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A significant part of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion so many cards tell iconic narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which provides a portrait of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The gameplay rules represent this with subtlety. Such flavor is prevalent throughout the entire Final Fantasy set, and some are not fun and games. Several act as heartbreaking callbacks of emotional events fans still mull over decades later.

"Emotional narratives are a vital part of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a principal game designer involved with the project. "The team established some overarching principles, but in the end, it was largely on a individual basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the release's most clever pieces of narrative design by way of rules. It skillfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments in spectacular fashion, all while utilizing some of the set's central mechanics. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those who know the saga will instantly understand the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another unit you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

These mechanics depicts a sequence FF fans are all too remember, a moment that has been retold multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits powerfully here, conveyed entirely through card abilities. Zack sacrifices himself to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

Some necessary history, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the duo manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to look after his comrade. They eventually reach the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by forces. Abandoned, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the persona of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Moment on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the abilities essentially let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and provides the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, allowing you to search your deck for an equipment card. In combination, these pieces play out as follows: You summon Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is designed, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to negate the attack altogether. This allows you to do this at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two cards at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Beyond the Central Interaction

But the thematic here is incredibly rich, and it reaches further than just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the collection 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 in a way suggests that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that implicitly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

The card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the memorable bluff where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing personally. You choose the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a brief second, while playing a trading card game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most influential game in the saga for many fans.