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A significant part of the charm found in the Final Fantasy crossover set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the fashion so many cards narrate well-known tales. Cards like the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a snapshot of the character at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a specialized shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this with subtlety. These kinds of storytelling is widespread throughout the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not joyful stories. Several act as poignant reminders of tragedies fans still mull over years after.

"Powerful narratives are a vital component of the Final Fantasy legacy," explained a senior designer involved with the project. "The team established some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was primarily on a individual basis."

Though the Zack Fair card may not be a top-tier card, it stands as one of the release's most elegant pieces of storytelling via rules. It masterfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments with great effect, all while capitalizing on some of the set's core gameplay elements. And although it doesn't spoil anything, those acquainted with the tale will quickly recognize the emotional weight behind it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of heroes) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 token. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to bestow another ally you control indestructible and move all of Zack’s markers, along with an artifact weapon, onto that chosen creature.

This card paints a sequence FF fans are all too know well, a moment that has been retold again and again — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates with equal force here, communicated solely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Moment

A bit of context, and take this as your *FF7* spoiler alert: Years before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are severely injured after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the duo break free. The entire time, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack makes sure to protect his comrade. They finally reach the edge outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Presumed dead, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the persona of a elite SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*.

Reenacting the Moment on the Game Board

In a game, the card mechanics in essence let you relive this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of equipment in the collection that requires three mana and gives 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 wielded.

The Cloud Strife card also has clear combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to find for an equipment card. In combination, these three cards play out in this way: You summon Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to retrieve the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s signature action is designed, you can technically use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to cancel out the damage altogether. Therefore, you can perform this action at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of experience alluded to when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics make you remember.

Extending Past the Obvious Synergy

However, the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it reaches past just these cards. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity 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 then becomes a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter ecosystem in the set.

The card doesn't show his demise, or Cloud’s breakdown, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* allows you to relive the legacy yourself. You make the sacrifice. You pass the weapon on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a trading card game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most influential game in the franchise for many fans.