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A core element of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way so many cards narrate familiar stories. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a portrait of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. This type of narrative is prevalent in the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not joyful stories. Several act as somber echoes of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful tales are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," noted a senior designer on the set. "The team established some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the release's most refined instances of narrative design through rules. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's central gameplay elements. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will quickly recognize the significance within it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one white mana (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This design paints a moment FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, communicated entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

For backstory, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the friends manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to take care of his comrade. They finally arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you recreate this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an weapon card. In combination, these three cards play out like this: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to cancel out the attack completely. This allows you to perform this action at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards at no cost. This is just the kind of moment alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Main Combo

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it extends past just Zack and Cloud. 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy location where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you recreate the moment yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You pass the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the franchise ever made.