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A major part of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards narrate familiar tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the hero at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of storytelling is found in the whole Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. Several act as poignant callbacks of tragedies fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Moving tales are a key component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a senior designer on the project. "They created some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

While the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it is one of the set's most clever instances of narrative design by way of mechanics. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's key mechanics. And although it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the story will instantly understand the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the color of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another unit you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s counters, as well as an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands powerfully here, communicated entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

For backstory, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the pair get away. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his companion. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you relive this whole scene. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an artifact card. In combination, these three cards play out as follows: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the manner Zack’s key mechanic is worded, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage altogether. This allows you to make this play at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of experience referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

More Than the Obvious Synergy

However, the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity 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 also becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small connection, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy location where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you reenact the legacy personally. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the franchise ever made.