🔗 Share this article

A major element of the charm within the *Final Fantasy* crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way numerous cards narrate iconic tales. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a glimpse of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose key technique is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules represent this with subtlety. These kinds of storytelling is prevalent across the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several act as somber callbacks of sad moments fans still mull over decades later.

"Powerful tales are a vital part of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a lead game designer involved with the project. "They created some overarching principles, but ultimately, it was largely on a card-by-card basis."

Even though the Zack Fair isn't a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the set's most refined examples of storytelling via mechanics. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's central mechanics. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the story will immediately grasp the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of good) in this collection, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another creature you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s counters, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

This design portrays a scene FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it lands with equal force here, conveyed solely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Card

For history, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the duo manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to protect his comrade. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

Through gameplay, the rules effectively let you recreate this iconic event. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of gear 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 solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to search your deck for an weapon card. Together, these pieces function in this way: You summon Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to negate the attack completely. This allows you to do this at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a strong 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two spells for free. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Combo

However, the flavor here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches past 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* lets you recreate the passing for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You transfer the legacy on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the franchise ever made.