🔗 Share this article

A major aspect of the appeal of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way countless cards depict well-known narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a portrait of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose signature move is a specialized shot that knocks a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this perfectly. This type of narrative is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. A number act as somber echoes of emotional events fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving narratives are a key part of the Final Fantasy series," explained a lead game designer on the collaboration. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most refined examples of flavor through gameplay. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal dramatic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the expansion's central gameplay elements. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those who know the saga will immediately grasp the significance behind it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that target creature.

These mechanics paints a scene FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates powerfully here, expressed 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

A bit of context, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the duo get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to protect his friend. They finally arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities essentially let you recreate this entire scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these three cards play out like this: You summon Zack, and he gets 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 manner Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to cancel out the damage completely. So you can perform this action at a key moment, moving 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 draw two cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

More Than the Main Combo

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it goes further than just Zack and Cloud. 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 target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny nod, but one that subtly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy bluff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the legacy personally. You perform the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the saga ever made.