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A major part of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way numerous cards narrate iconic narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not joyful stories. A number serve as somber reminders of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful tales are a central component of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a lead designer involved with the set. "The team established some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was largely on a card-by-card level."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the set's most clever instances of storytelling via gameplay. It artfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the set's key systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the story will immediately grasp the significance within it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the hue of heroes) 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 generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that other creature.

This design paints a scene FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands powerfully here, communicated completely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

A bit of context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the friends break free. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Tabletop

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you recreate this whole scene. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces function in this way: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to negate the attack entirely. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells at no cost. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

However, the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it goes further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places 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 starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that implicitly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

Zack’s card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable bluff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you relive the legacy for 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* continues to be the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.