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A core part of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way numerous cards depict iconic tales. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a portrait of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose key technique is a fancy shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this perfectly. This type of narrative is prevalent across the complete Final Fantasy set, and not all lighthearted tales. Several serve as somber callbacks of sad moments fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Powerful tales are a vital component of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a lead designer involved with the set. "The team established some general rules, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual basis."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a top-tier card, it stands as one of the release's most clever instances of flavor by way of rules. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the expansion's key gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the story will immediately grasp the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another creature you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s markers, plus an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, communicated entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

Some necessary context, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the friends get away. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to look after his companion. They finally make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you recreate this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold in this way: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to negate the attack altogether. So you can make this play at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells for free. This is just the kind of moment alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Interaction

But the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends further than just these cards. The Jenova card 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 also becomes a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to reenact the moment yourself. You make the sacrifice. You hand over the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the series to date.