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A significant aspect of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion so many cards depict well-known tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a portrait of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose key technique is a unique shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities represent this with subtlety. These kinds of narrative is widespread across the complete Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. Some are poignant reminders of emotional events fans still mull over years after.

"Moving tales are a vital component of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a lead game designer on the collaboration. "We built some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the set's most elegant instances of narrative design via gameplay. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the product's core systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the significance embedded in it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits powerfully here, communicated solely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

A bit of backstory, and here is your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the pair break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They finally reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

In a game, the card mechanics essentially let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an weapon card. In combination, these three cards function as follows: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to cancel out the attack altogether. Therefore, you can make this play at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Central Synergy

And the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This in a way suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, 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.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked location where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you relive the passing personally. You perform the sacrifice. You transfer the weapon on. And for a short instant, while playing a card battle, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the saga to date.