Igniting (also "triggering", "flaring" or "ascension") refers to the spark's ignition, that is the process by which a sapient creature activates their latent spark and thus becomes a planeswalker.
Ascension[ | ]
In Pre-Mending stories, planeswalkers were often sorcerers who somehow acquired the incredibly vast amount of mana[1] required to perform the ritualistic sorcery of one's own ascension. Slaying a powerful planeswalker was one common way to acquire the necessary mana.
Sparking[ | ]
Following the Mending, ascension was no longer a viable option for becoming a planeswalker, making it impossible for most wizards to become planeswalkers. A very small fraction of wizards possess the qualities needed for a natural spark. These wizards are known as embers.[2] Usually, its ignition is triggered by a powerful, emotionally-affecting, perspective-altering life event.[3] Ignitions are often caused by near-death experiences, though it is possible for an ember to undergo such an experience — even dying — without igniting their spark.[4]
First planeswalk[ | ]
As an effect of the ignition, the newly-ignited planeswalker planeswalks away for their first time: they are pulled to the Blind Eternities and then come back appearing to a random plane, and afterwards realizing their new traveling powers.
List of all explained ignitions:
| Planeswalker | Ignited on | Planeswalked to | Date | Ignition's cause |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ajani Goldmane | Naya | Jund | 4556 AR | Realizing the death of his brother. |
| Arlinn Kord | Innistrad | Unknown | Between c. 4528 and c. 4543 | Realizing she transformed into a werewolf and had killed an angel;[5] or after killing her childhood friend Luciana in werewolf form.[6] |
| Basri Ket | Amonkhet | Unknown | Between c. 4550 and 4560 | Elation at winning Oketra's Trial of Solidarity. |
| Bo Levar | Dominaria | Unknown | 63 | Being caught in the Sylex Blast.[7] |
| Calix | Theros | Unknown | c. 4561 | Frustration about his inability to fulfill his purpose of following Elspeth Tirel. |
| Chandra Nalaar | Kaladesh | Regatha | c. 4548[8] | Striking against her executioner with pyromancy. |
| Dack Fayden | Fiora | Unknown | Between c. 4537 and c. 4550 | Witnessing his friend being killed by rival mages. |
| Dakkon Blackblade | Dominaria | Unknown | Between c. -2000 and c. -200 | After Geyadrone Dihada stole his soul using the Blackblade. |
| Daretti | Fiora | Unknown | Being crippled by the explosion of one of his constructs. | |
| Davriel Cane | Unknown | Unknown | Between c. 4511 and c. 4556 | Pulling a Worldsoul entity from the mind of a dying man into his own mind. |
| Domri Rade | Ravnica | Naya | 4558 | Being buried alive as part of a Gruul ritual. |
| Dovin Baan | Kaladesh | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4560 | |
| Elspeth Tirel | Capenna | Theros | c. 4546 | Fleeing from the Phyrexians.[9] |
| Eskil | Dominaria | Unknown | Between -2,500 and -440 | Splashed by the blood of the corrupted angel Trine. |
| Faralyn | Dominaria | Shandalar | 2934 | Cast the ascension spell using mana harvested from Chromium Rhuell.[10] |
| Freyalise | Dominaria | Unknown | c. 2434 | Being mortally wounded by Jason Carthalion. |
| Garth One-Eye | Kuthuman's realm | Unknown | 4069 | Cast the ascension spell using the mana harvested from slaying Kuthuman.[1][11] |
| Garruk | Unknown | Shandalar[12] | Between c. 4537 and 4556 | |
| Gideon Jura | Theros | Bant | c. 4547[13][14] | Realizing the death of his irregulars through his own hubris. |
| Huatli | Ixalan | Kaladesh (uncompleted) | 4560 | Under furious attack by Angrath. |
| Jace Beleren | Vryn | Ravnica | c. 4548[15] | Accidental planeswalk after being memory wiped. |
| Jared Carthalion | Dominaria | Unknown | 3980 | Being crushed by crumbling monoliths while confronting Ravidel. |
| Jaya Ballard | Dominaria | Elsewhere on Dominaria | 2954 | Being hit by Jodah's mirror. |
| Jeska | Dominaria | Unknown | 4306 | Being split from Karona with the Mirari. |
| Kaito Shizuki | Kamigawa | Unknown | c. 4552 | The kami Himoto ignited Kaito's spark after they find they have a common goal in finding the Emperor of Kamgiawa in the Multiverse. |
| Karn (1st time) | Dominaria | Mercadia[7] | 4205 | Acquiring Urza's spark. |
| Karn (2nd time) | New Phyrexia | Unknown | 4557 | Acquiring Venser's spark. |
| Kaya Cassir | Tolvada | Unknown | Between c. 4530 and 4560 | |
| Kiora | Zendikar | Unknown | Between c. 4539 and 4559 | Being swallowed by a big sea serpent. |
| Koth of the Hammer | Mirrodin | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4557 | |
| Kuthuman | Dominaria | Unknown | 4049 | Cast the ascension spell using mana tributes from the Fighting Houses of Kush.[1] |
| Liliana Vess | Dominaria | Innistrad | Between c. 4300 and c. 4400 | Turning to black mana to restrain her undead brother Josu. |
| Lukka | Ikoria | Unknown | c. 4561 | Overextending the power of the Ozolith |
| Masrath | Dominaria | Unknown | c. 4500 | An innate sense of the Multiverse following the Mending. |
| Mu Yanling | Shenmeng | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4560 | |
| Nahiri | Zendikar | Innistrad | Before -1400 | |
| Narset | Tarkir | Pulled back to Tarkir | Between 4500 and 4559 | Learning the truth about Tarkir's past. |
| Nicol Bolas | Dominaria | Meditation Plane | Between c. -20,000 and c. -15,500 | Rage and envy against Ugin. |
| Niko Aris | Theros | Bretagard, Kaldheim | c. 4561 | During a battle against an agent of Klothys. |
| Nissa Revane | Zendikar | Lorwyn | 4520[16] | Witnessing Emrakul's sealed presence. |
| Ob Nixilis (1st time) | A plane of eternal war | Unknown | 2559 or earlier | Realizing the futility of life and mono-planar ambitions. |
| Ob Nixilis (2nd time) | Zendikar | Unknown | 4559 | Siphoning the power of the hedrons into himself. |
| Oko | Unknown | Unknown | Tortured by magical procedures designed to suppress his powers. | |
| Quintorius Kand | Arcavios | Unknown | 4562 | Taking the Invocation of the Founders into himself to save the plane and school during New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse. |
| Ral Zarek | Ravnica | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4558 | Being stabbed and finding out his lover was betraying him. |
| Ravidel | Dominaria | Unknown | 2934 | Being resurrected from death by Kristina of the Woods. |
| Rowan and Will Kenrith | Eldraine | Possibly Kylem[17] | c. 4561 | Learning the truth about their birth mother. |
| Saheeli Rai | Kaladesh | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4560 | |
| Samut | Amonkhet | Theros | 4560 | Experiencing euphoria and joy after being thanked by Hazoret. |
| Sarkhan Vol | Tarkir | Unknown | c. 4554 | Channeling the spirit of an ancient dragon. |
| Sifa Grent | Grixis | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4559 | Tortured by Malfegor. |
| Sorin Markov | Innistrad | Unknown | -2442 or earlier | Becoming a vampire. |
| Tacenda Verlasen | Innistrad | Unknown | 4559 | Defeating her sister Willia, and absorbing the Bog Entity.[18] |
| Tamiyo | Kamigawa | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4559 | Discovering a book from another plane.[19] |
| Taysir | Rabiah | Unknown | Before -20 | Uniting his five selves. |
| Teferi Akosa (1st time) | Dominaria | Unknown | Between 3360 and c. 3650 | An experiment with time and phasing gone wrong. |
| Teferi Akosa (2nd time) | Dominaria | Unknown | 4560 | Restored by a Powerstone made by Jhoira. |
| Tessebik | Dominaria | Unknown | c. 4500 | An innate sense of the Multiverse following the Mending. |
| Teyo Verada | Gobakhan | Ravnica | 4560 | Being buried alive. |
| Tezzeret | Esper | Grixis | Between 4500 and c. 4545 | Being attacked by guards after learning that the Codex Etherium was empty. |
| Tibalt | Innistrad | Unknown | Feeling all the pain he had inflicted on others in his life. | |
| The Traveler (non-canon) | Unknown | Meditation Plane | c. 4560 | |
| Tyvar Kell | Kaldheim | Possibly Zendikar[20] | ||
| Ugin | Dominaria | Meditation Plane | Between c. -25,000 and c. -19,000 | Realizing his twin brother doesn't love him and is trying to manipulate him. |
| Urza | Dominaria | Unknown | 63 | Enduring the Sylex Blast and being resurrected by Glacian's spark through the Might and Weakstone. |
| Venser | Dominaria (alternate timeline) | Dominaria | 4500 AR | With Teferi and Jhoira's help, returning to their timeline. |
| Vivien Reid | Skalla | Unknown | Between 4500 and 4560 | Seeing her world destroyed by Nicol Bolas. |
| Vraska | Ravnica | A swamp on a dark plane. A tomb with no way out. | c. 4540 | Being severely beaten by Azorius prison guards. |
| Vronos | Innistrad | Esper | Between 4500 and 4556 | Having his face scarred by werewolves. |
| The Wanderer | Kamigawa | Unknown | c. 4551 | After Tezzeret tried to control the kami Kyodai using a prototype Reality Chip. |
| Wrenn | Unknown | Unknown | 4561 or earlier | Threatened by a forest fire. |
References[ | ]
- ↑ a b c Forstchen, William R. (1994). Arena. Harper Prism.
- ↑ Jay Annelli (2022). Magic: The Gathering - The Visual Guide, DK. ISBN-13 978-0744061055.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (August 4, 2015). "Spark Ignition". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (March 28, 2015). "A latent planeswalker spark isn’t a guaranteed Get Out of Death Free card". A Voice for Vorthos. Tumblr.
- ↑ Arlinn Kord
- ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (September 02, 2021). "Episode 1: The Witch of the Woods". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b J. Robert King. (2001.) Apocalypse, Wizards of the Coast. ISBN-13 0-7869-1880-2.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (June 10, 2015). "Chandra’s Origin: Fire Logic". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Seanan McGuire (October 26, 2022). "The Brother's War - Chapter 4: The Dark". Magicthegathering.com.
- ↑ Gomez, Jeff. (1995). "The Shard". Ice Age on the World of Magic: The Gathering. Armada.
- ↑ Ethan Fleischer (June 10, 2021). "The Returning Legends of Modern Horizons 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Scalefast Inc. (August 28, 2023). "Magic: The Baseballing". Wizards of the Coast Secret Lair.
- ↑ Ari Levitch (July 1, 2015). "Gideon’s Origin: Kytheon Iora of Akros". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Duels: Origins
- ↑ Kelly Digges (June 24, 2015). "Jace’s Origin: Absent Minds". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Chris L'Etoile (August 29, 2016). "Homesick". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Adana Washington (March 25, 2021). "Episode 1: Class Is in Session". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brandon Sanderson (2018). "Children of the Nameless". Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ The Preview Panel - MagicCon Chicago (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (February 23 2024).
- ↑ Roy Graham (January 13, 2021). "Kaldheim Episode 2: Awaken the Trolls". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
