Zack Fair Illustrates That Magic's Crossover Sets Can Tell Emotional Narratives.

A major element of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way numerous cards narrate familiar tales. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose signature move is a specialized shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics mirror this with subtlety. These kinds of narrative is found in the whole Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. Several act as poignant reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Powerful tales are a key component of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a lead game designer for the collaboration. "They created some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair may not be a top-tier card, it represents one of the release's most clever pieces of narrative design via mechanics. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the product's key systems. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the emotional weight within it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an gear, onto that chosen creature.

This design depicts a moment FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits powerfully here, expressed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

For context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the pair break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to take care of his companion. They finally arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Battlefield

In a game, the abilities essentially let you recreate this whole scene. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate interaction with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards function like this: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s signature action is structured, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to prevent 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 then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of moment meant when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

More Than the Obvious Combo

But 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, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that subtly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

Zack’s card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the legacy for yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You pass the weapon on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the saga for many fans.