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A core part of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards depict familiar narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose key technique is a unique shot that knocks a defender aside. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is found in the whole Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. Some are heartbreaking echoes of tragedies fans remember vividly years after.

"Moving narratives are a central part of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a senior designer for the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the collection's most clever instances of flavor through rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's central systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the emotional weight within it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. By paying one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to give another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s markers, plus an gear, onto that target creature.

This card paints a moment FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands with equal force here, communicated solely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

A bit of history, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the duo manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to protect his friend. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you recreate this entire event. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and gives 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 intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these pieces unfold like this: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage completely. So you can do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Interaction

And the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in 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 initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked cliff where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you reenact the passing personally. You make the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the saga to date.