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A major part of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way so many cards depict familiar narratives. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a glimpse of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is widespread across the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several act as heartbreaking echoes of sad moments fans remember vividly to this day.

"Emotional stories are a central element of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a senior game designer for the project. "They created some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a card-by-card level."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the set's most elegant instances of narrative design via mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the set's central mechanics. And while it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the tale will instantly understand the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, along with an gear, onto that other creature.

These mechanics depicts a scene FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands with equal force here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

A bit of context, and here is your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the pair break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to take care of his comrade. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the rules effectively let you reenact this entire event. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the collection that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these pieces play out like this: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage altogether. So you can make this play at any time, passing 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 pull extra cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Central Interaction

And the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes further than just these cards. The Jenova card appears in 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 sort of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that implicitly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

Zack’s card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You hand over the sword on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the franchise to date.