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A core aspect of the charm found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way countless cards tell familiar tales. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a portrait of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose signature move is a fancy shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. Such storytelling is found throughout the complete Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. A number serve as heartbreaking reminders of tragedies fans still mull over years after.

"Moving stories are a vital part of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a principal designer on the set. "The team established some general rules, but finally, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a top-tier card, it is one of the release's most elegant examples of flavor by way of rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's central mechanics. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the significance within it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the color of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to grant another ally you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s counters, along with an gear, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics paints a moment FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands powerfully here, expressed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

For context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the pair break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They eventually make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you reenact this whole scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of equipment in the set that costs three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces unfold as follows: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage entirely. Therefore, you can make this play at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of interaction meant when talking about “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

More Than the Central Interaction

And the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it goes beyond just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity 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 then becomes a Mutant. This sort of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny reference, but one that implicitly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you relive the passing for yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.