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A significant element of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion numerous cards depict iconic stories. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a portrait of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that knocks a defender aside. The abilities reflect this perfectly. These kinds of storytelling is found across the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Some act as somber reminders of emotional events fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Moving tales are a vital part of the Final Fantasy series," explained a principal game designer on the project. "They created some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most clever instances of narrative design via rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the expansion's key gameplay elements. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the tale will instantly understand the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another creature you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s counters, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card paints a sequence FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands just as hard here, expressed entirely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

A bit of backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the pair manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to look after his friend. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you recreate this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces play out as follows: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage completely. Therefore, you can perform this action at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction referred to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Beyond the Central Combo

However, the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches past just these cards. The Jenova card 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 then becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a small reference, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy bluff where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you recreate the legacy yourself. You make the ultimate play. You transfer the sword on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the saga to date.