It's not legendary but I really like "It that betrays". The name reflects how we cannot quite grasp what eldrazi are but we are witnessing in the present what horrors they are capable of.
I like most of the eldrazi names. "All Is Dust" is a statement, barely a gesture. yet it has more devastating outcome than most deliberate actions we can make.
@@yargolocus4853 Yeah, like how "Wrath Of God" is a deliberate action, bringing a power of destruction down on the board. "All Is Dust" is a statement of fact, unchangeable, dispassionate. There's no "Wrath", it simply "Is"
I like the implication here that in the rules, there are multiple Niv-Mizzets or Krenkos, they just happen to have different addresses. "No, no, you're looking for the Krenko down on Tin Street. I'm da mob boss."
@@fredranzalot4849I could absolutely see it being canon that each Krenko is a different goblin who killed the previous one and uses his name to lead the crew.
@@donniejefferson9554 Or, in typical goblin fashion, all three Krenko's exist simultaneously. The Goblins serve whichever one is commanding them at the time, none the wiser, and neither of the three Krenko remember which was the original.
The watsonian explanation iirc is that we aren't summoning the actual person, but basically a snapshot of them as they were then, so Firemand, Parun, Guildpact,... are all Niv-Mizzet, but at different times and are distinct enough that we can keep them separate Though for goblins I absolutely am going to steal that as my headcanon
The D&D book, Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, uses the names of some existing NPCs in the lore (including characters outright mentioned in the book!) as suggestions for PCs' names, implying that they're common names. So there have probably been many different Ravnicans named "Lavinia" and "Jarad", for example, in the same way there have been many different people in real life named "George Washington".
Really digging the purity and simplicity of Urza, Planeswalker. It really clarifies how much more he is than post-mending planeswalkers we know today. He is THE Planeswalker.
Also interesting to note how "Urza Planeswalker" is sometimes used like a name (mainly in some of the books and short stories AFAIK), akin to "John Smith".
A modern (pardon the pun) example I love is Emrakul, the World Anew. I like it so much because, taken out of context, 'the World Anew' can be an optimistic notion, such as seeing the world differently or discovering unknown frontiers. Taken in context, it describes Emrakul perfectly. It's her world now, and you're just living in it.
“Who Smiles at Death” is one of my favorites too! But “The Promised End” has to take the cake for me. It’s already memorable and fitting, but the way the EMN story uses it just elevates it further. Emrakul’s “response” when Jace asks her what she is was haunting. And the final chapter of EMN being called The Promised End really just felt perfect. It all combines to make it so the sobriquet makes me shiver every time I think it or hear it. Great video!!! I’d love to see more from you.
There’s a reason I chose it for the thumbnail- The Promised End is probably my second favorite! I also love how definitive it felt during its standard, really felt like an epic ending to a game (if a bit too powerful)
I like "The Last Hope". Basically, by turning to Liliana for help, we're admitting that we're the most fucked we are, and even she can't screw it up any more.
@@StrangeGamer859 the original epithets for the three Eldrazy were pretty metal, although a little ill-defined. Probably on purpose though, they sounded both intimidatingly arcane and fancy, like the names an immensely powerful creature would give other creatures it feared...
"As I died, I rejoiced. I would see my family again. But then I woke up back on the battlefield. Back in Kamigawa. _Back in hell."_ -Kenzo the Hardhearted
Horobi, Death's Wail - another example of the awesome and somewhat unique naming conventions in kami - i always loved the major kami names, they convey so much import
While not badass, "Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith" is one of the funniest flavors I have ever heard, as his "weaponsmithing" is literally just finding rocks to throw. Not even to forge together into hammers or slingshot ammo or the like, but just hyuckin' a rock.
My favorite is probably “Grist, the Hunger Tide” It evokes a feeling of unnatural mess that perfectly fits the character. A tidal wave of pure hunger made up of a swarm of insects feels inescapable, useless to fight in the same way that you can’t fight a tsunami or hurricane
I always found that one funny because NO SHIT someone wearing constant blood make-up, from the demon-ruled murdercult, naming herself Massacre Girl would be a "Known Killer". Probably alongside everyone else in that guild.
Azusa, lost but seeking. it's a perfect mixture of melancholy and hopefulness. she's lost at the moment, but that is but temporary. The seeking implies agency, and that one day she will find what's she's looking for. These 3 simple words convey so much.
I really like "Parnesse, the Subtle Brush". It's pretty hard to compete with all the bombastic gravitas epithets hanging around so I can admire someone who's just good and precise at what they do.
Great video! Ones with "who" are always punchy, like Oyubi, Who Split the Heavens, or the recent Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset. Hard to beat Emrakul, in either version. Even if "the Aeons Torn" doesn't really mean much, it sounds badass as hell.
I’ve always loved “Nissa, Who Shakes the World.” It’s another “who” epithet which, like you pointed out sounds cool. It both sounds epic, and references Nissa’s literal abilities as a land mage.
This one is my favorite as well! When I first read the name I thought “bit dramatic, innit” but reading the card + knowing who Nissa is now, it’s not a stretch regarding her power by any means
I've always been a fan of Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset but I might have to give it to Jace, the Mind Sculptor; one of the most well known cards in the game, literally sculpts your mind mechanically, and also just a cool name.
This video somehow rides the line between geeky, nerdy, and cool so adeptly. I came here because of a goofy hobby but actually learned some history and etymology.
The wanderer / wandering emperor is my personally fovorite not only because it's both evocative and mysterious but the fact that it's the only planeswalker without a name printed as a type (even Bahamut has one while hiding his true identity) makes it even cooler.
Really love how the last cycle of praetors was so infamous they omitted their Epithets. Elesh Norn needs no introduction anymore. Her pure name is enough to convey everything she is and stands for. Not even the Eldrazi Titans reached that level of infamy.
the sagas they transformed into were their epithets. it gets very poetic: Elesh Norn, The Argent Etchings. Vorinclex, The Grand Evolution. Sheoldred, The True Scriptures. their epithets became so powerful they were their own spells
I mean, aeons thorn is pretty based... But in a world were everyone has a "nickname", the more impactfull will aways be the ones that need none. My pick almost ever goes to progenitus. (His flavor text is also amazing btw)
In general I love 'Urabrask The Hidden', because it doesn't seem like something a red creature would want to be described as, but the contradiction only highlights his desperation and intellect, making the story seem more real.
came here from spice8rack's tweet. great video! I have to say my favorite epithet would actually be on a land (which is actually a tree): Boseiju, Who Endures, with Boseiju, Who Shelters All a close second.
I'd go for Carth the Lion, for the story: He was called the lion by Dakkon Blackblade, and then it morphed with time to become the name of the Cathalion dynasty.
The two in the thumbnail are perfect ones, in my opinion. "Sheoldred, the Apocalypse" is one i haven't seen mentioned yet, but it fits her character very well. She IS the apocalypse, and it's shown further in her base art and flavor text. "Gix failed, I shall not." Is such a great line and shows an amazing connection with the original Phyrexians invading dominaria and the New Phyrexians.
I think the most badass epithet has to go to Kagemaro, First to Suffer. Being the first at anything is always badass, but the first to SUFFER?! Jesus that's beyond badass
One of the newer cards "Stella Lee, Wild Card".. getting this epithet.. in the world of magic.. where anything that can happen seemingly already happened... is kinda badass
Wilhelt Rotcleaver is my favorite for many reasons. I love graveyard recursion and zombies. He has a very powerful effect and the name conjures up a very bad image.
my favs are: obeka, splitter of seconds, its just a badass epithet syr ginger, the meal ender, honestly i just love the flavor of the card azuza, lost but seeking, its kinda poetic, a balanced sprinkle of hope and sadness isshin, two heavens as one, i absolutly love it, the fact that it references isshin's fighting style, how badass it sounds, everything
I’ve always wondered about this topic myself. Something about the epithets has always drawn me in to think about naming characters. I really enjoyed this video, keep up the great work!
One of my favorites (though I agree that Alesha is better) is from a weird little kamigawa legend. Akuta, Born of Ash. Kamigawa had a lot of good ones, but that one is a favorite of mine. Man, I love epithets.
“Emrakul, the Promised End”. You know what’s coming when she hits the table. Followed by ‘Koma, Cosmos Serpent’, ‘Nekusar the Mindrazer’ and ‘Gishath, Sun’s Avatar’.
I really like the epithets that synergize well with the name to create a really pleasant feeling in the mouth to speak them. Examples: Tovolar, Dire Overlord Ojer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch God-Eternal Bontu (has to be spoken like a California surfer bro) Gonti, Canny Acquisitor
A nitpicky thing to mention, because I had to look it up to make sure, is that you don't sacrifice to the legend rule, but you put it in the graveyard.
@collinbeal the wording used is specifically "choose one to put in the graveyard" it'll never trigger sacrifice effects of any kind (like Mayhem Devil)
Urza, Planeswalker or Arcanis the Omnipotent are two of my favourites. Planeswalker as a title is just so striking in the context of the game, its something so important it's the name of an entire card type and this is THE planeswalker, the biggest and baddest one. The Omnipotent is just such a classic wizardy type of name, this guy has a brain so big that his name is Omnipotent., that's what people call him. There's also something to be said for legends without epithets, Abomination of Llanowar is so cool for this. I also really like Admiral Brass, Unsinkable but I dont think it hits hard for people who aren't as pirate brained as me lol. Not badass but I also really love Gandalf, Friend of the Shire for how it brings this legendary character down into a much more intimate position and helps show him as a multifaceted character outside of his big important world saving affairs.
This is a wonderful video, perfectly coinciding with me falling down the interest rabbit-hole of language/etymology! I'll absolutely be revisiting it a lot, and it's making me excited to just go on a scryfall binge to categorize every legend I see! I do agree that the best are the ones that synergise with their flavour-text and mechanic: Grumgully, the Generous is one that always makes me smile in that regard. Curiously, I find that Magic's importance on legends having epithets makes their absence something of a statement in their own right; Admiral Beckett Brass and The Raven Man come to mind.
To be fair, The Raven Man is an epithet. We don't explicitly find out his actual name until the set his card was printed in (spoiler: it's Lim-dul, an existing character), but he has one separate from his title.
I'm gonna throw my hat into the ring for two that also happen to be among my fave commanders: Glissa, Herald of Predation and Syr Ginger, The Meal Ender.
probably not my favourite but one I adore is "Blim, Comedic Genius" The absurd name with the ridiculous ability to donate permanents to hurt your opponents is just perfect for a Rakdos Imp
There's a lot of real cool ones, like a bunch from the Eldrazis, (The Aeons Torn or The Ceasless Hunger) and from the praetors, like The Apocalypse, Mother of Machines, Progress Tyrant and Heretic Praetor, but my favourite has to be either Whispering One from Sheoldred or The Hunger Tide, from Grist.
Nissa, Who Shakes the World and Voice of Zendikar are both really cool. I'm just going to list some more tbh Ashaya, Soul of the Wild Najeela, Blade Blossom Laelia, the Blade Reforged Nissa, Vital Force Jace, Architect of Thought Arahbo, Roar of the World Atraxa, Grand Unifier Ich-tekik, Salvage Splicer
This was a great video and also educational on this topic. You really deserve more subs and view since this is quality stuff. My favourite epithet is for Emrakul, the aeons torn. It is really evocative of her otherworldy nature.
seen lots of my favourites in the comments already, but thought i'd mention chandra, torch of defiance. very evocative name (ha) that fits her character and place in the story really well
i think just for magic history reasons my favourite epithet is Blackblade. the name goes with the sword, and travelled all the way from legends to be the focus of dominaria and a (albeit unimportant and underused) piece in war of the spark
This is one of my favourite things about MTG and it's also heavily featured in my favourite genre, mecha. More specifically, Super Robots have a lot of anime titles that go "Epithet + Titular Mecha". The more corny and exaggerated, the better! Look at the Eldran series: we have things like • Zettai Muteki Raiji-oh (Absolutely Invincible) • Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger (Energetic Explosion) • Nekketsu Saikyō Go-Saurer (Hot-blooded Strongest) and the sadly cancelled • Kanzen Shouri Daitei-oh (Perfect Victoy).
@@paigeepler That's the secret captain, I already have the Buckle Up precon. I even made a custom art version with Rahxephon because it has the perfect Azorius colour scheme.
The Eldrazi to me are kinda the Emperors of great epithets. “The Promised End” “Reality Breaker” “It that Heralds the End” “Aeons Torn” “The Great Distortion” To me, these sound less like names and more like titles for disasters or events, besides It that Heralds the End which does itself lean into this idea that the Eldrazi aren’t beings or entities, they’re walking hurricanes, volcanic eruptions or Tsunamis, they are the end. Even when they do have more being centric names, it’s usually so grand in design, “Butcher of Truth”, “Unending Hunger”, “Void Gorger”, and so on
I’m always a fan of epithets that give some indication of where a character is at in terms of their story or personal journey/development. Unfortunately none are currently jumping to mind for me right now, but I’m sure you can probably think of plenty ;P
Most planeswalkers have one for each version they have. Though not a sentient character, Boseijus epithets (Who shelters all, and Who Endures) really channels the setting they come from to mind by just saying them.
The thumbnail baited me.. I was expecting and hoping for some love and appreciation for the sheer raw power of the Eldrazi Titan's Epithets. "The Aeons Torn." "The Butcher of Truth." "The infinite Gyre" They evoke such a powerful image that kid-me loved when they were first revealed, a true delight. Just breaking down the concept of epithets in a short video is cool too though.
Vadrok the apex of thunder has always been a personal favorite or if were allowed to use ones not explixicitly in cards but from the books Hidetsugu vessel of the all consuming
I'd say that my favorite Epithet actually comes from Yugioh: Dingirsu, Orcust of the Evening Star. It's hard to describe exactly what Dingirsu is without going really deep into the World Legacy story line, but long story short, Dingirsu is a giant robot created to defeat a god. It also has a sort of counterpart in Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star. It's only really a counterpart in terms of it's naming theme. Despite that, I like to view it's name as the Morning star in reference to how Lee uses it to destroy the world so she could use the darkness for her own gain. Then Dingirsu being the Evening star is in reference to how it was created and used to end the terrors that Lee started hundreds, if not thousands, of years prior. The World Legacy Storyline is so Damn good and I definitely recommend looking it up.
I personally like Shattered One for jon irenicus and he also gets pretty silly if you play him right. There's also glissa sunslayer and primal calamity for zacama
Progenitus doesn't have an epithet because he has protection from them.
It's not legendary but I really like "It that betrays". The name reflects how we cannot quite grasp what eldrazi are but we are witnessing in the present what horrors they are capable of.
I like most of the eldrazi names. "All Is Dust" is a statement, barely a gesture. yet it has more devastating outcome than most deliberate actions we can make.
@@yargolocus4853also like how disconnected and matter of fact it sounds
"Your pleas for death shall go unheard."
Another fun eldrazi name is "It that rides as one" and its flavor text about rider and beast sharing one goal but now sharing one body.
@@yargolocus4853 Yeah, like how "Wrath Of God" is a deliberate action, bringing a power of destruction down on the board. "All Is Dust" is a statement of fact, unchangeable, dispassionate. There's no "Wrath", it simply "Is"
I like the implication here that in the rules, there are multiple Niv-Mizzets or Krenkos, they just happen to have different addresses. "No, no, you're looking for the Krenko down on Tin Street. I'm da mob boss."
Krenko's design is different in every one of his cards, so who knows.
@@fredranzalot4849I could absolutely see it being canon that each Krenko is a different goblin who killed the previous one and uses his name to lead the crew.
@@donniejefferson9554 Or, in typical goblin fashion, all three Krenko's exist simultaneously. The Goblins serve whichever one is commanding them at the time, none the wiser, and neither of the three Krenko remember which was the original.
The watsonian explanation iirc is that we aren't summoning the actual person, but basically a snapshot of them as they were then, so Firemand, Parun, Guildpact,... are all Niv-Mizzet, but at different times and are distinct enough that we can keep them separate
Though for goblins I absolutely am going to steal that as my headcanon
The D&D book, Guildmaster's Guide to Ravnica, uses the names of some existing NPCs in the lore (including characters outright mentioned in the book!) as suggestions for PCs' names, implying that they're common names. So there have probably been many different Ravnicans named "Lavinia" and "Jarad", for example, in the same way there have been many different people in real life named "George Washington".
Really digging the purity and simplicity of Urza, Planeswalker. It really clarifies how much more he is than post-mending planeswalkers we know today. He is THE Planeswalker.
"I am Urza, planeswalker" -Urza, Planeswalker
@@astuteanansi4935 the actual quote is cold af
"I am Urza, Planeswalker.
*_move_* "
Would be cooler if he didn't have to share with "Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker"
"BRO. Urza, Planeswalker!"
Also interesting to note how "Urza Planeswalker" is sometimes used like a name (mainly in some of the books and short stories AFAIK), akin to "John Smith".
"Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth" is one that always stuck out for me
Erberg, Term erv Yergmerth
It might not be the most badass one, but I always really liked "Azusa, Lost but Seeking"
My favorite as well
Turning whatever unforsaken legend you own into "Legitimate Businessperson*" will always be my favorite use of epithets 😂
Hey, here's Tony... Ehh... he's in waste management...
Class video, and the 50% opacity Cena is a cracking gag xD
Thanks! Was hoping someone would catch that :D
A modern (pardon the pun) example I love is Emrakul, the World Anew. I like it so much because, taken out of context, 'the World Anew' can be an optimistic notion, such as seeing the world differently or discovering unknown frontiers. Taken in context, it describes Emrakul perfectly. It's her world now, and you're just living in it.
She makes the world anew. Its state beforehand is irrelevant.
Not really, though. Her purpose among the titans is to re-seed planes with life.
i like how nicol bolas didn't have one initially, but has gained a few since. "the ravager" springs to mind, but "God-Pharaoh" is also pretty solid
God-Pharaoh is solid, it’s similar to the divine epithets in Theros but also connected to the way Egyptian Pharaoh’s were referred to.
The problem with “god-pharaoh” I instantly think of setra from warhammer and that is one of is million epithets
Yo Rhystic Studies, you can hire a voice actor, but we can all still tell this is a second channel.
“Who Smiles at Death” is one of my favorites too!
But “The Promised End” has to take the cake for me. It’s already memorable and fitting, but the way the EMN story uses it just elevates it further. Emrakul’s “response” when Jace asks her what she is was haunting. And the final chapter of EMN being called The Promised End really just felt perfect. It all combines to make it so the sobriquet makes me shiver every time I think it or hear it.
Great video!!! I’d love to see more from you.
There’s a reason I chose it for the thumbnail- The Promised End is probably my second favorite! I also love how definitive it felt during its standard, really felt like an epic ending to a game (if a bit too powerful)
I like "The Last Hope". Basically, by turning to Liliana for help, we're admitting that we're the most fucked we are, and even she can't screw it up any more.
The Promised End is pretty good, but I prefer THE AEONS TORN
Wotc writing just isn't what it used to be
@@StrangeGamer859 the original epithets for the three Eldrazy were pretty metal, although a little ill-defined. Probably on purpose though, they sounded both intimidatingly arcane and fancy, like the names an immensely powerful creature would give other creatures it feared...
Yomiji, Who Bars the Way has that sinister gravitas that original Kamigawa did so well. Helps that the flavour text is so good as well.
Yeah that card has the most hardcore flavor text in all of magic
"As I died, I rejoiced. I would see my family again. But then I woke up back on the battlefield. Back in Kamigawa. _Back in hell."_
-Kenzo the Hardhearted
Horobi, Death's Wail - another example of the awesome and somewhat unique naming conventions in kami - i always loved the major kami names, they convey so much import
While not badass, "Toggo, Goblin Weaponsmith" is one of the funniest flavors I have ever heard, as his "weaponsmithing" is literally just finding rocks to throw. Not even to forge together into hammers or slingshot ammo or the like, but just hyuckin' a rock.
Ib Halfheart, Goblin Tactician
Hey! He also invented lightning
My favorite is probably “Grist, the Hunger Tide”
It evokes a feeling of unnatural mess that perfectly fits the character. A tidal wave of pure hunger made up of a swarm of insects feels inescapable, useless to fight in the same way that you can’t fight a tsunami or hurricane
I love Massacre Girl, Known Killer. "Known Killer" evokes a sense of fear, but also respect. Certainly someone you don't mess with
That name is like someone is saying "look, i don't know if she committed THIS murder, but she's def guilty of SOMETHING".
I always found that one funny because NO SHIT someone wearing constant blood make-up, from the demon-ruled murdercult, naming herself Massacre Girl would be a "Known Killer". Probably alongside everyone else in that guild.
Azusa, lost but seeking. it's a perfect mixture of melancholy and hopefulness. she's lost at the moment, but that is but temporary. The seeking implies agency, and that one day she will find what's she's looking for. These 3 simple words convey so much.
yugioh's og chaos monsters "Envoy of the Beginning" and "Envoy of the End" are unbeatable.
The Aeons Torn, Butcher of Truth, The Infinite Gyre, The Ceaseless Hunger... It's hard to beat the Eldrazi titans at epithets.
I really like "Parnesse, the Subtle Brush". It's pretty hard to compete with all the bombastic gravitas epithets hanging around so I can admire someone who's just good and precise at what they do.
Great video! Ones with "who" are always punchy, like Oyubi, Who Split the Heavens, or the recent Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset. Hard to beat Emrakul, in either version. Even if "the Aeons Torn" doesn't really mean much, it sounds badass as hell.
Yeah, Nissa, Who Shakes the World is also great!
Doesn't really mean much? It implies the destruction of time itself, an effect she proceeds to actually have via "take an extra turn" as an on-cast.
I’ve always loved “Nissa, Who Shakes the World.” It’s another “who” epithet which, like you pointed out sounds cool. It both sounds epic, and references Nissa’s literal abilities as a land mage.
This one is my favorite as well! When I first read the name I thought “bit dramatic, innit” but reading the card + knowing who Nissa is now, it’s not a stretch regarding her power by any means
I've always been a fan of Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset but I might have to give it to Jace, the Mind Sculptor; one of the most well known cards in the game, literally sculpts your mind mechanically, and also just a cool name.
Great video! As a writer, I appreciate your close attention to language.
(My favorite? Kozilek, Butcher of Truth.)
Thanks! Though I regret not featuring that one elsewhere, Butcher of Truth is another excellent one.
Literally came here to say this one. You are indeed a man of culture.
This video somehow rides the line between geeky, nerdy, and cool so adeptly. I came here because of a goofy hobby but actually learned some history and etymology.
The wanderer / wandering emperor is my personally fovorite not only because it's both evocative and mysterious but the fact that it's the only planeswalker without a name printed as a type (even Bahamut has one while hiding his true identity) makes it even cooler.
The Promised End is so good, it's the perfect epithet for the all powerful enigma that is Emrakul.
Really love how the last cycle of praetors was so infamous they omitted their Epithets. Elesh Norn needs no introduction anymore. Her pure name is enough to convey everything she is and stands for. Not even the Eldrazi Titans reached that level of infamy.
the sagas they transformed into were their epithets. it gets very poetic: Elesh Norn, The Argent Etchings. Vorinclex, The Grand Evolution. Sheoldred, The True Scriptures. their epithets became so powerful they were their own spells
My favorite is probably "the symbol of her church." Which is the epithet to the legendary "Avacyn's collar"
Innistrad-block flavor text was certainly something
I mean, aeons thorn is pretty based... But in a world were everyone has a "nickname", the more impactfull will aways be the ones that need none. My pick almost ever goes to progenitus. (His flavor text is also amazing btw)
In general I love 'Urabrask The Hidden', because it doesn't seem like something a red creature would want to be described as, but the contradiction only highlights his desperation and intellect, making the story seem more real.
And then, unfortunately, he was killed by no-name minions in a side-sentence.
Our boy was treated so dirty
"Who Smiles at Death" would be one of my all-time favorites even if it weren't attached to my favorite character.
came here from spice8rack's tweet. great video!
I have to say my favorite epithet would actually be on a land (which is actually a tree): Boseiju, Who Endures, with Boseiju, Who Shelters All a close second.
boseiju, who endures is so flavorful
Atarka, World Render is a bit straightforward but I think that really works for an enormous dragon that can and will eat you
im basic af for this but "the promised end" is just so cool just you title declaring you as the one true apocalypse is just perfect
I'd go for Carth the Lion, for the story: He was called the lion by Dakkon Blackblade, and then it morphed with time to become the name of the Cathalion dynasty.
I remember when my friends first heard about the card Mageta the Lion, then were really surprised that the art wasn't an actual literal lion...
The two in the thumbnail are perfect ones, in my opinion. "Sheoldred, the Apocalypse" is one i haven't seen mentioned yet, but it fits her character very well. She IS the apocalypse, and it's shown further in her base art and flavor text. "Gix failed, I shall not." Is such a great line and shows an amazing connection with the original Phyrexians invading dominaria and the New Phyrexians.
I’d say any, or all three, of the Emrakul epithets. The Aeons Torn, the Promised End, and the World Anew all go so hard.
Yomiji, Who Bars the Way would be the top of my list.
My favorite is either "Who slows the sunset" for teferi, or "Splitter of seconds" for Obeka
I think the most badass epithet has to go to Kagemaro, First to Suffer. Being the first at anything is always badass, but the first to SUFFER?! Jesus that's beyond badass
Haven't even finished the video yet, but there is so much information value this far that it warrant a like and comment
I appreciate you foreshadowing the answer for your favorite epithet with Savai Triome, the one that matches Alesha's colors.
Thanks! Was hoping someone would catch that :)
One of the newer cards "Stella Lee, Wild Card".. getting this epithet.. in the world of magic.. where anything that can happen seemingly already happened... is kinda badass
The broken reality, the promised end, and the whispering one are top 3.
Shorikai, Genesis Engine is one of my favorites. Such a cool card and name!
The not-so-subtle reference is pretty excellent!
My favorites have always been Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger, Ezuri, Claw of Progress, and Kelsien, the Plague
Imagine if they tried to give one to Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdicar.
Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdicar the Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophiliac
I mean.. emrakul the PROMISED END? Like that one is insane man. Really gets her inevitable apocalypse thing across
Loved the vid. Someone already said “the butcher of truth” , so I’ll throw out “progress tyrant”
I really adore the sheer simplicity of Akroma, Angel of Wrath.
Fantastic video, stellar stuff. I will however argue for the name referencing one of the craziest lore feats in MTG: Teferi, Who Slows the Sunset.
Alesha's is a banger undeniably, but I LOVE LOVE Tasigur's being "The Golden Fang" personally
Wilhelt Rotcleaver is my favorite for many reasons. I love graveyard recursion and zombies. He has a very powerful effect and the name conjures up a very bad image.
my favs are:
obeka, splitter of seconds, its just a badass epithet
syr ginger, the meal ender, honestly i just love the flavor of the card
azuza, lost but seeking, its kinda poetic, a balanced sprinkle of hope and sadness
isshin, two heavens as one, i absolutly love it, the fact that it references isshin's fighting style, how badass it sounds, everything
I’ve always wondered about this topic myself. Something about the epithets has always drawn me in to think about naming characters. I really enjoyed this video, keep up the great work!
Thank you so much! I think most of my videos are for people who’ve wondered about something off hand in Magic, haha
One of my favorites (though I agree that Alesha is better) is from a weird little kamigawa legend. Akuta, Born of Ash. Kamigawa had a lot of good ones, but that one is a favorite of mine. Man, I love epithets.
I love all the epithets that combine grandiose fantasy phrasing with scientific terms. Mother of Machines. Progress Tyrant. Evolved Enigma. Etc.
“Emrakul, the Promised End”. You know what’s coming when she hits the table. Followed by ‘Koma, Cosmos Serpent’, ‘Nekusar the Mindrazer’ and ‘Gishath, Sun’s Avatar’.
Alesha is also the best because her culture directly ties being a great warrior with choosing a powerful name! It was a big part of the story 😊
It's an obscure and not-very-good card, but I'm a big fan of the name Kyoki, Sanity's Eclipse.
Nissa, who shakes the world goes pretty hard
I am partial to the recently spoiled Maha, Its Feathers Night
I really like the epithets that synergize well with the name to create a really pleasant feeling in the mouth to speak them.
Examples:
Tovolar, Dire Overlord
Ojer Pakpatiq, Deepest Epoch
God-Eternal Bontu (has to be spoken like a California surfer bro)
Gonti, Canny Acquisitor
I’m a big fan of “Teferi Who Slows the Sunset” because it demonstrates how Teferi is strong enough that even the sun slows at his command.
Are you a flat-earther, by chance?
@@Cuuldurach-ws9hu no, the earth is obviously dinosaur shaped
A nitpicky thing to mention, because I had to look it up to make sure, is that you don't sacrifice to the legend rule, but you put it in the graveyard.
Yeah. It is sacrificed, but you aren't the one sacrificing it, the game is, so it doesn't work the same as being directed to sacrifice something.
@collinbeal the wording used is specifically "choose one to put in the graveyard" it'll never trigger sacrifice effects of any kind (like Mayhem Devil)
Now we got Bloomburrow, with the king "Flubs, The Fool"
Urza, Planeswalker or Arcanis the Omnipotent are two of my favourites.
Planeswalker as a title is just so striking in the context of the game, its something so important it's the name of an entire card type and this is THE planeswalker, the biggest and baddest one.
The Omnipotent is just such a classic wizardy type of name, this guy has a brain so big that his name is Omnipotent., that's what people call him. There's also something to be said for legends without epithets, Abomination of Llanowar is so cool for this. I also really like Admiral Brass, Unsinkable but I dont think it hits hard for people who aren't as pirate brained as me lol.
Not badass but I also really love Gandalf, Friend of the Shire for how it brings this legendary character down into a much more intimate position and helps show him as a multifaceted character outside of his big important world saving affairs.
This is a wonderful video, perfectly coinciding with me falling down the interest rabbit-hole of language/etymology! I'll absolutely be revisiting it a lot, and it's making me excited to just go on a scryfall binge to categorize every legend I see! I do agree that the best are the ones that synergise with their flavour-text and mechanic: Grumgully, the Generous is one that always makes me smile in that regard.
Curiously, I find that Magic's importance on legends having epithets makes their absence something of a statement in their own right; Admiral Beckett Brass and The Raven Man come to mind.
To be fair, The Raven Man is an epithet. We don't explicitly find out his actual name until the set his card was printed in (spoiler: it's Lim-dul, an existing character), but he has one separate from his title.
I'm gonna throw my hat into the ring for two that also happen to be among my fave commanders: Glissa, Herald of Predation and Syr Ginger, The Meal Ender.
probably not my favourite but one I adore is "Blim, Comedic Genius"
The absurd name with the ridiculous ability to donate permanents to hurt your opponents is just perfect for a Rakdos Imp
Huntmaster, Of the fells. Yes I understood everything.
There's a lot of real cool ones, like a bunch from the Eldrazis, (The Aeons Torn or The Ceasless Hunger) and from the praetors, like The Apocalypse, Mother of Machines, Progress Tyrant and Heretic Praetor, but my favourite has to be either Whispering One from Sheoldred or The Hunger Tide, from Grist.
It That Betrays
Genuinely, you’ve helped me in my world building and writing skills with this.
"Gimli, Counter of Kills" goes hard.
I actually really like all the epithets for the Eldrazi Titans, but my favorite one has to be "Butcher of Truth," it feels very gruesome and ominous.
Waiting for the Monster Hunter secret lair so we can get "The Crimson Glow".
"The Promised End" really speaks to the apocalyptic nature of the Eldrazi
Nissa, Who Shakes the World and Voice of Zendikar are both really cool. I'm just going to list some more tbh
Ashaya, Soul of the Wild
Najeela, Blade Blossom
Laelia, the Blade Reforged
Nissa, Vital Force
Jace, Architect of Thought
Arahbo, Roar of the World
Atraxa, Grand Unifier
Ich-tekik, Salvage Splicer
This was a great video and also educational on this topic. You really deserve more subs and view since this is quality stuff. My favourite epithet is for Emrakul, the aeons torn. It is really evocative of her otherworldy nature.
I can't decide between "Jhoria, Ageless Insight" and "Raiyuu, Storm's Edge".
One of the most metal things on magic, gotta love all this black metal band names
Kamigawa had some good ones, especially for the more strange kami. I'm a particular fan of "Yomiji, who bars the way"
Zacama, Primal Calamity is pretty badass. And while it’s not from MTG, Heracles in Hades 2 title is “Mightiest of Men.” 🔥
seen lots of my favourites in the comments already, but thought i'd mention chandra, torch of defiance. very evocative name (ha) that fits her character and place in the story really well
i think just for magic history reasons my favourite epithet is Blackblade. the name goes with the sword, and travelled all the way from legends to be the focus of dominaria and a (albeit unimportant and underused) piece in war of the spark
"Niv-Mizzet, Supreme" just has this air of immense cockiness and I love it
It also sounds like a delicious burger at a Ravnican restaurant
This is one of my favourite things about MTG and it's also heavily featured in my favourite genre, mecha.
More specifically, Super Robots have a lot of anime titles that go "Epithet + Titular Mecha".
The more corny and exaggerated, the better!
Look at the Eldran series: we have things like
• Zettai Muteki Raiji-oh (Absolutely Invincible)
• Genki Bakuhatsu Ganbaruger (Energetic Explosion)
• Nekketsu Saikyō Go-Saurer (Hot-blooded Strongest)
and the sadly cancelled
• Kanzen Shouri Daitei-oh (Perfect Victoy).
You're going to love Shorikai, Genesis Engine.
@@paigeepler That's the secret captain, I already have the Buckle Up precon.
I even made a custom art version with Rahxephon because it has the perfect Azorius colour scheme.
I really like "Tibalt, Cosmic Impostor"
The Eldrazi to me are kinda the Emperors of great epithets.
“The Promised End” “Reality Breaker” “It that Heralds the End” “Aeons Torn” “The Great Distortion”
To me, these sound less like names and more like titles for disasters or events, besides It that Heralds the End which does itself lean into this idea that the Eldrazi aren’t beings or entities, they’re walking hurricanes, volcanic eruptions or Tsunamis, they are the end.
Even when they do have more being centric names, it’s usually so grand in design, “Butcher of Truth”, “Unending Hunger”, “Void Gorger”, and so on
Gonna throw a mention here to Thraximundar, whose whole name is an epithet (and a pretty badass one in my opinion!).
Hot damn that’s metal, didn’t think to look in flavor texts for epithets. Hope he doesn’t make me sacrifice a creature for the exclusion!
It That Betrays has gotta be the coolest one. It’s both its name and its epithet and it describes exactly what the card does
I’m always a fan of epithets that give some indication of where a character is at in terms of their story or personal journey/development. Unfortunately none are currently jumping to mind for me right now, but I’m sure you can probably think of plenty ;P
Most planeswalkers have one for each version they have. Though not a sentient character, Boseijus epithets (Who shelters all, and Who Endures) really channels the setting they come from to mind by just saying them.
The thumbnail baited me.. I was expecting and hoping for some love and appreciation for the sheer raw power of the Eldrazi Titan's Epithets. "The Aeons Torn." "The Butcher of Truth." "The infinite Gyre" They evoke such a powerful image that kid-me loved when they were first revealed, a true delight.
Just breaking down the concept of epithets in a short video is cool too though.
Vadrok the apex of thunder has always been a personal favorite or if were allowed to use ones not explixicitly in cards but from the books Hidetsugu vessel of the all consuming
Great video! Would love to watch a lengthier version :)
Thank you! Wanted to try out something short form but promise a longer one for you next time :)
boseiju, who endures
kozilek, butcher of truth
chandra, dressed to kill
I'd say that my favorite Epithet actually comes from Yugioh: Dingirsu, Orcust of the Evening Star.
It's hard to describe exactly what Dingirsu is without going really deep into the World Legacy story line, but long story short, Dingirsu is a giant robot created to defeat a god.
It also has a sort of counterpart in Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star. It's only really a counterpart in terms of it's naming theme.
Despite that, I like to view it's name as the Morning star in reference to how Lee uses it to destroy the world so she could use the darkness for her own gain. Then Dingirsu being the Evening star is in reference to how it was created and used to end the terrors that Lee started hundreds, if not thousands, of years prior.
The World Legacy Storyline is so Damn good and I definitely recommend looking it up.
Toad rider has to be the most epic one
I personally like Shattered One for jon irenicus and he also gets pretty silly if you play him right.
There's also glissa sunslayer and primal calamity for zacama