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A significant element of the charm of the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion numerous cards tell iconic narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a portrait of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose key technique is a fancy shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this perfectly. These kinds of storytelling is prevalent in the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. Several are somber callbacks of emotional events fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Emotional stories are a vital component of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a senior game designer for the project. "They created some general rules, but ultimately, it was largely on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the collection's most clever instances of flavor by way of mechanics. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the expansion's central systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the story will immediately grasp the significance embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s counters, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design portrays a scene FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands with equal force here, expressed entirely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

For backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the pair break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to look after his companion. They finally reach the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Moment on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you relive this whole event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these pieces function as follows: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the attack altogether. So you can perform this action at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction meant when discussing “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Obvious Synergy

But the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that subtly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you reenact the passing for yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You pass the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the franchise ever made.