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A core aspect of the charm found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion countless cards tell familiar stories. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a glimpse of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose signature move is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules represent this perfectly. Such narrative is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. A number act as poignant echoes of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Moving stories are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a principal designer for the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

While the Zack Fair isn't a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the release's most clever instances of storytelling by way of gameplay. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the set's key mechanics. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the saga will quickly recognize the significance within it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card portrays a sequence FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates with equal force here, expressed completely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

For history, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the friends get away. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Game Board

In a game, the rules in essence let you reenact this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to look through your library for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold as follows: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to negate the damage completely. This allows you to do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Beyond the Central Synergy

And the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it goes further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle connection, but one that implicitly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

The card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to reenact the passing yourself. You perform the sacrifice. You hand over the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the franchise to date.