| “ | I take no pleasure in your suffering, but it is necessary. Once you accept your fate you’ll find eternity more tolerable. | „ |
| ~ Erebos |
Erebos is a anti-villain of Magic the Gathering, primarily on the plane of Theros. He is the God of the Dead, Lord of The Underworld, and contrary to popular belief among the denizens of the plane, is actually the second eldest of all the Gods. He is the oldest of the major Gods, and the archenemy and counterpart to the Sun God, Heliod. Despite his nature, and even the tyrannical rule over his domain, Erebos is ironically one of the more neutral gods, though Theros' mythology portrays him as a dark evil to Heliod's benevolence. He is the divine manifestation of black mana on Theros.
Biography[]
The mythology of Theros states that Heliod, God of the Sun and Light, was the first of the divine beings, and when the first light shone upon the world, Erebos was born from the first shadow. This is meant to portray him as always in the shadow of the Heliod, who feared it so much he banished it from the world and to the darkness of the Underworld. In reality, Eerebos is older than his White magic counterpart, and is the second of all gods, and the eldest of the main five.
Erebos is worshiped and associated along with many other aspects of life, most of them primarily negative. These include things such as dark omens, misfortune, and envy.
With the chaos Xenagos unleashed upon Theros, he ordered his followers to desecrate all symbolism and tribute of the other gods in the city of Meletis. This enraged them all, and brought war to the divine beings of Theros. Because the gods summoned forth their champions even ones already dead, a rift was made in the Underworld from which legions of monsters and nightmarish creatures poured forth. This was primarily the fault of Erebos, for in his hatred of his light counterpart, he did not pay attention to the souls that were supposed to be in his care and remain within his realm.
After Heliod's descent into evil, and following his defeat at the hands of his former Champion Elspeth, Erebos would hold true to his duty to punish the wicked of Theros; he sentenced Heliod to damnation, trapping him underneath a giant boulder within the Underworld for all eternity. In gratitude, he then granted Elspeth safe passage back to the world of the living.
Erebos would be compleated by the Phyrexians, mechanical and biomechanical lifeforms that wish to corrupt all life into versions of themselves. during New Phyrexia's invasion of the multiverse.
Personality[]
Erebos is a tyrant with a firm and at times, cruel hand over his domain of the dead. He is jealous, proud, and his name is associated with death and finality particularly by those who worship him. However, despite all this, he is capable of compassion, though to a limited extent. More than anything, true to his name sake, Erebos represents the finality, and acceptance, of Death. He knows that, in time, all souls will eventually come to him one way or another. Erebos welcomes those who accept this, and can even be seen as a benevolent lord over the departed souls who embrace death. He still, though, must continue his duty in the darker side of this; by punishing those who were sent to him for damnation and torment. That being said, the suffering of others does not bring him joy. He is not a sadist, but the punishment is a necessary evil.
In Theros, one must either accept death, or be taken by force, and Erebos will lay claim to those who try to escape from it. His divine whip Mastix, also used for penalizing, has infinite reach, and will forcefully drag those who refuse to accept their fate into the Underworld.
Quotes[]
| “ | My time will come, when life’s frantic striving will fade into the boundless quiet of death. | „ |
| ~ Erebos |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Erebos is based on a combination of Hades the Greek God of the underworld, dead, and riches and Erebus, the Geek primordial deity of darkness. His whiped is based on the snake-tail that King Minos has in Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy.
- Erebos along with Mogis can both represent Satanic deities. While Mogis appears a horned red skinned monster surrounded by the flames of hell and embodies some of the worst aspects of the world, Erebos is the lord of Theros' Hell and the shadowy counterpart to the more "benevolent" God, Heliod.
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 Villains
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Planeswalkers Phyrexians Multiversal Threats Villains by Plane Mirrodin/New Phyrexia Kamigawa Ravnica Lorwyn/Shadowmoor Alara Zendikar Innistrad Theros Tarkir Kaladesh Amonkhet Kaldheim Ikoria Arcavios Unknown | ||