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A significant part of the appeal within the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way countless cards tell familiar tales. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a portrait of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose signature move is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. This type of flavor is prevalent in the complete Final Fantasy set, and not all fun and games. Some are heartbreaking echoes of emotional events fans still mull over years after.

"Moving stories are a key element of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a principal designer involved with the project. "We built some general rules, but in the end, it was largely on a case-by-case basis."

While the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it represents one of the release's most refined pieces of narrative design by way of mechanics. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the expansion's core systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the story will quickly recognize the significance behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s counters, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card portrays a sequence FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates powerfully here, conveyed solely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Moment

For backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the friends get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to take care of his friend. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities in essence let you relive this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is a a powerful 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 respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to look through your library for an weapon card. Together, these pieces play out in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s signature action is designed, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to negate the damage entirely. So you can perform this action at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of experience meant when discussing “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Beyond the Central Synergy

However, the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it reaches further than just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle nod, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the passing personally. You make the ultimate play. You transfer the sword on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the saga for many fans.