I just think that's something that is inherently intrinsic to the BW color combination. Black is all about ambition and being power-hungry, and white is all about order and laws. When you combine those two together for an organization in a set, that organization isn't going to take good care of members it's supposed to be caring for.Sporegorger_Dragon wrote: ↑3 years agoIt's all about the presentation and context, not the heinousness of the act.duducrash wrote: ↑3 years agoI mean, is Stinging Study really worse than Humiliate or Fracture? Shineshadow Snarl states that the Silverquill are corrupt, and it seems like their ultimate goal is to cause pain, suffering, and humiliation against their enemies.
A teenage Rakdos cultist shooting Boros guards with fire? Hilarious!
A teenage Rakdos cultist entering a school and setting kids on fire? That is in extremely poor taste at best, even if the actual act was only implied.
Stinging Study would still be uncomfortable even if there was no blood and there was only a bruise on the hand. And it's always been a real-life problem of people in power abusing vulnerable people under them that should be in their care, whether they be teen idols or gymnasts at a university.
We've seen it with the Orzhov, a corrupt church that collects taxes and lines their pockets while using slavery and torture. The cabal has been depicted in more black cards, but it certainly has some white characteristics. Black and White has a sacrifice theme, and sacrificing vulnerable people certainly isn't take care of them.
Sorin and Kaya are the closest things that we have to heroes that are black and white but they're more anti-heroes that have done disturbing things.
The other issue is black and white is harder to do as fantasy art that won't trigger people personally. As you said, most people haven't seen a loved one being burned alive by a dragon(red), being stomped by a tree(green), and many blue mechanics are so far into fantasy, like counterspells and returning creatures to their owners hands that it would be hard for someone to relate their past trama to. Black and White have angels and demons, but as institutions black and white represent the worst of humanity and therefore will trigger some people. This may be a part of the reason why Wizards has waited so long to do an enemy colored set again. Corrupt governments, universities, and religious organizations that have existed in our world are all Black and White.
I guess Silverquill could have been about necromancy and hanging out with ghosts, or it could have been about transforming yourself into an angel and/or a demon without having bullying or abuse from teachers.