Image courtesy of Scryfall.com
Memes, Mischief, and Flying Humor in MTG
Blue has a funny way of turning the battlefield into a sky-high playground, and Trained Condor is a perfect spotlight for that mischievous, meme-friendly tempo. This little 2/1 flyer from Magic 2014 doesn’t just fly; it teases your crew into unexpected skyward glory. With a mana cost of {2}{U}, it sits comfortably at a tempo-friendly three for blue’s tricks—cheap enough to slot into early turns, memorable enough to spark jokes in every draft and constructed table. The card’s flavor and rules text give us a delightful mix of utility and whimsy that invites both serious strategy talk and goofy memery 🧙♂️🔥💎.
A quick dive into the card basics
- Mana cost: {2}{U} — blue’s favorite recipe for turning the tide with clever plays and evasive menagerie.
- Type and rarity: Creature — Bird, common in Magic 2014 (core set). Common cards often become fan favorites precisely because they’re accessible and meme-ready, and Trained Condor is no exception 🧙♂️.
- Power/Toughness: 2/1 — a spry little flier that can punch above its weight when the skies are open to mischief.
- Keywords and text: Flying. “Whenever this creature attacks, another target creature you control gains flying until end of turn.”
- Flavor and lore: The flavor text — “They’re smart enough to understand that war means lots of carrion.” — Griv, condor rider — gives us a wry window into condor culture and the battlefield’s brutal, practical humor.
Why theCondor became a meme magnet
Memes love moments when a card reveals a tiny, elegant surprise. Trained Condor embodies that; it’s not just a body on the board but a tiny command center for your air superiority. The ability to give flying to another creature you control whenever it attacks turns every offensive spray into a potential skyward convoy. It’s the visual of blue spell-slinging: you attack with your Condor, and suddenly your other threats get a temporary set of wings. The humor lands in the contrast—the Condor is actually training others to fly, a goofy image that lines up perfectly with blue’s penchant for subverting expectations and redefining what “attack” means on the battlefield 🧙♂️🎨.
“If you’re going to throw a condor into the face of your opponent, you might as well ensure your entire team can ride the wind.” — a playful MTG meme caption generator, probably.
That contrast—bold, practical power wrapped in a joke about a bird trainer—gives the card a ready-made template for memes: the idea of a tiny bureaucrat with immense skyward ambitions. Players lean into the joke while respecting the card’s mechanics. The image of a seemingly modest flyer enabling a flurry of second-wave flying creatures aligns nicely with countless MTG memes about “payoff on tempo” and “unexpected alpha strikes.” The card invites both nods of recognition from veterans who’ve played M14 and chuckles from newer players who’ve learned to love the lighthearted side of the game 🧙♂️⚔️.
Practical play, practical jokes—how to use it on the table
In actual games, Trained Condor shines most in decks that value tempo and evasion. You don’t need a big battlefield to start stacking value; just attack with the Condor and watch your other threats gain wings to dodge blockers or sneak past defenses. In modern and other legal formats, blue decks that lean into tempo, control, or midrange can incorporate Condor as a reliable way to enable evasive pressure. The card’s low cost and straightforward trigger mean it’s easy to slot into kick-off turns, letting you tempo out an opponent who expected a simple two-mana flier but gets a surprise for-llying toolkit instead 🧭🎲.
And remember the humor factor: you can pair Trained Condor with memes about “granting flying to your board” by simply saying, “And now your best blocker is actually a thief in the night,” as you swing. The meme becomes a teaching moment too—your opponent learns that this tiny blue creature can flip your axis of attack in a single turns-end step. It’s the kind of moment blue players live for: subtle, efficient, and a little cheeky.
From memes to art—how the visuals boost the joke
Alex Horley-Orlandelli’s illustration gives the Condor personality beyond its stat line. The image frames a confident, Agile bird ready to take wing, a perfect nod to the core idea of “training” winged allies to do the heavy lifting. The art invites storytelling: imagine a veteran condor rider coaching a squad of feathered allies into coordinated flight, the battlefield turning into a windy, tactical runway. MTG art has always thrived on this blend of texture and humor, where the creature’s look matches the card’s vibe. The more you look, the more little details emerge—each beak tilt and wing beat feels like a punchline waiting to land in a friendly table talk session 🖼️🎨.
Collectibility and price chatter in the meme era
As a common from a core set with modest power, Trained Condor isn’t the fountain of a high-dollar collection. But that doesn’t mean it’s irrelevant to collectors or casual players. The card’s accessibility, striking humor potential, and the ability to slot into historical formats makes it a favorite for fun decks, novelty sleeves, and casual EDH builds. Prices hover in the few-cent to low-dollar range in most markets, which explains why players can pull a grin and still trade up for flashier blue rares later in a night of drafting and chat. The value isn’t in flamboyant rarity; it’s in the stories you tell at the table when your Condor triggers and your board suddenly sprouts a bevy of airborne attackers 🧙♂️💎.
For fans who want to celebrate their love of MTG beyond the cards, consider pairing your game night with a sleek, non-slip mouse pad. A smooth surface keeps your spell-slinging fingers precise while you chat up the latest memes and deck ideas. The right mat can be a quiet hero, letting you focus on the joke and the play with equal ease.