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A major aspect of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner countless cards narrate iconic stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a glimpse of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities represent this perfectly. These kinds of storytelling is prevalent in the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. A number are somber echoes of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful tales are a vital element of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a senior game designer involved with the collaboration. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the set's most clever instances of narrative design through gameplay. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's core systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the meaning embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the hue of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another creature you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates just as hard here, expressed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

Some necessary 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. After extended testing, the friends get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to look after his comrade. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Battlefield

In a game, the rules effectively let you recreate this entire scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards function as follows: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to negate the attack completely. So you can make this play at any time, transferring 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 cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of moment alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

More Than the Central Interaction

But the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that subtly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you reenact the legacy yourself. You make the ultimate play. You pass the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.