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A major element of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards tell iconic tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules reflect this perfectly. This type of storytelling is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy set, and not all fun and games. Several act as heartbreaking echoes of sad moments fans still mull over years after.

"Moving narratives are a vital element of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a principal designer on the project. "We built some overarching principles, but finally, it was mostly on a case-by-case level."

Though the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it is one of the release's most clever examples of storytelling via gameplay. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the product's central systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the tale will instantly understand the significance embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card depicts a sequence FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, expressed entirely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the pair manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to look after his comrade. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Tabletop

In a game, the rules effectively let you recreate this entire sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to look through your library for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces play out like this: You summon Zack, and he receives 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.

Owing to the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to cancel out the attack entirely. Therefore, you can do this at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of experience referred to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Obvious Synergy

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it reaches past just these cards. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that subtly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked location where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you relive the legacy for yourself. You make the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy 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 saga to date.