He was facing off against David Jafari, whose TNB throwback deck eschewed Lost City and Avalon Space Station for The New Brotherhood and plenty of 1- and 2-drops.

Game 1

“We need some things to happen!” declared Spears, who was not happy with this match-up. “I did not prepare for this match-up at all.”

Spears shipped back his opening four while Jafari glumly kept his. Spears led off with Boliver Trask and found a Sentinel Mark V. Jafari had Phantazia to kick things off and they both stunned.

Turn 2 for Jafari saw Destiny and Thornn hit play, while Spears manufactured a Sentinel Mark III. Jafari used Destiny on Trask, and sent Phantazia to take down the Sentinel creator after flipping up The New Brotherhood. Spears reinforced and took 5. Thornn then smashed the Mark III. The score was 47 to 41 with Jafari in the lead.

Spears built a Sentinel Mark II and put it front of the older model. Rogue, Anna Raven made an appearance on the Brotherhood side of the table and Destiny predicted bad things for the Mark II from the back row. The Mark II came in for Destiny and dropped Jafari to 43. The Mark III bashed into Thornn. When the initiative swung back to Jafari, he stunned the Mark II with Rogue, who also stunned. The score was 38 to 29 in Jafari’s favor.

Spears shook his head. “Near perfect draws and this is still (expletive deleted)!”

Spears clucked as Sabretooth, Feral Rage hit the table. Jafari took forever before deciding to discard a Toad. Spears assembled a Mark V and put it in front of his Mark II. Jafari’s Rogue came over for the Mark II and it powered up to a 7 ATK/5 DEF—he had one card left in hand. Spears flipped up a Tag Team and a Cover Fire and used a power up, but Jafari had Flying Kick, and they both stunned. Sabretooth and the Mark V traded, and Jafari decided to recover Rogue.

Spears played a boosted Sentinel Mark V. Jafari felt like the game was slipping away from him and played another Sabretooth, discarding Destiny. The unenhanced Mark V took down Rogue and the tricked out version collided with Sabretooth. This time, Jafari recovered the Sabretooth. Jafari finished the turn ahead, 18 to 22.

“Do you want to go to game 2?” asked Spears as he flashed Jafari a grip full of goodness that included Bastion, Master Mold, and Reconstruction Program. Jafari put down a Blob, but when Spears actually played the Bastion, he scooped.

Game 2

Jafari pushed back his openers and then lead with Thornn. Spears’s Boliver Trask found a Mark V, but he found himself behind the 8-ball when Jafari attacked with the support of The New Brotherhood. Curve Sentinels lived up to its name by producing a Sentinel Mark III. Jafari played Destiny, but declined to use her. Boliver came over and smacked Thornn around, and Spears sent his Mark III after Destiny. He powered up and fetched it with South American Sentinel Base.

Jafari’s turn 3 saw him play Phantazia and a new Destiny. Spears played a Mark II and left it up front, while Boliver guarded the rear. The Mark III was also in the back. Spears prompted his opponent—“No predictions?” But Jafari’s guys were all going on the O.

Phantazia came after the Mark III and Spears double powered up. Jafari flipped a Savage Land and used it. Spears reinforced with his Trask. Thornn took down the Mark II and Destiny went after Trask, but Spears had a power up, so they both stunned all three characters. Jafari recovered Thornn, and Spears recovered the Mark II.

Sentinel Mark V was Spears’s play and Jafari had Sabretooth, Feral Rage, which he put up front with Thornn. When Spears Savage Beatdown his Mark II into the Feral Rage, Jafari just packed up his cards. “Let’s save some time.”