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A major aspect of the charm within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards tell familiar tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a portrait of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose signature move is a specialized shot that takes a defender aside. The card's mechanics represent this in nuanced ways. Such narrative is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. A number serve as somber callbacks of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a vital part of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead designer on the set. "The team established some general rules, but ultimately, it was primarily on a card-by-card level."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the set's most refined instances of storytelling by way of rules. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the expansion's key gameplay elements. And although it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the saga will quickly recognize the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

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

This design paints a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits just as hard here, expressed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

A bit of backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the friends get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to protect his comrade. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Game Board

In a game, the abilities essentially let you relive this entire scene. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an artifact card. Together, these pieces function like this: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s signature action is designed, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to negate the damage altogether. Therefore, you can make this play at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells at no cost. This is exactly the kind of experience referred to when talking about “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Synergy

But the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle connection, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

Zack’s card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy location where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to relive the moment personally. You make the sacrifice. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.