Dear Urza’s Factory,

<3

The other weekend I was watching coverage of the Modern Regionals in Gent. My friends were playing there and had been talking about it for weeks, so I thought I’d check it out. In the first round of coverage, to my delight, I saw one of my old heroes.

10 years ago at my job back then we were having a personal growth session with about 30 colleagues. We were asked to think about one of our heroes and share why. For me that was an easy question, I had my hero ready. Most people referenced one of their parents, Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. I referenced Guilmane Wafo-Tapa. My answer Left everyone puzzled very puzzled (expect my dear colleague and friend Bram, who is also a Magic player).

I prefered control deck when I was playing constructed Magic. I still have sweet dreams about blue and black Mystical Teachings control from the Time Spiral block constructed days, so for our other Magic history nerds, no wonder there that Guilmane Wafo-Tapa was my hero back then. So it was really nice to see him get covered in round one of the regionals. And when they showed his decklist, I giggled. Of course Wafo-Tapa was being very stubborn and playing this control deck no one else would even think about. But the best thing was, there was one copy of Secluded Starfoge in the list. I could just see Wafo-Tapa sitting there, brewing his deck, thinking: “ Ah an Urza’s Factory that only costs 5 mana, this card is insane!”

You were insane Urza’s Factory. Ask anyone who ever played with or against UB Teachings in Time Spiral Block Constructed and they will tell you. You are inevitability, you make sure the long game is won once you get there. Slowly, steadily, but you get there eventualy. You have been part of my Peasant Cube since day one and you play the same role there. Before Elixer of Immortality was printed, you were my favourite card in that Cube. Furfilling that role of inevibility the controldecks needed. Or maybe just the excuse for me to try and draft control decks that needed inevibility, because I grew up watching my hero pilot those control decks, and I love you in them.

With love,

Hanjo