With Erebos using Mastix it brings up the question for me about the Bident Dekella and how critical it is for Theros. If Erebos is protecting himself and fulfilling his function as god of the dead with it, I wonder what balance has been disrupted by the theft of the Bident, if any, on Theros? Hopefully we don't have to wait until a return to discover what became of the Theros ocean, and of Thassa.
Also props to Erebos for being to blasé and awesome. I still really think Kytheon is Heliod's son. He's the son of the Sun! The Indestructible ability strongly is suggestive of that for me, and of course the Heracles trope. Not to mention how Heliod and the Order of Heliud is now intersecting. Anyone else notice Heliod and Erebos fighting in the art of Starfield of Nyx in Origins?
I loved how the story had Greek mythology tropes of the tragic hero at the mercy of the gods in the end. Leave it to Erebos to punish mortal hubris with eternal anguish. Did anyone else notice that the temple where Kytheon gets a replica of Heliod's spear is the same place where Elspeth had Godsend blessed by Heliod and turned into a spear? She became his champion there too.
Speaking of that, I REALLY hope the art of Heliod giving Kytheon the spear is on a card... In fact I hope all the art we've been seeing in the URs are on cards in Origins. I can't stand when awesome art isn't on cards, like the scene of Heliod killing Elspeth. Jace's story had some amazing art pieces I hope to see on cards too.
Overall happy to get another glimpse of Theros again, but my favorite was Jace's origin story personally. Also as I said before, Heliod isn't exactly a villain. He's just extreme White philosophy. It can be argued that all gods take their color philosophy to extreme levels because Greek gods are just bizarre like that.
So I've been discussing this with my friends since the UR "Drop For Drop" where Thassa's Bident Dekella is stolen by Kiora. What are the repercussions of Thassa losing the Bident, if any? Will she be unable to control the tides on Theros without it, for example, and have some balance lost there? We know Theros is a plane of feuding and meddling gods, so will Thassa, a major Theros deity, be at a disadvantage there now? We know how Phenax sought to manipulate her after all.
I also read a theory that Purphoros could forge Thassa a new Bident. But I do wonder if he originally forged all the god weapons, or if they were born with the original gods through belief and cannot be duplicated.
Anyhow I'll be sad if we have to wait until Return to Theros to finally discover what becomes of her!
Love it. After Starfield of Nyx and Demonic Pact, another super-flavorful card.
Not that I would like to open it (or play it in Limited, for the record) but for a Vorthos, this is pure win.
Quite a nice reset button in EDH as well.
This. Origins has a lot of really neat flavor cards that leaves a Vorthos like me pretty impressed. I was surprised they finally made a card for this process, and even for Nyx itself
Retcon, retcon, retcon everywhere! I wonder how they will retcon the remaining planeswalker stories. It would have been nicer if they've given the community a heads up that retconville is on the horizon.
What are you talking about? There was hardly any retcon in Jace's story, and similarly, almost none in Liliana's. Only Chandra.
Jace's story just took known facts and used them, though sometimes in an unexpected way. That is NOT a retcon.
Nope. But her story is, admittedly interesting. Lilliana is dealing with the absolute worst beings in the Multiverse, with a lethal artifact. It's one of the most tense stories right now because she really could fail, in any number of unimagined ways. And for some reason, I'm actually a bit scared for her.
I wonder if they'll just recycle Basic Lands in this set I hope not, I really want glimpses of all these planes through new art Basic Lands.
I don't like full-art lands and when they are done, I love that we get regular versions too. I don't like my lands not matching each other, and since we don't get non-basic full art lands I'll pass. That said, Zendikar and Theros have the most beautiful lands of all IMO.
WHEN are the Basics for Origins getting spoiled already?
Retcon, retcon, retcon everywhere! I wonder how they will retcon the remaining planeswalker stories. It would have been nicer if they've given the community a heads up that retconville is on the horizon.
What are you talking about? There was hardly any retcon in Jace's story, and similarly, almost none in Liliana's. Only Chandra.
Jace's story just took known facts and used them, though sometimes in an unexpected way. That is NOT a retcon.
Heliod is arrogant but not a jerk or villain IMO. He's simply misinformed white philosophy. Godsend elaborated his thought pattern well. For example, as an onlooker his fight with Thassa made him look like a prick. But in reality, his intentions were to highlight a major problem with the metaphysics of Theros and uniting the gods in addressing what eventually became Xenagos. Let's be honest here - whatever a Planeswalker was to a being who only knows about Theros the way Heliod does isn't something that reflects well. Xenagos damages Nyx, becomes a god and throws off the natural order, and Elspeth manages to enter Nyx and kill him with a god-forged weapon (which arguably is a greater feat than any Theros hero before her). Whatever these Nyx-damaging, god weapon wielding, god-killing entities that walk worlds are, they're a threat to the natural order of Theros as Heliod sees it through white philosophy, and if killing Elspeth preserves Theros for all Therans, then he chose the community over the individual.
Heliod could have killed Ajani. But he didn't know Ajani was a Planeswalker too. Heliod isn't Kruphix. Heliod is genuinely worried about Theros as I see it, despite his selfish reasons. Sure he wants something to rule, sure he's asserting control over what he unrightfully sees as his sole domain, sure he's hated for this attitude, but at the end of the day, I don't feel he killed Elspeth out of spite or malice, but because he was misinformed and feared her as a threat to the status quo.
Imagine if he knew about Dack stealing artifacts on the Dakra Isles, or Ashiok making dream deities and manipulating Ephara, or obliterating Iretis, or as Kiora stealing krakens and the Bident itself, and infuriating Thassa. Let's be honest, Planeswalkers were a complete menace on Theros.
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I LOVED Jace's story and it helps me identify with him more, and understand him as a character and understand his motives more now. I always admired Jace for his genuine curiosity and pursuit of knowledge/advancing intellect (such as being excited to see Kamigawa and learn of its magic in Agents of Artifice) but he feels more accessible as a character now. Let alone one that many can feel with. I don't see a cliche story, I see a well executed attempt at inclusion where it makes the best sense. Magic is all about community and similar interest and Jace as someone who is searching for an identity after feeling like an outcast but realizing the potential he has is very admirable to me.
Actually, this article is the entire problem. Neo-Nazis? Really? Way to buy into propaganda. And the Trump reference about "locker room talk" - way to push your political agendas on a card game forum and assume your opinions are the status quo, and the only right way to think. That's why everyone is sick of liberals and SJWs. Arrogance and ignorance. No one gives a damn bro, we're here for card games. Get over yourselves and off your righteous soapbox.
Also props to Erebos for being to blasé and awesome. I still really think Kytheon is Heliod's son. He's the son of the Sun! The Indestructible ability strongly is suggestive of that for me, and of course the Heracles trope. Not to mention how Heliod and the Order of Heliud is now intersecting. Anyone else notice Heliod and Erebos fighting in the art of Starfield of Nyx in Origins?
Speaking of that, I REALLY hope the art of Heliod giving Kytheon the spear is on a card... In fact I hope all the art we've been seeing in the URs are on cards in Origins. I can't stand when awesome art isn't on cards, like the scene of Heliod killing Elspeth. Jace's story had some amazing art pieces I hope to see on cards too.
Overall happy to get another glimpse of Theros again, but my favorite was Jace's origin story personally. Also as I said before, Heliod isn't exactly a villain. He's just extreme White philosophy. It can be argued that all gods take their color philosophy to extreme levels because Greek gods are just bizarre like that.
I also read a theory that Purphoros could forge Thassa a new Bident. But I do wonder if he originally forged all the god weapons, or if they were born with the original gods through belief and cannot be duplicated.
Anyhow I'll be sad if we have to wait until Return to Theros to finally discover what becomes of her!
This. Origins has a lot of really neat flavor cards that leaves a Vorthos like me pretty impressed. I was surprised they finally made a card for this process, and even for Nyx itself
Nope. But her story is, admittedly interesting. Lilliana is dealing with the absolute worst beings in the Multiverse, with a lethal artifact. It's one of the most tense stories right now because she really could fail, in any number of unimagined ways. And for some reason, I'm actually a bit scared for her.
But I love angels so IDK.
Thassa bless us tbh
I don't like full-art lands and when they are done, I love that we get regular versions too. I don't like my lands not matching each other, and since we don't get non-basic full art lands I'll pass. That said, Zendikar and Theros have the most beautiful lands of all IMO.
WHEN are the Basics for Origins getting spoiled already?
Instead?
Puts all the Tarkir Dragon arts to shame tbh
And this is why I hate Liliana >_>
Heliod could have killed Ajani. But he didn't know Ajani was a Planeswalker too. Heliod isn't Kruphix. Heliod is genuinely worried about Theros as I see it, despite his selfish reasons. Sure he wants something to rule, sure he's asserting control over what he unrightfully sees as his sole domain, sure he's hated for this attitude, but at the end of the day, I don't feel he killed Elspeth out of spite or malice, but because he was misinformed and feared her as a threat to the status quo.
Imagine if he knew about Dack stealing artifacts on the Dakra Isles, or Ashiok making dream deities and manipulating Ephara, or obliterating Iretis, or as Kiora stealing krakens and the Bident itself, and infuriating Thassa. Let's be honest, Planeswalkers were a complete menace on Theros.
------
I LOVED Jace's story and it helps me identify with him more, and understand him as a character and understand his motives more now. I always admired Jace for his genuine curiosity and pursuit of knowledge/advancing intellect (such as being excited to see Kamigawa and learn of its magic in Agents of Artifice) but he feels more accessible as a character now. Let alone one that many can feel with. I don't see a cliche story, I see a well executed attempt at inclusion where it makes the best sense. Magic is all about community and similar interest and Jace as someone who is searching for an identity after feeling like an outcast but realizing the potential he has is very admirable to me.