#Gruulfriends

[sylvan-librarian]

Keep Nissa Away From Zendikar

This flavor text on Nissa’s new card floored me, but it also got me thinking. Yes, obviously, the affirmation of the ever growing love between Nissa and Chandra is heartwarming, but it also reminds me of a fact I’ve been mulling over in my head for some time:

Nissa is at her best when she isn’t on Zendikar.

Of course, I’m invested in Nissa’s happiness as her #1 fan (fight me), but despite how much Nissa thinks about and pines for her beloved home, I’m not entirely convinced that she is happiest on Zendikar. Zendikar represents her past and who she was before the Gatewatch, before Chandra. She loves Zendikar and its Worldsoul, but the main theme of Nissa’s entire Gatewatch arc was her learning to blossom beyond her previous constraints and grow into something new. This is hammered home in some of her more recent story appearances as well: the “infinite possibilities” motif in “She Who Breaks the World,” for instance, shows Nissa coming to terms with the darkness of her past and learning to embrace the wider world.

Furthermore, Nissa is usually written and characterized better when she is not on Zendikar. Her Magic Origins story, the Battle for Zendikar arc, Zendikar Rising, and In the Teeth of Akoum all suffer narratively for one reason or another. Obviously, this trend can be bucked, but historically Nissa is characterized and written far better when she is off-plane: stories that take place in locations like Avishkar, Phyrexia, Amonkhet, Zhalfir, etc. all portray Nissa in a much more interesting light than her Zendikar stories do.

All that said, I’m sure it’s inevitable for Nissa to eventually get back to Zendikar and scrap with Nahiri and all that, which I’m sure will be very fun, but for now, I’m perfectly happy seeing Nissa and Chandra have their lesbian travelogue across the multiverse. It’s the most fun and most emotionally stirring these two characters have ever been to me.

[part-time-lesbian]

[xantchaslegacy]

[witchyfoxelf]

EXCUSE ME I ONLY JUST NOW NOTICED THAT CHANDRA IS PROMINENTLY WEARING NISSA'S SYMBOL IN AETHERDRIFT BECAUSE I GUESS RACING TO GET HER GIRLFRIEND'S SPARK BACK WASN'T GAY ENOUGH 😭😭😭

[hyralc]

my localization of mtgjp's comic

[farsight-the-char]

Yuri Rights

From an Arena preview.

[swemtpotamtam]

Nissa and Chandra having a serene little moment for OsiriaRaven

[worlds-smallest-epsilon]

[bace-jeleren]

Beyond the Neon Veil two-year-anniversary formalwear series

Moving right along with drawing couples from Beyond the Neon Veil in formalwear for hitting two years this beast has been in production. Drawing Chandra and Nissa together was a must, of course, but also the Toxic Straight couple. I haven't really delved into what the fuck is up with Satoru and Tetsuko quite yet, but in the coming arc their relationship is going to get some... developments.

[pxper-cranes]

CHANDRA IS RACING TO WIN NISSA A SPARK LOVE IS STILL REAL IM GOING INSANE

[revanezendikar]

Made this art of Aftermath, episode: SHE WHO BREAKS THE WORLD.

Where nissa kisses chandra. 💚❤️💚❤️

[sylvan-librarian]

[xantchaslegacy]

[witchyfoxelf]

gayyyyyyyyyyyy. (/pos)

[rododea95]

"Open the Way" ♥️💚

[mossybunni]

Modern AU Gruulfriends inspo