The Story of the Elementals of Zendikar

The elementals of Zendikar are numerous and diverse, they are physical incarnations of natural and primordial forces of the world, appearing like infused animals which live natural cycles of birth and death, animated plants or even living parts of the land, like moving isles, water extensions and highlands. Many elementals came to be as pieces of the plane itself, like antibodies against the Eldrazi. The more the Eldrazi advanced with their destruction along the plane, the more active and violent the elementals became. With the destruction of the Eldrazi, they received new purposes, which we will investigate now by looking into the legendary creatures of this type.

Ashaya is an elemental of approximately 10 meters, shaped like a curved head, made of living plants and thick vines. The planeswalker Nissa Revane summoned this elemental in Zendikar during her fight against the Eldrazi. Ashaya is a fragment of the soul of Zendikar. It became Nissa's companion, and the planeswalker gave it the name of Ashaya, the Awoken World Token.

The elemental showed the planeswalker that she was also a part of Zendikar and, thus, when the plane was in danger, so was Nissa, just like while the plane was fighting, so would be the planeswalker. Ashaya also taught Nissa how to manipulate the plane's leylines to use this power to turn the land against the Eldrazi.

Like I have said before, Elementals are physical incarnations of the natural forces which constitute the plane of Zendikar and, after the battle against the Eldrazi, they are more violent and destructive than ever. Phylath is the exception. Since it was born, Phylath always created - never destroyed. On the depths of Murasa, it takes care of its little and peculiar garden, which it has cultivated for many years. They live like a small society which a delicate touch never seen before in an elemental. Is Phylath different from the other elementals because the world is changing, or has the elemental changed by itself?

Two years after the Eldrazi were freed, the entire continent of Bala Ged was invaded and destroyed. This corrupted land became home to many nightmares and horrors. Of course, the elemental on this continent is also a horror: Yarok wanders through Bala Ged, trying to purify the land which has turned into ashes. However, Bala Ged still lives and is being slowly rebuilt, like we can see on the card Bala Ged Recovery.

Yasharn appeared as a direct response to Kozilek's return. It is the will of the Makindi Mesas and it has spread ceaselessly since its awakening. While the ascension of the Skyclaves attracted the elementals to the ancient kor ruins, Yasharn remained on Makindi.

When Yasharn steps on the land, new buds appear from its footprints, including fruits and flowers never seen before on Zendikar. They flourish for a brief and beautiful moment, before the elemental folds back and smash them under its massive and green hooves.

Finally, we have Omnath, Locus of Creation, an elemental who is causing a lot of trouble in Magic Arena and Standard. While it costs 4 different mana colors, this elemental is so strong that it is worth to play 4C just to use it. Once more, we see a card which grants you another "free spell". Is it possible that no one sees how wrong this always becomes or is it better to focus on selling boxes instead on the health of the game? Anyway, I'll stop crying because of Omnath and tell you its story.

As you can see Omnath has appeared in many cards and in each collection he gains a new color. Also known as "flickering heart", he is a divine manifestation of the wild and chaotic mana of Zendikar, a being of pure mana, a manifestation of the primal forces of the plane, capable of causing massive destruction. Many references to him can be found in some incarnations of many of the plane's creation myths. Omnath came to be like a creature of pure green mana, but later incorporated red, blue and white mana, in this order. Each of its arms manipulates a different type of mana around it.

Although there is a certain uncertainty regarding the real existence of Omnath, a real place in a highland of Ondu was nicknamed "Prison of Omnath". The place was protected by a circle of strange swamps, stone hedrons and animal bones. The circle created a weird sensation in those who came close to it, preventing them from getting close to its center, where a huge moat leads deep into the underground. Those who came too close died from the destructive power waves of the circle.

Religious pilgrims travelled to the Prison of Omnath twice a year to perform the "Ritual of Lights", a ceremony made to protect the world against Omnath's freeing. During the events that preceded the Rise of the Eldrazi, the ritual was interrupted and Omnath was freed like a humanoid body fighting against a disease. The elemental started to adapt itself to deal with the Eldrazi threat, absorbing more and more mana, incorporating not only the power of forests and jungles, but the fury of the mountains, the relentless seas and the life-giving plains of Zendikar.

The Eldrazi are gone, but Omnath is still growing. What is its objective? If it really is the incarnation of Zendikar, what does the plane want and how will it obtain its objective? It is clear that the future of Zendikar is tied to Omnath...