Weatherlight Saga

Beginning with the Weatherlight expansion in 1997 and lasting through Apocalypse in 2001, the Weatherlight Saga was a storyline that incorporated or overrode much of the then-existing continuity, which came to be known as prerevisionist. 
==Description==
During its run, characters and plot events were featured prominently on the cards themselves, such that the basics of the story could be gleaned from them. Fan response to this was mixed at best and Wizards of the Coast largely abandoned this approach for many years, though the addition of Story Spotlight cards starting with Kaladesh has been seen as a return to this type of storytelling.
Note that the events surrounding Urza and the story of the prequel The Thran are usually seen as a part of the Weatherlight Saga. Although they predate the Skyship Weatherlight by millennia, they start a chain of events that ultimately lead to its creation. The storylines of expansions before Weatherlight are also still considered canon.
The Weatherlight Saga was plotted by Magic author and editor Michael G. Ryan and Mark Rosewater, with additional help from Bob Kruger, Kij Johnson, and Pete Venters.Insider Trading, by Mark Rosewater. The Duelist # 16, April 1997, p.17 Plot lines were based on universal themes as recognized by the famed scholar Joseph Campbell.Making Wine of the Grapes of Rath, by Rob Dalton, The Duelist # 23, March 1998, p.44-47 Ryan and Rosewater were removed as the people in charge of the story during the end of Tempest block (during Exodus) and that event created a schism between R&D and the creative team for several years.
==Weatherlight Saga Overview==
===Artifacts Cycle===
Title 	Author 	Publishing date	Set 	Setting (plane) 	Featuring
The Brothers' War	Jeff Grubb 	May 1998 	Antiquities 	Dominaria 	Urza, Mishra, Tawnos, Ashnod, Tocasia, Loran, Bly, Ahmahl, Richlau, Havack, Rahud, Hajar, Kantar, Kayla bin-Kroog, Rusko, Warlord of Kroog, Maurik, Gix, Sharaman, Rendall, Sanwell, Harbin, Jarin, Feldon, the Archimandrite, Drafna, Hurkyl, Martyrs of Korlis, Gwenna, Melana, Doril, Thaxus, Titania, Jarsyl
Planeswalker 	Lynn Abbey 	September 1998 	Urza's Saga 	Dominaria, Phyrexia, Serra's Realm, Equilor, Vatraquaz, Moag, Gastal	Urza, Kayla bin-Kroog, Jarsyl, Tawnos, Meshuvel, Ashnod, Loran, Xantcha, Sanisar, Ninkin, Gi'Anzha, Gix, Tabarna, Tucktah, Garve, Ratepe, Avohir, Mideah, Arnuwan, Assor, Hatusan, Catal, Korde, Suppulan, Sosinna, Serra, Kenidiern, Manatarqua, Varratsu, Romom, Tessu, Pakuya, Brya
Time Streams 	J. Robert King 	May 1999 	Urza's Legacy 	Dominaria, Serra's Realm 	Urza, Barrin, Jhoira, Karn, Teferi, Kerrick, Darrob, Dreva, Rehad, Rhammidarigaaz, Fire Eye, Diago Deerv, Gherridarigaaz, Multani, Titania (mentioned), Glosstongue Crackcrest, Terd, Radiant, Gorig
Bloodlines 	Loren L. Coleman	August 1999 	Urza's Destiny	Dominaria 	Urza, Gatha, Kreig, Rofellos, Karn, Barrin, Jhoira, Croag, Davvol, Gerrard Capashen, Yawgmoth, Timein, Ehlanni, Lyanii, Trevar Ortovi
===Rath Cycle===
Title 	Author 	Publishing date	Set 	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Rath and Storm	Peter Archer and various	July 1998 	Weatherlight, Tempest, Stronghold, Exodus	Dominaria, Rath	Ilcaster, Gerrard Capashen, Volrath, Sidar Kondo, Starke il-Vec, Karn, Multani, Mirri, Rofellos, Sisay, Tahngarth, Crovax, Hanna, Orim, Squee, Morinfen and Gallowbraid, Selenia, Torsten, Javero, Alaric, Rofellos, Kastan, Kindeya, Barrin, Ertai, Maraxus, Greven il-Vec, Vhati il-Dal, Eladamri, Oracle en-Vec, Tomalan, Aniyeh, Csaba, Jumok, Keilic, Seyen, Vidats, Takara, Lyna, Sliver Queen, Urza
===Masquerade Cycle===
Title 	Author 	Publishing date	Set 	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Mercadian Masques	Francis Lebaron 	September 1999 	Mercadian Masques	Mercadia 	Gerrard, Atalla, Orim, Takara, Starke, Hanna, Karn, Cho-Manno, Tahngarth, Squee, Ramos, Sisay, Xcric, Volrath
Nemesis 	Paul B. Thompson	February 2000 	Nemesis 	Rath, Dominaria	Yawgmoth, Urza, Crovax, Belbe, Ertai, Greven il-Vec, Eladamri, Oracle en-Vec, Lin Sivvi, Takara, Volrath, Abcal-Dro, Burgess, Kirril
Prophecy 	Vance Moore 	July 2000 	Prophecy 	Dominaria 	Latulla, Haddad, Barrin, Rayne, Teferi, Greel, Jolrael, Alexi, Mageta
===Invasion Cycle===
Title 	Author 	Publishing date	Set 	Setting (plane) 	Featuring
The Thran (prologue )	J. Robert King	December 1999 	Antiquities	Dominaria, Phyrexia 	Glacian, Rebbec, Yawgmoth, Xod, Gix, Dyfed
Invasion 	J. Robert King	October 2000 	Invasion 	Dominaria 	Gerrard Capashen, Sisay, Urza, Tsabo Tavoc, Hanna, Orim, Barrin, Thaddeus, Agnate, Multani, Eladamri, Lin Sivvi, Takara, Teferi, Taysir, Freyalise, Tevesh Szat, Windgrace, Guff, Bo Levar, Parcher, Daria, Kristina of the Woods, Karn, Squee
Planeshift 	J. Robert King	February 2001 	Planeshift 	Rath, Dominaria, Phyrexia 	Urza, Taysir, Freyalise, Tevesh Szat, Windgrace, Guff, Bo Levar, Daria, Kristina of the Woods, Crovax, Tsabo Tavoc, Eladamri, Lin Sivvi, Astor, Darigaaz, Agnate, Dralnu, Tahngarth, Grizzlegom, Greven il-Vec, Sisay, Ertai, Gerrard, Squee, Yawgmoth, Hanna, Rith, Dromar, Treva, Crosis, Karn, Mishra, Nemata
Apocalypse 	J. Robert King	June 2001 	Apocalypse 	Dominaria, Phyrexia, Mercadia	Yawgmoth, Gerrard Capashen, Urza, Karn, Bo Levar, Guff, Freyalise, Windgrace, Multani, Crovax, Eladamri, Lin Sivvi, Grizzlegom, Squee, Ertai, Tahngarth, Sisay, Orim, Cho-Manno
==Original pitch==
The final story of the Weatherlight Saga deviated radically from the initial version pitched by Michael G. Ryan and Mark Rosewater.Mark Rosewater (August 29, 2022). "Dominaria United States of Design, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.Mark Rosewater (January 16, 2024). "Getting Away with Murders at Karlov Manor, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. 
===Exodus===
Crovax was planned to gravely injure, not kill, Mirri.
===Mercadian Masques===
Rather than being captured by the Cho-Arim, the Weatherlight is compulsorily bought by Mercadia City's leader in exchange for medicine to heal Mirri. Starke would have been killed by Volrath in disguise as Tahngarth, rather than Takara. The Phyrexian's plan to invade Dominaria would have been discovered here by Hanna, instead of in the Stronghold by Gerrard. An obscure Mercadian law would have allowed Gerrard and company to challenge the city's leader to an "elaborate contest" for possession of the Weatherlight. Instead of using the ship to planeshift back to Dominaria, the crew would have learned about a planar portal back, not aware that it would also be a portal to fifty years in the future, after Phyrexia had conquered Dominaria.
===Invasion block===
The Weatherlight crew would be located by an elderly wizard leading the Dominarian resistance, soon revealed to be Ertai, who had somehow escaped Rath. He would task the crew with retrieving , the key to defeating Phyrexia which had unfortunately been left with a friend of his prior. Volrath, still disguised as Tahngarth, would reingratiate himself to Phyrexia by reporting on the Weatherlight's return. One highlight would have been the crew fighting Volrath in the form of a dragon. Nothing is said of how the Phyrexians would have been "banished" from Dominaria.
==See also==
*Weatherlight Saga/Storyline in cards
* (original plotline)
==References==