Backslide

Backslide was released in 2002 as part of the Onslaught expansion for Magic: The Gathering. As a common instant, it was designed to support the set's central focus on the morph mechanic, which allowed players to cast creatures face-down as 2/2 creatures for three mana. The card functions as a utility spell, enabling players to return those morphed creatures to their hands, effectively protecting them from removal or allowing the player to replay them for their alternate morph costs.

The card’s visual identity was established by artist Pete Venters, a prolific illustrator known for his extensive work across the game's early history. Venters focused on capturing the surreal and transformative nature of the morph process, utilizing his characteristic style to depict the mechanical and magical shift inherent in the Onslaught environment. Upon its debut, the card was received as a functional, if situational, piece of limited-format gameplay, typical of the era's common-rarity design philosophy.