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A major aspect of the charm found in the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion countless cards narrate iconic narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a glimpse of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. This type of narrative is prevalent across the whole Final Fantasy set, and not all fun and games. Several are heartbreaking callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly decades later.

"Powerful tales are a vital component of the Final Fantasy series," explained a lead game designer for the set. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card isn't a top-tier card, it represents one of the release's most elegant pieces of flavor via gameplay. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the expansion's key mechanics. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the saga will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

How It Works: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

This design paints a scene FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits powerfully here, communicated completely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

Some necessary backstory, and here is your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the pair break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to look after his comrade. They eventually reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the card mechanics in essence let you relive this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of armament in the set that costs three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces play out in this way: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and activate it to prevent the attack entirely. Therefore, you can do this at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is exactly the kind of moment alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Obvious Interaction

But the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it goes past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a small reference, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

Zack’s card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked location where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the legacy yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the franchise for many fans.