We're just two matches away from finding a winner for this unpredictable Melbourne $10K. Darryn, piloting TFH's very successful "Eat Kree . . . Or Die!" build, shut down Matt Barton's deck (with a little help from Slaughter Swamp) in the quarters. Meanwhile Randall "Speedy" Hughes snail-paced himself into another victory (time-warning included) with his "Lost In Space" build, taking out Paul Van Der Werk's teched-out Kent Farm deck.

Since, both Kakarot and Darryn are playing identical builds, we elected to cover the “Lost in Space” matchup this time. If you are interested in the "Eat Kree . . . or Die!" matchup versus Good Guys (Kakarot versus Luke, playing on the other semi table), you can find its equivalent in the day 1 coverage (with Enchante Chang of TFH also playing the build in his match against Luke Bartter).

But we digress! Time to get back to the action! Sitting at the feature table, we have Darryn Ying, and "Speedy" Hughes.

Randall is from Sydney. Darryn is from EnZid.

Randall is renowned for his laid-back play speed. Darryn is playing a Kree weenie rush.

Randall has a belly fully of vegemite. Darryn has a deck full of San.

Can Randall take his unusual Secret Society build to the finals? Or will he be stopped short by first-time $10K Top 8-er Darryn and his Kree assault?

Some mind games ensue, as Randall opts to let Darryn choose the initiative. Everyone around the table is thinking the same thing: "What the . . . !?"

Turn 1

Randall kept an opening hand of Ape X, Dr. Light, Master of Holograms, Deadshot, Floyd Lawton, and a second Deadshot, Floyd Lawton.

Darryn kept an opening hand of San, Lieutenant Kona Lor, Dr. Light, Master of Holograms, and Penal Colony,

Ape X came out for Randall, who tutored for a copy of Helm of Nabu. The Sydney player elected not to recruit the Fate Artifact and, when Darryn had no recruit, the simian snuck in for 1 endurance.

Endurance:

Randall: 50

Darryn: 49

Turn 2

San came down for Darryn in the hidden area, and the Inhuman searched out a copy of Stargate, which was placed on the top of his deck. Deadshot, Floyd Lawton came out for Randall who received Helm of Nabu and Amulet of Nabu. The Secret Society character became a 6 ATK/3 DEF and Randall milled through his deck a little with the Helm's ability (discarding Mikado and Mosha, and The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero).

San swung into the front row Ape for 2 endurance and then Deadshot attacked directly for 6.

Endurance:

Randall: 48

Darryn: 43

Turn 3

During the resource step, Randall played a copy of Straight to the Grave. It found him a copy of Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster and, seeing as he controlled Secret Society, he took the opportunity to thin his deck a little by putting a copy of Meltdown into the KO’d pile as well. Immediately after this, Randall realized his mistake, as he now had no way of putting Ivy into the KO’d pile. Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster was returned to hand at the start of recruit, and then Dr. Light, Master of Holograms joined Randall's front row. Randall then discarded Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to Enemy of My Enemy and searched out a copy of Lex Luthor, Criminal Genius. Dr. Light elected not to activate and the Master of Holograms was placed in front of Ape X.

Darryn had a copy of Dr. Light too, and Darryn used his Stargate to return San to hand (discarding a second copy of San) to find Colonel Yon-Rogg. Light then activated to bring San back from the KO’d pile and the Inhuman searched out a copy of Hala.

Randall's Deadshot attacked into Dr. Light, and both players traded stuns. Randall's Dr. Light then swung in for 3 endurance. When play passed over to Darryn, he declared San into Dr. Light. Darryn used two natural power-ups to bring San to 4 ATK/6 DEF, but Randall had a power-up of his own. Darryn wasn't ready to give up yet, however, and Slaughter Swamp provided him with a third San pump. Randall elected to recover Dr. Light, and Deadshot (and his two Fate Artifacts) were forced to hit the KO’d pile.

Endurance:

Randall: 43

Darryn: 35

Turn 4

Darryn started off with a copy of Dr. Minerva. She revealed a copy of Captain Att-Lass who was then promptly recruited and followed up by Colonel Yon-Rogg. Stargate returned San to hand (discarding Dr. Light) and a copy of Nenora was found. The character was recruited for free and Dr. Light activated to bring San back into play once more, electing to pass on San's search.

Randall flipped a copy of Dr. Fate's Tower (discarding Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster) and searched his deck for Amulet of Nabu. Lex Luthor came down into Randall's front row (with the Amulet of Nabu), and Randall played Meltdown from his hand to replace a resource (clearly trying to find a way to get 10 cards in his KO’d pile). However, when Randall tried to activate the good Doctor to bring Deadshot into play, it was met by Darryn's Slaughter Swamp (discarding his last card in hand — a copy of Kona Lor). Att-Lass swung into Ape X, and the monkey exhausted to Lex Luthor's ability before going down. Minerva, San, and Nenora then exhausted to stun Lex via Yon-Rogg, and Randall was only left with his Master of Holograms. Yon-Rogg attacked into Dr. Light, and Hala forced through some damage as the Kree character was brought to 8 ATK.

Endurance:

Randall: 29

Darryn: 35

Turn 5

Randall played an alternate cost Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth and drew 2 cards from her ability. He then played Deadshot from hand, and exhausted both Frankie and Deadshot to return a copy of The Phantom Stranger to his hand. Randall then played a second Frankie Raye for free, and drew another 2 cards via her ability. Clearly his deck wasn’t being kind to him today though, as he had to pass on his last resource points.

Minerva was returned to hand via Stargate, and when Darryn began to search, Randall knew that game 1 was way out his reach, opting to move on to the second game.

GAME 2

Turn 1

Lockjaw came out for Darryn. He discarded a copy of San to search his deck for a copy of San (to thin out his deck and set up the potential Light/Stargate/San combo). Randall couldn't muster a drop, and Lockjaw was free to swing in for 2.

Endurance:

Randall: 48

Darryn: 50

Turn 2

An always impressive Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose came out in Randall's front row, while a concealed San came out for Darryn, searching out a copy of Stargate.

Ivy smashed into Darryn's endurance while San and Lockjaw team-attacked into the Arkham Inmates hottie. Ivy and Lockjaw traded stuns and it was off to turn 3.

Endurance:

Randall:46

Darryn:46

Turn 3

Stargate started off Darryn's turn with the New Zealand player searching out a copy of Colonel Yon-Rogg (returning San to hand). An Enemy of My Enemy found a copy of Dr. Light and then the Master of Holograms activated to bring San back from the KO’d pile. She found Darren an essential copy of Slaughter Swamp (which was proving the key to the Dr. Light mirror shenanigans) and play moved over to Randall.

"Well, I'm really on the back foot here . . ." muttered Randall. "I may as well do something that I wouldn't usually do . . ." contemplated the Sydney player.

Straight to the Grave sent Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to the KO’d pile during resource phase.

"Meh, this may be the worst play ever," commented Randall as the Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster was then returned to his hand. He recruited a copy of Deadshot into his back row and used his final resource point to recruit Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster. He then flipped a copy of Dr. Fate's Tower (discarding Deadshot) and searched through his deck for Amulet of Nabu. The Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster was then used to KO Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster and a fresh Fate's Tower found Randall Cloak of Nabu (discarding a copy of Poison Ivy, Deadly Rose in the process) — hoping to prevent a repeat of the Yon-Rogg disaster that had occurred in game 1. Ivy then received the Cloak and Amulet of Nabu, and became a very formidable 5 ATK/6 DEF!

It was too much for Darryn to deal with this turn (especially without a way to play key cards such as Live Kree . . . or Die!) and he elected to pass attack. Ivy swung into the Doctor and then Deadshot was able to sneak in for 3 endurance — giving Randall a considerable edge.

Endurance:

Randall: 46

Darryn: 39

Turn 4

Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster was returned to Randall's hand, and then a Helm of Nabu completed the last piece of the Fate puzzle. He drew 3 cards via the equipment and sent Leech, Scarecrow, Fearmonger and Gorilla Grodd to his KO’d pile (hoping to fuel Deadshot, with 6 cards in the KO’d pile currently). He then recruited a second Helm and discarded The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero, Meltdown, and Mikado and Mosha (9 cards in KO’d pile now). Randall then recruited a copy of Dr. Light, and his copy of Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster. The Sydney-sider then attempted to use the Doctor's ability (targeting Leech) and Darryn elected to let the Morlock come into play. A blinged-up Ivy (lookin' sharp Ivy!) protected Dr. Light and play moved over to Darren, with Randall finally making some real groundwork in the match.

Darren activated Stargate to return San back to hand and search out a copy of Admiral Galen Kor. When Dr. Light activated (targeting San), Randall responded by exhausting Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster and Leech to get a card into his hand (via The Phantom Stranger's ability), and then Leech evaded to negate the Doctor's ability (thus discarding The Phantom Stranger). The effect was successfully negated and Darryn had to look for other options.

Kona Lor started off the Press chain, which was followed up with Captain Att-Lass and finished with a Pressed-out San. The 2-drop found a copy of Birthing Chamber and play moved to combat.

With 9 cards now in his KO’d pile, Randall definitely had the potential to lobotomize Dr. Light with Deadshot. That would only leave him with Poison Ivy as an attacker though. He decided to send Ivy into Captain Att-Lass. Darryn elected to simply reinforce with Kona Lor, and the Kree character became stunned. Randall used a copy of Straight to the Grave to bin a copy of Darkseid and Meltdown).

Ivy then KO'd Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to find a copy of Slaughter Swamp, and (now with 14 cards in his KO’d pile) Randall was free to send Dr. Light to the KO’d pile.

Darryn recovered Captain Att-Lass and it was off to turn 5.

Endurance:

Randall: 44

Darryn: 37

Turn 5

Stargate (discarding Bron Char) returned Kona Lor to hand, and searched out a crucial copy of Dr. Minerva. The 2-drop came into play and found Darryn a second copy of Dr. Minerva. Kona Lor followed suit, and Darryn set up for some Press-tastic adventures. Kona's ability forced Randall to replace a copy of Sinister Citadel and then Colonel Yon-Rogg and Admiral Galen Kor filled out the remaining resources. Hala was Terraformed, Birthing Chamber was activated, and it was off to Randall's recruit.

Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster returned to Randall's hand, and then a copy of The Ring Has Chosen found a copy of Frankie Raye ◊ Nova, Optimistic Youth (discarding the Mr. Mxyzptlk, Troublesome Trickster to pay for The Ring). The Herald was played for free and, in a slick play, Randall exhausted both Frankie and Leech to recur The Phantom Stranger, Wandering Hero, who was then discarded to Frankie so that Randall could draw 2 cards. Randall attempted to bring Deadshot back into play but, once again, it was met with a Slaughter Swamp activation from Darryn.

Randall used a Swamp of his own to bring a copy of The Phantom Stranger back to hand, who was then discarded to Enemy of My Enemy to search out Charaxes, Killer Moth. He then used Ivy's ability (KO’ing Frankie) to get a fresh Slaughter Swamp. The Swamp brought a copy of Scarecrow, Fearmonger back to his hand and the Arkham Inmates drop received the full set of Fate Artifacts.

At the start of combat, Galen Kor became a 9 ATK and play passed over to Darryn. Kona Lor bashed right on into Poison Ivy and Randall elected to let them trade stuns (while reinforcing with his back row Scarecrow).

Staring down the barrel of a 14 ATK/13 DEF Scarecrow, Darryn knew that he couldn’t afford to let this attack fail. He announced Minerva and Galen Kor into the Crow, and then Hala ensured that the stun was successful. The Admiral was stunned in the process (with the Crow also gaining a counter) and Captain Att-Lass attempted to swing into Leech. However, Randall had other plans in mind and he elected to evade the Morlock. Yon-Rogg attacked into Dr. Light, and Randall used the last 2 of his 3 cards in hand (Enemy and Charaxes) to search for a Dr. Light power-up. The Doctor was brought to 4 ATK/5 DEF and then, trying to ensure a stun back, Randall used Slaughter Swamp to bring Light to 5 ATK/6 DEF. Successful in his actions, Yon-Rogg was brick-walled and became stunned for 3. The hidden San and Lockjaw team-attacked into the Doctor once more, and the Master of Holograms traded with Lockjaw.

Att-Lass then snuck in for 3 endurance and Randall elected to recover his Scarecrow (with Leech recovering automatically) while Darryn decided to recover his copy of Galen Kor (with Yon-Rogg, Lockjaw and Kona hitting the KO’d pile).

Endurance:

Randall: 29

Darryn: 27

Turn 6

Slaughter Swamp brought Charaxes back to hand, and right into Randall's front row. He thought about moving the Fate Artifacts, but decided that a now 15 ATK/14 DEF Scarecrow (with the potential to get bigger!) was the optimal place for the bling to remain.

A Stargate'd Minerva searched the Kree deck for a copy of Ultimus and then Minerva came out (netting no card for Darryn), followed by a Birthing Chamber activation, a Slaughter Swamp activation to return Kona Lor, to hand and then the Press-splosion was online once again, as Dylon Cir, Ultimus and a crucial copy of Shatterax joined Darryn's veritable Kree army. "Eat Kree . . . or Die!" indeed!

At the start of combat, Scarecrow's counter stayed right where it was, Galen Kor grew to an incredible 11 ATK/8 DEF and Shatterax gave Minerva, Kona, Dylon, Ultimus, and himself a potential +2 ATK (when attacking up-curve).

Fearing a deadly Hala / Live Kree combo, Randall started off his attack by sending Scarecrow into Minerva. The 2-drop was reinforced by Att-Lass, Scarecrow gained a counter and Leech traded blows with Att-Lass. Charaxes smacked into Galen Kor clearly trying to force a reinforce, but Darryn did not take the bait, and elected to let the stun resolve.

(14 to Darryn, 21 to Randall at this stage folks)

Darryn had the crucial copy of The Lunatic Legion and a team-attack (of 18) via Kona and Dylon brought down the Scarecrow.

San swung in for 4 (that’s right kids — all characters get the modifier) and a direct team attack from Ultimus, Shatterax and a Hala activation put the game and match in the bag for Darryn.

Darryn Ying continues to march forth, taking the semis in a 2-0 victory.