Last updated on October 27, 2026
Nissa, Worldsoul Speaker | Illustration by Magali Villeneuve
Multiverse-altering events are often exciting, especially when they creep into card design. One such story shift occurred after March of the Machine concluded the New Phyrexia storyline, birthing a series of “desparked planeswalkers”.
Here we’ll be listing off every former planeswalker that has shown up as a non-planeswalker card since the release of March of the Machine, confirming that they’ve lost their spark.
What Are Desparked Planeswalkers in Magic?
Kiora, the Rising Tide | Illustration by Julian Kok Joon Wen
Desparked planeswalkers are legendary creature cards for characters once represented as planeswalkers, easily identifiable by the desparked watermark in their textbox, as seen on Nissa, Resurgent Animist:
Lore-wise, the mass desparking of planeswalkers coincides with the end of New Phyrexia’s multiplanar invasion utilizing Realmbreaker, the Invasion Tree and the opening of the Omenpaths across the Multiverse. The exact details of how the invasion rewrote the rules of the Multiverse are unclear, as are details on why some planeswalkers kept their sparks or what happened to the lost sparks.
Note that there are other desparked planeswalkers beyond the ones listed below; this list will only cover planeswalkers that have been confirmed desparked in card form.
All Desparked Planeswalkers
Aminatou
It’s been confirmed that the planeswalker Aminatou is currently desparked, though Aminatou, Veil Piercer is the only depiction of her in non-planeswalker form, and that card doesn’t use a traditional textbox where a watermark would appear.
Basri Ket
Basri was confirmed desparked in Aetherdrift where he joined the race to compete for (and eventually win) The Aetherspark, an artifact with a planeswalker spark in it.
Calix
Calix had a sort of “check-in” during the events of March of the Machine, specifically in the Aftermath set. Calix, Guided by Fate maintained the enchantment flavor of the original character, but not much was done to progress his story arc here.
Daretti
Daretti was never a central part of the overall MTG lore, but he showed up in Aetherdrift as a mechanic that helped Chandra during the race. It was the first time we’d seen the goblin planeswalker since 2016, depicted as Daretti, Rocketeer Engineer.
Huatli
We visited Ixalan very soon after March of the Machine, which confirmed Huatli as a desparked planeswalker, alongside her partner Saheeli. Still doing dino stuff on Huatli, Poet of Unity, but with less spark.
Jiang Yanggu
Jiang Yanguu was more of a background character in his first two appearances, and that remains true with his desparked version, Jiang Yanggu, Never Alone. This version got an echoed pair in Reality Fracture, though it’s not clear that the alternate reality Jiang Yanggu, Alone was ever a planeswalker.
Karn
The silver golem Karn has gained and lost sparks multiple times over the course of MTG’s lore, though he’s currently fully desparked, as seen on Karn, Legacy Reforged and Karn, Argent Defender.
Kiora
Kiora was immediately confirmed as desparked in Aftermath, though she appeared once again with the desparked watermark in Foundations, on Kiora, the Rising Tide. Strangely, Kiora of Salt and Sand doesn’t use the desparked watermark, despite still depicting a non-planeswalker version of the character, perhaps as an indication that the designers will only use the watermark the first few times we see these characters.
Koth
Koth was one of a few former planeswalkers that showed up in Reality Fracture, where Koth, the Geomancer confirmed he’d lost his spark. His alternate reality white version, Koth of the Homestead, appears to have never been a planeswalker.
Liliana Vess
It was revealed that Liliana Vess had been desparked well before Liliana the Repentant was printed, though that’s the first time she was printed with the watermark. It’s notably not her only creature card since she was one of the original flipwalkers in Magic Origins, Liliana, Heretical Healer.
Mu Yanling, Wind Rider
Mu Yanling suffered the same fate as Jiang Yanggu, being introduced years ago and mostly forgotten about, just to be desparked in their most recent cards. Mu Yanling, Wind Rider’s desparked version showed up well before Jiang though.
Nahiri
Nahiri was one of the planeswalkers that ended up compleated in Phyrexia: All Will Be One. She survived that ordeal, only to end up as a normal, desparked character after March of the Machine wrapped up. Still angry and wielding swords as always.
Narset
Narset got the Aftermath treatment, joining the initial roster of desparked ‘walkers, though in a throwaway set. Narset, Enlightened Exile is a pretty powerful card though, and she showed up again in Tarkir: Dragonstorm without a watermark, on both Narset, Jeskai Waymaster and Shiko and Narset, Unified.
Niko Aris
Niko Aris got exactly one planeswalker card before being desparked in their second appearance on Niko, Light of Hope. They weren’t a central character in Duskmourn: House of Horror, but I suppose it was nice to see them again.
Nissa Revane
Nissa’s two desparked depictions are very different cards, with Nissa, Resurgent Animist dealing with elves and elementals, while Nissa, Worldsoul Speaker is an energy card from Aetherdrift Commander. Both are landfall cards though, so nice to see Nissa retaining her land-oriented identity even in creature form.
Ob Nixilis
Ob Nixilis has been desparked multiple times now, the first time happening well before MOM. He’s now stuck on New Capenna as Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin, having provoked the ire of the crime families that run the plane.
Rowan Kenrith
Will and Rowan both showed up in creature form in Wilds of Eldraine, with Rowan, Scion of War receiving a significantly stronger card. The two were always designed as parallels to one another, but stood as rivals during the WOE story.
Saheeli Rai
Saheeli received a number of planeswalker cards, including the face commander of an entire precon, but now resides with Huatli on Ixalan as Saheeli, the Sun's Brilliance, a strong 2-mana Izzet legend.
Samut
Samut has made quite a few appearances in creature form, first in Aftermath, again in Aetherdrift, and once more as an echoed pair in Reality Fracture. Samut, Hazoret's Champion doesn’t use the watermark, nor does the Echoverse version, Samut, Tyrant of Naktamun.
Sarkhan Vol
Sarkhan ended up playing a large part in Tarkir: Dragonstorm, though he was first confirmed as desparked on Sarkhan, Soul Aflame. Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant opted out of any watermarks.
Teyo
Teyo feels like a character that Magic doesn’t really know what to do with, introducing him during War of the Spark, giving him a bunch of cards in supplementary products, and then bringing him back as a desparked uncommon in Reality Fracture.
The Wanderer
The Wanderer was much more pivotal to the events of Duskmourn than Niko, and showed up as The Wandering Rescuer, which funnily enough is the first time this character actually had subtypes on one of her cards.
Tyvar Kell
Like Niko Aris, Tyvar is another character introduced in Kaldheim that’s now desparked, and he’s received two cards since the Desparkening. Still pugnacious as always, even in creature form.
Vraska
Vraska was compleated in All Will Be One, confirmed as desparked in Outlaws of Thunder Junction, then showed up as part of an echoed pair duo in Reality Fracture. Vraska, the Cutting Glare doesn’t use a watermark, only her OTJ version does.
Will Kenrith
Will got shafted on his first creature card compared to Rowan. Will, Scion of Peace isn’t awful, it’s just that Rowan, Scion of War is a profoundly more powerful card at the same mana value.
Do Any Planeswalkers Still Have Their Spark?
Yes! The exact details of why some planeswalkers retained their sparks are unknown, but there are clearly characters who still have their spark and can planeswalk freely. Quintorius Kand becoming a planeswalker proves that individuals can still ignite their sparks post-Invasion.
Wrap Up
Narset, Enlightened Exile | Illustration by Marie Magny
I’m interested to see where the story of the desparked planeswalkers leads us as we continue to explore an interconnected Multiverse thanks to the Omenpaths. It’s also quite interesting to see how some of the cards are adapted into legendary creatures as it can highlight some of their more important traits. It’s also nice that fans of planeswalkers like Nissa and Rowan get to play them in the command zone!
What do you think about these desparked planeswalkers? Which characters are you most curious about that we haven’t checked in on yet? Let me know in the comments below or on the Draftsim Discord! And check out The Daily Upkeep newsletter to stay up to date on all the latest MTG news.
Stay safe, and thanks for reading!
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