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A major element of the charm found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards depict well-known tales. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a fancy shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is widespread in the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. Several are poignant callbacks of emotional events fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a lead designer on the set. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it is one of the set's most elegant pieces of narrative design by way of rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the set's core systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the story will immediately grasp the emotional weight within it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s counters, along with an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits with equal force here, conveyed solely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

For context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the friends get away. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to take care of his friend. They finally make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities essentially let you reenact this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. Together, these pieces function like this: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage completely. Therefore, you can do this at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Central Interaction

But the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes beyond just Zack and Cloud. 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that implicitly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

This design does not depict his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked bluff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing personally. You perform the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the franchise to date.