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A major part of the appeal found in the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the way numerous cards depict familiar narratives. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a snapshot of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose key technique is a unique shot that takes a defender aside. The gameplay rules mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is prevalent across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Several serve as poignant reminders of tragedies fans remember vividly to this day.

"Powerful tales are a central part of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a senior game designer on the set. "The team established some general rules, but finally, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most clever examples of narrative design by way of gameplay. It artfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the product's core systems. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the story will quickly recognize the meaning embedded in it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the hue of good) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s counters, plus an gear, onto that other creature.

This design portrays a moment FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits powerfully here, communicated completely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

A bit of history, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the duo get away. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack vows to protect his friend. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules in essence let you reenact this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is a a powerful piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an artifact card. Together, these three cards play out like this: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Owing to the manner Zack’s signature action is structured, you can technically use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to cancel out the damage entirely. This allows you to make this play at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards for free. This is just the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Main Interaction

And the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it goes beyond just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This sort of suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER enhancement he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a subtle connection, but one that implicitly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you reenact the passing for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.