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A core element of the appeal of the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards tell familiar stories. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this perfectly. Such storytelling is widespread throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Some serve as poignant echoes of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Emotional stories are a key element of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a principal designer involved with the project. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair isn't a tournament staple, it stands as one of the set's most clever examples of flavor by way of gameplay. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the set's central systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the story will instantly understand the meaning embedded in it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the hue of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another creature you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s markers, plus an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design portrays a sequence FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits just as hard here, conveyed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

Some necessary backstory, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the friends manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to take care of his companion. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. 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*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities essentially let you reenact this iconic event. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces function in this way: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the attack entirely. So you can make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards at no cost. This is just the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Obvious Interaction

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it reaches beyond just these cards. The Jenova card is part of the collection 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 hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that subtly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable location where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to reenact the passing personally. You make the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the series ever made.