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A core aspect of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner numerous cards tell familiar stories. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this with subtlety. Such flavor is found throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. A number serve as poignant reminders of sad moments fans still mull over decades later.

"Moving narratives are a central part of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a principal game designer on the collaboration. "The team established some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."

Though the Zack Fair is not a top-tier card, it stands as one of the collection's most refined pieces of flavor via mechanics. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the product's core systems. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the emotional weight within it.

The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s counters, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits just as hard here, communicated completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

Some necessary backstory, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the friends break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to look after his friend. They finally reach the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you reenact this entire scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces play out in this way: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to prevent the attack altogether. This allows you to perform this action at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and play two spells at no cost. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Combo

However, the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends past just Zack and Cloud. 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 chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a small connection, but one that implicitly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked bluff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to recreate the legacy personally. You perform the ultimate play. You transfer the legacy on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the franchise for many fans.