| “ | Let them have their revel. Soon those who won't submit will be turned. Those who won't be turned will die. | „ |
| ~ Vorinclex |
| “ | We will ingest and remake this world in our image, not unlike some admirable designs I have seen here. | „ |
| ~ Vorinclex |
Vorinclex is the green aligned praetor of the Phyrexians and a major antagonist in Magic: the Gathering. With the help of his faction known as the Vicious Swarm, he hopes to exterminate all organic life on New Phyrexia (formerly Mirrodin) and remake this world into his version of perfection. Though he would ultimately fail in these efforts, he would continue to advance the will of Phyrexia by aiding Elesh Norn in her gambit to conquer the multiverse.
Personality[]
Vorinclex whispering to Karn.
As a leader, Vorinclex prefers to be less involved in his faction compared to the other praetors, preferring to watch natural predation play out rather than control it himself. He is known to fight other members of his faction both for fun and to slay and devour any potential rivals, taking their strength for himself. While Vorinclex holds the title of praetor of the Vicious Swarm, his adviser Glissa is the one who makes many of the group's decisions. This includes strategic matters and serving as his representative when dealing with other factions. Glissa often speaks for Vorinclex and gives orders on his behalf. They are very close.
Unlike most of the other praetors, Vorinclex relies on his physical strength rather than his intelligence.
During the initial stages of the Phyrexian invasion, he remained in the forest of Tel-Jilad while Glissa led his forces to battle. Built to be the ultimate predator, Vorinclex is more organic than most of the other Phyrexians. Despite this, his ideals still revolve around the hatred of flesh and mechanical supremacy. He has a particular preference for targeting and compleating challenging creatures.
He was created from a birthing pod and is the prime example of nature's ferocity implemented in a Phyrexian beast. He is a darwinist and believes that only the strong can survive and the weak feed the strong. He uses the glistening oil to create Phyrexian monsters to feed on Mirrans and weaker Phyrexians in the efforts to make themselves stronger. Despite being the weakest praetor mentally, Vorinclex has been known to use strategy. Examples of this include when he herded Kaya to counter her evasions and infected Tibalt in order to force him to do his bidding (even though Tibalt was going to do what Vorinclex wanted anyways).
Biography[]
Scars of Mirrodin Block[]
After Yawgmoth's demise after his attempted invasion of Dominaria, all Phyrexians were either deactivated or destroyed. Even though the threat of the Phyrexians was neutralized, the instrument of their resurrection remained in the form of glistening oil contained within the artificial planeswalker Karn(ironically one of the beings necessary for Yawgmoth's downfall). After becoming a planeswalker, Karn traveled across the multiverse while unknowingly leaking the oil on each of the planes he visited. Though the impact the oil had on most of these planes is unknown, it easily corrupted Karn's self-made world of Argentum(eventually Mirrodin) and would transform it into New Phyrexia. This allowed the Phyrexians to be reborn except with the race aligned with all five colors of mana instead of just colorless and black mana. Though the Phyrexians as a collective had no foreseeable weaknesses, the unity they had was lost because of the different ideologies granted by each color. This resulted in a different faction arising for each color resulting in a leader rising for each faction known as a praetor. Vorinclex became the praetor to the green faction known as the Vicious Swarm.
Glissa, the Traitor
Before the Phyrexians began their invasion, they were discussing how to properly invade Mirrodin in a time known as the "Deadlock". During this time, the former hero of Mirrodin Gilssa Sunseeker was hibernating in the plane's core while the other elves blamed her for every misfortune that happened to them. Phyrexia's corruption spread across the plane and managed to seep into Mirrodin's core. Glissa was affected by this as well and after she was compleated by Vorinclex, the two shared control over the green aligned Phyrexians and she became their cruelest champion. Unlike the other factions, Glissa and Vorinclex believed that phyresis should spread through natural selection with predators eating prey. Vorinclex and Glissa believed that instead of waiting for the right moment to attack, they should attack right away. Through their interactions with others, they created a fearsome legion of Phyrexian predators. They sent some of these beasts in advance to corrupt Tel-Jilad and when the rest of the factions emerged, the forest was already conquered. In the Vicious Swarm, Vorinclex wished to create a world in which the strongest beings dominated.
The idea of a structured faction was shunned by Vorinclex and any inklings of a hierarchy were destroyed. Vorinclex and his faction disavow Yawgmoth and his previous failures. He believes that a single leader would be nothing but trouble. Vorinclex and Glissa manipulate those in their faction to the point where independent thoughts are purged. They try to improve their beasts with a fungus that Glissa created called "cortus blooms." These fungi are given to compleated beasts and they become stronger as a result. This revelation made the two of them appear favorable to the other praetors. After the war began, Vorinclex secluded himself inside the ruins of Tel-Jilad. He is surrounded by his advisors and is rarely seen by others. This has led Glissa into becoming the de facto ruler of the area.
Vorinclex along with Jin-Gitaxias and Sheoldred pledging their loyalty to Elesh Norn
Vorinclex had a neutral relationship with Elesh Norn, Sheoldred, and Urabrask (he learned Urabrask created Phyrexian beasts similar to his but Vorinclex thinks he mimicked his designs effectively). He has a deep hatred for Jin-Gitaxias. He believes that his naturally created Phyrexians are stronger than Gitaxias's experiments. Vorinclex joined the other praetors(except for Urabrask) in order to create the angel horror Atraxa. When Karn, the former Father of Machines, was liberated, the praetors fought among themselves for his throne. Vorinclex fought especially hard against Sheoldred and her spies and Jin-Gitaxias and his artificial monsters. Elesh Norn devastated Urabrask and Sheolded's forces, while leaving Vorinclex's alone. Vorinclex's last appearance on New Phyrexia was when he, the other praetors, and Tezzeret met in New Phyrexia's core to crown Elesh Norn as the Mother of Machines. Elesh Norn found Vorinclex easy to manipulate due to his desires being simpler compared to the other praetors. Vorinclex, Glissa, and the Vicious Swarm pledged themselves and their sphere the Hunter Maze (New Phyrexia's fourth sphere) to aid Norn's grand vision.
Kaldhiem[]
Vorinclex on Kaldheim
After Norn took control of New Phyrexia, Vorinclex was transported from his home of New Phyrexia to the plane of Kaldheim through the Planar Bridge. The process caused Vorinclex's organic parts to be destroyed while his metallic body remained intact. When a stag investigated his metallic and boney body, Vorinclex killed it and used its remains to help reconstruct his body. He spent much of his time killing more animals on the plane until he created a new and powerful body. Before the events of the story, he found and infected the half-devil planeswalker Tibalt. Vorinclex wanted Tibalt to cause a distraction big enough so he could traverse Kaldheim's realms uninhibited in exchange for the antidote. Fortunately for Vorinclex, Tibalt was already going to bring chaos regardless if he was poisoned or not.
He stalked the plane's woods where he compleated people and animals until he was confronted by the Planeswalker Kaya and the Omenseekers. They managed to do some damage to the praetor but he manages to overpower and kill some of them and heals from their attacks. He tried to tear Kaya apart until Inga used a stasis spell to hold the beast allowing Kaya to sever one of Vorinclex's arms. This was immediately negated when he absorbed one of the dead Omenseekers and regained it. The Voice of Hunger continued to slash at Kaya until he managed to herd her into a corner where her ability to become incorporeal was rendered useless. His claw was paralyzed again by Rune Eyes(another of the Omenseekers) forcing the monster to rip off his own arm and attack with his new stump. When the God of Wisdom Alrund appeared to stop Vorinclex, Kaya managed to slice through one of the Phyrexian's legs while he was distracted but he then fled to one of Kaldheim's other realms.
During the epilogue of Kaldheim's story, he traveled to the sanctum of Esika, God of the Tree and mauled her within an inch of her life. After collecting a sample of tyrite with a bottle he stole from Esika, a substance that grants magical properties and gave the plane's gods their near immortality, he reported his success, a portal to New Phyrexia opened, and Vorinclex returned home with a voice on the other side claiming they are one step closer to perfection. The Tyrite would be used in New Phyrexia's invasion tree Realmbreaker making it to function similarly to Kaldheim's World Tree by connecting New Phyrexia to the other planes allowing the Phyrexians to attack them all quickly and at the same time.
Vorinclex fighting Kaya.
When Vorinclex returned, his body was once again incinerated, but the sample was delivered intact.
Phyrexia: All Will Be One[]
After returning to the Hunter Maze, Vorinclex spent time healing after traveling through the Planar Bridge again. After fully recuperating, he resumed playful sparring sessions with Glissa. Unbeknownst to them, they were being spied upon by Nissa Revane and an infected Lukka. The two came here in order to kill Vorinclex in the hopes of weakening Elesh Norn's ranks. The two charged them with Lukka fighting Glissa and Nissa battling Vorinclex. Lukka and Glissa seemed evenly matched and were enjoying their brawl while Vorinclex received a dozen slashes from the elf. During his fight with Glissa, Lukka became full compleated and at Vorinclex's command, turned on his former ally. Though Nissa fled, the two tasked their new servant with tracking the elf down and to not kill her so she could be of use to New Phyrexia. Nissa would be compleated and be used as means of controlling Realmbreaker but whether Lukka was responsible or not is unknown.
March of the Machine[]
During New Phyrexia's invasion of the Multiverse, Vorinclex's faction became the Copper Host. He modified his body to support an extra pair of long arms made of the same copper sinew that makes up the landscape of the Hunter Maze. His faction "tests" the strength of potential new Phyrexians. Those that prove themselves to be strong enough are rewarded with compleation and those who fail are torn apart and/or devoured. Though this faction has the lowest compleation rate, those in this group are considered the most savage and powerful of the Legion. Vorinclex himself remains subservient to Norn, but both are aware that at the first sign of weakness, he would turn on his master. Though his forces infiltrated many planes, they seemed to have a strong effect on Amonkhet where they brought a hideous mockery of new life to the plane.
Vorinclex was present with Jin-Gitaxias while he was about to compleat the planeswalkers Koth of the Hammer, Chandra Nalaar and Wrenn and witness Elspeth Tirel's return as an archangel. The Voice of Hunger continues to fight the Mirran Resistance and manages to get one of his horns broken in the process. Once the dryad planeswalker Wrenn, who bonded herself to Realmbreaker, connected to the pocket plane of Zhalfir, a portal opened allowing its denizens to pour onto New Phyrexia and caused the planes to switch places. Voriclex attacked the time mage Teferi but was slowed down due to his time magic. Though he eventually manages to kill Teferi's mount, his head was soon severed from his body by the Askari knight Shella.
However, due to his previous display of regeneration, it is possible he may yet live.[1]
Quotes[]
| “ | We will reveal the futility of their heresy by showing them how fragile their relics are. | „ |
| ~ Vorinclex |
| “ | I wish I could take credit for it, but nature progresses on its own, just the way it should. | „ |
| ~ Vorinclex |
| “ | Dead or alive, my creations are stronger than Jin-Gitaxias' septic minions. | „ |
| ~ Vorinclex |
| “ | For every one that falls, ten shall rise. The revelation of New Phyrexia is at hand. | „ |
| ~ Vorinclex |
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Vorinclex was the first Phyrexian praetor to be pictured on a Magic: the Gathering card.
- Vorinclex, Monsterous Raider is the first creature to officially receive the Phyrexian creature type. Many older Phyrexian cards were given the type in errata.
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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 | ||