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A core aspect of the appeal found in the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way so many cards tell iconic stories. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a portrait of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that takes a defender aside. The abilities represent this with subtlety. These kinds of narrative is widespread across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and not all joyful stories. Several act as poignant echoes of emotional events fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Moving stories are a key component of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal designer involved with the set. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was largely on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the release's most elegant examples of flavor via mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal dramatic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the set's key systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the tale will immediately grasp the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics paints a sequence FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands powerfully here, expressed solely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

For history, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the duo get away. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his companion. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the rules in essence let you reenact this whole event. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of equipment in the set that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

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

Owing to the way Zack’s signature action is structured, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to negate the damage entirely. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of moment meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Central Combo

And the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends past just this combo. 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 chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that implicitly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design does not depict his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the moment for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the sword on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the saga for many fans.