March of the Machines: Full Story Summary - Part One

March of the Machine is shaping up to be one of the most epic sets in a very long time. We've got brand-new card types being introduced into the game (which you can check out here) and WOTC is ramping up its storytelling again. Good cards and good lore, make for a good set and MOM is looking epic thus far.

Given that the story/lore for the set is so good, I'd like to summarize the plot here. That way when the set drops later this month players can appreciate everything it has to offer - The cards, mechanics, art, and even flavor texts all get better with a little context. So, settle in and get ready for the best MTG story you've read in a very long time.

Chapter 1

The Invasion Begins

The story begins in Elesh Norn's inner sanctum where she looks down upon three Planeswalkers - Kaya, Kayto, and Tyvar. It seems that she is well aware of their fear. They are, after all, imperfect. She could change that but they would never willingly agree - Never willingly behold the glory of New Phyrexia. However, very soon they won't have a choice. No one will. Soon, all will be one.

1

With a flick of her wrist five eye-like portals, open on five planes different planes all at once, changing the skies of the planes to scarlet. Norn will watch the invasions begin through these irises - Oil, pods of heinous creatures, and the white limbs of the realmbreakers pour forth from them.

All of Phyrexia speaks with one voice and seems to see through the same pair of eyes and to Elesh Norn, it is a beautiful thing. Now the planeswalker Lukka appears, corrupted. The same is true of Jace who seems to know the All-Mother's thoughts before she speaks.

Atraxa, Ajani, and Nahiri are also present, and in corrupted perfection. They carry with them a shell of what once was Sheoldred. The once great Preator is now pathetic and small. Despite this, she spits foul liquids and tries to get free. The collective mind knows that Elesh Norn is satisfied by this. Kaya, Kayto, and Tyvar, however, are appalled by what they see and Norn returns her attention to them.

How curious they were, she thinks. Despite their fear, despite being all but trapped in the heart of New Phyrexia itself, many of their companions embraced. Still, she can feel their hope. She knows what they think. That somehow, they'll leave this place, to assemble a force and attack. And yet, where had all their plans and their hope got them? Here and trapped. She would let them leave. But not yet.

2

At her whim, Nahiri traps them in stone. Norn knows it won't hold them forever but she only needs a while. She plans to use them as prophets to tell the world what they've seen. As for Sheoldred? Well, she no longer needs her, and at Norn's behest, Ajani executes her. While she was no longer useful in life her parts are still useful in death and they'll be harvested and reused.

As for our trapped heroes, they're trying to free themselves from their binding while the Mother of Machines talks about how their newly corrupted brethren will be given the honor of uniting their homelands to their newly realized cause. "Nahiri where wre you born?"

"Zendikar," she says, and Nissa makes the plane visible to them. Through several portals, Norn and the walkers view elves in trees who don't yet seem to notice the way the foliage is turning to Phyrexian symbols around them. Perhaps they feel like they're being watched but can't tell from where.

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The picture ripples and changes to show the Skyclaves and the Hedron and Norn knows these were once used to control the plane. She bids her go to Zendikar. "Our forces will meet you there", she says. And that quickly Nahari is gone and her disappearance comes with a boom. Also gone are the three prisoners that had been before her throne a moment ago. They had disappeared at the very moment Nahiri had to conceal their boom. She has expected as much.

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With someone on the way to Zendikar, she asks Lukka how he will bring his home to their cause. "With the monsters of my home plane, the humans will fear us", he snarls. But they already fear us, Norn thinks. She could tell he was boiling with anger and thought the opposing planeswalkers would exploit it.

Yes, he was too hot-headed but if he failed because of it she would do the same to him as she had to Sheoldred. With that thought, she reminds him of what failing would mean and sends him on his way home - On his way to Ikoria to recruit its beasts to the cause of New Phyrexia.

Next, she turns her attention to Tamiyo and the plane she used to call home. Kamigawa was it? Nissa shifts the portals to a view of the plane, where many mortals go about menial tasks amongst tall buildings and a sea of bright neon lights. She asks Tamiyo if she cares for the plane and the reply comes "I once did, the betrayers and the champions... I wanted to see the different ways that life could pan out and wanted to discover, with my family, which one was true." An interesting choice of words.

"Do you still care for your family?" Comes the next question. Off to the side, Ajani knows the questions will come his way next. Seeing two children hand in hand with their mother she replies "I only wish for them to be completed so that we need never be apart again." Norn senses some hesitation. She warns her to see that her hesitation is dealt with. And with the command to return with the plane under her control, Tamiyo leaves as quickly as the others.

4

Now onto Ajani. He was wrong to assume that Norn would have similar plans for him as she had for the others. Instead of his home plane, she seeks to send him to Theros where he will conquer the gods there. Corrupt them and their teachings so that they may spread the embrace of Phyrexia to others. As they look through the portal at the war being waged on Theros,  Ajani sees what will be his first target and it's wielding a bident.

With his departure from the throne room, only Atraxa and Nissa remain at Norn's side. Now, Atraxa will learn her role. Nissa shows the plane of New Cappena. Norn goes on to inform her that ancient Phyrexians were once on the plane and failed in their mission there. Whatever it was that they had deemed important on the plane, they were unable to return with it and were instead, sealed away by some ancient guardians.

Yes, the angels of the plane so feared their people becoming one under the banner of Phyrexia that they forsook their physical forms to trap the threat there, forever more. The shimmering gold aura above the city, the "halo" as it's called is all that remained of them.

"Until you bring down their statues, the halo is going to be your anathema." Finding the wellspring of this substance and ridding the plane of it was her number one goal. However, there is something on the plane that represents a threat to Phyrexia and it must be destroyed. This danger is part of a greater reason that  Ajani was sent to Theros as well... Even if he doesn't know it yet, she was confident he'd complete his task.

Chapter 2

Waiting Game

On the plane of Dominaria, a group of Planeswalkers are waiting, knowing what's coming and being able to do nothing but wait. They're waiting in a cabin belonging to Liliana Vess that is smothered with wards. It's Liliana, Chandra, and Wrenn that are stuck here for two weeks. At the end of two weeks if they've gotten no news... They're to assume everyone is dead. If they do receive word, they act on the news they get. Wrenn, Chandra, and Liliana are all playing the waiting game.

1

Chandra is perhaps the most listless but Liliana secretly hates waiting just as much as she does. They pass the time with Liliana telling stories and Chandra working with Wrenn on the breathwork she needs to control her flames. However, with the looming invasions - The oil, the phyrexian weapons... Ajani and Tamiyo being gone; It's hard for any of our heroes to focus on anything but the feeling of impending doom.

Suddenly, a human form hammers into the next room and two others limp behind him. For a moment the silence is gone but it goes quiet again as Chandra realizes she doesn't know for sure who it is. She hesitates at the threshold of the door, takes a deep breath, and goes inside. There are three walkers there and none are Nissa. Her absence hurts but she doesn't have time to dwell on those feelings. For the people before her are covered in blood and grease and the scene does not look like good news at all. One of them is Tyvar Kell.

Everyone is speaking at once and recalling the horrors they saw. They explain that Elesh Norn has used what she took from the world tree of Kaldheim to create a perverted version, which is allowing her to move her armies between realms.

In a cacophony of planning Chanda starts to ramble off questions - Surely they could gather up reinforcements, go to Phyrexia while the armies were elsewhere and destroy Norn. As she voices these things she's met with partial answers and sad looks, especially from Kaya. It's Kaya who tells her that they are controlling their mock world tree with Nissa. That they've got Nissa.

At this point, they also realize that Jace isn't there. He, Nahiri, and others had fought valiantly but were unable to escape. The only good news is that the Wanderer is likely headed back to her home plane.

Chapter 3

Neon Lights And Black Oil

Tamiyo looks down upon the bright lights and skyscrapers of Towashi with an ancient piece of parchment in her hands. It tells a likewise ancient story. It speaks of Urza and his wisdom. And of his brother Mishra who had come to hate him. It speaks of how the war between the brothers began and how they formed their armies. How an evil spread throughout Mishra's ranks and then the entire land. As she recalls these words which she knows so well, oil leaks from her hands and stains the parchment.

The Phyrexians crash down on the plane below her. She keeps recalling the story - Urza had made Karn; who then sculpted a world and made Memnarch... much as Urza had created him. She reads through the ink as the plane crumbles below her. Kami die and scatter.

When the Kami pass, they are turned into a mist and rise, and the skies are white with such mists. Something somewhere deep within the corrupted Tamiyo is screaming but she knows what's right. After all, this is peace for the plane. The story in her hands ends the way it always should have. With Phyrexia winning.

Chapter 4

Kaldhiem Unites

Tyvar returns to his home plane and is thrown directly into battle. A blood-red creature shielded by white armor suffocates the world tree as the battle rages around him. Seeing elves perish to boulders flying through the air, and to other mechanical beasts he knows they won't last long if the elves fight alone. Luckily his brother points out that they won't have to - The doomskar was opening above them.

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Through this tear, come giants, humans, dwarves, and the ghosts of fallen heroes all together in unison. Even the beasts of the plane; birds, bears, and wolves cascade alongside... It appears that Kaldheim has united and rallied to repel the invading forces.

Ships of reinforcements pour through on longships. They call out that the end of the world is upon them and ask if the elves will join the fight. "The Elves shall lead it", says Tyvar's brother. "Onto the ships!" he bellows. The ships take them into the cosmos and for a moment everything around them disappears. When things reappear they're floating above the sea of Koma, where it's more clear how outnumbered they are - If the plane survives it's truly a warrior, he thinks.

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Kaldhiem was no stranger to serpents. Many of the elves of the plane revered them, after all. But as the sea bubbled and rumbled it was clear that the metal monstrosity of a serpent emerging was not natural. No, it was one of Norn's unnatural versions of a natural thing. It rises from the sea and takes the ship within its jaws. Having been in Norn's throne room and seeing firsthand what happened to his corrupted comrades he'd be lying if he said he wasn't afraid. But one can only truly be brave when they are afraid.

That's what separated the courageous from the cowardly - action even in the face of fear. And Tyvar Kell was no coward. He perched himself on the rail of the ship and jumped into the maw of the creature. Today was the day he would be sung about for. Today was the day he would become a hero in the eyes of the valkyries.

2

Now we join Pai and Saheeli on Kaladesh as they prepare for an invasion. They've seen the ominous signs in the sky. As Pia sat at her desk one night, she spilled her ink and it formed a phyrexian symbol. After that, she had begun to see it everywhere. After three days with no word from the others, she knew she must do something. If she makes the call the Ghiraour will fight.

Before it came to that, they had at least prepared some - They evacuated the plane, prepared weapons, and worked to defend things. And she was glad they had when the portals opened. The invasion began just like that. The sky is red and the air is filled with explosions. The Mother of Machine's creations floods the plane. Some crawl, some slither, and others fly. But they all bring doom with them. I must get to Saheeli and form a plan, she thinks.

However, her thoughts are interrupted by the sight of a giant bronze lizard engaging the enemy. Luckily, she escapes the conflict within a crowd of thopters. To continue her streak of luck, Saheeli pulls up in a car and picks her up as those around her are infected with oil. Now, they too fight for phyrexia - The thought saddens her.

Perhaps later they can find a way to help them but not now. Now, they must head to the reservoir. That's where the enemies are headed, after all. Unfortunately, the sights of the living falling and rising again as machines only grew worse as they navigated the city at break-neck speeds.

Suddenly, there is a voice calling out, almost familiar, and a ship hovers closely above them. It's armed with weapons that you'd see on renegade ships. Then, at once, Pia recognizes her friend, named Baji. He is a renegade and has the weapons to prove it. After a brief discussion shouted between the vehicles Pia boards the ragtag ship while Saheeli covers her. This would be the fastest way to the reservoir.

They ascend into the sky and are flanked by flying machines. Within seconds something comes through the windshield. Thankfully it goes just to Pia's left and misses her. As she follows the path it traveled she finds the object's final resting place. It's lodged deep within Baji's chest.

Whatever it is that he's trying to tell her with his final breath, she'll never know. Without much thought, (as if she had another option) Pia jumps in the cockpit. Too bad she has never flown anything like this before.

3

Atraxa is on the plane of New Capenna and she hates everything about it. The only solace is that she is here to destroy it. Well, not destroy... That's not what Phrexia does. Instead, she would take what was imperfect and make it perfect; That is her mission here.  And she loves that mission.

The inhabitants climb their buildings and towers all in vain. With glee, she summons savage flying beasts that send their corpses falling back to earth. Their flesh, muscles, and even weapons do little to the oncoming metal onslaught. The human flesh is weak and slides from the bone when met with the gasses Atraxa brings with her.

As new beings are turned, Atraxa sees within their minds and knows what they know. She consumes their strength. She searches their mind for the info she seeks... That phyrexia seeks. She doesn't see it yet, so she must dig deeper into the plane's thoughts and memories. Then, something that catches her attention... Something she finds... Beautiful?

The collective mind screams the same word and yet she can only make vague connections to it. This is where her predecessors were from... They were the Meastros of New Cappena and she can't get them out of her mind. What a strange plane this was. There was endless paint on canvas and other vile things that mimic the beauty of completion. She looks deeper into the collective mind and pulls the word "museum."

Looking through the eyes of the many, she locates it. The hive mind is screaming that something within is important. Upon entering the museum, she sees curious paintings and statues. Why do people idolize themselves so? Why paint a single face or even a few faces when you needed many to be great?

Within the final chamber she finds what appears to be an artifact from phyrexia's past - Norn told her they had once been here. The humans here gawked at the artifacts and made a mockery of them. They must be destroyed. Phyrexia's failures must be destroyed and that's exactly what she does.

Coming out she sees the stone statues, Norn had mentioned. Again she is sickened by the thought of their "beauty." Her overall goal is to harvest the people here but she can not resist the hatred she feels for these angels. With a swipe of her spear, she decapitates them.

And when she does, a vapor burns her but she doesn't stop... Despite the pain, she continues to pound them until nothing remains. Once this is done a "visitor" within a mist above the statues watches as Atraxa goes about her destruction.

"Why not stop her?"  the seraphs ask.

"Because it is not time. When it is, you'll know exactly what to do."

Chapter 5

Inside New Phyrexia

The planeswalkers who had returned from New Phyrexia described it as like being inside a beast. Now that she was here herself, Chandra felt more like she was inside of an ant colony. She watched the phyrexian's scuttle about their tasks on the distant platforms, doing the bidding of their queen. It was an unsettling thought.

But she was unable to dwell on it for long - She was enthralled by the vast size of the invasion tree. The original tree on Kalhiem was big but it was nothing compared to the white, spine-like structure before her now. No matter how far she turned her head up she could not find the top and that was far more unsettling.

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She and Wrenn were here to search for those in need of rescue and it didn't take long to find groups of survivors. If you could call them that. Many of them had metal coming from beneath their skin. One man seems nearly more metal than human and is looking at them less than approvingly.

To his right is a young woman who is completely untouched by the perversions of the plane - There's no metal anywhere to be found on her soft skin. After an uncomfortable silence, he introduces himself as Koth and his companion as Melira.

As they have this brief conversation, Chandra realizes just how many humans there are amongst the hoards of machines. It would be a lot for just the two of them to rescue. Judging by his demeanor, Koth seems to be thinking the same thing.

We have a plan that you couldn't have possibly tried," she says. We plan to take Wrenn to the tree itself and have her connect to it and try and guide him."

She was, after all a dryad symbiotically bonded to a tree. It seemed far-fetched but Wrenn was very good at what she did and, it was their only hope. Well, that and Teferi. Chandra didn't know where he was or when or if he'd show up but Wrenn seemed to be sure. And that was good enough for her. If that was true, the most powerful time mage the world had known could only help their chances.

Koth didn't know who Teferi was, or if he'd show up but Wrenn was as confident as anyone could be that she could turn Elesh Norn's tree against her given the chance. So, he would go with it. Furthermore, the direction of the tree was the same direction Norn had taken Karn. So, assuming they make it as far as the tree, perhaps they can rescue him as well. It was the best plan they had.

They figured that Norn wouldn't consider such a small group of them a threat. That said, the base of the tree was guarded by nearly countless centurions. If they were going to make it to the tree they'd have to take what he described as the "rough route" but the metal-laden Koth. As Chandra and Wrenn agree, he says, "Good. Because you're not the only one with a powerful friend."

2

Koth's friend was a phyrexian who disapproved of Norn's vision of all being one. "Urabrask serves no one", he says. Chandra did not trust the molten creature. He dropped lava and plummed smoke as he spoke heatedly of his contempt for Elesh Norn and he hadn't attacked them, yet. So, that was a good sign. 

Urabrask was also the one who had shown Koth the path that they had taken to get with eyesight (and more importantly, striking distance) of the tree without being seen. Come to find out, if even a single guard had spotted them, Elesh Norn herself would have seen them too. The hive-mind-like information sharing was creepy, to say the least, and it made her job that much harder.

It seemed the best plan they had at this point was for Koth to heave Chandra and Wrenn over the divide between them and the base of the tree. Then, while they made their way toward the goal, the rest of the group would take up arms against a group of Norn's minions as a distraction. Hopefully, with Norn's eye's on them, the two planeswalkers could deliver a blow where she would feel it most.

It's only now that Chardra steps forward and takes a look at the yawning abyss that separates them from the platform where they'll have access to the tree. To say it could probably hold two of the tallest buildings in Kamigawa would have likely been an understatement.

As she contemplates this, Urabrask begins carving runes into the metal beneath their feet. As soon as Wrenn made contact with the tree, all stealth would be out the window - Norn would know immediately, so they'd have to act fast.

"Are you ready?" Koth asks.

"Yeah."

"Certainly," says Wrenn.

Chandra takes one last look at the group of survivors that will serve as her diversion and wonders how many will be left the next time she sees them.

3

Before she knows it she's flying through the air toward the other platform and she's not alone. The air around her is filled with flying, metal, bat-like creatures. Ahead of her, Wrenn has already landed and fought off several of the creatures.

As Chandra lands, they are all about her. Their metal weapons changed rapidly - First, a blade, then a drill, then something else. Despite their ever-evolving attack, she manages to melt them into a pile of molten metal that lands at her feet.

She takes a deep breath and the air is metallic. The tree looks even bigger up close. Bigger than she could have imagined and it's here that she senses Wrenn is afraid. This would be the biggest thing she's ever bonded with and by far the most evil. Even if she was successful in her attempt what exactly would become of her was unknown. And yet it is their best option.

Before they can rightly begin, the plates of the tree begin to shift and a dozen centurions are forming. Chandra blasts them with fire which has no effect whatsoever. What's even more disheartening is the fact that they begin to speak. All in one voice they drone about how they don't want to hurt them... How they only wish to welcome them home. To perfection.

Chandra never even sees the spears fly in her direction. That could have been it. And while she isn't injured, she is hopelessly pinned. At this point, her only hope is Wrenn, who is staring down an even bigger problem. Unfortunately, it's one that Chandra recognizes all too well.

4

Despite the black oil leaking down her cheeks, despite the presence of four arms where there should only be two, even though the body is now more metal than flesh, she would recognize Nissa anywhere. It was Nissa but at the same time, it wasn't. Chandra found herself unable to speak anything but Nissa's name as the woman she calls a friend severs one of Wrenn and Seven's thicker branches with a bladed hand. Then, binds several of the smaller ones together with a cloud of green magic.

"Nothing could be more painful than seeing the face of her friend on such a body." she thinks. That is until the thing opened its mouth and spoke to her. And her voice was completely unchanged. She sounded just like she always had as she said, "You're afraid, aren't you? My new form must be hard for you to understand."

Hearing her speak so emotionlessly cut her like a knife and hurt even more than the spear they now buried in her leg. It had also robbed her of her voice - The only thing she could say was Nissa's name, which got no response. Nissa just stood before them as she cut away limb after limb from seven until only the small form of Wrenn herself remained.

At this point, Nissa recalls the guards, even removing the spears binding Chandra. The emotions boil up within her - Fear, and rage and for a moment she considers simply letting it all go. She could probably take out whatever this was that remained of Nissa and cause some damage to the tree as well.

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But she knew deep down that it wouldn't be enough to save all the planes that were counting on her. So, she swallowed her fury deeper and turned her eyes back toward Nissa who tells her that Elesh Norn has known of their plan from the beginning. It wasn't that she was preoccupied, she'd simply led them into a trap. Nissa had asked the Mother of Machines for a chance to speak with Chandra the moment they'd heard of the rebellion plans.

The rebels as a whole had no hope but there could be hope for Chandra if she would only accept Phyrexia's embrace... She could be rid of all the fears she felt and would never again have to be alone.

At the mention of her being alone, Chandra moves her eyes down to Wrenn who is still alive and inching ever closer to the tree. Nissa notices the shift in her gaze and follows it to the fallen dryad. Metal branches spring from the nearby tree and envelop Wrenn, trapping her against it.

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"She'll make a fine guardian for the realmbreaker," Nissa says, turning her attention back to Chandra. "As for you, there are many ways to serve Phyrexia. When you join the fold, you'll discover what it is you were truly meant to be."

Then her voice becomes soft. Her smile becomes the same one she's seen so many times before. As Chandra backs closer and closer to the edge of the platform her rage is starting to subside. In a voice that is indistinguishable from the woman she once knew, Nissa begs her to join her. Even going so far as to tell her she misses her.

Chandra cannot help replying that she misses her too. After all, it was the truth. And would it be so bad to give in and join her? To give up on all the fighting they'd done and accept this... Peace? Wrenn catches her eye and her pale body is building heat; So much so that the metal binding her is glowing.

If she could hold Nissa's attention a moment longer, perhaps, just maybe, this could happen without the watchful eye of the Mother of Machines knowing it was coming.

"I miss you so much. But I can't. I'm sorry." she says. And just like that, the sweet, loving Nissa was gone, and whatever remained struck a blow with a bladed arm. She evades underneath it and douses the branch in flames. Then, in a blinding flash; Chandra, Nissa, and the centurions are plummeting to the ground below as the platform disintegrates beneath them.

Thankfully, the last thing she sees is Wrenn, clinging to the monstrous tree. If their plan had any hope left of succeeding... It was now up to Wrenn alone.

Conclusion...

I hope you've enjoyed this recap of the first half of the March of the Machine storyline. I certainly enjoyed retelling it. The parts right before we left off, between Wrenn, Nissa and Chandra are my favorite so far. What about you? Comment below and let me know. Oh, and part two is coming very soon! You can find the epic conclusion and discover the fate of the multiverse, here.