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A core element of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner numerous cards narrate well-known narratives. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose signature move is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities reflect this with subtlety. Such narrative is found across the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not fun and games. Some are poignant reminders of sad moments fans remember vividly decades later.

"Emotional tales are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a senior designer on the project. "They created some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was largely on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair card is not a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the collection's most clever examples of storytelling by way of gameplay. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the product's central gameplay elements. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the tale will instantly understand the significance within it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design depicts a moment FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits powerfully here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

Some necessary backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the duo manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to look after his companion. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Moment on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the card mechanics essentially let you relive this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an weapon card. Together, these three cards play out in this way: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack altogether. This allows you to perform this action at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of moment alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

More Than the Obvious Combo

However, the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches beyond just this combo. 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 target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle nod, but one that cleverly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing yourself. You make the sacrifice. You hand over the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.