Elspeth Tirel (Archangel)

Elspeth Tirel's History

Elspeth Tirel is a planeswalker from the plane of Capenna, which used to be dominated by Phyrexians. During New Phyrexia's Invasion of the Multiverse, she ascended into an archangel.

After killing Jace and escaping into the Multiverse with the Sylex, Elspeth seemingly disappeared. In the Blind Eternities, Elspeth found consciousness. She saw a vision of her mother, who showed her that New Phyrexia was ravaging the Multiverse. She saw Capenna, where Atraxa was destroying the statues of angels. Next, guided by a vision of Daxos, she saw Theros, where Ajani was corrupting the faith. Finally, she was guided by a disembodied voice to New Phyrexia, where Chandra, Wrenn and Koth were about to be compleated by Jin-Gitaxias. The voice revealed itself to belong to Serra and bestowed the power of an archangel onto Elspeth, then faded away, leaving her to intervene.

Elspeth emerged from the Blind Eternities and blocked Jin-Gitaxias from advancing. The captured planeswalkers used this advantage to press back toward Realmbreaker and advance Wrenn's plan. Elspeth noticed that Elesh Norn was focusing exclusively on her, and called her out for having individual desires, a violation of her own dogma. Elspeth acknowledged that Phyrexia's ideals of unity had merit, but declared that its crusade of conquest was only conducted for Norn's selfish wishes, not for Phyrexia's. Norn's increasing rage only confirmed Elspeth's words. After fighting the Grand Praetor to a stalemate, she then flew away to cover the planeswalkers' attack on Realmbreaker, as Norn impotently screamed after her to finish their duel. Upon arriving at the planeswalkers' position, Elspeth freed Chandra from Nissa's grasp, allowing the pyromancer to help Wrenn properly bond with the Invasion Tree.

Elspeth took a supportive role for the rest of the final battle against New Phyrexia. Though she was nearly overwhelmed defending the Mirran barricade, the Zhalfirin army summoned by Wrenn helped ease her burden. When the Mirrans and Zhalfirins evacuated from New Phyrexia through Wrenn's fading portal to Zhalfir, Elspeth knocked out Nissa with the hilt of her sword, allowing Chandra to carry her to safety.

Elspeth remained on Zhalfir long enough to see the surviving Mirrans settle into their new plane. Though Koth was somewhat put off by her seemingly inhuman demeanor, he was still comforted by her assurance that Melira, who was mortally wounded and planning to heal Ajani and Nissa as her last act, would die valorously on her own terms. She embraced her friend, assuring him that if he ever needed her help, all he had to do was pray. Elspeth then brought Koth to Melira's medical tent so that he could see her off in her last moments, before flying away, illuminated by the five suns of Mirrodin now orbiting Zhalfir.