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A core part of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way so many cards tell familiar tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a portrait of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose signature move is a unique shot that takes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is found across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all fun and games. Several serve as heartbreaking callbacks of sad moments fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Emotional stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a senior designer for the collaboration. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was largely on a case-by-case level."

Even though the Zack Fair card isn't a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most refined instances of narrative design through rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important story moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the product's core gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the significance embedded in it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an gear, onto that chosen creature.

This card paints a sequence FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates just as hard here, expressed solely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

Some necessary history, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the duo break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to look after his comrade. They eventually arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you recreate this entire event. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of gear in the set 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 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an artifact card. Together, these three cards play out as follows: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to cancel out the attack entirely. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is exactly the kind of experience referred to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Beyond the Main Combo

However, the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it reaches beyond just these cards. 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 chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that implicitly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy cliff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you reenact the legacy yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a short instant, while playing a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the series for many fans.