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A core aspect of the charm found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way numerous cards depict familiar stories. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a portrait of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this with subtlety. Such narrative is found across the entire Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. Some act as poignant callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly decades later.

"Moving narratives are a central part of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead designer on the project. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most clever pieces of narrative design by way of gameplay. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's key mechanics. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the emotional weight behind it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits with equal force here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the pair break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his friend. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this entire scene. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an equipment card. Together, these pieces unfold like this: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack completely. This allows you to perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two spells at no cost. This is just the kind of experience meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Extending Past the Obvious Interaction

But the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that cleverly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the moment for yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You pass the weapon on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the series to date.