One of the things I loved about Magi-Nation growing up was the little references they snuck into the cards and flavor text. Sometimes it was a quote from a movie I liked, other times it was little references in the art. And as I grew older, the more of them I began to notice.
So with that in mind, I’ve gone through every single expansion, from the base set to Traitor’s Reach, and grabbed all the references I could find (and then cross-referenced them with several that ZucriyAmsuna posted on this Reddit thread. a few years back, many of which still managed to sneak past me).
What did they reference the most? Which were the most obscure? What set had the most references? Brace yourself, because we’ve got a long trip through ahead. This part one covers Base Set and Awakening, the first two sets released!
by u/SomethingAboutCards
Base Set
The MND base set (Unlimited) starts things off easy with ten references, and out of those ten, three refer to the same Weird Al song:
Baloo Root, Sap of Life, and Nimbulo: “Albuquerque,” by Weird Al Yankovic
“IT’S GOOD FOR YOU!”
"You got any Weebos?" "NO! WE'RE ALL OUT OF WEEBOS!" "Well, in that case, what do you have?"
"All we got now is a little energy." "Oh, okay, I'll take that."
Baloo Root has the first quote from this song:
“I said to my mom
I said: ‘Hey, mom, what's up with all the sauerkraut?’
And my dear, sweet mother
She just looked at my like a cow looks at an oncoming train
And she leaned right down next to me
And she said: ‘IT’S GOOD FOR YOU!’
And then she tied me to the wall and stuck a funnel in my mouth
And force fed me nothing but sauerkraut
Until I was twenty six and a half years old”
For what it’s worth, I hate sauerkraut too, and Baloo Root only looks marginally tastier.
Sap of Life and Nimbulo both reference the same scene, where the singer character goes to the donut shop, only to be told they’re all out of everything:
"’No, we're outta bear claws!’
I said, ‘Well, in that case… in that case, what do you have?’
He says ‘All I got right now is this box of one dozen starving, crazed weasels’
I said ‘OK, I'll take that.’"
Fun fact: this same scene gets referenced again later down the line with WOOT! and Forest Blessing. We’ll circle back to those in a bit.
Greater Vaal: “The Incredible Hulk”
“Don't make it angry. You won't like it when it's angry.”
Okay, this one’s an easy one. Right after “Hulk smash,” the most famous line connected to the Hulk is “Don’t make me angry. You won’t like me when I’m angry.” Low-hanging fruit? Maybe. But it’s effective.
Orwin's Gaze: “Spaceballs” by Mel Brooks
"When will then be now?" "Soon!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRGCZh5A8T4 .
Now this is a fun one. In “Spaceballs,” arguably one of Mel Brook’s greatest films, there’s a brilliant scene where Dark Helmet and Colonel Sandurz try to figure out where the film’s heroes are going… by watching “Spaceballs: The Movie.” This includes watching a scene where they’re watching the exact same scene, so “everything that happens now, is happening now.”
Y’know what? Just watch the scene for yourself, it’s fantastic. Or better yet, go watch the entire movie.
Corf: Mortal Kombat
"Finish him."
Another easy one. Anyone who’s played Mortal Kombat has heard “Finish him!” at least once, whether they were on the giving or receiving end of the finishing move. It’s such an iconic line to the series that pretty much every film adaptation had to include it, shoehorned in or not.
O'qua: “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi”
"We have powerful friends. You're going to regret this."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JeQXyyoJL4
Simple but effective. It’s a reference to Leia’s warning to Jabba the Hutt after he imprisons her and Han Solo. And this isn’t the last time O’qua gets a “Star Wars” quote, as we’ll see again later.
Tidal Wave: “Old Ironsides”
“Oh, better that her shattered hulk
Should sink beneath the wave;
Her thunders shook the mighty deep,
And there should be her grave…”
This one is interesting, because to my knowledge it’s the only time when the source is directly quoted and credited. It’s an excerpt from “Old Ironsides” by Oliver Wendell Holmes, and I don’t need to tell you that, because it’s right there on the card. You can read it for yourself here: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46547/old-ironsides
Fossik and Channeler's Gloves: “Schoolhouse Rock”
“Knowledge or Power, your choice.”
"To the Core with knowledge. I need power NOW!" -- Fossik, Underkeeper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjNM4eItNRA
“Knowledge is power!” At least that’s what we’re told at the start of every episode of “Schoolhouse Rock.” That seems to be Fossik’s thing, in fact, as pretty much any time he’s quoted, it’s always about knowledge and power. (As such, we won’t be including every time he mentions that on this list.)
Enrich: Got Milk?
"It's packed with nine essential nutrients and a full day's supply of energy! Got soil?"
As much as it makes me feel old to realize that there are fully grown adults who didn’t live through the “Got milk?” advertising campaign, those of us who saw those commercials daily will recognize the quote pretty quickly. With that said, I’d still much rather have a glass of milk than of soil, so the Underneath might need a slightly different marketing campaign.
Sinder: “Dune”
“He who controls the flame, controls the universe.”
This is one that I missed at first, so thanks to u/ZucriyAmsuna for catching it. In “Dune,” the Spice Melange is so valuable that there’s a saying “He who controls the spice, controls the universe.” So the next question is: can Sinder’s flame allow people to travel through space? (Considering Magi-Nation is set in the Moonlands, that might not be too farfetched…)
Paralit: Starcraft
"Must...have...energy!"
Paralit has a reference to the game Starcraft: Brood War (expansion), from 1998. One of the units in the game, the Dark Archon will frequently say the phrase, "Must have energy" when it is clicked on to receive an order.
Heat Lens: Fire and Forget
Edit: we missed Heat Lens! Fire and Forget is a reference to missile launch systems, where you don't have to guide the missile to hit its target once launched. Scary!
Awakening
After the base set came Awakening, and with it came even more references. This one ups the ante on the “Star Wars” quotes, but also brings us the first “Last Will and Temperament” (aka “Boot to the Head”) reference, which we’ll be seeing at least a few more times down the line.
Blast Gloves: “Batman”
"Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5DuIiBNl4g
Batman always has a plan and a tool for every contingency, as the Joker (played by Jack Nicholson) learned in the 1989 movie. Upon seeing Batman make a daring escape with a combination grappling hook/zipline, all the Joker could say was “Where does he get those wonderful toys?” Well, in this case, the Blast Gloves come right from the deck, so I guess Batman has a pretty good draw engine.
Firefly Swarm: Home on the Range
"Oh give me a home, where the Leaf Hyren roam, Where the Pliths and Carillions play, Where always is heard, the Furok's horn bird, And the bugs don't keep burning all day!" -- Poad, Naroom Innkeeper
Not all of these references are going to be to pop culture. There are also plenty of old sayings and songs, like this one, sung to the tune of “Home on the Range.” Considering it’s a song from our world, we can still count it as a reference.
Darkbreed Hyren: “Lord of the Rings”
"One hyren to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them."
In J.R.R. Tolkein’s masterpiece, the “Lord of the Rings” books, the one ring of power has this inscription: “One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them.” That line is part of a longer verse about the rings forged for the elven-kings, dwarf-lords, and so forth, but the point stands: the Darkbreed Hyren is to Agram as the one ring was to Sauron.
Agram's Armor: “The Addams Family”
"You rang?"
Lurch, the loyal (and seemingly undead) butler of the Addams Family, has a catchphrase whenever he answers the door: “You rang?” Although in this case, anyone ringing Agram’s armor is likely to get a much less friendly response.
Turn: “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi”
"Agram will show you the true nature of power. He is your master now."
When Luke Skywalker went to confront Darth Vader for the final time, he thought he could turn his father back to the light side of the Force. Vader thought otherwise, telling Luke “The Emperor will show you the true nature of power. He is your master now.” Of course, the difference here is that any Core magi casting Turn is not likely to make a last-minute switch to the side of righteousness and betray Agram.
Sperri: “Peanuts”
"Happiness is a furry friend and a flock of blue birds."
This may be a bit of a stretch, but not unreasonable. There’s a classic “Peanuts” comic where Lucy says “happiness is a warm puppy,” a quote that was reused for book titles and a song in “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown.” (Whether or not The Beatles also referenced it in “Happiness is a Warm Gun” is a question for another time.) So Sperri’s flavor text isn’t exactly a direct quote, but enough of a reference to include it here.
Deadfall: “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi”
"It's a trap!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4F4qzPbcFiA
Okay, do I even need to explain this one? “It’s a trap!” has become a meme at this point. We know the deal: Admiral Ackbar shouts it when he realizes that the second Death Star is fully operational, and the Empire lured the Rebel Alliance there to shoot them all down.
Sorreah: “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi”
"This is your last chance. Free us or... wait... Hey! NO!" -- O'Qua, Summoner
Star Wars: Return Of The Jedi - Jabba's Palace, Sarlacc Pit Battle (Movie Clip)
That’s right, we have another “Star Wars” quote! O’Qua once more repeats a line once said to Jabba: “This is your last chance. Free us or die.” Jabba ended up choosing death, although in the case of this flavor text, Sorreah's ability is making it a little harder for O’Qua to follow through.
Forest Blessing: Weird Al Yankovic, “Albuquerque”
"Got any Sap of Life?" "NO! WE'RE ALL OUT OF SAP OF LIFE!"
That’s right, it’s another quote from Weird Al’s “Albuquerque,” with the same donut shop scene. And it’s not even the last time that scene gets quoted, though I’m not complaining.
Trygar: The Frantics, “Last Will and Temperament”
"And to Korremar, who helped me write this will, I leave... not a boot to the head, but a rabid bisiwog, to be placed in his trousers."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-V1Mn5-xF0w
The Frantics’ "Last Will and Temperament" sketch (best seen in this Phoenix Wright video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2wC2jOSj8xU) features a last will and testament reading wherein everyone receives… a boot to the head. The exception is the lawyer, who receives a rabid Tasmanian devil to be placed in his trousers. So we get our first reference to that sketch here, and it won’t be the last.
Grubble: “StarCraft”
“The merging is complete!”
This is another one that I didn’t catch, but the flavor text is a phrase used in StarCraft when players create an Archon. (You’ll have to forgive me for never having the chance to play StarCraft, but props to Zucriy for catching this one.)
Trask: Lewis Carroll, “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”
“It's like an alligator with scales and teeth and claws, It's like a Coral Hyren, but not afraid of Cawhs.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/How_Doth_the_Little_Crocodile
And here we have another one I didn’t catch, so thanks to the original Reddit thread for pointing it out. Given the Trask’s crocodile-like appearance, the flavor text is a reference to “How Doth the Little Crocodile,” a poem by Lewis Carroll that appeared in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.” (I suppose I should re-read that one of these days, but my reading list is already so expansive…)
Furok Guardian: Starcraft
"Power Overwhelming"
Starcraft gets referenced on a few cards, like Furok Guardian! In the 1998 PC game, StarCraft, a unit in the game, the Archon, will frequently say, "Power overwhelming" when it is selected.
And that's it for the first two sets! Did we miss any? Please let us know in the comments! Join us for the next part 2, where we cover Dream's End, Nightmare's Dawn, and Voice of the Storms!
This article was written by user SomethingAboutCards, you can find them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EliteslayerX with support from user ZucriyAmsuna.
