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A significant aspect of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards narrate familiar narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose key technique is a specialized shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules mirror this with subtlety. This type of storytelling is prevalent throughout the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not joyful stories. Some are heartbreaking reminders of emotional events fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Powerful stories are a key element of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a lead designer on the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the collection's most elegant instances of storytelling via mechanics. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the set's key mechanics. And while it avoids revealing anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the meaning within it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one generic mana, you can destroy the card to grant another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a scene FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands just as hard here, conveyed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

For backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the duo manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to take care of his companion. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Battlefield

In a game, the abilities essentially let you reenact this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. Together, these three cards unfold as follows: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to prevent the attack altogether. So you can do this at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards for free. This is just the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Synergy

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it reaches further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This sort of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy bluff where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to relive the passing personally. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the legacy on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.