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{{Character
{{Infobox character
|image=Kiora Atua.jpg
|image=Kiora1.jpg
|name=Kiora
|name=Kiora
|birthplace=[[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]]
|birthplace=[[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]]
|lifetime= unknown
|lifetime= Post-[[Mending]]
|race=[[Merfolk]] [[Planeswalker]]
|race=[[Merfolk]]<br>Formerly [[Planeswalker]]
|sources= See references}}
|relatives= [[Turi]] (sister)
|colors = Primary: {{mana|U}} Secondary: {{mana|G}}
}}
'''Kiora''' is a [[merfolk]] [[planeswalker]] who made her debut in ''[[Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012]]''.<ref>{{DailyRef|savor-flavor/grand-mana-tour-2011-05-25|The Grand Mana Tour|[[Doug Beyer]]|May 25, 2011}}</ref>


'''Kiora''' is a [[blue]] and [[green]]-aligned [[merfolk]] [[planeswalker]] who made her debut as an antagonist in ''[[Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012]]'' <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/stf/144|The Grand Mana Tour|[[Doug Beyer]]|May 25, 2011}}</ref>. Her first planeswalker card appeared in ''[[Born of the Gods]]''. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/feature/279|Crashing through Winter|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|December 25, 2013
==Appearance and characteristics==
}}</ref>
Kiora loves the seas, above all else, finding them beautiful and full of mysteries to discover. In a bid to protect her world, she traveled the planes, seeking ways to increase her control over the seas, thinking the creatures within could stop the menace that threatened to consume all she knew.  


Kiora was born on [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] but left when the [[Eldrazi]] menace became too great. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/ur/281|Planeswalker's Guide to ''Born of the Gods''|The Magic Creative Team|January 08, 2014}}</ref>
Kiora is fierce, fighting relentlessly to protect her home and the landwalkers of the plane, although she knew them not. She could be somewhat rash, unwilling to listen to Jace about their method of eliminating the Eldrazi titans, and almost ruining the plot altogether. However, she wasn't above feeling shame for her own faults.
 
Kiora is [[primary|primarily]] centered in [[blue]] and secondary in [[green]].<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/658003309254377472/is-kiora-bluegreen-or-primary-bluesecondary|July 28, 2021}}</ref> When she planeswalks, she vanishes in a fine mist.<ref name="Forsaken">{{WikiRef|title=War of the Spark: Forsaken|author=[[Greg Weisman]]|date=November 2019|publisher=Del Rey}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
Kiora venerates the huge monsters of the sea, such as the [[leviathan]]s, [[kraken]]s and other denizens of the inky depths. For her these creatures embody the ability to withstand any persistent force: time, water, predation and darkness. She seems calm and wise, but her dreams are as bizarre and alien as the depths from which her creatures rise. <ref>{{DailyRef|mtg/daily/arcana/1448|Kiora Package|[[Mike McArtor]]|March 12, 2014}}</ref>
Kiora was born on [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]], a couple of decades before the [[Eldrazi|Return of the Eldrazi]]. She had a younger sister, [[Turi]].<ref name="Home Waters">{{DailyRef|uncharted-realms/home-waters-2015-09-30|Home Waters|[[Kelly Digges]]|September 30, 2015}}</ref> One time, when they had been exploring too far out, a [[serpent]] had cruised up out of the darkness to swallow them. Kiora had darted out in front of it, got its attention, and shouted for her sister to swim hard and not look back. Turi had looked anyway, and her panicked face was the last thing Kiora had seen before the serpent's jaws closed around her, and the world dissolved. In that moment of boiling panic, her [[planeswalker's spark]] ignited. When she'd finally gotten back, she'd made a promise to Turi to always return home.   
 
Kiora venerates the huge monsters of the sea, such as the [[leviathan]]s, [[kraken]]s, and other denizens of the inky depths. For her, these creatures embody the ability to withstand any persistent force: time, water, predation, and darkness. She seems calm and wise, but her dreams are as bizarre and alien as the depths from which her creatures rise.
 
After the Eldrazi began to roam free on Zendikar, Kiora fled, seeking some way to raise enough power to defeat them, believing once more that the masters of the depths are the only creatures strong enough to repel the aetheric parasites.<ref>{{DailyRef|uncharted-realms/planeswalkers-guide-born-gods-2014-01-08|Planeswalker's Guide to ''Born of the Gods''|The Magic Creative Team|January 08, 2014}}</ref> She has traveled from world to world, harnessing the powers of the oceans and gathering as many of its inhabitants to her as possible. In her travels, she made landfall on the shores of [[Theros]] and immediately called a gigantic tsunami to her, hoping to attract the attention of the deep dwellers. It struck the polis of [[Meletis]] and caused untold destruction, but she had little concern, only caring if her beacon had been answered. In some ways, it was successful, but it also attracted the [[Triton]]s, Theros's native merfolk. They believed Kiora to be an [[avatar]] of [[Thassa]] and she did little to dissuade them of that opinion, secretly enjoying the attention.
 
===Journey into Nyx===
[[File:Kiora 3.jpg|thumb|Kiora's Power|233x233px|alt=|left]]
Trading on local legends, she created one for herself, borrowing identities as needed as she amassed power. One such facade she adopted was that of [[Callaphe]], the legendary mariner said to have sailed into [[Nyx]] itself. It was this lie that brought her path across that of [[Ajani Goldmane]] and [[Elspeth Tirel]]. The pair sought out Callephe for her skills, trusting her ability to bring them to the <c>Temple of Mystery</c>, the ancient tree at the edge of the world.<ref>{{DailyRef|magic-story/kioras-followers-2014-02-14|Kiora's Followers|[[Kelly Digges]]|February 12, 2014}}</ref>
 
Kiora agreed to do so, but for purposes she wasn't forthcoming about, dismissing it with a wall of good cheer. She led them along for the ride as she pursued her own agenda, never letting it slip that she was not who she said she was. The truth finally came out shortly after they set off, as Kiora brought them to the sunken city of [[Arixmethes]]. It was no city at all, in truth, but a massive [[kraken]] upon whom a city had been built. The [[god]] [[Thassa]] would not allow Kiora to take the beast from her but first assisted Elspeth and Ajani in their journey.
 
The pair taken care of, Thassa turned her attention to Kiora. After a fight involving many sea [[monsters]] and kraken (some of them [[summon]]ed from other planes), Kiora escaped mostly unharmed and clutching Thassa's magical bident ''[[Dekella]]''.<ref>{{DailyRef|uncharted-realms/drop-drop-2015-05-20|Drop for Drop|[[Kelly Digges]]|May 20, 2015}}</ref>
 
===Battle for Zendikar===
[[File:Kiora.jpg|thumb|Kiora restraining the Eldrazi|271x271px]]
After recovering on her homeplane and seeing the destruction caused by the Eldrazi, Kiora was joined by a couple of <c title="Cosi's Tricksters">Cosi's Trickster</c> and began to assemble an army of merfolk and sea monsters.<ref name="Home Waters"/> When Gideon Jura began the Liberation of Sea Gate, Kiora arrived with her reinforcements which bolstered their lines and assisted in driving the Eldrazi back. She met Gideon himself face to face and cockily asked if he had brought an army to assist ''her'' in retaking the city. A spluttering Gideon responded in kind as they both declared the leadership of two different armies. After revealing her status as a planeswalker they teamed up and continued the assault. After 2 more days of fighting, they had retaken Sea Gate. Gideon then called a meeting with his closest advisors and commanders of the allied forces (the human [[Tazri]], the kor [[Munda]], the vampire [[Drana]], and the elf planeswalker [[Nissa Revane]]) which Kiora joined as well. Minutes later, [[Jori En]] came warning them of Ulamog's arrival.
The Planeswalkers enacted a bold new plan. While Gideon's troops and Kiora's forces held the city against this fresh assault, Nissa called on the [[elemental]] power of the earth to raise sunken hedrons from the ground and move them into a ring around the Eldrazi titan. Jace activated the hedrons' magic, and Ulamog was trapped! Then everything collapsed. [[Ob Nixilis]] appeared, having followed Nissa from [[Bala Ged]]. He destroyed the hedron network and awoke the slumbering Eldrazi titan [[Kozilek]].<ref>{{DailyRef|uncharted-realms/hedron-alignment-2015-11-18|Hedron Alignment|[[Kimberly J. Kreines]]|November 18, 2015}}</ref> Kiora just had [[summon]]ed the giant [[octopus]] [[Lorthos]] in an attempt to retake [[Sea Gate]] from Ulamog's brood.<ref>{{DailyRef|uncharted-realms/rise-kozilek-2015-12-09|The Rise of Kozilek|[[Kelly Digges]]|December 9, 2015}}</ref>  However, upon reaching the city, they were faced with not one, but two Eldrazi titans. As the monsters saw each other as threats due to their immense sizes, they began to battle; however, this fight did not last long, as the titan destroyed Lorthos by slicing it in half using its arm blades. It then turned its attention to Kiora. The planeswalker's last coherent thoughts were that in her arrogance to become a hero in her own story she had forgotten a key aspect of her childhood Cosi stories: Cosi and no one else, ALWAYS won in the end.[[File:Kiora Allys.jpg|left|thumb|250x250px|Kiora helps combat the Eldrazi.]][[Jori En]] found the wounded Kiora amidst a mass of dead sea creatures. After battling Kozilek's brood and [[Goblin#Zendikar Goblins|goblin dark-dwellers]] together, they retrieved Kiora's bident.<ref>{{DailyRef|magic-story/beneath-surface-2016-01-27|Beneath the Surface|[[Ari Levitch]]|January 27, 2016}}</ref> Kiora then assisted the newly formed [[gatewatch]] in their plan to draw the bulk of Ulamog and Kozilek into the plane so that their energy could be dispersed into Zendikar, killing them in the process.<ref>{{DailyRef|official-magic-fiction/brink-extinction-2016-02-10|Brink of Extinction|[[Kelly Digges]]|February 10, 2016}}</ref> While the plan worked at first, with Gideon keeping the Eldrazi swarms away from the army, Kiora clearing out any other swarms and Chandra supporting them, once the Eldrazi titans were anchored to Zendikar, their destructive essence threatened to assimilate Zendikar into themselves. Afraid, Kiora tried to persuade Nissa to release the Titans and allow them to flee, but Jace objected. Chandra offered to burn the Titans instead and after preventing Kiora from attacking Nissa, Jace agreed. The pyromancer then connected with the animist, allowing her to channel her pyromantic magic through Zendikar's Ley Lines directly into the titans. In one brilliant blaze of flame, Ulamog and Kozilek were incinerated and destroyed, leaving only ashes raining from Zendikar's sky. Realizing she had failed the team at the last moment, Kiora left on her own.<ref>{{DailyRef|official-magic-fiction/Last-stand-2016-02-17|Zendikar's Last Stand|[[Doug Beyer]]|February 17, 2016}}</ref>


After the Eldrazi began to roam free on Zendikar, Kiora fled, seeking some way to raise enough power to defeat them, believing once more that the masters of the depths are the only creatures strong enough to repel the aetheric parasites. She has traveled from world to world, harnessing the powers of the oceans and gathering as many of its inhabitants to her as possible. In her travels, she made landfall on the shores of [[Theros]] and immediately called a gigantic tsunami to her, hoping to attract the attentions of the deep dwellers. It struck the polis of [[Meletis]] and caused untold destruction, but she had little concern, only caring if her beacon had been answered. In some ways, it was successful, but it also attracted the [[Tritons]], Theros's native merfolk. They believed Kiora to be an avatar of [[Thassa]] and she did little to dissuade them of that opinion, secretly enjoying the attention. However, it is yet to be seen how this ruse shall hold up if Thassa becomes aware of her presence.
===War of the Spark===
[[File:Kiora the Tide's Fury.jpg|thumb|253x253px|''“When your enemy flees, send the sea to pursue them.”'']]
Kiora traveled with the Gatewatch to [[Ravnica]] for the [[War of the Spark (event)|final confrontation]] with Bolas, and immediately became trapped there due to [[Bolas]]'s use of the [[Immortal Sun]]. Alongside many other planeswalkers and Ravnicans, she fought against the [[Eternal]]s of Bolas' [[Dreadhorde]].<ref name="Weisman Ravnica novel">{{WikiRef|title=War of the Spark: Ravnica|author=[[Greg Weisman]]|date=April 2019|publisher=Del Rey}}</ref><ref name="Path">{{DailyRef|magic-story/war-spark-ravnica-path-opulent-2019-05-15|War of the Spark: Ravnica – The Path to Opulent|[[Greg Weisman]]|May 15, 2019}}</ref>


==In-game references==
During the invasion, the trapped planeswalkers (including Kiora) got together with Ravnican leaders to strategize. [[Dack Fayden]] managed to touch Kiora's bident, hoping to copy the divine artifact's powers with his psychometric ability. She caught him, and the attempt made him look like he regretted his decision.<ref name="Magic Story">{{WebRef|url=https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-story/war-spark-ravnica-rallying-reluctant-2019-05-22|title=War of the Spark: Ravnica – Rallying the Reluctant|author=Greg Weisman|date=May 22, 2019}}</ref>
'''Represented in:'''
* <c>Kiora, the Crashing Wave</c>


'''Depicted in:'''
She was one of the few planeswalkers who chose to remain on Ravnica after Chandra disabled the Immortal Sun, helping the Gatewatch in their fight against Bolas. She declined to visit Theros again to pay respect to Gideon, being persona non-grata on that plane, and opted to return to Zendikar instead.<ref name="Forsaken"/>
* <c>Godhunter Octopus</c>
* <c>Kiora's Dismissal</c>


'''Quoted or referred to:'''
===Phyrexian Invasion===
* <c>Kiora's Follower</c>
As [[New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse]] began, Kiora returned to [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]], both to defend her home plane and because she felt her advantage would be greatest on familiar ground.<ref name="No Sparks Allowed">{{YouTubeRef|sImiwohnUYg|No Sparks Allowed – Aftermath Lore ft Rhystic Studies|[[LRRMTG]]|May 10, 2023}}</ref> In the aftermath of the Invasion, she lost her spark in the [[Desparkening|Great Desparkening]].
* <c>Nyxborn Triton</c>
* <c>Riptide Chimera</c>
* <c>Whelming Wave</c>


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
* Kiora was originally named "Kiora Atua." Parallels were drawn with the Maori, because in Maori, "Kia ora" is a greeting (meaning "be well") and Atua is the Maori word for "god" or other similar terms such as "ancestor" or "spirit". However, this connection between the planeswalker and the Maori was not intentional. In January 2014, it was announced that "Atua" would be dropped from her name as it was considered inappropriate and offensive by Wizards, as it disrespectfully treads on sincere beliefs. As it stands, Kiora has no official last name.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=Doug Beyer|URL=http://dougbeyermtg.tumblr.com/post/73492305439/why-kiora-the-crashing-wave-and-not-kiora-atua-why|title=Why "Kiora, the Crashing Wave" and not "Kiora Atua"|tumblr-title=A Voice for Vorthos|date=January 15, 2014}}</ref> <ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/74196742772/is-the-bng-planeswalker-still-called-kiora-atua-in|title=Is the BNG planeswalker still called "Kiora Atua?"|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=January 22, 2014}}</ref>
*Kiora was originally named "Kiora Atua." Parallels were drawn with the Maori because in Maori, "Kia ora" is a greeting (meaning "be well") and Atua is the Maori word for "god" or other similar terms such as "ancestor" or "spirit". However, this connection between the planeswalker and the Maori was not intentional. In January 2014, it was announced that "Atua" would be dropped from her name as it was considered inappropriate and offensive by Wizards, as it disrespectfully treads on sincere beliefs. As it stands, Kiora has no official last name.<ref>{{EzTumblr|http://dougbeyermtg.tumblr.com/post/73492305439/why-kiora-the-crashing-wave-and-not-kiora-atua-why|title=Why "Kiora, the Crashing Wave" and not "Kiora Atua"|January 15, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/74196742772/is-the-bng-planeswalker-still-called-kiora-atua-in|title=Is the BNG planeswalker still called "Kiora Atua?"|January 22, 2014}}</ref> However, the name briefly reappeared on the box of her [[Magic figures#Funko|Funko]] Pop! Vinyl Figure.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/funko-pop-planeswalkers-part-deux-2015-02-04|Funko Pop! Planeswalkers, Part Deux|[[Mike McArtor]]|February 4, 2015}}</ref>
* The artwork on <c>Kiora, the Crashing Wave</c> references the classic woodcut ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_Wave_off_Kanagawa The Great Wave off Kanagawa]'' by Hokusai.
*In the video game ''[[Magic: The Gathering Arena]]'', Kiora is voiced by [[Wikipedia:Kari Wahlgren|Kari Wahlgren]].<ref>{{WebRef|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10967214/characters/nm1312566|title=Kari Wahlgren as Kiora|publisher=IMDB}}</ref>
*A clownfish and a blue tang can be seen in the left corner of <c>Kiora, the Tide's Fury</c>, a reference to the movie ''[[Wikipedia:Finding_Nemo|Finding Nemo]]''.
 
==Artifacts acquired==
*[[Dekella]] - A bident stolen from the [[god]]dess [[Thassa]] of [[Theros (plane)|Theros]], greatly increases her ability to manipulate the sea and the creatures residing within.
 
==Planeswalkers met==
{{columns-list|colwidth=15em|
*[[Ajani Goldmane]]
*[[Chandra Nalaar]]
*[[Elspeth Tirel]]
*[[Gideon Jura]]
*[[Huatli]]
*[[Jace Beleren]]
*[[Kasmina]]
*[[Kaya]]
*[[Nissa Revane]]
*[[Saheeli Rai]]
*[[Samut]]
*[[Tamiyo]]
*[[Teyo Verada]]
*[[Vraska]]
}}
 
==Planes visited==
*[[Theros (plane)|Theros]]
*[[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]]
*[[Ravnica]]<ref name="Weisman Ravnica novel"/>
 
==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Kiora Atua.jpg|{{card|Kiora, the Crashing Wave||BNG}}
File:Kiora, the Crashing Wave.jpg|Kiora is a powerful summoner of sea creatures.
File:Godhunter Octopus.jpg|In [[Theros (plane)|Theros]] Kiora is mistaken for the [[god|goddess]] [[Thassa]].
File:Temple of the False God.jpg|''“I will never run out of new oceans to explore or new sea-dwellers to embrace as my own.”''
File:Swell of Growth.jpg|<c>Swell of Growth</c>
File:Kiora, Master of the Depths.png|Kiora returns to [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] after obtaining the Thassa bident, to fight the [[Eldrazi]].
File:Gideon Jura and Kiora.jpg|Along with other Zendikari and [[planeswalker]]s, Kiora defends [[Tazeem|Sea Gate]].
File:Kiora MTGA avatar J21.png|[[Magic: The Gathering Arena]] avatar.
File:Kiora Sovereign of the Deep.jpg|Desparked on [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]]
File:Kiora MTGA avatar PoolParty.png|[[Wikipedia:Lifeguard|Lifeguard]] avatar for Arena's 2023 summer sale Pool Party bundle.
</gallery>
 
==Story appearances==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Title !! Author !! Publishing date !! Set !! Setting (plane) !! Featuring
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/kioras-followers-2014-02-14|Kiora's Followers}} || [[Kelly Digges]] || 2014-02-12 || ''[[Born of the Gods]]'' || [[Shandalar]], [[Theros (plane)|Theros]] || Kiora, [[Kalemnos]], [[Thassa]], [[Kruphix]]
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/kruphixs-insight-2014-06-11|Kruphix's Insight}}  || [[Kelly Digges]] || 2014-06-11 || ''[[Journey into Nyx]]'' || [[Theros (plane)|Theros]] || [[Diantha]], [[Kydele]], [[Kruphix]], [[Xenagos]], [[Elspeth]], [[Ajani]], Kiora, [[Callaphe]]
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/drop-drop-2015-05-20|Drop for Drop}} || [[Kelly Digges]] || 2015-05-20 || ''[[Journey into Nyx]] || [[Theros]] || Kiora, [[Ajani Goldmane]], [[Elspeth Tirel]], [[Thassa]], [[Arixmethes]]
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/home-waters-2015-09-30|Home Waters}} || [[Kelly Digges]] || 2015-09-30 || ''[[Battle for Zendikar]]'' || [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] || Kiora, [[Turi]], Misha, [[Yenai]], Shen, Yesha, Tola, Inash, Runari
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/liberation-sea-gate-2015-10-28|The Liberation of Sea Gate}} || [[James Wyatt]] || 2015-10-28 ||''[[Battle for Zendikar]]'' || [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] || [[Gideon Jura]], [[Munda]], [[Tazri]], [[Drana]], [[Noyan Dar]], Kiora, [[Nissa Revane]], [[Ashaya]], [[Jori En]]
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/hedron-alignment-2015-11-18|Hedron Alignment}} || [[Kimberly J. Kreines]] || 2015-11-18 || ''[[Battle for Zendikar]]'' || [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] || Kiora, [[Gideon Jura]], [[Drana]], [[Tazri]], [[Nissa Revane]], [[Munda]], [[Jori En]], [[Ebi]], [[Jace Beleren]], [[Ashaya]], [[Seble]], [[Ulamog]], [[Ob Nixilis]]
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/rise-kozilek-2015-12-09|The Rise of Kozilek}} || [[Kelly Digges]] || 2015-12-09 || ''[[Oath of the Gatewatch]]'' || [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] || Kiora, Shen, Yesha, Tola, Inash, Runari, [[Lorthos]], [[Ulamog]], [[Kozilek]]
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/beneath-surface-2016-01-27|Beneath the Surface}} || [[Ari Levitch]] || 2016-01-27 ||''[[Oath of the Gatewatch]]'' || [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] || [[Jori En]], [[Lorthos]], [[Kozilek]], [[Ulamog]], Kiora
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/brink-extinction-2016-02-10|Brink of Extinction}} || [[Kelly Digges]] || 2016-02-10 ||''[[Oath of the Gatewatch]]'' || [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] || [[The Gatewatch]], [[Tazri]], [[Munda]], [[Jori En]], Kiora
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/zendikars-last-stand-2016-02-17|Zendikar's Last Stand}} || [[Doug Beyer]] || 2016-02-17 ||''[[Oath of the Gatewatch]]'' || [[Zendikar (plane)|Zendikar]] || [[The Gatewatch]], Kiora, [[Ulamog]], [[Kozilek]], [[Tazri]], [[Noyan Dar]], [[Drana]], [[Jori En]]
|-
| {{ArticleArchive|magic-story/war-spark-ravnica-path-opulent-2019-05-15|War of the Spark: Ravnica—The Path to Opulent}} || [[Greg Weisman]] || 2019-05-15 || ''[[War of the Spark]]'' || [[Ravnica]] || [[Araithia Shokta|Rat]], [[Teyo Verada|Teyo]], [[Kaya Cassir|Kaya]], [[Ral Zarek|Ral]], [[Jaya Ballard|Jaya]], [[Gideon Jura|Gideon]], Krumnen, [[Gan Shokta]], [[Domri Rade|Domri]], Akamal Cray, [[Govan Radley]], Sheeza, Jahdeera, Bombop, [[Vorel]], [[Maree]], Kiora, [[Samut]], [[Eknet]], [[Temmet]], [[Neit]], [[Haqikah]], [[Kawit]], [[Huatli]], [[Saheeli Rai|Saheeli]], [[Kasmina]], [[Oketra]], [[Kefnet]], [[Bontu]], [[Rhonas]], [[Jace Beleren|Jace]]
|}
 
==In-game references==
{{in-game
|cards=
*<c>Kiora, Behemoth Beckoner</c>
*<c>Kiora, the Crashing Wave</c><ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/kiora-package-2014-03-12-0|Kiora Package|Mike McArtor|March 12, 2014}}</ref>
*<c>Kiora, Master of the Depths</c>
*<c>Kiora, Sovereign of the Deep</c>
*<c>Kiora, the Tide's Fury</c>
|associated=
*{{card|Bident of Thassa|The Brothers' War Commander|BRC}}
*<c>Kiora Bests the Sea God</c>
*<c>Kiora's Dambreaker</c>
*<c>Kiora's Dismissal</c>
*<c>Kiora's Follower</c>
|art=
*<c>Bounty of the Deep</c>
*<c>Godhunter Octopus</c>
*<c>Spark Rupture</c>
*<c>Swell of Growth</c>
*{{card|Temple of the False God|Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora}}
*<c>Tightening Coils</c>
*<c>War of the Spark</c>
|flavor=
*<c>Cryptic Cruiser</c>
*{{card|Explore|Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Kiora}}
*<c>Nyxborn Triton</c>
*<c>Riptide Chimera</c>
*<c>Submerged Boneyard</c>
*<c>Whelming Wave</c>
}}


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{Reflist}}


{{Neowalkers}}
{{Zendikar|characters|state=collapsed}}
 
{{Planeswalker|types}}
[[Category:Characters]][[Category:Merfolk]][[Category:Planeswalkers]]
[[Category:Merfolk]]
[[Category:Nobles]]

Latest revision as of 19:29, 26 June 2024

Kiora
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Kiora1.jpg}}|250px]]
Details
Race Merfolk
Formerly Planeswalker
Birthplace Zendikar
Lifetime Post-Mending
Relatives Turi (sister)
Colors
Primary: {U} Secondary: {G}

Kiora is a merfolk planeswalker who made her debut in Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012.[1]

Appearance and characteristics

Kiora loves the seas, above all else, finding them beautiful and full of mysteries to discover. In a bid to protect her world, she traveled the planes, seeking ways to increase her control over the seas, thinking the creatures within could stop the menace that threatened to consume all she knew.

Kiora is fierce, fighting relentlessly to protect her home and the landwalkers of the plane, although she knew them not. She could be somewhat rash, unwilling to listen to Jace about their method of eliminating the Eldrazi titans, and almost ruining the plot altogether. However, she wasn't above feeling shame for her own faults.

Kiora is primarily centered in blue and secondary in green.[2] When she planeswalks, she vanishes in a fine mist.[3]

History

Kiora was born on Zendikar, a couple of decades before the Return of the Eldrazi. She had a younger sister, Turi.[4] One time, when they had been exploring too far out, a serpent had cruised up out of the darkness to swallow them. Kiora had darted out in front of it, got its attention, and shouted for her sister to swim hard and not look back. Turi had looked anyway, and her panicked face was the last thing Kiora had seen before the serpent's jaws closed around her, and the world dissolved. In that moment of boiling panic, her planeswalker's spark ignited. When she'd finally gotten back, she'd made a promise to Turi to always return home.

Kiora venerates the huge monsters of the sea, such as the leviathans, krakens, and other denizens of the inky depths. For her, these creatures embody the ability to withstand any persistent force: time, water, predation, and darkness. She seems calm and wise, but her dreams are as bizarre and alien as the depths from which her creatures rise.

After the Eldrazi began to roam free on Zendikar, Kiora fled, seeking some way to raise enough power to defeat them, believing once more that the masters of the depths are the only creatures strong enough to repel the aetheric parasites.[5] She has traveled from world to world, harnessing the powers of the oceans and gathering as many of its inhabitants to her as possible. In her travels, she made landfall on the shores of Theros and immediately called a gigantic tsunami to her, hoping to attract the attention of the deep dwellers. It struck the polis of Meletis and caused untold destruction, but she had little concern, only caring if her beacon had been answered. In some ways, it was successful, but it also attracted the Tritons, Theros's native merfolk. They believed Kiora to be an avatar of Thassa and she did little to dissuade them of that opinion, secretly enjoying the attention.

Journey into Nyx

Kiora's Power

Trading on local legends, she created one for herself, borrowing identities as needed as she amassed power. One such facade she adopted was that of Callaphe, the legendary mariner said to have sailed into Nyx itself. It was this lie that brought her path across that of Ajani Goldmane and Elspeth Tirel. The pair sought out Callephe for her skills, trusting her ability to bring them to the Temple of Mystery, the ancient tree at the edge of the world.[6]

Kiora agreed to do so, but for purposes she wasn't forthcoming about, dismissing it with a wall of good cheer. She led them along for the ride as she pursued her own agenda, never letting it slip that she was not who she said she was. The truth finally came out shortly after they set off, as Kiora brought them to the sunken city of Arixmethes. It was no city at all, in truth, but a massive kraken upon whom a city had been built. The god Thassa would not allow Kiora to take the beast from her but first assisted Elspeth and Ajani in their journey.

The pair taken care of, Thassa turned her attention to Kiora. After a fight involving many sea monsters and kraken (some of them summoned from other planes), Kiora escaped mostly unharmed and clutching Thassa's magical bident Dekella.[7]

Battle for Zendikar

Kiora restraining the Eldrazi

After recovering on her homeplane and seeing the destruction caused by the Eldrazi, Kiora was joined by a couple of Cosi's Tricksters and began to assemble an army of merfolk and sea monsters.[4] When Gideon Jura began the Liberation of Sea Gate, Kiora arrived with her reinforcements which bolstered their lines and assisted in driving the Eldrazi back. She met Gideon himself face to face and cockily asked if he had brought an army to assist her in retaking the city. A spluttering Gideon responded in kind as they both declared the leadership of two different armies. After revealing her status as a planeswalker they teamed up and continued the assault. After 2 more days of fighting, they had retaken Sea Gate. Gideon then called a meeting with his closest advisors and commanders of the allied forces (the human Tazri, the kor Munda, the vampire Drana, and the elf planeswalker Nissa Revane) which Kiora joined as well. Minutes later, Jori En came warning them of Ulamog's arrival.

The Planeswalkers enacted a bold new plan. While Gideon's troops and Kiora's forces held the city against this fresh assault, Nissa called on the elemental power of the earth to raise sunken hedrons from the ground and move them into a ring around the Eldrazi titan. Jace activated the hedrons' magic, and Ulamog was trapped! Then everything collapsed. Ob Nixilis appeared, having followed Nissa from Bala Ged. He destroyed the hedron network and awoke the slumbering Eldrazi titan Kozilek.[8] Kiora just had summoned the giant octopus Lorthos in an attempt to retake Sea Gate from Ulamog's brood.[9] However, upon reaching the city, they were faced with not one, but two Eldrazi titans. As the monsters saw each other as threats due to their immense sizes, they began to battle; however, this fight did not last long, as the titan destroyed Lorthos by slicing it in half using its arm blades. It then turned its attention to Kiora. The planeswalker's last coherent thoughts were that in her arrogance to become a hero in her own story she had forgotten a key aspect of her childhood Cosi stories: Cosi and no one else, ALWAYS won in the end.

Kiora helps combat the Eldrazi.

Jori En found the wounded Kiora amidst a mass of dead sea creatures. After battling Kozilek's brood and goblin dark-dwellers together, they retrieved Kiora's bident.[10] Kiora then assisted the newly formed gatewatch in their plan to draw the bulk of Ulamog and Kozilek into the plane so that their energy could be dispersed into Zendikar, killing them in the process.[11] While the plan worked at first, with Gideon keeping the Eldrazi swarms away from the army, Kiora clearing out any other swarms and Chandra supporting them, once the Eldrazi titans were anchored to Zendikar, their destructive essence threatened to assimilate Zendikar into themselves. Afraid, Kiora tried to persuade Nissa to release the Titans and allow them to flee, but Jace objected. Chandra offered to burn the Titans instead and after preventing Kiora from attacking Nissa, Jace agreed. The pyromancer then connected with the animist, allowing her to channel her pyromantic magic through Zendikar's Ley Lines directly into the titans. In one brilliant blaze of flame, Ulamog and Kozilek were incinerated and destroyed, leaving only ashes raining from Zendikar's sky. Realizing she had failed the team at the last moment, Kiora left on her own.[12]

War of the Spark

“When your enemy flees, send the sea to pursue them.”

Kiora traveled with the Gatewatch to Ravnica for the final confrontation with Bolas, and immediately became trapped there due to Bolas's use of the Immortal Sun. Alongside many other planeswalkers and Ravnicans, she fought against the Eternals of Bolas' Dreadhorde.[13][14]

During the invasion, the trapped planeswalkers (including Kiora) got together with Ravnican leaders to strategize. Dack Fayden managed to touch Kiora's bident, hoping to copy the divine artifact's powers with his psychometric ability. She caught him, and the attempt made him look like he regretted his decision.[15]

She was one of the few planeswalkers who chose to remain on Ravnica after Chandra disabled the Immortal Sun, helping the Gatewatch in their fight against Bolas. She declined to visit Theros again to pay respect to Gideon, being persona non-grata on that plane, and opted to return to Zendikar instead.[3]

Phyrexian Invasion

As New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse began, Kiora returned to Zendikar, both to defend her home plane and because she felt her advantage would be greatest on familiar ground.[16] In the aftermath of the Invasion, she lost her spark in the Great Desparkening.

Trivia

  • Kiora was originally named "Kiora Atua." Parallels were drawn with the Maori because in Maori, "Kia ora" is a greeting (meaning "be well") and Atua is the Maori word for "god" or other similar terms such as "ancestor" or "spirit". However, this connection between the planeswalker and the Maori was not intentional. In January 2014, it was announced that "Atua" would be dropped from her name as it was considered inappropriate and offensive by Wizards, as it disrespectfully treads on sincere beliefs. As it stands, Kiora has no official last name.[17][18] However, the name briefly reappeared on the box of her Funko Pop! Vinyl Figure.[19]
  • In the video game Magic: The Gathering Arena, Kiora is voiced by Kari Wahlgren.[20]
  • A clownfish and a blue tang can be seen in the left corner of Kiora, the Tide's Fury, a reference to the movie Finding Nemo.

Artifacts acquired

  • Dekella - A bident stolen from the goddess Thassa of Theros, greatly increases her ability to manipulate the sea and the creatures residing within.

Planeswalkers met

Planes visited

Gallery

Story appearances

Title Author Publishing date Set Setting (plane) Featuring
Kiora's Followers Kelly Digges 2014-02-12 Born of the Gods Shandalar, Theros Kiora, Kalemnos, Thassa, Kruphix
Kruphix's Insight Kelly Digges 2014-06-11 Journey into Nyx Theros Diantha, Kydele, Kruphix, Xenagos, Elspeth, Ajani, Kiora, Callaphe
Drop for Drop Kelly Digges 2015-05-20 Journey into Nyx Theros Kiora, Ajani Goldmane, Elspeth Tirel, Thassa, Arixmethes
Home Waters Kelly Digges 2015-09-30 Battle for Zendikar Zendikar Kiora, Turi, Misha, Yenai, Shen, Yesha, Tola, Inash, Runari
The Liberation of Sea Gate James Wyatt 2015-10-28 Battle for Zendikar Zendikar Gideon Jura, Munda, Tazri, Drana, Noyan Dar, Kiora, Nissa Revane, Ashaya, Jori En
Hedron Alignment Kimberly J. Kreines 2015-11-18 Battle for Zendikar Zendikar Kiora, Gideon Jura, Drana, Tazri, Nissa Revane, Munda, Jori En, Ebi, Jace Beleren, Ashaya, Seble, Ulamog, Ob Nixilis
The Rise of Kozilek Kelly Digges 2015-12-09 Oath of the Gatewatch Zendikar Kiora, Shen, Yesha, Tola, Inash, Runari, Lorthos, Ulamog, Kozilek
Beneath the Surface Ari Levitch 2016-01-27 Oath of the Gatewatch Zendikar Jori En, Lorthos, Kozilek, Ulamog, Kiora
Brink of Extinction Kelly Digges 2016-02-10 Oath of the Gatewatch Zendikar The Gatewatch, Tazri, Munda, Jori En, Kiora
Zendikar's Last Stand Doug Beyer 2016-02-17 Oath of the Gatewatch Zendikar The Gatewatch, Kiora, Ulamog, Kozilek, Tazri, Noyan Dar, Drana, Jori En
War of the Spark: Ravnica—The Path to Opulent Greg Weisman 2019-05-15 War of the Spark Ravnica Rat, Teyo, Kaya, Ral, Jaya, Gideon, Krumnen, Gan Shokta, Domri, Akamal Cray, Govan Radley, Sheeza, Jahdeera, Bombop, Vorel, Maree, Kiora, Samut, Eknet, Temmet, Neit, Haqikah, Kawit, Huatli, Saheeli, Kasmina, Oketra, Kefnet, Bontu, Rhonas, Jace

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Depicted in:
Quoted or referred to:

References

  1. ↑ Doug Beyer (May 25, 2011). "The Grand Mana Tour". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 28, 2021). "Is kiora bluegreen or primary bluesecondary...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  3. ↑ a b Greg Weisman (November 2019). "War of the Spark: Forsaken". Del Rey.
  4. ↑ a b Kelly Digges (September 30, 2015). "Home Waters". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ The Magic Creative Team (January 08, 2014). "Planeswalker's Guide to Born of the Gods". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ Kelly Digges (February 12, 2014). "Kiora's Followers". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Kelly Digges (May 20, 2015). "Drop for Drop". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ Kimberly J. Kreines (November 18, 2015). "Hedron Alignment". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ Kelly Digges (December 9, 2015). "The Rise of Kozilek". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ Ari Levitch (January 27, 2016). "Beneath the Surface". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. ↑ Kelly Digges (February 10, 2016). "Brink of Extinction". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. ↑ Doug Beyer (February 17, 2016). "Zendikar's Last Stand". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. ↑ a b Greg Weisman (April 2019). "War of the Spark: Ravnica". Del Rey.
  14. ↑ Greg Weisman (May 15, 2019). "War of the Spark: Ravnica – The Path to Opulent". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. ↑ Greg Weisman (May 22, 2019). "War of the Spark: Ravnica – Rallying the Reluctant"
  16. ↑ No Sparks Allowed – Aftermath Lore ft Rhystic Studies (Video). YouTube.
  17. ↑ Doug Beyer (January 15, 2014). "Why "Kiora, the Crashing Wave" and not "Kiora Atua"". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
  18. ↑ Mark Rosewater (January 22, 2014). "Is the BNG planeswalker still called "Kiora Atua?"". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  19. ↑ Mike McArtor (February 4, 2015). "Funko Pop! Planeswalkers, Part Deux". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  20. ↑ Kari Wahlgren as Kiora. IMDB.
  21. ↑ Mike McArtor (March 12, 2014). "Kiora Package". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
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