Riley Akers is from Waterloo, Iowa, a three-hour drive from Minneapolis. I featured Angel in the fifth round of the tournament. Both of these players have two losses, and it’s very likely that they each need to win this game to secure a spot in Top 8. Angel won the die roll and chose to take the odd initiatives. Riley mulliganed, while Angel kept his opener.

Neither player had a 1-drop, and Riley kicked off the game with a turn 2 Elongated Man. Angel recruited Kelex, discarding two Brotherhood characters to search out Lost City. The characters traded stuns. In recovery, Angel discarded the Lost City to an Avalon Space Station to return a copy of Magneto to his hand. Angel had the initiative on turn 3, and he recruited Mystique, Raven Darkholme. Riley recruited Shayera Thal, Hawkwoman and set both of his characters in the support row. Angel traded Kelex for Elongated Man, and then Mystique for Shayera Thal. The players recovered their 3-drops without incident. The endurance totals stood at 43 apiece.

Riley had Katar Hol ◊ Hawkman for turn 4 and set both of his characters in the support row. Angel played Straight to the Grave from his hand, putting Sabretooth, Feral Rage into his KO’d pile. He used his Space Station to return Sabretooth and a copy of Quicksilver, gaining some card advantage. Sabretooth was recruited, and it was on Riley to attack. 4-drop traded for 4-drop and 3-drop traded for 3-drop. Neither player had any additional effects, and the 3-drops were lost. Riley led 36-34.

Turn 5 was Angel’s initiative, and he recruited Quicksilver, Pietro Maximoff. Riley played Enemy of My Enemy for John Henry Irons ◊ Steel, Steel-Drivin’ Man, which he recruited from his resource row in front of Katar Hol. He chose not to replace the resource, and then equipped Katar with Nth Metal. Angel attacked John with Sabretooth, and Riley KO’d Nth Metal to power him up. Angel used another Straight to the Grave to get another copy of Sabretooth, and a Lost City power-up took John down. Quicksilver attacked twice, first getting Katar Hol and then hitting directly for 9. At the end of the turn, Katar Hol was lost and Angel led 34-18.

For turn 6, Riley had a resource and Ted Kord ◊ Blue Beetle. He also recruited another Shayera Thal. Riley flipped three Team-Ups to draw three cards, equipped Shayera with Nth Metal, and equipped John with Flamethrower. He set up with Ted protecting Shayera. Angel used his Space Station to recur Sabretooth, Victor Creed, which he recruited (this effect KO’d his 4-drop). Riley sent John into Sabretooth, and Angel flipped and used Slaughter Swamp to retrieve a power-up. Riley KO’d his Nth Metal to power-up again, but an Insignificant Threat took John off the board. Riley declared a team attack with his remaining characters into Quicksilver, powering-up Ted Kord. Angel had Flame Trap, though, brick-walling Riley once again. Riley, now with a stunned board and a precariously low endurance total, conceded.

Angel Luna wins!