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A major aspect of the charm within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards depict iconic narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose key technique is a fancy shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is widespread across the entire Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. A number act as poignant callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful narratives are a vital element of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a lead designer on the collaboration. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was largely on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair card is not a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the release's most refined examples of flavor through mechanics. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the set's key gameplay elements. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will instantly understand the emotional weight within it.

The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the hue of good) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an Equipment, onto that target creature.

This card paints a scene FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits with equal force here, conveyed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

For history, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the duo get away. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to take care of his friend. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics in essence let you recreate this whole event. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an weapon card. In combination, 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 cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s signature action is designed, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack entirely. So you can make this play at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Interaction

And the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, 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 target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

The card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy cliff where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to reenact the legacy yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You pass the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the franchise for many fans.