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A core element of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way so many cards tell familiar narratives. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a portrait of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose key technique is a specialized shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this in nuanced ways. This type of storytelling is prevalent across the whole Final Fantasy set, and not all fun and games. Several are heartbreaking callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly decades later.

"Powerful stories are a vital part of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal game designer involved with the set. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was largely on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it stands as one of the set's most refined instances of flavor by way of mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the product's central gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another unit you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s markers, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits powerfully here, expressed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended testing, the duo break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to take care of his companion. They eventually arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up 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 Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you relive this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an equipment card. In combination, these pieces unfold as follows: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to negate the damage altogether. Therefore, you can do this at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of moment referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

Beyond the Central Combo

However, the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it goes past just this combo. 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that implicitly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

This design doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the saga to date.