MTG: Who Will We See in “Aftermath”?
The War with Phyrexia is over, but who will be left when the dust settles?
Well, it’s official; Elesh Norn is dead, a victim of her ego. Elspeth returned as an avenging angel, Wrenn sacrificed her life to bond with the Realmbreaker and reach Zhalfir, and Teferi arrived with an army. Phyrexia was defeated once and for all, isolated from the Multiverse in Zhalfir’s place. The losses were significant, but the Multiverse was finally victorious against (arguably) their greatest threat. The newest set, March of the Machine, gives us a glimpse into the fateful conflict. However, another set is on the horizon, detailing the events directly after the great war. The story ended on a bleak note, so people are wondering who we’ll see for Aftermath. While we don’t know which of our favorite heroes will show up, there are a few clues in the story.
Very Likely: Nissa and Ajani
At the end of the MOM story, Melira sacrificed her life to restore Ajani and Nissa to their un-completed forms. This means they will probably show up as cards in Aftermath, as they make amends for what they did under Norn’s control. Nissa may decide to stay with Chandra, but Ajani won’t be able to bear it. With the stain of his actions weighing on his soul, particularly with the cost of bringing him back, he’ll want to be on the front lines of the restoration effort. Of course, he could also exile himself from the shame. That doesn’t track with his style, though. We’ll likely see a penitent Ajani planeswalker card, maybe in White/Black, trying to undo the damage he did.
Likely: Nahiri and Quintorius
Nahiri was another completed Planeswalker, but she was notably absent from the final battle. Likely she had been sent to bring her beloved Zendikar to heel, and with the removal of Phyrexia, she fell unconscious like the others. However, she’s visible, completely fine, on the art for Aftermath. While we don’t know of any way to reverse Phyresis other than sacrificing sparks or Melira’s unique magic, Zendikar has always been unique. It’s possible the Kor living there found a way to bring their errant daughter back into the fold.
Quintorius, on the other hand, had his spark activated by the invasion of Strixhaven. As he was casting a spell to drive the Realmbreaker roots out of his home, he suddenly began to glow and vanished. It would be awesome to see the newest Planeswalker as a card in the new set, perhaps leading more Planeswalkers just to discover their gift. He is the Loremaster, after all; he should be the one telling the story.
Hopefully: Sorin
Of all the Planeswalkers in the Multiverse, Sorin has always been a favorite. The vampiric character features mostly on his home plane of Innistrad, and he has a standing, deadly rivalry with Nahiri. With Nahiri returning from Phyresis and Sorin at the head of a powerful vampire family on Innistrad, his return would be fantastic. It would be especially nice if he and Nahiri could find common ground and maybe put the horrible crimes they’ve committed against each other behind them. Only time will tell.
Who do you hope to see?
