<p>The Seal Away will return the creature under its owner's control: a permanent enters the battlefield under its owners control unless specified otherwise.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>610 One-Shot Effects</p>
<p>610.1. A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn’t have a duration. Examples include dealing damage, destroying a permanent, creating a token, and moving an object from one zone to another.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>610.3b An object returned to the battlefield this way returns under its owner’s control unless otherwise specified.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T14:47:59.393Z
2018-06-23T01:36:41.527Z
2020-06-17T09:01:24.697Z
Neil Meyer
<p><strong>Blinking a creature will always return it to its owner's control unless specified otherwise. It does not matter whether or not a previously existing control-changing effect was permanent or time-limited.</strong></p>

<p>There is no fundamental difference between a permanent (Nichol Bolas' -2 ability) and a temporary (Act of Treason) change of control. Both are continuous effects, one with a limited duration, the other without.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>611.1. A continuous effect modifies characteristics of objects, modifies control of objects, or affects players or the rules of the game, <strong>for a fixed or indefinite period.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Either way, a blink ends that effect:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence. [..]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>Unless the blink effect creates its own, new control-changing effect (such as Ghostly Flicker), the permanent will return to the battlefield under its owner's control.</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>610.3b An object returned to the battlefield this way returns under its owner’s control unless otherwise specified.</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-24T10:09:43.947Z
2018-06-24T10:09:43.947Z
Hackworth
<p>Most spells that exile a permanent temporarily, like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bOblivion%20Ring%5d">Oblivion Ring</a> or <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bFiend%20Hunter%5d">Fiend Hunter</a> specify they return the permanent to the owner when the effect ends. Some of the newer ones like <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSeal%20Away%5d">Seal Away</a> do not say they return it to the owner.</p>

<p>Now I know if the permanent had been taken under temporary control from the owner, say <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bAct%20of%20Treason%5d">Act of Treason</a> or <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWord%20of%20Seizing%5d">Word of Seizing</a> the temporary effect ends, and it returns to the owner, but what happens if the effect was ongoing, say it was under temporary control then had <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bGhostly%20Flicker%5d">Ghostly Flicker</a> cast on it, or <a class="mtg-autocard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" href="http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bNicol%20Bolas%2c%20Planeswalker%5d">Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker</a>'s -2? Does the card return to the controller without the "end of turn" effect or does it return to the owner?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T14:13:52.063Z
I think the answer still is back to the owner, but since they don't specify in cases like these, I am not totally sure.
Andrew
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T14:18:44.713Z
Related: https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/42619/does-a-creature-you-own-under-an-opponents-control-count-as-theirs-if-you-seal-a
Arcanist Lupus
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T14:26:57.343Z
Ah, I had thought that "exile until" was a continuous effect, so was looking without success at those rules. But I see now that it's actually 2 one-shot effects.
GendoIkari
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T14:27:47.287Z
It's note clear to me why your answer on that question isn't the exact same as the answer to this question.
GendoIkari
CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-06-22T14:28:21.753Z
Your answer quotes this rule: "returns under its owner’s control unless otherwise specified" and your comment states "they don't specify in cases like these". So, it's not "otherwise specified".
GendoIkari
<magic-the-gathering>
Seal Away and Permanent control
Andrew
# Seal Away and Permanent control

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-06-22)

Most spells that exile a permanent temporarily, like [Oblivion Ring](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bOblivion%20Ring%5d) or [Fiend Hunter](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bFiend%20Hunter%5d) specify they return the permanent to the owner when the effect ends. Some of the newer ones like [Seal Away](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bSeal%20Away%5d) do not say they return it to the owner.

Now I know if the permanent had been taken under temporary control from the owner, say [Act of Treason](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bAct%20of%20Treason%5d) or [Word of Seizing](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bWord%20of%20Seizing%5d) the temporary effect ends, and it returns to the owner, but what happens if the effect was ongoing, say it was under temporary control then had [Ghostly Flicker](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bGhostly%20Flicker%5d) cast on it, or [Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Search/Default.aspx?name=%2b%5bNicol%20Bolas%2c%20Planeswalker%5d)'s -2? Does the card return to the controller without the "end of turn" effect or does it return to the owner?

**Tags:** magic-the-gathering

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I think the answer still is back to the owner, but since they don't specify in cases like these, I am not totally sure.  
> **username_1**: Related: https://boardgames.stackexchange.com/questions/42619/does-a-creature-you-own-under-an-opponents-control-count-as-theirs-if-you-seal-a  
> **username_2**: Ah, I had thought that "exile until" was a continuous effect, so was looking without success at those rules. But I see now that it's actually 2 one-shot effects.  
> **username_2**: It's note clear to me why your answer on that question isn't the exact same as the answer to this question.  
> **username_2**: Your answer quotes this rule: "returns under its owner’s control unless otherwise specified" and your comment states "they don't specify in cases like these". So, it's not "otherwise specified".  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2018-06-22. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

The Seal Away will return the creature under its owner's control: a permanent enters the battlefield under its owners control unless specified otherwise.

> 610 One-Shot Effects
>
> 610.1. A one-shot effect does something just once and doesn’t have a duration. Examples include dealing damage, destroying a permanent, creating a token, and moving an object from one zone to another.
>
> ...
>
> 610.3b An object returned to the battlefield this way returns under its owner’s control unless otherwise specified.


---

### Answer by username_4 on 2018-06-24. Score: 1

**Blinking a creature will always return it to its owner's control unless specified otherwise. It does not matter whether or not a previously existing control-changing effect was permanent or time-limited.**

There is no fundamental difference between a permanent (Nichol Bolas' -2 ability) and a temporary (Act of Treason) change of control. Both are continuous effects, one with a limited duration, the other without.

> 611.1. A continuous effect modifies characteristics of objects, modifies control of objects, or affects players or the rules of the game, **for a fixed or indefinite period.**

Either way, a blink ends that effect:

> 400.7. An object that moves from one zone to another becomes a new object with no memory of, or relation to, its previous existence. [..]

Unless the blink effect creates its own, new control-changing effect (such as Ghostly Flicker), the permanent will return to the battlefield under its owner's control.

> 610.3b An object returned to the battlefield this way returns under its owner’s control unless otherwise specified.


---

