An idea popped into my head today. Phyrexia can't win the war against the Mirrans. Darksteel is indestructible and therefore incorruptible(?). The Phyrexian corruption destroys and incorporates, but darksteel would prevent the initial part of the process. Of course, the Phyrexians could just use some dominating blue magic to control the darksteel artifacts. Yet so far all of the cards that have anything to with darksteel are part of the Mirran faction. I guess we'll have to wait and see what Mirrodin Besieged has...
Then have him eat Nicol Bolas and the Magic universe can be awesome again. He takes over the Infinite Consortium and turns it into a trans-multiverse Izzet League. His agents scour the multiverse in Venser's planeships looking for magic to learn, technology to improve upon, and less intelligent people to condescend to.
Darksteel is just a technology so Phyrexian can use it just like Mirrans. Besides, one of the arts previewed is a Phyrexian darksteel artifact creature so it seems like that is already happening.
Darksteel isn't actually indestructible... both Panopticon and Kaldra were wiped out. (It took a green sun but it happened).
Unfortunately, Darksteel isn't a very common thing on Mirrodin. As planeswalkers we get to pick and choose the best of the stuff from a plane to use, but on Mirrodin, darksteel is rare.
Also if we are getting into nitpicky detail, -1/-1 counters do get rid of indestructible creatures. What this means flavorfully... i don't know. But the Phyrexians can deal with indestructible creatures.
Infect was chosen as a foil to indestructible.
I mean when I think of indestructible I think of nigh invincible- no damage can even touch this- but infect is corrosion, it doesn't bludgeon it doesn't stab it eats away no matter what the substance, even darksteel.
And this ability to corrode what is the greatest element of the Mirrans is what makes Phyrexia threatening.
As count Dorku pointed out, the art confirms that Phyrexians can definitely bend Darksteel to their use; even if they seemingly didn't know how to initially. So that's no longer a reason why the Phyrexians may not defeat the Mirrans.
As count Dorku pointed out, the art confirms that Phyrexians can definitely bend Darksteel to their use; even if they seemingly didn't know how to initially. So that's no longer a reason why the Phyrexians may not defeat the Mirrans.
Well it's not like the Phyrexians are invading Mirrodin... they are native to Mirrodin. So any techology the Mirrans have, the Phyrexians should have. Phyrexia is growing, so it took them a little time to assimilate someone who knows how to make Darksteel.
Yes, Phyrexia CAN win. In-game, if a creature's toughness is less than one, then it's still put in to a graveyard. For instance, you can use instill infection on a darksteel myr, and indestructibility can do nothing about it.
I was so disappointed when Nicol Bolas wasn't able to absorb the Maelstrom in Alara! Oh wait, he did succeed in absorbing the Maelstrom...
Well, okay, but it really sucked when the Eldrazi were reimprisoned! Oh wait, they're still chowing down on Zendikar...
If the Phyrexians win that'll be three blocks back to back where the bad guys win. Not saying that's a problem, but don't complain that the heroes win too much.
I was so disappointed when Nicol Bolas wasn't able to absorb the Maelstrom in Alara! Oh wait, he did succeed in absorbing the Maelstrom...
And then got his ass kicked by Emo Cat.
Well, okay, but it really sucked when the Eldrazi were reimprisoned! Oh wait, they're still chowing down on Zendikar..
Don't get me started on the Eldrazi. They weren't well done villains at all. Phyrexians have been Magic's iconic villains since near the beginning and deserve a heckuva lot more than to be forgotten about after a cliffhanger ending.
If the Phyrexians win that'll be three blocks back to back where the bad guys win. Not saying that's a problem, but don't complain that the heroes win too much.
Nicol Bolas didn't win in Alara and The Eldrazi were poorly done. We need a properly done ending where the villains out and out win and aren't promptly forgotten about. Nicol Bolas is fine and dandy but we need a villain that is interested in winning NOW and not two hundred years in the future.
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You've got a rat in your walls, and cheese won't solve anything.
Well, okay, but it really sucked when the Eldrazi were reimprisoned! Oh wait, they're still chowing down on Zendikar...
That's not exactly a "win," though. I mean, yes, they haven't exactly lost by being imprisoned, but Zendikar hasn't exactly lost yet either, since it still exists. Presumably, the Eldrazi "winning" entails them devouring all of Zendikar and then escaping to go feed on other planes, which is what they were doing before they were imprisoned. The fact that they're still (mostly) contained means the fight hasn't been decided by a long shot.
Nicol Bolas is less a villain and more an antagonist. He's not particularly evil, in the sense that most of his "evil" comes from being both extremely self-interested and extremely powerful. Furthermore, his motivations are complex - he has sent Tezzeret off to stop with Phyrexians, which is good in theory. He's more of a Thanos-ish character in that he's "bad" because what he wants is in conflict with what the designated good guys want, not because he's inherently wicked.
The most compelling arguments for Phyrexia not winning are, in no particular order:
1) Magic's story structure has been largely predictable through time (first set - intro, second set - crisis, third set - crisis fixed), which means the third block is going to be resolved in favor of the good guys, or at least ambiguous;
2) Phyrexia can't win in the long run because that would involve converting the entire multiverse to Phyrexians, which is a pretty obvious Bad End;
3) If the Phyrexians win now, they'd need to show up again for their victory to be meaningful, and having a recurring, one-note bad guy gets old quickly;
4) Phyrexia winning means Mirridon's complete conversion in the long run, which basically ruins it as a potential future story setting.
#2 and #3 are not as implausible as they seem at first glance, given that Venser has already constructed a sort of planeswalking machine. Phyrexians had previously developed portals for Dominaria's invasion, and since Venser has demonstrated that mechanical planeswalking is still possible, it's not a stretch to say that the Phyrexians can get off Mirrodin. Furthermore, if Phyrexia looks likely to win near the end of the block, Koth might be willing to let Venser use his machine to evacuate the surviving Mirrans, which means the Phyrexians would both learn of its existence and of the existence of other planes in the multiverse (assuming they don't already).
Basically, the Phyrexians are the generic "fanatical religious cult" villain, and letting them run amok would be pretty boring in the long run. At some point, they'll have to lose again, so why not now?
At first I thought that Phyrexia will lose because of Elspeth. She really need a glorious victory to fix her character. In a way, I thought that this story will be about her saving Mirrodin and finally letting her past go, but no...
Now that she is out of the picture and this theory is flushed away, yes, I have no doubt that Phyrexia will win this war.
Elspeth hasn't actually left yet. She's said she's going, but we'll have to wait for Scarred parts 2 and 3 to see if Koth can talk her into staying or Ajani planeswalks in and brightslaps her or something.
Then have him eat Nicol Bolas and the Magic universe can be awesome again. He takes over the Infinite Consortium and turns it into a trans-multiverse Izzet League. His agents scour the multiverse in Venser's planeships looking for magic to learn, technology to improve upon, and less intelligent people to condescend to.
yep. i read somewhere that maro said that during world champs.
And according to Maro, Sunburst was returning in Scars.
People often take Maro out of context or make assumptions from what he said.
From the interview he had with The Magic Show, it's very clear that Maro is very exicted about keeping the outcome of Mirrodin under wraps. I doubt he would spoil the surprise.
I thought the outcome of Mirrodin was going to be decided by the players. When MBS comes out, the pre-release or release or both (can't remember) are gonna have faction based packs. The number of players choosing each faction are gonna be counted. The greater number is the winning side of the war. At least that's what I heard. If it's true, this means Phyrexia wins: want removal in your Sealed pool, pick Phyrexian (aka black) packs.
I'm not sure if Karn is really on Phyrexia's side. This week's Savor the Flavor I think made it pretty clear that Karn has been dormant for a LONG time, hooked into Mirrodin's Core, and been used as a "power battery" by the phyrexians. They assume he will be their Father of Machines because he brought the oil to this world and was its creator, etc.
But the Savor the Flavor article made it seem like Karn is not exactly a general leading the phyrexian cause. At best, he is just being his pacifict self and avoiding taking action, but I'm pretty sure he's at a crossroads... if he becomes corrupted by Phyrexian influence, Phyrexia will win. If he can resist the corruption and decide to help the Mirrans, the Mirrans will win.
And in response to the OP, I wouldn't be so sure about Darksteel being incorruptible. See Blightsteel Colossus in the spoiler...
Personally I think the disjunction of win/lose a bit misleading especially in the case of a long running serial which Magic, in essence, is. What most likely happen will be ambigious, e.g. Mirran will fend of the Phyrexians but not be able to remove the taint resulting in the Phryrexians either being freed into the universe at large (giving them the possibility of return at a later date in new forms) or possibly resulting in the amputation of a part of the plane. Regardless, I doubt their will be any sort of definitive good or bad, either for the Mirrodan plane or the Phyrexians.
The most compelling arguments for Phyrexia not winning are, in no particular order:
1) Magic's story structure has been largely predictable through time (first set - intro, second set - crisis, third set - crisis fixed), which means the third block is going to be resolved in favor of the good guys, or at least ambiguous;
2) Phyrexia can't win in the long run because that would involve converting the entire multiverse to Phyrexians, which is a pretty obvious Bad End;
3) If the Phyrexians win now, they'd need to show up again for their victory to be meaningful, and having a recurring, one-note bad guy gets old quickly;
4) Phyrexia winning means Mirridon's complete conversion in the long run, which basically ruins it as a potential future story setting.
#2 and #3 are not as implausible as they seem at first glance, given that Venser has already constructed a sort of planeswalking machine. Phyrexians had previously developed portals for Dominaria's invasion, and since Venser has demonstrated that mechanical planeswalking is still possible, it's not a stretch to say that the Phyrexians can get off Mirrodin. Furthermore, if Phyrexia looks likely to win near the end of the block, Koth might be willing to let Venser use his machine to evacuate the surviving Mirrans, which means the Phyrexians would both learn of its existence and of the existence of other planes in the multiverse (assuming they don't already).
Basically, the Phyrexians are the generic "fanatical religious cult" villain, and letting them run amok would be pretty boring in the long run. At some point, they'll have to lose again, so why not now?
I can agree with 1, but the other three points are not as solid to me. For 2, it's possible the Phyrexians can show up on other worlds, but that sets up potential for different conflicts. Remember that Creative has hinted a couple of times that there might be splinter groups of Phyrexians all over the place, so each one can evolve differently to adapt to the world they fight. Each conflict doesn't have to end in a victory for them either. Even if they DID win a lot of wars, there's always the possibility of a comeback, what with the Koth-Elspeth-Venser trio running around, as well as any other planeswalkers that want to take up the cause.
On 3, they're not exactly one note. Yes they've got 'fanatical religious cult' stamped all over their necrotic cephalic implants, but there's clearly more to them than just that stereotype. They've got factions, each with a leader that has a different agenda. Roxith has hinted at possible betrayal, or at the very least a disconnection with the rest of the group once their purposes have served his. Geth's MO is very similar too, not that he's a thane though. It's possible splinter groups can develop a diversity similar to this as well.
As for 4, if you've ever seen Doctor Who, no world is above saving no matter HOW dire the situation. Of course this may require a deus-ex-machina, the most annoying of comebacks imo, but my point is even if Mirrodin becomes completely corrupted, some group of heroes can always come back... Heck, this might set the stage for a counter-Invasion to take back Mirrodin...
There's a lot of potential no matter which way the war goes, honestly. I'm all for the Mirrans winning, since they've got the odds stacked against them, but I also really like what Creative has done with the Phyrexians. Before it was one guy running a puppet show through countless minions, and now it's a cult of sentient beings moving towards the same goal but with different interpretations of the path towards that goal. Mind you, in the old days Yawgmoth had a fairly interesting support cast, so I suppose that's somewhat analogous to the thanes and praetors of today's Phyrexians, but now that very support cast has taken most of the star role.
Quote from Chadrock »
Please don't call infect playable; it's an alternate damage scale that's un-healable and is lower than the base rate - "Who can get ten points first!" is not a fun game. Proliferate is also a terrible mechanic. If you don't believe me, try making a deck with only proliferate cards. Let me know what you achieve.
This isn't the right sub-forum for that discussion. Just putting that out there. You may have just been leaving a quick blurb about that opinion, but I can easily see people starting an argument about that here. It's better to avoid that.
EDIT: One other consideration is that it seems like the majority of players expect Phyrexia to win (at least, as far as I can tell). Wizards could try to go for the SURPRISE TWIST ending and have the Mirrans win, or sidestep the issue and have some sort of split set where both sides win because losing would hurt that side's self-esteem.
...sidestep the issue and have some sort of split set where both sides win...
I mean, this seems like the exact sort of thing Wizards might do, especially since the third set of every recent block has involved a gimmick of some kind. But, being that we're in the storyline forum, how could this possibly make sense? The best I've come up with is Karn regaining control of himself, but not being powerful enough to overcome the Phyrexian forces, he decides to split the plane in two (somehow???) where one plane is fully infected and one plane is Mirrodin as it was. Totally ridiculous. "Shards of Mirrodin" or something...
In short, I doubt this will happen. There will be a single victor.
In short, I doubt this will happen. There will be a single victor.
But then the people rooting for the other side will be disappointed. Wizards wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to mask the outcome if it were a foregone conclusion; if anything, the fact that people seem to expect the Phyrexians to win is reason enough for the final set to Mirrodin Pure.
Addressing the main topic again: just in terms of mechanics, we have:
Scars was 80-20 Mirran-Phyrexian
Besieged is 50-50 Mirran Phyrexian
It's reasonable to expect the last set to follow the "pattern" and be 20-80 Mirran-Phyrexian, which implies a Phyrexian victory.
From a story perspective, the Phyrexians should win because:
1) They're in the core, and rooting them out would require huge numbers, a lot of powerful magic, or the Phyrexians falling to infighting amongst the leadership;
2) The Phyrexians' main modus operandi in this block, infection with the oil, converts the Mirrans into Phyrexians. Simple math shows that this can create a huge disparity in numbers, which favors the Phyrexians;
3) Similarly, the oil would need to be completely eradicated in order to prevent reinfection, which is a pretty tall order on a world as large as Mirrodin.
Wizards can handle the situation in one of three ways:
1) Expected Ending: the Phyrexians win for the reasons previously stated. This does not require the level of secrecy we've seen to work since it can be extrapolated from the information we have already. Put another way, it would not be very surprising if it were announced tomorrow that the Phyrexians won, even to Mirran fans.
2) SURPRISE TWIST Ending: the Mirrans win because Wizards wants to surprise us in the name of "excitement" and "keeping the players guessing." There is actually no real reason why the last set couldn't be 80-20 Mirran-Phyrexian again, especially if the Mirrans get new mechanics that show how they've been affected by the Phyrexian scourge. This ending does require the sort of secrecy we've seen because it loses the surprise component if people find out about the twist; see M. Night Shyamalan.
3) Split Set Ending: this could be done in one of two ways - either Rise of the Eldrazi-style where we're left with a cliffhanger ending, or where both sides somehow win (or neither loses). The former would require the story to not advance at all past Besieged, and is not consistent with comments from Wizards to date. The later doesn't actually require a split plane; for example, the Mirrans could be evacuated by Venser's planeswalking ship in the same way that Urza evacuated the survivors of Serra's Realm before collapsing that plane. The Phyrexians would have free rein on Mirrodin and the Mirrans could be taken elsewhere. Another option is that the Mirrans could seal the Phyrexians in the core and scour the surface clean of them, with "Mirrodin Pure" being the surface world and "New Phyrexia" being the sealed and isolated core. This would also leave open the option of the Phyrexians breaking out and causing havoc in a future storyline, and wouldn't disappoint the fans of either side too much (although neither faction would be particularly excited with what is essentially a stalemate). This ending also requires a lot of secrecy in order to maintain suspense and excitement for each faction.
In short, I find it doubtful that Wizards would let the expected conclusion happen, but there's no reason why it can't, and the other options are pretty gimmicky. Then again, this is Wizards, and story is not their main objective these days, so...
Any other thoughts? Am I ridiculous?
Since -1/-1 counters can take out indestructible creatures, we can assume that Phyrexia is able to corrupt darksteel.
Unfortunately, Darksteel isn't a very common thing on Mirrodin. As planeswalkers we get to pick and choose the best of the stuff from a plane to use, but on Mirrodin, darksteel is rare.
Also if we are getting into nitpicky detail, -1/-1 counters do get rid of indestructible creatures. What this means flavorfully... i don't know. But the Phyrexians can deal with indestructible creatures.
I mean when I think of indestructible I think of nigh invincible- no damage can even touch this- but infect is corrosion, it doesn't bludgeon it doesn't stab it eats away no matter what the substance, even darksteel.
And this ability to corrode what is the greatest element of the Mirrans is what makes Phyrexia threatening.
So Pro I have an alpha Volcanic Island
Well it's not like the Phyrexians are invading Mirrodin... they are native to Mirrodin. So any techology the Mirrans have, the Phyrexians should have. Phyrexia is growing, so it took them a little time to assimilate someone who knows how to make Darksteel.
I missed that art. Thanks for pointing it out.
I was so disappointed when Nicol Bolas wasn't able to absorb the Maelstrom in Alara! Oh wait, he did succeed in absorbing the Maelstrom...
Well, okay, but it really sucked when the Eldrazi were reimprisoned! Oh wait, they're still chowing down on Zendikar...
If the Phyrexians win that'll be three blocks back to back where the bad guys win. Not saying that's a problem, but don't complain that the heroes win too much.
And then got his ass kicked by Emo Cat.
Don't get me started on the Eldrazi. They weren't well done villains at all. Phyrexians have been Magic's iconic villains since near the beginning and deserve a heckuva lot more than to be forgotten about after a cliffhanger ending.
Nicol Bolas didn't win in Alara and The Eldrazi were poorly done. We need a properly done ending where the villains out and out win and aren't promptly forgotten about. Nicol Bolas is fine and dandy but we need a villain that is interested in winning NOW and not two hundred years in the future.
That's not exactly a "win," though. I mean, yes, they haven't exactly lost by being imprisoned, but Zendikar hasn't exactly lost yet either, since it still exists. Presumably, the Eldrazi "winning" entails them devouring all of Zendikar and then escaping to go feed on other planes, which is what they were doing before they were imprisoned. The fact that they're still (mostly) contained means the fight hasn't been decided by a long shot.
Nicol Bolas is less a villain and more an antagonist. He's not particularly evil, in the sense that most of his "evil" comes from being both extremely self-interested and extremely powerful. Furthermore, his motivations are complex - he has sent Tezzeret off to stop with Phyrexians, which is good in theory. He's more of a Thanos-ish character in that he's "bad" because what he wants is in conflict with what the designated good guys want, not because he's inherently wicked.
The most compelling arguments for Phyrexia not winning are, in no particular order:
1) Magic's story structure has been largely predictable through time (first set - intro, second set - crisis, third set - crisis fixed), which means the third block is going to be resolved in favor of the good guys, or at least ambiguous;
2) Phyrexia can't win in the long run because that would involve converting the entire multiverse to Phyrexians, which is a pretty obvious Bad End;
3) If the Phyrexians win now, they'd need to show up again for their victory to be meaningful, and having a recurring, one-note bad guy gets old quickly;
4) Phyrexia winning means Mirridon's complete conversion in the long run, which basically ruins it as a potential future story setting.
#2 and #3 are not as implausible as they seem at first glance, given that Venser has already constructed a sort of planeswalking machine. Phyrexians had previously developed portals for Dominaria's invasion, and since Venser has demonstrated that mechanical planeswalking is still possible, it's not a stretch to say that the Phyrexians can get off Mirrodin. Furthermore, if Phyrexia looks likely to win near the end of the block, Koth might be willing to let Venser use his machine to evacuate the surviving Mirrans, which means the Phyrexians would both learn of its existence and of the existence of other planes in the multiverse (assuming they don't already).
Basically, the Phyrexians are the generic "fanatical religious cult" villain, and letting them run amok would be pretty boring in the long run. At some point, they'll have to lose again, so why not now?
More like, Platinum Angel is a native of Mirrodin and clearly not corrupted, so...
Elspeth hasn't actually left yet. She's said she's going, but we'll have to wait for Scarred parts 2 and 3 to see if Koth can talk her into staying or Ajani planeswalks in and brightslaps her or something.
And according to Maro, Sunburst was returning in Scars.
People often take Maro out of context or make assumptions from what he said.
From the interview he had with The Magic Show, it's very clear that Maro is very exicted about keeping the outcome of Mirrodin under wraps. I doubt he would spoil the surprise.
Legacy: Strawberry Shortcake, Aggro Loam, DnT+b
Modern: Devoted Karn
Vintage: Survival
i mean, look at the heavy-hitters on the Phyrexian Lineup: Karn, Glissa, Geth, and now maybe even Tezzeret.
The Mirran guys have 3 wimpy planeswalkers, two of which got their tails whipped by a single Phyrexian beastie.
I'm betting my +1/+1 counters on Phyrexia.
Click the pic for more info.
But the Savor the Flavor article made it seem like Karn is not exactly a general leading the phyrexian cause. At best, he is just being his pacifict self and avoiding taking action, but I'm pretty sure he's at a crossroads... if he becomes corrupted by Phyrexian influence, Phyrexia will win. If he can resist the corruption and decide to help the Mirrans, the Mirrans will win.
And in response to the OP, I wouldn't be so sure about Darksteel being incorruptible. See Blightsteel Colossus in the spoiler...
I can agree with 1, but the other three points are not as solid to me. For 2, it's possible the Phyrexians can show up on other worlds, but that sets up potential for different conflicts. Remember that Creative has hinted a couple of times that there might be splinter groups of Phyrexians all over the place, so each one can evolve differently to adapt to the world they fight. Each conflict doesn't have to end in a victory for them either. Even if they DID win a lot of wars, there's always the possibility of a comeback, what with the Koth-Elspeth-Venser trio running around, as well as any other planeswalkers that want to take up the cause.
On 3, they're not exactly one note. Yes they've got 'fanatical religious cult' stamped all over their necrotic cephalic implants, but there's clearly more to them than just that stereotype. They've got factions, each with a leader that has a different agenda. Roxith has hinted at possible betrayal, or at the very least a disconnection with the rest of the group once their purposes have served his. Geth's MO is very similar too, not that he's a thane though. It's possible splinter groups can develop a diversity similar to this as well.
As for 4, if you've ever seen Doctor Who, no world is above saving no matter HOW dire the situation. Of course this may require a deus-ex-machina, the most annoying of comebacks imo, but my point is even if Mirrodin becomes completely corrupted, some group of heroes can always come back... Heck, this might set the stage for a counter-Invasion to take back Mirrodin...
There's a lot of potential no matter which way the war goes, honestly. I'm all for the Mirrans winning, since they've got the odds stacked against them, but I also really like what Creative has done with the Phyrexians. Before it was one guy running a puppet show through countless minions, and now it's a cult of sentient beings moving towards the same goal but with different interpretations of the path towards that goal. Mind you, in the old days Yawgmoth had a fairly interesting support cast, so I suppose that's somewhat analogous to the thanes and praetors of today's Phyrexians, but now that very support cast has taken most of the star role.
This isn't the right sub-forum for that discussion. Just putting that out there. You may have just been leaving a quick blurb about that opinion, but I can easily see people starting an argument about that here. It's better to avoid that.
Does it have SPLOSIONS?!
EDIT: One other consideration is that it seems like the majority of players expect Phyrexia to win (at least, as far as I can tell). Wizards could try to go for the SURPRISE TWIST ending and have the Mirrans win, or sidestep the issue and have some sort of split set where both sides win because losing would hurt that side's self-esteem.
I mean, this seems like the exact sort of thing Wizards might do, especially since the third set of every recent block has involved a gimmick of some kind. But, being that we're in the storyline forum, how could this possibly make sense? The best I've come up with is Karn regaining control of himself, but not being powerful enough to overcome the Phyrexian forces, he decides to split the plane in two (somehow???) where one plane is fully infected and one plane is Mirrodin as it was. Totally ridiculous. "Shards of Mirrodin" or something...
In short, I doubt this will happen. There will be a single victor.
But then the people rooting for the other side will be disappointed. Wizards wouldn't have gone to such great lengths to mask the outcome if it were a foregone conclusion; if anything, the fact that people seem to expect the Phyrexians to win is reason enough for the final set to Mirrodin Pure.
Addressing the main topic again: just in terms of mechanics, we have:
Scars was 80-20 Mirran-Phyrexian
Besieged is 50-50 Mirran Phyrexian
It's reasonable to expect the last set to follow the "pattern" and be 20-80 Mirran-Phyrexian, which implies a Phyrexian victory.
From a story perspective, the Phyrexians should win because:
1) They're in the core, and rooting them out would require huge numbers, a lot of powerful magic, or the Phyrexians falling to infighting amongst the leadership;
2) The Phyrexians' main modus operandi in this block, infection with the oil, converts the Mirrans into Phyrexians. Simple math shows that this can create a huge disparity in numbers, which favors the Phyrexians;
3) Similarly, the oil would need to be completely eradicated in order to prevent reinfection, which is a pretty tall order on a world as large as Mirrodin.
Wizards can handle the situation in one of three ways:
1) Expected Ending: the Phyrexians win for the reasons previously stated. This does not require the level of secrecy we've seen to work since it can be extrapolated from the information we have already. Put another way, it would not be very surprising if it were announced tomorrow that the Phyrexians won, even to Mirran fans.
2) SURPRISE TWIST Ending: the Mirrans win because Wizards wants to surprise us in the name of "excitement" and "keeping the players guessing." There is actually no real reason why the last set couldn't be 80-20 Mirran-Phyrexian again, especially if the Mirrans get new mechanics that show how they've been affected by the Phyrexian scourge. This ending does require the sort of secrecy we've seen because it loses the surprise component if people find out about the twist; see M. Night Shyamalan.
3) Split Set Ending: this could be done in one of two ways - either Rise of the Eldrazi-style where we're left with a cliffhanger ending, or where both sides somehow win (or neither loses). The former would require the story to not advance at all past Besieged, and is not consistent with comments from Wizards to date. The later doesn't actually require a split plane; for example, the Mirrans could be evacuated by Venser's planeswalking ship in the same way that Urza evacuated the survivors of Serra's Realm before collapsing that plane. The Phyrexians would have free rein on Mirrodin and the Mirrans could be taken elsewhere. Another option is that the Mirrans could seal the Phyrexians in the core and scour the surface clean of them, with "Mirrodin Pure" being the surface world and "New Phyrexia" being the sealed and isolated core. This would also leave open the option of the Phyrexians breaking out and causing havoc in a future storyline, and wouldn't disappoint the fans of either side too much (although neither faction would be particularly excited with what is essentially a stalemate). This ending also requires a lot of secrecy in order to maintain suspense and excitement for each faction.
In short, I find it doubtful that Wizards would let the expected conclusion happen, but there's no reason why it can't, and the other options are pretty gimmicky. Then again, this is Wizards, and story is not their main objective these days, so...