Amonkhet seemed to be a paradise. A world of benevolent gods, heroic warriors, and promises of eternal life. But beneath this golden facade lay Nicol Bolas's greatest scheme — a millennia-old trap about to spring shut.
This episode reveals the true nature of Amonkhet and the tragic fate of its inhabitants.
The World of the Gods
Amonkhet was a desert world, dominated by an oasis-city protected by the Hekma, a magical barrier that kept the undead at bay. Within this protection, civilization thrived under the guidance of five gods.
These gods taught mortals the Trials — a series of tests meant to prepare souls for the Afterlife. Warriors who completed all the trials earned the highest honor: a glorious death and the promise of eternal life alongside the God-Pharaoh.
The Sacred Trials
Each god oversaw a unique trial:
- Oketra — The Trial of Solidarity (team combat)
- Kefnet — The Trial of Knowledge (riddles and wisdom)
- Bontu — The Trial of Ambition (personal sacrifice)
- Rhonas — The Trial of Strength (single combat)
- Hazoret — The Trial of Zeal (ultimate determination)
Those who triumphed in all five trials were glorified — ritually killed and mummified, their bodies prepared to serve in the God-Pharaoh's army.
The Arrival of the Gatewatch
The Gatewatch arrived on Amonkhet following the trail of Tezzeret and Nicol Bolas. What they discovered deeply troubled them.
Amonkhet's society seemed virtuous: honor, courage, devotion. But something didn't add up. Why did people aspire to die? Why did the gods encourage their followers to seek death?
The Hidden Truth
Exploring beyond the Hekma, the Gatewatch discovered the ruins of an ancient civilization — a society that had existed before the current gods. This civilization had been destroyed, its inhabitants transformed into undead wandering the desert.
The truth began to emerge: the five gods had not created Amonkhet. They had been manipulated. Their memories had been erased. Their true nature had been hidden from them.
The God-Pharaoh
The "God-Pharaoh" the inhabitants spoke of was none other than Nicol Bolas. Millennia earlier, he had conquered Amonkhet, slaughtered its ancient civilization, and rewritten history.
He had subjugated the gods, erased their memories, and turned them into tools of his plan. The trials were not spiritual tests — they were a selection program. Glorification was not an honor — it was a production line for soldiers in his army.
For millennia, the inhabitants of Amonkhet had been preparing their finest warriors to become Bolas's soldiers — and they didn't even know it.
The Hours
Then came the moment Bolas had been waiting for so long: the Hours. A series of prophecies marking his return.
The Hekma was shattered. The undead of the desert flooded the city. And the sky split open to reveal the Black Sun — the signal of Bolas's return.
With him came the Three Forgotten Gods — The Scorpion, The Locust, and The Scarab. Corrupted gods Bolas had kept in reserve, transformed into weapons of mass destruction.
The Fall of the Gods
One by one, the gods of Amonkhet fell. Rhonas was killed by The Scorpion God. Kefnet perished facing The Locust God. Oketra and Bontu were destroyed. Only Hazoret survived, protected by the mortals she had guided.
The Gatewatch confronted Bolas directly — and were crushed. The dragon showed them that they were nothing but insects before his power.
The Defeat of the Gatewatch
Bolas mentally broke Jace, teleporting him to an unknown location. He tried to kill Gideon, narrowly failing thanks to his invulnerability. Liliana fled, refusing to face a losing battle. Chandra and Nissa retreated, carrying their wounded allies.
The Gatewatch was defeated. Scattered. Broken.
And Bolas got what he wanted: the Eternal Army. Thousands of mummified warriors, the finest fighters Amonkhet had produced over millennia, now under his absolute control.
The Survivors
A few mortals survived the cataclysm. Samut, a warrior who had always doubted the official teachings, led the survivors out of the city. Hazoret, the last goddess, protected them as best she could.
Amonkhet was devastated. But life persisted, even in the ruins.
As for Bolas, he now had everything he needed: an invincible army and a Planar Bridge to deploy it. The next step of his plan would soon begin — on Ravnica.
In the next episode...
Episode 13: War of the Spark
Nicol Bolas launches his final assault. Ravnica becomes a battlefield where planeswalkers from across the entire Multiverse are trapped. The Eternal Army descends upon the city-world. And the dragon enacts his ultimate plan: to steal the spark of every planeswalker and become a god.
Sources
- MTG Wiki: Amonkhet — The world of Bolas
- MTG Wiki: Hour of Devastation — The fall of Amonkhet
- Amonkhet (Magic expansion, 2017)
- Hour of Devastation (Magic expansion, 2017)
