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A core aspect of the charm found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards tell familiar narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a portrait of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose signature move is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is widespread in the complete Final Fantasy set, and not all joyful stories. Some serve as poignant reminders of sad moments fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Powerful stories are a key component of the Final Fantasy series," explained a lead designer for the project. "The team established some general rules, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair may not be a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the collection's most clever examples of flavor by way of mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's central mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the saga will quickly recognize the emotional weight within it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the color of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another unit you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s markers, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card paints a sequence FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates just as hard here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the friends break free. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his comrade. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the rules effectively let you recreate this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these three cards function like this: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to negate the attack completely. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

Beyond the Main Interaction

But the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches 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 sort of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a small reference, but one that implicitly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked location where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to relive the passing for yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the saga to date.