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A core element of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner numerous cards depict iconic narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is prevalent throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. Several are somber reminders of sad moments fans remember vividly years after.

"Moving narratives are a central part of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a senior game designer involved with the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but finally, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

Though the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it represents one of the set's most refined examples of narrative design via rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the product's core gameplay elements. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will quickly recognize the significance within it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By paying one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another unit you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that target creature.

These mechanics paints a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates with equal force here, expressed solely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

For backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the friends break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his companion. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the rules in essence let you recreate this whole event. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces unfold in this way: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack altogether. This allows you to make this play at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of experience referred to when talking about “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Obvious Combo

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it goes 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 also becomes a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that cleverly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to relive the passing for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the series for many fans.