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A significant element of the appeal of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner so many cards narrate iconic tales. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a portrait of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. These kinds of flavor is found in the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not lighthearted tales. A number act as poignant reminders of emotional events fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Emotional tales are a vital element of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a senior game designer on the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it is one of the release's most refined instances of storytelling through rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core mechanics. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will immediately grasp the significance within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one mana of white (the color 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 unit you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s counters, along with an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This card portrays a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits just as hard here, conveyed completely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

Some necessary context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the duo manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to protect his companion. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the card mechanics essentially let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces play out in this way: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage completely. Therefore, you can perform this action at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into 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 just the kind of experience meant when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Synergy

However, the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a small nod, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable location where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to relive the legacy for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the series to date.