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A significant part of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner so many cards tell familiar tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a portrait of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a specialized shot that pushes a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this with subtlety. This type of storytelling is found throughout the whole Final Fantasy set, and not all lighthearted tales. A number act as poignant reminders of emotional events fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful narratives are a vital element of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a principal designer on the collaboration. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was largely on a case-by-case basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the set's most clever pieces of flavor through rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the expansion's core systems. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can destroy the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s counters, along with an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This card depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands just as hard here, conveyed completely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the friends manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to protect his companion. They eventually reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

In a game, the abilities in essence let you reenact this iconic event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an equipment card. Together, these three cards function in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s signature action is structured, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack completely. So 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 formidable 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of moment alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

More Than the Central Interaction

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it goes beyond just this combo. 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 chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle nod, but one that implicitly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

This design doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable location where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the passing yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise to date.