Well technically Kiora might be a mammal she dose have breast which would indicate milk and probably live young and being aquatic doesn't rule out mammals so kiora would actually appear to be a mammal so that leaves Karn Ugin and Bolas out of our current crop of planeswalkers.
I shall agree that Kiora is mammalian, since merfolk are mostly human, except for such features as fins, which aquatic mammals (such as whales and dolphins) possess, as well.
Something to note:
Yes, we perceive the dragons returning as a bad thing, but Tarkir, as a plane, is dying without them. The dragons were, in essence, a part of the big circle of life for the plane, and removing them lead to a long slow decline. The Khans and their clans are all stagnant, fighting over the same territory day in and day out in so frequent a manner that they never advance. It's a never ending struggle against too many forces. I can't even begin to claim an understanding of the ecosystem of a world where dragons come out of storms, but it's probably fair to say that their death was a bad thing.
Additionally, even if he could bring dragons from a different plane, say, Jund for example, it would not be a good idea. The planes are vastly different places with different ecosystems. If the dragons even survived this foreign land, or even worse, adapted, they'd likely end up parasites. Like rabbits in Australia. Giant, scaly, fire breathing rabbits. With sharp pointy teeth.
Like rabbits in Australia. Giant, scaly, fire breathing rabbits. With sharp pointy teeth.
Apparently you've never met an Australian Rabbit.
Additionally, even if he could bring dragons from a different plane, say, Jund for example, it would not be a good idea. The planes are vastly different places with different ecosystems. If the dragons even survived this foreign land, or even worse, adapted, they'd likely end up parasites.
Quite honestly, I don't feel as if the ecosystems, ultimately, are that divergent from each other in broad terms.
Tarkir, in fact, may be the closest planar ecosystem to Jund that exists from what we've watched. MaRo had mentioned that on Tarkir virtually none of the other normal icons had ever taken root in the same iconic way. There are demons, but they aren't really the planar kind of super power demons would be on other planes. Hydras are barely there and Angels and Sphinxes never existed. Dragons, as their place in the ecosystem, actually pretty closely resembles Jund's dragons and their position.
An ecosystem like an apex predator down to the bottom feeder? I'm not sure if Creative would go that far. But in Jund, Dragons are definitely at the top of the foodchain.
If anything, perhaps Creative wants the Dragons of Tarkir to be more sentient than their Jundian counterparts. At least that's the vibe I'm getting.
Maybe Sarkhan seeks a dragon that is of his equal. Bolas was too degen for him, this is why he's heeding Ugin's whispers.
Something to note:
Yes, we perceive the dragons returning as a bad thing, but Tarkir, as a plane, is dying without them. The dragons were, in essence, a part of the big circle of life for the plane, and removing them lead to a long slow decline. The Khans and their clans are all stagnant, fighting over the same territory day in and day out in so frequent a manner that they never advance. It's a never ending struggle against too many forces. I can't even begin to claim an understanding of the ecosystem of a world where dragons come out of storms, but it's probably fair to say that their death was a bad thing.
Well, I don't think I can go into full detail without explaining a few years worth of biology class, but I'll try to keep it short:
The thing is, ecosystems just don't just "die" if something is missing. Ecosystems are not rigid systems that never change and infact the romantic view many people have that nature is in balance is actually a big fat lie. There is no balance in nature, everything is in constant flux. If something is taken away from an ecosystem, something else replaces it, because the key trait of life is adaptability. Additionally, the apex predators of an ecosystem are one of the most unimportant niches and overstated positions in an ecosystem. If an apex predator is missing not much will change. Yes, the prey will peak for an amount of time, but eventually something will come along to take the apex predator's position. Additionally, there is not really such a thing as a "dying" ecosystem, because that would imply there is a healthy and unhealthy state for ecosystems, which there isn't. Even an ecosystem consisting only of bacteria or plants without anything to feed on them is an ecosystem. Biodiversity is an arbitrary indicator we humans use to judge "healthiness" of the environment, but in the end it mostly means nothing.
Rant over.
I suppose in a fantasy setting all this means little, because they can always say "oh no! no dragons, plane is dying! uguu~" but since you cited a real world example for your theory, I just felt the urge to point out that your real world example is flawed.
The real world example was more about the introduction of non-native species with no natural predators (In Tarkir, dependent on whether or not the clans would want to hunt dragons at this point), and the general results of that, but your point still stands, and my reasoning was flawed.
I still think the plane is suffering without the dragons though.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synapsid
Possible, reptile-mammal.
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Yes, we perceive the dragons returning as a bad thing, but Tarkir, as a plane, is dying without them. The dragons were, in essence, a part of the big circle of life for the plane, and removing them lead to a long slow decline. The Khans and their clans are all stagnant, fighting over the same territory day in and day out in so frequent a manner that they never advance. It's a never ending struggle against too many forces. I can't even begin to claim an understanding of the ecosystem of a world where dragons come out of storms, but it's probably fair to say that their death was a bad thing.
Additionally, even if he could bring dragons from a different plane, say, Jund for example, it would not be a good idea. The planes are vastly different places with different ecosystems. If the dragons even survived this foreign land, or even worse, adapted, they'd likely end up parasites. Like rabbits in Australia. Giant, scaly, fire breathing rabbits. With sharp pointy teeth.
Quite honestly, I don't feel as if the ecosystems, ultimately, are that divergent from each other in broad terms.
Tarkir, in fact, may be the closest planar ecosystem to Jund that exists from what we've watched. MaRo had mentioned that on Tarkir virtually none of the other normal icons had ever taken root in the same iconic way. There are demons, but they aren't really the planar kind of super power demons would be on other planes. Hydras are barely there and Angels and Sphinxes never existed. Dragons, as their place in the ecosystem, actually pretty closely resembles Jund's dragons and their position.
If anything, perhaps Creative wants the Dragons of Tarkir to be more sentient than their Jundian counterparts. At least that's the vibe I'm getting.
Maybe Sarkhan seeks a dragon that is of his equal. Bolas was too degen for him, this is why he's heeding Ugin's whispers.
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG
That's not how ecosystems work.
Clarification please? What would have been a better word/how was it wrong?
The thing is, ecosystems just don't just "die" if something is missing. Ecosystems are not rigid systems that never change and infact the romantic view many people have that nature is in balance is actually a big fat lie. There is no balance in nature, everything is in constant flux. If something is taken away from an ecosystem, something else replaces it, because the key trait of life is adaptability. Additionally, the apex predators of an ecosystem are one of the most unimportant niches and overstated positions in an ecosystem. If an apex predator is missing not much will change. Yes, the prey will peak for an amount of time, but eventually something will come along to take the apex predator's position. Additionally, there is not really such a thing as a "dying" ecosystem, because that would imply there is a healthy and unhealthy state for ecosystems, which there isn't. Even an ecosystem consisting only of bacteria or plants without anything to feed on them is an ecosystem. Biodiversity is an arbitrary indicator we humans use to judge "healthiness" of the environment, but in the end it mostly means nothing.
Rant over.
I suppose in a fantasy setting all this means little, because they can always say "oh no! no dragons, plane is dying! uguu~" but since you cited a real world example for your theory, I just felt the urge to point out that your real world example is flawed.
The real world example was more about the introduction of non-native species with no natural predators (In Tarkir, dependent on whether or not the clans would want to hunt dragons at this point), and the general results of that, but your point still stands, and my reasoning was flawed.
I still think the plane is suffering without the dragons though.