Reality Fracture has been built up as a major MTG narrative event for some time, and now that previews are in full swing it’s not disappointing. Just after the Debut we saw the reveal that one of Magic’s biggest villains is back in the mix, and the revelations haven’t stopped there. In yesterday’s story chapter, for instance, lesser-known MTG character Kallist Rhoka was mentioned, sparking a surge of interest from players and lore fans alike.
Kallist Rhoka Returns to the MTG Story!
“By his crimes. He sees Kallist’s face in his mind, and it still feels like his own. His friend never deserved death.”
Reality Fracture Episode 8: Keep Your Lids Open
Kallist is mentioned a couple of times in the latest Reality Fracture story chapter, specifically in the context of Jace’s Ixalan incarnation thinking through its regrets. With no further explanation given besides the name, many MTG players are understandably intrigued by these references. After all, Kallist has only appeared in a single Magic novel in the past, so many haven’t encountered him at all.
This novel, Agents of Artifice, was released in 2009, as the first entry in Magic’s “A Planeswalker Novel” series. It follows Jace’s early years as a member of Tezzeret’s nefarious Infinite Consortium, and his first meeting with Liliana Vess as well. Kallist plays a major role in the narrative here, as Jace’s best friend and fellow Consortium agent, with whom the popular planeswalker eventually breaks off from the organization.
Unfortunately, this move has dire consequences for Kallist, as Liliana betrays the duo, forcing Jace to swap minds with his friend in an attempt to save his life. This gambit ultimately fails, and Kallist is killed during an altercation with some Ravnican bounty hunters. His death is a major turning point for both Jace and Liliana, as the former failed to save his best friend, while the latter had begun a relationship with Kallist post-mind swap, and took his passing hard.
With Kallist’s presence in the story being so brief, it’s not surprising that many players are reading up on the character following his mention in Reality Fracture. Those that are aware of him, however, are excited to see him back. While Kallist has only been mentioned so far, a new appearance isn’t out of the question given the reality-changing nonsense going on throughout this set.
A Second Chance?
If Kallist does return in a real way to the Reality Fracture narrative, this set could mark the first time we get a card representing the character. While we technically already have one, this was a convention-exclusive Unknown Event card, and therefore not legal for actual play. This card also, per Unknown Event tradition, lacks any kind of artwork, meaning we still don’t have an official depiction of what Kallist looks like.
Interestingly, while a lot of Unknown Event cards are essentially Un-cards, in that they couldn’t be printed in real sets as-is, Kallist actually seems pretty reasonable. For five mana, it’s essentially a more flexible
Deadpool, Trading Card
Deadpool, Trading Card
As Deadpool enters, you may exchange his text box and another creature's.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 3 life.
{3}, Sacrifice this creature: Each other player draws a card.
, which lets you swap with planeswalkers as well as creatures. This is extremely flavorful given the mind swap shenanigans in Kallist’s story, and also a pretty powerful effect for Commander, as Deadpool has proven.
While a full-on reprint of this card is pretty unlikely for Standard, Wizards could well pursue similar design space with a Kallist card in Reality Fracture. Given the heavy emphasis on planeswalkers in the set with the Empower Jace mechanic, a creature that can interact with them like this makes a ton of sense. Kallist being Dimir also works well, given his past as an assassin and his ties to both Jace and Liliana.
Ultimately, whether Kallist makes a full-on return to MTG or not following these mentions remains to be seen. While it’d be a great hit for the hardcore lore fans, and a potentially very interesting card, there’s a ton going on in Reality Fracture as it is. For now, all we can do is watch the new spoilers closely, and check out the rest of the set’s story chapters when those drop later today.
Stick with us here at mtgrocks.com: the best site for Magic: The Gathering coverage. Be sure to check out our deckbuilder for your next big brew, and our brand new MTG Rocks Podcast!