mtg
For the keyword ability, see Compleated.

Compleation
Information
Card art art:"Compleation"

Compleation is the state of Phyrexian maturity and perfection.

Description and process

Compleation entails the replacement of much of a person's organic parts with artifice, which typically causes the death of their original organic body. The being retains its memory and personality, but loses its soul and is endowed with a fanatical desire to serve Phyrexia. Originally, compleation involved indoctrination followed by mechanical augments to be finalized with the application of glistening oil. With the changes brought about by the reformation of Phyrexia on Mirrodin, however, now is as follows:[1][2]

The compleation of artificial beings requires an inverse synthesis of flesh and bone onto their metallic skeletons.

As compleation removes the soul, it was originally not possible to compleat a planeswalker and have them remain a planeswalker, as the planeswalker's spark is contained within the soul. Additionally, pre-Mending planeswalkers didn't have actual physical bodies to compleat. However, through Jin-Gitaxias's research on kami in Kamigawa, New Phyrexia has learned how to compleat a planeswalker without removing their soul, which they put into practice by compleating Tamiyo.[3][4]

Tamiyo had only been the first to undergo Jin-Gitaxias's special compleation process, enriching her with glistening oil while retaining the powers of her spark. Buoyed by that breakthrough, the master of the Progress Engine eagerly subjected captive Planeswalkers like Ajani Goldmane to ever more effective — and painful — procedures.[5]

Tezzeret is protected from the influence of the glistening oil thanks to an inoculation furnished by Nicol Bolas.[5]

Healing Compleation

Normally, phyresis is irreversible due to the sheer changes made to the body and mind. However, Karn, Kaya, Koth, Melira and Teferi Akosa used a specialized ritual to un-compleat and fully restore Ajani and Nissa Revane.[6]

First, Karn, Koth, and the Zhalfirin healers removed most of the Phyrexian metal from Nissa's body, though it was too integrated into Ajani's to remove.[6] Teferi slowed time to allow the team to work quickly. Melira next inoculated their bodies against further infection. Then, Karn pulled their sparks out and used Venser's spark as a filter, based on a theory of Venser's before his death. The sparks were then cleaned by Melira and returned to their hosts' bodies by Karn, with the help of Kaya's ghostform.

The process was so taxing as to kill Melira and cost Karn his spark, but it fully restored both, though Ajani kept his metal enhancements, now purified, and Nissa's spark was damaged before or during the process due to the concurrent Desparkening.[6]

Nahiri, another planeswalker, was also cured of compleation, though the exact process is unclear.[7] She believed that the cause may have been the voluntary removal of her spark before she received a blast of Halo from the angel Linvala.

Jace and Vraska were also un-compleated, through a three-pronged process. First, Jace's abilities allowed him to preserve a sliver of his and Vraska's minds within their psyche safe from Norn's influence so that upon Norn's defeat they had full control of their bodies again. Second, Jace inserted a telepathic command to have their bodies fight the contagion through an induced fever, stalling the progress of phyresis.[8] Finally, Jace's mother Ranna, a skilled healer, was able to use organ replacement techniques to heal their organic issue, and also employed an experimental method with a phoenix feather to burn corrupted tissue and regrow it anew.[9]

Another method of eliminating compleation is through lazotep, turning the phyrexian organism into an eternal zombie.[10]

Trivia

Examples of compleated beings

Phyrexia

New Phyrexia

Planeswalkers

Other individuals

In-game references

Represented in:
Associated cards:
Referred to:

References

  1. Building Worlds - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (January 12, 2023).
  2. Grace Fong (January 31, 2023). "Planeswalker's Guide to Phyrexia: All Will Be One". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. Akemi Dawn Bowman (January 27, 2022). "Episode 5: Threads of War". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  4. Mark Rosewater (January 27, 2022). "Will there be an explanation about how Phyrexians can now hold a spark?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. a b Reinhardt Suarez (October 25, 2022). "The Brothers' War - Chapter 3: Nemesis". Magicthegathering.com.
  6. a b c K. Arsenault Rivera (March 28, 2023). "March of the Machine - Episode 10: The Rhythms of Life". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. a b Emily Teng (May 2, 2023). "March of the Machine: The Aftermath - Beyond Repair". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. Alison Lührs (April 1, 2024). "Outlaws of Thunder Junction - Epilogue 1: Bring the End, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  9. Alison Lührs (April 2, 2024). "Outlaws of Thunder Junction - Epilogue 2: Bring the End, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  10. Flavor text on Lazotep Convert
  11. Definition of Compleat by Mirriam-Webster. Mirriam-Webster. Retrieved May 27, 2017.
  12. Mark Rosewater (February 9, 2023). "It irks me out every time anyone from wizards says "phyrexianized" instead of "compleated".". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  13. Hipsters of the Coast (October 30, 2022). "Jay: in the past, they reserved compleation for true phyrexians.". Twitter.
  14. Building Worlds - Phyrexia: All Will Be One (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (January 12, 2023).
  15. My 62 Secret Magic Playtest Cards! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (February 20, 2023).
  16. a b Emrakul & Chatterfang!? Koma & Toski!? 62 Unknown Magic Cards! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (May 10, 2023).
  17. The Gavin Unknown Playtest Cards of MagicCon Chicago! (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (February 28, 2024).