Thalia
| Thalia | |
|---|---|
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[[File:{{#setmainimage:Thalia.jpg}}|250px]] | |
| Details | |
| Race | Human |
| Birthplace | Innistrad |
| Lifetime | Mending Era |
| Colors | |
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- For the Secret Lair, see Secret Lair Drop Series: Thalia - Beyond the Helvault.
The cathar Thalia was the guardian of the Helvault in the city of Thraben on Innistrad. Later she became the Heir of Saint Traft.
History
Rise
Thalia was one of Gavony's most promising cathars. As a young inquisitor, soldier, and vampire slayer, she proved her worth soon after graduating from the academy at the Elgaud Grounds.[1] But it was her obstinately caring soul that distinguished her and earned her a place among Thraben's elite ranks. She attracted the attention of a man called Lothar, the Guardian of Thraben, a revered soldier who led a force of elite protectors in service of the Lunarch. As Lothar's trusted right hand, Thalia learned of the Helvault, the holy silver obelisk in the Cathedral courtyard but she was not told the secret: that the missing archangel Avacyn had accidentally become imprisoned within it.
When Lothar was killed in the Siege of Thraben, Thalia became the Guardian of Thraben in her predecessor's stead.
The breaking of the Helvault
The planeswalker Liliana Vess sought to free the demon Griselbrand from the Helvault to destroy him. Because she couldn't destroy the Helvault herself, she forced Thalia to do so by threatening the lives of her soldiers.[2] With the Helvault destroyed, both Avacyn and the demons were unleashed back into the world.
Avacyn's return caused a surge in the holy magic across the plane. Her presence revitalized the holy blessings of the parish priests and the wards carved into roadside shrines. Flights of angels returned to strike down the monstrous beasts that plagued the provinces. Archmages whose divine magic had been damped regained their power, now able to wield powerful spells in Avacyn's name again.
Order of Saint Traft
Avacyn's peace only lasted for a short while, because she became affected by the madness caused by the machinations of yet another planeswalker, the lithomancer Nahiri. The archangel turned against the very humans she was sworn to protect and started to remove every perceived blemish on her plane by killing them. Meanwhile, the Church of Avacyn was infiltrated by the Ormendahl worshiping Skirsdag. Seeing the corruption and being unable to reform the church, Thalia left and created the Order of Saint Traft to battle evil.[3] Rem Karolus gifted her with the spear of the deceased Avacyn. At the Battle of Thraben, the Order made a temporary pact with Olivia Voldaren's vampire army. Joined with Traft's spirit, she battled numerous Eldrazi. Brisela appeared too much for her, but Sigarda came to the rescue battling the monstrosity as the geist of Traft empowered Thalia, healing her wounds and cloaking her in an aura that resembled the angel whose spear she held. Together, Thalia and Sigardia bested the fused sisters.[4] After Brisela's death, Emrakul's presence in Innistrad forced Saint Traft to leave Thalia's body, causing her to almost succumb to madness.[5]
Crimson Vow
Thalia survived The Travails and vowed to restore Thraben to its former glory, expunging the zombie army left by Liliana Vess in the city.[6] Before starting this work she aimed to reunite with Odric. Upon arriving at the place where her friend was, she found it under attack. She was present when Henrika Domnathi, who didn't feel bound by the pact that Olivia Voldaren had made with the humans, tried to raise an army of unholy cathars for Ormendahl and turned Odric into a vampire.[5]
Phyrexian Invasion
Life was good for the Gitrog monster. Its cultists would bring it food or become its food. All was delicious and plenty, until the day that strange machines came to its lake—machines that tasted awful and tried to hurt it. Knowing it was time to move on, the Gitrog Monster heaved itself out of the waters and headed straight for Thraben, where it found Thalia, the last survivor of her cathar squad, about to be overwhelmed by Phyrexians. Seeing the potential for a new human to bring it food, the Gitrog Monster bowled through her besiegers, saving her. Then, it stood there waiting, and Thalia understood: it was offering to let her ride it. She does so and deals out devastating blows from its back, while it crushes enemies in its tongue's grip. Thalia doesn't control where the Gitrog Monster takes her and remains wary that, should the steady supply of invaders run out, she could become its next meal.[7]
Gallery
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Original art
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Secret Lair art 1
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Secret Lair art 2
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Secret Lair art 3
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World Magic Cup Qualifier 2015 Promo art
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Eldritch Moon Buy-a-Box Promo art
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Crimson Vow art
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Crimson Vow Eternal Eternal Frame art
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March of the Machine key art.
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With Gitrog monster
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With Gitrog monster showcase art
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With Gitrog monster promotional art
Story appearances
In-game references
- Represented in:
- Associated cards:
- Depicted in:
- Quoted or referred to:
- Blasphemous Act
- Burden of Guilt
- Cathar's Shield
- Confront the Unknown
- Evolving Wilds (Dark Ascension)
- Falkenrath Reaver
- Feast on the Fallen
- Griselbrand
- Loyal Cathar/Unhallowed Cathar
- Moonveil Dragon
- Piercing Light
- Radiant Restraints
- Rebuke
- Sanctify
- Spare from Evil
- Tenacity
- Thraben Standard Bearer
- Vorapede
References
- ↑ Doug Beyer (March 21, 2012). "The Guardian, the Witch, and the Angel". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (April 9, 2012). "Angel's Rise and Demon's Release". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ James Wyatt (May 4, 2016). "The Lunarch Inquisition". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ James Wyatt (July 13, 2016). "Saint Traft and the Flight of Nightmares". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Marcus Terrell Smith (November 5, 2021). "The Blessing of Blood". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer, Ari Zirulnik and Grace Fong (November 12, 2021). "The Legends of Innistrad: Crimson Vow". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Emily Teng (April 13, 2023). "The Legendary Team-Ups of March of the Machine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.