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A major part of the appeal of the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way so many cards depict iconic narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose key technique is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. Such narrative is widespread in the entire Final Fantasy set, and not all fun and games. Several serve as somber callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving narratives are a central component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a lead designer on the collaboration. "They created some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair is not a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most refined instances of flavor via rules. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the product's central gameplay elements. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the tale will instantly understand the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to grant another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, along with an gear, onto that target creature.

This card portrays a scene FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits just as hard here, communicated solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

For backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the pair get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his friend. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you relive this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these pieces function in this way: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage entirely. So you can perform this action at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells at no cost. This is exactly the kind of moment meant when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

And the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it goes past just this combo. The Jenova card 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

This design doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable bluff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to relive the passing personally. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the series to date.