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A major part of the appeal within the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner numerous cards tell iconic tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose signature move is a unique shot that knocks a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is prevalent across the complete Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. Several serve as poignant callbacks of sad moments fans still mull over to this day.

"Moving stories are a vital element of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a senior game designer for the collaboration. "They created some broad guidelines, but finally, it was mostly on a card-by-card level."

Even though the Zack Fair is not a competitive powerhouse, it is one of the release's most clever instances of narrative design through rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the expansion's key gameplay elements. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the tale will immediately grasp the significance embedded in it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one mana of white (the color of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to grant another unit you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s markers, plus an Equipment, onto that other creature.

These mechanics portrays a moment FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it hits with equal force here, communicated entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

A Spoiler for the Card

Some necessary history, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Prior to the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of imprisonment, the duo get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is comatose, but Zack ensures to protect his friend. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by troops. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs 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 Game Board

In a game, the abilities essentially let you relive this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate combo potential with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards play out like this: You cast Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.

Because of the design Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to negate the attack altogether. So you can perform this action at a key moment, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, whenever he strikes a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells at no cost. This is just the kind of interaction referred to when talking about “narrative impact” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

More Than the Obvious Combo

But the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches past just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This kind of hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. It's a tiny connection, but one that cleverly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

Zack’s card doesn't show his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you relive the moment personally. You make the sacrifice. You transfer the weapon on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a strategy game, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the saga for many fans.