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A significant part of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner numerous cards tell well-known stories. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a portrait of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of flavor is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy offering, and not all lighthearted tales. A number are somber echoes of sad moments fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Emotional narratives are a key part of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a lead designer involved with the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was largely on a individual basis."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the set's most clever examples of narrative design via mechanics. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the product's key gameplay elements. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the tale will instantly understand the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, plus an Equipment, onto that target creature.

This design paints a sequence FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands powerfully here, conveyed entirely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the friends get away. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to look after his companion. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you reenact this whole scene. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and provides 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, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to look through your library for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold like this: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage altogether. This allows you to perform this action at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards at no cost. This is just the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Interaction

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it extends beyond just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This sort of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a small connection, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

This design doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy bluff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.