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A major aspect of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way countless cards depict well-known narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is found in the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all fun and games. A number act as somber reminders of tragedies fans remember vividly decades later.

"Powerful tales are a central component of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a principal game designer on the set. "They created some overarching principles, but finally, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair is not a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the release's most clever pieces of flavor via rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the product's key systems. And while it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the saga will immediately grasp the significance behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates with equal force here, conveyed solely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

A bit of history, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the friends get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to take care of his companion. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics in essence let you relive this entire event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces play out in this way: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to negate the attack entirely. So you can do this at any time, passing 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 draw two cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is exactly the kind of interaction meant when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Main Interaction

However, the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes beyond just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny connection, but one that implicitly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you recreate the moment yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the series ever made.