He has the same CC as Sharuum, but smaller and without flying
In decks that mostly tap out each turn and are just looking for a couple counters to increase deck interaction though, I'd go with cheaper counters like Swan Song since it's easier to hold up 1 mana than 3 unless your deck is built around doing that
Skypiea has deep emotional resonance across both Japanese and international fanbases, and Enels villain status gives him a collector profile that doesnt depend on competitive play relevance
You can set it up as early as turn two, with the help of Tome Scour
Sure, not many people got to purchase it upon release, but the top-flight reprints (Dismember, Birds of Paradise, Three Visits) coupled with cards depicting classic scenes and jokes from one of the funniest comedy films of all time including in-jokes for MTG oldheads like making a Prodigal Sorcerer card called Tim meant that this drop was a flavorful slam dunk for fans of all stripes
Denethor, Ruling Steward provides additional table drain, and his creature replacement ability interacts really well with your token doublers