Magic: The Gathering has found itself in the center of a major online debate following the reveal that their new line of Lord of the Rings cards will include artwork of the beloved character Aragorn as being a person of color.
The Lord of the Rings is one of the biggest franchises ever. Between the books, movies, and new TV series, Rings of Power, there is no denying that this fantasy series is one of the most popular and beloved of all time.
However, fans of the franchise have hit back at a new piece of artwork from Magic: The Gathering that depicts Aragorn as a person of color. In the movie franchise, Aragorn was portrayed by Viggo Mortensen.
In the books, Aragorn is described in the books as being of Numenorean descent. A group of people within the lore of Lord of the Rings that are described as fair-skinned. However, in a letter, author J. R. R. Tolkien wrote that Numenoreans were “best pictured in (say) Egyptian terms.”
That are so many people crying about this version of Aragorn, saying that they're "corrupting the author's version" and taking advantage that Tolkien's son diedThis is how Aragorn looks in one of the first adaptations of Lord of the Rings, from 1978 https://t.co/L20T2DUUB5 pic.twitter.com/yL4rTkDasL
— Natália Zilio (@Natizilda) May 29, 2023
However, it has never been confirmed if he was referring to the way society operates or if he is describing their physical appearance.
Regardless, fans of Lord of the Rings have taken to Twitter and various other social media platforms, voicing their opinions on the new artwork and its depiction of Aragon.
One user wrote, “To the people so mad about the depiction of Aragorn in Magic the Gathering, I sincerely hope this ruins your enjoyment of both Lord of the Rings and MTG…You don’t deserve either.”
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While another added on Twitter, “I bet the racists that suddenly are super fans and care about the lore accuracy of Aragorn and Lord of the Rings can’t even name 3 of 9 of the Nazgul’s on command.”
Others also pointed out that, during an early animated adaptation of Lord of the Rings back in 1978, Aragorn was portrayed as a person of color.
“There are so many people crying about this version of Aragorn, saying that they’re “corrupting the author’s version” and taking advantage that Tolkien’s son died. This is how Aragorn looks in one of the first adaptations of Lord of the Rings, from 1978.”
However, on the flip side, there are those who are not happy about this new portrayal of Aragorn in Magic: The Gathering.
I'll never support a black Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings on any platform.Reason is I hate your racist ideology and I hate all this racist black-placing white characters or people just for the sake of your twisted Wokester idiotic minds. How about f*** youAnd whatever horse… pic.twitter.com/ABGrM4gJEQ
— Alan the Black (@theBlack4551) May 29, 2023
“Tolkien wrote an explicitly Anglo-Saxon myth for the English people, the way that Germany had the Nibelungen. Aragorn being black—African—is a comically insane betrayal of Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.”
Another also wrote, “I’ll never support a black Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings on any platform. The reason is I hate your racist ideology and I hate all this racist black-placing white characters or people just for the sake of your twisted Wokester idiotic minds.”