Friendship is Card Games: Legends of Magic #7 & #8 · 12:24pm Mar 10th, 2019
As noted yesterday, we have three weeks until the return of longer-form pony animation. That’s exactly enough time to review the rest of the Legends of Magic miniseries, excepting the annual, so I’m taking the opportunity. Let us begin the Tragedy of Darth Stygian the Wise…
Issue #7: Wherein a Humble Stallion Finds Himself in Interesting Times
Ah, Sunburst is a true scientist. “All of my theories were wrong! This is fantastic!”
You know, Stygian becoming a bestselling author in “A Rockhoof and a Hard Place” makes a lot more sense once you take these comics into account. He basically already had his first manuscript ready.
I get the feeling that Stygian is going to do some very heroic things over the course of these comics. That said, I do appreciate how the tale of one self-professed unremarkable scholar is being read by another, both of whom have done some incredible things.
“… There are things in the sea ponykind has only dreamed of.” Oh, Stygian. You don’t know the half of it.
Aside from the more immediate implications there, I do also like how Stygian’s curiosity about the mysteries hidden in the dark depths foretell his descent into shadow and his descendant’s Lovecraftian quest to atone for the taint in his bloodline.
Hmm. Putting aside legends of still-living figures, the tales of seaponies raise what has become a familiar question: Are there any seaponies who aren’t transformed hippogriffs in this world?
Huh. Explicit confirmation that the Dazzlings are sisters. And that they were using that name for their group even before their banishment. Wasn’t expecting that.
Good on Stygian for not letting the whole “power us” thing go. He may not think of himself as a hero, but he’s still smarter than most protagonists put in that kind of situation.
That said, these don’t really feel like the sirens as of Rainbow Rocks. Adagio being the one to fly off the handle while either Aria or Sonata reins her in? Quite bizarre. Still, countless years spent in another universe with minimal magic will change a person.
“Even Starswirl’s knowledge was limited. It seemed he hadn’t even met a siren yet.” I already like this storyline for how it completely refutes the sirens’ Fiendship issue. That it continues to do so at ev ery turn is icing on the cake.
Ha! Ms. Malus, clearly an ancient Apple ancestor. And going by that checklist, possibly one of Twilight’s as well. (And the timescale’s not right, but I can’t help but think of one character from The Best of All Possible Worlds…)
Stygian’s idealism is admirable. Indeed, it’s more than a millennium ahead of his time; no doubt he was thrilled to learn of the School of Friendship. But with the sirens, it’s sadly misplaced.
Oh my. I suppose the sirens were already well-fed enough from their oceanic escapades to skip straight to entrancing their audience.
Warning the populace might have worked… or the resulting animosity as they prepared to defend themselves might have only made things worse. I suppose we’ll never know.
Stygian, time is kind of the essence. I don’t think you’re going to have time to study seashells during your quest.
Again, there is the question of lifespan to consider. Just because the legends are true doesn’t mean the heroes are still in their prime. (Granted, they will be, but still, how fast did news travel in those days?)
Ah. There’s the sowing of discord. Have to keep the power feed going, after all.
The Twilit compass rose bothers me more than it probably should. Unless that’s been a universal symbol of magic since time immemorial, it’s a major anachronism.
Also, Stygian may not think he’s anything special, but just surviving everything he did before finding another Pillar speaks to his skills.
Interesting to note how both the sea serpent and the giant crab have similar hypnotic swirly eyes. It’s possible that the Dazzlings enthralled them before coming to feed on Stygian’s village.
I’d like to highlight this exchange, because it’s honestly fantastic.
Trying to find locations based on illustrations from long before… I’m getting Breath of the Wild flashbacks.
Issue #8: Wherein Fire, Water, Flora, and Fauna All Threaten The Questant
“Far in the northern lands of Equestria.” Yes. Definitely the north and not, say, off the coast of Horseshoe Bay.
So, the pit Stygian’s in goes from stone-lined to bare dirt from panel to panel. Also, it went from a small hole to an island-spanning trench between issues. Well then.
Also, I have to wonder how many eruptions this village went through before it was finally abandoned. Presumably however many Rockhoof was there for plus one.
I do hope “heroes not seeing themselves as such” will be a theme for these issues. It’ll be a nice way to reinforce Stygian’s importance.
I’m honestly disappointed that they didn’t call the ursine wood elementals “lumbears.”
So… Steela explains the importance of preserving the filter fish, then immediately declares that they’re not important enough to risk pony lives, even though she’d be putting more lives at risk once the village loses access to fresh water. Okay, then.
Huh. It’s like the polar opposite of the Augean stables; they need to redirect the river to make the water cleaner.
“Remember the oat boat?” I’ll let Silver Quill provide my reaction there.
“Welp, suppose it’s time to do what I do best.” Given his valknut cutie mark, it’s possible that Rockhoof’s special talent is succeeding in life-or-death situations.
Stygian: Says he’s nopony special, then casually calls up a force field strong enough to keep a river in its banks. Poor guy could really use some more self-esteem.
And then he goes to make sure Rockhoof comes out alright. Oh yeah. He’s definitely not a hero.
Yeah, no one did think about how Rockhoof was going to get out after breaching the other side of the river, did they? Also, I do wonder why Stygian lifted him by the shovel.
Also, major credit to Captain Steela. That’s at least four solo lumber bear takedowns.
“Where I live is high desert.” Right next to the seashore. And with fertile enough yields for multiple all-you-can-eat restaurants. Sure, Rockhoof, whatever you say.
Huh. Apparently Caer Bannog is somewhere in this swamp
Oh joy. More ambiguity on whether or not deer are full sophonts.
Can’t say I recall the mask muffling Meadowbrook’s speech any time before this.
Yes, the mask clearly has a calming effect. Just look at how the stallions reacted to it.
I do love how Rockhoof knows about optimal party composition. Ogres & Oubliettes likely drew from several real-world sources.
… I have many questions about that gator hole and the astonishingly erudite reptile within.
I do love science heroes.
Oh! Well, that’s one heck of a point to cut things off for the week.
Putting aside my gripes about the details, this is a great beginning to an engaging adventure of ancient equine Avengers assembling. A shame we won’t get any bad-flank motherbuckers in eyepatches, though I suppose Stygian is actually the Nick Fury analogue in all of this. Now, on to the cards:
Surprise Snare 2W
Instant
Tap any number of target creatures with total power 5 or less.
Cycling 1W (1W, Discard this card: Draw a card.)
When you cycle Surprise Snare, you may tap target creature.
Untold Story 3W
Sorcery
This spell costs 2 less to cast if it targets a Saga card.
Return target enchantment card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Every tale wants to be heard.
Griffin Harriers 3WW
Creature — Griffin Warrior
Flash
Flying
When Griffin Harriers enters the battlefield, it deals 1 damage to each attacking or blocking creature target player controls.
3/3
Filter Fish U
Creature — Fish
U, T: Draw a card, then discard a card.
They keep the lake clean of everything but the fish themselves.
0/2
Seaside Scholar 2U
Creature — Unicorn Wizard
Whenever another blue creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
“We understand so little about the ocean. I learn something new from it every day.”
1/3
Wardshell Crab 3U
Creature — Crab
Hexproof
Landfall — Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, Wardshell Crab gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
The untamed stretches between villages contain many horrors for those who assume their magic will keep them safe.
2/2
Enthralled Serpent 3UU
Creature — Serpent
Enthralled Serpent can’t attack unless you control a Siren.
“The oceans became too easy. There’s no sport there anymore. So, much to our audience’s dismay, we went to dry land.”
—Adagio Dazzle
5/6
Lapine Sadist 1B
Creature — Rabbit Rogue
Lapine Sadist has wither as long as it’s attacking. (It deals combat damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters.)
Angel Bunny’s ancestors were no better behaved.
2/2
Oppressive Atmosphere 2B
Enchantment
Creatures you control have menace.
Gloom gripped the Hayseed Swamps as the infection spread. Anything not in the fungus’s thrall soon cowered from those who were.
Torch Colony 2R
Creature — Rabbit Berserker
BG, Sacrifice Torch Colony: Destroy target land.
“Why must every angry mob come with torches?”
—Stygian, Pillars’ Base
3/2
Periodic Eruption 5RR
Sorcery
Periodic Eruption deals 3 damage to each creature without flying and each player. Exile Periodic Eruption with three time counters on it.
Suspend 3—3R (Rather than cast this card from your hand, you may pay 2R and exile it with three time counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove a time counter. When the last is removed, cast it without paying its mana cost.)
Savage Buck 1G
Instant
Target creature you control fights target creature you don’t control.
Hoofcraft — The creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn before it fights if you control three or more Ponies, Pegasi, and/or Unicorns.
Lumber Bear 2GG
Creature — Elemental Bear
Lumber Bear’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of Forests you control.
Sacrifice a Forest: Lumber Bear gains trample until end of turn.
Not every tree is a dogwood.
*/*
Reevaluate 2GG
Sorcery
Put any number of target cards from your graveyard on top of your library in any order. Exile Reevaluate.
Draw a card.
New context can change everything you thought you knew about the past.
Apple Family Ancestor 3G
Creature — Pony Elder
When Apple Family Ancestor dies, you may exile it. When you do, return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand.
As long as there have been ponies, there have been Apples.
2/2
Hidden in Mystery 3G
Enchantment
When Hidden in Mystery enters the battlefield, you may put a creature card from your hand onto the battlefield. If you do, Hidden in Mystery becomes an Aura with enchant permanent. Attach it to that creature.
When an opponent casts a noncreature spell, sacrifice Hidden in Mystery.
Enchanted permanent is an enchantment with no abilities.
Informative Outburst UR
Sorcery
Informative Outburst deals 3 damage to target player. Look at their hand.
The right stimulus can prompt all kinds of interesting responses.
Stygian’s Testimony 1UB
Instant
Draw two cards. Then discard a card unless you lost life this turn.
The losers’ insights can offer far more than the official history.
Mystery Tree 1BG
Creature — Plant
Defender
If you would draw a card, you may instead put the top two cards of your library into your graveyard, then return a card at random from your graveyard to your hand.
Strange soil yields strange fruit.
0/4
Fungal Frenzy 2RGG
Sorcery
Create two 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens. Creatures you control get +2/+2 and gain trample and haste until end of turn.
“This is why you don’t pick strange mushrooms.”
—Meadowbrook, Pillar of Healing
Stone-Hewn Stallion 3RG
Creature — Elemental Pony
Kicker — Sacrifice two lands. (You may sacrifice two lands in addition to any other costs as you cast this spell.)
Stone-Hewn Stallion enters the battlefield with a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of lands you control. If it was kicked, it enters the battlefield with a number of additional +1/+1 counters on it equal to the number of land cards in your graveyard.
0/0
The Dazzlings of Old 3UBR
Legendary Creature — Siren
Flying
Whenever one or more creatures you don’t control attack, put a +1/+1 counter on The Dazzlings of Old.
Whenever a creature attacks you or a planeswalker you control, that creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn.
(ur): Target creature attacks this turn if able.
4/4
This was delightful to wake up to.
Stygian as Nick Fury? How did I never think of that? That's awesome!
They could still find another water source or another way to purify their water, even if just a temporary one, as long as they're alive. Getting eaten by lumbears doesn't leave a lot of options for later recovery.
Honestly, I feel like the only reasonably viable option for reconciling that particular issue while still assuming "Root of the Problem" to be canon is to just assume that deer are normally animals and that the ones from the Everfree are a village of talking woodland creatures. It'd hardly be the weirdest thing in the setting.
I would even argue that O&O is more like a historical roleplaying game than a fantasy game like D&D is in our world.
5026244
"Excuse me, are you a talking deer?"
I mean we have Winona and Diamond Dogs and Opal and Abyssinians. Animal Deer and Everfree Deer aren't that weird.
Hidden in Mystery is making me drool.
5026029 5026089
"There was an idea—Rockhoof knows this—called the Pillars Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of of remarkable ponies to see if they could become something more. To see if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could."
5026244 5026352
You both raise excellent points regarding intelligent deer. I think I can actually put this issue to rest now.
5026458
"Ugh, I hate hunting for cryptids. I never find anything."
—Cloudchaser
5026525
Rockhoof? I thought Flash Magnus would be Stark's counterpart.
5026584
Besides, the Pillars do not map well to the Avengers. Rockhoof alone is a bizarre combination of elements of Thor, the Hulk, and Captain America.
Eh, he was there first.
5026587
Henceforth, I shall now refer to Rockhoof as Captain Thunderhulk.
The directions panel is unquestionably one of the greatest things the comics have ever given us.
Something about Torch Colony's effect bothers me, but I have no idea what. Would that effect also work with black-green hybrid mana?
And so we begin on the latter half of the series. I mentioned before that I wasn't as fond of it as I was of the initial issues, but honestly, it's mostly okay, largely because of Stygian. I had many complaints about Shadow Play, but Stygian was one of the few things I actually praised it for. He's an interesting character, and this is a pretty good expansion of his backstory.