A significant part of the allure found in the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion countless cards narrate iconic stories. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a portrait of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose secret weapon is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules reflect this perfectly. This type of flavor is widespread in the complete Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. A number are heartbreaking callbacks of sad moments fans continue to reflect on to this day.
"Moving narratives are a central element of the Final Fantasy series," noted a lead designer involved with the collaboration. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."
Though the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most elegant pieces of narrative design via rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's core gameplay elements. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the significance behind it.
The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay
At a cost of one mana of white (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another unit you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s markers, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.
These mechanics paints a sequence FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands just as hard here, conveyed solely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.
The Story Behind the Card
Some necessary history, and here is your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the friends get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to look after his friend. They finally make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.
Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield
Through gameplay, the card mechanics effectively let you recreate this entire event. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of armament in the collection that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.
The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an artifact card. In combination, these pieces function like this: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.
Because of the design Zack’s signature action is designed, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to cancel out the attack completely. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards for free. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.
Extending Past the Central Synergy
However, the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it extends past just these cards. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.
This design avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable location where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you relive the moment yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You hand over the sword on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the saga for many fans.
