Okay, I haven't downloaded my copy of the Theros novels yet. I will, but I need to free up a few bucks first.
I just saw the card art for Deicide, and it shows Elspeth laying the smacketh down on Godly Xenagos.
So what's the deal? did she really kill him?
If answering this question spoils the book, then you all don't have to answer. But I could have sworn the guys behind MTG didn't want to kill off Planeswalkers (with one notable exception).
We don't know for sure--part two of the novel isn't out yet. It certainly looks that way, but it's just ambiguous enough (yes the name is Deicide, but it exiles, which implies less murder and more banishment, and Revel of the Fallen God says "Xenagos has fallen" which can be interpreted either way) that we can't say for sure.
It's also worth noting that when they killed off a walker last time they had to get permission to do so because the characters are that popular and that powerful as marketing tools.
I would be incredibly surprised if Xenagos was dead.
Xenagos could just be used as a way to tell a story though. His existence wasn't known before Theros. I'd be more surprised if Xenagos wasn't dead since his removal from the ever-growing planeswalker cast would be very clean here.
Venser was different since he had a developed backstory before Scars.
Xenagos could just be used as a way to tell a story though. His existence wasn't known before Theros. I'd be more surprised if Xenagos wasn't dead since his removal from the ever-growing planeswalker cast would be very clean here.
Venser was different since he had a developed backstory before Scars.
There is another factor to consider here as well in that Xenagos is sitting in a color combo that has had the most exploration than any of the others.
People were partially upset about Venser's death in that it meant their color combo had a piece removed from the lore.
I think he is dead. I just get the feeling from the card.
He is in pretty bad shape in that picture besides the obvious spear in his chest. If you look closely you will also see that he lost his right hand in that fight.
Doesnt make much sense to say "he lost his hand and got a spear in his chest but he is just banished now".
But of course everything can be possible I guess.
While your explanation makes sense to me I could also explain decide as banishing Xenagos from the realm of Theros. This would presumably strip him of his godhood, but not necessary kill him. After all he is a planeswalker and Nico-Bolas (far more powerful I think, but still) has been defeated and I believe banished from certain realms/worlds before.
On the contrary the card "Revel the of the Fallen God could suggest he is still reveling but no longer a God, thus fallen and a planeswalker in future blocks. Then again it would still seem mis-leading and after all Elspeth went through to rid of him it seems wrong to let him live lol. Finally, they might want planewalker verson for a dual deck, but I suppose plot wise they could always explain its before his death or even as part of his fight with Elspeth.
I've said this in the Theroes Novel thread but I'll say it here as well, I think Deicide is metaphorical, with Elspeth killing Xenagos godhood and leaving him mortal, much like how Godsend was able to cut Polukranos and even itself out of Nyx.
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It's also worth noting that when they killed off a walker last time they had to get permission to do so because the characters are that popular and that powerful as marketing tools.
I would be incredibly surprised if Xenagos was dead.
Considering he cast aside his Planeswalker status to become a God, I don't think he would've made a very interesting Walker anyway and few people would miss him.
Considering he cast aside his Planeswalker status to become a God, I don't think he would've made a very interesting Walker anyway and few people would miss him.
Sarkhan Vol had a better story, anyway.
He didn't cast aside anything. He still had his spark.
The flavour text implies that Elspeth has struck a powerful blow on Xena-god, and SHE believes it was a killing blow.
That's really all we know.
There is precedent in Magic for characters interpreting storyline events incorrectly on cards and believing a major character to die - Abandon Hope shows Hanna mourning the 'death' of her partner Gerrard, who survives the fall Hanna believes killed him.
Is Deicide referring to Xenagos actually dying, or just to everyone thinking so? The answer is - we do not have enough information to say.
The flavour text implies that Elspeth has struck a powerful blow on Xena-god, and SHE believes it was a killing blow.
That's really all we know.
There is precedent in Magic for characters interpreting storyline events incorrectly on cards and believing a major character to die - Abandon Hope shows Hanna mourning the 'death' of her partner Gerrard, who survives the fall Hanna believes killed him.
Is Deicide referring to Xenagos actually dying, or just to everyone thinking so? The answer is - we do not have enough information to say.
The difference between Abandon Hope and Deicide is the card name.
Card name is actually a meta story element, thus not limited by character perception. In abandon hope's case you see the name is very fitting - Hanna is abandoning a legitimate hope, the hope that Gerard would survive that fall.
In deicide's case if Xenagos survive the card name wouldn't be fitting - there's no deicide if a god doesn't die in the end of the day. And merely loosing godhood is not really dying, it's changing. Deicide imply death and murder, not change.
It could be that WotC is pulling a trick on us and is giving a fake spoiler, leaving enough room for Xenagos to survive. That's entirely possible but if I had to bet, i would say Xenagos really died.
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Standard - Serious BGU Control R Aggro
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I just saw the card art for Deicide, and it shows Elspeth laying the smacketh down on Godly Xenagos.
So what's the deal? did she really kill him?
If answering this question spoils the book, then you all don't have to answer. But I could have sworn the guys behind MTG didn't want to kill off Planeswalkers (with one notable exception).
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I would be incredibly surprised if Xenagos was dead.
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Venser was different since he had a developed backstory before Scars.
"Kiora is the Aquaman of planeswalkers."
"Useless and everyone pretends to like her?"
There is another factor to consider here as well in that Xenagos is sitting in a color combo that has had the most exploration than any of the others.
People were partially upset about Venser's death in that it meant their color combo had a piece removed from the lore.
He is in pretty bad shape in that picture besides the obvious spear in his chest. If you look closely you will also see that he lost his right hand in that fight.
Doesnt make much sense to say "he lost his hand and got a spear in his chest but he is just banished now".
But of course everything can be possible I guess.
BGU Control
R Aggro
Standard - For Fun
BG Auras
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Considering he cast aside his Planeswalker status to become a God, I don't think he would've made a very interesting Walker anyway and few people would miss him.
Sarkhan Vol had a better story, anyway.
He didn't cast aside anything. He still had his spark.
That's really all we know.
There is precedent in Magic for characters interpreting storyline events incorrectly on cards and believing a major character to die - Abandon Hope shows Hanna mourning the 'death' of her partner Gerrard, who survives the fall Hanna believes killed him.
Is Deicide referring to Xenagos actually dying, or just to everyone thinking so? The answer is - we do not have enough information to say.
All of this.
Nothing is certain until the book comes out.
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.
The difference between Abandon Hope and Deicide is the card name.
Card name is actually a meta story element, thus not limited by character perception. In abandon hope's case you see the name is very fitting - Hanna is abandoning a legitimate hope, the hope that Gerard would survive that fall.
In deicide's case if Xenagos survive the card name wouldn't be fitting - there's no deicide if a god doesn't die in the end of the day. And merely loosing godhood is not really dying, it's changing. Deicide imply death and murder, not change.
It could be that WotC is pulling a trick on us and is giving a fake spoiler, leaving enough room for Xenagos to survive. That's entirely possible but if I had to bet, i would say Xenagos really died.
BGU Control
R Aggro
Standard - For Fun
BG Auras