The planeswalker center of consciousness theory was created as a definition of planeswalkerhood. As each author may show 'walkers differently (in both prerevisionist and revisionist), this theory was crafted to give rules to planeswalkers.
Basically, the theory states that a planeswalker is energy, and needs to focus to create a conscious center that would act as a brain (and, usually is a brain, though Urza's may have been his eyes). This center of consciousness (CenCon) is the most essential piece of planeswalkerhood, and denotes a planeswalker's capabilities and powers.
Urza-gc13 (who has begun posting again!), Gelcur (who has shown up on the Greek Alliance clan thread a little) and I have debated these topics originally on the MtGNews Storyline board years ago, and, as three of the most knowledgeable people on those boards, I think it is fair to say that these conclusions carry some weight (and provide a point of reference). Any given example of a planeswalker should fit this theory, but, it is theory, made only to connect the different perspectives that the different authors have used on planeswalkers. As new information becomes available, this theory is meant to change.
Below are three major questions, but please make more comments. It is rather confusing, as some parts are repeated. So, we should reorganize this, and continue to pick at it.
I.3. – Did Glissa defy this? I.4.A. – We know sparks were transferred in Fifth Dawn; I worded this portion as “grant a new spark” so we know that ‘walkers cannot just create others like themselves; however, we will have to work on wording new additions to this theory as how sparks are transferred. V.3.A – Serra’s reappearance may challenge this.
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THEORY: A Planeswalker's Center of Consciousness
I. The "Planeswalker Spark"
I.1. Very few mortals are born with something called a "planeswalker spark." This "spark" may allow the person who has it to "ascend" and become a planeswalker, although all with the spark will not ascend. I.1.a. Without a spark, a mortal can never become a planeswalker.
I.1.b. It is uncertain whether the spark is a genetic trait, a genetic mutation or even a rare magical phenomenon. A mutation or magic phenomenon is most likely the cause of a spark.
I.1.c. Only mortals born on natural planes (as opposed to the artificial ones) can be born with the spark.
I.2. As far as any planeswalker or sage can tell, there is no "planeswalking organ," and the spark is only a magical force inside of a mortal--presumably in the brain, although there is no conclusive evidence.
I.3. The spark does not affect the mortal in any way throughout life--it does not result in increased magical ability or provide luck. Its only purpose is to allow the person to ascend.
I.4. When the person is under great physical, mental, or magical stress, the spark may “flare,” and the mortal will ascend to become a powerful being known as a "planeswalker." Once a planeswalker, the spark still remains (but is “flared”), and as long as it is active, the planeswalker will remain a planeswalker.
I.4.a. Planeswalkers cannot grant a new spark to a mortal, although they may provide magical stress to help a latent planeswalker ascend.
I.4.b. Some planeswalkers have been able to void another 'walker's--or their own--planeswalker spark, therefore denying that being the power to planeswalk and the shifting abilities that go with being a planeswalker. It is reversible if the spell is broken by another powerful wizard or planeswalker.
I.5. Planeswalkers are able to traverse the multiverse to learn more powerful spells and accumulate vast amounts of mana.
I.5.a. The flared spark protects the planeswalker from the dangers of the Blind Eternities, allowing safe travel in the between-worlds. I.5.b. To travel from world to world is known as "planeswalking." Thus, a planeswalker can 'walk from one world to another.
I.6. Planeswalkers can sense latent sparks, although the spark appears to be non-localized--a planeswalker may not be able to pinpoint who the latent planeswalker is in a group of mortals. However, planeswalkers can detect other ascendant planeswalkers.
***
II. Ascendance
II.1. A latent planeswalker may ascend--and his or her spark will flare--when he or she falls into great physical, mental, or magical stress.
II.1.a. Planeswalkers cannot grant a new spark to a mortal, although they may provide magical stress to help a latent planeswalker ascend.
II.2. Ascendance is an "all-or-nothing" phenomena--either the spark flares and the mortal becomes a planeswalker, or the spark remains latent.
II.3. When the spark flares, the whole body ascends and becomes pure energy--flesh and blood is converted into energy.
II.4. At the moment of ascendance, a planeswalker may have the tendency to convert to a state of pure energy with no form or may quickly 'walk into the Blind Eternities.
***
III. A Planeswalker’s Form and Essence
III.1. When a planeswalker has no physical form, he or she may not be able to interact with the world or its inhabitants. Since he or she had learned to do everything--talk, eat, travel, spellcast--in a mortal body, the planeswalker will usually return to that form.
III.1.a. Without a physical form, a planeswalker inhabits the Blind Eternities rather than remain formless on a plane. Without a form--usually caused by severe damage or fatigue--a planeswalker cannot "anchor" to a world and must go formless in the Blind Eternities and reform a center of consciousness as soon as possible.
III.1.b. When a planeswalker is on the verge of losing his or her form and center of consciousness, he or she first becomes transparent and cannot interact with the world--nothing can affect or be affected by him or her until he or she regains power and concentrates again on a center of consciousness. Remaining in this state for a long period of time may result in death.
III.1.c. A planeswalker may also lose his or her form--or at least cause the form to unintentionally shift--due to a sudden and massive increase of available mana, although this is not dangerous and it will only take the 'walker seconds or moments to reform and gain control again.
III.2. A planeswalker is pure energy, and so his or her whole form is a part of his or her essence. Any harm done to any part of his body can be painful, because it is a direct assault on his or her very being.
III.3. When a planeswalker takes a physical form, he or she must center his or her consciousness somewhere, and this place tends to be the brain, since that is where thought originates from within a mortal body.
III.3.a. The planeswalker's form is an extension of this centered mind--this "center of consciousness."
III.3.b. A planeswalker may be able to split his or her essence into more than one form, with some of his or her essence in each form, but can only have one center of consciousness. So, one form may slowly die if the planeswalker does not have the ability for his center of consciousness to control more than one form. The form with the center of consciousness has the greatest chance of survival.
III.3.c. If a planeswalker's center of consciousness is removed from his or her body, the body may die and keep its tangible form, as if it never was an essence of pure energy, instead of disappearing into nothingness. A planeswalker corpse is possible, if only the center of consciousness is destroyed as opposed to the whole being of the planeswalker.
III.4. When a planeswalker takes a physical form, he or she must take that form completely. A planeswalker cannot be a hollow shell of a creature--he or she must have all of the organs, tissues, muscles, bones and fluids in their proper order. So, planeswalkers do have flesh and blood, although they have the capability to transform into pure energy at the 'walker's will.
III.4.a. When a planeswalker shifts forms, the exact properties of the 'walker's form will change, but once the shift is completed, the innards of the new form will coalesce.
***
IV. The Center of Consciousness
IV.1. When a planeswalker takes a physical form, he or she must center his or her consciousness somewhere, and this place tends to be the brain, since that is where thought originates from within a mortal body.
IV.1.a. The planeswalker's form is an extension of this centered mind--this center of consciousness.
IV.1.b. A planeswalker does not have to have his or her center of consciousness in his or her brain if he or she believes that it may lie elsewhere, so long that it is a focused location.
IV.2. Without a center of consciousness, a planeswalker would not be able to hold his or her form together, and would eventually separate into nothingness and die. Although the whole body is part of a planeswalker’s essence, it is the center of consciousness that holds the essence together. The center of consciousness is the most important and compact part of a planeswalker’s essence.
IV.2.a. Without a physical form, a planeswalker inhabits the Blind Eternities rather than remain formless on a plane. Without a form--usually caused by severe damage or fatigue--a planeswalker cannot "anchor" to a world and must go formless in the Blind Eternities and reform a center of consciousness as soon as possible.
IV.2.b. When a planeswalker is on the verge of losing his or her form and center of consciousness, he or she first becomes transparent and cannot interact with the world--nothing can affect or be affected by him or her until he or she regains power and concentrates again on a center of consciousness. Remaining in this state for a long period of time may result in death.
IV.2.c. If a planeswalker's center of consciousness is removed from his or her body, the body may die and keep its tangible form, as if it never was an essence of pure energy, instead of disappearing into nothingness. A planeswalker corpse is possible, if only the center of consciousness is destroyed as opposed to the whole being of the planeswalker.
IV.3. The center of consciousness is where a planeswalker stores his or her memories and thoughts just as a mortal would in a brain. It is from here where the planeswalker will think to regenerate his or her body, cast a spell, or think to act.
IV.3.a. If his or her body is in danger, the planeswalker must focus in his or her center of consciousness (basically needing to "think") to repair the damage.
IV.3.b. With an unfocused or damaged center of consciousness, a planeswalker would not be able to spellcast or planeswalk.
IV.4. If a planeswalker's center of consciousness is attacked, the planeswalker must focus his or her powers to maintain that center of consciousness--if his or her center of consciousness is a brain, then the planeswalker must make sure to keep the form and completeness of the brain.
IV.4.a. Without a center of consciousness, a planeswalker would not be able to hold his or her form together, and would eventually separate into nothingness and die.
IV.4.b. A planeswalker may be able to split his or her essence into more than one form, with some of his or her essence in each form, but can only have one center of consciousness. So, one form may slowly die if the planeswalker does not have the ability for his center of consciousness to control more than one form. The form with the center of consciousness has the greatest chance of survival. IV.4.c. If a planeswalker's center of consciousness is attacked, his or her primary goal is to repair or maintain the placee and focus of his or her center of consciousness before repairing his body.
IV.5. When a planeswalker is in full control of his or her center of consciousness, he or she may be able to observe the world around him at a faster rate, thus "slowing down" a battle and think more quickly than a mortal.
***
V. A Planeswalker's Death
V.1. If a planeswalker loses control of his or her center of consciousness, then he or she will die, his or her essence no longer being held together since the focus was destroyed.
V.1.a. If a planeswalker's center of consciousness is removed from his or her body, the body may die and keep its tangible form, as if it never was an essence of pure energy, instead of disappearing into nothingness. A planeswalker corpse is possible, if only the center of consciousness is destroyed as opposed to the whole being of the planeswalker.
V.1.b. If a planeswalker's center of consciousness remains intact, then it is possible to resurrect the planeswalker at some time, and even replace the center of consciousness inside the dead body, returning the body to pure energy.
V.2. When a planeswalker is on the verge of losing his or her form and center of consciousness, he or she first becomes transparent and cannot interact with the world--nothing can affect or be affected by him or her until he or she regains power and concentrates again on a center of consciousness. Remaining in this state for a long period of time may result in death.
V.3. A planeswalker may chose to die. If a planeswalker no longer wishes to live, he or she may chose to no longer focus his or her center of consciousness and dissolve into nothingness.
V.3.a. If a planeswalker chooses to die, then he or she cannot be resurrected.
V.3.b. If a planeswalker chooses to die, he or she may--instead of dissolving into nothingness--revert his or herbody to a mortal form and appear as though he or she physically died. A planeswalker, then, can make void his or her own spark and will him- or herself to die at the same time.
One thing about Glissa. Mirroden was in the future... so I really think that by then, Magic and Technology would be extremely advanced... So Memnarch would have the means to transfer sparks...
I seem to remember that Glissa was not the only one that had her spark taken away...
Also, I don't understand that part about a dying planeswalker becoming transparent... or intangible... when in the books did this happen? I'm pretty sure there can be a planeswalker corpse. Yawgamoth found one in Phyrexian before he became a god. And a planeswalker is a being or pure energy at all times... I think it actually can become a hollow shell of a creature... It doesn't need organs or anything.
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I can assure you that people from artificial planes cannot have to spark. Or else Yawgamoth would have gotten his planeswalker army already.
Glacian did prove that there were planes in powerstones. Also that it took alot of energy to make a plane. (I think they said that it took the destruction of alot of land to get energy into a powerstone? Or the opposite. It took alot of energy to get a plane into a powerstone... i don't know. It was something like that.)
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Urza needed his own spark. It is hinted that he ascended before he had both stones:
"When I poured my memories into the Sylex, I saw them ["places far beyond the land of Terisiare, far beyond the world of Dominaria."]. I see many things that I had never seen before."
- Urza, THE BROTHERS' WAR, page 409
'He used the Mightstone as a focus for his assault . . . he poured all his rage . . . All this he poured through the stone in one blast of energy.
'As he did so, he felt something give within him. It is as when a muscle suddenly pulled from strain, or a gear changed within a device. Suddenly the mental walls around him fell away, and he realized his brother had been right.
'He had never realized true power.
'Until now.'
- THE BROTHERS' WAR, page 397
These two passages suggest Urza is a natural planeswalker. He appears to have ascended before he used the Sylex even (the second passage comes first chronologically). Something "within" him "give." It's compared to a muscle or gear. At this point, Urza only had one stone--the Mightstone. The "mental walls" disappeared. Urza had ascended!
Now, it may still be argued Glacian helped him in this. Sure. Just as Freyalise helped Jaya with enough energy. Urza fed his rage and memories into the Mightstone for a spell, and Glacian's own spark and power helped Urza's personal spark flare.
Afterward, Urza saw the "other" worlds before he used the Sylex. After the blast, he retrieved the Weakstone.
So, Urza must be a natural 'walker.
Also, on Glacian: His mind is in the stones, but what of his spark? He never ASCENDED. So, theoretically, his spark never flared. So he may not have even had the POWER to help Urza. Just because Glacian's mind and soul are in the stone does not mean his spark flared. It could still lay dormant inside Karn for all we know. There is not proof his spark flared.
That is my response to Urza's 'walkerhood, and I still stand by it. I think he is a natural planeswalker, and I do not think Glacian's spark really helped him along, since we don't know if Glacian's spark ever flared.
Urza discovered magic when he poured all his might into the mightstone. He wasn't a planeswalker.
I may be wrong. And I actually agree that Urza might have had his own spark...
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Namely Leshrac???? That's interesting theory...
Yawgmoth, after realising that there is nothing like planeswalking organ, could mindcontrol him and force to create a plane. After all we don't know what hapenned with Leshrac on Phyrexia.
@urza-gc13:
Yes, I meant Rath.
In powerstone you say? Hmmm... That's possible, but I doubt that though. I think it was a quite normal plane in Dominia. When Urza planeswalked there (following Phyrexian negator) he would notice that he 'walks to some powerstone, that something is different.
What? I think you misunderstand. Yawgmoth did not make a plane. Dyfed(sp?) took Yawgmoth to Phyrexia and they did some sort of ritual, granting Yawgmoth the ability to control the entire plane(s).
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Interesting... but then wouldnt Lershac tell others? Or maybe something else happened... Rath has special properties... (Like expanding its size by 100% per day...) It might not need a planeswalker to create. just Phyrexian ingenuity.
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I would argue to keep it easier. Please keep in mind I have not read Arena or the Greensleeves trilogy in a long time, and do not have them with me.
Kuthuman tried to gain mana to ascend. We know that you need a spark to ascend, not mana. However, with as much mana as he gathered, it actually flared a spark he already had. If he did not have the spark, he would not have ascended.
I would argue the same for Garth. Being inside a planeswalker's mind may have been enough to flare his own spark.
And we do know that planeswalkers can have their sparks contained. I will again admit that I forgot all of Garth's stories, and so don't recall when he lost and regained his abilities, or under what circumstances. Perhaps he found a spell that allowed him to accept or decline his powers at his leisure.
As for impregnating a mortal woman--I think he may be the first. Of course, Jared Carthalion (a mortal) impregnated the planeswalker Kristina of the Woods before Jared himself ascended.
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Dominian Scholar of the Old Guard, specializing in pre-revisionist (Armada comics) and revisionist (Brothers' War through Apocalypse)history
Hrm...I do apologize. In Wayfarer, Jared and Kristina sleep with one another. Upon consideration and referencing my notes, I now realize that their child was not made known until after Wayfarer (unpublished material). I guess I do need to get that worked out. However, Jeff Gomez, who shared this information with me asked me not to share it in the form he gave it to me. Which means I need to rewrite a few things. I will look into it when I have time, as the Planeswalker War is a good story to tell.
Jared Carthalion and Kristina of the Woods's daughter was named Justina (yeah, not very creative).
DO NOT doubt your storyline knowledge! I'll work on it when I am able. The files I have are many, and need to be compiled into a comprehensive story. Perhaps I'll work on a VERY BRIEF overview and post it, and flesh out details later.
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Dominian Scholar of the Old Guard, specializing in pre-revisionist (Armada comics) and revisionist (Brothers' War through Apocalypse)history
MORT- Teferi does NOT say Karn isn't a planeswalker, he says he's not a flesh and blood planeswalker, which he is not.
The matter of sparks belonging to Glacian and Urza is yet unresolved. Also, i'm not sure that the amalgamut of artifacts known as the Legacy would be able to accomplish and effect like the end of Mirrodin block. In fact, i'm sure they couldn't. Otherwise, they'd have just used the Legacy to rebirth Dominaria post-Death Cloud like on Mirrodin.
Karn is a Planeswalker the same as any other until he himself says otherwise. Teferi was gone before the end of the Apocalypse, and could only hear second hand stories of the ascension to begin with, so he wouldn't be the most knowledgeable person about it either.
And CenCon theory is fine as it is. It is meant for planeswalkers, which is why the phrase was ever coined. You can quit trying now. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I'm glad that they revealed teferi's ascesnion in timespiral. I can't believe it took him 40 years after being set on fire, and frozen in time then unfrozen from time. I believe the center of consciousness doesn't exist. Bolas talks aa little bit about it in timespiral I believe.
She likely won't, Sengir. Do remember this thread has no Spoiler Tags in the title, so try not to spoil anything from Time Spiral (like the fact the go over Teferi's ascension :p).
Also, in the way of teleportation and how hard it is-- i believe Barrin commented on it being a very draining spell as well, though Hazezon Tamar eventually conquered the teleportation spell.
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That's because one on the meditation plane isn't dead, just incorporeal (sp?). Since his mana base was destroyed, he had no mana to call upon to do anything about it either. He WASNT destroyed.
Mr.McGough, can we get confirmation on this?
I have the novel too MORT, and i read the same words. But the problem lies in the fact you NOR Teferi can prove Karn didn't ascend naturally using the spark of Glacian or even Urza's. He could full well be a natural planeswalker. Again, a non-walker couldn't commit an act such as the Rebirth post 5th Dawn. He is a planeswalker regardless, it's a matter of whether or not he has a spark, which i believe he clearly does.
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The Legendary Storyline Poster--- Ixidorsdreams (yeah, it was me ;))
I think the thing about the CenCon is, And I may be wrong here, but...
Does the CenCon require a location with in the body? I assume that all the CenCon depends on is the mental power of the owner. Since Magic in Dominaria has been equated with mental strength time and time again,
it seems to make sense. I would assume that sufficiently powerful being who knew what it was doing could ascend to the point where its CenCon is outside of it's physical body.
That sort of idea isn't really exclusive to magic, either. There are all sorts of myths about it (I.E, the Distant Heart spell of Asian Mythology). It even strikes me as similar to the actual practice of Astral Travel.
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I think that the CenCon is the soul in some ways though. I mean, obviously there's more to it than just the soul, but I think that the soul is necessarily part of it.
If it was just an imprint of the conciousness, it wouldn't really be the 'Walker that was brought back. By having the soul too, it is the walker.
This would also explain why Bolas was able to regenerate, but why it took him so long. All he had left was the CenCon, soul and all. He had to construct himself a body from nothingness.
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A lot has been said here, so I have few things to add. However, I do have a few responses to make and some theories of my own to post.
A spark can have some effect, though it seldom does. Again, remember Glissa. That green surge attack she had wouldn’t have been available to her without her spark. As far as Mirrodin’s stability goes, I think the moons have something to do with it. Memnarch was no planeswalker, and artificial planes normally crumble in that length of time without a planeswalker’s maintenance (Rath is an exception here, but in fairness, it didn’t last as long on its own as Mirrodin did, and Phyrexia was a LOT more powerful than Memnarch on his own). But the moons must have some abject purpose. Mirrodin received plenty of light on its own from before. I think the moons’ purpose is to sustain Mirrodin’s own stability far past the prime of most other planes. Going back to what Phyrexian said, just because Yawgmoth hadn’t aroused an ascendance among one of his demons, newts, gremlins, negators, vat-priests, etc. in nine millennia in no way means that just because something is born on an artificial plane means it can’t have its own spark. Something has to endure some kind of stress for it to arise. Something has to be sufficiently intelligent and able to think for a spark to work. Phyrexians’ slavish devotion to their master and ultimately rare free thought could have interacted with this. And also, as far as sparks are concerned, it is also possible that Phyrexians don’t count as properly living creatures or are born under the wrong circumstances. Consider: many Phyrexians were artificially created in vats and all of them were studded with metal parts and filled with glistening oil anyway. Perhaps it disrupted sparks in some way…? In any case, Yawgmoth and the others never out and out said that a spark had never arose. It could also simply be that anyone with a spark proved to be too powerful to control or restrain for long and was promptly killed, or realized that they didn’t have to obey Yawgmoth and just took off.
Maybe the reason the spark-transferring machine that is Mirrodin didn't work for Memnarch is because it couldn't work for him. I have a theory that just like there are only some people that can become planeswalkers, perhaps there are also a particular class of person that can accept a spark in the first place. What criteria this would have I don't know, but it might explain why Memnarch had so many resources and worked for so long, only to let the spark slip away into a goblin's hands instead of his own.
About any "subpar" mechanics or cards: Context is king.
If I make a templating or grammar error, let me know.
The franchise MtG most resembles is Battlestar Galactica. Why? Its players exist in, at most, a dozen different models at any given point in time, with perhaps up to 3% variation, 5% if you're lucky.
But, if you read time spiral, Karn is not described as a planeswalker, per se, but rather a golem that can planeswalk. I, personally, am still not convinced that Karn is an actual planeswalker. I think, rather, he is described as that because he is indistinguishable from it.
Anyway, I don't believe that 'Walkers can only be born on natural planes. I don't see any logic behind that, what so ever. I suppose it's possible, but, some how I doubt it.
I think, rather, a spark only comes about in a natural birth. Since Serra's plane was full of Angels and Phyrexia was like 98% machine and 2% organic, I would guess that neither got sparks for obvious reasons. Yawgmoth probably inadvertantly culled the Spark out of his people by interfearing with their bodies too much, while Angels are just manifestations of Mana.
I would add that Glissa was born on Mirroden, AFAIK. Yes, the elves were brough to mirroden, but that was long before Glissa was born.
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If I am not mistaken, Ramenth, many of the inhabitants of Serra's Realm were born, naturally.
My understanding of a lack of spark-bearing peoples on artificial worlds is due to its ley lines and, perhaps, interactions of souls. Without a permanent, established, stable mana-base, sparks cannot be created. We can potentially look at spiritual realms as well--Glissa's spirit originated from another plane, and she is the only example of an artificial world's planeswalker.
I have not finished Time Spiral, but I'm excited to hear that Karn is referred to as a planeswalking golem. Scott--have you been reading our threads? I remember the copious posts of debate on this topic--and I'm sure some of you remember these talks from the Apocalypse time-period (wow, how many years ago was that?)!
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Dominian Scholar of the Old Guard, specializing in pre-revisionist (Armada comics) and revisionist (Brothers' War through Apocalypse)history
Teferi wouldn't be able to explain Urza's Legacy to anyone, so he couldn't say if or not a flare sparked to make Karn ascend. Teferi has no actual idea what to make of Karn. He can ASSUME, but he knows nothing for sure.
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And remember also: we've seen absolutely no planeswalker born on an artificial plane (even Glissa comes from a natural plane originally).
Again, there is no real proof of this. Without knowing exactly how the soul traps function, this theory is still potentially debunked. It could be that Mirrodin was a closed loop of recycled souls and the flares were memories from a previous life, but it still is possible that the flares were more like some kind of racial memory. Until the soul traps are explained, we really can't be sure.
I don't agree. What "criteria" has Karn, a silver golem, for example that Memnarch doesn't have? And the reason why the spark went to Slobad is because both Glissa and Memnarch were just killed (fallen into the mana core? Sorry, faulty memory), if I remember correctly and there was only him hooked to the spark-transfering machine.
For the most part, assuming my theory were valid, it would likely be as random as an actual spark emerging in a given person. Perhaps more common, but equally random. And before you go saying that "Karn is a golem, this couldn't be true", let us not forget the matter of his association with several living beings. Glacian in the stones, Weatherlight with whom he'd merged with many times before, the proximity of the dying Urza Planeswalker, the similar proximity of Gerrard Capashen, and hell, Xantcha's heart at the core of his being!
About any "subpar" mechanics or cards: Context is king.
If I make a templating or grammar error, let me know.
The franchise MtG most resembles is Battlestar Galactica. Why? Its players exist in, at most, a dozen different models at any given point in time, with perhaps up to 3% variation, 5% if you're lucky.
Basically, the theory states that a planeswalker is energy, and needs to focus to create a conscious center that would act as a brain (and, usually is a brain, though Urza's may have been his eyes). This center of consciousness (CenCon) is the most essential piece of planeswalkerhood, and denotes a planeswalker's capabilities and powers.
Urza-gc13 (who has begun posting again!), Gelcur (who has shown up on the Greek Alliance clan thread a little) and I have debated these topics originally on the MtGNews Storyline board years ago, and, as three of the most knowledgeable people on those boards, I think it is fair to say that these conclusions carry some weight (and provide a point of reference). Any given example of a planeswalker should fit this theory, but, it is theory, made only to connect the different perspectives that the different authors have used on planeswalkers. As new information becomes available, this theory is meant to change.
Below are three major questions, but please make more comments. It is rather confusing, as some parts are repeated. So, we should reorganize this, and continue to pick at it.
I.3. – Did Glissa defy this?
I.4.A. – We know sparks were transferred in Fifth Dawn; I worded this portion as “grant a new spark” so we know that ‘walkers cannot just create others like themselves; however, we will have to work on wording new additions to this theory as how sparks are transferred.
V.3.A – Serra’s reappearance may challenge this.
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THEORY: A Planeswalker's Center of Consciousness
Comments? Questions? Thoughts? Confusion? Additions?
I seem to remember that Glissa was not the only one that had her spark taken away...
Also, I don't understand that part about a dying planeswalker becoming transparent... or intangible... when in the books did this happen? I'm pretty sure there can be a planeswalker corpse. Yawgamoth found one in Phyrexian before he became a god. And a planeswalker is a being or pure energy at all times... I think it actually can become a hollow shell of a creature... It doesn't need organs or anything.
Glacian did prove that there were planes in powerstones. Also that it took alot of energy to make a plane. (I think they said that it took the destruction of alot of land to get energy into a powerstone? Or the opposite. It took alot of energy to get a plane into a powerstone... i don't know. It was something like that.)
from the original CenCon Thread (post #61)
That is my response to Urza's 'walkerhood, and I still stand by it. I think he is a natural planeswalker, and I do not think Glacian's spark really helped him along, since we don't know if Glacian's spark ever flared.
Researcher's notes
The original CenCon Theory thread.
Read this for more history and the creation of the CenCon theory.
Here's another thread on sparks and souls and planeswalkers.
I may be wrong. And I actually agree that Urza might have had his own spark...
What? I think you misunderstand. Yawgmoth did not make a plane. Dyfed(sp?) took Yawgmoth to Phyrexia and they did some sort of ritual, granting Yawgmoth the ability to control the entire plane(s).
Kuthuman tried to gain mana to ascend. We know that you need a spark to ascend, not mana. However, with as much mana as he gathered, it actually flared a spark he already had. If he did not have the spark, he would not have ascended.
I would argue the same for Garth. Being inside a planeswalker's mind may have been enough to flare his own spark.
And we do know that planeswalkers can have their sparks contained. I will again admit that I forgot all of Garth's stories, and so don't recall when he lost and regained his abilities, or under what circumstances. Perhaps he found a spell that allowed him to accept or decline his powers at his leisure.
As for impregnating a mortal woman--I think he may be the first. Of course, Jared Carthalion (a mortal) impregnated the planeswalker Kristina of the Woods before Jared himself ascended.
Jared Carthalion and Kristina of the Woods's daughter was named Justina (yeah, not very creative).
DO NOT doubt your storyline knowledge! I'll work on it when I am able. The files I have are many, and need to be compiled into a comprehensive story. Perhaps I'll work on a VERY BRIEF overview and post it, and flesh out details later.
The matter of sparks belonging to Glacian and Urza is yet unresolved. Also, i'm not sure that the amalgamut of artifacts known as the Legacy would be able to accomplish and effect like the end of Mirrodin block. In fact, i'm sure they couldn't. Otherwise, they'd have just used the Legacy to rebirth Dominaria post-Death Cloud like on Mirrodin.
Karn is a Planeswalker the same as any other until he himself says otherwise. Teferi was gone before the end of the Apocalypse, and could only hear second hand stories of the ascension to begin with, so he wouldn't be the most knowledgeable person about it either.
And CenCon theory is fine as it is. It is meant for planeswalkers, which is why the phrase was ever coined. You can quit trying now. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Maybe she will reveal herself in Planar Chaos or Future Sight.:eyebrow:
Also, in the way of teleportation and how hard it is-- i believe Barrin commented on it being a very draining spell as well, though Hazezon Tamar eventually conquered the teleportation spell.
Mr.McGough, can we get confirmation on this?
I have the novel too MORT, and i read the same words. But the problem lies in the fact you NOR Teferi can prove Karn didn't ascend naturally using the spark of Glacian or even Urza's. He could full well be a natural planeswalker. Again, a non-walker couldn't commit an act such as the Rebirth post 5th Dawn. He is a planeswalker regardless, it's a matter of whether or not he has a spark, which i believe he clearly does.
We'll find out, i disagree.
Does the CenCon require a location with in the body? I assume that all the CenCon depends on is the mental power of the owner. Since Magic in Dominaria has been equated with mental strength time and time again,
it seems to make sense. I would assume that sufficiently powerful being who knew what it was doing could ascend to the point where its CenCon is outside of it's physical body.
That sort of idea isn't really exclusive to magic, either. There are all sorts of myths about it (I.E, the Distant Heart spell of Asian Mythology). It even strikes me as similar to the actual practice of Astral Travel.
If it was just an imprint of the conciousness, it wouldn't really be the 'Walker that was brought back. By having the soul too, it is the walker.
This would also explain why Bolas was able to regenerate, but why it took him so long. All he had left was the CenCon, soul and all. He had to construct himself a body from nothingness.
A spark can have some effect, though it seldom does. Again, remember Glissa. That green surge attack she had wouldn’t have been available to her without her spark.
As far as Mirrodin’s stability goes, I think the moons have something to do with it. Memnarch was no planeswalker, and artificial planes normally crumble in that length of time without a planeswalker’s maintenance (Rath is an exception here, but in fairness, it didn’t last as long on its own as Mirrodin did, and Phyrexia was a LOT more powerful than Memnarch on his own). But the moons must have some abject purpose. Mirrodin received plenty of light on its own from before. I think the moons’ purpose is to sustain Mirrodin’s own stability far past the prime of most other planes.
Going back to what Phyrexian said, just because Yawgmoth hadn’t aroused an ascendance among one of his demons, newts, gremlins, negators, vat-priests, etc. in nine millennia in no way means that just because something is born on an artificial plane means it can’t have its own spark. Something has to endure some kind of stress for it to arise. Something has to be sufficiently intelligent and able to think for a spark to work. Phyrexians’ slavish devotion to their master and ultimately rare free thought could have interacted with this. And also, as far as sparks are concerned, it is also possible that Phyrexians don’t count as properly living creatures or are born under the wrong circumstances. Consider: many Phyrexians were artificially created in vats and all of them were studded with metal parts and filled with glistening oil anyway. Perhaps it disrupted sparks in some way…?
In any case, Yawgmoth and the others never out and out said that a spark had never arose. It could also simply be that anyone with a spark proved to be too powerful to control or restrain for long and was promptly killed, or realized that they didn’t have to obey Yawgmoth and just took off.
Maybe the reason the spark-transferring machine that is Mirrodin didn't work for Memnarch is because it couldn't work for him. I have a theory that just like there are only some people that can become planeswalkers, perhaps there are also a particular class of person that can accept a spark in the first place. What criteria this would have I don't know, but it might explain why Memnarch had so many resources and worked for so long, only to let the spark slip away into a goblin's hands instead of his own.
About any "subpar" mechanics or cards: Context is king.
If I make a templating or grammar error, let me know.
The franchise MtG most resembles is Battlestar Galactica. Why? Its players exist in, at most, a dozen different models at any given point in time, with perhaps up to 3% variation, 5% if you're lucky.
Anyway, I don't believe that 'Walkers can only be born on natural planes. I don't see any logic behind that, what so ever. I suppose it's possible, but, some how I doubt it.
I think, rather, a spark only comes about in a natural birth. Since Serra's plane was full of Angels and Phyrexia was like 98% machine and 2% organic, I would guess that neither got sparks for obvious reasons. Yawgmoth probably inadvertantly culled the Spark out of his people by interfearing with their bodies too much, while Angels are just manifestations of Mana.
I would add that Glissa was born on Mirroden, AFAIK. Yes, the elves were brough to mirroden, but that was long before Glissa was born.
My understanding of a lack of spark-bearing peoples on artificial worlds is due to its ley lines and, perhaps, interactions of souls. Without a permanent, established, stable mana-base, sparks cannot be created. We can potentially look at spiritual realms as well--Glissa's spirit originated from another plane, and she is the only example of an artificial world's planeswalker.
I have not finished Time Spiral, but I'm excited to hear that Karn is referred to as a planeswalking golem. Scott--have you been reading our threads? I remember the copious posts of debate on this topic--and I'm sure some of you remember these talks from the Apocalypse time-period (wow, how many years ago was that?)!
Again, there is no real proof of this. Without knowing exactly how the soul traps function, this theory is still potentially debunked. It could be that Mirrodin was a closed loop of recycled souls and the flares were memories from a previous life, but it still is possible that the flares were more like some kind of racial memory. Until the soul traps are explained, we really can't be sure.
For the most part, assuming my theory were valid, it would likely be as random as an actual spark emerging in a given person. Perhaps more common, but equally random. And before you go saying that "Karn is a golem, this couldn't be true", let us not forget the matter of his association with several living beings. Glacian in the stones, Weatherlight with whom he'd merged with many times before, the proximity of the dying Urza Planeswalker, the similar proximity of Gerrard Capashen, and hell, Xantcha's heart at the core of his being!
About any "subpar" mechanics or cards: Context is king.
If I make a templating or grammar error, let me know.
The franchise MtG most resembles is Battlestar Galactica. Why? Its players exist in, at most, a dozen different models at any given point in time, with perhaps up to 3% variation, 5% if you're lucky.