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A significant element of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards narrate well-known tales. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is found in the complete Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. Several are poignant reminders of sad moments fans remember vividly to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," explained a lead game designer on the collaboration. "We built some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was largely on a card-by-card level."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the release's most refined instances of storytelling via gameplay. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the product's core systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the saga will immediately grasp the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an gear, onto that other creature.

This design portrays a moment FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, communicated solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the duo manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to protect his friend. They eventually arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

In a game, the rules essentially let you recreate this entire scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an equipment card. Together, these three cards unfold in this way: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to negate the damage altogether. So you can do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards at no cost. This is exactly the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Beyond the Main Interaction

However, the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it extends past just this combo. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a small connection, but one that cleverly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked bluff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you reenact the moment for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the saga for many fans.