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A core part of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way numerous cards depict iconic tales. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose key technique is a fancy shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. Such storytelling is found across the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all joyful stories. Some are poignant reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Emotional narratives are a central element of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a principal designer on the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was largely on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair isn't a tournament staple, it is one of the release's most clever pieces of storytelling via rules. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the set's central systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will quickly recognize the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to give another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s markers, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

This design portrays a scene FF fans are very familiar with, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it resonates powerfully here, expressed solely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

Some necessary backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the duo break free. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to protect his comrade. They finally arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the rules effectively let you reenact this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an artifact card. Together, these three cards play out like this: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s signature action is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage completely. This allows you to do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is just the kind of experience alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

However, the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it extends beyond just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a small connection, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked location where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you relive the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You hand over the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the series to date.