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A significant element of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion countless cards depict familiar narratives. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a portrait of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of storytelling is widespread throughout the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several are poignant echoes of emotional events fans still mull over decades later.

"Moving narratives are a key part of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal game designer on the set. "They created some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a top-tier card, it stands as one of the release's most elegant examples of flavor via gameplay. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's core systems. And while it avoids revealing anything, those who know the tale will immediately grasp the emotional weight within it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics paints a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits powerfully here, conveyed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the friends manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to take care of his companion. They finally make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the rules essentially let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces play out like this: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s signature action is structured, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to negate the damage altogether. This allows you to do this at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Central Combo

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it goes beyond just these cards. 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 implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable cliff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing for yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the saga to date.