Zack Fair Demonstrates How Magic: The Gathering's Universes Beyond Are Capable of Telling Powerful Narratives.

A significant part of the charm of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner so many cards narrate iconic stories. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a portrait of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose signature move is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities mirror this in nuanced ways. These kinds of narrative is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy set, and not all joyful stories. A number serve as poignant reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Powerful stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead designer on the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but ultimately, it was mostly on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair card isn't a tournament staple, it is one of the release's most clever pieces of narrative design via mechanics. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the product's central gameplay elements. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the tale will instantly understand the emotional weight within it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

For one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair enters with a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, as well as an gear, onto that target creature.

This design paints a moment FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been reimagined throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits just as hard here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

For history, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the friends get away. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to look after his companion. They finally reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Battlefield

On the tabletop, the card mechanics effectively let you recreate this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an artifact card. Together, these pieces function like this: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and trigger it to negate the attack entirely. This allows you to make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

Beyond the Central Combo

And the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it extends further than just this combo. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a small connection, but one that implicitly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy bluff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing personally. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the saga for many fans.