Magic: The Gatheringis not new to outside properties getting their own cards. FromSpongeBob SquarePantstoThe Walking Dead, plenty of intellectual properties have made their way intoMagic: The Gatheringthrough Universes Beyond. Deadpool seems to be the newest non-fantasy property making its way to the hit trading card game, this time through Secret Lair. The collaboration with Marvel features several cards depicting the merc with a mouth, but one card in particular could be a thinly veiled Wolverine reference.
The bromancebetween Deadpool and Wolverinehas been well documented across Marvel Comics, with the most mainstream example of their friendship being the MCU’sDeadpool & Wolverine,which hit theaters last year. With how much success the film garnered, both in terms of profit and fan reception, it would be no surprise to see more references to the two heroes sprinkled in collaborations. This new Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool collab is no different, though this specific Easter Egg may seem far-fetched to some.
What’s Included in theSecret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool Collab
The Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool collaboration features five total cards, one completely new card and four existing cards featuring the antihero: Deadpool, Trading Card, Deadly Rollick, Saw in Half, Blasphemous Act, and Vandalblast. The reveal of this collaboration has spawned much discussion amongMagic: The Gatheringplayers, particularly aroundhow chaotic the new Deadpoolcard will make future games.
The only feature that could rival the cards’ descriptions in terms of chaos is their art. Surprisingly, the Deadpool, Trading Card is the most tame, simply featuring the costumed mercenary striking a pose with his katanas. Meanwhile, Deadly Rolick shows Deadpool charging into battle on a unicorn behinda combat-ready Cable, Saw in Half shows Deadpool being, well… sawed in half, Blasphemous Act sees Deadpool lying on a lounge chair on a distant planet with a chimichanga and the Infinity Gauntlet, and Vandalblast is the most meta card of the bunch, as Deadpool burns the Black Lotus Artifact card to a crisp using a flamethrower. These four cards stay fairly firm in the realm of fantasy and science-fiction despite their zany designs, but they also don’t seem to reference the legendary Wolverine.
Deadpool’s Power/Toughness May Be an Homage to Wolverine
Ifany card fromMagic: The Gathering’s Deadpool collection would reference the anti-hero’s best friend, it would have to be his own. Deadpool’s trading card, as mentioned, seems innocuous at first. Its bizarre description will certainly make players pause, given that “as Deadpool enters, you may exchange his text box and another creature’s.” The card has drawn shock from players because this ability is a Replacement Effect rather than an ETB trigger. Additionally, removing Deadpool from the field after the card is played still leaves an effect, as the text that Deadpool uses still affects any creatures still on the battlefield. There are other semantics and mechanics that come into question due to the wording of the card, given that it specifically uses the word “Creature.”
Wolverine is Short
Butthe Wolverine referencestill isn’t within the card’s text. Instead, players can find the sneaky Easter Egg present in the card’s Power/Toughness. Deadpool’s Power/Toughness has a score of 5/3. The mercenary’s toughness may not be stellar, but considering how aggressive the card is, this score makes sense. It makes even more sense to Marvel Comics fans, who can easily tie the numbers five and three with Wolverine’s height.
Though he may be little, he is fierce.Wolverine’s canon heightis a staggering five feet and three inches. Deadpool’s Power/Toughness ratio can easily be justified to the 5/3 number, but it’s much more fun to link the figure with his very best friend. After all,Magic: The Gatheringhas hidden Easter Eggs in cards in the past, it would make perfect sense for the trading card game to reunite the two friends in the new Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool collaboration.
