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A core element of the appeal within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards tell well-known narratives. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a snapshot of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose signature move is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities represent this perfectly. This type of storytelling is prevalent throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Some act as somber echoes of sad moments fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Powerful stories are a key component of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead designer for the collaboration. "They created some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was largely on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the release's most refined instances of flavor via gameplay. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments in spectacular fashion, all while leveraging some of the expansion's central gameplay elements. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the tale will immediately grasp the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an gear, onto that target creature.

This card depicts a moment FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates with equal force here, communicated solely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the pair manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his comrade. They eventually reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you reenact this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of armament in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an weapon card. Together, these pieces function in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to prevent the damage completely. This allows you to make this play at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of experience meant when discussing “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Obvious Interaction

And the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it extends past just these cards. The Jenova card 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 then becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that cleverly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

Zack’s card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked bluff where it all ends. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the legacy personally. You make the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the saga to date.