I guess.
I think I've learned to treat Magic cards like baseball cards: keep 'em in a binder in numerical order, don't play with 'em, try to finish the set and just keep my head down.
Adore the flavor text on Despark! The Amonkhet gods were owed payback on Bolas. At least they got it at the very end.
Edit: It actually looks like Bontu deals the killing blow (bite). Fitting given how he double crossed her (thought she kind of had that coming). I'm guessing the art on God-Eternal Oketra is her firing her arrow at Bolas since it seems like she's shooting in the direction the sparks are flying.
Yeah and for some reason this all powerful Dragon God didnt just crush the eternals when they turnedon him or fly (you know like a dragon) up in the air to escape. And depending when the Immortal Sun was destroyed possible why he didnt just Walk away....nope he just stood there on top of the citadel and waited to be killed...(yeah yeah arrogance and narcissism)..just silliness
Well, he was also in the middle of casting The Elderspell, and Liliana had just shattered his Gem of Becoming (he has it in the art of Despark but I think this is an error).
I think that's backwards and the art is correct. He is desparked, then his Gem is shattered.
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I mean, there are always exceptions that prove the rule. Bolas is an oldwalker, not a neowalker, and he's an Elder Dragon which likely adds all manner of extra constitution to survive really awful physical and spiritual harm. And Bolas has had shenanigans revolving around his spark before. So it's entirely possible he is, in fact, one of the extremely rare exceptions. Additionally... he literally MADE the spark harvesting by the eternals, which is, as far as we can tell, uniquely lethal (that is, taking a spark normally, as opposed to with an eternal, is not lethal). If there's any one being in the Multiverse that would either have a failsafe built in, or simply know how to survive having an eternal harvest their spark, it's Nicol Bolas. The individual who CREATED the magics that caused the eternals' harvesting to be lethal.
So yeah. There are completely reasonable explanations why Nicol Bolas would survive what is otherwise a lethal process.
In addition, MaRo isn't really the leading authority on story matters. Doug would've been a better person to ask.
But goodness the story is so basic hahaha. It just reminds me of the depth that a high school student would develop.
From the leaks it seems like lazotep has some resistence to magic and also looks like Niv is the one to deal with Kefnet, if i m not mistaken.
In what way? Because Bolas gets beaten?
Of course he gets beaten.
Given both the history and foreshadowing in the Core 2019 story, this is honestly a truly poetic and satisfying payoff.
This isn't just "Nasty villain gets foiled and sent to jail!" It's a deliberate, mocking echo of Bolas's origins, and a poetic closure to everything we know about him and the nature of his evil.
Bolas's first sensation in life was the fear of being powerless, of being trapped in a strange, frightening, arbitrary and uncaring world. Everything he has done since then, all his atrocities and power-seeking, have been an attempt to place himself above fear, above weakness. He was the youngest and least of his brood, and a runt who often found himself at the mercy of his bigger, more powerful siblings; hence he became obsessed with being the First, the Best, the Greatest.
All his atrocities ultimately stemmed from the things he was running from, the things he feared (weakness, helplessness, powerlessness, being prey in a world where predators dominate) and thus he taught himself to disdain and despise those things.
Now, in the end, that is where his path has lead him: back to the very fear, powerlessness, and patheticness he once butchered entire worlds to avoid.
As far as Bolas's character is concerned, it's a perfect ending, and I couldn't have written it better.
Edit: It actually looks like Bontu deals the killing blow (bite). Fitting given how he double crossed her (thought she kind of had that coming). I'm guessing the art on God-Eternal Oketra is her firing her arrow at Bolas since it seems like she's shooting in the direction the sparks are flying.
So, now that our leading ladies - Chandra, Nissa, and Liliana - have all gotten to deal the finishing blow to the big bad guy, Liliana at least twice, are the guys finally allowed to shine again?
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
Bolas: you should have gone for the head
Despark has the Gem of Becoming visible in the artwork, so it must take place chronologically before Finale of Eternity.
Prison Realm is clearly very near the plot's resolution.
That was her shooting Gideon's pegasus out of the sky as shown on Divine Arrow.
Yeah I just saw that art/flavor text
NVM on closer inspection that IS Oketra along w/ Bontu. I thought it was just a random eternal.
My feelings are more about the means rather than the end. But with regards to the end; sure, you can say it’s poetic, but it’s also redundant. This result has literally already happened to bolas albeit a different means.
Regarding my own feelings about this story, I find it completely silly for a plan that’s supposedly been developed over millennia to not have prepared for something as simple as his army being turned against him.
I get it, he tried to eliminate Liliana when he saw her turn against him (in the trailer) and Gideon intervened. But c’mon, this has to be the most simple thing to prepare for. Instead, an ancient dragon with a melennia-old plan put all his eggs in one basket and didn’t protect that basket?
Atrocious, hollow, laughable story yelling for their "most ancient evil". He was the smartest dragon for so many sets. In the snap of a set, he missed on so many things it's like he had to lose to make a card game keep going.
Oh wait...
Well. We already know Bolas in the lore has some sort of intense connection to the Meditation Realm, and that his mortal form outside of that is a reborn form he basically cloned to escape from being trapped between the Meditation Realm and the material world of Dominaria as a spirit once before, while he was dead. And that after doing so, he suddenly had a large gem between his horns, and another one even larger floating between the horns of the Meditation Realm itself, that are likely connected somehow.
Additionally, the Meditation Realm doesn't work like other planes; Tetsuo Umezawa and Ayesha Tanaka transported to it as non-walkers, before. And Bolas himself transported his spirit to it while dead.
So yeah. Actually. The Meditation Realm appears to be very unique and special in that regards far as planes in the Magic multiverse are concerned. Not like other planes, despite walkers being able to find it. But they only appear to be able to find it when invited by someone; only Ugin and Bolas appear to have found it on their own.
Anyways I'm so glad Despark and the rest of the flexible, efficient removal from this block exists as an answer to all this ridiculously powerful stuff that will be popping up in EDH.
Yeah and for some reason this all powerful Dragon God didnt just crush the eternals when they turnedon him or fly (you know like a dragon) up in the air to escape. And depending when the Immortal Sun was destroyed possible why he didnt just Walk away....nope he just stood there on top of the citadel and waited to be killed...(yeah yeah arrogance and narcissism)..just silliness
Well, he was also in the middle of casting The Elderspell, and Liliana had just shattered his Gem of Becoming (he has it in the art of Despark but I think this is an error).
Wait. Is this how an actual MTG novel reads? Wow, dodged a bullet there, I guess.