Agadeem's Awakening // Agadeem, the Undercrypt

Agadeem's Awakening was released in 2020 as part of the Zendikar Rising expansion for Magic: The Gathering. It belongs to a cycle of mythic rare double-faced cards that feature a powerful spell on the front face and a utility land on the back, providing players with increased strategic flexibility during gameplay. This design choice was intended to mitigate the common frustration of drawing too many lands in the late game or not enough in the early stages, effectively acting as both a resource and a late-game win condition.

The card was illustrated by Johannes Voss, whose work is known for its ethereal and atmospheric quality. In this piece, Voss captures the grim, necromantic essence of the Undercrypt, using a dark and brooding color palette that aligns with the set's exploration of Zendikar’s perilous, dungeon-like environments. The card was well-received by the competitive community for its versatility, finding a permanent home in various black-aligned decks across multiple formats due to its ability to recur multiple creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield.