Game 1
Angel won the die roll and selected the odd initiatives. Both players kept their opening four. Angel had nothing for the first turn, while Alec recruited a King Snake. The Snake got in for 2 on an uncharacteristically uneventful first turn. Both players passed on the second turn, and King Snake hit for another 2. Angel finally hit a drop on turn 3, recruiting Mystique, Raven Darkholme. Alec played Secret Origins, discarding Golden Archer to get Black Panther, King of Wakanda. The Panther searched out Advanced Hardware, and Alec set up with the King protected. Angel attacked the Panther and powered-up. Alec made use of the hardware to hit Angel for 3. He Mega-Blasted King Snake, allowing it to attack directly for 6. In recovery, Angel flipped and used Avalon Space Station. No characters were lost, and Alec maintained a lead of 42-34.
Turn 4 was Alec’s initiative, and the turn his deck often tried to take the game. He recruited Golden Archer, protected it with King Snake, and passed. Angel had Sabretooth, Feral Rage and kept both of his characters in the front. In combat, Alec sent King Snake after Mystique with help from a Flying Kick. Angel powered-up three times, but Alec had another Flying Kick. Black Panther attacked Sabretooth, and Angel made use of Insignificant Threat to stun the attacker. In recovery, Alec played Die for Darkseid!, KO’ing his King Snake to hit Angel for 4. He also played Enemy of My Enemy to retrieve a copy of Firestar, Hellion. Finally, Golden Archer was activated to hit Angel for another 4. No additional characters were lost, and the endurance totals in recovery were 38-19.
Before the draw on turn 5, Alec activated Golden Archer to hit Angel for another 4. Angel drew and played Straight to the Grave to get Scarlet Witch, Wanda Maximoff into his KO’d pile. His Space Station returned the 5-drop, and he recruited her. In response, Alec activated Black Panther to burn Angel for another 3. Angel set up with Sabretooth protecting Scarlet Witch, and then passed. Alec, rather than recruiting Firestar, under-dropped with Chomin and Fiero in the concealed area. He left Black Panther protecting Golden Archer, and passed back. Angel attacked Scarlet Witch into Black Panther, and the 3-drop was stunned. Angel passed on further attacks, as did Alec. He activated Fiero, used Chomin, and revealed another Die for Darkseid!, reducing Angel to -2 endurance.
Game 2
Angel selected the odd initiatives again, and both players mulliganed. Angel had no 1-drop, while Alec played Ape X, Xina. The Ape searched out a Thunder Jet, and Alec recruited it to the 1-drop before sending it in for 3. On turn 2, Alec recruited Electric Eve with Advanced Hardware and hid her behind Ape. Angel recruited Kelex, discarding two copies of Sabretooth, Feral Rage to search up Avalon Space Station. In combat, Alec sent Eve into Kelex. Before the stun resolved, Angel flipped Total Anarchy. Both characters KO’d, and Alec attacked directly with Ape. Alec led 49-40.
Turn 3 was Angel’s initiative, and he used his Avalon to return and re-play his Kelex. This time, he used it to search for Lost City. Alec played Wild Ride to search for Black Panther, which he recruited. The Panther got a Flamethrower, and Alec pushed both of his characters to the front. It was on Angel to attack, and he made the only one he could—Ape and Kelex traded stuns and were KO’d. Alec’s Panther attacked for 9 into Angel’s empty board, and that was the turn. Alec widened his lead, which now stood at 43-29.
On turn 4, Alec led off with Enemy of My Enemy for Fiero. Alec recruited Golden Archer behind Panther instead, though, and passed. Angel had his Sabretooth, and passed back. For his first attack, Alec sent Golden Archer into Sabretooth. Angel had a Lost City power-up. Alec, noting two copies of Sabretooth in the KO’d pile, allowed the stun. Alec passed, and Angel attacked Black Panther with Sabretooth. An Avalon-aided power-up halted the stunback. Alec used Flamethrower and then played another Wild Ride] to get a power-up. This time, Angel allowed the stunback, and the Panther was KO’d. In recovery, Alec still led 24-20.
Turn 5 was Angel’s initiative. He had Quicksilver, Speed Demon. Alec went into the tank and came out with both Fiero and Chomin. Surprise Attack hit Angel for 5, and Alec allowed Angel to attack. He sent Sabretooth into Golden Archer with a Lost City power-up. Alec activated Fiero, stunned his Fiero with Chomin, and played Die for Darkseid! from his hand to KO Chomin and hit Angel for another 4. Golden Archer activated to burn Angel for 6, and Golden Archer was stunned. Quicksilver attacked twice into an empty board—more than enough to clinch the game for Angel.
Game 3
Alec selected the odd initiatives, and both players kept. Alec led off with Ape X, Xina, searching for Advanced Hardware. Angel had no play. The Ape was Flying Kicked and Angel took 4. Angel again hit his turn 2 Kelex, searching out Slaughter Swamp. Alec recruited Chomin in the visible area and gave Ape X the Advanced Hardware. Angel attacked Ape and flipped his Anarchy. Alec burned him for 3 and played Die for Darkseid! with the Anarchy’s effect on the chain. Chomin attacked directly for 2, and that was the turn. Alec led 47-33.
Turn 3 was Alec’s initiative, and he had his Black Panther. The Panther received a Flamethrower, and Alec passed. Angel used an Avalon Space Station to recur a discarded Quicksilver, Pietro Maximoff, which he recruited in the support row. Alec attacked Black Panther into Quicksilver, and Angel didn’t have the power up. Quicksilver was stunned and then KO’d. Chomin attacked directly with a Mega-Blast, bringing the endurance score to 47-21 in Alec’s favor.
Angel had Sabretooth, Feral Rage for the fourth turn, while Alec recruited another Ape X. It searched out another Flamethrower, and Alec equipped it to the Ape. A Ratcatcher received another Advanced Hardware to use up the last of Alec’s resource points. He set up with Panther protecting Ratcatcher and Ape protecting Chomin. Angel sent Sabretooth into Panther with a power-up. He had forgotten to flip his Lost City, though, so he was forced to flip it and power-up again to prevent his Sabretooth from stunning back. Alec burned Angel for 5, and Black Panther was KO’d. Alec exhausted Ape X and Ratcatcher to hit Angel for another 8, then thought for a minute. He finally decided to pass, and he led 33-7 as the players recovered.
Alec had the initiative on what would almost certainly be the final turn, and he began with a Surprise Attack. He recruited Golden Archer, and Angel had responses. He played Flame Trap from his hand, and Alec responded by burning Angel for 8. He had Chomin stun Ape X, hitting both players for an extra point, and then allowed the Flame Trap to resolve. Ratcatcher hit Angel for a total of 3 points on his way out. Golden Archer entered play, and Alec left his remaining resource point unspent. Angel recruited Quicksilver, Speed Demon and passed. Predictably, Alec declared no attacks. When Quicksilver attacked Golden Archer, Alec activated to burn Angel for 5. Sabretooth attacked directly, and Quicksilver attacked directly again, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Alec Ruden wins and advances to the finals!