🔗 Share this article

A core part of the allure within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner numerous cards depict familiar narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a glimpse of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose key technique is a fancy shot that knocks a defender aside. The gameplay rules mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. A number serve as poignant echoes of emotional events fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a key part of the Final Fantasy series," explained a senior game designer involved with the collaboration. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it is one of the collection's most clever instances of narrative design by way of gameplay. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the product's central mechanics. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the significance within it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one white mana (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. By paying one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another ally you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s markers, plus an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

These mechanics portrays a moment FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates powerfully here, expressed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

A bit of backstory, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the pair manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to take care of his comrade. They eventually arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this iconic scene. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an equipment card. In combination, these three cards play out like this: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to prevent the damage altogether. So you can do this at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of experience referred to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

More Than the Obvious Interaction

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it goes 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 chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that cleverly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

Zack’s card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the legacy yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the franchise to date.