🔗 Share this article

A major part of the charm within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards tell familiar stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a portrait of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. A number serve as poignant reminders of emotional events fans still mull over decades later.

"Emotional stories are a central component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a senior game designer on the project. "The team established some broad guidelines, but finally, it was largely on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most clever pieces of flavor through mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the product's central gameplay elements. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the tale will immediately grasp the significance embedded in it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, as well as an Equipment, onto that target creature.

These mechanics portrays a scene FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates just as hard here, expressed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

A bit of backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the friends manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to take care of his comrade. They eventually reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules essentially let you reenact this entire scene. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold in this way: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s signature action is worded, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the attack altogether. This allows you to do this at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Obvious Interaction

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it goes further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity 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 in a way implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny reference, but one that implicitly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

Zack’s card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable bluff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to relive the moment personally. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the sword on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the saga to date.