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A major part of the appeal found in the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner so many cards depict familiar tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules mirror this with subtlety. This type of flavor is widespread throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several act as poignant callbacks of emotional events fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Emotional stories are a central element of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a principal game designer for the collaboration. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most clever instances of flavor through rules. It artfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the product's core mechanics. And while it avoids revealing anything, those who know the saga will quickly recognize the meaning within it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design paints a sequence FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands with equal force here, conveyed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

A bit of backstory, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of experimentation, the pair get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to take care of his friend. They eventually arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Battlefield

In a game, the rules effectively let you relive this iconic event. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces unfold like this: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s signature action is worded, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the damage entirely. So you can perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two spells at no cost. This is just the kind of moment referred to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Main Interaction

But the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it extends past just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places 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, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small reference, but one that cleverly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked location where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to reenact the moment for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the series ever made.