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A major aspect of the appeal of the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner numerous cards narrate iconic narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a snapshot of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is prevalent throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all joyful stories. Several serve as poignant reminders of emotional events fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Moving narratives are a vital component of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal designer on the collaboration. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was largely on a card-by-card level."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most elegant examples of storytelling via rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments brilliantly, all while leveraging some of the product's core mechanics. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the story will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another creature you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that other creature.

These mechanics paints a moment FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, conveyed completely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the friends break free. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to protect his companion. They finally arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the rules effectively let you reenact this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces function in this way: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s signature action is structured, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the attack altogether. This allows you to make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells for free. This is just the kind of experience meant when discussing “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Main Synergy

And the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it extends beyond just this combo. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

This design doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You pass the sword on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the saga to date.