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A significant part of the charm found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner so many cards tell well-known stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a snapshot of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose signature move is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of storytelling is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. Several act as poignant echoes of emotional events fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Moving stories are a key element of the Final Fantasy series," explained a principal designer on the project. "The team established some general rules, but finally, it was largely on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair isn't a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most elegant examples of storytelling by way of mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's core systems. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will quickly recognize the meaning behind it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s markers, plus an gear, onto that target creature.

This card portrays a sequence 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*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, conveyed completely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the duo get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to take care of his friend. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this iconic scene. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards function in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage altogether. So you can do this at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of moment meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Extending Past the Obvious Combo

However, the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it reaches past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that cleverly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

This design does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy cliff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you relive the passing personally. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.