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A major part of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner so many cards tell iconic narratives. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a glimpse of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose key technique is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules mirror this perfectly. This type of flavor is widespread across the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. Some act as somber reminders of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving narratives are a key element of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a principal game designer for the project. "They created some general rules, but ultimately, it was largely on a case-by-case level."

While the Zack Fair may not be a top-tier card, it represents one of the set's most refined pieces of flavor by way of rules. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the expansion's central gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the meaning within it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of 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 bonuses, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card portrays a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands just as hard here, communicated solely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the pair break free. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to look after his comrade. They eventually reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

In a game, the abilities effectively let you relive this entire event. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces function as follows: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage entirely. So you can perform this action at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of experience referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it extends beyond just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that implicitly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you reenact the passing personally. You make the ultimate play. You transfer the legacy on. And for a short instant, while playing a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise to date.