Magic: The Gathering's upcoming set, Reality Fracture, is set to explore alternate realities stemming from Jace Beleren's multiversal meddling. This ambitious set serves as the culmination of a years-long storyline and will feature a notable callback to Magic's history: the Darksteel Angel card, a powerful reimagining of the Platinum Angel.
Principal designer Gavin Verhey recently showcased Darksteel Angel, describing it as "16 years in the making." This new card is an upgraded version of the popular Platinum Angel, retaining its iconic "you can't lose" ability while adding indestructibility and preventing creatures from receiving -1/-1 counters. These abilities are intrinsically linked to the lore of the Mirrodin storyline.
Fifteen years ago, Magic published the Scars of Mirrodin block, which detailed the Phyrexian invasion of the artifact plane of Mirrodin. The block's concluding set, originally intended to reveal the war's outcome, instead presented players with two distinct possibilities: New Phyrexia, depicting a Phyrexian victory, and Mirrodin Pure, where the plane's defenders triumphed. Wizards of the Coast developed artwork and even names for both potential sets, a rare move at the time.
One piece of art from the unreleased Mirrodin Pure depicted a new version of Platinum Angel. While working on Reality Fracture, Verhey rediscovered this art and was inspired to create Darksteel Angel. This card represents an alternate reality where the Mirrodin resistance was victorious. Its abilities reflect this history: indestructibility is a nod to the Darksteel set, and the prevention of -1/-1 counters symbolizes the halting of the Phyrexian assimilation process, known as phyresis.
Darksteel Angel is poised to be a potent addition to Commander decks, but its significance extends beyond its gameplay power. It represents a unique fusion of Magic's lore and game mechanics, serving as a tangible piece of the game's alternate history. In an era of frequent set releases, Reality Fracture aims to engage players by weaving new narratives from the game's rich and complex past.