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A core element of the charm found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion so many cards narrate iconic stories. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a snapshot of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose key technique is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is prevalent in the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not fun and games. Several serve as poignant callbacks of tragedies fans remember vividly years after.

"Emotional stories are a central element of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a senior game designer on the collaboration. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair isn't a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the release's most clever pieces of flavor through rules. It artfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the product's core mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the tale will immediately grasp the emotional weight within it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another ally you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an Equipment, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands powerfully here, conveyed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

Some necessary history, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the duo manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They finally reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

In a game, the card mechanics in essence let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these pieces function 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 summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to cancel out the attack completely. This allows you to do this at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards for free. This is just the kind of moment meant when discussing “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

Extending Past the Central Combo

However, the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it extends beyond just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle nod, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

This design doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to relive the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a short instant, while playing a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the saga ever made.