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A major element of the allure found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards tell well-known narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a portrait of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that takes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules represent this in nuanced ways. Such storytelling is prevalent throughout the complete Final Fantasy set, and not all lighthearted tales. Some serve as poignant reminders of emotional events fans remember vividly decades later.

"Powerful stories are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal designer on the project. "We built some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was primarily on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the collection's most elegant examples of storytelling by way of mechanics. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the product's central mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the story will immediately grasp the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, along with an Equipment, onto that target creature.

This card portrays a scene FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates powerfully here, expressed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the pair manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to look after his friend. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the abilities effectively let you recreate this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces unfold in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s signature action is designed, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage completely. This allows you to perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of interaction referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it goes further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set 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 in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that cleverly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

Zack’s card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable location where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to relive the passing yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the saga ever made.