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A significant aspect of the allure of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner so many cards narrate familiar stories. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose signature move is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of storytelling is found across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Some serve as heartbreaking callbacks of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Powerful stories are a key component of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a lead designer for the set. "We built some general rules, but finally, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

Even though the Zack Fair is not a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the collection's most elegant pieces of narrative design via rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the set's key systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By paying one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a moment FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits powerfully here, conveyed completely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

For backstory, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the friends break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to protect his comrade. They finally arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you recreate this iconic event. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. Together, these pieces play out in this way: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to cancel out the damage altogether. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Synergy

And the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it extends further than just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that implicitly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable location where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you relive the passing personally. You perform the sacrifice. You hand over the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the saga to date.