“If you went Villains United then you might have me,” said Ryan Jones as he and Michael Sewell sat down and started shuffling their decks. “I just hope you’re not playing all of those KO cards I saw get passed around—even late, in fact.” Michael and Ryan sat next to each other in the draft pod, so they agree that this match should be interesting.
Ryan won the die roll and chose to take the odd initiative, and both players decided to keep their starting hands. Ryan led out with no recruit on turn 1, but Michael had Jakeem Williams, who shot into Ryan directly for 1 ATK.
Michael started turn 2 off with Dr. Psycho, Mental Giant in the front row, and Ryan passed back with no recruit again. “Hit into me some more,” Ryan said as Michael attacked directly with both Psycho and Jakeem, putting Michael in the lead, 50 to 44.
Ryan finally had a recruit on turn 3 with Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl in the front row, and Michael responded with Dr. Polaris, Force of Nature in the support row protected by Dr. Psycho, Mental Giant and adjacent to Jakeem Williams. Ryan declared Kendra into Jakeem, and Michael responded by activating him to search out Wonder Woman, Earth 2. Jakeem went on top of the deck and made the declared attack illegal. Kendra then set her sights on Dr. Psycho, and both characters were stunned. Michael exhausted Dr. Polaris, Force of Nature with Systematic Torture to KO Ryan’s Kendra Saunders ◊ Hawkgirl, and on to turn 4 they went.
Michael recruited Sinestro, Villain Reborn in the support row, and Ryan followed suit with Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Eternal Hero in the support row, looking somewhat down as he passed to Michael’s attack step. Michael declared a team attack with all of his characters into Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Eternal Hero for a total of 16 ATK. Ryan responded by playing Living Legacy, exhausting Katar Hol to search for another Katar Hol. The attack resolved with both Sinestro and Katar Hol stunning, and now the score had Michael winning 40 to 34. Michael played No Mercy returning Dr. Psycho, Mental Giant to his hand to KO Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Eternal Hero, leaving Ryan’s board empty yet again. During the recovery phase Michael flipped House of Secrets and discarded Jakeem Williams to gain 2 endurance and make the score 42 to 34.
Ryan looked over his hand on turn 5 and eventually decided to recruit Annihilation Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot in the support row. “Good play,” Michael said as he flipped up Coercion revealing Wonder Woman, Earth 2 to team-up JSA and Villains United. Michael recruited Wonder Woman, Earth 2 in the front row protecting Dr. Polaris, Force of Nature and passed into Ryan’s attack step. Ryan declared an attack with Annihilation Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot on Dr. Polaris, Force of Nature, and Michael responded with Baddest of the Bad, returning Dr. Polaris back to his hand to search for Alexander Luthor, Diabolical Double. Ryan then announced Annihilation Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot into Sinestro, Villain Reborn, stunning both characters in the process. Michael then declared Wonder Woman into Ryan for 10 ATK, bringing the score to 34 to 19 in Michael’s favor.
Michael recruited Alexander Luthor, Diabolical Double into his front row protecting Sinestro, Villain Reborn and drew two cards. Michael then equipped Sinestro with Amulet of Nabu and Wonder Woman with Tricked-Out Sports Car, exhausting House of Secrets to play it for free. Ryan countered by recruiting Power Girl, Earth 2 in the support row and formed with Annihilation Protocol ◊ OMAC Robot protecting Power Girl. Michael declared a team attack with Wonder Woman and Sinestro into Ryan’s Power Girl; Ryan then just put out his hand in concession.
Michael Sewell could be well on his way to his first Pro Circuit Top 8.
Winner: Michael Sewell