MTG’s Nightmare Planeswalker Rumored for Guest Appearance in Strixhaven

Last updated on February 20, 2026

Seize the Secrets | Illustration by Miranda Meeks

A few days ago, MTG content creator Ben Bateman posted a video to Instagram that featured Magic products releasing in the next six months. Among them is a display for Secrets of Strixhaven, with an Ashiok Funko Pop front and center, which has led to speculation that the nightmare planeswalker might return.

Source: instagram.com

A figure on display is far from a promise of Ashiok’s return—perhaps Wizards just needed to fill a blank space. But it would be appropriate to see Ashiok return as the story of the Omenpaths reaches its climax—they were there at the start, after all.

Who Is Ashiok?

Ashiok's Erasure | Illustration by Zezhou Chen

Much about Ashiok is unknown, from their gender to their plane of origin. What cannot be disputed is that Ashiok lives to inspire fear and spark chaos. They wield nightmarish magic that allows them to plunder the mind of their enemies and bring their deepest fears into reality.

Ashiok debuted on Theros, where they sowed terror among the poleis of Theros, eventually birthing Cacophony, as depicted on Cacophony Unleashed, a monster slain by the god Ephara.

The card Ashiok, Dream Render indicates that Ashiok took part in the War of the Spark, though their role is unknown.

Post-WAR, they returned to Theros and kickstarted the story events of Theros: Beyond Death, when Ashiok tormented the deceased Elspeth Tirel. When Ashiok learned of the Phyrexians from Elspeth’s memories, they planeswalked away to study these haunting creatures—and even gave Elesh Norn a nightmare.

Post-March of the Machine, Ashiok appeared next in Wilds of Eldraine. To protect Eldraine, significant figures had unleashed a sleeping curse that still afflicted many of the planes inhabitants, who slumbered—and were ripe for the picking for the nightmare planeswalker, who could puppet them. Ashiok advised the witch Eriette, only to be driven away by the combined efforts of Kellan and Will Kenrith.

It appeared that Ashiok was also involved in the story of Outlaws of Thunder Junction. At the very end of WOE’s story, Ashiok freed Eriette from prison, and the two returned as part of Oko’s gang, but in a great twist, we learned that Jace Beleren was disguising himself as Ashiok. With this in mind, we have no information on what happened to Ashiok after fleeing Eldraine.

What Could Ashiok Do in Strixhaven?

Archway Commons | Illustration by Piotr Dura

Here we get into speculation as heavy as Ashiok’s return, because we know precious little about the story. It will feature the five students who starred in the Lorwyn Eclipsed story—they were, after all, front and center on the Booster Box art in Bateman’s post—and ECL’s story ended with the promise of Liliana and her colorshifted variant sitting down for tea. The Fomori are probably important. Quintorius returns, and was last seen during Lost Caverns of Ixalan, investigating the Fomori, who have been teased as important to the Omenpaths since Loot.

But none of that touches on Ashiok specifically. Arcavios isn’t even home to a member of Oko’s gang or anybody from Eldraine they would have a grudge on—though the Kenrith twins did study at Strixhaven for a time, and Will drove Ashiok from Eldraine. But that’s a wild shot.

There are two big possibilities, in my mind, for Ashiok’s role, if they return: Either they’re the antagonist of a plot we know too little about to speculate on, or they could serve to connect Secrets of Strixhaven to Reality Fracture.

Could Ashiok Have a Role in Reality Fracture?

We know slightly more of Reality Fracture‘s story than Secrets of Strixhaven‘s, if only because of leaks that revealed mirrored planewalkers with alter egos, and the idea of Jace attempting to remake the Multiverse in his image. We know it to be the climax of the Omenpaths arc, which the story has been building towards since OTJ.

Ashiok might go after Jace for revenge, as they used them as a disguise, but it seems more likely that Ashiok would ally with Jace. A bold claim for a character whose overarching goals are unknown, but Ashiok sows chaos wherever they go. The concept of Hexhaven, a dark alternative to Strixhaven, mirrors Ashiok’s love of drawing out the dark, twisted sides of the psyche. Is an ice-themed Chandra not just that? What could be more nightmarish than meeting another version of yourself, a dark one, an evil doppelganger? Or, even worse, a better version of you? Perhaps Ashiok could even appear as an advisor to Jace, as they had Eriette. The possibilities are endless, but the more I think on it, the more appropriate it seems for Ashiok to return very soon.