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A significant element of the charm found in the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards depict iconic tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose key technique is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this in nuanced ways. This type of flavor is widespread in the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. Several are somber reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Emotional tales are a vital component of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a senior game designer involved with the project. "They created some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair is not a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the collection's most elegant pieces of narrative design via rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the expansion's key systems. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the meaning within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a base 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 give another creature you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that target creature.

This card portrays a moment FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

Some necessary context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the duo manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to look after his companion. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the card mechanics effectively let you recreate this whole scene. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of armament in the collection that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an weapon card. Together, these pieces function in this way: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack altogether. Therefore, you can perform this action at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Main Combo

However, the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it reaches past just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the collection 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 in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a small connection, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

This design doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you relive the legacy for yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You pass the sword on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.