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A core part of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards narrate familiar narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a portrait of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this perfectly. Such flavor is found throughout the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all joyful stories. Some serve as poignant reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Powerful narratives are a vital part of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a principal game designer on the project. "We built some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Though the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it is one of the release's most elegant pieces of storytelling by way of rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's central mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will instantly understand the emotional weight embedded in it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates just as hard here, communicated entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

For backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the friends get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to protect his friend. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the card mechanics in essence let you reenact this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. Together, these three cards unfold in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can technically use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to negate the damage entirely. Therefore, you can make this play at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

More Than the Main Combo

However, the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends past just these cards. 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 then becomes a Mutant. This in a way suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small reference, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

Zack’s card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the moment yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the series to date.