In Invasion, the first Magic set to focus on multicolored interactions, a popular deck type that existed then was referred to as “Star Spangled Slaughter“, centered around the White/Blue/Red card Lightning Angel. The tongue-in-cheek deck name references the connotations that the colors Red, White, and Blue already have outside the game of Magic: the Gathering. That meaning isn’t relegated to only in the United States, either. It is also found in the flags of other countries like the United Kingdom, France, and Russia. Does White/Blue/Red within Magic: the Gathering live up to this “outside world” meaning? I think it does.

Look back to the founding of America, and much of the rest of the modern Western world: The eighteenth century. It was an exceptionally volatile time in Western history. At the beginning of the century, Europe was at the height of the Enlightenment, struck with the belief that all of the laws of man and the universe could be explained through logic and reason. This investigation led to a questioning of the old way of doing things, and towards the beliefs that we still hold dear today of freedom and self-determination. Unfortunately, this change could only come upon through violent revolution. Both the American Revolution and the subsequent French Revolution are direct results of these changes in thought and culture.

How does this relate to Magic: the Gathering? Just look at how each of the colors of White, Blue, and Red fit into these events. The Age of Enlightenment is a decidedly Blue era of Western history. Red is the color of change and revolution. And White is the color of state and society which was the focus of that era.

How about the dual color combinations? Red/White are the colors of militarism, and there was certainly a lot of war going on at that time. Blue/Red are the colors of creativity and unconventional thought. Some of the greatest breakthroughs in Art and Science occurred during this time. Finally, White/Blue are the colors of rules and laws, and there was a lot of ruling and lawmaking going on then too.

White/Blue/Red is about more than just revolution. Revolution alone is solely in the realm of Red. White/Blue/Red is about change with a purpose. White/Blue/Red wants to be a transformative force for good and progress in the world. It’s a rebel with a cause. Many of America’s Founding Fathers fit neatly within White/Blue/Red. Either Thomas Jefferson or Benjamin Franklin could be seen as White/Blue/Red. Jefferson was a true child of the Enlightenment (Blue), a leader and statesman (White), but a proponent of freedom and revolution (Red). Similarly, Franklin was a scientist (Blue), diplomat (White), but had a playful side (Red).

Outside of eighteenth century revolutionaries, the best example of White/Blue/Red I can think of is the Greek goddess Athena. Not only is she the deity of wisdom, but she is also a deity of war. Wise and contemplative when she can be, but furious and courageous when the need arises.

Let’s look at what White/Blue/Red isn’t. What opposes White/Blue/Red? To answer that, look at the color combination excluded by White/Blue/Red: Black/Green. Black/Green is about the cycle of life and death, a wholly terrestrial matter of no concern to the high-minded White/Blue/Red. White/Blue/Red expects its principles to live forever. Sure, it’s all about change, but more at the level of ideas, cultures, and nations; not single organic beings.

I think that these descriptions accurately capture the “feel” of White/Blue/Red quite well. Join me next time, when we explore the combination of Blue/Black/Green…