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A core element of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner numerous cards tell iconic tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the hero at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose signature move is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules mirror this in nuanced ways. Such storytelling is widespread across the entire Final Fantasy set, and not all fun and games. Some are poignant callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving stories are a key component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a principal game designer on the collaboration. "They created some overarching principles, but finally, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the release's most refined pieces of narrative design via gameplay. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core mechanics. And while it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the story will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of good) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This card depicts a sequence FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates powerfully here, conveyed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

For history, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the duo break free. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to look after his comrade. They eventually arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the card mechanics effectively let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these three cards play out like this: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to negate the damage completely. So you can make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Central Interaction

And the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes past just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small connection, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy location where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the moment personally. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the franchise to date.