Magic The Gathering fans are furious over a retcon of a character’s sexuality
Magic the Gathering fans are some of the most passionate people we know, and are completely dedicated not just to the card game, but to the story behind each and every one of those cards. Which is why it’s not too hard to understand why certain changes made to the character Chandra, a planeswalker, has got under people’s skin.
In the most recent book from the Magic the Gathering series, War of the Spark: Forsaken, a relationship between Chandra and another planeswalker, Nissa, was dimissed, despite years of fans being invested in the pairing and the constant hints that there was a deeper connection between the two of them.
While the relationship being shoved aside before it could even begin is enough to cause frustration, it was ultimately the way it was handled that upset the majority of queer women who were invested in Chandra, as well as her relationship with Nissa.
In the book, Chandra’s sexuality is ultimately swept under the rug and stomped on for good measure. In previous books, Chandra has shown interest in other women. and while you could easily say that some relationships don’t work out regardless of sexuality, the relationship between Chandra and Nissa was built up for over 5 years.
As you can expect, fans aren’t happy about this, with one fan discussing below in the thread at just how offensive this dismissal of Chandra’s sexuality is.
Further on, King posts another passage from the book where Chandra acknowledges the relationship between herself and Nissa, but says that deep down they knew they loved each other in a platonic way. It’s possibly one of the biggest queer bait we’ve seen for a long time, and it comes to no surprise that queer fans, particularly queer women invested in this relationship, are furious.
Some fans have even taken to creating a petition in hope that they’ll be acknowledged by Wizards of the Coast. Whether that’ll happen remains to be seen.
Are you upset about the recent changes made to Chandra? Please email us at hello@gaymingmag.com or aimee@gaymingmag.com to let us know more.
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That sucks cuz Wizards is usually good with queers characters. If I remember, the Dungeon Master’s Guide says that sexuality and skin color doesn’t lead to conflict in the D&D world. (But orcs still get the wall.)
I am not outraged in the slightest. Nissa Chandra was a bad fit from the start. I am enjoying watching it go up in flames.