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A major part of the allure within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards depict familiar stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities mirror this with subtlety. Such narrative is found across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. A number serve as somber echoes of tragedies fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Moving narratives are a key part of the Final Fantasy series," explained a senior game designer involved with the set. "The team established some general rules, but finally, it was primarily on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the release's most refined pieces of flavor by way of mechanics. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the product's key mechanics. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will immediately grasp the meaning within it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that other creature.

These mechanics depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits powerfully here, expressed entirely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the friends break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to look after his comrade. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities effectively let you relive this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces function as follows: You play Zack, and he receives 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 manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to negate the attack completely. So you can make this play at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards at no cost. This is just the kind of experience meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

More Than the Central Synergy

And the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches beyond just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This sort of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle connection, but one that subtly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to recreate the moment for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the legacy on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the series to date.