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A major element of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner numerous cards depict well-known narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this perfectly. Such flavor is prevalent across the complete Final Fantasy set, and not all lighthearted tales. Several serve as poignant reminders of sad moments fans remember vividly years after.

"Moving narratives are a key component of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a lead game designer involved with the set. "They created some general rules, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair is not a top-tier card, it represents one of the set's most clever examples of flavor via mechanics. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the set's key mechanics. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the saga will immediately grasp the meaning within it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another unit you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, expressed completely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

Some necessary backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the pair break free. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to look after his comrade. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you reenact this iconic event. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of armament in the collection that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an artifact card. Together, these pieces unfold as follows: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the manner Zack’s signature action is worded, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to negate the damage entirely. This allows you to perform this action at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of interaction referred to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

Beyond the Central Combo

And the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches past just these cards. 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 target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that implicitly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

This design does not depict his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy cliff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to relive the legacy for yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You transfer the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.