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A significant aspect of the appeal of the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way countless cards depict familiar tales. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a portrait of the hero at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose signature move is a specialized shot that knocks a defender aside. The abilities mirror this perfectly. Such narrative is widespread across the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not joyful stories. A number serve as heartbreaking callbacks of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Emotional stories are a central component of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a lead game designer on the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was largely on a card-by-card basis."

Even though the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it is one of the release's most refined pieces of narrative design via mechanics. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the expansion's core systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the saga will immediately grasp the meaning embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to grant another ally you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an Equipment, onto that target creature.

This design portrays a moment FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, conveyed 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: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the friends break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They eventually arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities essentially let you reenact this whole event. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these pieces play out like this: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to negate the damage entirely. So you can make this play at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and play two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Synergy

However, the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity 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 implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a small reference, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable location where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to recreate the legacy personally. You choose the ultimate play. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the series for many fans.