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A major aspect of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion countless cards tell iconic tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a glimpse of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this with subtlety. Such storytelling is widespread throughout the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Several serve as poignant callbacks of tragedies fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Emotional stories are a key part of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead designer on the set. "The team established some broad guidelines, but finally, it was largely on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the collection's most elegant instances of flavor via mechanics. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the expansion's key mechanics. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

For one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to give another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

These mechanics paints a moment FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands just as hard here, expressed solely through rules text. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

For history, and here is your *FF7* warning: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of testing, the friends manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to look after his companion. They eventually arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the rules essentially let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. Together, these pieces play out like this: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to cancel out the damage completely. So you can perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of moment meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Synergy

However, the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it goes beyond just this combo. 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 kind of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle nod, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to relive the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.