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A major aspect of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* Universes Beyond collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion numerous cards depict well-known narratives. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a snapshot of the character at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose signature move is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. This type of flavor is found in the entire Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all lighthearted tales. Several act as heartbreaking reminders of tragedies fans continue to reflect on years after.

"Moving tales are a vital part of the Final Fantasy series," explained a principal game designer involved with the collaboration. "We built some overarching principles, but finally, it was primarily on a case-by-case level."

While the Zack Fair is not a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the release's most clever pieces of flavor by way of rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the set's central mechanics. And even if it doesn't spoil anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the significance behind it.

How It Works: A Narrative in Play

For one white mana (the color of good) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s bonuses, along with an Equipment, onto that chosen creature.

This design depicts a scene FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined retellings in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates powerfully here, expressed completely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

For history, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the friends manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to take care of his comrade. They eventually reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Left behind, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

Through gameplay, the card mechanics essentially let you recreate this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an weapon card. In combination, these three cards function in this way: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to cancel out 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 then becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells for free. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Main Interaction

But the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches further than just these cards. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked location where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to relive the moment for yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a short instant, while engaged in a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the franchise ever made.