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A significant element of the allure within the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way so many cards depict familiar narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a snapshot of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this perfectly. These kinds of flavor is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all joyful stories. A number act as somber echoes of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," explained a senior designer involved with the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the set's most refined pieces of flavor via gameplay. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core systems. And while it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the tale will immediately grasp the significance embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to give another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics paints a sequence FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, communicated entirely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the duo get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his comrade. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

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

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an equipment card. Together, these three cards function as follows: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s signature action is designed, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack completely. So you can do this at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Synergy

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it goes beyond just this combo. 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 also becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a small reference, but one that cleverly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked location where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing personally. You choose the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the saga to date.