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A significant part of the allure of the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion numerous cards narrate well-known narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a snapshot of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this perfectly. This type of storytelling is found in the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not fun and games. Several serve as somber reminders of emotional events fans remember vividly decades later.

"Powerful tales are a central element of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a lead designer involved with the set. "We built some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair card is not a top-tier card, it represents one of the release's most clever instances of storytelling through rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the expansion's key mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the tale will instantly understand the meaning within it.

The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules

For one white mana (the hue of good) in this set, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to give another ally you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an gear, onto that chosen creature.

This card paints a moment FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits with equal force here, expressed entirely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

A bit of context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended testing, the friends break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his comrade. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules essentially let you recreate this whole event. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to look through your library for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces function in this way: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack altogether. Therefore, you can perform this action at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells for free. This is just the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Beyond the Main Interaction

But the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it extends beyond just these cards. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked cliff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you relive the moment personally. You perform the ultimate play. You transfer the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the franchise to date.