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A major element of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion numerous cards tell familiar narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a portrait of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this with subtlety. Such narrative is found in the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. A number are poignant callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving stories are a key part of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead game designer on the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card isn't a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the release's most elegant pieces of storytelling via rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's core gameplay elements. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the story will instantly understand the significance within it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the alignment of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an Equipment, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands powerfully here, communicated solely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

Some necessary context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the pair get away. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to protect his companion. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class 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 effectively let you relive this whole event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and provides 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 wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an artifact card. In combination, these three cards play out in this way: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage entirely. Therefore, you can do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards at no cost. This is exactly the kind of moment meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Beyond the Main Combo

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it goes past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle reference, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

This design does not depict his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy bluff where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You hand over the legacy on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the saga for many fans.