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A significant aspect of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion so many cards tell familiar narratives. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities represent this perfectly. Such narrative is widespread across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. Several act as heartbreaking callbacks of tragedies fans remember vividly to this day.

"Powerful narratives are a key part of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a senior game designer on the project. "They created some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was primarily on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair card is not a top-tier card, it represents one of the release's most elegant pieces of flavor by way of mechanics. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the product's central mechanics. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the saga will instantly understand the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to give another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card depicts a scene FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates with equal force here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

Some necessary backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the pair get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his comrade. They eventually reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this whole scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these pieces unfold like this: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to negate the damage entirely. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells for free. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Beyond the Central Interaction

But the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of 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 in a way suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny nod, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

Zack’s card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked location where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to relive the passing personally. You perform the ultimate play. You transfer the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the series to date.