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A significant part of the appeal within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion countless cards tell iconic narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a portrait of the hero at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose secret weapon is a unique shot that takes a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. Such narrative is found across the complete Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Several are somber reminders of sad moments fans still mull over years after.

"Powerful tales are a vital component of the Final Fantasy series," explained a lead game designer for the set. "They created some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair is not a top-tier card, it stands as one of the set's most clever examples of flavor via gameplay. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal dramatic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core mechanics. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those who know the story will instantly understand the meaning embedded in it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of good) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another unit you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

This card depicts a sequence FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands with equal force here, communicated completely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

Some necessary history, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the pair manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to take care of his friend. They eventually arrive at the plains 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, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the rules effectively let you reenact this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces unfold as follows: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to prevent the damage completely. Therefore, you can do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Central Combo

However, the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it goes past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER enhancement 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 theme in the set.

This design doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the series to date.