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A major aspect of the charm within the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the fashion numerous cards narrate iconic tales. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a portrait of the protagonist at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated sports star whose signature move is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. This type of storytelling is prevalent across the complete Final Fantasy set, and some are not fun and games. Some are somber reminders of emotional events fans remember vividly years after.

"Moving tales are a vital element of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead game designer for the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but finally, it was mostly on a individual level."

Though the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the release's most clever instances of narrative design through rules. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal dramatic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core gameplay elements. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the significance within it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to give another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s counters, as well as an Equipment, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a sequence FF fans are extremely familiar with, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands powerfully here, communicated completely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

A bit of backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following extended testing, the duo manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to look after his friend. They eventually arrive at the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the rules essentially let you recreate this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

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

Due to the way Zack’s signature action is designed, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage altogether. Therefore, you can make this play at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of experience referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

More Than the Central Combo

But the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches past just these cards. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that subtly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the rain-soaked cliff where it concludes. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to recreate the passing for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the weapon on. And for a short instant, while playing a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most influential game in the saga ever made.