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A core element of the charm of the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner numerous cards tell familiar stories. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that takes a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. Such narrative is found across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several act as somber echoes of tragedies fans remember vividly years after.

"Emotional tales are a central component of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a senior designer for the set. "The team established some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a case-by-case level."

Though the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the set's most refined pieces of flavor via mechanics. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the set's core systems. And while it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the meaning embedded in it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

For one white mana (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an gear, onto that other creature.

These mechanics depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits just as hard here, communicated solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary history, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the duo break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his friend. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Battlefield

In a game, the abilities effectively let you reenact this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an artifact card. Together, these three cards function like this: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack entirely. So you can perform this action at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of moment meant when talking about “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

More Than the Central Combo

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, 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, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable location where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the legacy for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the weapon on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the franchise for many fans.