The storylines ofMagic: The Gatheringhave always been an integral part of the game. So much so that, when breaking down the psychological profiles ofdifferent Magic player types, the game’s designers dedicated an entire type to those who appreciate the story and flavour elements of the cards above all else: Vorthos.
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One of the big reasons for this aesthetic appreciation is the game’s rich cast of characters, many of whom weave their way in and out of major narratives as new expansions are released. Through a combination of their art, flavour text, and mechanics, over multiple appearances, these characters receive in-depth development.
10Gerrard Capashen
Magic’s original swashbuckling hero, Gerrard Capashen led the crew of the Weatherlight through the entire Phyrexian war, helping them assemble and use the Legacy Weapon that would finally spell Yawgmoth’s end, despite it spelling his own end in the process. While a fairly straightforward character, his story featured highs and lows, which were reflected beautifully on various cards.
His original appearance is the platonic ideal of a white legendary creature, highlighting his virtue and combat prowess. The latter is shown again in his battle with Urza in Yawgmoth’s Phyrexian Arena, the darkest moment in his tale. Finally, his heroic sacrifice is fittingly depicted on Vindicate, along with some of the most memorable flavour text the game has seen:“Don’t mourn for me. This is my destiny.”
9Zurgo
Zurgo’s story is interesting because it’s not so much a character arc as a character study. Presented in two different timelines, one where all the Dragons of Tarkir were wiped out and one where they lived on and conquered the Plane, Zurgo is an excellent example of the classic nature vs. nurture debate.
In the former timeline, Zurgo is a seeminglyfearless Orc leader, represented by his ferocious art and mechanical requirement to attack each turn. In the latter, he’s a spineless servant, his cowardice exemplified by his dash ability and his inability to block any foe that could actually defeat him in combat. These two takes on the same character reveal Zurgo’s true colours, showing us the kind of Orc he really is when the chips are down.
8Nicol Bolas
The poster boy for Multiversal villainy, Nicol Bolas’ infamy extends far beyond the confines of his dedicated cards, spilling over into much of Magic’s overall marketing. That said, his various in-game appearances do an excellent job of conveying his rise through the villainous ranks.
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Beginning as a ‘mere’ Elder Dragon in his original appearance, Bolas becomes a planeswalker just one card later, gaining new abilities representing his destructive, manipulative personality. He reaches the height of his power in his Dragon God incarnation, which absorbs the abilities of all other planeswalkers in play, and can even end the game on the spot: truly the purest expression of raw power Magic has to offer.
7Melira
Melira’s arc contains an unusual kind of tragic heroism; a character who does the right thing, helping her community even in the face of their abandonment and hate. This stage of her journey is shown in her initial appearance on Melira, Sylvok Outcast, which introduced her sad fate but also her key ability: an immunity toPhyrexia’s oil-based infection.
This ability persists in her latest incarnation, where she also gains the power to sacrifice herself to save another creature. This, along with the Mirran Safehouse which she had a hand in creating, cemented her selfless nature, rounding out the story of a hero who stayed true even when given every excuse not to.
6Urza
A man whose hubris left an entire Plane in ruins, one could easily argue that, despite his framing as a protagonist, Urza is one ofMagic’s greatest villains. As with all great characters, however, there are shades of grey to Urza that make him compelling to follow whenever he appears on a card, however rarely that may be.
Thankfully, The Brothers’ War was less stingy with the apex artificer than past sets have been, giving us glimpses of Urza at various stages of life. We see his early knack for artifice, his ascent to a position of power, and finally, his development into a fully-fledged planeswalker, capable of annihilating your opponent’s creatures and yours in one huge blast. It’s one of the game’s most vital arcs, and it’s played out here in mechanical and flavourful perfection.
5Ob Nixilis
It says something about the complexity of Ob Nixilis’ character that, despite appearing directly on six different cards, his full story arc is still yet to be represented in-game. What we have is excellent, however, showing his progression from planeswalking Human general, to Demon robbed of his planeswalker spark, to Demon who has reclaimed his planeswalker spark and uses it to terrorise the Multiverse.
All of Ob Nixilis’ forms make use of a core pillar of black’s colour identity: exchanging life, be it yours or your opponents, for power. This mechanical consistency is important for solidifying his character: no matter what physical form he takes, Ob Nixilis’ black heart still beats within his chest.
4Daxos
A Greek tragedy in three acts, Daxos’ tale is one of heroism, love, loss, and begrudging acceptance, all crammed into three cards. Beginning as a wily warrior with a penchant for lifegain, his good nature is evident from the first. Falling in love with Elspeth Tirel, his grief over her demise drives him down into the depths of Theros’ underworld, where he joins the ranks of the Returned in a fruitless search for her.
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After his mission proves a failure, Daxos is ‘saved’ from the underworld by Heliod, and granted the status of Demigod, binding him to his service. While this seems like a happy ending at first glance, Daxos’ new light, much like Heliod’s, is hollow, and nothing will ever replace the love he lost on his way to achieving it.
3Bruna And Gisela
Two members of The Flight of Alabaster, an elite group of Angels that also included Sigarda and Liesa, the stories of Bruna and Gisela would become, literally and figuratively, intertwined in one of Magic’s darkest twists. In their first appearances, both Angels are powerful mythic rare creatures, beacons of hope in Innistrad’s clouded skies.
Later on, however, once Emrakul takes up residence on the Plane, the two are forcibly merged into an unholy abomination, acruel Eldrazi parodyof an Angel that seems to mock the very essence of life itself. This new form cleverly approximates a pure combination of the two cards with its stats and abilities, while its art will leave players, like Sigarda, with nothing to do but weep.
2Nahiri
Nahiri’s story is one with a purely downward trajectory, a planeswalker so consumed by her desire for vengeance that it warps her beyond recognition. This is shown most clearly in the addition of red to her colour palette in her appearances from Shadows Over Innistrad onward, as well as her shift from dealing with equipment to dealing out big damage.
In Phyrexia: All Will Be One, Nahiri is one of the planeswalkers that succumbs to compleation, becoming nothing more than a tool in Phyrexia’s hands. It’s a sad fate but also strangely fitting: after losing so much of herself in her vengeful rampage, Nahiri was little more than a shell even pre-compleation.
1Samut
A character who embodies the Gruul ideal of rebellion better than any other, Samut is a revolutionary force in the War of the Spark storyline. Beginning as a warrior on Amonkhet, she trained to take part in the Plane’s traditional Trials of the Five Gods before events led her to uncover the truth about their purpose.
Fighting back, Samut ended up in a series of battles that would ignite her planeswalker spark. When the time came to face Nicol Bolas on Ravnica, Samut was there, swords in hand. Across all three of her forms, her abilities largely deal with speed and combat, matching her story arc and fiery personality perfectly.
