Michael Sewell is a Vs. System player from Nashville, TN who has found himself undefeated and playing at table 1 for the first time in six Pro Circuits. His opponent is Tim Batow, who is known for being the butt for most of his teammates’ jokes on Metagame.com and also for the infamous “Dr. Light Brings Little Things into Play” video that was posted online soon after San Francisco. Both players looked ready to go as the end of Day 1 edges closer and closer.

Michael won the die roll and chose to take even initiatives. Tim led out with Ted Kord ◊ Blue Beetle, and Michael had the same for his recruit on turn 1. Tim attacked into Michael’s Ted Kord, Michael activated his—discarding Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to search for Booster Gold—and then the attack resolved.

Play moved onto turn 2, and Michael recruited Booster Gold, equipped him with Nth Metal, and formed with Booster Gold protecting Ted Kord. Tim followed likewise—with a copy of Nth Metal and all—and it looked like we had a true mirror match on our hands! The change came when Tim played Magical Lobotomy on Booster Gold before passing into combat phase. At the start of the combat phase, Tim paid 4 endurance to turn Magical Lobotomy face down, and after some thought, Michael decided not to attack. Tim attacked with Booster Gold into Ted Kord, triggering the power-up from Nth Metal and Booster Gold’s ally effect. Michael responded with Ted Kord ◊ Blue Beetle’s activated effect, grabbing Cloak of Nabu. Tim then played Magnificent Seven on his Booster Gold to power-up again and draw a card. After this single attack, Tim passed onto the next turn leading 45-43 in endurance.

Tim led off turn 3 with Maxwell Lord, Financier and used his effect to search out a copy of World’s Greatest Heroes. He then equipped Nth Metal to Maxwell. Michael brought Mr. Mxyzptlk back to his hand from his KO’d pile and then recruited Connor Hawke ◊ Green Arrow in his support row. He then flipped World’s Greatest Heroes— teaming-up JLA and JLI—followed by another World’s Greatest Heroes from his hand. Next, he activated Ted Kord to search for an Amulet of Nabu that might go nicely with the Cloak of Nabu he searched for the turn before. Michael chose to form with Connor Hawke protecting Booster Gold. “Before we leave build, I’m going to use Magical Lobotomy on Booster Gold,” Tim said as he flipped Lobotomy face up. At the start of the combat phase, he paid the 4 endurance to turn it back face down and then flipped it again on Connor Hawke. Tim announced Maxwell Lord into Connor Hawke; Michael reinforced and stunned Connor. “I’ll swing Booster into Booster,” Tim declared next, noting that his was 4 ATK / 5 DEF to his opponent’s 3 ATK / 2 DEF because of Magical Lobotomy. Tim finally announced Ted Kord into Ted Kord. The end of the turn saw Tim leading the game 40 to 35.

Michael returned Mr. Mxyzptlk to his hand and then activated Ted Kord ◊ Blue Beetle, discarding Mxyzptlk. While this was on the chain, Michael played Hero’s Welcome from his resource row to search for two copies of Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Thanagarian Enforcer. When Ted Kord’s ability resolved, he grabbed a copy of Helm of Nabu. Michael recruited Katar Hol equipped with all three fate artifacts, and he cycled through the top three cards of his deck as such with Helm of Nabu. Michael formed with Katar Hol in the front row protecting Ted Kord and passed to Tim. Tim played World’s Greatest Heroes from his resource row and followed it up with two more copies of World’s Greatest Heroes from his hand to draw two more cards. “Ted activates,” Tim announced as he exhausted Ted Kord and discarded Mxyzptlk to search for an Nth Metal. Tim recruited his Katar Hol, equipped him with Nth Metal, and then thought over his formation. Tim formed with Ted Kord protecting Maxwell Lord and Booster Gold protecting Katar Hol. At the start of the combat phase, Tim paid 4 endurance to turn Magical Lobotomy face down, bring the score to a close 36 to 35 in Tim’s favor. Michael announced Katar Hol into Tim’s Katar Hol; Tim reinforced with Maxwell and took 4 endurance loss. Michael passed to Tim’s attack step, and Tim announced Booster Gold into Ted Kord—triggering ally effects and all—and added nothing else to the fray. Ted Kord stunned, and then play moved on to the following turn.

Turn 5 was Tim’s initiative. He recruited Fire in the support row and then activated Ted Kord ◊ Blue Beetle, discarding Mr. Mxyzptlk to search for another copy of Nth Metal, which he equipped to Fire. Tim formed with Fire protecting Katar Hol and Maxwell Lord protecting Booster Gold. Michael looked over the board and began to dissect his choices for the turn. He returned Mxyzptlk from his KO’d pile to his hand and then played Hero’s Welcome, discarding Mxyzptlk for the cost along with Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Thanagarian Enforcer. Michael grabbed Oliver Queen ◊ Green Arrow, Hard-Traveling Hero and Oliver Queen ◊ Green Arrow, Emerald Archer and chose to recruit the 5-drop. Michael formed with Queen protecting Katar Hol and Ted Kord the lonely man out in the support row adjacent to Katar Hol. At the end of the build phase, Tim targeted Oliver with his Magical Lobotomy, then predictably paid the 4 endurance to turn Lobotomy face down at the start of combat. At that point, Michael led Tim 31 to 28 in endurance.

Tim declared Booster Gold into Ted Kord and named off all the ally abilities that he was triggering. Michael took 2 endurance from Fire, and Tim’s Booster Gold became a 4 ATK / 4 DEF against Michael’s Ted Kord. Michael activated Ted Kord, discarding UN General Assembly to search out Nth Metal. Michael chose not to reinforce with Katar Hol and took the total 4 endurance loss from the attack, putting him down to 25 endurance. “Right now Katar Hol is a 12 ATK / 12 DEF?” Tim questioned. “Yep,” Michael responded. Tim announced Fire into Katar Hol, and Fire became a 10 ATK / 11 DEF. Tim then flipped and KO’d Kooey Kooey Kooey from his resource row. “I have a response for Kooey,” Michael said as he thought over his possible countermeasures. Michael chose to not respond, and Tim resolved Kooey. Tim then played Magnificent Seven to power-up Fire again and make her a total of 11 ATK / 13 DEF to Katar Hol’s 12 ATK / 12 DEF. Tim then dropped a Trial by Fire from his hand that would make Fire a 15 ATK / 13 DEF. Michael responded by exhausting Katar Hol with UN General Assembly to search for Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Eternal Hero. He then announced a power-up on Katar Hol, discarding the Hawkman he just searched for. This made his Katar Hol 15 ATK / 13 DEF. Tim gave a sigh and said, “Sure, I’ll take 5 and you take 6.”  Tim flipped Magical Lobotomy targeting Oliver Queen and then declared Katar Hol into Queen. “I might have a response to that,” Michael announced as he shuffled through the cards in his hand. Michael flipped a copy of Removed from Continuity in his resource row, targeting Tim’s Fire. Michael discarded a card and got a look at Tim’s hand, which consisted of Booster Gold; Hero’s Welcome; and Katar Hol. Michael removed two more copies of Fire from Tim’s deck. “Let me know if this game is over,” Michael said as he handed Tim back his deck. Tim played Hero’s Welcome discarding the Booster Gold and Katar Hol and searched for two more copies of Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman, Thanagarian Enforcer.

Michael quickly looked down at the board and offered his hand in concession. Tim Batow is the only undefeated player left in today’s tournament, and he says he owes it all to Magical Lobotomy.

Winner: Tim Batow