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A core element of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way numerous cards depict familiar tales. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this perfectly. Such narrative is prevalent throughout the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. Some act as somber reminders of tragedies fans remember vividly decades later.

"Moving tales are a key element of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a principal designer on the set. "The team established some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was largely on a card-by-card level."

Though the Zack Fair card is not a top-tier card, it is one of the collection's most clever examples of narrative design through rules. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the set's central gameplay elements. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the tale will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another unit you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s counters, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This card portrays a sequence FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates powerfully here, conveyed 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 Scene

For history, and here is your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the friends manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to look after his friend. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

In a game, the card mechanics essentially let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

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

Because of the design Zack’s signature action is structured, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to negate the damage altogether. Therefore, you can make this play at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Main Interaction

However, the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it extends past just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

Zack’s card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy cliff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the franchise ever made.