MTG's Lord of the Rings Black Aragorn Polemic Resurfaces with New Illustration

The next MTG set coming out in June, The Lord of the Rings - Tales of Middle-Earth, has been peaking the interest of fans of both franchises alike ever since it was first announced in the beginning of 2023. As the first card illustrations started to be leaked, then properly showcased, fans noticed something different from the previous versions of the legendary tale: Aragorn is shown as a black man in Wizards of the Coast's version of The Lord of the Rings .

The first card shown featuring Aragorn is called Aragorn and Arwen, Wed:

This isn't the only card in the set to feature changes in races of previously established characters, as the card Reprieve also shows Éowin as a black woman instead of the other versions of the character, which show a white woman.

Nonetheless, fans have been debating the issue online, to put it lightly, ever since the first illustrations came out. Now, more illustrations have come out depicting the character in different settings, and the debate rose again.

The argument of "blackwashing" has been brought up, and many references to Tolkien's original words have been remembered, with even the devs being accused of "virtue signaling".

But, fans have also pointed out this is a fictional work, and there are other several factors to consider.

The Lord of the Rings - Tales of Middle-Earth is rumored to be one of MTG's most hyped and popular sets to come this year, perhaps even of the decade. Pre-release prices have only grown since it was first announced and overall, the expectations for the set are gigantic.

The full tabletop release is set for June 23rd.