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A major element of the charm found in the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way so many cards narrate iconic narratives. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated professional athlete whose signature move is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities reflect this in nuanced ways. Such narrative is found across the whole Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Some serve as somber callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over decades later.

"Powerful tales are a vital component of the Final Fantasy series," wrote a lead designer for the set. "We built some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair is not a top-tier card, it represents one of the collection's most refined pieces of storytelling via mechanics. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the expansion's key systems. And while it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the story will instantly understand the emotional weight behind it.

The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of good) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. For the cost of one generic mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another ally you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, plus an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a sequence FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it lands powerfully here, communicated solely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Moment

A bit of backstory, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the pair break free. Throughout this period, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to protect his friend. They finally make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics effectively let you reenact this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a powerful piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear interaction with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an equipment card. When used in tandem, these pieces function in this way: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the manner Zack’s signature action is worded, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to negate the damage completely. This allows you to make this play at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, each time he does damage 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 card design evoke the memory.

Extending Past the Central Combo

But the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it extends further than just Zack and Cloud. 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 additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that cleverly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

The card doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked location where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to relive the moment yourself. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the sword on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the franchise ever made.