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A major part of the appeal within the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion numerous cards narrate iconic stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a glimpse of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules mirror this perfectly. This type of narrative is prevalent throughout the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. A number are poignant callbacks of sad moments fans still mull over decades later.

"Moving tales are a key part of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a lead game designer on the set. "We built some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the collection's most elegant pieces of storytelling through mechanics. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal dramatic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core systems. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the story will immediately grasp the meaning embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another ally you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This design paints a sequence FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates just as hard here, expressed entirely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

A bit of context, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the friends break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to protect his friend. They eventually reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Moment on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you recreate this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an weapon card. Together, these three cards play out like this: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to cancel out the damage completely. This allows you to do this at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction meant when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Beyond the Main Combo

But the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it extends further than just these cards. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that cleverly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable bluff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the legacy yourself. You make the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the series to date.