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A major element of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion so many cards narrate iconic narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a portrait of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose secret weapon is a unique shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is found in the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. A number act as somber reminders of emotional events fans still mull over years after.

"Emotional stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal game designer on the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but finally, it was primarily on a card-by-card level."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most refined examples of narrative design by way of mechanics. It artfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the set's key systems. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the emotional weight behind it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s markers, along with an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

These mechanics portrays a moment FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits just as hard here, conveyed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

Some necessary history, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the friends break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to look after his friend. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this entire sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to look through your library for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards function like this: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s signature action is worded, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to negate the attack entirely. Therefore, you can make this play at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards for free. This is just the kind of moment referred to when discussing “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Extending Past the Central Combo

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it goes further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the set 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 hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny reference, but one that cleverly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy bluff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you recreate the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise ever made.