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A significant part of the allure of the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion countless cards depict familiar narratives. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a specialized shot that knocks a defender aside. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. Such storytelling is found across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several are poignant callbacks of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a key element of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a principal designer on the collaboration. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was primarily on a case-by-case level."

While the Zack Fair card is not a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most clever pieces of flavor by way of rules. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the expansion's central systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the story will instantly understand the meaning behind it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, along with an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This card paints a sequence FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates just as hard here, communicated entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the pair get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his friend. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the abilities effectively let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an equipment card. In combination, these pieces function like this: You cast Zack, and he receives 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 way Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to cancel out the attack altogether. So you can do this at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Beyond the Central Synergy

And the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the set 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 kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a small reference, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

This design does not depict his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to reenact the moment personally. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the saga to date.