Story Spotlight Cards for Outlaws of Thunder Junction
Howdy, y'all! Grab your trusty steed of choice, because we're venturing into our newest set, Outlaws of Thunder Junction, to take a closer look at the story spotlight cards—and to preview two brand-new cards for the first time!
Don your hat, strap up those stirrups, and join us as we head into the Multiverse!
"Episode 1: An Offer of Revenge"
Trouble comes to Thunder Junction, and a retired outlaw gets offered one last job. Though there are no story spotlight cards from this episode, you can listen to the full audio story and recap in the latest season of The Magic Story Podcast:
"Episode 2: The Jailbreak"
When Oko first approaches Annie Flash in the first episode, Annie has no intention of seeking revenge on Akul but plans on leaving her past in, well, the past. But it's clear Oko's offer haunts her, and maybe she can't find peace like she had hoped. Besides, if Akul decides to come after her, how is she going to protect the townspeople of Saddlebrush she'd come to care about?
Which is why in episode two, Annie digs up her long-buried weapon, her thunder rifle, despite her reservations—and with it, the past she'd so clearly been avoiding.
This story spotlight card, One Last Job, depicts Annie holding her thunder rifle for the first time in who knows how long, her mind now set on the task at hand, no matter how unpleasant it may be. She calls for Fortune, her trusty steed, and heads out to protect the people of Saddlebrush against the wicked Akul … and maybe for a spot of revenge while she's at it?
I think my favorite part about this card is that this spree mechanic tells this whole significant story scene with Annie as she digs up her past, and what better way to signify that than to bring things back from the graveyard?
"Episode 3: A Train to Prosperity"
Oko's heist group is after the last key to the vault, which they acquire from Nolan who's being transported on a train and under heavy guard. Predictably, the plan doesn't quite go as smoothly as Oko wanted.
Although Kellan may have grown up quite a bit since being the kid we first met in Wilds of Eldraine, Kellan's heart is still pure, and he will never be okay with innocents dying. After getting Nolan off the train, Oko has little interest in saving the lives of the innocent civilians careening toward a collapsed bridge on what, in the chaos, has become a runaway train. In this moment, Kellan demonstrates how different he is from his father, and his heart of gold shines.
Here in the card Mystical Tether, we witness Kellan's power grow—his determination to save those innocent people on the train careening toward their demise summons a golden lasso he attaches to the train, stopping it with sheer will just long enough for them to escape!
All by himself, I might add. Oko didn't lift a finger to help.
"Episode 4: Finding Tarnation"
Oko's rag-tag group meets back in the saloon, now armed with the last key and the map to Tarnation. All that's left is to discuss the biggest heist in Thunder Junction—to break into the vault. Despite what happened with the train, Kellan's naive optimism wins out; he wants to give his father a second chance. Maybe it was just a misunderstanding? (Oh, Kellan, I want to hug you, you sweet kid.)
We can see the scene in the card Plan the Heist, when Oko relays his plan to the group: sneak into Tarnation disguised as Hellspurs and blend in long enough to get to the vault doors. He chooses Vraska and Annie to come with him, as well as Kellan. Not because Oko wants to bond with his son—oh, no, no, that's not Oko's way; he's leveraging Kellan's unwavering loyalty to his advantage.
After the incident with the train, Annie doesn't trust Oko and suspects he's using Kellan as a pawn. She doesn't even need to use her magical eye to see through Oko's ploys. At least someone is looking out for Kellan, right?
"Episode 5: High Moon"
Kellan faces the duel of his life, and Tarnation gets some unwelcome company. Though there are no story spotlight cards from this episode, you can read up on the latest stories and expect a full audio story and recap from The Magic Story Podcast later in April.
"Episode 6: The Ballad of Thieves and Thunderslingers"
As usual with Oko's plans, chaos ensues in Tarnation. The Sterling Company rushes in against the Hellspurs, with Oko's crew caught in the middle. They make for the vault, navigating the complex traps, and eventually reach the last door, where Kaervek begins to break the ward protecting it. This is when the Hellspurs and the Sterling Company catch up to them and an all-out firefight erupts.
Oko's crew is outnumbered, and Oko knows it, but Vraska sees things the way he does: they needed to get into the vault no matter the cost—even if the cost is leaving their crew behind to deal with their enemies.
Amid the chaos, Kellan appears and stops Oko from going farther into the vault. Ral Zarek confronts Vraska while Kellan faces off against his father. This is the moment portrayed in the card Betrayal at the Vault, and I think the flavor text here speaks to it perfectly.
The only exception to the greed, I think, is Kellan—he doesn't want the treasure for himself; he just wants to stop greedy, untrustworthy people like his father from having it. To say Kellan annoys Oko in this scene is an understatement. Kellan is finally forced to acknowledge who his father really is.
Later in Episode 6 …
Together, Annie and Kellan attempt their escape from the vault as it crumbles around them, but their exit strategy gets complicated by Akul. Saving Annie's life, Kellan taps into his magic—his real magic, finally embracing his fae side, no longer afraid of it—and slips into Akul's mind, controlling him. Kellan commands the dragon to return to the crumbling vault just as it collapses.
In the card Getaway Glamer, Kellan's power engulfs Akul and traps him inside the vault, but the mechanics also play into switching control of creatures, which is a neat nod to what Kellan accomplishes in this scene.
Note to all future villains: don't threaten innocents and get on Kellan's bad side, because he has some serious power. You hear that, Oko? Maybe your son can teach you a thing or two on how to be a powerful fae where it matters …
The story of Outlaws of Thunder Junction certainly showcases Kellan's growth as a character—by the end, he's not a naive kid anymore but is mind-controlling a powerful dragon and saving Thunder Junction from the Hellspurs.
I enjoyed seeing Kellan's arc reach a milestone with him embracing his fae side. In the beginning of his adventure in Wilds of Eldraine, we first see Kellan as a sheep farmer with no clue who he really is. After journeying through the Multiverse, he finds peace on Annie's ranch in Thunder Junction, though much wiser than before.
Thanks, everyone, for tuning in. We hope you liked these story spotlight cards, where we got to preview Mystical Tether and One Last Job for the first time! Oh, and if you want more story, don't forget to check out The Magic Story Podcast where we dive into each of these story episodes.
Many more stories await us on the horizon, but for now, partner … have a magical day!
Outlaws of Thunder Junction launches April 16 on MTG Arena and globally on April 19. Be sure to check out The Magic Story Podcast to catch up on the latest lore and adventures in the Magic Multiverse!