In terms of lore, can we discuss Ob Nixilis in New Capenna?
Lore forum
Posted on May 1, 2022, 4:26 p.m. by TypicalTimmy
Ob Nixilis, the Adversary confuses me. My understanding is that he is essentially addicted to war and bloodshed. But here on NC, he seems to just want to take over a city? Why?
He went from literally slaughtering every single survivor of his original plane until his plane died, to waging something like a thousand year war on Zendikar when he lost his spark, to... being a mob boss? Feels like the biggest setback, ever.
I know perhaps it can be difficult to read such a comparison, but understand that Ob Nixilis made a demonic pact to acquire The Chain Veil and used that power to enact genocide across his entire plane, then was turned into a Demon and then enacted genocide across Zendikar. Not to mention the genocide he engaged with on Ravnica during War of the Spark.
So to compare him to someone as vile and evil as Hitler is worth it's weight. Ob Nixilis going from a 3-plane genocidal maniac to a crime boss is like Hitler walking away from the Nazi party to become a heroin manufacturer.
It just doesn't make sense.
So what's going on here? Why did Ob Nixilis take such a massive step down? What's his goal and motivation?
RicketyEng says... #3
Unfortunately I don't have the time at the moment to fact check myself in his origin and Zendikar stories.
Ob Nixilis's thing is power and conquering planes, not necessarily genocide. His home plane was so ravaged by war that there already wasn't much left. He sacrificed what remained of his own army to destroy his remaining enemies (and maybe every other soul on the plane) instead of losing to them. There was little to no one left after that so he sparked and moved on to other places.
In his quest for power he tried to take or use the Chain Veil but it cursed him similarly to Garruk and he was turned into a demon. He visited Zendikar because its wild powerful mana attracts people like him. Nahiri was still active in her guardianship of the plane at the time and she planted a hedron in Obby's forehead which worked to gradually reverse the demon curse and also suppress/extinguish his planeswalker spark.
While Ob Nixilis was trapped on Zendikar he did not actively try to take over or commit any genocides. He sought out sources of power such as the Khalni Heart which he hoped he could use in order to reignite his spark and move on. By the time he escaped he was so vengeful toward the plane and Nissa specifically that he was satisfied to know the eldrazi would destroy the place for him.
I don't know what genocide is being referenced in War of the Spark. Ob Nixilis fought alongside the rest of the planeswalkers. He was part of the team that went through the planar bridge to Amonkhet to attack Tezzeret and close the bridge. Once Tezzeret fled Ob Nixilis assisted with burning the remaining eternals and then promptly got out of Dodge instead of returning to Ravnica to be trapped by the Immortal Sun again. I don't see any genocide here.
On Capenna Ob Nixilis has found a new place where there is power to be had. He works to undermine his opponents and gain power very efficiently. Then he makes his move to take control in a carefully planned and overwhelming manner. This is where we get to see Ob Nixilis in his element as a master strategist. He seeks power above all else; not merely to kill or destroy although those can sometimes be collateral damage.
May 2, 2022 9:47 a.m.
ZendikariWol says... #4
Ol' Nixxy is on New Capenna to conquer it. That's all!
KL185 says... #2
Mans just wants to take a little vacation
May 1, 2022 11:25 p.m.