Passing the Torch

Rekindling (Normal Spell)

Special Summon from your Graveyard as many FIRE monsters as possible with 200 DEF. During the End Phase, remove from play all monsters that were Special Summoned by this effect.

When Rekindling debuted in Ancient Prophecy, my thoughts on the cards were mixed. Sure it was a great card for Flamvells—as it was intended to be—but the long term applications of the card were what worried me. As in the case with Lonefire Blossom, the card's potency depended the types of monster it can summon. (That's the very reason we haven't seen many potentially abusable Plants being made after Tytannial.)

In its case Rekindling can turn an empty field into a +4 for the one who plays it. Even with the stipulation of having the summoned monsters RFP during the End Phase, most players opt for spamming the field with Synchro Monsters to solve that problem. Even high level Synchros like Shooting Star Dragon and Red Nova Dragon can be summoned with ease thanks to Rekindling.

But that just where the problem lies. Thanks to Rekindling, the remaining Flamvell support appears lackluster at best. In fact the Flamvells themselves disappeared from the Duel Terminal series up until DT08, where they reemerged as Neo Flamvells only to be eradicated by Trishula. Since then no new support for them has been made.

They say when one door closes, another one opens. So while the Flamvells may have disappeared, their descendants, the Lavals, carry on their will. And a handful of them carry synergy with Rekindling as well. Unlike the Flamvells, which were centered around inflicting effect and battle damage, the Laval focus more on Graveyard manipulation, a strategy they inherited from the late Neo Flamvells. However this fact makes them more suited to work with the few support cards given to the Flamvells. Rekindling, Flamvell Counter, and even Flamvell Firedog can work with explosive results when you look at the all the options the newcomers have.

Laval Volcano Maid (Pyro-Type/FIRE/Level 1/ATK 100/DEF 200)

If there is already a "Laval" monster in your Graveyard when this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can send 1 "Laval" monster from your Deck to the Graveyard.

Laval Lancelot (Warrior-Type/FIRE/Level 6/ATK 2100/DEF 200)

You can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. If you do, this card is sent to the Graveyard during the End Phase. When this card on the field is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, you can add 1 of your removed from play FIRE monsters to your hand.

Laval Cannon (Warrior-Type/FIRE/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 900)

When this card is Normal or Flip Summoned, you can select 1 of your removed from play "Laval" monsters, and Special Summon it.

And that's just a fraction of all the support the Lavals have at their disposal. Looks like I'll be holding on to my copies of Rekindling for a while longer.

Remember players, the game ends with you.