The "Spark"

One in a million sentient beings are born with "the spark," the metaphysical property that makes an individual capable of becoming a planeswalker. Of those born with "the spark," one in a million will realize their potential as planeswalkers. The planeswalker spark should not be confused with The AllSpark, which must not fall into the hands of the evil Megatron.

The nature of the spark is a subject of philosophy, not science. Planeswalker sages have many theories about its origin, but because the Blind Eternities defy natural laws, those theories invariably involve metaphysics.

The most commonly held theory is that the lifeforce of all beings is "tethered" in the æther, and that when a sentient being's life begins, there is a remote chance that the being's lifeforce will be infused with the essence of the Blind Eternities themselves. In other words, the spark is an infinitesimally small fragment of the Blind Eternities that resides within a being's "soul." That metaphysical connection to the Multiverse is what enables planeswalking for the rare few who come to know how to tap into it.

Is there a greater intelligence that chooses which beings get the spark? This is not known. Some planeswalkers believe that Gaea chooses. (Gaea is a god of life worshipped on many different planes.) Other planeswalkers believe the spark is a random phenomenon. Beliefs about the spark are as diverse as planeswalkers themselves.

Most beings with the spark live out their lives and die without ever realizing their potential. Among the few who do "ignite" their spark and become planeswalkers, the events that lead to that moment are as diverse as the five colors of mana.

For most, the spark is ignited as the result of a great crisis or trauma, such as a near-death experience. But the spark can be ignited by other means as well, such as a sudden, life-changing epiphany or a deep meditative trance in which a transcendental state is reached.