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A core element of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion numerous cards tell well-known stories. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is widespread throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. A number act as heartbreaking echoes of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving tales are a central element of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a senior game designer for the set. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was largely on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair card isn't a tournament staple, it represents one of the set's most clever instances of storytelling via rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the set's core gameplay elements. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the meaning embedded in it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another ally you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an gear, onto that other creature.

This design paints a sequence FF fans are very familiar with, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands powerfully here, communicated completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the friends manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to take care of his companion. They eventually reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities essentially let you recreate this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the collection that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an artifact card. Together, these three cards function as follows: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to negate the attack altogether. So you can make this play at a key moment, passing 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 pull extra cards and play two spells for free. This is precisely the kind of moment alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Beyond the Obvious Synergy

And the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it extends further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a small reference, but one that cleverly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

Zack’s card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to recreate the legacy for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the legacy on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the franchise to date.