My Three Favorite Scrapped Storylines in Magic: the Gathering

It’s a rough time to be a fan of the lore in Magic: The Gathering. With the increased prevalence of Universes Beyond sets, featuring cards with characters from other fandoms, Magic has placed less focus on its own story. This has led to some recent Magic stories falling flat and other storylines becoming cut off.

No story is without its blemishes, even if it’s well loved. Acknowledging and even poking fun at your favorite mistakes a story has made is just another way of appreciating and staying engaged with it. Without further ado, here are three of my favorite storylines that have been cut short, discarded, glossed over, or just plain ignored.

3. Nissa’s Destined Greatness Peters Out

Since her first appearance, Nissa has been plagued by Wizards of the Coasts’ shifting desires for the character. Her characterization and story arc have changed paths several times. From her initial appearance as an Elf supremacist (yes, really), to Nissa’s revised origins as a herald of Emrakul’s return, to her relationship with Chandra, Nissa’s story has made a lot of zigs and zags.

Before the most recent multiversal event, Nissa seemed like the main character poised for the most change. As one of the first five planeswalkers in the Gatewatch, Magic’s own Justice League, Nissa occupied a comfortable niche as the nature mage. However, there were hints that she was, or at least could be, more than that.

Of the core heroes in the Gatewatch, Nissa was the only one whose associated colors had undergone some change. Changing or adding colors to a planeswalkers mana is nearly always significant, and Nissa underwent this change twice. It certainly felt like she was destined for greatness, and the story continued to reinforce that notion.

Herald of an Eldritch Titan

Both times Nissa’s colors changed, she grew as a character and became more powerful. Both of these times were also connected to Emrakul, a godlike eldritch creature of planar devastation whose awakening is tied with Nissa’s origins as a planeswalker. 

The first time Nissa’s color changed, Emrakul connected to Nissa’s mind while on a different plane and altered her outlook and perspective on her own power. Emrakul opened Nissa’s mind to the monumental power that her ability to alter leylines gave her. As Nissa faced the trial of a god, Emrakul showed Nissa she could be more than just a piece on a chessboard and use her powers to move the world as she saw fit.

The second time Nissa’s color changed came during a clash of wills with the previous planeswalker to challenge Emrakul, Nahiri. The two were parallels. Both had previously unleashed Emrakul upon their shared home plane of Zendikar. They each also possessed a type of magic that let them alter the landscape of planes. They were also diametrically opposed, with Nahiri wielding red and white mana and Nissa wielding green mana and gaining black.

Nahiri and Nissa’s conflict ended with Nissa as the victor. As part of her triumph, Nissa made a significant decision about the fate of Zendikar, fulfilling Emrakul’s advice to take the fate of planes into her own hands.

It seemed like this was Nissa’s pattern of growth. Despite being a green mage, arduous circumstances and her connection with Emrakul often forced her to grow, add new mana and skills to her repertoire. I was excited to see where things would go with Nissa. I even held out hope that she might be the first planeswalker in the game to be five colors.

Love Comes at a Cost

Magic’s last big event was the Phyrexian Invasion, featuring the reemergence of the longtime scourge of the Magic setting. The Phyrexians were preparing to launch an invasion into every plane, threatening to turn the entire multiverse and our favorite characters into robot zombies.

During the Phyrexian Invasion story, Nissa was one of the big hitters who fell to the Phyrexians. Her fate was one of the most gruesome and unsettling ordeals in the entire setting that was previously thought to be incurable. While she was beaten before she could kill any of the heroes, in the process, she lost her planeswalker spark and still suffered a devastating defeat. 

Since the Phyrexian Invasion, Nissa’s story has shifted to focus on her romance and connection with Chandra. The loss of her planeswalker spark has dramatically dampened her power, and much of the growth she underwent now seems to have nowhere to go. 

I love Nissa, and I am happy that she now gets to be openly in a relationship with Chandra. The reversal of the infamously disastrous mishandling of their relationship at the end of the War of the Spark feels long overdue. I just wish I didn’t have to lose the development of one of my favorite planeswalkers in exchange.

2. Dragons Vs. Khans

Apparently, the best way to resolve the central storyline of a beloved plane is to settle everything entirely “off-screen.” That’s exactly what Wizards of the Coast did with Tarkir: Dragonstorm. In the setting of Tarkir, the conflict between the Dragonlords and Khans was the core of the tension and draw of the plane. The first visit to Tarkir saw a shifting timeline where brutal Khans were left hollow versions of themselves, dominated by Dragonlords.

We’ll never get to see the climactic and epic confrontation of the clans against five Elder Dragons, some of the strongest creatures in Magic’s history. Instead, the Dragonlords mysteriously disappeared before the events of Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Instead of a story of rebuilding, Dragonstorm shows a Tarkir where the clans somehow have rich cultures despite the established erasure of those cultures by the Dragonlords.

There is a good bit that I liked in the story of Dragonstorm, but the main storyline wasn’t it. The original Khans of Tarkir set was released when I first started Magic, and the vignettes from Dragonstorm describing life on a rebuilt Tarkir were compelling and exciting. Returning to my first plane was a wonderful experience, and I’ve had a lot of fun with the cards. Unfortunately, the great world-building of the new Tarkir can’t erase my disappointment at seeing the major conflict at the heart of my favorite plane simply discarded and undone.

To make matters worse, the story is effectively just an excuse to bring back a famous MtG bad guy: Nicol Bolas. It’s heartbreaking to see the setup for Magic’s next big event come at the cost of my favorite plane. I’m sorry, Tarkir. You deserved better than this.

President of the Dragon Fan Club

One of the important characters in Tarkir, and the entire reason why the plane even has dragons anymore, is Sarkhan Vol. Sarkhan Vol is a dragon lover who loves dragons so much that he regularly turns into one. If there were a dragon fan club, Sarkhan would be its undisputed president. Sarkhan loves dragons so much that he changed the fate of an entire plane to bring back dragons.

I have a strong bond with Sarkhan. My favorite commander deck is a dragon deck I refer to as “Sarkhan’s Menagerie.” I am on record as calling myself “Sarkhan’s Strongest Soldier.” It is heartbreaking to see his story fizzle out the way it did in Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

Sarkhan made his debut brainwashed and enslaved by Nicol Bolas, a dragon planeswalker. Madness and manipulation were big parts of Sarkhan’s initial characterization, but Sarkhan grew. During Magic’s first visit to Tarkir, Sarkhan’s home plane, the dragon planeswalker underwent a dramatic change. Sarkhan emerged from this set as Sarkhan Unbroken and even got blue mana on his card. 

The change in mana color on a planeswalker card is significant. Adding blue mana to a planeswalker typically represents a character taking a more intelligent or nuanced approach. This seemed especially true with Sarkhan, as his actions within the setting made him both a savior and a condemner. Though this was our last big look at Sarkhan, this mindset seemed to prevail, as his most recent card before Takir: Dragonstorm still had blue mana.

Look How They Massacred My Boy…

Unfortunately, any progress for Sarkhan was harshly reversed. Dragonstorm’s storyline reverted Sarkhan back into an easily manipulated agent of destruction. Not only did Sarkhan betray his mostly deeply held convictions by killing a baby dragon, but all the connections Sarkhan built were destroyed. Even Sarkhan’s connection with Narset, who was one of the people he saved when he altered Tarkir’s timeline, was tossed aside. 

The entirety of Tarkir: Dragonstorm feels like a character assassination for one of my favorite characters. Dragonstorm presented a Tarkir that I thought Sarkhan should have loved. This Tarkir had dragons living alongside humans, with new spirit dragons at the heart of clans, leading a revival of culture. Sarkhan’s meddling with the timeline seemed like it had all led to this: a Tarkir where the brutal feuds of the Khans were tempered by the wisdom of dragons. Instead, Dragonstorm gave us a monster sad that he couldn’t burn down the world anymore.

Rest in peace, Sarkhan. They could never make me hate you.

Dishonorable Mentions

Magic: The Gathering is full of storylines, both large and small, that never quite get their conclusion. Some of these are just too small scale and couldn’t make the cut for my top three. However, there are certainly enough for a few dishonorable mentions. Here are my favorite minor storylines that never quite bore fruit and withered on the vine.

Luxior, the Irrelevant

Luxior is the latest legendary sword given to a hero in Magic’s story that turned out to be absolutely useless. This sword was originally given to the planeswalker Elspeth by an angel named Giada. It was brimming with a magical substance called Halo (the blue glowing stuff in the hilt), which had helped Giada’s people beat the emerging threat of the Phyrexians on her plane before. It was presumably going to be an important part of the story and key to the defeat of the Phyrexians… and then it never really got used.

The most interesting thing that Wizards of the Coast ever did with Luxior didn’t even actually happen. In one of the alternate arts for corrupted planeswalkers, Jace is featured with Luxior merged with his heart. It would have been awesome to see a corrupted Jace gain a signature weapon and steal hope from the heroes. Unfortunately, this artwork is strictly non-canonical.

Luxior has effectively been removed from the story. It is a shame to see a legendary weapon tied to a multiversal threat have little impact on that story. It’s especially a shame when we can see artists do something creative and evocative with that same legendary weapon when the story never acts on it.

Lukka, Just… Lukka

Not every planeswalker lives up to their potential. Lukka is probably the dictionary definition of wasted potential and the personification of a sad trumpet noise. Lukka’s introduction in Ikoria was plagued by a disconnect between his characterization in the cards versus the online story. With his magic to bond with magical creatures, it was hard to tell whether Lukka was supposed to be a heartless manipulator or an earnest animal lover.

Lukka’s rocky start may have caused his story to be dead on arrival. His first introduction gave him a strange and mysterious introduction to the Ozolith. The Ozolith is an expensive card and a strange and mysterious artifact in the lore that was communicating with Lukka. However, the lukewarm reaction to Lukka meant this storyline never got a conclusion.

Lukka was set up to be a character tied to some of the most important mysteries of a new setting. However, it is clear to see this storyline was ultimately scrapped. Instead, Lukka was corrupted into serving the Phyrexians and then killed. Meanwhile, the Ozolith’s most recent card saw it shattered, signaling a different direction entirely for its storyline.

Can Somebody Please Check on Thalia?

One of the things I love about Magic the Gathering is how they tell a story through their cards. Characters can reappear, and mechanics can hint at other developments. Magic cards truly embody the idea that a picture is worth a thousand words. So, the Gitrog Monster’s new card has me worried.

Thalia is one of the few beacons of hope in her home setting. She fends off the vampires and other monsters that regularly threaten Innistrad. Thalia made her last appearance during the Phyrexian Invasion, riding into battle on The Gitrog Monster. So, it’s a concerning sign that the in its latest card, the Gitrog Monster it eats its rider.

I’m worried about Thalia, and I would like to know if she’s safe. However, Thalia’s fate is indicative of an unfortunate pattern. During the Phyrexian Invasion, Thalia and The Gitrog Monster were one of many unlikely team-ups. Characters who would have normally been enemies or rivals were joined together for a common cause. However, whatever change these team-up’s could have caused for the teams has largely been unfelt.

Thalia may be the only character to significantly change from the team-ups from the last climactic MtG storyline. Zurgo, who previously teamed up with Ojutai, is back to being the warlord of the Mardu with no character growth. Meanwhile, Ojutai disappeared from his home plane with little explanation. Baral, a brutal consul, teamed up with the rebellious Kari Zev, but neither received a significant update in Aether Drift. 

It is likely this trend will continue to play out. At this point, I can only hope that we receive any update about the only team up that seems like it may have significantly changed the characters.

1. Desparking

The aftermath of the Phyrexian Invasion heralded a huge change for MtG. Planeswalkers from every setting, some of the most powerful and iconic cards in Magic, mysteriously lost their power suddenly.

Let’s be honest: there is no greater lore reason why the desparking happened, and there will likely be no explanation. The Desparking is an in-lore justification for why WotC has begun to print fewer planeswalker cards. It was also done to make room for more interplanar travel so characters from other settings could interact more easily.

The problem with the Desparking is not that it hasn’t been explained; it is that there appears to be no intention to explain it or honor it. What could be an interesting and compelling storyline has seen no movement for two years. The only character to significantly change because of the Desparking has been Sarkhan, which completely reversed his previous development.

The Desparking is an excellent example of the Wizard of the Coasts disregard for Magic’s own stories and lack of respect for their own rich setting. The previous time that planeswalkers suffered a unilateral massive loss of power in the Mending, it changed the very face of the multiverse, set several characters onto cataclysmic paths, and altered Magic forever. This time, the desparked characters recently cheerfully had a motorcycle race.

Spark a Change?

Magic’s story is littered with characters who have done unspeakable things to regain their spark. Lilliana’s pact with four demons brokered by Bolas is a direct result of the Mending. Bolas himself spent centuries after the Mending manipulating the magic of entire planes to restore his lost power.

The loss of a planeswalker spark or even the diminishing of their power has historically been incredibly gut-wrenching. Every instance of a planeswalker losing their spark has been synonymous with death or a fate far worse. In a previous conflict against the Phyrexians, Venser heroically sacrificed his spark and was left stranded and vulnerable. The loss of Teferi’s spark left him incapable of restoring his home and devastated as a result. When Ob Nixilis had his spark sealed, he vowed to destroy an entire plane in revenge. Domri, Dack Faden, and Bolas himself all faced the agonizing loss of their spark.

 Even delaying the emergence of a planeswalker spark has been described as particularly torturous. On Ixalan, where an artifact kept planeswalkers from leaving, the inability to planeswalk was portrayed as particularly tragic for Huatli, who longed to leave for the place she saw as a paradise.

The loss their power has often driven planeswalkers to kick off epic storylines to restore their power. It is sad that most former planeswalkers instead appear to be apathetic about the loss of their spark. This leaves one of the most well-established storylines in Magic, the tragedy of a lost spark, as the scrapped storyline I will miss most dearly.

This One Does Not Spark Joy

Despite the acknowledgement that the loss of their spark is painful, Magic has not portrayed this Desparking as the horrific and tragic event it would have been in the past. Instead, former planeswalkers race motorcycles and monster trucks, apparently unperturbed by what was previously seen as a horrifying loss. 

The irony is, the prize for the race was an artifact known as the Aetherspark, the first artificial planeswalker spark. The Aetherspark seems like it should be incredibly valuable, especially to planeswalkers who have lost their spark. Instead, it is treated as a pretty trophy with no real bearing on the story at large.

I want to hope that Magic will pay off the hints about a larger plot surrounding the desparking. Unfortunately, that doesn’t seem likely. Instead of being driven to extreme lengths by a tragic loss, desparked planeswalkers are content and unbothered.

A Losing Game

Being a fan of Magic’s story right now feels like betting on a losing dog. Several of the most recent Magic sets focused more on dressing characters up into themed costumes than on the larger plot. Meanwhile, Wizards of the Coast continues to add more Universes Beyond cards while decreasing the attention on the story.

I love Magic’s story. It’s a big part of why I got into this hobby and a big reason why I’m still in it. Despite every instinct otherwise, I am still clinging tightly to my false hopes for Magic’s story. I am still betting on that losing dog. Time may prove me a fool, but I love these stories. I want to see more.