New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse

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The Invasion of the Multiverse by the forces of New Phyrexia, often simply called the Phyrexian Invasion on planes that had not previously been invaded,[1] was a conflict between New Phyrexia's Machine Legion and the Multiverse at large.[2] It ended with the victory of the Multiversal coalition, the deaths of the five Phyrexian Praetors, and the phasing-out of New Phyrexia.

Background

After the conquest of Mirrodin and its transformation into New Phyrexia, Elesh Norn, the White-aligned praetor, started a civil war against her brethren. Jin-Gitaxias, Vorinclex and some of the Steel Thanes deferred to her willingly, while Sheoldred and Urabrask planned rebellion. For this, their realms were laid to waste, though they survived. Emerging as the Mother of Machines and sole power above all of New Phyrexia, Norn's Machine Orthodoxy evolved into the Machine Legion. Norn then started planning the accomplishment of Phyrexia's great ideal: the compleation of the Multiverse itself. This plan would encompass various stages.

Build-Up

Vorinclex on Kaldheim

After promising Tezzeret a darksteel body in exchange for his help, Elesh Norn was able to use his Planar Bridge to send her agents across the Multiverse for the parts for her plan. This started by having Vorinclex invade the plane of Kaldheim. After causing death and destruction on the plane, he was confronted by a force consisting of the planeswalker Kaya Cassir, the god Alrund, and the Omenseekers of Bretagard. While Vorinclex was forced to retreat, he fought and wounded the god Esika before leaving Kaldheim with a sample of tyrite, a powerful material connected to Kaldheim's World Tree. Elesh Norn used the tyrite sample to create New Phyrexia's version of a World Tree, the Realmbreaker.

Jin-Gitaxias on Kamigawa

The blue-aligned Praetor's task was to find a way to compleat planeswalkers. This proved to be a daunting task, as the spark is linked to the soul, and compleation removes the victim's soul. Jin-Gitaxias observed the kami of Kamigawa, traveling there through the Planar Bridge to experiment on them. His efforts would prove fruitful, as Tamiyo would be the first planeswalker captured and subjected to the process of compleation.

Urabrask on Capenna

Aware of Elesh Norn's plans, Urabrask conspired with Tezzeret, who suspected that Norn wouldn't keep her promise, to help stop her. Tezzeret sent Urabrask to the metropolis of New Capenna, the only city remaining on the plane of Capenna, which had been formerly devastated by Yawgmoth's Phyrexians. As the denizens of Capenna had previously managed to defeat their Phyrexian invaders, Urabrask hoped to find a way to stop Elesh Norn there. He came into contact with Vivien Reid and tasked her to find Elspeth Tirel. In the process, Urabrask obtained Halo, a substance made from angelic essence that is highly toxic to Phyrexians. He then returned to New Phyrexia, where he would help the Mirran Resistance's efforts against Norn.

Initial incursion & response

Sheoldred on Dominaria

Sheoldred invaded Dominaria, desiring to conquer the plane as well as obtain powerful artifacts from it. From her base at Koilos, she sent armies of sleeper agents to infiltrate Dominaria's major political and military centers, hoping to foster division and mistrust on the plane. Although initially discovered by Karn, she was able to trap him in a cave-in, the pain preventing him from planeswalking. Whilst he was trapped, Sheoldred built an army and managed to fight the Dominarians on multiple fronts. When Ajani Goldmane tried to track her down, he was captured and unknowingly compleated as a sleeper agent. The compleated Ajani, upon finding the Sylex, revealed his new Phyrexian nature, killed Jaya Ballard, captured Karn, and destroyed the Sylex.

Assault on New Phyrexia

The Gatewatch strike team arrives on New Phyrexia.

After the events on Dominaria, Teferi Akosa and Saheeli Rai created an artifact called the Temporal Anchor, a device that allowed Teferi's spirit to travel through time. He hoped to reach the time of the Brothers' War, hoping to find the way to activate the Sylex, as Saheeli had made a perfect copy of the destroyed device. He arrived in the past just in time to witness the Sylex Blast and found out that it was a person, not a spell or an artifact, that could activate the Sylex. The Temporal Anchor then malfunctioned and Teferi was sent through time and space. He found himself on a beach and realized he had ended up on Zhalfir.

Jace Beleren contacted various planeswalkers on different planes, tasking them to shore up their homelands' defense against the impending Phyrexian invasion. He then put together a strike force consisting of his lover Vraska, Kaya, the Wanderer, Kaito Shizuki, Nissa Revane, Lukka, Nahiri, Koth of the Hammer, Tyvar Kell, and Elspeth Tirel. He named Elspeth the leader of the group, as she was the most experienced military commander of the team. They infiltrated New Phyrexia, hoping to detonate the Sylex in the Seedcore, the place where Realmbreaker grew.

However, Norn had placed a planar shield around New Phyrexia, which disrupted the strike force's arrival and scattered them across the plane. Kaito, the Wanderer, Nahiri, and Tyvar arrived on the surface layer, the Monumental Façade, and were brought to Lowlight on Mirrex by Melira. Unfortunately, Nahiri was scratched by a Phyrexian during the initial fight, beginning her compleation.[3] The Wanderer, whose spark was further disrupted by the barrier, was forced to leave this group after their arrival. Elspeth and Kaya also arrived on this layer, brought below by Thrun.[4] Jace and Nissa arrived at another location on the Facade, but a trap shunted Nissa to the Hunter Maze soon after. These six regrouped in the Furnace Layer, while Lukka arrived in the Hunter Maze with Nissa.[5] As they moved toward the center of the Maze, they fought multiple Phyrexian beasts, leading to Nissa becoming injured and Lukka bonding with Rothga, a local Phyrexian beast. When they reached the center, they engaged with Vorinclex and Glissa but the fight would result in Lukka fusing with Rothga, fully compleating him. Nissa would later be captured and compleated as well.[6]

Bypassing the Hunter Maze and the Surgical Bay through an extended lacuna, Jace, Kaya, Kaito, Nahiri, Koth, Tyvar, and Elspeth reached the Dross Pits.[7] After the planeswalkers used Halo, Jace's mind-link was restored and Vraska called out to him, fighting in Sheoldred's Coliseum and heavily injured.[8] When the strike team attempted to rescue her, it was revealed that she was already too far gone, and she infected Jace as well. With her compleation advancing, Nahiri dropped the Coliseum into the Fair Basilica, taking the strike force closer to their goal.

By the time they arrived at the core, Realmbreaker had already broken through to multiple planes. Jace tried to use his last remaining moments as a free-thinking human to detonate the Sylex, but a fight ensued between him and the incompleat planeswalkers, as the Sylex detonation could have affected their home planes as well. Eventually, Elspeth stabbed Jace with Luxior and picked up the Sylex. As she tried to planeswalk away, it exploded, sending itself and Elspeth outside the Blind Eternities.[6]

The Invasion

With the planeswalker task force's failure, Elesh Norn and the compleated planeswalkers began the invasion. Nahiri, Lukka, Tamiyo and Vraska[9] were tasked to go after their home planes. Ajani was dispatched to Theros instead of Alara and Atraxa towards Capenna, both of which had things Norn wished to attend to: compleating the Therian gods, cutting off the flow of Halo, and striking a personal blow against Elspeth on both fronts.[10] Millions of Phyrexians immediately entered the omenpaths and traveled to new planes.[8] Upon Tezzeret's return, he did obtain his promised darksteel body at Jin-Gitaxias' hands but escaped to Esper before the Praetor could compleat him, having learned of his deception. By the time Tezzeret arrived on Alara, the planes of Cabralin, Mirrankkar, Obsidias, Ilcae and Aranzhur had already fallen to the Machine Legion, with Alara's shard of Esper being invaded as well. Tezzeret hoped that the angels of Bant could turn the tide against the Phyrexians as those of Capenna did long ago.

The New Phyrexian invasion force, known as the Machine Legion, was split into five factions:[11][12]

  • The Chrome Host[23] ({U}) was commanded by Jin-Gitaxias.[12] As the first praetor to align with Elesh Norn, he was rewarded by being allowed to keep command of the Chrome Host. He used them to gather information throughout the Multiverse. The Chrome Host was deployed strategically to each plane to maximize the efficiency of Jin-Gitaxias's forces, based on existing knowledge of that specific plane. They are known to have invaded Amonkhet,[24] Arcavios,[25] Ikoria,[26] Kaladesh,[27] Kaldheim,[28] Kamigawa,[29], Tarkir,[30] and Theros.[31]

Conquered planes

Invaded planes

New Phyrexia was said to have invaded "every plane of the Multiverse,"[68][69] though due to the Multiverse's boundless and near-infinite nature this may be an exaggeration. Planes that are known to have been invaded are:

Defense of the Multiverse

Alara

The invasion of Alara seemed to be a simultaneous strike on Esper, Bant, and Jund. At some point during the battle, the Maelstrom itself rose against the invaders.

Amonkhet

Warned of the incoming invasion, the survivors of Amonkhet went into hiding, hoping to evade Phyrexian notice, but it turned out to be futile.[74] Those who had survived Nicol Bolas's ravaging of their plane, however, were tough and resourceful. As soon as they gathered their bearings, they struck back with a vicious plan that relied heavily on Hazoret, their protector god, with Djeru as her loyal lieutenant.

Vorinclex's Copper Host was the main invasion force on Amonkhet. They terraformed the dead desert with strange Phyrexian flora and uncovered the various Necropoli, attempting to convert the dead into new forces. It was also discovered that lazotep deadens the effects of the glistening oil and compleation.

To the survivors' surprise, when they arrived at Naktamun, they found the Scarab God and Locust God already there, engaged with the invaders.[74] With the insect gods' undead hordes distracting the Phyrexians, Hazoret used her flaming spear to ignite the glistening oil within the Phyrexians' veins. As they writhed in agony, Djeru led a crop of elite fighters to dismember them, making sure they were out of the picture for good. In the aftermath, the inscrutable insect gods departed for the deep desert without a word.

Arcavios

Warned ahead of time by Liliana Vess, Strixhaven University readied its strongest spellcasters and most powerful spells—but the invaders were ready for them.[12] The faculty members, who were the first line of defense, were unable to fight off the Phyrexians and most of them fell, joining the invaders' ranks.[75]

The invasion was temporarily thwarted by the Invocation of the Founders, which repelled the Phyrexian forces.[75] As the spell resolved, the Biblioplex buckled and broke, crashing down as the stones of Strixhaven's outlying buildings came apart like sugar cubes in tea, the invasion portals crumpled, and the Invasion Tree's branches thrashed as the sky tried to close in on itself.

Though Strixhaven was in ruins, the main wave of compleated professors and other Phyrexians was obliterated by the spell.[75] The surviving students and deans were able to regroup, under the leadership of Professor Vess and Dean Embrose Lu. When the group of casting students was found under the rubble badly injured, it seemed that Quintorius Kand had vanished, his planeswalker's spark ignited by the stress of casting the Invocation. The status of the founder dragons is unknown.

Azgol

The invading Phyrexians had stiff resistance on this world due to its Ashen Reaper zombies being immune to compleation and also being unable to approach the Ashen Idol without an offering, resulting in volcanic eruptions that decimated their forces.

Belenon

Belenon is a world very similar to Bant, with knights who believe in something called the Sacred Winds. They opposed the invasion, empowered by their ideals.

Capenna

As the source of Halo, an angelic substance that can temporarily halt or repel compleation, New Capenna was of special interest to the Phyrexians.[12] Elesh Norn dispatched Atraxa as her lieutenant to lead the invasion and cut Halo off at its source. As branches of the Invasion Tree twined around the city's girders, Atraxa took over Park Heights and ruthlessly brought the Maestros under her sway, commanding an army of ten thousand.[76]

Upon witnessing this, the rest of the crime families joined forces to fight against the dominion of this dark angel.[12] With the Riveteers spearheading the defensive forces, they were able to manipulate the city's infrastructure itself and thus hold the defensive line against the Maestros and Atraxa. Halo-infused weaponry gave them an edge against the Phyrexians that made it a tough, gritty struggle for territory in which neither side had a definitive advantage. Each of the families' bosses was involved in the fighting: Anhelo was compleated; Jetmir, who was recovering from his previous wounds, released his stash of Halo to help the defenders; Raffine was missing; Ziatora assisted her family in the defenses; and Falco Spara became the de facto commander of the defenders.

In an action dubbed Operation Falling Star, the resistance, led by Errant, the angel Della, Kamiz, Perrie, and Henzie destroyed Park Heights, dropping the entire neighborhood on Atraxa, killing her and turning the tide against the invaders.[77] Leaving the defenders to finish their work, the Capennan angels traveled through the omenpaths to the other invaded planes to help combat the Phyrexians. The angels that traveled to New Phyrexia could not return after its multiversal switch.[76]

Dominaria

Elesh Norn tasked the newly compleat Rona with the invasion of Dominaria. This attack faced extremely stiff resistance and was defeated at several points due to the populace being aware of its coming, their experience against Phyrexians, and Jodah's leadership.[12] The knights of New Benalia in particular led from the front lines. When Elesh Norn ordered the desecration of Serra's temples to break the spirit of the locals, this led to the return of Serra's angels to the multiverse to join the fight. Rona, meanwhile, led a sneak attack on Tolaria West and proceeded to decimate the staff and students to an unknown extent.

Eldraine

Eldraine suffered great losses during the Invasion. It had started subtly in the Wilds and remained undetected. However, within days of Realmbreaker's appearance, the courts of the Realm had fallen, High King Algenus and Queen Linden Kenrith were killed, and Ayara had been compleated, along with her guards and all of Castle Locthwain.[78][12] Lake Lochmere was flooded, destroying much of Castle Vantress. The various knights were forced into guerilla warfare against the Phyrexians. Surprisingly, the fae of the Wild assisted against the invaders and also protected others passing through the wilds. The invasion was defeated by accident when Rankle the fae used a Ring of Three Wishes to make a love potion rain down across Locthwain, causing all of the invaders to fall madly in love with him and chase him into a chasm to their deaths. Rankle's victory was followed up by a powerful sleeping spell known as the Wicked Slumber cast over the masses by the fae lord Talion and the witch sisters Agatha, Eriette, and Hylda.

The plane's defense of the invasion is recounted in the folktale Last Stand of the Realm.

Excerpt Card Source
While the realm’s great minds quarreled over the strange eclipse, Locthwain fell to the invaders. Phyrexian Unlife (Enchanting Tales)
Hasty efforts to defend Castle Vantress left it more moat than castle. Spreading Seas (Enchanting Tales)
The knights of Embereth fought with the fire of the Irencrag in their hearts. Though many fell, not a single one retreated. Aggravated Assault (Enchanting Tales, #39)
Mighty Torbran struck the invading phalanx like a bolt from the heavens. When the light faded, only ash remained around him. Fiery Emancipation (Enchanting Tales)
There would be time later to mourn the lost, to weep for their fallen homes and lost treasures. But for now, they breathed in the untainted air and allowed themselves to hope again. Prismatic Omen (Enchanting Tales)

Ergamon

Ergamon is seemingly populated by a race of rhinoceros-like creatures that defended their world against the Phyrexian invaders. Strangely, during the invasion, natural predator-prey relationships were put on hold until the Phyrexians were defeated.

Fiora

Queen Marchesa secured the grip on her throne and the loyalty of her people by leading the defense of the plane and successfully beating the Phyrexians back.

Gobakhan

Gobakhan was a target in New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse.[72] The Order of the Shield Mage was the primary force that protected the plane. The plane's diamond storms hampered Phyrexia’s progress until they compleated some of the local shieldmages.[79]

Ikoria

New Phyrexia begins the invasion of Ikoria at Drannith.

Lukka returned to Ikoria compleated, destroying Drannith and scattering its people.[80] However, his assimilation strategy seemed to revolve around personally amassing the monsters into a titanic humanoid monstrosity, limiting its infectious spread. With no plane of her own to defend, Vivien Reid took to arranging the defense of Ikoria alongside Chevill and Jirina Kudro. The crystals of Ikoria began seeping glistening oil and producing copper oxide growths, but quickly the natural mutations fought against it, granting oil-vaporizing crystals to the defending beasts of Ikoria.[12]

Jirina Kudro had survived Lukka's sacking of Drannith, leading the survivors to Lavabrink while he slowly amassed the beasts of Ikoria.[80] On the way she was assisted by Vivien Reid and Chevill. With the many wounded being unable to outpace the monstrosity Lukka had formed, Jirina led them to Vadrok's nest, where Vadrok made short work of Lukka's flesh-titan and ripped him from it. Lukka was then burned by Vadrok's ethereal fire and finished off by Vivien. With the remaining humans at Vadrok's mercy, he merely flew off, allowing Jirina to lead the survivors away while more omenpaths opened over Ikoria.

Innistrad

After the balance of night and day was restored, Teferi Akosa warned Arlinn Kord to watch out for "mechanical creatures." She and Sorin Markov worked together to protect Innistrad, preparing it for a possible Phyrexian invasion. Eventually, Innistrad was invaded by New Phyrexia. Though Thalia and the Gitrog monster became allies, the humans and monsters at large didn't join forces, instead employing piecemeal, uncoordinated defenses that nonetheless held back the Phyrexians with less difficulty than other planes.[12] Nonetheless, thousands were killed across the plane.

As the glistening oil first affects the living mind, Innistrad's zombies were immune to phyresis, making them crucial to the plane's defense.[81][12][72] Phyrexians, conversely, resisted both ghoul-calling and stitching. Gisa and Geralf Cecani were able to defeat a powerful Phyrexian invasion force attacking Havengul using their combined undead forces.

Ixalan

In the early days of the invasion, the sun was blocked out by smoke and falling ash from constant fires burning across the plane.[71] After the elder dinosaur Etali was compleated, severe hurricanes began forming just off the coast of the continent of Ixalan. The skies flashed with red lightning, and the wind sparkled with razors, preventing aerosaurs from flying.

While Ixalan's Core avoided the Phyrexian invasion, no part of the plane's surface was spared.[1] The continent of Ixalan was invaded by the Alabaster, Copper, and Furnace Hosts from the seas on submarine-like war machines, bursting onto land near Atzocan and charging inwards.[12] Within days, tens of thousands of humans and regiments of dinosaurs were Phyrexianized.[1] Due to the forewarning of Huatli, the Sun Empire capital at Pachatupa was ready for the attack, and the emperor quickly shored up its defenses while funneling invaders toward it. The cities outside the Imperial core were ravaged by the invaders, and a dozen towns along the northern barrier of the continent were wiped out.[71] In the south of the Sun Empire, Atzocan, Otepec, and Little Pocatli suffered similar fates. The Sun Empire, pirates, and the Legion of Dusk banded together to fight the invaders, and Etali was finally felled by Zacama after injuring Zetalpa. This mission, coupled with the defense of Pachatupa by Imperial soldiers and citizens, saved the Sun Empire and Ixalan from falling to the Phyrexians.[1]

Though the continent of Torrezon was also invaded, the damage to the eastern continent was far less catastrophic than on the continent of Ixalan.[1] Though the Invasion did not reach the Core, multiple entrances to the Core were discovered as a consequence of the destruction, and the bat god Aclazotz was awoken from his slumber.[82]

Kaladesh

Thanks to Chandra Nalaar and Saheeli Rai's warnings, the people of Kaladesh had time to prepare.[12] When branches of the Invasion Tree finally broke through, the Phyrexians found themselves facing a strong resistance led by the vicious dinosaur-based designs of Project Golden Scale, turning what they assumed would be a quick, simple fight into a protracted struggle to establish a foothold.

Kaladesh's glowing aether was of utmost interest to Jin-Gitaxias and his Chrome Host. To speed up compleation of the plane, the Machine Host raced to the Aetherflux Reservoir, hoping to twist the flow of aether in the plane to their own designs.[12] While most of the city of Ghirapur was evacuated, Pia and its artisans worked to defend the reservoir, which if breached would destroy the city. At some point, Dhiren Baral was released from prison to assist with the defense. In light of his zealous defense of the plane, the new Consulate forgave all of Baral's previous transgressions.

Kaldheim

When the Invasion Tree broke into Kaldheim, the first thing it did was to snarl itself around the World Tree, causing devastating Doomskars as the ten realms crashed violently into each other or were ripped apart.[12] The infection even spread to the Cosmos itself, and compleated Cosmos monsters stalked the realms, devouring lands whole. Toski, Sarulf, and the Cosmos Serpent itself, Koma, were among those compleated. The Cosmos Serpent was later killed by its nemesis, Fynn.

Tens of thousands of seed pods launched from Realmbreaker onto Kaldheim, each carrying multiple Phyrexian soldiers.[83] Harald led Skemfar's elves in defense of the realm, and after Omenpaths connected survivors from all ten realms, they brought the fight through the Cosmos to the World Tree itself. To deprive the Phyrexians of the World Tree's power, Kaldheim's inhabitants opted to burn it instead. When a compleated serpent assaulted Skemfar's ship, Tyvar jumped off the ship to do battle with it. After more than five minutes underwater, Tyvar emerged with the serpent's head, victorious, boasting that Harald would never outdo him.

Kamigawa

New Phyrexia begins the invasion of Kamigawa at Towashi.

The invasion on Kamigawa began in Towashi: the Invasion Tree broke through around Boseiju and quickly began wreaking havoc on the city.[12] The first wave of defenders consisted largely of samurai, who quickly found themselves in over their heads and tragically compleated. With their first line of defense gone, the ninjas of Kamigawa had to employ stealth, cunning, and all the battle trickery they could to hold their own against the compleated samurai's brute strength and force.[12] Ultimately, Tamiyo herself corrupted Boseiju, and its trunk burst apart in a shower of glistening oil.

Karsus

The elementals of Karsus combined together to form redoubtable colossi that fought the New Phyrexian invaders. The viashino of the plane also rose against New Phyrexia.

Kylem

The rumors that Kylem might be invaded weren't taken seriously at first, with the people preferring to focus on sport and preening champions. However, when New Phyrexia arrived, the competitors fought the invaders just as well as they fought each other in the competitions. The referees did heavily penalize the Phyrexians when they broke the rules though, to keep things fair.

Lorwyn

The Phyrexians' appearances were so unsightly to the eyes of Lorwyn's elves that they willingly worked with those they considered eyeblights to repel the invaders.

Mercadia

Many young Kyren goblins, inspired by the legendary Squee, bravely defended Mercadia against New Phyrexia's forces.

Moag

The treefolk and dryads of Moag sought to fix the mistakes of the past, in which they ignored the Phyrexian threat, and bravely fought against their New Phyrexian invaders.

Muraganda

The dinosaurs and oozes of Muraganda fought against the New Phyrexian invaders.

Pyrulea

The slabhorns of Pyrulea fought against the invaders by damaging the branches of Realmbreaker that broke through the plane.

Ravnica

Vraska led the invasion of Ravnica, first directing Realmbreaker toward the Azorius Senate's guild hall, New Prahv, and the jail in which she was once imprisoned.[9] As vengeance for her fellow gorgons whose eyes were removed, she ordered for Ravnicans to be blinded, letting them writhe in pain upon the glistening oil-slicked streets. The Golgari were the primary converted force, with many members of the Simic and Izzet willingly undergoing compleation out of sheer curiosity.[12]

Various planeswalkers, notably Teyo Verada and Ral Zarek, helped to repel the invasion, with Zarek able to defeat Vraska with a sonic weapon attuned against the oil.[84][9] During the fight, Vraska triggered Jace's memory reset that he'd previously put in her mind during their adventures on Ixalan, seemingly freeing her of Phyrexian control. When Ral's forces looked for Vraska's body, she was unable to be found.

Bolstered by the power of the Guildpact through the Guildpact Paragons,[85][86][87] the guilds and their leaders also fought to defend Ravnica.[12] In the invasion’s destructive wake, Ravnica's balance of power saw a massive shift. Though Niv-Mizzet reaffirmed his position as Ravnica’s supreme authority and protector,[68][88][89] the Golgari were almost totally compleated, the Dimir were rumored to be gone, and distrust of the Simic and Izzet were at an all-time-high.[90]

Regatha

The fire-wielding mages of Regatha defended their plane against the Phyrexian invaders.

Segovia

The fauna of Segovia's waters fought against the two Phyrexian soldiers sent to conquer the plane.

Shandalar

The powerful mana of Shandalar stripped the artificial parts of the invaders, revealing the flesh underneath. Also, some dormant Onakke awoke due to the Chain Veil magic pouring through Omenpaths from Ravnica.

Tarkir

Though the Phyrexians got a strong start, the dragonlords quickly rallied and pushed back, stopping them from overwhelming the plane decisively.[12] To do this, they partnered up with those under their rule, filling the skies with aerial dragon battles where dragons managed to hold their own against their Phyrexianized brethren with the help of those who served under them.

Theros

New Phyrexia begins the invasion of Theros at Akros.

Led by a Phyrexian Ajani Goldmane, the first wave of the invasion targeted temples and other places of worship.[12] Due to the nature of faith on Theros, compleating the gods' devotees meant that the gods themselves, influenced by their new Phyrexian worshippers, succumbed and became Phyrexians as well.

In the course of the invasion, most of the gods were compleated.[72] The city of Meletis stood as the last bastion of resistance against an endless onslaught of Phyrexian armies.[12] Hordes of Phyrexian monstrosities assailed the city from air, land, and sea, while Meletian defenders fought valiantly to drive them off. With the aid of Ephara, one of the few surviving Theros gods, sustained by the belief of those within the city walls, they managed to hold their own.

Once the tide had turned and New Capenna's angels led a counterinvasion of Theros, the compleated Heliod was distracted enough to be killed by Kaya Cassir.[76] Though Ephara's survival, Heliod's death, and Erebos's compleation are confirmed, it is unclear which of the other gods were compleated in the invasion.[89] It is implied that Athreos may have survived, and that all five of the mono-colored gods may have been compleated.[74][91] Cymede, last seen ascending to Keranos's side in Nyx, was compleated, suggesting Keranos may also have been.[92]

Tolvada

The angry spirits of the plane of Tolvada defended their world against the New Phyrexians. However, the glistening oil seeped into the dead's funeral shrouds, raising them as ichor shades and bolstering the invaders' ranks.

Ulgrotha

As the Phyrexians attacked Ulgrotha, the defense of the plane was led by former planeswalker Ravi Sengir.

Vryn

Although little is known about the invasion of Vryn, a portion of their defensive plan involved overloading the Mage-Rings that scattered the plane. It is unknown how successful this was.

Xerex

The literal-minded Phyrexians were unable to cope with the distortions of reality on Xerex and were likely repelled by the knights and angels native to the plane.

Zendikar

The fight on Zendikar was split between two main arenas of action: the wilderness, where the land itself rose up against the Phyrexians; and the Skyclaves, where teams of elite defenders made a daring run to bring down Nahiri's compleation engine, formed from the compleated remains of the Skyclaves.[12]

Zhalfir

After Wrenn bonded with Realmbreaker, she was able to contact Teferi Akosa on Zhalfir, opening a connection between Zhalfir and New Phyrexia.[93] Teferi was able to gather thousands of soldiers from across the plane due to Zhalfir's time distortion, and he led a counter-invasion of New Phyrexia.

The Invasion's End

New Phyrexia-Zhalfir switch

Main article: New Phyrexia-Zhalfir switch

After the surviving members of the strike team returned to Dominaria to warn the others about the invasion, Chandra Nalaar and Wrenn hatched a plan. They planeswalked together to New Phyrexia and, alongside Koth and Melira, fought their way to the Seedcore, where Norn was overseeing the invasion. After a struggle in which the newly ascended archangel Elspeth arrived to help, Wrenn bonded with Realmbreaker, using its branches to contact Zhalfir.[93] There she found Teferi, who had been shunted there after the failure of the Temporal Anchor and organized a counter-invasion of New Phyrexia. In the battle that followed, Jin-Gitaxias, Vorinclex, and Elesh Norn were slain, leaving Urabrask as the only living praetor. To turn the tides, Wrenn manipulated Realmbreaker to switch the places of Zhalfir and New Phyrexia in the Blind Eternities, leaving Phyrexia isolated and Zhalfir connected.[76] The remaining Mirran survivors, numbering fewer than twenty, escaped to Zhalfir, while the Capennan angels that had invaded to aid in the fight were trapped on New Phyrexia. The glistening oil's contact with New Phyrexia was cut off, rendering it inert all throughout the Multiverse.[94] Some Phyrexians stopped in place, while others crumbled apart. Those already compleated fell to the ground as if in a deep slumber. This functionally marked the end of the invasion.

Aftermath

Though some beings recovered from compleation, most died.[68] As a consequence of the invasion and possibly the detonation of the reforged Sylex in the Blind Eternities, the vast majority of planeswalkers lost their sparks and were unable to planeswalk in the way they once did before.[89]

Casualties and Losses

Non-Phyrexians

Phyrexians

Compleated and later killed

Compleated, fate unknown

Lasting changes

  • Ajani Goldmane and Nissa Revane were cleansed of phyresis and un-compleated through the sacrifice of Melira's life and Karn relinquishing Venser's spark, as the planeswalker once did for him.
  • Almost all of the New Phyrexian Praetors were killed, and Phyrexians all across the Multiverse abruptly ceased to function. Urabrask's fate is unknown. Though some beings recovered from compleation, most died.[68]
  • Zhalfir was returned to the Multiverse as a self-contained plane, replacing New Phyrexia which is now phased-out.[68] Mirrodin's five suns now orbit Zhalfir, and the Mirran survivors were taken in as refugees.[89] Capennan angels who traveled to New Phyrexia were trapped there.[76]
  • Elspeth Tirel transformed into an archangel and gained immortality.
  • Quintorius Kand ignited his planeswalker's spark.
  • Halo was introduced to many different planes by the angels of New Capenna. Inert Phyrexian metal has also been left on all invaded planes.[89]
  • Most invaded planes suffered heavy losses, especially in their densely-populated areas.
    • On Arcavios, Strixhaven's senior teaching staff were largely compleated and later killed, although some were cured.
    • On Capenna, the Maestros family was decimated and Park Heights collapsed.[77]
    • On Dominaria, New Argive was overrun with Phyrexians and the Mana Rig was destroyed.
    • Eldraine's courts were either compleated or killed.
    • Drannith, the largest city on Ikoria, was reduced to rubble.[80]
    • The Sun Empire cities of Atzocan, Otepec, Little Pocatli, and at least a dozen surrounding towns on Ixalan were destroyed.[71][95]
    • Kaldheim's warriors burned the World Tree, forcibly separating the Realms from each other.
    • On Ravnica, the second Chamber of the Guildpact was destroyed, but the powers of the Living Guildpact were not disrupted as seen in War of the Spark. New Prahv was severely damaged, and the fate of the Immortal Sun, which was stored there, is unknown. Parts of the Undercity were raised into the city's streets.[89][97]
    • On Zendikar, the Emeria Skyclave was destroyed after it corrupted miles of Tazeem's land, and Sea Gate, the plane's largest settlement and center of commerce and culture, was overrun.
  • The Golgothian Sylex was destroyed, and the replica Filigree Sylex was lost to the Blind Eternities.
  • Tezzeret acquired a darksteel body.
  • Squee relinquished his immortality.
  • Of the incompleat Mirrans remaining on New Phyrexia, fewer than ten to twenty survived to reach Zhalfir, including Thrun, Koth, and Melira.[98] The fates of other Mirrans, including Chiss-Goria, Farris of the Anvil, Ghalma, Graaz, Jor Kadeen, Kara Vrist, Kemba, Neyali, Otharri, Rhuk, Sharaia of the Anvil, Urtet, and Zabaz, are unknown.
  • The vast majority of planeswalkers lost their sparks, possibly as a result of the Sylex's detonation in the Blind Eternities or Realmbreaker's opening of omenpaths across the Multiverse.[99][68][89]
  • Some omenpaths remained open, and some new ones formed, allowing non-planeswalkers some form of travel through the Multiverse.[68]

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Referred to:

References

  1. ↑ a b c d e Miguel Lopez (November 10, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to the Lost Caverns of Ixalan". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Grace Fong (January 31, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to Phyrexia: All Will Be One". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 13, 2023). "Assault on New Phyrexia - Episode 1: Uncontrolled Descent". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 13, 2023). "Assault on New Phyrexia - Episode 2: Unstable Foundations". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. ↑ Langley Hyde (January 14, 2023). "Phyrexia: All Will Be One: Hard as Anger, Bright as Joy". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (January 16, 2023). "Assault on New Phyrexia - Episode 5: Inevitable Resolution". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Seanan McGuire (January 14, 2023). "Assault on New Phyrexia - Episode 3: Inconceivable Losses". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ a b Seanan McGuire (January 16, 2023). "Assault on New Phyrexia - Episode 4: Impossible Odds". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. ↑ a b c d Alison Lührs (March 24, 2023). "March of the Machine Ravnica: One And The Same". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. ↑ a b c d e f K. Arsenault Rivera (March 16, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 1: Triumph of the Fleshless". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. ↑ a b Jay Annelli. (2022.) Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide, DK. ISBN-13 978-0744061055.
  12. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Emily Teng (April 11, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to March of the Machine: The Phyrexian Invasion of the Multiverse". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. ↑ a b c d e f g Reinhardt Suarez (January 17, 2023). "A Man of Parts". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. ↑ Phyrexian Censor, Phyrexian Archivist
  15. ↑ Invasion of Azgol, Volcanic Spite
  16. ↑ Order of the Alabaster Host
  17. ↑ Infected Defector
  18. ↑ Fairgrounds Trumpeter
  19. ↑ Alabaster Host Intercessor, Hideous Fleshwheeler
  20. ↑ Invasion of Tolvada
  21. ↑ Alabaster Host Sanctifier, Phyrexian Pegasus, Phyrexian Skyflayer, Polukranos, Engine of Ruin
  22. ↑ Attentive Skywarden
  23. ↑ Flavor text for Swiftwater Cliffs
  24. ↑ Gitaxian Spellstalker
  25. ↑ Change the Equation
  26. ↑ Chrome Host Seedshark
  27. ↑ Gitaxian Mindstinger, Swiftwater Cliffs
  28. ↑ Chrome Host Hulk
  29. ↑ Invasion of Kamigawa
  30. ↑ Oculus Whelp
  31. ↑ Heliod, the Warped Eclipse
  32. ↑ Malady Invoker
  33. ↑ Seraph of New Phyrexia
  34. ↑ Rona, Tolarian Obliterator
  35. ↑ Glistening Goremonger
  36. ↑ Dreg Recycler
  37. ↑ Etched Familiar
  38. ↑ Etched Host Doombringer
  39. ↑ Grafted Butcher
  40. ↑ Terror of Towashi
  41. ↑ Compleated Huntmaster
  42. ↑ Ichor Shade
  43. ↑ First Look at March of the Machine (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (February 19, 2023).
  44. ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (March 21, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 5: Cathartic Reunion". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  45. ↑ Flavor text for Thrashing Frontliner
  46. ↑ Thrashing Frontliner
  47. ↑ Searing Barb
  48. ↑ Ayara, Furnace Queen
  49. ↑ Plated Kilnbeast
  50. ↑ Furnace-Blessed Conqueror
  51. ↑ Furnace Gremlin
  52. ↑ Furnace Host Charger
  53. ↑ Akki Scrapchomper
  54. ↑ Invasion of Karsus
  55. ↑ Invasion of Lorwyn
  56. ↑ Compleated Conjurer
  57. ↑ Furnace Reins
  58. ↑ Card image from Invasion of Ulgrotha
  59. ↑ Flavor text for Blossoming Sands
  60. ↑ Blossoming Sands
  61. ↑ Blightsower Thallid
  62. ↑ Arachnoid Adaptation
  63. ↑ Copper Host Crusher, Etali, Primal Sickness
  64. ↑ Voldaren Thrillseeker
  65. ↑ Cosmic Hunger
  66. ↑ Burnished Dunestomper
  67. ↑ Skyclave Invader
  68. ↑ a b c d e f g Mark Rosewater (May 2, 2023). "Doing the Aftermath". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  69. ↑ Inside the Art of March of the Machine (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (May 7, 2023).
  70. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n First Look at March of the Machine (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (February 19, 2023).
  71. ↑ a b c d Miguel Lopez (Mar 21, 2023). "March of the Machine - Ixalan: Three Hundred Steps Under the Sun". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  72. ↑ a b c d e Mark Rosewater (April 10, 2023). "Choosing Your Battles, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  73. ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 17, 2023). "Choosing Your Battles, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  74. ↑ a b c Emily Teng (April 13, 2023). "The Legendary Team-Ups of March of the Machine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  75. ↑ a b c Evelyn Teng (March 20, 2023). "March of the Machine - A Radiant Heart". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  76. ↑ a b c d e f K. Arsenault Rivera (March 28, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 9: The Old Sins of New Phyrexia". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  77. ↑ a b Elise Kova (March 27, 2023). "March of the Machine - New Capenna: The Fall of Park Heights". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  78. ↑ Jenna Helland (March 22, 2023). "March of the Machine - Eldraine: The Adventures of Rankle, Master of Love". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  79. ↑ Flavor text of Infected Defector
  80. ↑ a b c Roy Graham (March 20, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 5: Survival of the Fittest". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  81. ↑ Seanan McGuire (March 22, 2023). "March of the Machine - Innistrad: Family Game Night". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  82. ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 5". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  83. ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (March 17, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 4: Beneath Eyes Unblinking". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  84. ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (March 17, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 3: Mother, Son, and Story". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  85. ↑ Mark Rosewater (Apr 3, 2023). "March of the Machine Learning, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  86. ↑ Dave Humpherys (Apr 4, 2023). "A Battle for the Ages: Leading March of the Machine Set Design". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  87. ↑ Guildpact Paragon
  88. ↑ Niv-Mizzet, Supreme
  89. ↑ a b c d e f g h WeeklyMTG - March of the Machine: The Aftermath (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (May 2, 2023).
  90. ↑ No Sparks Allowed – Aftermath Lore ft Rhystic Studies (Video). LoadingReadyRun. YouTube (May 10, 2023).
  91. ↑ a b Flavor text of Ephara, Ever-Sheltering
  92. ↑ Flavor text of Phyrexian Pegasus
  93. ↑ a b K. Arsenault Rivera (March 24, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 8: Wrenn and Eight". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  94. ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (March 28, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 10: The Rhythms of Life". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  95. ↑ a b Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Pawns". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  96. ↑ Valerie Valdes (October 20, 2023). "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan - Episode 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  97. ↑ Undercity Upheaval
  98. ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (March 23, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 7: Divine Intervention". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  99. ↑ Grace Fong (May 1, 2023). "March of the Machine: The Aftermath - She Who Breaks the World". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  100. ↑ Emrakul & Chatterfang!? Koma & Toski!? 62 Unknown Magic Cards! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (May 10, 2023).
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