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A major aspect of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner so many cards tell well-known tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose signature move is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is found throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. Several act as somber echoes of emotional events fans remember vividly to this day.

"Powerful stories are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead designer for the collaboration. "We built some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a case-by-case level."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most refined pieces of storytelling by way of rules. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the expansion's core gameplay elements. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the hue of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s counters, along with an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design portrays a moment FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands with equal force here, conveyed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

For history, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended testing, the friends break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to take care of his companion. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics effectively let you reenact this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of equipment in the set that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold in this way: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s signature action is worded, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack completely. So you can perform this action at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of moment alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Interaction

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches beyond just these cards. 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 target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a small nod, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the passing for yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You hand over the sword on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the saga to date.