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A core part of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way countless cards tell well-known narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a portrait of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose secret weapon is a unique shot that takes a defender aside. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. This type of narrative is widespread throughout the whole Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. A number are heartbreaking callbacks of emotional events fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Moving narratives are a key element of the Final Fantasy series," explained a lead designer involved with the project. "They created some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was primarily on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the release's most elegant examples of narrative design by way of rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's key mechanics. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the story will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one white mana (the alignment of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s markers, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.

These mechanics depicts a scene FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates with equal force here, expressed solely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

Some necessary context, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the duo manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to protect his companion. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Moment on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the rules essentially let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of armament in the collection that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards function as follows: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s signature action is worded, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to negate the attack altogether. This allows you to perform this action 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 strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of experience referred to when talking about “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

More Than the Obvious Combo

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of 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 in a way suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle reference, but one that implicitly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable bluff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the legacy for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the weapon on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the series to date.