Analyzing the legendary creatures from MTG’s Homelands set and their potential return in March of the Machine
The Homelands Legacy and March of the Machine
Magic: The Gathering’s lead designer Mark Rosewater has released his characteristic teasers for the upcoming March of the Machine expansion, sparking intense speculation within the community about which legendary character might make a surprising comeback.
While many contemporary MTG enthusiasts have never experienced Homelands firsthand, this 1995 expansion maintains its notorious reputation as one of the most disappointing sets in the game’s three-decade history. Veteran players recall the collection’s underwhelming mechanics and largely unplayable card roster with particular disdain.
The imminent March of the Machine release introduces innovative tag-team legendary cards, featuring iconic characters from across Magic’s multiverse uniting against the Phyrexian threat. This new card type represents a significant evolution in MTG’s design philosophy.
Rosewater’s traditional pre-release blog teasers contained one particularly intriguing hint that captured community attention:
“A legendary creature returns not seen since Homelands.”
This cryptic statement has ignited widespread debate among players attempting to identify which Homelands-era character might reappear after nearly three decades of absence from the game.
Analyzing the Homelands Legendary Creatures
Reddit discussions have evolved into sophisticated analyses combining lore examination and reprint history, with participants meticulously identifying characters absent since their original 1995 printing.
While the ultimate answer remains unknown, Autumn Willow stands as the most probable candidate among Homelands’ limited roster of memorable cards.
Among the complete legendary creature list from Homelands, only Baron Sengir and the relentless Eron have received character reappearances in subsequent sets, with their most recent appearances in Commander Legends (2020) and Time Spiral (2006) respectively.
Current community theories consistently point toward Autumn Willow due to her significant lore implications. As forest avatars within MTG’s cosmology represent immensely powerful entities, Autumn Willow’s status as the spiritual embodiment of woodland realms makes her narratively compelling despite her original card’s mechanical shortcomings.
MTG’s Lead Designer addresses Universes Beyond fatigue: “We have to be careful”
Lead Magic: The Gathering dev is hoping for a Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 collab
Vanguard Exiles: Early Access, trailers & everything we know
Her narrative significance positions Autumn Willow as both a strategically logical choice for powerful character alliances and, crucially, one of the few Homelands legends likely to have survived the intervening centuries.
MTG’s established lore suggests most mortal characters from the Homelands era would have naturally expired over time, making elderly figures like Hazduhr the Abbot particularly improbable returnees given their advanced age even during their original appearance.
Top Contenders for the Return
The community has developed an amusing consensus that Homelands’ notorious quality issues should be represented by an appropriately underwhelming card, with Joven emerging as the humorous favorite.
Joven’s original incarnation featured a disappointing 3/3 stat line for five mana (3RR) alongside an ability requiring three red mana and tapping to destroy non-creature artifacts—a mechanically cumbersome effect that rendered the card virtually unplayable even during its initial release period.
This card represented poor value proposition even during Magic’s early years and has aged exceptionally poorly by contemporary standards. While not technically the absolute worst card in MTG history, Joven perfectly exemplifies the design philosophy shortcomings that made Homelands so universally criticized.
The concept of Joven forming a tag-team partnership, despite plausible canonical demise, to combat the Phyrexian artifact threat presents intriguing narrative possibilities.
Alternative resurrection possibilities exist through Teferi’s temporal manipulations during Dominaria United, potentially allowing any Homelands character reappearance regardless of mortality status.
However, the current narrative’s Realmbreaker arc—featuring a colossal world-tree fracturing dimensional barriers throughout the multiverse—creates conditions where Autumn Willow could naturally emerge through planar rifts without requiring convoluted resurrection mechanics.
Strategic Insight: For collectors, monitoring price movements on original Homelands legends could provide early indication of which character will return. Autumn Willow’s original printing has already seen slight market activity following the teaser announcement.
Gameplay Impact and Collection Strategies
Common Pitfall to Avoid: Don’t overinvest in Homelands singles based solely on speculation. While some cards may see temporary price spikes, modern reprints typically feature updated mechanics and superior card quality, reducing long-term demand for original printings.
Advanced Player Tip: If Autumn Willow returns, watch for potential synergy with existing forest-matters commanders like Titania, Voice of Gaea or the newly emerging Phyrexian-focused strategies. Her original shroud ability would likely receive a modernized update.
Collection Strategy: Focus acquisition efforts on moderately played copies of potential returnees rather than mint condition cards. The reprint will satisfy most players’ needs, leaving only budget-conscious collectors and completionists seeking original versions.
The return of any Homelands legendary represents a significant moment for MTG’s historical narrative, bridging three decades of game development while acknowledging the game’s complex evolution in design philosophy and player expectations.
If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » MTG head confirms character from Magic’s worst set Homelands is returning Analyzing the legendary creatures from MTG's Homelands set and their potential return in March of the Machine