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A core aspect of the charm of the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner numerous cards depict well-known tales. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this with subtlety. These kinds of storytelling is prevalent in the complete Final Fantasy offering, and not all joyful stories. Several act as somber echoes of tragedies fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Powerful narratives are a vital component of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a principal designer on the project. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was largely on a case-by-case level."

Even though the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it represents one of the release's most refined pieces of storytelling by way of mechanics. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the set's central gameplay elements. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the significance embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the color of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to give another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, along with an gear, onto that other creature.

This card portrays a moment FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands with equal force here, communicated solely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

Some necessary backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the duo manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to take care of his companion. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

In a game, the abilities in essence let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards play out like this: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the attack altogether. So you can perform this action at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Interaction

But the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches beyond just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity 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 sort of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a tiny connection, but one that implicitly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy cliff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing personally. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the saga ever made.