Zack Fair Proves That Magic's Universes Beyond Can Tell Emotional Narratives.

A core aspect of the charm of the *Final Fantasy* crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the way countless cards tell iconic narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the hero at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this with subtlety. Such storytelling is widespread throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. A number are poignant echoes of tragedies fans still mull over years after.

"Emotional narratives are a key component of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a principal designer for the set. "They created some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a case-by-case level."

Even though the Zack Fair is not a top-tier card, it stands as one of the release's most refined examples of narrative design by way of gameplay. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the product's central mechanics. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will quickly recognize the meaning behind it.

The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, along with an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics portrays a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits with equal force here, conveyed completely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary history, and here is your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the friends break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to look after his friend. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the abilities effectively let you recreate this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can transform Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear synergy with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an artifact card. Together, these three cards unfold in this way: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s key mechanic is structured, you can technically use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and trigger it to prevent the damage altogether. So you can do this at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Central Interaction

However, the flavor here is incredibly rich, and it reaches further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that implicitly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card does not depict his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you reenact the moment for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the weapon on. And for a fleeting moment, while playing a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the series to date.