Reality Fracture | Episode 6: The Man Who Kills His Own Ambition
Tam uncovers the dangerous consequences of the Theorist's cosmic experiment and decides to rebel against her creator. Meanwhile, Chandra and her surviving allies face off against cold, alternate-timeline doppelgängers created by the shifting Multiverse.
- Tam breaks away from the Theorist after discovering the true cost of his experiment.
- A Phyrexian-corrupted version of Jace, the Nihilist, warns Tam that the project is doomed.
- Chandra, Vraska, and Ajani are confronted by alternate-reality doppelgängers of themselves.
- Chandra faces an alternate version of herself who wields ice magic instead of fire.
Rebellion in the Sanctum
Ascending the spiral stairs to the Theorist's sanctum, Tam seeks answers about the nature of their rewritten existence. Confronting her creator, she questions the fate of her lost companions and former enemies, including the mighty Eldrazi titan Emrakul. The Theorist dismisses her concerns, callously explaining that the newly forming Multiverse autonomously erases planar threats and unwanted elements.
When the Theorist attempts to read her mind to learn of her recent encounter with Emrakul, Tam fiercely repels his intrusion. She challenges his actions, comparing his mental manipulations to the past transgressions of Jace Beleren. Frustrated by his lack of empathy and the reckless nature of his cosmic calculations, Tam vows to stop helping him and pledges to aid in his ultimate downfall.
A Nihilistic Warning
The intense mental clash causes the Theorist to double over, giving rise to another lingering aberration from his fractured psyche. A half-compleated version of Jace, known as the Nihilist, emerges from the psychic strain. Covered in mechanical cables reminiscent of the Phyrexians, this doomed reflection shares a grim perspective on their current reality.
The Nihilist allows Tam to glimpse the crumbling state of the Echoverse, demonstrating that the attempt to rewrite existence is destabilizing all of reality rather than perfecting it. He warns her that their efforts are hopeless before the Theorist recovers and banished him through a portal. Realizing the truth of his words, Tam flees the sanctum to find a way to stop her master.
Reflections of Frozen Past
Elsewhere, Chandra Nalaar rests with Vraska while preparing to locate Jadzi. Venting her frustration over their repeated defeats against Jace, Chandra admits through angry tears that despite his flaws, she still considers him a friend worth saving. However, their respite is cut short when a chilling drop in temperature alerts them to a new threat inside the room.
An alternate version of Chandra steps out of the shadows, sporting a streak of blue hair and wielding cryomancy instead of fire. Realizing this doppelgänger originates from a timeline where her father never died, Chandra is forced to dive out a window to avoid deadly icicles. Outside, she and her allies find themselves pinned down as even more alternate-reality reflections march forward to confront them.
