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A significant element of the appeal of the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards narrate iconic narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a snapshot of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this with subtlety. Such flavor is widespread in the entire Final Fantasy set, and not all joyful stories. Some are somber reminders of emotional events fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Moving tales are a central component of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a lead game designer involved with the project. "They created some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a case-by-case level."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it represents one of the release's most clever pieces of flavor via gameplay. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the expansion's central systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the saga will quickly recognize the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s markers, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates with equal force here, expressed solely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

For context, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the pair manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They eventually make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

In a game, the rules essentially let you relive this whole event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

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

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to cancel out the damage entirely. Therefore, you can perform this action at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards for free. This is just the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Main Interaction

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it extends further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in 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 suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked cliff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the moment personally. You perform the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the saga to date.