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A major element of the allure of the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way numerous cards depict well-known tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a glimpse of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this perfectly. This type of flavor is widespread across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Several are poignant reminders of tragedies fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving narratives are a key element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a senior designer on the project. "They created some general rules, but in the end, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

While the Zack Fair card isn't a tournament staple, it represents one of the collection's most elegant pieces of storytelling by way of rules. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the product's key gameplay elements. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the tale will immediately grasp the emotional weight within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design portrays a sequence FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits powerfully here, conveyed 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 Scene

For context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the friends break free. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his comrade. They finally reach the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Game Board

In a game, the abilities in essence let you reenact this iconic scene. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces play out like this: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to negate the damage entirely. Therefore, you can perform this action at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

And the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches beyond just these cards. The Jenova card 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny reference, but one that implicitly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked location where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to relive the moment for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the sword on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a card battle, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the franchise to date.