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A core part of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards depict familiar stories. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a portrait of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this with subtlety. Such flavor is found across the complete Final Fantasy set, and not all joyful stories. Some are poignant callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly to this day.

"Moving stories are a central component of the Final Fantasy series," explained a senior game designer on the set. "The team established some general rules, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the set's most clever instances of flavor by way of rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's central mechanics. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the tale will immediately grasp the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, plus an gear, onto that other creature.

This design paints a moment FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits just as hard here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

Some necessary history, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the duo get away. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to protect his companion. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

In a game, the abilities effectively let you reenact this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces function like this: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can technically use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to negate the attack altogether. So you can make this play at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Beyond the Main Combo

But the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends beyond just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity 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 sort of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

Zack’s card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you reenact the moment yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the series to date.