The Gatewatch
The Gatewatch is a group of planeswalkers initially allied together to fight the Eldrazi on Zendikar. Their commitment is to protect the people of the Multiverse from threats that no one else can handle.[1][2] The Gatewatch is going to be the center of Magic's storyline moving forward.[3]
Membership
Current Members
In order of the oaths they took:
Founding members are marked with an asterisk (*)[4]
Incomplete Founder Cycle
The founding members of the Gatewatch represent four of the five colors, lacking only black. This gives the impression of an incomplete cycle, although the Gatewatch is a set of thematically-linked characters, rather than a mechanically-linked set. Additionally, the only black planeswalker present, Ob Nixilis, directly opposed the group. That circumstance has led to the humorous observation that Ob Nixilis was previously known as Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath, thus “completing” the cycle of oaths.[5][6][7]
Liliana is the first one who joined the Gatewatch after its formation. She and her oath are both black which completes the cycle. Note that the first five members of the Gatewatch are also the planeswalker featured in Magic Origins.
Joining the Gatewatch
Any future members of the Gatewatch will have an “Oath” card printed to represent their induction to the group.[8][9]
History
The Gatewatch was formed after the founding members together defeated the demon planeswalker Ob Nixilis on Zendikar.[10] The four planeswalkers realized that they were helpless against large threats on their own, but that they could stand against just about any force in the Multiverse by working together. Thus they swore an oath to stand together and the Gatewatch was created.[2] Jace devised a plan to bind the Eldrazi Titans Kozilek and Ulamog to Zendikar, drawing the bulk of the Titans into the plane so that their energy could be dispersed into Zendikar, killing them in the process.[11] Helped by a massive fire spell of Chandra, they succeeded.[12]
After the defeat of the Eldrazi titans, Jace and his friends were berated by Ugin for killing the ancient creatures. Ugin implied there could be consequences for the multiverse and that Sorin Markov (one of the other original Eldrazi planeswalker opponents) would be less forgiving.[13] After consultation with his friends, Jace decided to investigate Sorin's whereabouts on his homeplane Innistrad, and recruit him as an ally against Nicol Bolas and other interplanar threats.
On Innistrad, Jace found only madness that affected the entire plane that soon proved to be the influence of the last Eldrazi Titan Emrakul. Aided by the planeswalker Tamiyo, he returned to Zendikar to bring the rest of the Gatewatch to fight Emrakul. When Liliana Vess came to their aid with a Zombie army, her reception by the Gatewatch was poorly, especially since Nissa felt the dark magic radiating from the Chain Veil.[14] While that power protected her against Emrakul's insidious influence and allowed her to attack the Titan directly, it also took a great toll on her body, leaving her near death.
When she reawakened, Emrakul had been sealed in Innistrad's moon by the Gatewatch and Tamiyo, and her wounds had been healed by the other planeswalkers. Seeing that a group of allies could be useful for her long-time plans, she decided to join the Gatewatch, albeit with the intention of directing them for her own plans.[15]
Relations with other Planeswalkers
- Kiora was part of the team that fought Kozilek and Ulamog on Zendikar, but left afterwards in shame after nearly stopping their plan.
- Ob Nixilis is an enemy of the Gatewatch.
- The spirit dragon Ugin looks disfavourably on the Gatewatch, regarding them as reckless children and not considering the consequences of their actions.
- Tamiyo is an ally of the Gatewatch on Innistrad. She later refused to join formally.
- Sorin Markov rescued Jace and Tamiyo from a maddened Avacyn but considered them unimportant.
In-game references
- Oaths
- Associated cards
- Referred to
References
- ↑ Template:NewRef
- ↑ a b Template:NewRef
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (January 09, 2016). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (January 09, 2016). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (December 28 2015). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (January 6 2016). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (January 09, 2016). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (January 09, 2016). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (January 09, 2016). "". Tumblr.
- ↑ Template:NewRef
- ↑ Template:NewRef
- ↑ Template:NewRef
- ↑ Template:NewRef
- ↑ Template:NewRef
- ↑ Template:NewRef
