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A major part of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way so many cards depict well-known stories. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose secret weapon is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this with subtlety. Such flavor is found across the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. Several serve as heartbreaking callbacks of sad moments fans remember vividly decades later.

"Moving narratives are a central element of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a principal game designer for the collaboration. "The team established some general rules, but in the end, it was largely on a case-by-case basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the set's most clever pieces of storytelling via rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's core systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the story will instantly understand the significance behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair has a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

These mechanics paints a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands just as hard here, conveyed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

For backstory, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the pair get away. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to take care of his friend. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Game Board

In a game, the rules effectively let you reenact this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards function as follows: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s signature action is structured, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to negate the damage entirely. So you can make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of moment referred to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Extending Past the Main Synergy

And the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that cleverly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy cliff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you reenact the passing yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the saga to date.