Zack Fair Illustrates That Magic's Universes Beyond Can Tell Emotional Stories.

A significant part of the appeal within the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner so many cards tell iconic tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which gives a glimpse of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned Blitzball pro whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules represent this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is found across the complete Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all fun and games. Several serve as heartbreaking echoes of emotional events fans still mull over years after.

"Moving narratives are a key part of the Final Fantasy franchise," noted a principal game designer on the set. "We built some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

While the Zack Fair isn't a competitive powerhouse, it represents one of the collection's most elegant pieces of flavor through gameplay. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's key gameplay elements. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the story will immediately grasp the meaning behind it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

For one white mana (the alignment of good) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By spending one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an gear, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics paints a moment FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it resonates just as hard here, conveyed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

For backstory, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the duo break free. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to look after his comrade. They eventually make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the persona of a elite SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

In a game, the abilities essentially let you relive this whole sequence. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and grants the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can turn Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an equipment card. In combination, these pieces play out like this: You cast Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s signature action is structured, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to cancel out the damage altogether. This allows you to do this at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, each time he deals combat damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two spells at no cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction alluded to when talking about “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

More Than the Central Synergy

And the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it goes past just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a subtle reference, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy cliff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you reenact the legacy personally. You perform the ultimate play. You transfer the weapon on. And for a brief second, while playing a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* remains the most beloved game in the franchise ever made.