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A significant aspect of the appeal within the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner numerous cards depict well-known tales. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that pushes a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. These kinds of flavor is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Some act as poignant echoes of sad moments fans still mull over years after.

"Moving narratives are a central part of the Final Fantasy series," noted a senior designer for the project. "They created some general rules, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual level."

Even though the Zack Fair card is not a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the set's most elegant pieces of narrative design by way of rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the set's central mechanics. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the tale will immediately grasp the emotional weight within it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another creature you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s markers, along with an gear, onto that other creature.

This design paints a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands with equal force here, conveyed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the pair break free. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to protect his friend. They finally reach the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a elite SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the rules in essence let you reenact this entire sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces function like this: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s signature action is designed, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the damage completely. Therefore, you can make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, every time he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Beyond the Obvious Combo

However, the narrative here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches past just these cards. The Jenova card is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny reference, but one that subtly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you reenact the moment yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the franchise for many fans.