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A significant element of the charm found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards tell familiar narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a glimpse of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose signature move is a unique shot that knocks a defender aside. The card's mechanics represent this perfectly. Such flavor is found across the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. Several act as poignant reminders of emotional events fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Powerful tales are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a senior game designer involved with the collaboration. "The team established some overarching principles, but finally, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Though the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it stands as one of the set's most elegant pieces of flavor by way of rules. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's key systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the tale will immediately grasp the significance within it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another unit you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are very familiar with, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands with equal force here, conveyed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

A bit of history, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the duo get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to look after his friend. They finally arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

Through gameplay, the abilities essentially let you reenact this iconic event. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold in this way: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to negate the attack altogether. So you can make this play at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells at no cost. This is just the kind of experience referred to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

However, the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends past just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked location where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing personally. You make the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while playing a card battle, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the franchise ever made.