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A core aspect of the allure within the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion countless cards depict well-known narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose signature move is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities reflect this perfectly. Such flavor is found throughout the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. Several are somber callbacks of emotional events fans still mull over years after.

"Emotional narratives are a vital element of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a lead game designer on the collaboration. "They created some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual level."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a top-tier card, it stands as one of the collection's most clever pieces of narrative design via rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's central gameplay elements. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the story will instantly understand the meaning within it.

The Mechanics: Flavor in Rules

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 generic mana, you can remove from play the card to give another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This card depicts a sequence FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it lands with equal force here, expressed 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 Card

For history, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the friends manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to take care of his companion. They eventually arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the identity of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the abilities essentially let you relive this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these three cards unfold in this way: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack completely. Therefore, you can do this at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells for free. This is just the kind of interaction referred to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Beyond the Obvious Interaction

However, the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it reaches past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This in a way implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small connection, but one that implicitly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy location where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you recreate the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.