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A major part of the charm found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion numerous cards depict well-known tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose signature move is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this with subtlety. These kinds of storytelling is widespread throughout the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. Some act as somber echoes of tragedies fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Emotional tales are a key part of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal game designer for the set. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was largely on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair card isn't a top-tier card, it represents one of the collection's most refined examples of storytelling via gameplay. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's central mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will instantly understand the significance embedded in it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one mana of white (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, as well as an gear, onto that target creature.

These mechanics portrays a moment FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits with equal force here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary backstory, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the pair manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to take care of his friend. They eventually make it the outskirts 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 first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you recreate this iconic scene. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces function in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage altogether. So you can do this at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of experience meant when talking about “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Extending Past the Main Interaction

However, the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes further than just this combo. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This sort of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a subtle reference, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to recreate the moment personally. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the saga ever made.