MTG thread

Exclusive: Meet Oko, The 'Magic: The Gathering' Multiverse's Newest Planeswalker

On Wednesday, for the first time, we get to meet one of the planeswalkers who is spending time in Eldraine.

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The 82nd Magic: The Gathering expansion set, “Throne of Eldraine” will be released on October 4, 2019. Themed around Grimm’s Fairy Tales and the Arthurian legend of Camelot, this set will introduce players to a new fantasy world and its denizens.

On Wednesday, for the first time, we get to meet one of the planeswalkers who is spending time in Eldraine. The illustrious Oko is a Fey shapeshifter who is as charismatic as he is conceited, a man who is mysterious, clever, and vain.

Oko’s story will be revealed in detail in the first “Throne of Eldraine” ebook, Throne of Eldraine: The Wildered Quest. But today, we’re getting a sneak preview of his life and personality.

In order to get to know Oko a little better (and to figure out where he belongs on my planeswalker dateability chart), I interviewed Nic Kelman, Head of Story and Entertainment at Wizards of the Coast, who is one of the writers responsible for bringing his character to life.

Here is a Q&A to help you get to know the enigmatic Oko:

Lauren Orsini: Oko got his spark when his captors tried to suppress his shapeshifting. Can you tell me more about that? What did it feel like for Oko?

Nic Kelman: Oko is from a plane ruled by Fey who believe in a unified society, one where the ruling class has decided that for the betterment of all, the natural mischievousness of the Fey has to be suppressed. To the ruling class, they had created a perfect society—but for Oko, who was born with incredibly powerful shapeshifting abilities, this culture went against everything he was and contradicted his deepest, truest self.

Styling himself as a speaker of truth, Oko felt he held a mirror to the hypocrisy of his world. The ruling class did not quite see it this way. They subjected him to magical procedures intended to suppress his powers but only succeed in igniting his spark. We can imagine this was a terrible experience for him and one that would make it almost impossible for him to trust anyone again—especially those in positions of authority.

Orsini: Speaking of shapeshifting, what’s the most interesting shapeshift he’s done? (Alternate question: any good shapeshifting pranks he’s pulled?)

Kelman: Oko seeks out hypocrisy wherever he finds it…but by his own definition which often leads to quite cruel “pranks.” Ruining a wedding day, stealing the spotlight at someone’s lifetime moment of triumph, fooling a mother into believing her child has returned from a conflict – these are all great shapeshifting jokes to Oko who sees nothing as sacred, least of all the most noble of emotions.

Orsini: Additionally, can he shapeshift as other people? Like, other Planeswalkers?

Kelman: He absolutely can!

Orsini: Which Planeswalker does he get along with best?

Kelman: He generally tries to avoid revealing himself to other Planeswalkers, but I can imagine he would get along well with Chandra if he didn’t have such a mean streak.

Orsini: In Oko’s opinion, what’s the best part about being a Planeswalker?

Kelman: Never having to deal with the consequences of your actions if you don’t want to!

Orsini: What’s the worst part?

Kelman: To Oko, it would be feeling alone in the Multiverse. (He has yet to learn it doesn’t have to be this way – see his trust issues above).

Orsini: What do you think has been the biggest challenge in Oko’s life so far? How did he, or how is he working to, overcome it?

Kelman: I think probably the issues he faced on his Homeplane. They have shaped his life to this point and it will probably be some time before he finds the courage to trust anyone enough to grow beyond those experiences… if ever.

Want to learn more about Oko? More will be revealed in the first “Throne of Eldraine” ebook, Throne of Eldraine: The Wildered Quest by Kate Elliot, available for preorder now.

Can choose any shape and decides to be an extra in a Wachowski sisters movie about a K Pop band