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A significant element of the appeal found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion so many cards tell familiar stories. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a snapshot of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose key technique is a specialized shot that pushes a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this with subtlety. This type of storytelling is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all joyful stories. Several serve as somber callbacks of emotional events fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Emotional tales are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," explained a principal designer involved with the collaboration. "They created some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

While the Zack Fair card isn't a top-tier card, it stands as one of the release's most elegant instances of flavor by way of rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the set's central gameplay elements. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the emotional weight behind it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to grant another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates powerfully here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended testing, the duo get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to protect his friend. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics essentially let you reenact this iconic scene. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces unfold as follows: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack entirely. This allows you to do this at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Obvious Combo

However, the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle nod, but one that subtly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked bluff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the legacy personally. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise to date.