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A major element of the charm found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards depict familiar stories. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this in nuanced ways. This type of storytelling is widespread throughout the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. Several act as somber callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving narratives are a central component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a principal designer on the set. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was primarily on a case-by-case level."

Though the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it represents one of the collection's most elegant instances of storytelling via mechanics. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the expansion's central mechanics. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the story will quickly recognize the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the alignment of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another creature you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s counters, along with an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This card paints a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits powerfully here, communicated solely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

Some necessary history, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the duo get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to look after his companion. They eventually reach the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the card mechanics effectively let you recreate this iconic event. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total 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, letting you to search your deck for an weapon card. Together, these three cards play out as follows: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s signature action is designed, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to negate the attack entirely. This allows you to do this 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 pull extra cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is exactly the kind of moment meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

More Than the Central Synergy

However, the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a small connection, but one that subtly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

This design avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked cliff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you recreate the legacy yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a card battle, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.