🔗 Share this article

A core aspect of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner numerous cards depict iconic narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a glimpse of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this perfectly. These kinds of storytelling is found across the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. A number serve as poignant echoes of emotional events fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Powerful tales are a central element of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a senior designer involved with the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it is one of the set's most clever examples of narrative design through gameplay. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's key gameplay elements. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will quickly recognize the significance within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

For one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

This card depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands with equal force here, conveyed completely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

Some necessary history, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the duo manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his friend. They finally 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 assumes the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the card mechanics essentially let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards function in this way: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the damage entirely. Therefore, you can make this play at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards at no cost. This is just the kind of experience referred to when discussing “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Extending Past the Main Synergy

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it reaches further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set 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 in a way suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny nod, but one that implicitly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you relive the legacy yourself. You make the ultimate play. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the series ever made.