" Rescue from the Underworld: To the Underworld and Back"

" Rescue from the Underworld: To the Underworld and Back"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.

Growing up I have read the greek myths and was excited about the new Theros block.  Imagine cards based on Greek Mythology! My inner Nerd was raging with glee. One card in particular that calls to my Necromantic heart is the reanimator card "Rescue from the Underworld." It has its origin from Orpheus going to the realm of Hades to regain Euridice his bride. I imagine the setting to be a hero standing on the banks of the River Styx and bribing/tricking the ferryman so that another hero could be released. And it is with this imagery that I begin imagining playing with this magnificent card.

At 5 mana cost with a single black mana added in the mix Rescue from the Underworld is different from most reanimating cards. While most cards in the employ of Necromancers are of the sorcery persuasion , this one is actually an instant. However there are 2 costs in using it. First you must have a creature to sacrifice and must wait until your next upkeep for both of them to return. Yup you read it right , the sacrificed creature and the target creature from your graveyard both return at the beginning of your next upkeep. Now that is actually a great deal when you look at it. All your creatures evade all manner of removal. And come back nastier with a friend in tow...preferably with a nasty comes into play effect as well. Your creatures would just snigger at any form of Mass Removal , even the instant variety Mass Removal since you could cast  Rescue from the Underworld at any given time. 

"Can't bounce , Can't spot remove , Can't mass remove? Now what?"

I imagine being in an EDH game playing a Jarad's Order and getting a Triskelion to my hand and Mikaues the Unhallowed to the graveyard. After playing my Triskelion most opponents are on to the fact that both the Zombie cleric and his pinging buddy should not be able to exist together on the battlefield. For sure when the Triskelion comes into play it is going to be targetted right away. With the  Rescue from the Underworld ( and it goes uncountered)  you are sure to have both of this bloody duo into play by the next upkeep. Your opponents would be pressured to come up with a way to beat you by then. Make sure that you survive. 

On the other hand , if you already have a full graveyard and your opponents are threatening to swoop down on you could cast a board sweeper , use  Rescue from the Underworld to sacrifice one of your big creatures , let us say a Sepulchral Primordial , and on your next upkeep not only do you have 2 of your creatures back but potentially 3 other creatures from your opponents graveyards and with none of them having a defender in sight. We all know what happens in the next couple of turns don't we?

Yup , I believe that  Rescue from the Underworld will make a big impact in EDH as well as in other formats. I look forward to the other things the gods will bestow upon in is Theros. Good times.