The Zack Fair Card Proves That Magic: The Gathering's Crossover Sets Are Capable of Telling Meaningful Stories.

A significant aspect of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner so many cards tell well-known narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose signature move is a specialized shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this with subtlety. Such narrative is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several serve as somber reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Powerful tales are a vital part of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead game designer on the set. "They created some overarching principles, but finally, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most refined instances of narrative design via rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the expansion's core gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the saga will instantly understand the emotional weight within it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the hue of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to give another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an Equipment, onto that target creature.

These mechanics paints a moment FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates powerfully here, expressed completely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

For context, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the pair manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to protect his comrade. They finally arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Battlefield

In a game, the rules essentially let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold in this way: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s signature action is designed, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack altogether. This allows you to do this at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of interaction meant when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Synergy

And the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it extends further than just these cards. 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 also becomes a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that cleverly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design does not depict his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy bluff where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you reenact the moment personally. You make the ultimate play. You transfer the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the series to date.