[[quoteright:195:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Time_Spiral_book_cover_2955.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:195:[-You may recognize this art from [[http://magiccards.info/ts/en/184.html Undying Rage]].[[note]]That's [[http://magiccards.info/pc/en/162.html Radha]] in the foreground with [[http://magiccards.info/ts/en/83.html Teferi]] behind her.[[/note]]-] ]]

The ''Time Spiral Cycle'' is a trilogy of tie-in novels for ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'''s ''Time Spiral'' block. It consists of three novels, all written by {{Scott McGough}}: ''Time Spiral'', ''Planar Chaos'', and ''Future Sight''.

The plane of Dominaria [[TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed has been through a lot]] over the history of ''Magic: the Gathering''. There have been so any apocalyptic cataclysms across the plane that time itself is destabilizing, and the fabric of reality is tearing. [[http://magiccards.info/ts/en/83.html Teferi]] has discovered that if these time rifts can't be repaired, not just Dominaria, but [[ApocalypseHow the entire multiverse]] will cease to exist. Uh-oh.

Teferi may be an [[PhysicalGod all-powerful planeswalker]], but even he can't stop this threat on his own. Can he muster his allies in time to save... everything?

This trilogy represented a key moment in the ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' storyline. It's the story that [[CosmicRetcon changed the nature of the planeswalker spark]]: after ''Future Sight'', planeswalkers were no longer {{Physical God}}s, and their canonical power level was lowered to the point that they could be printed on cards without [[GameBreaker breaking the game]]. Also, the cycle did its best to [[KilledOffForReal kill off]] or {{depower}} as many of the old 'walkers as it possibly could in order to further pave the way for the new batch.

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!!The ''Time Spiral Cycle'' provides examples of the following tropes:

* AfterTheEnd
* ApocalypseHow: [[ApocalypseHow/ClassZ The entire multiverse is on the verge of collapse]].
* BadassBoast: It's sort of Radha's schtick.
* BaldOfAuthority: Teferi
* BarbarianHero: Radha
* ContinuityPorn: The whole premise of this cycle is to resolve the loose ends left behind in previous storylines and set up The Mending to bring down the canonical power level of planeswalkers, and it's executed with a heaping dose of {{Call Back}}s and {{Continuity Nod}}s.
* CosmicRetcon: The Mending.
* {{Depower}}: At the end, Teferi sacrifices his planeswalker spark to close the Shivan rift.
* DwindlingParty: This is the trouble with using {{Heroic Sacrifice}}s as your main attack plan. Every time they close a rift, they lose an ally.
* TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt
* EnemyWithin: Jeska's struggles with the remnants of Phage that are still left inside her.
* {{Energy Being|s}}: The Weaver King, a malevolent entity that exists in a web of mental links.
* GadgeteerGenius: Jhoira, who is still as skilled an artificer as ever.
* HalfHumanHybrid: Radha, the half-elf, half-Keldon.
* HeroicBlueScreenOfDeath: Teferi, when he loses his spark.
* HeroicSacrifice: This is Teferi's main strategy for closing the rifts. They can be mended, but a planeswalker must give up his or her spark, and potentially his or her life as well.
* IAmNotLeftHanded: Just when Leshrac thinks he's won, Nicol Bolas pulls one of these and reveals [[spoiler:he was only faking his injuries. Leshrac's guard is down and Bolas promptly curbstomps him]].
* KubrickStare: Venser, on the cover of ''Planar Chaos''.
* LateArrivalSpoiler: Teferi loses his spark at the end of ''Time Spiral''. But then again, you already knew that, because [[http://magiccards.info/ts/en/83.html his card]] is an ordinary creature with the flavor text "To save this plane, he must forsake all others." Oh, and it says so right there on the back of the next book.
* MagneticHero: Well, he tries, anyway. Teferi knows he needs the help of other planeswalkers to complete his mission, and he does his best to recruit as many as he can.
* ManipulativeBastard
** Leshrac, in the third book.
** Teferi gets accused of it repeatedly. The other planeswalkers treat him like the second coming of Urza.
* PhysicalGod: Teferi (and the other 'walkers).
* PlacebotinumEffect: Venser has spent years developing a teleportation device that he calls an "ambulator". He finally manages to get it working. And it really ''does'' work, but pretty soon he's shocked when he discovers that, thanks to his latent planeswalker spark, he can teleport just fine without it.
* PowerCopying: Leshrac, thanks to the Mask of Night's Reach.
* PutOnABus: Multani. [[spoiler:After Jeska abuses him to close a time rift, his essence vanishes and only his mask is left behind. He'll re-form, but there's no telling how long it will take.]]
* ReallySevenHundredYearsOld: Jhoira, thanks to her slow-time water, and Jodah, thanks to a dip in the FountainOfYouth.
* RetCon: In case you thought that weirdness in ''Literature/{{Scourge}}'' was canon, Teferi affirms that he has never met this Karona person. Furthermore, Lord Windgrace assures us that Yawgmoth is definitely, definitely dead.
* TrojanPrisoner: Venser and Jodah try to use it to get the ambulator back from Windgrace. (It doesn't work.)
* TheWorldIsAlwaysDoomed

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