Favorite Lore

[ep1cn00b]

This is purely for entertainment and personal fascination on my part but It seems like there are several people well acquainted with the lore behind Magic. This topic is completely fascinating to me so that is why I made this thread. I would just like to know from all of you folks that have been keeping up with the lore for MtG, what block has your favorite Lore in it? I am completely clueless in almost every aspect of this so all of these responses will be news to me.

[robort]

I would have to say it's the most recent set of SOI. I have never really been into the lore.
I just enjoyed playing but as some of these threads popped up and I read. It became
interesting to read, even guess and see other guesses to where it goes. I am still interested to
find out what made avacyn go crazy, cookoo, nuts, batty, loopy, delirious, insane, whatever word is needed.

[WWolfe]

Theros as a block by itself I enjoy the lore of, but the two Innistrad blocks combined have the best lore of all IMO.

[G. Moto]

I personally like the Ravnica lore. I learned about the old and the newer one was fun to play through. It's in a sense the world that my Planeswalker spark ignited.

[Jace27]

I find the lore of Mirrodin to be quite interesting, with Karn creating the world and all.

[EBWonder]

my personal fascination in Urza's saga and ended with the mending. It has resurfaced in Return to Ravnica and goes on to today.

On another note, why are a majority of the planeswalkers white (ethnically)?

[G. Moto]

 Probably because of the designer's choice.  can't speak on behalf of Wizards of the Coast but it probably ties in somehow with the various environments. Innistrad (medieval era), Ravnica (Urban), and even Theros (Greek inspired) seem like environments where the majority of the populace would be of that ethnic background. Not saying we couldn't have a more diverse group but that's how I'm trying to make heads or tails of your question. Also even though there are different races I don't see that as being the same as far as ethnic backgrounds go.

[Jace27]

Koth and Teferi are black (ethnically), but I see your point. They should try to make an ethnically black planeswalker that gets reprinted.

[Frimmel]

Python has my favorite lore/flavor text.

[G. Moto]

  @Jace27, even if they do that, which probably wouldn't be a bad idea, you have to consider in the end the motivation behind such a choice. They would have to ask themselves;
   1) are we adding these new characters because we want to draw in more people?
   2) Are we doing this as a big P.R. Stunt?
   3) Or are we doing this because we want to take the world of MTG into new directions?

     The country that I live in (The USA) has gone through many cultural upheavals in its history and adding new ethnically rich characters just for the sake of having them might cause more issues than it solves. Now if they were to revisit worlds such as Arabian Nights (where that ethnic group would be prominent) THEN the change would serve a dual purpose. Just how when they went to Tarkir and most of the natives were of an Asian Ethnicity. It tied into the environment, it was relevant to the story and the development of MTG across the multiverse. If WOTC tried doing that then we may start to build a larger roster. Also keep in mind that becoming a planeswalker is a rare feat that only happens so many times. Its not like they can grow planeswalkers like plants.

[EBWonder]

  @Jace27, even if they do that, which probably wouldn't be a bad idea, you have to consider in the end the motivation behind such a choice. They would have to ask themselves;
   1) are we adding these new characters because we want to draw in more people?
   2) Are we doing this as a big P.R. Stunt?
   3) Or are we doing this because we want to take the world of MTG into new directions?

     The country that I live in (The USA) has gone through many cultural upheavals in its history and adding new ethnically rich characters just for the sake of having them might cause more issues than it solves. Now if they were to revisit worlds such as Arabian Nights (where that ethnic group would be prominent) THEN the change would serve a dual purpose. Just how when they went to Tarkir and most of the natives were of an Asian Ethnicity. It tied into the environment, it was relevant to the story and the development of MTG across the multiverse. If WOTC tried doing that then we may start to build a larger roster. Also keep in mind that becoming a planeswalker is a rare feat that only happens so many times. Its not like they can grow planeswalkers like plants.

So, according to your train of thought, Sarkhan and Narset are Asian? Personally, I think the most Asian one is probably Tamiyo (Kamigawa was more Asian than Takir).

I understand that Planeswalkers can't all be fully fleshed out (Well, one can hope; they're doing a better job as of late). People who have a main character that they can relate to will buy into the lore. Personally, as an Asian American, the lore isn't the strongest selling point to me. Innistrad speaks to me because I like monster movies and Sorin is a bad ass.

[G. Moto]

  True. The thing that draws me into MTG is the different worlds and their themes that make them different from other worlds. One world is all machines, another world is complete cityscape, another world is solely ruled by nature, etc.. Also as far as Sarkhan goes he kinda reminds me of the Huns or even Mongolians (who were at one point in time occupying the continent of Asia). The thing about MTG is that there's  a slight cultural shift as far as environments, cultures and people go. Even if it's not laid out plain there is a underling reference to those types of people. For example, even if Narset is not Asian the Jeskai monks serve as a strong reference to the Shaolin monks (which were also Asian in origin). I'm not trying to label the characters, just trying to look at the culture that the world focuses on and see where the people kinda fit in. Also planeswalkers are harder to do this with since they can travel and live among  other cultures and worlds.