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A major part of the allure within the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion so many cards narrate well-known stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a portrait of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose signature move is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this with subtlety. Such flavor is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. Several are poignant echoes of sad moments fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Moving stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a principal designer for the project. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it represents one of the set's most refined pieces of flavor by way of gameplay. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the set's central mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the meaning embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an Equipment, onto that target creature.

These mechanics paints a sequence FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates just as hard here, conveyed completely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

For backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the friends break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to protect his friend. They eventually arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Moment on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities effectively let you reenact this whole event. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to look through your library for an equipment card. Together, these pieces play out like this: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s signature action is structured, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to cancel out the attack entirely. This allows you to perform this action at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of moment referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Central Combo

And the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it extends beyond just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts 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, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a small nod, but one that cleverly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

This design doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy bluff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you recreate the legacy personally. You perform the ultimate play. You pass the sword on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the saga ever made.