Zack Fair Demonstrates How Magic's Crossover Sets Are Capable of Telling Meaningful Stories.

A core element of the appeal of the *Final Fantasy* crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the manner so many cards depict familiar narratives. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose key technique is a specialized shot that pushes a defender aside. The abilities reflect this with subtlety. These kinds of storytelling is found in the complete Final Fantasy offering, and some are not joyful stories. Several act as poignant callbacks of emotional events fans remember vividly to this day.

"Powerful narratives are a key component of the Final Fantasy franchise," explained a principal game designer for the set. "They created some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it is one of the release's most elegant examples of storytelling by way of rules. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's central systems. And while it doesn't spoil anything, those familiar with the tale will instantly understand the significance embedded in it.

How It Works: Flavor in Rules

For one mana of white (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting power and toughness of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another unit you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s markers, along with an Equipment, onto that other creature.

This design depicts a scene FF fans are extremely know well, a moment that has been reimagined again and again — in the first *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline iterations in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits powerfully here, expressed solely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

Some necessary backstory, and here is your *FF7* spoiler alert: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. Following years of testing, the duo break free. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to protect his comrade. They eventually make it the edge outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Abandoned, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and assumes the role of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board

On the tabletop, the card mechanics effectively let you relive this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of gear in the set that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. So, for a total of six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud Strife card also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, enabling you to find for an equipment card. In combination, these pieces function in this way: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you summon Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the design Zack’s key mechanic is designed, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an attack and trigger it to negate the damage altogether. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a powerful 6/4 that, every time he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and cast two spells for free. This is precisely the kind of moment referred to when talking about “flavorful design” — not spoiling the scene, but letting the card design trigger the recollection.

Extending Past the Main Combo

However, the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it extends 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 then becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER conditioning he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a small nod, but one that cleverly ties the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

The card does not depict his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* enables you to reenact the passing yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You hand over the legacy on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the franchise to date.