🔗 Share this article

A core aspect of the charm within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards depict well-known tales. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities represent this in nuanced ways. Such storytelling is widespread in the entire Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. Some serve as heartbreaking reminders of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving narratives are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," explained a principal game designer for the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most refined pieces of narrative design via rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the product's central mechanics. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will immediately grasp the significance within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to grant another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

These mechanics portrays a scene FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands powerfully here, expressed entirely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the duo get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to look after his comrade. They finally reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the rules effectively let you recreate this whole event. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of equipment in the set that costs three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. Together, these three cards unfold like this: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the manner Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to prevent the damage entirely. So you can perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells for free. This is precisely the kind of moment referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

More Than the Main Interaction

But the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. 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 chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you reenact the passing personally. You make the ultimate play. You transfer the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the saga for many fans.