Standard as we know it!

[Dudecore]

{Ætherling} is beast status. I'm on the fence with him too. I mean, if you really look at how games shake out nowadays - aggro bombards the board and you either remove everything, or lose. Then once you play your own threat, they can kill it with a well timed spell. {Ætherling} is sort of the spell that control players need, it is an absolute bomb. Control can now focus on removing the little dudes in the way, or slowly dwindling away your army - or perpetually chump block.

But he is also: A) really easy to use, like no brainer stuff. B) insanely difficult to get rid of. C) Probably means Blue wont get anything good anymore.

Essentially it leads me to this - if aggro is the future of the game: {Ætherling} is the type of creature you want blue to have. Every other color gets bombs and takes them for granted. If aggro isn't the future; then Ætherling is pushed too hard on blue. What better creatures can non-aggro strategies use then one that almost completely resilient to aggro strategies?

{AEtherling} makes Bloodrush almost seem tolerable, because you know once you get 7 mana - it's on!

[Kaleo42]

Also, almost every color combination has an instant answer to  {Angel of Serenity}.

Black has {Ultimate Price}, {Devour Flesh}, {Far // Away}, soon to be {Doom Blade}.

Red/Blue has {Turn // Burn}.
Black/Red has {Dreadbore}
Black/Green has {Putrefy}
Black/Blue has {Warped Physique}
Blue has {Pongify} (whatever the new name is)

I'm sure I can come up with more. The way the Serenity triggers on the stack makes it a pretty awesome play to destroy it before the ability resolves.

It doesnt work like you want it to... Riki Hayashi the NW head judge was overseeing the Bozeman PTQ I went to and made a call that shocked everyone but made sense in the end.

In order to put an effect of any kind on the stack you must paythe cost, name the mode(s), and choose your target(s). In the case of serenity you must have it enter play and choose up to three targets. When it comes time to resolve the ability you read it as though the "choose target" is not part of it. In this case it reads as "you MAY exile" you do not have to.

Logic dictates that you MAY target, but te rules of the game dictate target is not part of the sentence upon resolution. The same is true other cards with similar effects that use the word may.

{fiend hunter}, {angel of serenity},