What I personally miss is the Eldrazi using the hedrons themselves. From Dreamstone Hedron to Hedron Matrix it really gave off the feeling of "oh crap". Like the irony of prisoners picking up jail cell bars to beat up the prison guards.
Now it just seems so... organized. As if the Zendikari prepared for this day all along.
Yeah, that's what I meant by seal. Put a whole plane's worth of hedrons around the big three and they were RELATIVELY dormant for 6k ywars.
Im not a fan of the "hedrons have 6k years of power" in them theory. The Eldrazi were relatively dormant, so that means they weren't eating anything. If the hedrons couldn't sap them of enough strength by the time they were released (Remember, upon release the first thing the titans did was wipe out a mountain just by stretching, essentially), there's no reason the hedrons should have enough power to do anything to the full powered Eldrazi.
The implication is that the Hedrons now have 6,000 years worth of Eldrazi energy they've absorbed, meaning they can more effectively be weaponized.
I believe its mentioned somewhere that if an Eldrazi is pierced by a hedron it is paralyzed. It certainly doesn't seem like the energy of the hedron is being used against the Eldrazi.
Yeah, that's what I meant by seal. Put a whole plane's worth of hedrons around the big three and they were RELATIVELY dormant for 6k ywars.
Im not a fan of the "hedrons have 6k years of power" in them theory. The Eldrazi were relatively dormant, so that means they weren't eating anything. If the hedrons couldn't sap them of enough strength by the time they were released (Remember, upon release the first thing the titans did was wipe out a mountain just by stretching, essentially), there's no reason the hedrons should have enough power to do anything to the full powered Eldrazi.
I think the assumption with your theory is that the Eldrazi are basically Galactus, right? Stop eating and they die? I'm not entirely sure that's true. The way the Hedron network is described, it uses the Eldrazi's own energy to keep them contained, meaning there is some kind of feedback loop there. I mean, to be fair this is from In the Teeth of Akoum so it may well be meaningless. Recent updates have seemed to imply that Ulamog is the 'devourer', and the rest of the Eldrazi serve other roles.
I will say that the evidence suggests that the Hedrons are storing power which can then be released.
Regardless, it would be nice to get some clarification on this one way or another. Hopefully, they'll explain it before the story is over. If they don't, I'll be taking to a certain new discussion thread to voice my opinion on the matter ;P
I believe its mentioned somewhere that if an Eldrazi is pierced by a hedron it is paralyzed. It certainly doesn't seem like the energy of the hedron is being used against the Eldrazi.
I'd have to see this specific reference to really judge.
I believe its mentioned somewhere that if an Eldrazi is pierced by a hedron it is paralyzed. It certainly doesn't seem like the energy of the hedron is being used against the Eldrazi.
I'd have to see this specific reference to really judge.
I think that also got referenced in the last Uncharted Realms update, but it's explicitly stated on Pathway Arrows.
What I personally miss is the Eldrazi using the hedrons themselves. From Dreamstone Hedron to Hedron Matrix it really gave off the feeling of "oh crap". Like the irony of prisoners picking up jail cell bars to beat up the prison guards.
Now it just seems so... organized. As if the Zendikari prepared for this day all along.
That is because the original intention what the hedrons should be changed.
Originally, the hedrons were intended to be something different than they ended up to be.
Especially the Temple being "ruins of an ancient Eldrazi civilization", etc.
Dreamstone Hedron and Hedron Matrix make zero sense with the Nahiri version of the story. So do the hedron superstructures that began to coalesce when the Titans were let loose, that were depicted on RoE lands.
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What I personally miss is the Eldrazi using the hedrons themselves. From Dreamstone Hedron to Hedron Matrix it really gave off the feeling of "oh crap". Like the irony of prisoners picking up jail cell bars to beat up the prison guards.
Now it just seems so... organized. As if the Zendikari prepared for this day all along.
That is because the original intention what the hedrons should be changed.
Not to mention Tuktuk's story makes no sense now. I think the best reconciliation is that the Eldrazi can use hedron magic because it's their magic having been absorbed.
Also, in the original Zendikar block many 'Hedrons' were in fact imitations created by the Eldrazi (hence, Tuktuk).
But that's just a fan theory to cover the giant plot hole, I haven't seen it been officially stated anywhere.
Dreamstone Hedron and Hedron Matrix make zero sense with the Nahiri version of the story.
Why not? Again, using the analogy of prisoners using jail cell bars as weapons, it wouldn't be too farfetched to think the Eldrazi are turning the hedrons against Zendikar, after they have been imprisoned by them for centuries.
So do the hedron superstructures that began to coalesce when the Titans were let loose, that were depicted on RoE lands.
This actually does make perfect sense. The Eldrazi have escaped and the jail is entering a "red alert" mode in which the hedrons combine into new superstructures for whatever unfathomable reason.
The real retcon is not the hedron's purpose, but their effect. Back then during Zendikar, it was said that the hedrons were unpredictable, some reversed gravity, others slowed down time, yet others had even stranger effects on their surroundings, like making trees grow in spacially impossible shapes around them. Fast forward to BFZ and suddenly all the hedrons do is... paralyzing eldrazi, trappingeldrazi, deal more damage to eldrazi and neutralizing eldrazi.
I also find it odd, that everyone says that the hedrons' purpose has been retconned, but as long as I can remember they were always meant to imprison the Eldrazi. When ROE was out, I actually found Hedron Matrix amusing because of that fact. Sure, we got the conflicting version before ROE was out, but I chalked that up as simply having the planeswalker's guides being told from an inlore perspective.
You guys are also forgetting that Jace may be taking a course of action that Ugin and co didn't because of what it would do to the multiverse. So Jace doing something they didn't isn't as bad as you think.
The hedrons are used as weapons because their primary purpose is "anti-Eldrazi". Nahiri, Sorin and Ugin, used them in their most powerful expression and they just became a seal.
An analogy. You can get a bunch of bars and use them to make a cage around and trap an elephant. You could also pick up one of those bars and try to beat the elephant to death instead. The latter ends with you crushed under the elephant's foot.
The hedrons were made to be seals because the THREE OLDWALKERS couldn't beat the Eldrazi: neither on planes nor in the Blind Eternities. Nahiri made the hedrons with the purpose of sealing in mind because killing was an impossibility. "Using the hedrons as weapons" implies that was their primary purpose, which it clearly isn't. In fact, you're making worse use of them since that's not what they were made to be. In doing so, they're even less effective than they were as seals.
Are we sure Ugin isn't the mono-blue character here? Jace hastily trying to kill something that he doesn't understand seems not very blue to me.
If Jace does it it's blue. Jace isn't blue; Blue is Jace. Comes with being Magic's John Cena.
Pretty sure R&D has a shrine to Jace and every morning each employee must show up to bow and sacrifice a non-Blue-aligned land/card of a non-jace-related legendary in front of it.
But what if you instead use the bars as spikes in a pitfall trap, impaling and killing the elephant? You were so locked in to being right with your analogy, you ignored this option. Just like Ugin might have.
Because conservative bias is a far, far worse thing. Liberal bias doesn't, statistically speaking, make people stupid. Conservative bias (or at least Fox's version of it) does.
Guys, do we know what Ugin, Sorin and Nahiri knew about the Eldrazi? Ugin played it all really close to the vest, so I'd question whether or not he was entirely truthful with his colleagues. Sorin is evidently wary of the elder dragon since he didn't want Ugin anywhere near Innistrad.
Ajduk, your presentation is bad writing on the grounds that it doesn't account for a number of variables. It doesn't delve into what prompts Jace to make the decision to kill the Eldrazi and disregard Ugin's advice. These planeswalkers are humans, and they can make mistakes. Or, in the case of Ugin there may be a tremendous amount of warranted, or unwarranted, arrogance. They can give into their vices and have that moment of realization when its too late to totally undo whatever damage's done. It also neglects Ugin's reasoning for deciding to not utilize the hedrons to their full potential (or to trick Nahiri and Sorin into believing that the hedrons were being used to their full potential). In summary, your quick and dirty doesn't take into consideration any of the variables or nuances that turn premises into interesting stories.
Now, if you would prefer something more straightforward that's also cool and more power to you for it. I am just saying that your quick dismissal of something that doesn't tick your expectations isn't my cup of tea when it comes to storyline.
I also find it odd, that everyone says that the hedrons' purpose has been retconned, but as long as I can remember they were always meant to imprison the Eldrazi. When ROE was out, I actually found Hedron Matrix amusing because of that fact. Sure, we got the conflicting version before ROE was out, but I chalked that up as simply having the planeswalker's guides being told from an inlore perspective.
Actually, if you look at all the stuff that existed pre-"The Lithomancer", it all points to the hedrons being "Eldrazi tech". You know how Lovecraft's gods tend to have subordinates with really weird tech that regular minds can't fathom? That's what the hedrons were kinda like and why you saw only spawn using them.
But what if you instead use the bars as spikes in a pitfall trap, impaling and killing the elephant? You were so locked in to being right with your analogy, you ignored this option. Just like Ugin might have.
You'll find I think my posts through before hitting "post reply".
I mentioned Oldwalkers because they had decades and infinitely more resources to do whatever it is that Jace and friends could do. Jace has, what, a week with the hedrons and far less resources.
So really, it'd be like if the best an army could afford was to build a cage around an elephant, while you're one guy trying to dig a hole, fill it with bars and then lure an elephant into it.
I also find it odd, that everyone says that the hedrons' purpose has been retconned, but as long as I can remember they were always meant to imprison the Eldrazi. When ROE was out, I actually found Hedron Matrix amusing because of that fact. Sure, we got the conflicting version before ROE was out, but I chalked that up as simply having the planeswalker's guides being told from an inlore perspective.
Actually, if you look at all the stuff that existed pre-"The Lithomancer", it all points to the hedrons being "Eldrazi tech". You know how Lovecraft's gods tend to have subordinates with really weird tech that regular minds can't fathom? That's what the hedrons were kinda like and why you saw only spawn using them.
But what if you instead use the bars as spikes in a pitfall trap, impaling and killing the elephant? You were so locked in to being right with your analogy, you ignored this option. Just like Ugin might have.
You'll find I think my posts through before hitting "post reply".
I mentioned Oldwalkers because they had decades and infinitely more resources to do whatever it is that Jace and friends could do. Jace has, what, a week with the hedrons and far less resources.
So really, it'd be like if the best an army could afford was to build a cage around an elephant, while you're one guy trying to dig a hole, fill it with bars and then lure an elephant into it.
It just makes 0 sense, dawg.
It makes sense. You just don't like it. That's fair. You don't have to. Willy Wonka knows a lot about bubblegum, but he doesn't know how to use it like MacGuyver.
Because conservative bias is a far, far worse thing. Liberal bias doesn't, statistically speaking, make people stupid. Conservative bias (or at least Fox's version of it) does.
Get off your high horse. Those here really invested in the story are like the platinum pros, they're aware they're a clear minority. Which doesn't relieve them from their right to simply discuss or even be deeply annoyed about things.
I'm not sure where you get that I am on some "high horse". I merely asked people to exercise caution and restraint in the manner in which they are choosing to express their displeasure. It is great that there is a passionate fan base that delves into the minutiae of each story and consumes it in the way that they do but, at the same time, there are MANY more people Wizards has to worry about, and a vast majority of those NEED the story in a more digestible format, while the entitled story fan has the option to avoid those spoiler-filled synopses.
I also find it odd, that everyone says that the hedrons' purpose has been retconned, but as long as I can remember they were always meant to imprison the Eldrazi. When ROE was out, I actually found Hedron Matrix amusing because of that fact. Sure, we got the conflicting version before ROE was out, but I chalked that up as simply having the planeswalker's guides being told from an inlore perspective.
Actually, if you look at all the stuff that existed pre-"The Lithomancer", it all points to the hedrons being "Eldrazi tech". You know how Lovecraft's gods tend to have subordinates with really weird tech that regular minds can't fathom? That's what the hedrons were kinda like and why you saw only spawn using them.
But where was that ever explicitly stated, except for the planeswalker's guide to Zendikar, which should best be taken as written from an inlore perspective? And saying that it pointed or implied a thing doesn't work, because ROE was kind of supposed to be this big reveal where everything you thought was true turned out to be wrong. I'm not trying to be snarky here, it just seems like I missed something, as everyone acts like there was this retcon, but I always thought of the hedrons as the imprisonment for the eldrazi since ROE.
So, as for the Hedrons being Eldrazi, that's... questionable.
The Tale of Tuktuk explicitly states that the Hedrons are 'the bars of the Eldrazi's prison'.
Eldrazi influence can create things that mimick the Hedrons (again, the Tale of Tuktuk), but I had always assumed the implication was that the Eldrazi could use the power stored in the Hedrons.
The Hedrons don't have to be one thing or the other. They can simply be tools that anyone with the knowledge can use - so some Eldrazi can tap into the Hedron's power, but they can also be used against the Eldrazi.
So, as for the Hedrons being Eldrazi, that's... questionable.
The Tale of Tuktuk explicitly states that the Hedrons are 'the bars of the Eldrazi's prison'.
Although the hedrons were created to trap the Eldrazi, over the millennia a peculiar bond developed between monstrosity and stone. As the Eldrazi tested the bars of their prison, the hedrons took on some of the dread energies of the Eldrazi themselves, like statues worn bright by oily hands. Today, many hedrons have an intimate connection with the Eldrazi monstrosities and their brood lineages of Eldrazi drones and spawn. Sometimes hedrons deep in underground ruins resonate so strongly with Eldrazi magic that some sensitive souls report hearing cryptic whispers from the stones.
Yeah looks like the stuff said prior to RoE was in-universe speculation that turned out to be wrong.
This explanation is always way more interesting than what the hedron's currently are. The idea that the mere existence of the Eldrazi warps reality so much that they turned their prison bars into weapons while they slumbered is pretty cool. Even if they needed to have hedrons as a way to even the odds against the Eldrazi the didn't need to get rid of that. Part of the story could be about purifying the hedrons of Eldrazi influence.
This explanation is always way more interesting than what the hedron's currently are. The idea that the mere existence of the Eldrazi warps reality so much that they turned their prison bars into weapons while they slumbered is pretty cool. Even if they needed to have hedrons as a way to even the odds against the Eldrazi the didn't need to get rid of that. Part of the story could be about purifying the hedrons of Eldrazi influence.
Or have the Zendikari actually test and use each hedron's individual effect. This could also have explained the allies in a better way. In ZEN they used to be "adventurers" and now they're just... everything? What separates an ally from a non-ally in BFZ? They could have instead have the allies in BFZ be "adventurer" parties that charted and tested hedrons across Zendikar to use them against the eldrazi if applicable.
This is why I'll never understand retcons, there are always so many ways that just seamlessly merge what you want to do with already existing lore.
This explanation is always way more interesting than what the hedron's currently are. The idea that the mere existence of the Eldrazi warps reality so much that they turned their prison bars into weapons while they slumbered is pretty cool. Even if they needed to have hedrons as a way to even the odds against the Eldrazi the didn't need to get rid of that. Part of the story could be about purifying the hedrons of Eldrazi influence.
Or have the Zendikari actually test and use each hedron's individual effect. This could also have explained the allies in a better way. In ZEN they used to be "adventurers" and now they're just... everything? What separates an ally from a non-ally in BFZ? They could have instead have the allies in BFZ be "adventurer" parties that charted and tested hedrons across Zendikar to use them against the eldrazi if applicable.
This is why I'll never understand retcons, there are always so many ways that just seamlessly merge what you want to do with already existing lore.
It was said somewhere that in BFZ, "ally" means that the creature is a part of a fighting force actively resisting the Eldrazi, like Gideon's or Drana's armies. Non-ally Zendikari are just trying to survive.
This explanation doesn't really work, but's it's the one we were given.
Allies are working together against the Eldrazi. Its worth noting that almost every creature card that represents a sapient being is an ally. The ones that aren't are flavored as loners with the exception of Stone Haven Medic.
Why did the Mirran resistance not feature allies then? I mean, if a creature type cannot be represented consistently across settings, then I wonder, why even use that creature type in the first place. For allies in Zendikar they had an excuse, because "adventurer" wouldn't have fit in the typeline, but for BFZ it really doesn't make sense, unless you retroactively declare a bunch of cards from Mirrodin Besieged to be allies. Same with rebels actually, how is rebel a creature type? Or rather how are rebels on other planes not rebels, like the guildless movement on Ravnica?
Why did the Mirran resistance not feature allies then? I mean, if a creature type cannot be represented consistently across settings, then I wonder, why even use that creature type in the first place. For allies in Zendikar they had an excuse, because "adventurer" wouldn't have fit in the typeline, but for BFZ it really doesn't make sense, unless you retroactively declare a bunch of cards from Mirrodin Besieged to be allies. Same with rebels actually, how is rebel a creature type? Or rather how are rebels on other planes not rebels, like the guildless movement on Ravnica?
I don't know, just a pet peeve of mine.
Because Wizards design operates so far in advance that Scars block was basically in the can by the time any market research came out regarding allies. Also because in the first Zendikar block, Allies represented the traditional RPG adventuring party. It wasn't until BFZ block that allies shifted to become the group of people fighting against the Eldrazi. Various creature types that are actually on the typeline are there for mechanical purposes, versus flavor purposes. We have to remember that Wizards only sometimes puts story and flavor first (top down). Sometimes the story team has to come up with reasons why things exist because the mechanics of the game take precedence over everything else (bottom up). The second occurs far more often than the first.
Why did the Mirran resistance not feature allies then? I mean, if a creature type cannot be represented consistently across settings, then I wonder, why even use that creature type in the first place. For allies in Zendikar they had an excuse, because "adventurer" wouldn't have fit in the typeline, but for BFZ it really doesn't make sense, unless you retroactively declare a bunch of cards from Mirrodin Besieged to be allies. Same with rebels actually, how is rebel a creature type? Or rather how are rebels on other planes not rebels, like the guildless movement on Ravnica?
I don't know, just a pet peeve of mine.
The type system is riddled with so many strange things that I've really never thought about it.
Why did the Mirran resistance not feature allies then? I mean, if a creature type cannot be represented consistently across settings, then I wonder, why even use that creature type in the first place. For allies in Zendikar they had an excuse, because "adventurer" wouldn't have fit in the typeline, but for BFZ it really doesn't make sense, unless you retroactively declare a bunch of cards from Mirrodin Besieged to be allies. Same with rebels actually, how is rebel a creature type? Or rather how are rebels on other planes not rebels, like the guildless movement on Ravnica?
I don't know, just a pet peeve of mine.
I might be in the minority since I didn't actively play Zendikar at the time, but to be honest, since the re-flavoring of Allies for BFZ, I've felt like the phrase makes more sense in the new context than the old. I get that in the old context that "ally" meant that it was a member of an adventuring party, but now they are literally allies against the Eldrazi. You don't really have to pick a new or different word to fit what they. They're just allies against Eldrazi. It makes more sense or maybe it's more correct to say that it flows better in my mind than allies as members of an adventuring party. It's true that in that instance that why don't they make every set with a group fighting another group allies and I guess my main thing (at least in the context of Scars) would be that they probably didn't think of it back then.
Plus I never really felt like the old ally mechanic mechanic, or at least the main +1/+1 counter one, really made as much sense with that flavor anyway, in my opinion. I think Rally Allies and the other ones like Jwari Shapeshifter make a little more sense.
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Now it just seems so... organized. As if the Zendikari prepared for this day all along.
Im not a fan of the "hedrons have 6k years of power" in them theory. The Eldrazi were relatively dormant, so that means they weren't eating anything. If the hedrons couldn't sap them of enough strength by the time they were released (Remember, upon release the first thing the titans did was wipe out a mountain just by stretching, essentially), there's no reason the hedrons should have enough power to do anything to the full powered Eldrazi.
Your mods are terrified of me.
I believe its mentioned somewhere that if an Eldrazi is pierced by a hedron it is paralyzed. It certainly doesn't seem like the energy of the hedron is being used against the Eldrazi.
I will say that the evidence suggests that the Hedrons are storing power which can then be released.
Regardless, it would be nice to get some clarification on this one way or another. Hopefully, they'll explain it before the story is over. If they don't, I'll be taking to a certain new discussion thread to voice my opinion on the matter ;P
I'd have to see this specific reference to really judge.
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I think that also got referenced in the last Uncharted Realms update, but it's explicitly stated on Pathway Arrows.
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That is because the original intention what the hedrons should be changed.
It was addressed in this article: http://www.gatheringmagic.com/carythomasbarkett-091615-hedrons-a-hidden-history/
Originally, the hedrons were intended to be something different than they ended up to be.
Especially the Temple being "ruins of an ancient Eldrazi civilization", etc.
Dreamstone Hedron and Hedron Matrix make zero sense with the Nahiri version of the story. So do the hedron superstructures that began to coalesce when the Titans were let loose, that were depicted on RoE lands.
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Also, in the original Zendikar block many 'Hedrons' were in fact imitations created by the Eldrazi (hence, Tuktuk).
But that's just a fan theory to cover the giant plot hole, I haven't seen it been officially stated anywhere.
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Why not? Again, using the analogy of prisoners using jail cell bars as weapons, it wouldn't be too farfetched to think the Eldrazi are turning the hedrons against Zendikar, after they have been imprisoned by them for centuries.
This actually does make perfect sense. The Eldrazi have escaped and the jail is entering a "red alert" mode in which the hedrons combine into new superstructures for whatever unfathomable reason.
The real retcon is not the hedron's purpose, but their effect. Back then during Zendikar, it was said that the hedrons were unpredictable, some reversed gravity, others slowed down time, yet others had even stranger effects on their surroundings, like making trees grow in spacially impossible shapes around them. Fast forward to BFZ and suddenly all the hedrons do is... paralyzing eldrazi, trapping eldrazi, deal more damage to eldrazi and neutralizing eldrazi.
I also find it odd, that everyone says that the hedrons' purpose has been retconned, but as long as I can remember they were always meant to imprison the Eldrazi. When ROE was out, I actually found Hedron Matrix amusing because of that fact. Sure, we got the conflicting version before ROE was out, but I chalked that up as simply having the planeswalker's guides being told from an inlore perspective.
But what if you instead use the bars as spikes in a pitfall trap, impaling and killing the elephant? You were so locked in to being right with your analogy, you ignored this option. Just like Ugin might have.
Ajduk, your presentation is bad writing on the grounds that it doesn't account for a number of variables. It doesn't delve into what prompts Jace to make the decision to kill the Eldrazi and disregard Ugin's advice. These planeswalkers are humans, and they can make mistakes. Or, in the case of Ugin there may be a tremendous amount of warranted, or unwarranted, arrogance. They can give into their vices and have that moment of realization when its too late to totally undo whatever damage's done. It also neglects Ugin's reasoning for deciding to not utilize the hedrons to their full potential (or to trick Nahiri and Sorin into believing that the hedrons were being used to their full potential). In summary, your quick and dirty doesn't take into consideration any of the variables or nuances that turn premises into interesting stories.
Now, if you would prefer something more straightforward that's also cool and more power to you for it. I am just saying that your quick dismissal of something that doesn't tick your expectations isn't my cup of tea when it comes to storyline.
Actually, if you look at all the stuff that existed pre-"The Lithomancer", it all points to the hedrons being "Eldrazi tech". You know how Lovecraft's gods tend to have subordinates with really weird tech that regular minds can't fathom? That's what the hedrons were kinda like and why you saw only spawn using them.
You'll find I think my posts through before hitting "post reply".
I mentioned Oldwalkers because they had decades and infinitely more resources to do whatever it is that Jace and friends could do. Jace has, what, a week with the hedrons and far less resources.
So really, it'd be like if the best an army could afford was to build a cage around an elephant, while you're one guy trying to dig a hole, fill it with bars and then lure an elephant into it.
It just makes 0 sense, dawg.
Your mods are terrified of me.
It makes sense. You just don't like it. That's fair. You don't have to. Willy Wonka knows a lot about bubblegum, but he doesn't know how to use it like MacGuyver.
I'm not sure where you get that I am on some "high horse". I merely asked people to exercise caution and restraint in the manner in which they are choosing to express their displeasure. It is great that there is a passionate fan base that delves into the minutiae of each story and consumes it in the way that they do but, at the same time, there are MANY more people Wizards has to worry about, and a vast majority of those NEED the story in a more digestible format, while the entitled story fan has the option to avoid those spoiler-filled synopses.
But where was that ever explicitly stated, except for the planeswalker's guide to Zendikar, which should best be taken as written from an inlore perspective? And saying that it pointed or implied a thing doesn't work, because ROE was kind of supposed to be this big reveal where everything you thought was true turned out to be wrong. I'm not trying to be snarky here, it just seems like I missed something, as everyone acts like there was this retcon, but I always thought of the hedrons as the imprisonment for the eldrazi since ROE.
The Tale of Tuktuk explicitly states that the Hedrons are 'the bars of the Eldrazi's prison'.
Eldrazi influence can create things that mimick the Hedrons (again, the Tale of Tuktuk), but I had always assumed the implication was that the Eldrazi could use the power stored in the Hedrons.
The Hedrons don't have to be one thing or the other. They can simply be tools that anyone with the knowledge can use - so some Eldrazi can tap into the Hedron's power, but they can also be used against the Eldrazi.
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http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/arcana/battle-zendikar-story-events-2015-10-07
Yeah looks like the stuff said prior to RoE was in-universe speculation that turned out to be wrong.
This explanation is always way more interesting than what the hedron's currently are. The idea that the mere existence of the Eldrazi warps reality so much that they turned their prison bars into weapons while they slumbered is pretty cool. Even if they needed to have hedrons as a way to even the odds against the Eldrazi the didn't need to get rid of that. Part of the story could be about purifying the hedrons of Eldrazi influence.
Or have the Zendikari actually test and use each hedron's individual effect. This could also have explained the allies in a better way. In ZEN they used to be "adventurers" and now they're just... everything? What separates an ally from a non-ally in BFZ? They could have instead have the allies in BFZ be "adventurer" parties that charted and tested hedrons across Zendikar to use them against the eldrazi if applicable.
This is why I'll never understand retcons, there are always so many ways that just seamlessly merge what you want to do with already existing lore.
This explanation doesn't really work, but's it's the one we were given.
Allies are working together against the Eldrazi. Its worth noting that almost every creature card that represents a sapient being is an ally. The ones that aren't are flavored as loners with the exception of Stone Haven Medic.
I don't know, just a pet peeve of mine.
Because Wizards design operates so far in advance that Scars block was basically in the can by the time any market research came out regarding allies. Also because in the first Zendikar block, Allies represented the traditional RPG adventuring party. It wasn't until BFZ block that allies shifted to become the group of people fighting against the Eldrazi. Various creature types that are actually on the typeline are there for mechanical purposes, versus flavor purposes. We have to remember that Wizards only sometimes puts story and flavor first (top down). Sometimes the story team has to come up with reasons why things exist because the mechanics of the game take precedence over everything else (bottom up). The second occurs far more often than the first.
The type system is riddled with so many strange things that I've really never thought about it.
I might be in the minority since I didn't actively play Zendikar at the time, but to be honest, since the re-flavoring of Allies for BFZ, I've felt like the phrase makes more sense in the new context than the old. I get that in the old context that "ally" meant that it was a member of an adventuring party, but now they are literally allies against the Eldrazi. You don't really have to pick a new or different word to fit what they. They're just allies against Eldrazi. It makes more sense or maybe it's more correct to say that it flows better in my mind than allies as members of an adventuring party. It's true that in that instance that why don't they make every set with a group fighting another group allies and I guess my main thing (at least in the context of Scars) would be that they probably didn't think of it back then.
Plus I never really felt like the old ally mechanic mechanic, or at least the main +1/+1 counter one, really made as much sense with that flavor anyway, in my opinion. I think Rally Allies and the other ones like Jwari Shapeshifter make a little more sense.
But the people behind the barrier knew.