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A core part of the appeal within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion so many cards depict iconic stories. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a portrait of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a specialized shot that knocks a defender aside. The card's mechanics represent this perfectly. This type of narrative is widespread in the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not lighthearted tales. Some are heartbreaking echoes of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a key component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a senior game designer on the set. "They created some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual level."

Even though the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it represents one of the set's most clever pieces of narrative design via rules. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the set's central systems. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the saga will instantly understand the significance within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

For one white mana (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can destroy the card to give another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This card portrays a sequence FF fans are very familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates powerfully here, expressed solely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the duo get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to look after his comrade. They finally make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Battlefield

In a game, the card mechanics in essence let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an weapon card. In combination, these three cards function as follows: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to cancel out the damage completely. So you can make this play at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

More Than the Main Interaction

But the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends beyond 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 chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked location where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the legacy for yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the series to date.