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A significant part of the allure of the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion countless cards narrate iconic tales. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a glimpse of the protagonist at the beginning of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The abilities reflect this perfectly. Such flavor is widespread across the whole Final Fantasy set, and not all lighthearted tales. Several act as poignant reminders of emotional events fans remember vividly decades later.

"Moving narratives are a central element of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a principal designer involved with the project. "They created some general rules, but ultimately, it was primarily on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair may not be a top-tier card, it is one of the release's most refined pieces of narrative design via rules. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments with great effect, all while leveraging some of the set's key gameplay elements. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those familiar with the saga will quickly recognize the meaning within it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair has a base power and toughness of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another ally you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s markers, along with an gear, onto that target creature.

These mechanics portrays a sequence FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, expressed solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

A bit of context, and here is your *FF7* warning: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended experimentation, the pair manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to protect his comrade. They finally reach the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Moment on the Battlefield

Through gameplay, the card mechanics essentially let you reenact this whole scene. The Buster Sword is featured as a top-tier piece of equipment in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Thus, with an investment of six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 with the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards play out as follows: You cast Zack, and he gets 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.

Due to the design Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can technically use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to prevent the attack completely. So you can make this play at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a strong 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and cast two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of interaction meant when talking about “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the gameplay trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Interaction

And the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it reaches further than just Zack and Cloud. 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 chosen creature, which then becomes a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny reference, but one that cleverly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the set.

Zack’s card does not depict his end, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the rain-soaked cliff where it concludes. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to recreate the passing personally. You perform the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the saga ever made.