Cory started the match by proposing, “Okay, so how about we both trash talk each other all match, and whoever feels worse at the end loses?”

“You want to do this with the hardest deck in the format?” replied Walls.

“So this is a card-for-card mirror?” asked Cory, probing for information.

Gabe lost the coin flip and had the odd initiative—and no recruits to start—while Cory led off with Hope, getting in 2 points of beats in what looked likely to be a rather complicated mirror between two copies of the Justice League of Arkham deck dubbed “The Killing Joke.”

Cory followed up with Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster, then used Straight to the Grave to put both The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero and Slaughter Swamp into his KO’d pile. Gabe had Beetle, Armorsmith to put Deadshot into his KO’d pile and fetch a Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose for the following turn. Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster attacked into Beetle, and it was on to turn 3.

Gabe played an Enemy of My Enemy to find Dr. Light, Master of Holograms, which in turn got back the Poison Ivy he had discarded. Gabe was slowly but surely getting set up.

Cory got back his Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster and recruited a Dr. Light of his own. He played The Ring Has Chosen to find Poison Ivy and tried to bring her back, in response to which Gabe used a second Enemy of My Enemy to find his own Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster; fetched back The Phantom Stranger by exhausting two characters; and used Poison Ivy to find Slaughter Swamp. Finally, Gabe discarded Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to Slaughter Swamp to return Poison Ivy to Cory’s hand before she could be put straight into play. At the start of the day, Josh Wiitanen had guessed that six of his ten opponents wouldn’t be ready for that play. Cory most certainly was not.

Swamp count: 1.

“Man! This deck is a lot worse when you can’t use Dr. Light!” remarked Eisenhard with a wry smile.

For turn 4 he again discarded Poison Ivy, this time to an Enemy of My Enemy for Black Cat, Master Thief. He tried to use Dr. Light again, but was again frustrated by Slaughter Swamp from Walls. Forced to pay resource points for Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose, and with 2 remaining resource points, he flipped the first Justice League of Arkham of the match to force Gabe to discard Beetle, Armorsmith. With five cards left in hand, though, Gabe was a picture of calm. Hope KO’d herself to flip the Team-Up face down, and another one was played by Cory, who again teamed-up, putting a Hard Sound Construct in Wall’s KO’d pile. This second Hope went the way of the first, and then Cory used Sorcerer’s Treasure in order to play another The Ring Has Chosen to make it a three-Hope turn. It was also a three-Team-Up turn, and another Hard Sound Construct went. When the third Hope also ducked into the KO’d pile, Gabe was brought down to just two cards, being forced to discard a Justice League of Arkham of his own. He was able to play a fourth resource, though, with just two cards left. Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster came back, and Gabe played an Archangel, Angel in order to find an X-Corp: Amsterdam. He then boosted out Yellowjacket from his resource row, going down to no cards in hand to find another Beetle, Armorsmith. Dr. Light brought back the Beetle in Gabe’s KO’d pile, then two of Gabe’s characters exhausted in order to get back Phantom Stranger. Beetle found Deadshot thanks to a Phantom Stranger discard, and Deadshot was in turn played. After a minimal attack step from Walls, time was called. It was still turn 4.

Poison Ivy KO’d Beetle to get Gabe to ten cards in his KO’d pile and find a location, then X-Corp: Amsterdam found another Team-Up to make it eleven. Deadshot KO’d Dr. Light, and then Gabe got in for a few more points. Up 46 to 42 going into what would be the last turn of the game, Gabe looked good for the win.

At the start of the turn, Gabe searched up Professor X, Coach with Beetle, Armorsmith. From the bleachers, Nick Little declared, “We’ve got a reader!” as Cory checked out the power of the X-Statix 1-drop. Another Deadshot came out to play, and it looked to all be over. Justice League of Arkham number one from Walls put Cory to five cards in hand, then Poison Ivy fetched Phantom Zone.

Slaughter Swamp again found Beetle, who got Hope. A second Justice League of Arkham made life tougher, then Gabe passed with the declaration, “I’m ready. Fight!”

Cory played a Sorcerer’s Treasure in the hope that he could use his Enemy of My Enemy again, but Phantom Zone from Walls was enough to stop that plan. Cory had to content himself with Hawkeye, Clinton Barton and Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster. Things did not look good for Eisenhard. Gabe used Deadshot to KO Cory’s Poison Ivy, and after a little deliberation, Eisenhard extended his hand.

Gabe Walls wins!