Multiverse
| The Multiverse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Information | |
| Plane | Multiversal |
The Multiverse is the setting of Magic: the Gathering. It consists of a very large number of planes of existence,[1] which are separated by the Blind Eternities[2] and connected by Omenpaths.[3] At the border of the known Multiverse lies the Edge.[4]
Name
The Multiverse was previously known as Dominia (doh-MIN-ee-uh[a]).[6] The name was retired due to confusion with the name of Dominaria. Older sources justified the similarity by describing the latter as a portmanteau of "Dominia" and "aria", meaning "Song of Dominia", but newer stories give alternative derivations for the name of the plane.[7] The decision to avoid the older name for the Multiverse was made prior to Mark Rosewater joining Wizards of the Coast in 1995.[8][9]
Planes of existence
Most sets and stories take place on specific planes, or worlds. Every plane has its own unique denizens, magic, and metaphysics.[2] Most planes have a theme derived from history, mythology, or popular culture; for example, Theros is inspired by ancient Greece, and Innistrad by Gothic horror.
The total number of planes is unknown. Urza believed that the number was finite, but too large to be counted in the combined lifetimes of every being in existence.[10] Other sources have described the Multiverse as "boundless", or claimed that the planes are "countless" or possibly infinite.[11][12]
Following the New Phyrexian Invasion, portals known as Omenpaths began to open between planes. Until then, only Planeswalkers were capable of interplanar travel,[3] and few non-Planeswalkers were even aware of the existence of other planes.[13] Describing the Omenpaths as "trans-planar arteries", the stitcher Geralf Cecani pondered the effects of planar travel on non-Planeswalkers; he believed that every plane of existence has its own rules of magic and that every magic user over time will have their magic adapt itself to the natural rules of the new plane.[14]
Blind Eternities
The Blind Eternities are chaotic aether maelstrom which separate the planes of existence. Only Planeswalkers and unique beings such as the Eldrazi are capable of traversing them.[2]
The Edge
The Edge, also called the Edge of Eternity, is a ring-shaped universe bordering the Multiverse. It is outside the Multiverse proper, separated from it by a border known as the Chaos Wall.[4][15]
The inhabitants of the Edge are generally not aware of the Multiverse and the planes within it, although the Drix have posited the existence of different "lamellae of creation", or realities, past the Chaos Wall,[15] which may or may not refer to the planes. When a vessel makes use of faster-than-light travel, it plunges into the parallel lamellae behind the Chaos Wall—"the Eternities" or "Weft"—and then reemerges at its destination point.
Structure
The exact structure of the Multiverse is unknown, although some characters have great insight into it. Within the mind of Loot there is a real-time map of the entire Multiverse: each plane appears as a point of light, and within those points of light, there are further points representing Omenpaths to other planes. When viewing the map in Loot's mind, planes can be seen being born from The World Tree. It is unclear if this is a different world tree from Kaldheim's. Planes can also be seen dissolving into "black holes of aether."[16]
Even after losing her spark, the Wanderer is still more aware of the planes and how they fit together and function than anyone else in the Multiverse, except for maybe Loot.[17]
Nexus of the Multiverse
The "Nexus of the Multiverse" is a plane (or a place) in the center of the Multiverse with a great influence on all other planes. The world of Dominaria is known to have been the Nexus. Since the plane had only been in existence for a finite amount of time, and in fact, older planes are known (such as Equilor), this was probably not always the case. Due to the changing nature of the Multiverse, it was bound to happen that one day another plane would replace it. Dominaria stopped being the Nexus of the Multiverse when the Mending happened.[18] It is currently unknown where the new nexus is located.
Being a Nexus is probably connected with a large amount of mana lines flowing into it from other planes. That lets it quickly regenerate its supplies of mana[b] and most likely is a way of how it affects other planes. Its collapse can destroy the time stream—an abrupt end of the Multiverse's existence and the near-infinite amount of its planes.
Ravnica and the Omenpath Project
Following the New Phyrexian Invasion, Omenpaths began opening across Ravnica and other worlds. Niv-Mizzet recognized their patterns as a significant threat to his plane and devised a plan to regulate their access in a way to position Ravnica as a locus of the Multiverse.[19]
Non-Multiverse settings
Some products don't use the Multiverse as a setting. Dungeons & Dragons and Universes Beyond sets feature separate intellectual properties which don't interact with Magic canon.[20] Un-sets take place in the Un-iverse, a separate multiverse apart from the main continuity.[21][22][23][24][25]
The Multiverse interacted with an alternate reality, maybe a parallel multiverse, in the Planar Chaos storyline.[26]
Earth
Earth is not considered to be part of either Multiverse.[27][28][29] This is because R&D doesn't want to tell stories about planeswalkers visiting Earth or being from Earth.[30]
Gavin Verhey used Earth as a non-canon plane for Wizards of the Coast in the Unknown Event at MagicCon Minneapolis 2023.[31] As the test cards in the event are designed to be humorous or silly, it is not considered a change in position on the use of Earth as a plane. Earth is used as an official plane type in the Doctor Who Commander decks Planechase cards, but they are a part of the Universes Beyond model. The setting of Portal Three Kingdoms closely resembles historic Earth, but is retroactively considered to be a parallel plane.[32][33]
In-game references
- Associated cards:
- Referred to:
- All Will Be One
- Arahbo, the First Fang (Foundations, #2)
- Axiom Engraver
- Basri's Acolyte
- Bite Down (Foundations)
- Blossoming Sands (Aetherdrift)
- Braids, Conjurer Adept
- Brainstorm (Mystical Archive)
- Brown Ouphe (Mirrodin)
- Cogwork Archivist
- Compleat Devotion
- Compulsive Research (Mystical Archive)
- Crux of Fate (Mystical Archive)
- Defy Gravity (Ultimate Masters)
- Destroy Evil
- Discerning Peddler
- Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
- Etali, Primal Sickness
- Fraying Omnipotence
- Idyllic Tutor (Secret Lair, #1020)
- Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur
- Krosan Grip (Mystical Archive)
- Manalith
- Mana Screw
- Mystic Meditation
- Myth Unbound
- Null Elemental Blast
- Oath of Jace
- One with the Machine
- Portent Tracker
- Preordain
- Pyretic Ritual
- Render Inert
- Scrawling Crawler (Foundations, #354)
- Scoured Barrens (Aetherdrift)
- Segovian Angel
- Single Combat
- Stridehangar Automaton
- Surge of Salvation
- Tezzeret's Gambit (EOC)
- Thirst for Knowledge (Neon Dynasty)
- Thought Scour (Double Masters 2022, #65)
- Thrashing Frontliner
- Two-Headed Hellkite
- Urza's Ruinous Blast
- Vedalken Orrery (Double Masters 2022, #399)
- Volrath
- Wistful Thinking
See also
Notes
- ↑ Transcribed from the original "do-MIN-ee-a" to conform with Wikipedia's pronunciation respelling standards.[5]
- ↑ It can be crucial for a plane which is a focus point of many planeswalkers' interests and their destructive influences.
References
- ↑ Dominia and Its Walkers, by Richard Garfield
- ↑ a b c Jay Annelli (2022). Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide, DK. ISBN-13 978-0744061055.
- ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (May 2, 2023). "Doing the Aftermath". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Going Galactic in Edge of Eternities with The Magic Story Podcast (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (June 20, 2025).
- ↑ Volume 2: Desolate Angel. The Shadow Mage. (1995) Armada.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 27, 2014). "Does the multiverse still have the proper name Dominia?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Kate Elliott (August 8, 2018). "Chronicle of Bolas: Perpectives". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 18, 2022). "Dominaria United We Stand, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (December 2, 2002). "There's Always Two Maro". Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Planeswalker
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (July 25, 2008). "You Are a Planeswalker". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (March 28, 2015). "is the Multiverse infinite?". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (July 31, 2015). "How aware of the multiverse is the citizenry of any given plane?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Seanan McGuire (March 21, 2024). "A Pleasant Family Outing". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Miguel Lopez, Jay Annelli, Laurel Pratt, and Amanda LaFranco (June 20, 2025). "Planeswalkers Guide to Edge of Eternities". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Alison Luhrs (April 2, 2024). "Outlaws of Thunder Junction Epilogue 2: Bring the End, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Seanan McGuire (August 19, 2024). "Don’t Go Past the Old Dark House, the DVD extras.". Seananmcguire.com.
- ↑ Magic Story Podcast: The Mending (May 3, 2018)
- ↑ Seanan McGuire (February 14, 2024). "Episode 11: Portents and Omens". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (February 25, 2021). "Magic's Voyages to Universes Beyond". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 16, 2017). "So, when can we expect a set called Bablovia?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 08, 2017). "So the Domina Multiverse, Un-Multiverse, and Sparks Multiverse are all separate, right?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 09, 2017). "Are you worried about Multiverse creep?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 17, 2017). "Why is the Un-iverse separated from the multiverse?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 12, 2019). "How the heck did Urza (or just his head) get there?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 11, 2019). "Didn't a few multiverses interact during the Planar Chaos?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 10, 2018). "Is Earth on a plane in the Multiverse? The un-iverse?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 11, 2019). "Is Earth canonically a plane in the Magic the Gathering storyline?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 28, 2023). "Is the magic multiverse infinite? ie is earth technically canon to mtg lore?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 17, 2019). "To say that our universe definitely isn't part of the MtG multiverse is paramount". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Emrakul & Chatterfang!? Koma & Toski!? 62 Unknown Magic Cards! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (May 10, 2023).
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 22, 2017). "What plane did Portal: Three Kingdoms take place on?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 11, 2019). "Portal: Three Kingdoms took place on an unnamed plane that shares a lot with early history China, but is not China.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
