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A major part of the appeal found in the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner countless cards narrate iconic narratives. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The card's mechanics mirror this with subtlety. Such narrative is found across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. Several serve as heartbreaking callbacks of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Emotional stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," noted a senior designer for the project. "They created some general rules, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the collection's most elegant pieces of narrative design via mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the story will instantly understand the meaning embedded in it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. By spending one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an Equipment, onto that target creature.

This card paints a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits with equal force here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

For context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the duo get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his friend. They eventually reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the abilities in essence let you recreate this whole scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these pieces function in this way: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to negate the attack altogether. This allows you to perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

More Than the Obvious Synergy

But the narrative here is incredibly rich, 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 target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable cliff where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to recreate the passing yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the franchise for many fans.