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A major element of the allure found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner countless cards tell well-known tales. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a snapshot of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all joyful stories. A number act as heartbreaking callbacks of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Emotional stories are a central element of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a senior game designer for the set. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most clever pieces of storytelling through gameplay. It artfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the expansion's key gameplay elements. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the meaning within it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an gear, onto that target creature.

These mechanics portrays a moment FF fans are very familiar with, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

Some necessary backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the pair break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to look after his comrade. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the card mechanics in essence let you reenact this entire scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to look through your library for an equipment card. In combination, these three cards play out like this: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to cancel out the damage completely. So you can perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of experience referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

More Than the Main Combo

However, the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it goes past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the collection 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 suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that subtly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you recreate the moment personally. You perform the ultimate play. You pass the sword on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the series to date.