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A significant part of the appeal of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards narrate iconic stories. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that knocks a defender aside. The abilities represent this with subtlety. Such flavor is widespread throughout the complete Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. Some serve as poignant echoes of emotional events fans remember vividly to this day.

"Moving narratives are a key element of the Final Fantasy series," noted a lead game designer for the collaboration. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most refined instances of narrative design through rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's central systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the emotional weight within it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the hue of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This card paints a moment FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands just as hard here, expressed entirely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

For backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the pair manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to take care of his comrade. They eventually reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Tabletop

Through gameplay, the abilities effectively let you relive this entire event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces unfold like this: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s signature action is structured, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to negate the damage entirely. So you can do this at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of moment alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Central Combo

However, the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it goes past 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 then becomes a Mutant. This sort of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you relive the moment personally. You choose the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the saga to date.