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A major element of the allure within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner so many cards tell well-known stories. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a portrait of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose key technique is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this in nuanced ways. This type of narrative is prevalent across the complete Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all fun and games. Some serve as poignant callbacks of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Emotional stories are a key component of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a senior game designer for the set. "They created some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was largely on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the release's most clever examples of storytelling by way of gameplay. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the product's key mechanics. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the significance within it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

For one white mana (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an Equipment, onto that other creature.

These mechanics portrays a moment FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits powerfully here, conveyed entirely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

For context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the friends manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to look after his comrade. They eventually arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Tabletop

In a game, the abilities effectively let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces play out in this way: You cast Zack, and he receives 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 design Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage altogether. So you can perform this action at any time, passing 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 spells for free. This is just the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Beyond the Central Combo

But the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it reaches further than just these cards. 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 in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that implicitly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy bluff where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you reenact the moment yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while playing a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the franchise for many fans.