Does Elspeth always wear her hood? I would very much like to see her with her hair long and flowing behind her head. And does Kiora have any hair, or only those bony fin-like projections on her head?
Elspeth doesn't wear her hood on Ardent Plea, but no flowing hair, sorry.
Actually, Doug stressed that she hadn't put the mask on yet when someone asked him if Elspeth was becoming a Returned, and mentioned her planeswalking again as a possibility.
I don't think she'll put the mask on, but--if she does--I suspect it would be a part of the monomythic transformation, to be followed by redemption and a true return down the line.
Mind you, putting on the mask would have a few Magic-related complications. The whole "dead, but still having a spark" deal is unexplored territory, so we don't know the full significance of certain milestones.
Oh I know. I didn't mean that she had put it on, just the fact that she is making it is not a good sign. If they do have her come back as a returned and that's part of the transformation of the monomyth, to me that will fall in the "more depressing return" category I was talking about, no pun intended. I really hope they do not go that route. Elspeth has been on the recieveing end of bad stuff for far too long, in my opinion.
Putting on the mask would most likely only be the transformation, however, with her achieving some sort of redemption that allowed her to truly return as herself.
Actually, Doug stressed that she hadn't put the mask on yet when someone asked him if Elspeth was becoming a Returned, and mentioned her planeswalking again as a possibility.
I don't think she'll put the mask on, but--if she does--I suspect it would be a part of the monomythic transformation, to be followed by redemption and a true return down the line.
Mind you, putting on the mask would have a few Magic-related complications. The whole "dead, but still having a spark" deal is unexplored territory, so we don't know the full significance of certain milestones.
Well, at least half the time, short blurbs are fairly inaccurate to the actual characters of the planeswalkers. Which is, at least, more accuracy than flavor text quotes can claim.
I don't really think Elspeth has ever had the confidence to declare herself something like protector of the multiverse. In fact, she usually seems to be somewhat intimidated by the size and scope of it.
I get the feeling that creative has something much more depressing in mind for our return to Elspeth's storyline.
I'm unclear on why you expect a depressing return.
If they stick to the monomyth, we still have transformation, atonement, and return. I've seen a lot of people wondering if "transformation" will have her taking on angelic qualities, given the Bant connection. It would also be a nice parallel if Ob Nixilis does manage to get his spark back.
If they don't stick to the monomyth, more modern resurrection stories tend to depict a triumphant return from death, with greater determination and strength from having undergone that trial.
Really, the symbol for the set looks like the mask made for Elspeth after she dies.
It's the hilt of Elspeth's sword, with a tentacle on either side. Yes, the hilt was forged into the mask, but the set symbol doesn't include any other elements of the mask.
I vastly prefer this art for Elspeth. She looks like she's striding forward with purpose, rather than twisting around her spear.
I'm more than a little curious as to how Elspeth's deck is going to play. They made the Jace deck in Jace vs Vraska fairly different from his Jace vs Chandra deck, so I'm hoping to see Elspeth get similar treatment.
Most of all, though, I really want to know the flavor side of this. Doug described the duel decks as one of the tools they could use to move the story, but I'm not really seeing it here. Given that both characters were left on pretty big cliffhangers, I hope that we get at least some plot advancement...though I'm not sure how.
You think that's when the UR will come? Doug said one for Thassa vs. Kiora was planned but not scheduled yet. I wonder if they were saving it for this?
We hope to do an Uncharted Realms about it eventually, but it’s not been scheduled yet.
Hope, not planned. And, given when he said it, I wouldn't bank on it being related to the Duel Decks.
He has described the Duel Decks as one of the tools they can use to tell the story, but I'm not at all certain how they'd do that here. Both characters were left on cliffhangers, but in completely different and unrelated ways.
We haven't really followed up with Bolas at all since his first appearance. We know he has had his claws in things, but--other than a core set appearance--he hasn't really taken up much of the spotlight. He has much, much more plot left in him. I'd actually argue that he's more of a main villain than the Phyrexians.
We're currently advancing the Eldrazi plotline, and have a handful of walkers out looking for solutions. However, they haven't found them yet. Even after we get Ugin back, we'll need at least one planeswalker capable of building a hedron matrix--and significantly faster than Nahiri did. Even then, two of the Titans have left Zendikar, and there's no reason to assume that they're traveling together. I don't expect them to be dealt with all at once.
We've recently started to get references to Phyrexia the way we have with the Eldrazi. Given the Theros block reels, I don't think Elspeth's given up on that one yet, and Karn's supposedly looking for some sort of treatment. Koth's lurking in the basement. Again, though, I don't think they'll all go out at once. I find it much more likely that Norn will fall and New Phyrexia will be broken, only for the Phyrexians to flee through untested portals built by the Gitaxians. With Phyrexians scattered across various planes in the multiverse, they'd remain a threat to be dealt with, especially since they'd now know their interplanar tech worked.
I have to say, I'm really quite disappointed in Daretti as a character. They have the chance to introduce a new planeswalker from any plane they want, of any race they want, and what do we get? A goblin from the cut-rate Ravnica knockoff. They couldn't even be bothered to make him female.
Not sure how the Goblin's gender is relevant in the least...
There are currently about twice as many male planeswalkers as there are females. If they couldn't make Deretti an interesting race or from an interesting plane, they could have at least made a planeswalker from the less represented gender.
As it is, Deretti has no really notable qualities as a character.
He has no legs.
(I agree on the gender topic, but after reading his story I appreciate him more)
Eh, Tezzeret already did the "limbs replaced with artifice" gag. Seeing it again isn't terribly compelling.
I have to say, I'm really quite disappointed in Daretti as a character. They have the chance to introduce a new planeswalker from any plane they want, of any race they want, and what do we get? A goblin from the cut-rate Ravnica knockoff. They couldn't even be bothered to make him female.
Not sure how the Goblin's gender is relevant in the least...
There are currently about twice as many male planeswalkers as there are females. If they couldn't make Deretti an interesting race or from an interesting plane, they could have at least made a planeswalker from the less represented gender.
As it is, Deretti has no really notable qualities as a character.
I have to say, I'm really quite disappointed in Daretti as a character. They have the chance to introduce a new planeswalker from any plane they want, of any race they want, and what do we get? A goblin from the cut-rate Ravnica knockoff. They couldn't even be bothered to make him female.
Solidarity of Heroes, on the other hand...
Putting on the mask would most likely only be the transformation, however, with her achieving some sort of redemption that allowed her to truly return as herself.
I don't think she'll put the mask on, but--if she does--I suspect it would be a part of the monomythic transformation, to be followed by redemption and a true return down the line.
Mind you, putting on the mask would have a few Magic-related complications. The whole "dead, but still having a spark" deal is unexplored territory, so we don't know the full significance of certain milestones.
I don't really think Elspeth has ever had the confidence to declare herself something like protector of the multiverse. In fact, she usually seems to be somewhat intimidated by the size and scope of it.
I'm unclear on why you expect a depressing return.
If they stick to the monomyth, we still have transformation, atonement, and return. I've seen a lot of people wondering if "transformation" will have her taking on angelic qualities, given the Bant connection. It would also be a nice parallel if Ob Nixilis does manage to get his spark back.
If they don't stick to the monomyth, more modern resurrection stories tend to depict a triumphant return from death, with greater determination and strength from having undergone that trial.
It's the hilt of Elspeth's sword, with a tentacle on either side. Yes, the hilt was forged into the mask, but the set symbol doesn't include any other elements of the mask.
I'm more than a little curious as to how Elspeth's deck is going to play. They made the Jace deck in Jace vs Vraska fairly different from his Jace vs Chandra deck, so I'm hoping to see Elspeth get similar treatment.
Most of all, though, I really want to know the flavor side of this. Doug described the duel decks as one of the tools they could use to move the story, but I'm not really seeing it here. Given that both characters were left on pretty big cliffhangers, I hope that we get at least some plot advancement...though I'm not sure how.
Actually, he said
Hope, not planned. And, given when he said it, I wouldn't bank on it being related to the Duel Decks.
He has described the Duel Decks as one of the tools they can use to tell the story, but I'm not at all certain how they'd do that here. Both characters were left on cliffhangers, but in completely different and unrelated ways.
We're currently advancing the Eldrazi plotline, and have a handful of walkers out looking for solutions. However, they haven't found them yet. Even after we get Ugin back, we'll need at least one planeswalker capable of building a hedron matrix--and significantly faster than Nahiri did. Even then, two of the Titans have left Zendikar, and there's no reason to assume that they're traveling together. I don't expect them to be dealt with all at once.
We've recently started to get references to Phyrexia the way we have with the Eldrazi. Given the Theros block reels, I don't think Elspeth's given up on that one yet, and Karn's supposedly looking for some sort of treatment. Koth's lurking in the basement. Again, though, I don't think they'll all go out at once. I find it much more likely that Norn will fall and New Phyrexia will be broken, only for the Phyrexians to flee through untested portals built by the Gitaxians. With Phyrexians scattered across various planes in the multiverse, they'd remain a threat to be dealt with, especially since they'd now know their interplanar tech worked.
Given that the Mardu symbol is the dragon's wings...I think you're going to be disappointed.
Eh, Tezzeret already did the "limbs replaced with artifice" gag. Seeing it again isn't terribly compelling.
There are currently about twice as many male planeswalkers as there are females. If they couldn't make Deretti an interesting race or from an interesting plane, they could have at least made a planeswalker from the less represented gender.
As it is, Deretti has no really notable qualities as a character.