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A core element of the charm found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner so many cards narrate familiar tales. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a glimpse of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules mirror this with subtlety. These kinds of storytelling is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Some are heartbreaking reminders of emotional events fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Moving stories are a central part of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a lead designer for the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair isn't a tournament staple, it is one of the release's most elegant pieces of flavor through gameplay. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's key systems. And while it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the saga will instantly understand the emotional weight within it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another creature you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

These mechanics paints a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

For context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the pair manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his comrade. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

In a game, the rules in essence let you recreate this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these pieces play out like this: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s signature action is worded, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to negate the damage altogether. Therefore, you can do this at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

More Than the Central Interaction

And the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

This design does not depict his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you relive the passing personally. You choose the sacrifice. You hand over the legacy on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the saga for many fans.