Heliod, the Radiant Dawn // Heliod, the Warped Eclipse

Heliod, the Radiant Dawn // Heliod, the Warped Eclipse was released as part of the March of the Machine set in 2023, serving as a pivotal figure in the narrative conclusion of the Phyrexian invasion of the Magic: The Gathering multiverse. This card represents the corruption of the Therosian god of the sun, Heliod, who is captured and compleated by the Phyrexians, transforming from a guardian of righteousness into a twisted harbinger of darkness. The design choice to use a double-faced card mechanic was essential to capturing the duality of his character, physically illustrating his fall from grace.

The card’s artwork reflects the stark transition of the character, with the front face depicting his traditional, golden-hued divine glory and the back face rendered in the biomechanical, monochromatic aesthetic characteristic of the Phyrexian faction. This specific promo variation, designated with the collector number 17s, was distributed through official organized play channels to celebrate the set's release. It was designed to emphasize the high-stakes stakes of the Multiverse-spanning conflict, and the card's complex play mechanics were widely discussed by the player base for their potential impact on Commander and other eternal formats.