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A core element of the appeal of the Final Fantasy crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner countless cards narrate iconic stories. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a portrait of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose signature move is a unique shot that knocks a defender out of the way. The gameplay rules reflect this with subtlety. Such flavor is prevalent across the entire Final Fantasy offering, and some are not lighthearted tales. A number serve as somber callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly to this day.

"Emotional narratives are a vital part of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a principal game designer for the set. "They created some overarching principles, but finally, it was largely on a case-by-case basis."

Even though the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the release's most clever instances of narrative design via mechanics. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important cinematic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's core mechanics. And although it avoids revealing anything, those who know the tale will quickly recognize the significance behind it.

The Mechanics: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one white mana (the hue of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 token. For the cost of one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s counters, along with an gear, onto that chosen creature.

These mechanics depicts a scene FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been revisited throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline versions in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits powerfully here, expressed completely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

Some necessary context, and consider this your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before 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 ensures to look after his companion. They finally arrive at the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the abilities effectively let you relive this entire event. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of gear in the set that costs three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an artifact card. In combination, these three cards function as follows: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the manner Zack’s sacrifice ability is worded, you can potentially use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the damage altogether. Therefore, you can do this at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is precisely the kind of interaction meant when talking about “narrative impact” — not explaining the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.

Beyond the Obvious Synergy

But the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it goes beyond just these cards. 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 target creature, which also becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER enhancement he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. It's a small nod, but one that implicitly links the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

Zack’s card doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the stormy location where it concludes. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to reenact the passing personally. You choose the sacrifice. You transfer the legacy on. And for a short instant, while playing a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the franchise ever made.