I was looking at the Aether Revolt Spoilers, and Dark Intimations caught my eye. And then, it whipped my imagination into a frenzy.
Look at it. It's extremely intriguing, for a number of reasons.
Dark Intimations, it's called. As in "suggestion," or "hint." It's hinting at what is to come, which, as we all know, is Amonkhet, and its God-Emperor, Nicol Bolas. But it foreshadows both the upcoming story, and game mechanics, in that it heavily suggests that Bolas will have a new Planeswalker card. What's so interesting about that is, when have we ever had a card that (all but) promised a specific Planeswalker would get a new card, and in an entirely different release block, no less? Bolas's name hasn't even been said in the last I've-lost-track-of-how-many stories (and I've been keeping an eye out) and now, out of nowhere, a Grixis-colored card has a secondary effect that nonchalantly mentions him? "Here's a mini Cruel Ultimatum for you... and oh, by the way, if you so happen to play a Planeswalker called, hmm, let's say, Nicol Bolas, go ahead and give him an extra loyalty counter."
It's the sort of subtle hint of what is to come that matches Nicol Bolas so well. Bolas, as a dragon who has been around for twenty-five millennia, favors the long game. Exactly what it is he's up to, we never know, because his plans are so far-reaching that we only ever see little pieces of them. One of his more mysterious moves in relatively recent years was his maneuvering to have the Eldrazi released from Zendikar. Exactly why he would want that has been left open to speculation, so, here we go (here is where my imagination gets aforementionedly "frenzied"):
The release of the Eldrazi from Zendikar had a number of consequences, but perhaps the biggest one was the formation of the Gatewatch, which now includes Liliana Vess, and Ajani may as well make his oath any day now. I think that this is exactly what Bolas wants. Why would the quintessential villain of the Multiverse want a team of superheroes to form? I think it's another take on the Alara scheme. Instead of converting planes into mana-power that he can absorb, this time he wants to do it to Planeswalkers. They all gather together into one convenient group, forming a source of tremendous, delicious, mana, and he strings them along from imperiled world to imperiled world, where they keep collecting new, extremely powerful members.
I think the members of Gatewatch are solidly en route to the altar of Bolas, where he will (attempt to) sacrifice them to his insatiable hunger for more power. This empowers him directly, and has the added bonus of subtracting a few of his mortal enemies from the equation at the same time. Liliana, Jace, and now Ajani all have scores to settle with Bolas (I guess Bolas actually is the one who would want to settle up with Ajani), and they've all neatly been added into the same group, getting ever closer to a world that he rules.
If this wall of text scared you off, here are the highlights:
—Dark Intimations is very intriguing.
—I think Nicol Bolas created the Gatewatch, so as to eventually absorb their power and eliminate potential (and existing) enemies.
So, that's what this humble Emperor thinks. Tell me how clever you think I am (or whatever) below.
—N—
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"Nice is common. Common is boring. Boring people is rude. Therefore, it's rude to be nice."
Well bugger me. Nicol did mastermind the Eldrazi's release. Perhaps he had the foresight to see the Gatewatch as a result. We've seen a ex-walker like Ob get recharged when theirs some vague energy sources (in story, the hedrons), perhaps Nicol is gathering opponents to devour for their sparks to become a god-walker again.
Though I hope Ugin finally gets off his "I'm checking on stuff" ass and helps the characters in the main plot. My money is the Gatewatch ends up on Amonkhet lured by Tezz, and the "trials of the gods" mystically preps them for dinner. In the Hour of Devastation, Uging comes to save the collective asses of the Gatewatch and the all duke it out, Gatewatch + Ugin vs Nicol and co.
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This thread belongs in Storyline Speculation, not Rumor Mill Speculation. It has nothing to do with cards or mechanics.
We have known that Bolas would be in Amonkhet block since its announcement. His card is virtually guaranteed. We also suspected seeing him soon even before that because the last time that we saw Tezzeret, he was working for Bolas. It appears that he still is (or maybe is working against him). As others have said, the card referencing Bolas is not unlike Eye of Ugin in Worldwake, before any Eldrazi existed, except we already have a Bolas card so this one at least is useful right away. But anyway, Bolas's involvement is nothing surprising.
I highly doubt that Bolas was responsible for the Gatewatch forming. This would require:
1. Bolas wants a team of planeswalkers in the first place. Although they would recruit new members and be easy to find, Bolas has plenty of resources to find individual planeswalkers. Plus, individual walkers have virtually zero chance of doing any actual harm to Bolas or his plans. A group, on the other had, is a real threat.
2. Bolas has a plan to deal with the Eldrazi by either killing them, imprisoning them, or protecting the planes that matter to him from them. He could not have logically been counting on a group of neowalkers to take down all three.
3. Bolas manages to get three planeswalkers into the Eye to open the first lock. He did this using Sarkhan, Jace, and Chandra.
4. Bolas finds a way to unlock the second lock. Nissa does this on her own with no involvement from Bolas. Would Bolas have sent someone to do it if she hadn't? Did Bolas even want the second lock to be unlocked? It's difficult to know for sure.
5. Several planeswalkers who have reason to fight the Eldrazi (the Gatewatch) are on Zendikar at the same time and in the same place. Remember, Zendikar had 5 remaining continents at the time of BFZ; it's a miracle that all of those planeswalkers were on Tazeem at the same time. And there's no evidence that Bolas had any involvement in getting them there.
6. The planeswalkers actually cooperate to fight the Eldrazi. Considering how planeswalkers usually are, this is pretty unlikely.
7. The planeswalkers resolve the conflict somehow. They kill the Eldrazi, re-imprison them, drive them away from Zendikar, or fail to stop the Eldrazi and leave for some other plane because Zendikar is destroyed. A decent number of the planeswalkers must survive this. Again, this is not very likely.
8. After the conflict, the planeswalkers don't immediately disband and go their separate ways, which is what happens pretty much every time that planeswalkers work together for something.
9. The planeswalkers continue fighting interplanar threats without all being killed and recruiting new members along the way. And they don't go to some area of the multiverse where Bolas can't track them (the multiverse is close to infinite, after all).
10. Bolas manages to defeat all of the planeswalkers. As I said, one walker is easy for Bolas to defeat but a large number might not be.
11. Bolas is actually able to make use of the defeated walkers. There's no reason to think that eating or absorbing planeswalkers would get him any closer to restoring his pre-mending power, and if it did, it probably wouldn't be that much power.
This looks like the villain's plan from a badly-written movie. It requires a lot of conincidences and extremely unlikely events to occur, plus Bolas actually has to have a reason to want this to happen and a number of contingency plans considering how this might go wrong. He also needs to expend a lot of time and energy on something with a very low chance of success, actually be powerful enough to deal with a small army of planeswalkers, and actually want to fight them in the first place. So I think it's pretty unlikely. That being said, there's nothing stopping him from trying to use the Gatewatch to his advantage now that they formed. I just don't think that he planned for the Gatewatch to exist.
This looks like the villain's plan from a badly-written movie.
You know, it kinda does sound like the first Avengers movie. Loki gets a group of heroes together to...I think dishearten them? Too low level stupid for Bolas, mastermind of like at least 3 story blocks so far.
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Mizzix - Out of the Box Spellslinger
I have no way of knowing what Bolas could or could not have foreseen. None of us has. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that he had a number of contingency plans in regards to what would happen to the Eldrazi after their release, or that it could have occurred to him that Planeswalkers could band together in opposition to them, as happened to trap them in the first place (Sorin, Nahiri, Ugin).
Personally, I'd love some definitive, ambitious payoff to all of Bolas's mysterious doings lo, these past years. So my speculation is tainted with wishful thinking, I will readily confess.
But, we'll see.
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"Nice is common. Common is boring. Boring people is rude. Therefore, it's rude to be nice."
This looks like the villain's plan from a badly-written movie.
You know, it kinda does sound like the first Avengers movie. Loki gets a group of heroes together to...I think dishearten them? Too low level stupid for Bolas, mastermind of like at least 3 story blocks so far.
Loki is the indirect cause for the formation of the Avengers. It's a really cool nod to comic history, where he originally manipulates a mindless Hulk into causing violence, which forces several heroes to team up and combine their strengths for the first time to stop Hulkie's rampage, before they can discover the real culprit. The creation of the Avengers is completely accidental on Loki's part and one of the greatest ironies of the character. Glad they kept that intact - even master manipulators can't account for everyone's every decision. And after all the setbacks he's suffered, I'm pretty sure he'd agree that putting all your worst enemies together in one room is not always the best plan (unless the second part of that plan is to blow up the room )
A friend of mine has a theory on why Bolas wanted the Eldrazi freed. It has to do with getting Sarkhan Vol to redo the timeline so that instead of Ugin being killed, he was imprisoned instead because Bolas wants Ugin's Ghostfire powers. Which apparently he couldn't get by killing Ugin. So he needed a do-over.
As for the Gatewatch forming due to the machinations of Bolas, it wouldn't surprise me but let me just state that in my opinion Jace and Liliana are more useful to Bolas alive than dead. However it would make sense to set up circumstances so that the Gatewatch forms to lure Ajani into an ambush of sorts.
As the quintessential super-villain mastermind, in the end Bolas never really loses. He only let's you think he lost so that he can further some other scheme he has cooking. Which you probably helped complete by "winning".
Eldrazi are merely a test. If Jace and gang can't even defeat the Eldrazi, then they're worthless, and Bolas will find someone else to finish the job. If they succeed, then Bolas can continue to manipulate them for whatever schemes and goals he has in mind.
Eldrazi are merely a test. If Jace and gang can't even defeat the Eldrazi, then they're worthless, and Bolas will find someone else to finish the job. If they succeed, then Bolas can continue to manipulate them for whatever schemes and goals he has in mind.
What would be the point in releasing world eaters in hopes of only slightly more powerful than normal mortals grouping together to defeat them when you already know that much more powerful beings could at best only semi imprison them?
Like others have stated its Loki from Avengers levels of stupid. At least with Alara he actually had a viable plan that still somewhat succeeded. And with New Phyrexia was at least to keep an eye on a potential problems in its infancy.
The Eldrazi plan was attempt to have them freed, get lucky in that, then do nothing at all involving Zendikar. Why?
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WOut of the ground,I rise to grace...W BAfter the lights go out on you, after your worthless life is through. I will remember how you scream...B
I'm sorry, but what exactly about this card was a "subtle" hint?
You couldn't be less subtle if you stamped a giant picture of Nicol Bolas on the foreheads of every member of the Gatewatch in the next story. This was meant to be obvious foreshadowing.
Anyway, all these theories about Bolas forming the Gatewatch and forcing them to have a dance-off, then releasing the Eldrazi to get Sarkhan to revive Ugin (who he killed) to steal his ghostfire to use it to bake a fruitcake or whatever... sound pretty silly.
My guess is that Bolas knew that the heroes would kill at least one or two of the Eldrazi when he tricked them into releasing them, especially since he thinks Ugin is dead and can't warn them not to. Ugin seems to think that there will be some terrible consequence for killing Ulamog and Kozilek. Perhaps Bolas was able to determine exactly what will happen and figure out a way to take advantage of it.
I'm sorry, but what exactly about this card was a "subtle" hint?
You couldn't be less subtle if you stamped a giant picture of Nicol Bolas on the foreheads of every member of the Gatewatch in the next story. This was meant to be obvious foreshadowing.
Anyway, all these theories about Bolas forming the Gatewatch and forcing them to have a dance-off, then releasing the Eldrazi to get Sarkhan to revive Ugin (who he killed) to steal his ghostfire to use it to bake a fruitcake or whatever... sound pretty silly.
My guess is that Bolas knew that the heroes would kill at least one or two of the Eldrazi when he tricked them into releasing them, especially since he thinks Ugin is dead and can't warn them not to. Ugin seems to think that there will be some terrible consequence for killing Ulamog and Kozilek. Perhaps Bolas was able to determine exactly what will happen and figure out a way to take advantage of it.
Not bad
I still think the consequence is 2 new Eldrazi Titan leaders to replace them which are more powerful than them/new bodies of Ulamog and Kozilek (the souls came out and got new bodies is my theory.)
Oh and yes for everyone I do think it was bolas who let them out (aka tricking the walkers on letting them free.)
I'm sorry, but what exactly about this card was a "subtle" hint?
You couldn't be less subtle if you stamped a giant picture of Nicol Bolas on the foreheads of every member of the Gatewatch in the next story. This was meant to be obvious foreshadowing.
Anyway, all these theories about Bolas forming the Gatewatch and forcing them to have a dance-off, then releasing the Eldrazi to get Sarkhan to revive Ugin (who he killed) to steal his ghostfire to use it to bake a fruitcake or whatever... sound pretty silly.
My guess is that Bolas knew that the heroes would kill at least one or two of the Eldrazi when he tricked them into releasing them, especially since he thinks Ugin is dead and can't warn them not to. Ugin seems to think that there will be some terrible consequence for killing Ulamog and Kozilek. Perhaps Bolas was able to determine exactly what will happen and figure out a way to take advantage of it.
Not bad
I still think the consequence is 2 new Eldrazi Titan leaders to replace them which are more powerful than them/new bodies of Ulamog and Kozilek (the souls came out and got new bodies is my theory.)
Oh and yes for everyone I do think it was bolas who let them out (aka tricking the walkers on letting them free.)
Definitely could be the case. Or perhaps there are far more titans out there than anyone realized and their deaths will draw in a bunch of titans. Interesting thoughts...
The fact that the gatewatch could "so easily" defeat the Eldrazi Titans kinda makes any other opponent shallow and weak.
Nicol Bolas isnt stronger than Eldrazi Titans and his mind magic is overall weaker than what Emrakul had to offer.
Hes still the strongest opponent that is left (Phyrexia is more collateral damage for now) and its the prime example to form an "evil" gatewatch to produce some recurring enemies aswell, that are not just beaten to death and gone forever.
----
In the end, Nicol Bolas plots in long long very long terms and has "agents" everywhere to influence the flow of power in his favor (which usually means every else is going to die).
Nicol Bolas really has no real interest in planeswalkers forming together against him, thats as contra-productive as it can be for him.
But theres nothing to prevent it "right now" , maybe chances will come up to influence some weak minded members (Liliana and Chandra come to mind, which could be driven into "madness" if enough personal fate is involved).
Even Jace might somehow find some "dark" past if he gets his memories back at some point, or Nicol Bolas can use this weakness to influence Jace.
Anyway, the gatewatch is very very likely not made by or in favour for Nicol Bolas.
(If the Eldrazi would be still around and the Gatewatch couldnt kill them, THAT would be more in favor for Nicol Bolas if they "wasted" their res sources and potentially get killed by them ; but now, it looks grim for Nicol Bolas if he doesnt pull a small army of evil planeswalkers out of his sleeve).
I read an interesting theory about the purpose of the Eldrazi being the prevention of entropy (how matter slowly breaks down during chemical reactions, making the universe more “chaotic” because molecules are broken down into smaller, less complex pieces). The Eldrazi would help break down worlds faster, which increases entropy, but then they would create new worlds using their unique abilities and undo the chaos they created and then some.
So without the Eldrazi, chemical reactions will slowly cause planes to decay into single particles. It’s pretty safe to assume that if the matter on a plane becomes too ordered/simplified/broken down, the plane would collapse in on itself. Reactions that increase entropy release energy so Bolas might be able to harness the energy when planes collapse.
That would explain why he wanted the Eldrazi released: so he could get them killed. The Eldrazi break down planes to release energy but then use that energy to build new ones. Without them, the planes break down on their own and huge amounts of energy (mana) are released into the blind eternities for Bolas to absorb. Look at how much power he was able to get from the Conflux. A plane collapsing down would give him even more, and several planes would give him tons, finally getting him back to pre-mending levels of power. Now that two titans were killed by the Gatewatch, all he has to do is kill Emrakul (assuming that she can do the process on her own) and then wait. He just has to not get killed by the Gatewatch first.
I think bolas will have killed ugin before the power rangers show up to confront him killed after he got what he needed. Strong feelings in me that bolas is manipulating the phyrexians aswell. I know it seems rushed to wrap up both the big bads in 8 sets but they gotta make room for progression and leaving the phyrexians out there and hanging just seems wrong.
SultaiAscendancy, that's not a bad idea. Fits with his Shards of Alara scheme, too, and delegates the world-smashing to the Eldrazi. Assuming he can then... absorb the world/plane's mana, somehow. Which... why not?
Having said that, I'm standing by my proclamation. Bolas wanted Gatewatch to form, and has plans for them when they get to Amonkhet. That's what I think, and will continue to think unless/until Amonkhet proves me wrong.
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"Nice is common. Common is boring. Boring people is rude. Therefore, it's rude to be nice."
Eldrazi are merely a test. If Jace and gang can't even defeat the Eldrazi, then they're worthless, and Bolas will find someone else to finish the job. If they succeed, then Bolas can continue to manipulate them for whatever schemes and goals he has in mind.
What would be the point in releasing world eaters in hopes of only slightly more powerful than normal mortals grouping together to defeat them when you already know that much more powerful beings could at best only semi imprison them?
Like others have stated its Loki from Avengers levels of stupid. At least with Alara he actually had a viable plan that still somewhat succeeded. And with New Phyrexia was at least to keep an eye on a potential problems in its infancy.
The Eldrazi plan was attempt to have them freed, get lucky in that, then do nothing at all involving Zendikar. Why?
Simple, Bolas is old, really, really, *really* old. Indeed, he is the first true Planeswalker, and several thousand years older than Ugin, Sorin, and Nahiri. He undoubtedly knows what the Eldrazi are, and needed them gone, not just imprisoned. Thus he manipulated their release, knowing full well that it would force other oldwalkers to react and deal with them. And with Ugin out of the picture (remember Bolas believes Ugin to be dead, by the Elder Dragon's claw), then it would be unlikely they would get imprisoned again, which means they had to be dealt with permanently. Of course, Emrakul put a wrench in the clockworks by allowing itself to get imprisoned again, but that is besides the point. Bolas likely figured that a couple of oldwalkers would get eaten by the Eldrazi before the Eldritch Horrors would get destroyed, thus removing a few of his rivals. Of course, Bolas could not have forseen that Chandra would have mastered Ugin's Ghost Flame, which allowed the neowalkers to beat the Eldrazi.
Thing is, Bolas is the single most powerful telepath we have in M:TG, many times more powerful than the powerhouse that is Jace Beleren (whom is quite powerful), and I would not put it past him to bury a few ideas far down in other planeswalker's subconsciousness to make them go where he wants them and do what he wants. He is also a master manipulator, and can easily make someone do something that is against their nature and make it seem like it is a good idea.
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It's about time for the reserved list to die, for the sake of Vintage and Legacy (And Commander).
My speculation is that Bolas didn't predicted the Gatewatch. His plans was to collect power ( may i say: to become a super-god-like being) In the conflux but because Ajani made it a waste of time he had to forget about it. Then (almost after the conflux) Bolas's plan on Eldrazi-free-zone was completed, the Eldrazi (alien beings that destroy and devour all mana and life energy) could work as bateries: Bolas could work on a way to channel all the life energy absorbed by the titans. The Gatewatch have acomplished to seal Emrakul within 1.5 year windon since the Eldrazi where freed.
For amonkhet i think bolas will use the knowledgement gathered by Ashiok ( or maybe Xenagos) to power him up ( or has alread used) and become a god planeswalker in this World that is similar to Theros
Lot of interesting ideas, but none that I can see that capture the flavor of everything that's going on. So here's my two cents:
1. I think Nicol Bolas is trying to undo the Mending, or at least, regain his pre-Mending powers. What is it that super villains want? Power. Bolas remembers his pre-Mending powers and is working ways to get them back.
2. What do we know about the Eldrazi? Very little, but we do know they are beings who exist in the Blind Eternities and exist in our temporal realm only as projections. This kind of existence and power is very beckoning for one such as Bolas. It is power currently inaccessible, but possibly more accessible after some study. What better way to study Eldrazi than to have them loose in the Multiverse? And of course, instead of dealing with them himself, Bolas let's the do-gooders deal with them (or die trying). Such is the bad guy way.
3. Vraska has planeswalked to a "hole." This is currently a mystery, but may have something to do with accessing the Blind Eternities and being able to survive (previously impossible). Bolas is most likely interested in this.
4. Tezzeret has confiscated the matter relocation invention that Rashmi built, it being of special interest of his boss. But what value does a Planeswalker see in a machine that can transport matter (when he himself can easily transport across the Multiverse)? This probably ties back into the theme of accessing previously unchartable areas, like the Blind Eternities.
I see lots of interconnections between all these plot lines, and they all intersect at Bolas trying to use the Blind Eternities as a means to gain more power.
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Look at it. It's extremely intriguing, for a number of reasons.
Dark Intimations, it's called. As in "suggestion," or "hint." It's hinting at what is to come, which, as we all know, is Amonkhet, and its God-Emperor, Nicol Bolas. But it foreshadows both the upcoming story, and game mechanics, in that it heavily suggests that Bolas will have a new Planeswalker card. What's so interesting about that is, when have we ever had a card that (all but) promised a specific Planeswalker would get a new card, and in an entirely different release block, no less? Bolas's name hasn't even been said in the last I've-lost-track-of-how-many stories (and I've been keeping an eye out) and now, out of nowhere, a Grixis-colored card has a secondary effect that nonchalantly mentions him? "Here's a mini Cruel Ultimatum for you... and oh, by the way, if you so happen to play a Planeswalker called, hmm, let's say, Nicol Bolas, go ahead and give him an extra loyalty counter."
It's the sort of subtle hint of what is to come that matches Nicol Bolas so well. Bolas, as a dragon who has been around for twenty-five millennia, favors the long game. Exactly what it is he's up to, we never know, because his plans are so far-reaching that we only ever see little pieces of them. One of his more mysterious moves in relatively recent years was his maneuvering to have the Eldrazi released from Zendikar. Exactly why he would want that has been left open to speculation, so, here we go (here is where my imagination gets aforementionedly "frenzied"):
The release of the Eldrazi from Zendikar had a number of consequences, but perhaps the biggest one was the formation of the Gatewatch, which now includes Liliana Vess, and Ajani may as well make his oath any day now. I think that this is exactly what Bolas wants. Why would the quintessential villain of the Multiverse want a team of superheroes to form? I think it's another take on the Alara scheme. Instead of converting planes into mana-power that he can absorb, this time he wants to do it to Planeswalkers. They all gather together into one convenient group, forming a source of tremendous, delicious, mana, and he strings them along from imperiled world to imperiled world, where they keep collecting new, extremely powerful members.
I think the members of Gatewatch are solidly en route to the altar of Bolas, where he will (attempt to) sacrifice them to his insatiable hunger for more power. This empowers him directly, and has the added bonus of subtracting a few of his mortal enemies from the equation at the same time. Liliana, Jace, and now Ajani all have scores to settle with Bolas (I guess Bolas actually is the one who would want to settle up with Ajani), and they've all neatly been added into the same group, getting ever closer to a world that he rules.
If this wall of text scared you off, here are the highlights:
—Dark Intimations is very intriguing.
—I think Nicol Bolas created the Gatewatch, so as to eventually absorb their power and eliminate potential (and existing) enemies.
So, that's what this humble Emperor thinks. Tell me how clever you think I am (or whatever) below.
—N—
Though I hope Ugin finally gets off his "I'm checking on stuff" ass and helps the characters in the main plot. My money is the Gatewatch ends up on Amonkhet lured by Tezz, and the "trials of the gods" mystically preps them for dinner. In the Hour of Devastation, Uging comes to save the collective asses of the Gatewatch and the all duke it out, Gatewatch + Ugin vs Nicol and co.
Commander:
Aurelia the Warleader - Combat Tricks and Swarm
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic - Lifegain/Lifedrain Pillowfort
Trostani, Selesnya's Voice - Token Assault
Meren of Clan Nel Toth - Reanimator Value
Mizzix - Out of the Box Spellslinger
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RB Madness Vamps
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Formerly Modern Elfball
We have known that Bolas would be in Amonkhet block since its announcement. His card is virtually guaranteed. We also suspected seeing him soon even before that because the last time that we saw Tezzeret, he was working for Bolas. It appears that he still is (or maybe is working against him). As others have said, the card referencing Bolas is not unlike Eye of Ugin in Worldwake, before any Eldrazi existed, except we already have a Bolas card so this one at least is useful right away. But anyway, Bolas's involvement is nothing surprising.
I highly doubt that Bolas was responsible for the Gatewatch forming. This would require:
1. Bolas wants a team of planeswalkers in the first place. Although they would recruit new members and be easy to find, Bolas has plenty of resources to find individual planeswalkers. Plus, individual walkers have virtually zero chance of doing any actual harm to Bolas or his plans. A group, on the other had, is a real threat.
2. Bolas has a plan to deal with the Eldrazi by either killing them, imprisoning them, or protecting the planes that matter to him from them. He could not have logically been counting on a group of neowalkers to take down all three.
3. Bolas manages to get three planeswalkers into the Eye to open the first lock. He did this using Sarkhan, Jace, and Chandra.
4. Bolas finds a way to unlock the second lock. Nissa does this on her own with no involvement from Bolas. Would Bolas have sent someone to do it if she hadn't? Did Bolas even want the second lock to be unlocked? It's difficult to know for sure.
5. Several planeswalkers who have reason to fight the Eldrazi (the Gatewatch) are on Zendikar at the same time and in the same place. Remember, Zendikar had 5 remaining continents at the time of BFZ; it's a miracle that all of those planeswalkers were on Tazeem at the same time. And there's no evidence that Bolas had any involvement in getting them there.
6. The planeswalkers actually cooperate to fight the Eldrazi. Considering how planeswalkers usually are, this is pretty unlikely.
7. The planeswalkers resolve the conflict somehow. They kill the Eldrazi, re-imprison them, drive them away from Zendikar, or fail to stop the Eldrazi and leave for some other plane because Zendikar is destroyed. A decent number of the planeswalkers must survive this. Again, this is not very likely.
8. After the conflict, the planeswalkers don't immediately disband and go their separate ways, which is what happens pretty much every time that planeswalkers work together for something.
9. The planeswalkers continue fighting interplanar threats without all being killed and recruiting new members along the way. And they don't go to some area of the multiverse where Bolas can't track them (the multiverse is close to infinite, after all).
10. Bolas manages to defeat all of the planeswalkers. As I said, one walker is easy for Bolas to defeat but a large number might not be.
11. Bolas is actually able to make use of the defeated walkers. There's no reason to think that eating or absorbing planeswalkers would get him any closer to restoring his pre-mending power, and if it did, it probably wouldn't be that much power.
This looks like the villain's plan from a badly-written movie. It requires a lot of conincidences and extremely unlikely events to occur, plus Bolas actually has to have a reason to want this to happen and a number of contingency plans considering how this might go wrong. He also needs to expend a lot of time and energy on something with a very low chance of success, actually be powerful enough to deal with a small army of planeswalkers, and actually want to fight them in the first place. So I think it's pretty unlikely. That being said, there's nothing stopping him from trying to use the Gatewatch to his advantage now that they formed. I just don't think that he planned for the Gatewatch to exist.
You know, it kinda does sound like the first Avengers movie. Loki gets a group of heroes together to...I think dishearten them? Too low level stupid for Bolas, mastermind of like at least 3 story blocks so far.
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I have no way of knowing what Bolas could or could not have foreseen. None of us has. I don't think it's unreasonable to think that he had a number of contingency plans in regards to what would happen to the Eldrazi after their release, or that it could have occurred to him that Planeswalkers could band together in opposition to them, as happened to trap them in the first place (Sorin, Nahiri, Ugin).
Personally, I'd love some definitive, ambitious payoff to all of Bolas's mysterious doings lo, these past years. So my speculation is tainted with wishful thinking, I will readily confess.
But, we'll see.
Loki is the indirect cause for the formation of the Avengers. It's a really cool nod to comic history, where he originally manipulates a mindless Hulk into causing violence, which forces several heroes to team up and combine their strengths for the first time to stop Hulkie's rampage, before they can discover the real culprit. The creation of the Avengers is completely accidental on Loki's part and one of the greatest ironies of the character. Glad they kept that intact - even master manipulators can't account for everyone's every decision. And after all the setbacks he's suffered, I'm pretty sure he'd agree that putting all your worst enemies together in one room is not always the best plan (unless the second part of that plan is to blow up the room )
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As for the Gatewatch forming due to the machinations of Bolas, it wouldn't surprise me but let me just state that in my opinion Jace and Liliana are more useful to Bolas alive than dead. However it would make sense to set up circumstances so that the Gatewatch forms to lure Ajani into an ambush of sorts.
As the quintessential super-villain mastermind, in the end Bolas never really loses. He only let's you think he lost so that he can further some other scheme he has cooking. Which you probably helped complete by "winning".
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What would be the point in releasing world eaters in hopes of only slightly more powerful than normal mortals grouping together to defeat them when you already know that much more powerful beings could at best only semi imprison them?
Like others have stated its Loki from Avengers levels of stupid. At least with Alara he actually had a viable plan that still somewhat succeeded. And with New Phyrexia was at least to keep an eye on a potential problems in its infancy.
The Eldrazi plan was attempt to have them freed, get lucky in that, then do nothing at all involving Zendikar. Why?
BAfter the lights go out on you, after your worthless life is through. I will remember how you scream...B
You couldn't be less subtle if you stamped a giant picture of Nicol Bolas on the foreheads of every member of the Gatewatch in the next story. This was meant to be obvious foreshadowing.
Anyway, all these theories about Bolas forming the Gatewatch and forcing them to have a dance-off, then releasing the Eldrazi to get Sarkhan to revive Ugin (who he killed) to steal his ghostfire to use it to bake a fruitcake or whatever... sound pretty silly.
My guess is that Bolas knew that the heroes would kill at least one or two of the Eldrazi when he tricked them into releasing them, especially since he thinks Ugin is dead and can't warn them not to. Ugin seems to think that there will be some terrible consequence for killing Ulamog and Kozilek. Perhaps Bolas was able to determine exactly what will happen and figure out a way to take advantage of it.
Not bad
I still think the consequence is 2 new Eldrazi Titan leaders to replace them which are more powerful than them/new bodies of Ulamog and Kozilek (the souls came out and got new bodies is my theory.)
Oh and yes for everyone I do think it was bolas who let them out (aka tricking the walkers on letting them free.)
Definitely could be the case. Or perhaps there are far more titans out there than anyone realized and their deaths will draw in a bunch of titans. Interesting thoughts...
Nicol Bolas isnt stronger than Eldrazi Titans and his mind magic is overall weaker than what Emrakul had to offer.
Hes still the strongest opponent that is left (Phyrexia is more collateral damage for now) and its the prime example to form an "evil" gatewatch to produce some recurring enemies aswell, that are not just beaten to death and gone forever.
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In the end, Nicol Bolas plots in long long very long terms and has "agents" everywhere to influence the flow of power in his favor (which usually means every else is going to die).
Nicol Bolas really has no real interest in planeswalkers forming together against him, thats as contra-productive as it can be for him.
But theres nothing to prevent it "right now" , maybe chances will come up to influence some weak minded members (Liliana and Chandra come to mind, which could be driven into "madness" if enough personal fate is involved).
Even Jace might somehow find some "dark" past if he gets his memories back at some point, or Nicol Bolas can use this weakness to influence Jace.
Anyway, the gatewatch is very very likely not made by or in favour for Nicol Bolas.
(If the Eldrazi would be still around and the Gatewatch couldnt kill them, THAT would be more in favor for Nicol Bolas if they "wasted" their res sources and potentially get killed by them ; but now, it looks grim for Nicol Bolas if he doesnt pull a small army of evil planeswalkers out of his sleeve).
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So without the Eldrazi, chemical reactions will slowly cause planes to decay into single particles. It’s pretty safe to assume that if the matter on a plane becomes too ordered/simplified/broken down, the plane would collapse in on itself. Reactions that increase entropy release energy so Bolas might be able to harness the energy when planes collapse.
That would explain why he wanted the Eldrazi released: so he could get them killed. The Eldrazi break down planes to release energy but then use that energy to build new ones. Without them, the planes break down on their own and huge amounts of energy (mana) are released into the blind eternities for Bolas to absorb. Look at how much power he was able to get from the Conflux. A plane collapsing down would give him even more, and several planes would give him tons, finally getting him back to pre-mending levels of power. Now that two titans were killed by the Gatewatch, all he has to do is kill Emrakul (assuming that she can do the process on her own) and then wait. He just has to not get killed by the Gatewatch first.
Having said that, I'm standing by my proclamation. Bolas wanted Gatewatch to form, and has plans for them when they get to Amonkhet. That's what I think, and will continue to think unless/until Amonkhet proves me wrong.
Simple, Bolas is old, really, really, *really* old. Indeed, he is the first true Planeswalker, and several thousand years older than Ugin, Sorin, and Nahiri. He undoubtedly knows what the Eldrazi are, and needed them gone, not just imprisoned. Thus he manipulated their release, knowing full well that it would force other oldwalkers to react and deal with them. And with Ugin out of the picture (remember Bolas believes Ugin to be dead, by the Elder Dragon's claw), then it would be unlikely they would get imprisoned again, which means they had to be dealt with permanently. Of course, Emrakul put a wrench in the clockworks by allowing itself to get imprisoned again, but that is besides the point. Bolas likely figured that a couple of oldwalkers would get eaten by the Eldrazi before the Eldritch Horrors would get destroyed, thus removing a few of his rivals. Of course, Bolas could not have forseen that Chandra would have mastered Ugin's Ghost Flame, which allowed the neowalkers to beat the Eldrazi.
Thing is, Bolas is the single most powerful telepath we have in M:TG, many times more powerful than the powerhouse that is Jace Beleren (whom is quite powerful), and I would not put it past him to bury a few ideas far down in other planeswalker's subconsciousness to make them go where he wants them and do what he wants. He is also a master manipulator, and can easily make someone do something that is against their nature and make it seem like it is a good idea.
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Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
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My speculation is that Bolas didn't predicted the Gatewatch. His plans was to collect power ( may i say: to become a super-god-like being) In the conflux but because Ajani made it a waste of time he had to forget about it. Then (almost after the conflux) Bolas's plan on Eldrazi-free-zone was completed, the Eldrazi (alien beings that destroy and devour all mana and life energy) could work as bateries: Bolas could work on a way to channel all the life energy absorbed by the titans. The Gatewatch have acomplished to seal Emrakul within 1.5 year windon since the Eldrazi where freed.
For amonkhet i think bolas will use the knowledgement gathered by Ashiok ( or maybe Xenagos) to power him up ( or has alread used) and become a god planeswalker in this World that is similar to Theros
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Thats just a Theory
A Mtg Theory
1. I think Nicol Bolas is trying to undo the Mending, or at least, regain his pre-Mending powers. What is it that super villains want? Power. Bolas remembers his pre-Mending powers and is working ways to get them back.
2. What do we know about the Eldrazi? Very little, but we do know they are beings who exist in the Blind Eternities and exist in our temporal realm only as projections. This kind of existence and power is very beckoning for one such as Bolas. It is power currently inaccessible, but possibly more accessible after some study. What better way to study Eldrazi than to have them loose in the Multiverse? And of course, instead of dealing with them himself, Bolas let's the do-gooders deal with them (or die trying). Such is the bad guy way.
3. Vraska has planeswalked to a "hole." This is currently a mystery, but may have something to do with accessing the Blind Eternities and being able to survive (previously impossible). Bolas is most likely interested in this.
4. Tezzeret has confiscated the matter relocation invention that Rashmi built, it being of special interest of his boss. But what value does a Planeswalker see in a machine that can transport matter (when he himself can easily transport across the Multiverse)? This probably ties back into the theme of accessing previously unchartable areas, like the Blind Eternities.
I see lots of interconnections between all these plot lines, and they all intersect at Bolas trying to use the Blind Eternities as a means to gain more power.