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A core element of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion numerous cards narrate iconic narratives. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this with subtlety. This type of narrative is widespread across the whole Final Fantasy set, and not all joyful stories. Some act as somber callbacks of emotional events fans still mull over decades later.

"Moving stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a senior designer for the set. "We built some general rules, but ultimately, it was largely on a individual level."

Even though the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it is one of the release's most clever examples of storytelling via gameplay. It artfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the set's core mechanics. And while it avoids revealing anything, those who know the tale will immediately grasp the meaning within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another creature you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This card depicts a scene FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, conveyed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

A bit of history, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the friends get away. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to protect his friend. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this whole event. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an equipment card. Together, these three cards play out as follows: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to cancel out the attack entirely. Therefore, you can do this at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, every 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 referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Combo

But the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle reference, but one that subtly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the moment personally. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while engaged in a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the series for many fans.