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A core aspect of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way numerous cards narrate familiar stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. A number serve as poignant callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly to this day.

"Moving narratives are a vital part of the Final Fantasy series," noted a lead designer involved with the set. "They created some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the collection's most elegant pieces of storytelling via mechanics. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the expansion's core systems. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the story will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By spending one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to give another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, expressed entirely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

Some necessary context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the pair manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to look after his companion. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you relive this whole scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an weapon card. In combination, these three cards function as follows: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s signature action is worded, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to negate the attack altogether. So you can do this at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells for free. This is just the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Synergy

And the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes further than just Zack and Cloud. 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 target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle nod, but one that cleverly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable cliff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to recreate the legacy yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the sword on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the saga for many fans.