Garruk has made his triumphant return to Magic: The Gathering in the new Throne of Eldraine trailer, which features the planeswalker hunter in a prominent role that is only overshadowed by two charismatic gingerbread folk. Throne of Eldraine is Magic: The Gathering's newest set, scheduled for official release in tabletop on October 4, 2019, and it features a brand new world that is heavily inspired by Grimm's Fairy Tales and Arthurian legend.
Not much is known about what Eldraine will be like - it will have some new faerie cards, though not as many as first images may have suggested. There will also be a brand new planeswalker joining the ranks of the Magic multiverse's many wanderers in Oko, Thief of Crowns, whose card Screen Rant was lucky enough to preview at the start of Magic: The Gathering's Throne of Eldraine preview season. Fans previously learned Garruk would be returning in the set thanks to the first chapter of the Throne of Eldraine novel The Wildered Quest being spoiled. Garruk is currently being controlled by Oko, with the latter naming him "Dog" and enslaving him to overthrow authoritarian regimes across the multiverse. Garruk's new card seems to showcase that as well, with his 0 loyalty ability creating wolves and a name in "The Cursed Huntsman" that is extra appropriate for the fairy tale setting.
As if that pairing doesn't sound enticing enough, Garruk also returned in video form thanks to the new Throne of Eldraine trailer, which features the planeswalker barging into a room populated by soldiers and two magic gingerbread folk who attempt to escape the fray with their bakery fresh lives. Unfortunately, things don't work out so well, culminating in a tease that suggests Garruk may be in for a world of hurt thanks to an angry, vengeful gingerbread woman who has lost her love. Check out the trailer here:
Beyond Garruk's return to Magic: The Gathering, the big story here is just how great the production quality of Wizards of the Coast's trailers have gotten. It wasn't that long ago that barely-animated card art was the centerpiece of new set trailers, and in just a few short years, Magic: The Gathering has made the leap to producing charming, fully-animated shorts, likely as a by-product of the game's major splash into the esports scene. It's a welcome change, and one that captures the mixture of whimsy and menace that is present within Throne of Eldraine. Garruk is a planeswalker with an exceptionally dark past, and that's hinted at here in the music and the way he carries himself, but there's room for some comedy beats and gingerbread character development, too.
Whether Wizards of the Coast intended to or not, Garruk's long absence away from the story after the Chain Veil's curse befell him and he was driven mad from decay has made him one of the most intriguing characters in all of Magic: The Gathering. That's also putting a lot of weight on his personal narrative, though - after that much time away, fans will be keen on learning a lot about Garruk's current situation, as well as eager to include him in their new Standard decks now that he's been featured on such a powerful card. Luckily for all involved, he seems to be tied pretty heavily to Oko, a planeswalker that figures heavily into Throne of Eldraine's story and is already a favorite among Magic: The Gathering players. Well, it's lucky for most involved - we're fairly certain Garruk wouldn't consider his new situation particularly fortunate, if he was capable of assessing it.