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A core part of the charm found in the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion countless cards narrate familiar narratives. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a snapshot of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose signature move is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this with subtlety. These kinds of narrative is widespread across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and some are not fun and games. Some serve as somber echoes of emotional events fans still mull over years after.

"Emotional tales are a central part of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a lead game designer involved with the collaboration. "We built some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most clever examples of storytelling through rules. It skillfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the product's core mechanics. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the story will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the color of good) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another ally you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s counters, along with an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

This card portrays a scene FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands just as hard here, expressed completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

For context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the friends get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is comatose, but Zack makes sure to take care of his comrade. They finally arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Legacy on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the rules in essence let you relive this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an weapon card. When used in tandem, these three cards function in this way: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can potentially use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to prevent the attack entirely. So you can make this play at any time, passing 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 draw two cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Beyond the Central Synergy

However, the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it extends past just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in 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 suggests that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the stormy location where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing for yourself. You make the sacrifice. You hand over the sword on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a card battle, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the saga to date.