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A core aspect of the appeal found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion countless cards tell familiar stories. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a snapshot of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose signature move is a fancy shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities represent this perfectly. This type of flavor is prevalent in the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. A number are poignant reminders of sad moments fans remember vividly years after.

"Emotional tales are a key component of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a principal game designer on the set. "They created some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was primarily on a case-by-case level."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it is one of the collection's most elegant pieces of flavor by way of mechanics. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the expansion's central mechanics. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the saga will instantly understand the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s markers, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a scene FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits just as hard here, communicated solely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

A bit of backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the pair get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to take care of his friend. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules in essence let you reenact this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these pieces unfold as follows: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to cancel out the attack completely. So you can do this at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards at no cost. This is exactly the kind of moment alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Extending Past the Obvious Combo

But the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it goes further than just this combo. The Jenova card is part of the set 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 kind of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy location where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to relive the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the weapon on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the saga for many fans.