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A significant aspect of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards narrate well-known narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is found across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. Several serve as somber reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Emotional narratives are a central part of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a senior designer involved with the set. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most elegant pieces of storytelling by way of gameplay. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the product's key systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those who know the story will immediately grasp the significance behind it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, plus an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates with equal force here, expressed solely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

Some necessary context, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the pair manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to take care of his companion. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the abilities effectively let you recreate this entire event. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of armament in the collection that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards play out in this way: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s signature action is worded, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack completely. This allows you to perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells at no cost. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Beyond the Obvious Combo

And the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it goes further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a subtle connection, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy bluff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the passing for yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise to date.