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A core part of the charm of the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner numerous cards depict familiar stories. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a snapshot of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose signature move is a unique shot that knocks a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this perfectly. This type of storytelling is found across the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not lighthearted tales. Several act as heartbreaking reminders of sad moments fans continue to reflect on to this day.

"Moving tales are a central element of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a senior game designer on the project. "We built some general rules, but finally, it was primarily on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair isn't a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the set's most clever instances of storytelling via mechanics. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's central systems. And although it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the story will immediately grasp the significance within it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one mana of white (the color of heroes) in this set, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s markers, as well as an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

This card paints a scene FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits just as hard here, communicated completely through rules text. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

For backstory, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended testing, the friends get away. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to look after his companion. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the identity of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics effectively let you recreate this entire event. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of gear in the collection that costs three mana and grants the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can transform Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an equipment card. Together, these pieces play out as follows: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to negate the attack entirely. So you can perform this action at a key moment, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of moment meant when discussing “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Combo

However, the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it extends further than just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

Zack’s card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked bluff where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to relive the passing for yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You pass the legacy on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.