Anybody ever look closely at Celestial Flare's art?
The Blind Eternities forum
Posted on May 27, 2014, 12:01 p.m. by zandl
I've never really paid attention to the art. I know what the card is based on the picture, but I had never studied it until now. dat art is sick. Dude's got this light that's about to explode out of his body like it can't be contained. I never noticed the blue hues in the art, either. I always thought it was grayscale.
What other artworks do you fancy?
Looks like Ajani's axe still has both heads, just that one is lit up.
I've never seen that full art for Deicide , though. I'm enjoying it. Ajani's bein' a White Planeswalker, 'n all, making Elspeth his champion and blessing her with his power.
May 27, 2014 12:24 p.m.
@GoldGhost012 ajani's axes are combined into one weapon. one blade is white, the other is black, referring to the death of his brother (he took his brothers black weapon and uses it) so if you look behind Ajani's left shoulder you will see the black axe in the picture above.
May 27, 2014 12:27 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #6
Ah. Did not see the other one since it was shadowed by Nyx.
zandl, it was in the Daily MTG article Journey's End. So was this pic, another one I enjoyed:
May 27, 2014 12:33 p.m.
I don't really know much about Theros lore. It looks like Elspeth and Ajani ascended to godhood somehow (with the stars in their shadows) but then Heliod is... killing Elspeth? What the shit?
May 27, 2014 12:38 p.m.
zandl they went to nyx to fight xenagod, after the battle, heliod stopped them and told elspeth, he doesn't like what he sees in her eyes and the truths she has seen (refferring to her planeswalking). He then says he can't let her live, cause he can't have a mortal know more than him. So he stabbed her with her sword and it shattered. This is a paraphrase of his words. Ajani then takes her out of nyx (if she was to die in nyx she would be dead forever) and she "dies" on theros where Erebos claims her.... The story is not over. But for this block it is.
May 27, 2014 12:41 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #9
May 27, 2014 12:43 p.m.
Why are they printing orcs into artworks without any mention? Future sight was the last we've seen an orc in magic. (Commander and Duel decks don't count)
Godsend is way too huge in the Deicide artwork, it looks stupid. Why is nobody else seeing this?
And why is Ajani allowed to live? Are catpeople not also mortals? What if he tells everyone about what Heliod did? It's not like Ajani doesn't have any prove. And why isn't Ajani beating Heliod to death with the Godsend? If it's because of the burial thing, why can't he dump Elspeth somewhere outside and go right back in?
I'm so confused.
May 27, 2014 1:36 p.m.
It might help to read article that was linked to earlier. All of those questions are answered there. lol
And I don't see how Godsend is bigger in Deicide when compared to as it appears on Elspeth, Sun's Champion . It's clearly about 8 or 9 feet in total length as the blade doesn't even begin on the staff until it's above Elspeth's head.
May 27, 2014 1:44 p.m.
Uh. No it's not.
First of all, she's behind the blade which makes it appear larger.
Secondly, we don't know how deep the blade is inside of Xenagos.
Third, all depictions of Godsend (the weapon) are drawn by different artists, so God forbid it's not to the exact same scale each time.
May 27, 2014 1:52 p.m.
Uh. Yes, it is.
So either the staff part is long enough to be bent for half a mile or she's got some really long arms. Good to know Elspeth is confirmed ape tribal.
You can deduce pretty easily how long the blade is, by comparing it to the other illustrations.
I won't though, no matter what god drew that.
May 27, 2014 2:02 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #15
Plus Ajani's magic is making Elspeth's power grow, so Godsend may have increased in size to handle her power boost.
May 27, 2014 2:06 p.m.
odd thing i noted/noticed... Heliod's halo looks strangely similar to the horns of a certain elder dragon planeswalker Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker .... and if we apply the words of Qui-Gon Jinn, to this, then "NOTHING HAPPENS BY ACCIDENT".... LOL. oddity.
May 27, 2014 2:12 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #17
Godsend was also made by Purphoros to damage the fabric of Nyx and to usurp Heliod, so it's very magical. It's not absurd to think that it can transform based on its wielder's needs.
NicBudgetBuilderExtraordinaire Interesting discovery, lol. Is Theros really under the control of Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker ?
May 27, 2014 2:15 p.m.
it may be possible for NB to already control Theros... we havent heard to much outta him since when, pre innistrad (idk actually) so maybe he is working things behind everyone's back again....
May 27, 2014 2:22 p.m.
I think it's likely we'll hear/see something of Nicol Bolas on Tarkir, since Sarkhan's backstory is so entwined with Bolas's. Last we saw Sarkhan IIRC, he was still Sarkhan the Mad , made delirious and insane by Bolas's power.
May 27, 2014 2:24 p.m.
julianjmoss says... #20
Not to mention, Xenagos is modeled after nicol bolas, hence the shape of his horns and it is possible that they are linked together.
May 27, 2014 2:28 p.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #21
Technically, Sarkhan first started going mad when he saw Ajani defeat Bolas on Alara, but the vast amount of time spent in the Eye of Ugin with no other company didn't really help either.
May 27, 2014 2:30 p.m.
Deicide . It is an amazing card in standard and has the sickest artwork EVER!!!
May 28, 2014 8:59 p.m.
I'm so glad someone pointed out the bolas horns. If wizards isn't stupid about it and kills him off, nicol bolas is the perfect story warping bad guy for all of mtg history
GoldGhost012 says... #2
Heliod, God of the Sun is holding his spear behind his head.
Xenagos, The Reveler and Xenagos, God of Revels are painted with blood.
Daxos of Meletis is shirtless.
Temple of Abandon is in Rollick of Abandon .
Worst Fears has Elspeth in the bright light in the center.
Xenagos has his right hand cut off in Deicide . Also, the full art picture has Ajani below, apparently having only one of his trademark axes.
May 27, 2014 12:17 p.m.