Also, it took me very long (including a translation of the article into Czech) to notice that all info about Ashiok is very carefully written in sexless form (going to such lengths as using sentences like "As such, Ashiok sees Ashiok as an engineer,..." instead of using himself/herself/itself.
A huge pain in the neck when translating into languages like Czech, where the gender modifies the form of adjectives and verbs, btw...:sweat:
I heard about the whole "Ashiok isn't a chick" thing beforehand, so that didn't surprise me. What it me was that it referred to itself in the third person, which is usually the trait of a psychopath or of someone who thinks of themself as a greater being. A curious question, do we know who the UB pantheon god is? I think Ashiok might be it.
For Xenagos, one needs to compare him to Domri, where they have similar opinions pre-ignition, but change afterward. Domri doesn't change much, he knows there is plenty more to explore in the Multiverse. Xenagos on the other hand covets having the power of gods.
Elspeth we've seen change over the sets.
Clearly these aren't one dimensional characters.
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Why do I like posting in lists:
1. It allows me to express multiple thoughts without a need to write an essay or make multiple posts. 2. I tend to have multiple thoughts at the same time. 3. Having the right first opinion is sometimes more glorious than having a grammatically correct second opinion. 4. It allows you as a reader to pick out the most erroneous point and counter-comment, allowing you the chance to express an opinion and look like a sensible person when I sound like a dummy.
I heard about the whole "Ashiok isn't a chick" thing beforehand, so that didn't surprise me. What it me was that it referred to itself in the third person, which is usually the trait of a psychopath or of someone who thinks of themself as a greater being. A curious question, do we know who the UB pantheon god is? I think Ashiok might be it.
For Xenagos, one needs to compare him to Domri, where they have similar opinions pre-ignition, but change afterward. Domri doesn't change much, he knows there is plenty more to explore in the Multiverse. Xenagos on the other hand covets having the power of gods.
And yeah...so far they have distinguished all three RG walkers pretty well - a dragon shaman, a barbarian teenager with animal affinity, and now a hedonistic satyr. I must say that I like Xenagos's twist. Becoming a planeswalker leads to negative motivation - he in fact does not want to be a walker, he wants to rule a single world.
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100% Vorthos Spike and Storyline Expert
Former Fact Prospector of the Greek Alliance.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
The Tumblr thing was mostly a stab at the political correctness of that post.
I've seen Xir, Zir, Zie and a bunch of others. There's no single "correct" one, and the sheer ridiculousness that some people display in regards to making this particular fictional character like what they prefer (Not on this site, mind you, but elsewhere), is quite annoying. I don't think Ashiok is genderfluid or rejects the binary or any of that other stuff. I think it simply defies gender in that its "species", as it were, doesn't have or need genders and it's simply choosing a form that we can comprehend.
But that's just my personal pet peeve. I absolutely hate the character, largely because of people arguing over how to label it (Again, not talking about this thread, I mean people who push their own agenda through it).
Honestly, hating a character because of how other people treat it is entirely ridiculous. If you should hate a character, you should hate it for how it is characterized, not for how other people use it.
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It's about time for the reserved list to die, for the sake of Vintage and Legacy (And Commander).
It sounds more like Xenagos is mad that there aren't Gods on the other planes, and in making himself a God, he can then travel to these other planes and be all... "I'm god, I smite thee" and stuff.... Or does whatever a Satyr God would do....
God help us if Ashiok ever goes to Mirrodin/New Phyrexia and learns about everything they do there.
I think I know by heart the flavor texts of far too many cards, because, thinking of the nightmares Ashiok would find people having on New Phyrexia, my mind immediately went to Phyrexian Gargantua.
I think I know by heart the flavor texts of far too many cards, because, thinking of the nightmares Ashiok would find people having on New Phyrexia, my mind immediately went to Phyrexian Gargantua.
The Phyrexian's worst nightmares were their own most glorious dreams realized.
Considering how few Mirrans are left to have fears, I don't think there's a lot left for Ashiok to do to Mirrodin that hasn't already been done.
What would Ashiok care about the Mirrans? It's Ashiok's duty to bring horror to as many people as possible across all planes - New Phyrexia would just be fuel to throw on the flames of fear in other planes.
Regarding Ashiok's gender: I just got a fatpack today and was reading his biography in there, and it seems to conflict with the purposeful ambiguous light cast on him. The player's guide explicitly refers to Ashiok as a he, rather than the vagueness we've been presented thus far. Here's a transcription of it:
"Ashiok is the quintessential fearmonger, spinning his magic to terrorize others with their own darkest, most closely guarded nightmares. He delights in having the upper hand, and even more, he enjoys watching those who see themselves as untouchable and superior reduced to screaming and blubbering. Because all the sentient beings feel fear, Ashiok believes in its power as the great equalizer.
For Ashiok, fear is a feeling given form by the mind - a quasi-elemental force that he has found can be shaped and wielded. Once his Planeswalker spark ignited, Ashiok discovered that not only was he adept at culling the nightmares of others, but he could also make them manifest in reality. The dread vapors that emanate form him are an extension of his magic, enabling him to more easily access the fears of those they enshroud. As such, he sees himself as an engineer, constructing twisted architecture of torment and sorrow. He now travels the Multiverse in search of designs for the perfect embodiment of fear.
In his search, Ashiok came to Theros, and he recognizes that the dreams of this plane seem more vibrant than those of the other planes where he has traveled."
So, it's nearly the exact same article as his Planeswalker article, except stating "his" or "he" in referring to him. Perhaps the fatpacks Player's Guide went out before they revised Ashiok to the current way of characterizing him?
All of the conversations we've had one to one with MaRo or Doug Beyer have been very insistent in referring to Ashiok defying the default binary gender convention.
All of the conversations we've had one to one with MaRo or Doug Beyer have been very insistent in referring to Ashiok defying the default binary gender convention.
Ashiok isn't he or she, Ashiok is Ashiok.
Yes, I'm quite aware of that. I did however find it interesting that the Player's Guide is very blatantly contrary to that. As I said in my post above, perhaps Ashiok was intended to be a male all along and they simply revised his biography to be more vague about what Ashiok is exactly. Either way, at some point he was or is considered male, whether the Player's Guide was not revised in time to be printed after the current stance was decided on or not.
I heard about the whole "Ashiok isn't a chick" thing beforehand, so that didn't surprise me. What it me was that it referred to itself in the third person, which is usually the trait of a psychopath or of someone who thinks of themself as a greater being. A curious question, do we know who the UB pantheon god is? I think Ashiok might be it.
For Xenagos, one needs to compare him to Domri, where they have similar opinions pre-ignition, but change afterward. Domri doesn't change much, he knows there is plenty more to explore in the Multiverse. Xenagos on the other hand covets having the power of gods.
Elspeth we've seen change over the sets.
Clearly these aren't one dimensional characters.
1. It allows me to express multiple thoughts without a need to write an essay or make multiple posts.
2. I tend to have multiple thoughts at the same time.
3. Having the right first opinion is sometimes more glorious than having a grammatically correct second opinion.
4. It allows you as a reader to pick out the most erroneous point and counter-comment, allowing you the chance to express an opinion and look like a sensible person when I sound like a dummy.
The consent is that the UB god is Phenax.
And yeah...so far they have distinguished all three RG walkers pretty well - a dragon shaman, a barbarian teenager with animal affinity, and now a hedonistic satyr. I must say that I like Xenagos's twist. Becoming a planeswalker leads to negative motivation - he in fact does not want to be a walker, he wants to rule a single world.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
"They" is much more widely used, and less perplexing to the average reader.
Or indeed person.
---
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.
Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.
Honestly, hating a character because of how other people treat it is entirely ridiculous. If you should hate a character, you should hate it for how it is characterized, not for how other people use it.
---
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.
Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
I wonder if Ashiok is the type of being that would actually try to help nightmares become reality, literally?
Also, Xenagos: Why so serious, son?
I think I know by heart the flavor texts of far too many cards, because, thinking of the nightmares Ashiok would find people having on New Phyrexia, my mind immediately went to Phyrexian Gargantua.
The Phyrexian's worst nightmares were their own most glorious dreams realized.
Considering how few Mirrans are left to have fears, I don't think there's a lot left for Ashiok to do to Mirrodin that hasn't already been done.
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.
What would Ashiok care about the Mirrans? It's Ashiok's duty to bring horror to as many people as possible across all planes - New Phyrexia would just be fuel to throw on the flames of fear in other planes.
So, it's nearly the exact same article as his Planeswalker article, except stating "his" or "he" in referring to him. Perhaps the fatpacks Player's Guide went out before they revised Ashiok to the current way of characterizing him?
(Also known as Xenphire)
Ashiok isn't he or she, Ashiok is Ashiok.
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.
Yes, I'm quite aware of that. I did however find it interesting that the Player's Guide is very blatantly contrary to that. As I said in my post above, perhaps Ashiok was intended to be a male all along and they simply revised his biography to be more vague about what Ashiok is exactly. Either way, at some point he was or is considered male, whether the Player's Guide was not revised in time to be printed after the current stance was decided on or not.
(Also known as Xenphire)
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.