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A core aspect of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion so many cards narrate well-known stories. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is found across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. A number are poignant callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over to this day.

"Powerful narratives are a vital part of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a lead designer involved with the set. "They created some overarching principles, but finally, it was largely on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair card is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most refined pieces of flavor via rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the expansion's core systems. And while it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the story will quickly recognize the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This card paints a moment FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands just as hard here, expressed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Scene

For context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a clash with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the duo get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to protect his comrade. They eventually make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the rules essentially let you recreate this whole scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an equipment card. In combination, these three cards function like this: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to negate the attack entirely. Therefore, you can make this play at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of experience meant when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design evoke the memory.

Beyond the Main Synergy

And the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of 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 sort of suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that implicitly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

Zack’s card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to recreate the passing yourself. You make the ultimate play. You transfer the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the franchise for many fans.