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A major element of the appeal within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion numerous cards narrate iconic narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that takes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules mirror this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. A number serve as poignant callbacks of emotional events fans still mull over to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a key component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a principal game designer on the project. "We built some general rules, but in the end, it was largely on a case-by-case level."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it represents one of the release's most elegant pieces of storytelling through mechanics. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the expansion's core gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the tale will quickly recognize the significance within it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another ally you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that target creature.

This card paints a scene FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands powerfully here, communicated completely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

Some necessary history, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the friends break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to look after his comrade. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you recreate this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards play out like this: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to cancel out the damage completely. So you can make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

More Than the Obvious Interaction

But the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches past 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 chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to relive the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the franchise to date.