Magic: The Gathering unearths 18 of the strangest TMNT villains, including a two-headed Pizza Face

In developing the antagonist roster for their latest collaboration featuring the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Magic: The Gathering has ventured far beyond the usual suspects. While iconic foes like Shredder, Krang, and the bumbling duo of Bebop and Rocksteady are naturally present, Wizards of the Coast chose to delve deeper into the franchise’s forty-year history. They’ve bypassed the obvious choices to spotlight some of the most eccentric and forgotten figures from the TMNT rogues’ gallery.

This set presents a fresh artistic take on the brothers while honoring four decades of lore spanning comics, animation, and cinema. For players curious about the deep-cut characters appearing in their booster packs, here is a chronological guide to the obscure villains making their Magic debut.

1984: The Mirage Studios Era

Savanti Romero

Originating in the gritty pages of the original Mirage comics by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, Savanti Romero is a bellicose, time-traveling sorcerer with a caprine appearance. He serves as a recurring metaphysical threat, typically surfacing whenever the Turtles find themselves displaced in time.

1987: The Classic Animation & Toy Line

Groundchuck & Dirtbag, Pizza Face, Lord Dregg, Tempestra

From the height of “Turtlemania,” Magic has resurrected Groundchuck (a mutated bull) and Dirtbag (a mole). Though this pair only appeared in a single episode of the original series, they became cult favorites thanks to their highly detailed Playmates action figures.

The set also features Pizza Face, a character whose origins are as messy as his name. Originally a grotesque chef in the toy line who never made it to the 80s screen, he was reimagined for the 2012 series as a living pizza entity. The Magic card appears to synthesize these versions, even restoring a “second head” that was famously deemed too repulsive for the original 1990s toy sculpt by David Arshawsky.

Lord Dregg, the insectoid warlord who replaced Shredder as the primary antagonist in the later “Red Sky” seasons of the original cartoon, also makes an appearance. While the 1980s version was often criticized, the card art draws inspiration from his more formidable 2012 incarnation.

Rounding out this era is Tempestra, a digital sorceress who escaped an arcade cabinet to battle Leonardo. Her inclusion is a passion project for narrative lead Crystal Frasier, who envisioned a scenario where the Turtles’ after-hours arcade visit is interrupted by a magical storm. In the Commander decks, Tempestra acts as a primary threat, manifesting digital doppelgangers of the Turtles’ various rivals.

1988: The Archie Comics Adventure

Armaggon, Monsterex, Manmoth

The TMNT Adventures series from Archie Comics began as a cartoon tie-in but quickly evolved into a sophisticated, standalone epic. One of its standout creations was Armaggon, a cybernetic shark from a dystopian future who has since become a recurring heavy-hitter in newer comics and shows.

The set also includes Monsterex, a bizarre fusion of classic horror icons—Dracula, Frankenstein’s monster, the Wolfman, and the Creature from the Black Lagoon—born from a mutagen-fueled accident involving a television. Manmoth also joins the fray; while originally a simple mutated caveman, Magic adopts his more recent IDW interpretation as a primordial, godlike being.

2003: The FoxBox Animated Era

Agent Bishop

Agent Bishop represents the cold, calculating side of the TMNT universe. Debuting in the 2003 series, this immortal government operative views mutants as threats to national security. He is one of the few modern characters to achieve a level of narrative importance comparable to Shredder or Baxter Stockman.

2011: The IDW Publishing Era

Old Hob, Kitsune, Madame Null, Koya

IDW’s ongoing comic series is celebrated for weaving every disparate thread of TMNT history into a cohesive narrative while introducing compelling new characters. Chief among them is Old Hob, a cynical, one-eyed cat mutant who founded the Mutanimals. His complex morality makes him one of the franchise’s most layered “anti-villains.”

Other IDW highlights include Kitsune, an ancient Japanese spirit who manipulated the Foot Clan for centuries; Madame Null, the demonic CEO of an interdimensional corporation; and Koya, a mutated falcon who served as the Shredder’s primary aerial assassin.

2012: The Nickelodeon Era

Snakeweed, Humongous Fungus, Squirrelanoids, Dream Beavers

Nickelodeon’s first animated foray brought a horror-influenced sensibility to the franchise. Snakeweed, a botanically mutated informant, was the series’ first recurring original threat. He is joined by the Humongous Fungus, a massive, hallucinogenic mushroom, and the Squirrelanoids—mutant squirrels that pay homage to the terrifying lifecycle of the Alien Xenomorphs.

Lastly, the Dream Beavers—a reimagining of the “Terror Bears” from an obscure 1985 RPG—act as psychological predators. These entities infiltrate the Turtles’ psyches, subjecting them to nightmare scenarios in a manner reminiscent of Freddy Krueger, ensuring that even the brothers’ sleep isn’t safe from their rogues’ gallery.

 

Source: Polygon