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Urabrask
Mtg urabrask the hidden by cryptcrawler-d39big4
Details
Race Phyrexian
Birthplace Mirrodin
Lifetime Mending Era; likely deceased (see below)

Urabrask (Phyrexian: DYrbreLh, IPA: [ʔurbrask]), "the Hidden," was the red-aligned praetor of New Phyrexia. The most mysterious praetor in the beginning, his continual defiance of the New Phyrexian leadership gave the Mirran resistance the chance they needed to eventually bring the fall of Elesh Norn.[1] He is presumed dead following New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse.

Description[ | ]

Urabrask had a blazing-hot temper and was easily infuriated when dealing with others.[2] Much less formal than Phyrexians like Elesh Norn, he was known to be sarcastic and even sassy.[3] He often injected slang and modified words into his speech, expecting his followers to understand his meaning.[4][5]

Physically, Urabrask was serpentine, with a long tail and powerful limbs. His head was eyeless, its most notable feature being a crocodilian mouth filled with jagged teeth. Urabrask was constantly upgrading himself; it's unclear if any of his original form remained.[6] As of his travel to New Capenna, he had upgraded his body with large, metallic blades on his forearms.[2] Upon his return to New Phyrexia, his body was streamlined, redesigned to be more combat-ready and aggressive.[7] His body glowed with internal heat, which was vented from two exhaust ports protruding from his back.

Like other praetors, Urabrask believed the compleation of living beings elevates them into a more perfect Phyrexian form. As one of the more intelligent red-aligned Phyrexians, however, he retained a sense of individualism and some empathy. Unlike the other praetors who forced new recruits into their designs, Urabrask preferred they retain the strongest parts of their original form and contribute these assets to Phyrexia.[8] Secretly, he preferred when beings willingly chose to join New Phyrexia, but he was not above destroying those who opposed it.[2]

Urabrask opposed the strictly hierarchical leadership of New Phyrexia.[2][9] Similarly to Jin-Gitaxias, philosophical differences led to him coining a new term for Yawgmoth's Grand Evolution: The Great Work.

History[ | ]

On New Phyrexia[ | ]

After Phyrexia's conquest of Mirrodin, Urabrask allowed the Mirran survivors to take refuge in the Furnace Layer of the plane, which he controlled. This was because he is aligned with the color of emotion and freedom, granting him enough empathy not to (actively) destroy the Mirrans. This, coupled with a sheer dislike of the other factions, led him to seal the Furnace Layer off from the other Phyrexian factions. For the most part, they didn't seem to care either, although the blue-aligned Progress Engine was paranoid about it.

Inevitably, Elesh Norn laid waste to his domain, though the Mirran Resistance fled to the mountain shelters, out of her reach.[10] He and his red Phyrexians thus came to dwell in the Furnace Layer.

Streets of New Capenna[ | ]

Seeking to double-cross Norn, Tezzeret found an unlikely ally in Urabrask, who he transported to New Capenna.[11] The Planar Bridge heavily damaged the praetor's body, searing his flesh from his inorganic components and leaving him in a severely weakened state. He had been in the city for several weeks, healing enough to survive a return trip. While there, the praetor met with Vivien Reid and tasked her with bringing him Halo and the Planeswalker Elspeth Tirel, claiming that her presence would tip the balance of the war on New Phyrexia in the Mirrans' favor.[12]

Against New Phyrexia[ | ]

Returning to New Phyrexia, Urabrask and his rebel Phyrexian faction openly fought against Elesh Norn, staging their own rebellion parallel to that of the Mirrans (though they did not openly assist them). The rebel Phyrexian faction included the Steel Thanes that didn't bow to Elesh Norn.[13] Later, Urabrask helped Chandra and Wrenn, among a squadron of Mirran resistors, to reach Realmbreaker.[8]

Possible death[ | ]

Soon after, Urabrask was captured by Elesh Norn's forces, and the Grand Cenobite ordered his execution by quartering.[14][15] Once the heretic praetor was reduced to a limbless torso, Urabrask himself heard Norn ordered her harvesters to "leave the traitor be,"[16] but whether this dismemberment was a fatal injury is not confirmed.

Planes visited[ | ]

As a powerful Phyrexian, Urabrask could travel to other planes using an improved form of the Planar Bridge, though this travel would leave him severely wounded, as his organic flesh was seared from his body.

Gallery[ | ]

Story appearances[ | ]

Title Author Publishing date Set Setting (plane) Featuring
Episode 1: Homecoming Elise Kova 2022-03-28 Streets of New Capenna Theros, Capenna Elspeth Tirel, Ajani Goldmane, Heliod, Xander, Anhelo, Jetmir, Jinnie, Regis, Kitt, Giada, Vivien Reid, Tezzeret, Urabrask
The Side of Freedom Elise Kova 2022-03-30 Streets of New Capenna Capenna, Dominaria Vivien Reid, Tezzeret, Urabrask, Navy, Anhelo, Elspeth Tirel
March of the Machine - Episode 5: Cathartic Reunion K. Arsenault Rivera 2023-03-21 March of the Machine New Phyrexia Chandra Nalaar, Wrenn, Seven, Koth of the Hammer, Melira, Urabrask, Nissa Revane
March of the Machine - Episode 6: The Last to Leave K. Arsenault Rivera 2023-03-24 March of the Machine Capenna, Theros, New Phyrexia Elspeth Tirel, Atraxa, Daxos, Elesh Norn, Urabrask, Koth of the Hammer, Wrenn, Chandra Nalaar, Nissa Revane, Karn, Jin-Gitaxias, Serra

In-game references[ | ]

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Depicted in:
Quoted or referred to:
^† Scryfall does not record flavor text for digital cards. See Alchemy: Phyrexia/Flavor text

Trivia[ | ]

  • The flavor text of Steel Sabotage (Mirrodin Besieged) attributes support for the Great Work to a member of the Progress Engine, whose relationship to Urabrask is unfriendly.
  • Urabrask speaks the Phyrexian language with an accent.[4][5][3] He believes in innovating the language, and often incorporates his own slang.[18] An example of this can be shown in the flavor text of his own Phyrexian language card: while the English version sounds formal, the structure is actually more akin to "Let them be, duh!"[3]
  • Unlike most of the other Phyrexian praetors, Urabrask was not explicitly killed during the events of March of the Machine, as it was noted that he was still conscious despite having lost all his limbs.
    • Similarly, Vorinclex appeared to have been defeated by decapitation, but due to his regenerative abilities as seen on Kaldheim, this may not have been lethal either.

References[ | ]

  1. Doug Beyer (May 11, 2011). "Getting to Know the Praetors". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. a b c d Grace Fong (January 31, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to Phyrexia: All Will Be One". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. a b c Phyrexian Phylology in Phylly (Video). Magic: the Gathering. YouTube (February 17, 2023).
  4. a b Let's Talk Phyrexian: All Will Be One! (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (April 18, 2022).
  5. a b Building Worlds (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (January 12, 2023).
  6. All Will Be Art (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (February 17, 2023).
  7. New Set Debut: Phyrexia: All Will Be One (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (January 17, 2023).
  8. a b K. Arsenault Rivera (March 21, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 5: Cathartic Reunion". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Elise Kova (March 30, 2022). "The Side of Freedom". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Jenna Helland (September 11, 2013). "The Lost Confession". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  11. a b Elise Kova (March 28, 2022). "Episode 1: Homecoming". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  12. Doug Beyer, Ari Zirulnik and Grace Fong (April 22, 2021). "The Legends You'll Find in Streets of New Capenna". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  13. Seanan McGuire (January 14, 2023). "Assault on New Phyrexia - Episode 3: Inconceivable Losses". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  14. K. Arsenault Rivera (March 23, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode Six: The Last to Leave". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  15. No Sparks Allowed – Aftermath Lore ft Rhystic Studies (Video). YouTube.
  16. Merciless Repurposing
  17. My 62 Secret Magic Playtest Cards! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (February 20, 2023).
  18. The Vorthos Cast (March 13, 2023). "240 - Phyrexian Language with Bella Guo". Soundcloud. Archived from the original on April 1, 2023.
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