Cockatrice

The Cockatrice card was first introduced in the 1993 Alpha set and later appeared in the 1994 Revised Edition, marking a period when Magic: The Gathering was transitioning from a niche hobby into a global cultural phenomenon. The creature itself draws heavily from medieval bestiaries, where the mythical beast was feared for its ability to turn onlookers to stone, a trait translated into the game's mechanics through the ability to tap and destroy opposing creatures.

The art for this iteration was rendered by Jesper Myrfors, the game’s original art director. Myrfors sought to capture a classic, illustrative fantasy aesthetic that would ground the game’s early identity in traditional Dungeons & Dragons-style lore. Upon its release, the card became a staple of early green-aligned decks for its unique removal capabilities, though it remains primarily celebrated by collectors today as a quintessential example of the aesthetic that defined the game's first two years.