Deadpool’s Secret Lair Easter Egg: Is Wolverine Hiding in Plain Sight?

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Magic: The Gathering has a history of incorporating external themes into its own cards, ranging from cartoons like SpongeBob SquarePants to series such as The Walking Dead. This trend continues with the entry of Deadpool into the renowned trading card game, arriving via Secret Lair. In this Marvel collaboration, several cards showcase the infamous character known as Deadpool. However, one specific card seems to subtly hint at Wolverine, a possible nod to the latter.

The close camaraderie between Deadpool and Wolverine, often highlighted throughout Marvel Comics, reached mainstream fame through the movie “Deadpool & Wolverine,” released last year in the MCU. Given its impressive box office earnings and positive audience response, it’s not unreasonable to expect further nods to these two characters in future projects. The latest Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool collaboration doesn’t deviate from this trend, although some might find the hidden reference a bit implausible.

What’s Included in the Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool Collab

This collaboration between The Secret Lair and Marvel’s Deadpool offers a total of five cards, one entirely fresh design and four previously released ones showcasing the unconventional hero: Deadpool, Trading Card, Deadly Rollick, Saw in Half, Blasphemous Act, and Vandalblast. The announcement of this collaboration has ignited a lot of talk among Magic: The Gathering enthusiasts, focusing mainly on the potential chaos that the new Deadpool card might bring to future games.

Among all aspects, the art on these trading cards comes close to matching their descriptions in terms of chaos. Interestingly, the Deadpool card is the least outrageous, displaying the masked mercenary posing with his katanas. In stark contrast, Deadly Rolick depicts Deadpool charging into battle atop a unicorn, followed by Cable readying for combat. Saw in Half shows Deadpool being… you guessed it, sawed in half. Blasphemous Act presents Deadpool lounging on a distant planet with a chimichanga and the Infinity Gauntlet. Lastly, Vandalblast is the most self-referential card of the bunch, showing Deadpool torching the Black Lotus Artifact card using a flamethrower. Despite their fantastical designs, these cards seem to avoid direct references to the legendary Wolverine.

Deadpool’s Power/Toughness May Be an Homage to Wolverine

In a game of Magic: The Gathering, if a card from the Deadpool collection were to reference Deadpool’s best friend, it would necessarily be referring to himself, as he doesn’t have another constant companion. At first glance, this card may appear ordinary, but upon closer inspection, its peculiar description is sure to catch players off guard. The card text states, “When Deadpool enters the battlefield, you can swap his abilities with those of another creature.” This unique ability sets it apart from other cards because it’s a Replacement Effect instead of an Enter-the-Battlefield trigger. Moreover, even if Deadpool is removed from play after the card is used, the text he carries continues to influence any remaining creatures on the battlefield. The wording of the card raises questions regarding other aspects and mechanics due to its specific use of the term “Creature.

Wolverine is Short

However, the Wolverine reference remains absent from the card’s text. Instead, a clever Easter Egg has been subtly incorporated into the card’s Power/Toughness values. Deadpool’s Power/Toughness is 5/3, which might not seem exceptionally tough, but given the card’s aggressive nature, this combination fits perfectly. This arrangement carries additional significance for Marvel Comics enthusiasts, as the numbers five and three are reminiscent of Wolverine’s height in the comics.

Despite his small stature, he’s incredibly fierce. Wolverine stands tall at 5 feet and 3 inches, but when considering his strength, the number 5/3 fits perfectly. However, it’s more engaging to associate this ratio with his closest companion. Given that Magic: The Gathering has previously hidden Easter Eggs in cards, it seems fitting that this trading card game would reunite these two friends for the new Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool collaboration.

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2025-04-07 20:34