In the grand tapestry of Magic: The Gathering lore, few characters have had as much impact—and received as little recognition—as Dyfed. A planeswalker of the pre-Mending era, Dyfed’s story unfolds in The Thran, a novel set thousands of years before the events of Dominaria or Phyrexia. While her name isn’t as well-known as Urza or Nicol Bolas, Dyfed’s influence on the multiverse is monumental. Let’s dive into her mysterious past, the role she played in shaping Phyrexia, and explore some intriguing fan theories about her fate and legacy.
Who Was Dyfed?
Dyfed was a pre-Mending planeswalker—meaning she wielded godlike power and could traverse the multiverse at will. She’s described as calm, analytical, and deeply curious, especially about planes and lifeforms beyond her own. Unlike many of her contemporaries, Dyfed seemed to lack a lust for power or dominion; instead, she favored discovery and understanding.
Dyfed’s most infamous act was introducing Yawgmoth, then a mortal man, to the artificial plane of Phyrexia—a plane she discovered and later unlocked for him as a potential refuge and laboratory for his "healing" experiments.
The Tragic Catalyst of Phyrexia
Initially, Dyfed believed she was helping a visionary. Yawgmoth had charmed many of the Thran elite with promises of medical cures and power. But Dyfed failed to see the corruption at the heart of his ambitions. She even used her vast powers to create portals between Dominaria and Phyrexia, effectively giving Yawgmoth the keys to his future empire.
Eventually, Dyfed realized the horror she had unleashed. She confronted Yawgmoth after discovering his experiments and perversions of nature within Phyrexia. But it was too late—Yawgmoth had grown stronger and more cunning. In an act of betrayal, he trapped and killed Dyfed, sealing her fate within the very plane she had opened.
Her death marks a turning point in MTG lore: the final green light for Yawgmoth to transform Phyrexia into a nightmarish realm of flesh and metal. Without Dyfed, Yawgmoth might never have risen to become The Father of Machines.
Why Dyfed Is Fascinating
- Hubris in benevolence – She was not evil, merely naïve, a stark contrast to the power-hungry archetype of many pre-Mending planeswalkers.
- The cost of curiosity – Her desire to explore and aid others ultimately doomed her, and countless others.
- A hidden legacy – Dyfed’s role in MTG lore is mostly behind the scenes, yet the ripple effect of her actions is vast. Every Phyrexian storyline—Mirrodin, New Phyrexia, March of the Machine—traces back to her.
Theories and Speculation
Because Dyfed’s appearances are limited, there’s room for speculation and theorycrafting:
1. Dyfed’s Essence Still Exists?
Some fans wonder whether Dyfed left behind a failsafe—perhaps an essence or contingency within Phyrexia to one day help dismantle it. Could some spark of her consciousness linger within the plane, buried deep beneath the Machine Orthodoxy?
2. Did She Create Other Artificial Planes?
If Dyfed discovered and shaped Phyrexia, could she have made other artificial planes that remain hidden? This opens exciting potential for future MTG sets—unknown realms with remnants of Dyfed's power or philosophy.
3. The Anti-Phyrexian Spirit?
Some posit that Dyfed’s spirit or spark may have inspired other planeswalkers to resist Phyrexia—like a legacy embedded in the very fabric of the multiverse, urging resistance to corruption.
Dyfed is one of Magic’s most tragic and consequential figures. A woman of great power and greater ideals, she became the unwitting catalyst for one of the multiverse’s greatest evils. Her story is a reminder that the line between discovery and destruction can be razor-thin—and that even forgotten heroes can cast long shadows.
With the return of Phyrexia in recent years, perhaps it's time Dyfed’s legacy was revisited more fully. Until then, we can honour her memory by remembering that in Magic, as in life, even the most well-meaning actions can shape eternity.
