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A major part of the appeal of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards depict familiar narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of narrative is found across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Some are somber reminders of tragedies fans remember vividly decades later.

"Powerful stories are a central part of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a senior game designer involved with the set. "They created some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the collection's most clever pieces of narrative design via gameplay. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the set's core mechanics. And although it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the saga will quickly recognize the meaning within it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to give another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an gear, onto that target creature.

This card paints a sequence FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits with equal force here, communicated completely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

Some necessary backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the duo break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his friend. They eventually reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the abilities effectively let you recreate this entire scene. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an weapon card. In combination, these three cards unfold in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to negate the attack altogether. This allows you to make this play at a key moment, transferring 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 pull extra cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of experience meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Extending Past the Central Combo

However, the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends beyond just Zack and Cloud. 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 sort of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that subtly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy location where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the moment personally. You make the sacrifice. You pass the sword on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the saga ever made.