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A core aspect of the allure within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner so many cards narrate familiar narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the hero at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a specialized shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of storytelling is found across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. A number serve as poignant reminders of tragedies fans remember vividly to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a key component of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a senior game designer involved with the collaboration. "They created some general rules, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most refined pieces of storytelling via rules. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the expansion's central systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will instantly understand the significance within it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another unit you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This card depicts a moment FF fans are very familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates powerfully here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the friends get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to protect his companion. They finally make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics effectively let you reenact this iconic event. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold like this: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to negate the attack entirely. So you can perform this action at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards for free. This is just the kind of interaction meant when discussing “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

More Than the Obvious Combo

But the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it reaches past just these cards. 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 target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny reference, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy cliff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing for yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise to date.