Truth in Zealous Expression [Mardu MTG Color Philosophy]

[Music] hello and welcome back i'm so glad you could join me for another episode of slicing the pie we're now on to the second of the five wedges and just like last time i asked you all which wedge you wanted me to cover next it was almost too close to call with the youtube vote ending in a two-way tie but in the end both discord and twitter agreed that mardu would be up next so next time if you would like to be able to cast more than one vote be sure to follow me on twitter and join the discord the links as always are in the description now i have to say i'm actually quite excited to break this wedge down for you all as the marty combination has an interesting collection of colors and i can't wait to put them all together for you so sit down get comfortable let's talk mardu the combination of true conviction and action if you caught my last wedge video covering absent then you're familiar with the new framework we use for understanding wedges as the combination of shards and wedges require a bit of a different starting point to build mardu's framework we must go through three steps each of which i'll expand upon as we go as to not get bogged down in technicalities all up front the first step and the base of our foundation is understanding the allied pairs that lie within the wedge now this is because the allied pairs will more often find common ground and sort of push the outsiders ideals into more of a supporting role in the case of mardu our three colors are white red and black with white being the outsider or enemy color so what does the combination of red and black believe in well in my original color pairing video that i made for this combination i don't think i really did the pair justice and i'm happy to have a chance to give it another go even if the explanation will be brief red black is the combination with the passion and fervor to follow its desires and ambitions to their final conclusions while this can lead to sadistic desire fulfillment this isn't always the case in reality it's usually an unflinching focus on what is important to red black sure at times it can translate into things as simple as carnal desire but it can also be world changing ambition it can be an obsessive love for someone or wearing your hopes and desires on your sleeves it's still a combination that will always be focused on how things or people affect it or how it may affect others but if something is important to red block there's nothing it won't do to follow through on it now that we have that covered it's time to ask what the enemy color brings to the table and how its beliefs will influence the wedge in the case of mardu our outlying color is white so what do we know of white then well with a heavy focus on the beings who inhabit its plane it is the color that desires peace above all else and wants to create a world where all get what they need the issue is that what white wants and what others want don't always line up and even if its intentions are well-meaning it can creep into fascism like all color philosophy though it is a spectrum on one end white is peace and love well on the other end it's law and order so far we can begin to see what is being built here ideals that are rooted in unflinching conviction based around ambition and desire while this is a great foundation we're still not done with our framework to do that we'll have to talk about the colors that are missing and what their absence tells us about mardu in the case of mardu our two absent colors are blue and green let's first tackle blue the color of knowledge and introspection with no blue mana we know that mardu can be swept away by its emotions and ideals ones based on its feelings concepts like self-expression or pleasure hold more of an importance than self-improvement or discovery next we have a lack of green mana green is the color that wants to keep things as they are in their already perfect state with no green mana we know that mardu is all too willing to change and use up whatever it wishes with no regard for how things should or shouldn't be alright that's it the basis or framework for our discussion from here i will represent three philosophies which i believe are three major faces of mardu if you have any other ideas as to what mardu believes in or more to add to the ideas i present and be sure to let me know in the comments as i read every single one also if it's your first time here and you did enjoy the video then be sure to subscribe as we'll be covering more color philosophy in the future okay with that let's dive into the first marty philosophy and that is truth in martial expression this ideal is based in a sort of warrior code and while it may not directly apply to our own lives it's nonetheless a core ideal when applying mardu to fantasy worlds or historic figures what mardu values with this ideal is to carry itself in a manner that allows it to express itself in a way that values individual power all in order to strengthen the group it's an ideal that takes the saying of the group is only as strong as the weakest link and demands that those within the chain strive to be the strongest link this demand is more than just an empty motto it is held as the highest code one could aim for in a mardu society it is the individual's ability to express their strength in a way that benefits all who fall within that society in a lot of ways i think the best parallel would be the spartans of history here we have individuals who valued raw power and ability above all else but because of this created one of the strongest fighting forces of its time it takes black strive for power red's relentless nature and then brings it all in with white's focus on discipline and concern for the group it's easy to see how mardu could rise above some of the other color combinations in its martial prowess that said it's not a very forgiving philosophy sure white stands on the outside asking for equality and kindness but it's downplayed by red and black's demand for proof of strength a reason to exist this mentality lifts up the strong and breeds heroes but has no time for the weak it may not outright kill or exile those who are weak but it will not spend any time caring for them anyone who stumbles in mardu's eyes deserves to be left behind i think this quote from lycia sheds some light on what i'm talking about i give my blood my life all i have in exchange for victory in the eyes of this version of mardu victory is all that matters and to achieve victory there is no room for weakness and so the value of the individual's strength is of key importance as always i think the first philosophy is grabbing at the low-hanging fruit as i believe this is what most people imagine when they think of mardu for our next one i'd like to ask what would happen when white's devotion is aided by red and black with a philosophy i call confidence and zealous action what we have here is a potential philosophy that stands firm in an absolute devotion to the ideals that it holds ideals which are lofty enough for mardu to demand that they be followed by all it's when a strong sense of morality however flawed it may be is hyper-focused and followed through with an obsessive passion this may all sound extreme but let's break it down by color and you'll start to see what i mean with white present mardu can hold a sort of perceived moral high ground one that is bolstered by black self-confidence which is ignited and obsessively carried out by red as you can see this is by no means a stretch once you break down the sources of each of the colors present in mardu so these are fine words to toss around but what does this look like well in a lot of ways my first thought goes to zealous religious beliefs ones that can take an extreme turn this version of mardu would base its morality on a higher power or doctrine now i don't want to get too much into the logistics of it but perhaps it's one that would allow for more carnal human expression or it could be one of valor and strength whatever the case the source of their doctrine or ideology isn't important as it would change from plane to plane what is important is how mardu expresses itself through the religion or ideology you see here we have a very interesting set of colors that sort of whip each other up into a fanatical sort of frenzy let's bring it back to the colors to explain what i mean think about black and how it cares only for its own view of the world and how it might want to push that view onto others then we have white who by no means is a stranger to using martial force to uphold its ideals and finally we have red who is more than happy to be swept away with its emotions and would allow itself to fulfill the other's color's desires without question in the end we would have a dangerous combination that feels that it's the only one with the answers and that it has a duty to bring those ideologies onto others without getting too much into it here on this channel i'm sure you can think of plenty of examples all throughout human history of religious conversions at any cost in a lot of ways this version scares me the most out of any of the philosophies that we've covered here so far but as always this is but one face of this philosophy so let's end it on a positive note and cover just one more idea one that could potentially do away with our current way of viewing society and that is peace and fulfilled desires here we have a way of thinking that aims to be better for all by being better for the individual we spend so much of our life worrying working and fighting for our place that by the time we die we question if we ever truly lived and this version of mardu is fed up with this way of thinking why can we not all know a good life why is it only reserved for a small few an ideal society for this version of mardu then would be a life well-lived for all one where we may all be free to fulfill our desires but how do we get there well mardu states that we must create a world where we all put in equal work and in doing so all get equal reward it simply believes that there should not be a world where a small percent flourish while the rest suffer we should be more focused on what we want to get out of our own existence rather than just scraping by so how does mardu come by this way of thinking well let's break it down by color you see black's the color who demands self-fulfillment and enjoyment of life's pleasure then it adds the compassion and need for freedom of red and finally combines it with white's desires for those aspects to be applied to all ultimately creating a world where we all work together all in order to provide a fulfilling life for all to accomplish this marty would abolish all forms of state-run government and instead put the power back into the people's hands as even though white is all for law and order is willing to drop this facet of its ideals when in the presence of red and black both of which value individual freedom instead it would be a flexible society run by the people and for the people with no room for the rigid structures that benefit those at the top and all of this would have a focus on creating a world where everyone has the chance to live a full and satisfying life with no fear of a few elites subjugating and oppressing the many whatever the final philosophy you do settle on with mardu it always seems extreme to our standard ways of seeing the world around us and honestly i don't think it could go any other way here we have a combination heavily influenced by red and black colors who live their lives in the most extreme fashion at least compared to any of the other colors there can be no sitting on the sidelines or moderate ways of thinking with this pair when white comes along it merely adds a wider scope to their ideals and in many ways makes those ideals more grandiose and inclusive to those who agree with them in the end mardu is the combination that feels very strongly about what it believes and is all too willing to fulfill the finality of those ideals whether it's a society of warriors bred stronger by individualism a philosophy of religious fanaticism or anarchist ideals that aim to tear down the shackles that bind us mardu is a passionate force for change and you're either with them or you're against them wow that ended up being a bit of a heavier episode than i was intending but i'm glad i told mardu's story the way i did but hey like i always say if you have an alternative idea for mardu then be sure to let me know in the comments i always read each and every one with that i'll catch you in the multiverse bye

Channel: DiceTry

Views: 24,239

Keywords: Mardu color, Mardu, Mardu color philosophy, mtg color Mardu, dicetry, mtg color philosophy, mtg color, mtg colors, mtg colors explained, mtg color combination, mtg color combinations explained, magic the gathering, mtg color pie, magic the gathering colors, magic the gathering color guide, magic: the gathering, magic the gathering colors explained, mtg color guide, mtg color combinations, color pie, colorpie, color philosophy, magic the gathering color pie

Id: np2r_yozwI8

Length: 14min 26sec (866 seconds)

Published: Sun Jan 03 2021