The Phyrexian threat never disappeared. While the Multiverse celebrated the defeat of Nicol Bolas, a far older and far more terrible corruption continued to spread in the shadows. Karn, the creator of Mirrodin turned New Phyrexia, carried a burden of guilt that would soon become a crusade.
This episode marks the beginning of the Phyrexian Era, the final threat that nearly consumed the entire Multiverse.
Karn's Burden
Karn, the planeswalker golem, had created Mirrodin as a perfect world of metal and innovation. But he had unwittingly brought with him the Phyrexian oil, the corruption that turned life into evil machinery.
Mirrodin had become New Phyrexia — a nightmare of fused flesh and corrupted metal. And Karn had never stopped searching for a way to undo this mistake.
The Search for the Golgothian Sylex
Karn knew there existed an artifact capable of destroying New Phyrexia: the Golgothian Sylex, the same weapon that had ended the Brothers' War millennia before. He scoured the Multiverse in search of it, knowing it might be the only hope.
Meanwhile, the praetors of New Phyrexia had not been idle.
The Evolution of the Praetors
The five praetors — Elesh Norn, Jin-Gitaxias, Sheoldred, Urabrask, and Vorinclex — had been developing New Phyrexia for years. But under the direction of Elesh Norn, they had accomplished something unthinkable.
They had discovered how to compleat a planeswalker — to transform a traveler between planes into a Phyrexian servant while preserving their spark. This ability changed everything: the Phyrexians were no longer confined to a single plane.
The First Signs
The first hints of Phyrexian expansion appeared on Kaldheim, the world of Vikings and Norse gods. Vorinclex himself was spotted, stealing part of the essence of Tyvar's World Tree.
Then on Kamigawa, the cyberpunk version of magical Japan, Jin-Gitaxias was discovered conducting experiments on reality itself. The local heroes managed to drive him back, but not before he obtained what he was seeking.
The Compleation of Heroes
The worst was yet to come. The Phyrexians were no longer satisfied with corrupting worlds — they were corrupting the defenders of the Multiverse themselves.
Tamiyo, the moonfolk sage of Kamigawa, was captured and compleated. The peaceful scholar, keeper of the Multiverse's stories, became an agent of Phyrexia. This horror demonstrated that no one was safe.
Others would follow. Beloved heroes, trusted allies, transformed into deadly enemies.
New Capenna
While the Phyrexian threat grew, other crises drew the attention of the planeswalkers. New Capenna, an art deco city ruled by five demonic crime families, became the stage for a conflict over the control of a unique substance: Halo.
Halo, distilled from angels, was the only substance capable of repelling demons. But the angels had long since disappeared, and Halo reserves were running out.
The Revelations
Elspeth Tirel uncovered a troubling truth: New Capenna was her home world, the one she had fled as a child during the original Phyrexian invasion. The angels had sacrificed their existence to create Halo and protect the city.
And now, the Phyrexians were returning.
The Phyrexian Connection
All these events — Kaldheim, Kamigawa, New Capenna — were not coincidences. Elesh Norn was orchestrating a multiplanar invasion. Each world visited provided a piece of the puzzle.
- Kaldheim — The essence of the World Tree to create bridges between planes
- Kamigawa — The technology to stabilize these bridges
- New Capenna — Resources and tests of local resistance
Elesh Norn's plan was approaching its culmination. The Invasion of the Machines was imminent.
Dominaria United
Eventually, the Phyrexian threat reached Dominaria — the center of the Multiverse, the world where so many stories had begun and ended. The heroes understood it was time to act.
A coalition formed: Karn with his knowledge of Phyrexia, Jaya Ballard the legendary pyromancer, Teferi the master of time, and many others. Together, they searched for the Golgothian Sylex while fending off the Phyrexian vanguard.
But the losses were terrible. Jaya Ballard fell to Ajani — their former friend, now compleated by the Phyrexians. The shock was devastating.
In the next episode...
Episode 15: The Praetors
The five praetors of New Phyrexia prepare the final invasion. Elesh Norn has unified the factions under her banner. Kaldheim's World Tree has been transformed into the Realmbreaker, capable of invading all planes simultaneously. The March of the Machine approaches.
Sources
- MTG Wiki: Phyrexian Invasion — The multiplanar invasion
- MTG Wiki: Compleation — The Phyrexian transformation
- Kaldheim (Magic set, 2021)
- Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (Magic set, 2022)
- Streets of New Capenna (Magic set, 2022)
- Dominaria United (Magic set, 2022)
Products related to this episode
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