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A significant element of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner countless cards narrate iconic narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is widespread across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. A number act as somber echoes of tragedies fans still mull over years after.

"Emotional stories are a key component of the Final Fantasy series," explained a principal designer involved with the collaboration. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was largely on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair isn't a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the set's most clever pieces of narrative design by way of gameplay. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal dramatic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the expansion's core systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will instantly understand the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

These mechanics paints a sequence FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits just as hard here, communicated completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

Some necessary context, and here is your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the duo break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to protect his comrade. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

In a game, the card mechanics essentially let you reenact this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an equipment card. Together, these pieces play out as follows: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s signature action is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack altogether. So you can make this play at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of experience meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Main Synergy

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it extends past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle nod, but one that cleverly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

This design avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy bluff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the legacy for yourself. You make the ultimate play. You pass the sword on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a card battle, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the series to date.