Both of these players came a long way to be here. Aron’s flight from Utah arrived only an hour ago, and he barely made the tournament. Billy, who has enjoyed some success on the Pro Circuit, came here all the way from Florida. With such significant travel involved for both players, one would hope that this would be a matchup between two top-of-the-line decks.
Billy mulliganed his opening hand, while Aron kept. Aron kicked off the game with Alfred Pennyworth, Faithful Friend. Billy had nothing for the first two turns, but on turn 2, Aron played Bat-Signal to retrieve Lacuna from his deck. She attacked unimpeded, and Aron had the initiative for the third turn in a row. Before playing a resource, he discarded Dagger to search for Midnight Sons. He played the Sons face-down, and then used Alfred to get Enemy of My Enemy. He played the Enemy, discarding Alfred, to fetch Dr. Light, Master of Holograms. Dr. Light put Alfred back into play, and Aron passed.
Billy recruited Quicksilver, Pietro Maximoff. Aron had no attacks, so Quicksilver smashed in to Lacuna. Before the stun, Aron used her ability to fetch a copy of Marvel Team-Up. Lacuna went down, and Billy discarded Mikado and Mosha to stun Alfred as well. Before recovery, Billy flipped and used Slaughter Swamp to get back Mikado. Lacuna was KO’d in recovery.
Billy had the even initiatives; he recruited Sabretooth, Feral Rage. Aron recruited Dr. Doom, Diabolic Genius. With Doom’s effect on the chain, Aron flipped Marvel Team-Up, teaming up Doom and Gotham Knights. He flipped up Wild Ride and attempted to get Boris, Personal Servant of Dr. Doom. Unfortunately, he was not teamed-up with Marvel Knights, so he was forced to get Cloak instead. Wild Ride was flipped face-down with Doom’s ability. Still in build, Aron activated Dr. Light to return Lacuna to play. He set up with Doom protecting Lacuna, and his other two characters flanking Lacuna in the support row. Play moved to Billy’s attacks, and he declared Sabretooth into Dr. Doom. Aron had Reign of Terror to return Quicksilver to Billy’s hand, reinforced, and then let the stun resolve. That was it for Billy’s attacks. Aron activated Alfred to get . . . Quick Kill?! Sabretooth was promptly KO’d, and Billy’s board was suddenly looking very empty. Billy used both a new Avalon Space Station and his previously revealed Slaughter Swamp in recovery, and that was the turn. Billy led 44-35.
Aron had the initiative on turn 5. Before recruiting, he used Dr. Light to return Micro-Chip from his KO’d pile to play. Midnight Sons teamed up Marvel Knights and Teen Titans, and Aron played Wild Ride from his hand to retrieve Garth ◊ Tempest, which he recruited. Aron set up with Lacuna protecting Doom, Dr. Light protecting Garth in the next column, and Micro-Chip in the front of the column next to that. Billy had Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff. Aron declared an attack of Garth and Lacuna into Scarlet Witch. Billy had Insignificant Threat, but Aron had the Fizzle. Billy attempted to play Straight to the Grave, but Billy paid 3 to Garth to Fizzle again. Before the attack resolved, Billy discarded his Mikado to attempt to stun Micro-Chip. In response, Aron played Wild Ride from his resource row, searching out Dagger. He also teamed-up Marvel Knights and Doom. Wild Ride was flipped down with Micro-Chip, and Mikado missed. The attack finally resolved, trading 5-drop for 5-drop, and neither player had any further attacks. After some further Space Station shenanigans, the turn closed with Billy ahead 32-19.
On turn 6, Billy wasted no time in recruiting Sabretooth, Victor Creed in his front row next to Scarlet Witch. Aron’s play was somewhat more complex, and he consulted a judge for a quick ruling on how a card in his hand worked. After another minute of thought, Aron chose to recruit Cloak and Robot Sentry. He played Null Time Zone, naming Blind Sided, and moved to formation. Aron set up with Dr. Light protecting Lacuna, Dr. Doom protecting Robot Sentry, and Garth alone next to Robot Sentry in the support row. Aron chose not to use Dr. Light to return either of his 1-drops to play, instead passing. Billy’s first attack sent Scarlet Witch into Doom. Aron allowed the attack and let Dr. Doom stun without reinforcing him. Next, Billy attacked Garth with Sabretooth. Before the attack resolved, Aron used Lacuna (at the cost of 5 endurance points) to search out another Marvel Team-Up. Garth was reinforced with Robot Sentry, and that was the turn. Aron lost Garth in recovery; Billy led 32-2.
Turn 7 seemed to be Aron’s last opportunity to win, and his chances didn’t look good. Aron seemed to concur. “Crap,” he said as he surveyed his board. Aron recruited Psimon and passed. In a surprise to no one, Billy recruited Magneto, Master of Magnetism in front of Scarlet Witch. Aron shook his head as he considered his attacks. He looked once more at the board and at his endurance total, and consideration quickly turned into concession.
Billy Postlethwait wins!