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A core element of the charm found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion countless cards narrate familiar tales. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose key technique is a specialized shot that takes a defender aside. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of narrative is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all joyful stories. Some act as poignant callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly decades later.

"Powerful narratives are a key component of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a lead designer on the set. "They created some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was largely on a card-by-card level."

While the Zack Fair may not be a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the set's most clever pieces of flavor through rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the product's core mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the tale will instantly understand the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the hue of good) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that other creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands powerfully here, expressed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

Some necessary context, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the duo break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to protect his comrade. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the card mechanics in essence let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an artifact card. In combination, these three cards function as follows: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the manner Zack’s signature action is structured, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to negate the damage completely. Therefore, you can do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells at no cost. This is just the kind of moment meant when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

More Than the Central Interaction

And the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it goes further than just these cards. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a small connection, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

This design doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy cliff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the legacy personally. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the weapon on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise ever made.