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A major part of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards narrate familiar tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the hero at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that knocks a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this with subtlety. This type of flavor is widespread throughout the whole Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. Several act as poignant echoes of emotional events fans still mull over years after.

"Emotional stories are a vital part of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a senior game designer for the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was primarily on a case-by-case basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the collection's most refined examples of flavor through gameplay. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal dramatic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the product's central gameplay elements. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the story will instantly understand the meaning embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, as well as an gear, onto that chosen creature.

This card depicts a moment FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands powerfully here, expressed solely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

For context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the friends break free. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to protect his friend. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Battlefield

In a game, the card mechanics effectively let you recreate this whole scene. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an weapon card. In combination, these three cards unfold like this: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to cancel out the damage altogether. This allows you to make this play at any time, transferring 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 draw two cards and cast two spells at no cost. This is just the kind of experience meant when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Central Interaction

And the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set 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 hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny connection, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked cliff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the passing personally. You choose the sacrifice. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while playing a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the saga ever made.