🔗 Share this article

A core element of the charm within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion so many cards depict well-known narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a snapshot of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that knocks a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this with subtlety. Such flavor is prevalent in the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not fun and games. Several are somber reminders of sad moments fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Moving tales are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a principal game designer on the set. "The team established some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was largely on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a top-tier card, it stands as one of the release's most elegant pieces of narrative design by way of rules. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the product's key mechanics. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the story will quickly recognize the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another ally you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an gear, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics portrays a moment FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits powerfully here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

Some necessary context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended testing, the duo manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to look after his comrade. They finally make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

In a game, the card mechanics in essence let you recreate this entire scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. Together, these pieces play out in this way: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s signature action is designed, you can technically use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to negate the attack completely. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Extending Past the Obvious Synergy

And the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it reaches further than just these cards. 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a tiny nod, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

Zack’s card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable location where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to reenact the moment yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You pass the sword on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the series ever made.