Jace and Vraska is probably the best written character relationship thus far. They're handling it really well.
Also, "Jace is Ace!" does kind of sound like a slogan Jace would actually use if he had to campaign on Ravnica, considering how goofy Amnesiac Jace seems to be at times. (I'd probably vote for him just out of sympathy for such a horrible slogan.)
this week's ixalan Story deepens the bond between Jace and Vraska. Read it here
AND we also get a more in-depth glimpse into Vraska here.
Good stuff all-around. Writers are doing a great job of making these two more likable. also begs the question of what's in store for them when they return to Rav.
The Vraska article was well done. It's not horribly detailed but it does a great job tying all her story elements together and summarizing her character. It's a shame the player's guide decided to mess that up (although apparently the player's guide isn't canon?).
Honestly very impressed with Ixalan all around, cards, story, theme and all. Jace and Vraska interactions are a high point of the overall lore for me too.
Great developlment of Jace and Vraska. We often just see PWs sharing screen time, but rarely building a believable dynamic/relationship. So this has been nice.
If not Ugin, definitely a dragon, given the dragon imagery spotted here and there. Whats interesting though is that none of those dragon hints even look close to Ugin. They wouldn't drop a new dragon PW on us, would they?... There's also the Bat-God
How can Elenda of Garrano guard the Immortal Sun now, when supposedly "a winged being descended from the sky", took it and brought it to the other side of the plane though?
Did maybe-ugin take the vampire progenitor with him or what?
The winged beast took the Sun from Torrezon and brought it to Ixalan and gave it to the Merfolk to protect.
They've been pretty vague about timelines here, so if it is Ugin (as I believe it to be), it would have to be more than 1280 years ago or whenever it was that Bolas accosted him and Sarkhan put him in his hedron-cocoon.
On that note, I have always thought that Ugin's feathered wings were very MesoAmerican-y, so him having a very direct connection to Ixalan would make some sense there.
I really loved this week's story. It had incredible character building and I love the direction they are taking with both the Jace and Vraska narrative.
Rereading Hour of Devastation and at the part where Jace tries to get into Bolas' mind and losses his focus when a memory of something akin to Bolas' mental defences flashes to the front of his mind. I know people think it was a memory of Ugin's mind, but since Jace remembered Alhammarret here, I think that memory was Alhammarret's mind and his own mind pushed it down.
Great story, great character building. Pretty surprised the whole Jace/Vraska thing is actually happening but I dig it. I'll second that the winged being taking away the immortal sun gives some more credence to the Ugin theory. Still a lot of other possibilities though.
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My Decks:
UG Merfolk RG 8-Whack BWG Abzan midrange GRB Living End UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin" RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!" BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
Whoa. Okay, this wasn't at all what I expected. The title "Something Else Entirely" is a perfectly apt one.
The storytelling for Ixalan seems very tight--as in, there are no "filler episodes" tracking tertiary characters. Each new story has to do with developing the main characters or the main plot. In a way it's nice, but I'd also appreciate the occasional filler chapter, purely for world-building purposes. Hopefully we'll see some of that between Ixalan and Rivals of Ixalan.
Well, after a rocky start to the post-Origin's storyline, it seems the writers finally hit their stride last summer with Hour of Devastation. Since then, they've been consistently putting out good stories. Ixalan is the most character-driven story we had in ages, which is partly why it's so refreshing. The plot? Pirates, vampires, and dinosaur-riding Aztecs are competing to find the lost City of Gold, and the merfolk are trying to stop them. That's really all there is to it. Everything else is just characters interacting, and it works.
Rereading Hour of Devastation and at the part where Jace tries to get into Bolas' mind and losses his focus when a memory of something akin to Bolas' mental defences flashes to the front of his mind. I know people think it was a memory of Ugin's mind, but since Jace remembered Alhammarret here, I think that memory was Alhammarret's mind and his own mind pushed it down.
People think its Ugin due to the similarity in words used to describe them.
The walls around the dragon's mind were smooth and featureless, like dark obsidian. There seemed to be no entry, nothing to even latch onto. Jace had never encountered a mind so impenetrable, except for . . . the merest moment of a memory surfaced of a mind as smooth and dazzling as a wall of crystal. But even as the thought entered his mind, it erased itself, and he could not remember where he had seen such a thing—or even what kind of thing it was.
Jace tried to read the great being's mind, to verify his story, but found it as smooth and dazzling as a wall of crystal.
Rereading Hour of Devastation and at the part where Jace tries to get into Bolas' mind and losses his focus when a memory of something akin to Bolas' mental defences flashes to the front of his mind. I know people think it was a memory of Ugin's mind, but since Jace remembered Alhammarret here, I think that memory was Alhammarret's mind and his own mind pushed it down.
People think its Ugin due to the similarity in words used to describe them.
The walls around the dragon's mind were smooth and featureless, like dark obsidian. There seemed to be no entry, nothing to even latch onto. Jace had never encountered a mind so impenetrable, except for . . . the merest moment of a memory surfaced of a mind as smooth and dazzling as a wall of crystal. But even as the thought entered his mind, it erased itself, and he could not remember where he had seen such a thing—or even what kind of thing it was.
Jace tried to read the great being's mind, to verify his story, but found it as smooth and dazzling as a wall of crystal.
Jace never describes Alhammarret.
True, but did Ugin do any mind magic to make Jace not remember trying to read his mind. I wouldn't put it past the creative team to make any mind mage have a similar mental defence
It would be interesting if Ixalan turns out to be Ugin's plane of origin.
The planeswalker guide to Tarkir says Ugin is a native of Tarkir.
My guess is the bat-god thing, that seems to have some set up and there gotta be more to Immortal Sun if the merfolk seem so scared of it.
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“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Rereading Hour of Devastation and at the part where Jace tries to get into Bolas' mind and losses his focus when a memory of something akin to Bolas' mental defences flashes to the front of his mind. I know people think it was a memory of Ugin's mind, but since Jace remembered Alhammarret here, I think that memory was Alhammarret's mind and his own mind pushed it down.
People think its Ugin due to the similarity in words used to describe them.
The walls around the dragon's mind were smooth and featureless, like dark obsidian. There seemed to be no entry, nothing to even latch onto. Jace had never encountered a mind so impenetrable, except for . . . the merest moment of a memory surfaced of a mind as smooth and dazzling as a wall of crystal. But even as the thought entered his mind, it erased itself, and he could not remember where he had seen such a thing—or even what kind of thing it was.
Jace tried to read the great being's mind, to verify his story, but found it as smooth and dazzling as a wall of crystal.
Jace never describes Alhammarret.
True, but did Ugin do any mind magic to make Jace not remember trying to read his mind. I wouldn't put it past the creative team to make any mind mage have a similar mental defence
Not all mind mages are the same, it literally describes a completely different kind of mind mage in the same paragraph.
More importantly upon remembering, it immediately erased itself, which implies a currently existing block forcing him to forget. Ugin is the only current candidate to be capable of such a feat.
Eh guess Jace has been out on the sea too long. Low standards. If her finds he beautiful I may stand a chance, yo
How dare Jace be straight all this time tho. Bi and I refuse to entertain.
It's interesting some of Jace's earliest memories are surfacing first, like Alhammaret suffocating. I think Vryn is in our future! Let's hope. Actually... new!Jace arriving on Vryn and coming full circle there might be a remarkable way to expand on this arc. At least when he returns to his mother, he won't be wimpy - Ixalan made a tough guy out of him
Does standard need a BW walker? Saint Elenda gone missing after pursuing the Sun in a dangerously guarded golden city in order to be its safekeeper sounds like a planeswalk to me.
The Vraska article was well done. It's not horribly detailed but it does a great job tying all her story elements together and summarizing her character. It's a shame the player's guide decided to mess that up (although apparently the player's guide isn't canon?).
Nope it was canon. I just got my bundle and reading through it show an older bio they had for Vraska when she first appeared. Most of the info was only on her website bio and never said in the story. Though you are right that also seemed to have made a mistake in some form, they added in a line about her serving Bolas but its wierd phrased in a sentence that does make it seem like Vraska was an agent of Bolas all along.
The players guild almost confirms;
That indeed the knights of the sun empire dislike to kill and think its clumsy way to win. They also have limited control on the dinosaurs who might break the magic over them turn on their handlers at any moment.
The differnce between the two colors of vampires is white vampires believe that thier monarch uses divine purpose and thus can claim the lands of others as conquistadors, while the black vampires are out for power, blood and cruelty. Most don't kill or drink the people they rule only those they find are guilty (though some vampires break this rule).
The Brazen Coalition refugees after fleeing from the Dusk Legion, landed on Ixalan and tried to set up colonies and trade with the Sun Empire, but the Sun Empire drove them off the shores and many had to turn to piracy, leading to the pirate groups in the present. Also guessing this where the picked up the goblins.
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“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
I'm happy they are handling Jace and Vraska so well. I like showing the area where both blue and black meet (as well as the green conflict), not letting your past/"destiny" control who you are and that its your future to look too. Plus also Vraska doesn't need Bolas since now she has the guildpact. I think Jace can replace the guild leaders.
I wonder where Vraska planes walked to when she sparked.
Also Orazca/ the Immortal Sun has the same kind of engery/magic that is given off when walkers planeswalk.
Jace is starting to remember his childhood with that flash of him mind-killing his teacher, really hinting that if/when he gets his full memories back he might also get his childhood memories back.
I don't think that we are gonna see Vraska as head of the Golgari, look at her Story, Jarad did nothing wrong as far as she says, it was The Azourious, probably pre-guildpact Jace as well. I sort can sort of see her becoming his second adviser though.
Am I the only on who thinks Vraska will die or left on Ixalan(trapped) and will use her beind dieded/trapped as a Jaceplot device.
Jacetus dear I'm like, dying dear, save golgari for please?
Or Jacetus, like only 1 walker can Orazca out of here, promise me ull save Ravnica, my handsome Jace dear.
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MtG is where you can hate white players or black players, and still not be racist.
Watch Vraska become the Guildpact when Jace makes her more than just the Goldgari guildleader. He has other obligations - she can make some real change as someone more rooted in Ravnica. And it's the best revenge she can have on the Azorius - to be sought by them for laws. She'll really put a dent in their machinations then - play fair or not at all.
I can't really see that happening. Creative's invested a good deal of storyline to building up her characterization, I really doubt they'd do it just to Fridge her. Particularly given how much that would seem to fly in the face of the recent girls-are-awesome-and-badass trend.
As for the story, it was good and I liked the character interactions, but I can't help but be a tiny bit disappointed that we didn't get a Legion of Dusk pov this week. I really hope they're not planning to NOT give LoD a pov story.
That indeed the knights of the sun empire dislike to kill and think its clumsy way to win.
Especially given the source material and all the baggage that goes with the Aztecs, this is so saccharine, I hardly know what to make of it.
So they're an Empire, but an Empire that doesn't kill anyone, not even the bloodsuckers and lawless robbers threatening the very survival of their nation?
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"I'd rather die speaking the truth than live a lie." --Gix, to Yawgmoth (pre-Phyrexia)
That indeed the knights of the sun empire dislike to kill and think its clumsy way to win.
Especially given the source material and all the baggage that goes with the Aztecs, this is so saccharine, I hardly know what to make of it.
So they're an Empire, but an Empire that doesn't kill anyone, not even the bloodsuckers and lawless robbers threatening the very survival of their nation?
It is almost as dumb when the pendulum swings towards the other extreme as it would be if they were to make them stereotypical sacrificial mayans.
Also Vraska as guildpact would be an interesting twist, though it would mean she would have to work with all the guilds, including the ones she wants to genocide.
Also, "Jace is Ace!" does kind of sound like a slogan Jace would actually use if he had to campaign on Ravnica, considering how goofy Amnesiac Jace seems to be at times. (I'd probably vote for him just out of sympathy for such a horrible slogan.)
The Vraska article was well done. It's not horribly detailed but it does a great job tying all her story elements together and summarizing her character. It's a shame the player's guide decided to mess that up (although apparently the player's guide isn't canon?).
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
If not Ugin, definitely a dragon, given the dragon imagery spotted here and there. Whats interesting though is that none of those dragon hints even look close to Ugin. They wouldn't drop a new dragon PW on us, would they?... There's also the Bat-God
The winged beast took the Sun from Torrezon and brought it to Ixalan and gave it to the Merfolk to protect.
On that note, I have always thought that Ugin's feathered wings were very MesoAmerican-y, so him having a very direct connection to Ixalan would make some sense there.
Here you go:
"Kiora is the Aquaman of planeswalkers."
"Useless and everyone pretends to like her?"
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
Would be odd for a spirit dragon planeswalker to originate on a plane that has no concept of dragons.
The storytelling for Ixalan seems very tight--as in, there are no "filler episodes" tracking tertiary characters. Each new story has to do with developing the main characters or the main plot. In a way it's nice, but I'd also appreciate the occasional filler chapter, purely for world-building purposes. Hopefully we'll see some of that between Ixalan and Rivals of Ixalan.
Well, after a rocky start to the post-Origin's storyline, it seems the writers finally hit their stride last summer with Hour of Devastation. Since then, they've been consistently putting out good stories. Ixalan is the most character-driven story we had in ages, which is partly why it's so refreshing. The plot? Pirates, vampires, and dinosaur-riding Aztecs are competing to find the lost City of Gold, and the merfolk are trying to stop them. That's really all there is to it. Everything else is just characters interacting, and it works.
Lili abandoned her own friends to join Bolas. She has no grounds to complain about anything.
Jace never describes Alhammarret.
The planeswalker guide to Tarkir says Ugin is a native of Tarkir.
My guess is the bat-god thing, that seems to have some set up and there gotta be more to Immortal Sun if the merfolk seem so scared of it.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
Come on, she looks like a female voldemort
More importantly upon remembering, it immediately erased itself, which implies a currently existing block forcing him to forget. Ugin is the only current candidate to be capable of such a feat.
How dare Jace be straight all this time tho. Bi and I refuse to entertain.
It's interesting some of Jace's earliest memories are surfacing first, like Alhammaret suffocating. I think Vryn is in our future! Let's hope. Actually... new!Jace arriving on Vryn and coming full circle there might be a remarkable way to expand on this arc. At least when he returns to his mother, he won't be wimpy - Ixalan made a tough guy out of him
Does standard need a BW walker? Saint Elenda gone missing after pursuing the Sun in a dangerously guarded golden city in order to be its safekeeper sounds like a planeswalk to me.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Nope it was canon. I just got my bundle and reading through it show an older bio they had for Vraska when she first appeared. Most of the info was only on her website bio and never said in the story. Though you are right that also seemed to have made a mistake in some form, they added in a line about her serving Bolas but its wierd phrased in a sentence that does make it seem like Vraska was an agent of Bolas all along.
The players guild almost confirms;
That indeed the knights of the sun empire dislike to kill and think its clumsy way to win. They also have limited control on the dinosaurs who might break the magic over them turn on their handlers at any moment.
The differnce between the two colors of vampires is white vampires believe that thier monarch uses divine purpose and thus can claim the lands of others as conquistadors, while the black vampires are out for power, blood and cruelty. Most don't kill or drink the people they rule only those they find are guilty (though some vampires break this rule).
The Brazen Coalition refugees after fleeing from the Dusk Legion, landed on Ixalan and tried to set up colonies and trade with the Sun Empire, but the Sun Empire drove them off the shores and many had to turn to piracy, leading to the pirate groups in the present. Also guessing this where the picked up the goblins.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
I don't think that we are gonna see Vraska as head of the Golgari, look at her Story, Jarad did nothing wrong as far as she says, it was The Azourious, probably pre-guildpact Jace as well. I sort can sort of see her becoming his second adviser though.
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan
Jacetus dear I'm like, dying dear, save golgari for please?
Or Jacetus, like only 1 walker can Orazca out of here, promise me ull save Ravnica, my handsome Jace dear.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
As for the story, it was good and I liked the character interactions, but I can't help but be a tiny bit disappointed that we didn't get a Legion of Dusk pov this week. I really hope they're not planning to NOT give LoD a pov story.
Especially given the source material and all the baggage that goes with the Aztecs, this is so saccharine, I hardly know what to make of it.
So they're an Empire, but an Empire that doesn't kill anyone, not even the bloodsuckers and lawless robbers threatening the very survival of their nation?
It is almost as dumb when the pendulum swings towards the other extreme as it would be if they were to make them stereotypical sacrificial mayans.
Also Vraska as guildpact would be an interesting twist, though it would mean she would have to work with all the guilds, including the ones she wants to genocide.
Dragons of Legend, Lead by Scion of the UR-Dragon
The Gitrog Monster
Gonti, Lord of Luxury
Shogun Saskia
Hive World
Atraxa hates fun
Abzan