Sol RingSol Ring | Art by Mike Bierek 

Today we're taking a trip down memory lane. In fact, as we get closer and closer to the end of the first quarter of the 21st century, I thought it would be interesting to go back to the commanders printed in each of these 25 years to see which ones take the crown as best of their own year.

Now, these will be my personal opinions, so while they'll be mainly based on the sheer power level of the cards. I may also take into account personal preference whenever I can't pick one card over another. So if you have different ideas on which commanders should represent certain years, make sure to let me know in the comments!

Now, without further ado, let's start our time travelling shenanigans.

2000: Empress GalinaEmpress Galina

Honorable mentions: Captain SisayCaptain Sisay, Hanna, Ship's NavigatorHanna, Ship's Navigator.

Right off the bat, I had to choose according to my personal taste.

On one hand, Empress GalinaEmpress Galina can permanently steal any legendary permanent on the battlefield, which also means no commander is safe if she's in play. This puts a giant target on its head, but you'll always have all the mono-blue tools at your disposal to protect it.

Captain SisayCaptain Sisay, on the other hand, can be an extremely powerful toolbox commander that can tutor legendary silver bullets whenever needed. The biggest drawback of this strategy is that you have to spend four mana on a 2/2 that has to untap to become relevant.

In the end, the first option gets the upper hand: While telegraphed and predictable, Empress GalinaEmpress Galina's strategy requires your opponents to answer it bypassing the inevitable counterspells that will come from the mono-blue player's side.

2001: Braids, Cabal MinionBraids, Cabal Minion

Honorable mentions: Ertai, the CorruptedErtai, the Corrupted, Seton, Krosan ProtectorSeton, Krosan Protector.

2001 is a pretty scarce year both in terms of numbers of legendary creatures and the quality of said creatures.

Ertai, the CorruptedErtai, the Corrupted can be an interesting draw-go control commander, while Seton, Krosan ProtectorSeton, Krosan Protector is the hipster of Elves commanders, considering that the vast majority of them are also Druids.

In the end, Braids, Cabal MinionBraids, Cabal Minion takes the crown. It isn't by any means the most fun design ever, but it sure is powerful. Of course, it needs to be cast as fast as possible to have any meaningful impact on the game, and may thus lead to non-playable scenarios for our opponents, but the combination of power and somewhat original design makes me believe it deserves this spot.

2002: Chainer, Dementia MasterChainer, Dementia Master

Honorable mention: Arcanis the OmnipotentArcanis the Omnipotent

This year was even tougher to tackle due to the complete lack of options.

Still, Chainer, Dementia MasterChainer, Dementia Master is a pretty neat Reanimator commander which can start bringing creatures back from the graveyard as soon as it hits the battlefield. It's also part of some infinite loops with K'rrik, Son of YawgmothK'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth, but I'm not really taking this into account. I just think it's interesting to see how some cards can gain longevity as interactions sprout from newer cards.

2003: Sliver OverlordSliver Overlord

Honorable mentions: Bladewing the RisenBladewing the Risen, Bosh, Iron GolemBosh, Iron Golem, Karona, False GodKarona, False God.

2003 really surprised me, because it can only count on eight different commanders, but almost all of them are at least solid.

In particular, Bladewing the RisenBladewing the Risen can be a good Dragon typal commander (and it also creates infinite loops out of nowhere due to its wording), Bosh, Iron GolemBosh, Iron Golem is a good option for mono-red artifact decks, and Karona, False GodKarona, False God can have its niche for a pentacolor typal deck with no other options.

Nonetheless, Sliver OverlordSliver Overlord stands above all of them. More than 20 years have passed, but it is still a premiere Sliver commander. The ability to fetch whatever creature you need for as cheap as is crucial, especially when we're talking about Slivers and their infamous abilities!

2004: Marrow-GnawerMarrow-Gnawer

Honorable mentions: Azami, Lady of ScrollsAzami, Lady of Scrolls, Azusa, Lost but SeekingAzusa, Lost but Seeking, Godo, Bandit WarlordGodo, Bandit Warlord, Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker, the five Dragon Spirits

Only one year passed, but the number of legendary creatures skyrocketed from 2003's eight to 2004's 52, and do you know who is responsible for this? Well, I only have one word for you: Kamigawa.

Kiki-Jiki, Mirror BreakerKiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker and Azusa, Lost but SeekingAzusa, Lost but Seeking are cross-format all-stars that shine more in the 99 rather than at the helm of their own decks; Godo, Bandit WarlordGodo, Bandit Warlord used to be a powerhouse in cEDH and Azami, Lady of ScrollsAzami, Lady of Scrolls too had its fair share of success.

The title this time goes to Marrow-GnawerMarrow-Gnawer because, while slightly sub-par due to its mana cost, it's still a very flexible commander in terms of power-level. It's strong enough to keep up with newer cards, but it can also be tuned down to match lower brackets.

2005: Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerShirei, Shizo's Caretaker

Honorable mentions: Higure, the Still WindHigure, the Still Wind, Ink-Eyes, Servant of OniInk-Eyes, Servant of Oni.

Another year, another trip to Kamigawa, another huge batch of commanders.

This time the quality wasn't as good, but we still got a good Ninja commander in HigureHigure and another powerful mono-black option with Ink-EyesInk-Eyes

Nonetheless, Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerShirei, Shizo's Caretaker is the one that better fared the passage of time, considering it's constantly improving as smaller creatures get more and more powerful.

2006: Zur the EnchanterZur the Enchanter

Honorable mentions: Arcum DagssonArcum Dagsson, Darien, King of KjeldorDarien, King of Kjeldor, Grand Arbiter Augustin IVGrand Arbiter Augustin IV, Momir Vig, Simic VisionaryMomir Vig, Simic Visionary, Scion of the Ur-DragonScion of the Ur-Dragon, Teferi, Mage of ZhalfirTeferi, Mage of Zhalfir.

This was yet another stacked year, with a ton of honorable mentions and whole bunch of other cards that barely didn't make the list.

Many of these commanders do feel a bit outdated now but, for example, Grand Arbiter Augustin IVGrand Arbiter Augustin IV is still the scourge of lower power-level tables. In any case, considering how these creatures shaped the format we play today, I though it would have been unfair to leave them out of the list.

Among all of them, Zur the EnchanterZur the Enchanter is the one who has still remained at the top of the game, mostly thanks to the generous contribution of NecropotenceNecropotence and Rhystic StudyRhystic Study, but also because its triggered ability is inherently powerful.

2007: Sliver LegionSliver Legion

Honorable mentions: Doran, the Siege TowerDoran, the Siege Tower, Jhoira of the GhituJhoira of the Ghitu.

2007 brought us back to Earth with a not-so memorable year.

Still, we got the progenitor of toughness-matters decks in Doran, the Siege TowerDoran, the Siege Tower and a fun-but-clunk strategy revolving around impending threats with Jhoira of the GhituJhoira of the Ghitu.

In the end, yet another Sliver commander wins it all: Sliver LegionSliver Legion's board-wide buff gets out of hand really fast, transforming some keyword-heavy, damage-light creatures into frightening threats.

2008: Rafiq of the ManyRafiq of the Many

Honorable mentions: Mayael the AnimaMayael the Anima, Rhys the RedeemedRhys the Redeemed, Sedris, the Traitor KingSedris, the Traitor King.

Around this year, it's where the nostalgia starts to kick in. Yet, being as objective as possible, there isn't all that much to talk about.

Mayael the AnimaMayael the Anima will make you question your choices when you pay six mana turn after turn and get nothing in return (but how sweet are the hits!), Rhys the RedeemedRhys the Redeemed is one of the main reasons why we're still talking about hybrid mana rules to this day, and Sedris, the Traitor KingSedris, the Traitor King is a good, but also kind of bland, design.

All in all, you can never go wronk with the bonk; Rafiq of the ManyRafiq of the Many still packs huge punches whenever it hits the board alongside some Auras and Equipment.

2009: Sen TripletsSen Triplets

Honorable mentions: ProgenitusProgenitus, Uril, the MiststalkerUril, the Miststalker.

Once again, not the best year quality-wise, but still a solid one with a lot of memorable cards.

First and foremost The Soul of the WorldThe Soul of the World, who made everyone fall in love with only three words: "Protection from everything." But we also got another, still very menacing today, Voltron commander in Uril, the MiststalkerUril, the Miststalker and its built-in protection.

But nothing compares to the sheer rage produced by seeing a Sen TripletsSen Triplets player robbing you of your cards. And while it may not be a premier option now, it caused so much trauma in its times that it clearly deserves this spot.

2010: Omnath, Locus of ManaOmnath, Locus of Mana

Honorable mentions: Kozilek, Butcher of TruthKozilek, Butcher of Truth, Skithiryx, the Blight DragonSkithiryx, the Blight Dragon.

Let me get one thing out of the way: I would have loved to put Emrakul, the Aeons TornEmrakul, the Aeons Torn on this list because I love this huge flying spaghetti monster.

With this said, Kozilek, Butcher of TruthKozilek, Butcher of Truth is another good Eldrazi titan to play as your commander, although colorless decks tend to run into card options problems. Additionally, it's impossible not to mention Skithiryx, the Blight DragonSkithiryx, the Blight Dragon's infamous reputation: first because it threatens to end the game very quickly with poison counters, then, and most importantly, because of how hard it is to spell its name. Seriously, who thought it was a good idea?

Anyhow, Omnath, Locus of ManaOmnath, Locus of Mana takes the number one spot for this year. It ws the de facto mono-green commander for such a long time and, while this is not the case today, its legacy deserves to be remembered.

2011: Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast

Honorable mentions: Animar, Soul of ElementsAnimar, Soul of Elements, Edric, Spymaster of TrestEdric, Spymaster of Trest, Ghave, Guru of SporesGhave, Guru of Spores, Karador, Ghost ChieftainKarador, Ghost Chieftain, Riku of Two ReflectionsRiku of Two Reflections, Skullbriar, the Walking GraveSkullbriar, the Walking Grave, The MimeoplasmThe Mimeoplasm, Zedruu the GreatheartedZedruu the Greathearted, the five Phyrexian Praetors.

This was the year of the first Commander precons, and boy did it deliver. There are just so many iconic legends that were printed during this year and a whole article would be needed to explain their importance in the history of this format. All of them paved the way for what came after them, with many being the cornerstone of popular strategies and kickstarting the popularity of EDH.

In the end, I decided to highlight Kaalia of the VastKaalia of the Vast because, having to choose only one among all of these phenomenal cards, this is the one that is still the biggest threat at the table. Whenever you come across a KaaliaKaalia deck, you know that if you let it swing its commander, it's game over for everyone.

2012: Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss

Honorable mentions: Avacyn, Angel of HopeAvacyn, Angel of Hope, Gisela, Blade of GoldnightGisela, Blade of Goldnight, Maelstrom WandererMaelstrom Wanderer.

2012 is a weird year, because it represents a gap between the first-ever precons and the beginning of the annual drops. Nonetheless, there were quite a few good legendary creatures being printed in this period.

Avacyn, Angel of HopeAvacyn, Angel of Hope usually shines more in the 99 of some go-big or reanimator decks, but its sheer power can hold its ground even at the helm of a personal deck. Gisela, Blade of GoldnightGisela, Blade of Goldnight packed, and will always pack, a huge punch, making life totals disappear in the blink of an eye. Lastly, Maelstrom WandererMaelstrom Wanderer is the definition of "over the top." A big eight-mana commander that gives haste and cascades twice - what else could you ask for?

And yet, the title goes to a small, mischievous Goblin: Krenko, Mob BossKrenko, Mob Boss. It's still one of the best, if not the best, Goblin typal commanders, being able to take out players out of the blue. Its simple-yet-powerful design grants it longevity while also functioning as an accessible and easy-to-understand entry point for new players.

2013: Derevi, Empyrial TacticianDerevi, Empyrial Tactician

Honorable mentions: Aurelia, the WarleaderAurelia, the Warleader, Nekusar, the MindrazerNekusar, the Mindrazer, Oloro, Ageless AsceticOloro, Ageless Ascetic, Prossh, Skyraider of KherProssh, Skyraider of Kher, the five monocolored Theros Gods.

Preconstructed decks are back, and so are a lot of good commanders!

Nekusar, the MindrazerNekusar, the Mindrazer created an interesting (but perhaps repetitive) card draw-punishing archetype that's still getting new toys to play with today. Oloro, Ageless AsceticOloro, Ageless Ascetic is one of the creatures that started bending the limits of the command zone, allowing players to gain a benefit by simply playing it as a commander, without even casting it.

Prossh, Skyraider of KherProssh, Skyraider of Kher expanded on this same theme, but, at the very least, you were required to play it multiple times in order to gain an advantage.

Among the non-precon commanders, Aurelia, the WarleaderAurelia, the Warleader is yet another red and white Angel that wants to smack its opponents very hard and the Theros Gods were almost all pretty solid, with Purphoros, God of the ForgePurphoros, God of the Forge being the highlight of the group.

The crown for this year goes to another creature that broke the fundamental laws of EDH: Derevi, Empyrial TacticianDerevi, Empyrial Tactician, with its ability not only to be put into play at any moment, but also to do so circumventing the commander tax, always costing four mana to cast.

2014: Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal

Honorable mentions: Daretti, Scrap SavantDaretti, Scrap Savant, Freyalise, Llanowar's FuryFreyalise, Llanowar's Fury, Narset, Enlightened MasterNarset, Enlightened Master, Teferi, Temporal ArchmageTeferi, Temporal Archmage, Yisan, the Wanderer BardYisan, the Wanderer Bard, the ten multicolored Theros Gods.

This year's precon gimmick was allowing planeswalkers into the command zone. I've never been a huge fan of this design, but Daretti, Scrap SavantDaretti, Scrap Savant, Freyalise, Llanowar's FuryFreyalise, Llanowar's Fury, and Teferi, Temporal ArchmageTeferi, Temporal Archmage have all had their fair share of success and are still popular today.

Outside of the preconstructed products, Narset, Enlightened MasterNarset, Enlightened Master is mainly the master of chaining one extra-turn spell after the other, while Yisan, the Wanderer BardYisan, the Wanderer Bardd is the definition of "toolbox" and a creature I love.

Also, the two-colored Theros Gods were pretty good, especially Iroas, God of VictoryIroas, God of Victory and Karametra, God of HarvestsKarametra, God of Harvests.

But none of them compares to the one and only Brago, King EternalBrago, King Eternal, the creature that arrived as close to perfection as possible for any blue-white Flicker deck.

2015: Meren of Clan Nel TothMeren of Clan Nel Toth

Honorable mentions: Ezuri, Claw of ProgressEzuri, Claw of Progress, Karlov of the Ghost CouncilKarlov of the Ghost Council, Mizzix of the IzmagnusMizzix of the Izmagnus, Omnath, Locus of RageOmnath, Locus of Rage, Zada, Hedron GrinderZada, Hedron Grinder.

You know 'em, you love 'em: it's experience counters time!

This mechanic allows player to keep up with the game even if their commander is removed, as perfectly showcased by Ezuri, Claw of ProgressEzuri, Claw of Progress's ever-growing army, or Mizzix of the IzmagnusMizzix of the Izmagnus's free spells. Additionally, the same precons also gave us one of the most oppressive Orzhov commanders ever: Karlov of the Ghost CouncilKarlov of the Ghost Council and its ability to combine life gain and cheap removal.

In the other sets published this year we find Omnath, Locus of RageOmnath, Locus of Rage, a very powerful (but also very expensive) Landfall general, and Zada, Hedron GrinderZada, Hedron Grinder, which makes draft chaff commons playable (and actually quite strong).

And yet, nothing compares to Meren of Clan Nel TothMeren of Clan Nel Toth. It's cheap, efficient, and powerful; you'll always get something out of it, either in your hand or onto the battlefield. And don't get me started on Blood ArtistBlood Artist and its friends.

2016: Tymna the WeaverTymna the Weaver

Honorable mentions: Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice, Kraum, Ludevic's OpusKraum, Ludevic's Opus, Queen MarchesaQueen Marchesa, Selvala, Heart of the WildsSelvala, Heart of the Wilds, The Gitrog MonsterThe Gitrog Monster, Thrasios, Triton HeroThrasios, Triton Hero.

2016 was the year of the revolution: so much happened that it's hardly possible to fit it all here.

First, the precons, which introduced two format-defining possibilities: having access to four colors in the command zone and, most importantly, partners. Whole videos and articles have been made about this topic, but it's near impossible to fully capture the magnitude of their introduction: just look at Thrasios, Triton HeroThrasios, Triton Hero and Kraum, Ludevic's OpusKraum, Ludevic's Opus.

And yet, there were also broken four-color commanders, like the third most popular general of the last two years: Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice.

Moreover, Conspiracy: Take the Crown was published, and with it, some iconic commanders like Selvala, Heart of the WildsSelvala, Heart of the Wilds and its huge mana-producing potential. Or, you know, that silly mechanic called monarchy, with Queen MarchesaQueen Marchesa being the foremost representative of this category.

But even Standard-legal sets packed some heavy hitters, like The Gitrog MonsterThe Gitrog Monster and its convoluted loops revolving around Dakmor SalvageDakmor Salvage and some weird ruling about the cleanup phase.

In the end, no card is more apt at representing this year than the one and only Tymna the WeaverTymna the Weaver. I know, this one is especially relevant for cEDH, but how can you possibly underestimate the shifts this card caused in the whole format?

2017: The Ur-DragonThe Ur-Dragon

Honorable mentions: Arahbo, Roar of the WorldArahbo, Roar of the World, Edgar MarkovEdgar Markov, Gishath, Sun's AvatarGishath, Sun's Avatar, Inalla, Archmage RitualistInalla, Archmage Ritualist, Kess, Dissident MageKess, Dissident Mage, Sram, Senior EdificerSram, Senior Edificer.

If 2016 was the year of the revolution, 2017 is the year that perhaps took it a bit too far; please welcome to the stage the eminence mechanic. The possibility to basically start the game with an emblem in play was clearly a tremendous jump in power level.

Any of these commanders are inherently powerful for the simple reason that they'll provide benefits all game long, no matter where they are. You may not even cast them for the whole duration of the match, and yet, they will have granted you something for free.

Being tied to a specific creature type doesn't really make any difference, as it powers said types up to the maximum: Cats for Arahbo, Roar of the WorldArahbo, Roar of the World, Vampires for Edgar MarkovEdgar Markov and Wizards for Inalla, Archmage RitualistInalla, Archmage Ritualist.

There were several other good commanders printed this year, like Gishath, Sun's AvatarGishath, Sun's Avatar for big Dinosaurs enjoyers, Kess, Dissident MageKess, Dissident Mage for a super consistent Grixis deck, and Sram, Senior EdificerSram, Senior Edificer for Voltron shenanigans.

But, you know how I mentioned that Atraxa, Praetors' VoiceAtraxa, Praetors' Voice is the third most popular commander ever? Well, the second one is the aftermentioned Edgar MarkovEdgar Markov. But the first one is the one who takes the crown for this year: The Ur-DragonThe Ur-Dragon. I don't think it's necessary to say anything about it, for its abilities are more than enough.

2018: Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow

Honorable mentions: Arcades, the StrategistArcades, the Strategist, Jhoira, Weatherlight CaptainJhoira, Weatherlight Captain, Jodah, Archmage EternalJodah, Archmage Eternal, Muldrotha, the GravetideMuldrotha, the Gravetide, Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom, Niv-Mizzet, ParunNiv-Mizzet, Parun, Tatyova, Benthic DruidTatyova, Benthic Druid, Varina, Lich QueenVarina, Lich Queen.

Planeswalker commanders are back, but they're still not all that good. Partners are back, but they're fixed thanks to the wording "partner with." So, everything is fine, right?

Well, it surely seems so.

This year brought along a lot of fun new designs between the preconstructed decks and the usual Standard sets. There's support for specific creatures, like Arcades, the StrategistArcades, the Strategist for creatures with defender, Najeela, the Blade-BlossomNajeela, the Blade-Blossom for Warriors, and Varina, Lich QueenVarina, Lich Queen for Zombies.

There were options for specific themes: Storm with Jhoira, Weatherlight CaptainJhoira, Weatherlight Captain and Niv-Mizzet, ParunNiv-Mizzet, Parun, Graveyard-Matters with Muldrotha, the GravetideMuldrotha, the Gravetide, and Landfall with Tatyova, Benthic DruidTatyova, Benthic Druid. There's also your strong-but-generic five-color commander in Jodah, Archmage EternalJodah, Archmage Eternal.

Everything is fine, right?

Well, allow me to introduce you to "yet another commander who breaks the fundamental rules of the format": Yuriko, the Tiger's ShadowYuriko, the Tiger's Shadow. Do you hate commander tax? Do you wish your commander always costed only ? Then look no further, because this is the general for you! (Also, farewell Higure, the Still WindHigure, the Still Wind, you will be missed).

2019: Syr Konrad, the GrimSyr Konrad, the Grim

Honorable mentions: Chulane, Teller of TalesChulane, Teller of Tales, Korvold, Fae-Cursed KingKorvold, Fae-Cursed King, K'rrik, Son of YawgmothK'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth, Sisay, Weatherlight CaptainSisay, Weatherlight Captain, Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov, The First SliverThe First Sliver, Yarok, the DesecratedYarok, the Desecrated.

Surprisingly enough, the year that will forever be marked by FIRE design and its aftermath produced fairly balanced commanders. Or, at the very least, it didn't contribute too much to the series of upheavals that happened in the previous years.

Of course, there were still some strong and interesting designs, like Chulane, Teller of TalesChulane, Teller of Tales and Yarok, the DesecratedYarok, the Desecrated being two different takes on commanders focused on creatures (or permanents) entering the battlefield, or Teysa KarlovTeysa Karlov being at the other end of the spectrum and wanting creatures to hit the bin.

There were value-packed options, like Korvold, Fae-Cursed KingKorvold, Fae-Cursed King granting a ton of card advantage (and damage), K'rrik, Son of YawgmothK'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth cheating on mana, and The First SliverThe First Sliver doing a little bit of both.

There was also the usual five-color good stuff option with Sisay, Weatherlight CaptainSisay, Weatherlight Captain, which also doubles it up as a combo piece.

At the end of the day, Syr Konrad, the GrimSyr Konrad, the Grim takes the cake; simply being this generically good makes for a powerhouse of a commander. To put it in simple terms, there really isn't a deck where this card won't do at least some amount of work.

2020: Rograkh, Son of RohgahhRograkh, Son of Rohgahh

Honorable mentions: Aesi, Tyrant of Gyre StraitAesi, Tyrant of Gyre Strait, Kinnan, Bonder ProdigyKinnan, Bonder Prodigy, Kodama of the East TreeKodama of the East Tree, Liesa, Shroud of DuskLiesa, Shroud of Dusk, Muxus, Goblin GrandeeMuxus, Goblin Grandee, Winota, Joiner of ForcesWinota, Joiner of Forces.

2020 was another year packed with innovations for the format: partners came back (again) and also, starting from Zendikar Rising, each Standard-legal set would have its own Commander set. Additionally, the first Commander Legends set was released, bringing along a huge number of new legendary creatures.

Oh, and also, mechanically-unique Secret Lair cards were printed, but we won't talk about that.

Oh, and also also, companions were introduced this year, but didn't really have much of an impact on the format as a whole.

Oh, and also also also, Jumpstart was published, bringing along new card designs that were as cool as difficult to get your hands on.

Among all of this, without entering into too much details of all of the possible honorable mentions, I think that Rograkh, Son of RohgahhRograkh, Son of Rohgahh is the most deserving of recognition from this year: a card with basically no relevant text has become a cEDH staple only because it is a free partner with a color identity. This might just tell you everything you need to know about how powerful this mechanic is.

2021: Tergrid, God of FrightTergrid, God of Fright

Honorable mentions: Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General, Esika, God of the TreeEsika, God of the Tree, Fynn, the FangbearerFynn, the Fangbearer, Magda, Brazen OutlawMagda, Brazen Outlaw, Prosper, Tome-BoundProsper, Tome-Bound, TiamatTiamat, Toxrill, the CorrosiveToxrill, the Corrosive.

Yet another year without any major shake-up, but with a plethora of good options to lead your decks. This is mainly due to the huge increase in commander options, which were 194 this year (only counting new printings). Nonetheless, it also means there are a lot of viable strategies to choose from.

Some highlights of the period are Chatterfang, Squirrel GeneralChatterfang, Squirrel General and its near-infinite infinite combo options, Esika, God of the TreeEsika, God of the Tree five-colors good-stuff, TiamatTiamat five-colors Dragons-stuff, and Prosper, Tome-BoundProsper, Tome-Bound, which everyone was obsessed with at the time.

But if there is one word that still strikes fear in the heart of every Commander player, that word is TergridTergrid. The deity of Kaldheim truly lived up to its name, taking the format by storm and causing an endless amount of tantrums.

2022: Miirym, Sentinel WyrmMiirym, Sentinel Wyrm

Honorable mentions: Dihada, Binder of WillsDihada, Binder of Wills, Faldorn, Dread Wolf HeraldFaldorn, Dread Wolf Herald, Ghyrson Starn, KelermorphGhyrson Starn, Kelermorph, Giada, Font of HopeGiada, Font of Hope, Go-Shintai of Life's OriginGo-Shintai of Life's Origin, Henzie "Toolbox" TorreHenzie "Toolbox" Torre, Hinata, Dawn-CrownedHinata, Dawn-Crowned, Isshin, Two Heavens as OneIsshin, Two Heavens as One, Jodah, the UnifierJodah, the Unifier, Lord Xander, the CollectorLord Xander, the Collector, Marneus CalgarMarneus Calgar, Shorikai, Genesis EngineShorikai, Genesis Engine, Tivit, Seller of SecretsTivit, Seller of Secrets.

Ok, well, here is where things get a bit out of hand. 364 new commanders were printed this year, so it's kind of impossible to speak about any possible honorable mention without taking way too much space. So, from now till the end of the article, I'll just mention them and go straight to the point of the best commander of the year.

I never thought I would see a Dragon commander rivalling The Ur-DragonThe Ur-Dragon's reign. And yet, Miirym, Sentinel WyrmMiirym, Sentinel Wyrm is as close as it gets to an even stronger general for this typal strategy. Every single word of its textbox emanates power and, once it hits the field, it's nearly impossible to keep up with it.

Only time will tell if it'll be able to overcome its direct rival.

2023: Atraxa, Grand UnifierAtraxa, Grand Unifier

Honorable mentions: Elesh Norn, Mother of MachinesElesh Norn, Mother of Machines, Etali, Primal ConquerorEtali, Primal Conqueror, Hakbal of the Surging SoulHakbal of the Surging Soul, Heliod, the Radiant DawnHeliod, the Radiant Dawn, Mondrak, Glory DominusMondrak, Glory Dominus, Ob Nixilis, Captive KingpinOb Nixilis, Captive Kingpin, Ojer Taq, Deepest FoundationOjer Taq, Deepest Foundation, Zhulodok, Void GorgerZhulodok, Void Gorger.

In Italy we say "un nome, una certezza," which roughly translates to "a name, a certainty," and that's exactly what "Atraxa" means. Though I couldn't give itit the award in 2016, Atraxa, Grand UnifierAtraxa, Grand Unifier more than deserves it in 2023. While being a 7/7 with flying, vigilance, deathtouch, and lifelink is fine, what really makes it go over the top is its enters ability: being able to potentially draw eight cards is insane, even more so if we have an EphemerateEphemerate at our disposal.

The sheer amount of value it generates makes for a great good-stuff commander.

2024: Voja, Jaws of the ConclaveVoja, Jaws of the Conclave

Honorable mentions: Arabella, Abandoned DollArabella, Abandoned Doll, Baylen, the HaymakerBaylen, the Haymaker, Bello, Bard of the BramblesBello, Bard of the Brambles, Disa the RestlessDisa the Restless, Flubs, the FoolFlubs, the Fool, Kona, Rescue BeastieKona, Rescue Beastie, Niv-Mizzet, VisionaryNiv-Mizzet, Visionary, Stella Lee, Wild CardStella Lee, Wild Card, The Lord of PainThe Lord of Pain, The Wise MothmanThe Wise Mothman, Ulalek, Fused AtrocityUlalek, Fused Atrocity, Valgavoth, Harrower of SoulsValgavoth, Harrower of Souls.

There were a lot of powerful cards released in 2024, but none sparked as much controversy as Voja, Jaws of the ConclaveVoja, Jaws of the Conclave. The core of the problem with it was the level of generically good stuff that can randomly appear on any given card. While this card is strong thanks to its double triggered ability, putting vigilance and trample on top if it feels like an exaggeration.

For this reason, when built-in protection is added to the equation, that's where players draw the line.

2025: ?

Possible options:

• Betor, Kin to AllBetor, Kin to All
• Celes, Rune KnightCeles, Rune Knight
• Gogo, Master of MimicryGogo, Master of Mimicry
• Gwenom, RemorselessGwenom, Remorseless
• Hashaton, Scarab's FistHashaton, Scarab's Fist
• Infinite Guideline StationInfinite Guideline Station
• Kefka, Court MageKefka, Court Mage
• Ketramose, the New DawnKetramose, the New Dawn
• Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind
• Loot, the PathfinderLoot, the Pathfinder
• Mendicant Core, GuidelightMendicant Core, Guidelight
• Norman OsbornNorman Osborn
• Sephiroth, Fabled SOLDIERSephiroth, Fabled SOLDIER
• Tannuk, Steadfast SecondTannuk, Steadfast Second
• Teval, the Balanced ScaleTeval, the Balanced Scale
• Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier
• Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed

It's way too soon to give any absolute answer to the 2025 version of this question, but it's still possible to advance some hypothesis.

Some of these have already proved themselves; for example, Hashaton, Scarab's FistHashaton, Scarab's Fist truly needs only a few resources to go off, and there's no need to introduce Vivi OrnitierVivi Ornitier and its unbound potential.

At the same time, there are many interesting designs, like Infinite Guideline StationInfinite Guideline Station, Kilo, Apogee MindKilo, Apogee Mind and Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed, that may come up as strong candidates as soon as we gather more data regarding this year.

So, after this very long journey through the years, this is all from me for now! What do you think? Who will come up as 2025's new big thing? Is there any ranking you would change? Let me know in the comments below!