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A significant aspect of the charm within the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way so many cards depict iconic narratives. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. These kinds of narrative is prevalent across the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not joyful stories. A number act as heartbreaking reminders of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful narratives are a central component of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a senior designer for the project. "The team established some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was largely on a individual basis."

Though the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most elegant instances of storytelling via gameplay. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the expansion's central gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the significance embedded in it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another ally you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s markers, plus an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

This card depicts a scene FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits just as hard here, communicated entirely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

For history, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the pair get away. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to take care of his comrade. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you relive this entire event. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces function as follows: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s signature action is structured, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to prevent the damage altogether. So 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, 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 talking about “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

More Than the Obvious Combo

But the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's 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 bluff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you reenact the passing yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You transfer the sword on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the franchise to date.