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A core part of the appeal found in the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way numerous cards narrate iconic stories. Take for instance Tidus, Blitzball Star, which provides a snapshot of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a renowned sports star whose secret weapon is a fancy shot that pushes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics represent this perfectly. This type of flavor is found throughout the complete Final Fantasy offering, and not all fun and games. Some serve as poignant callbacks of sad moments fans continue to reflect on decades later.

"Powerful tales are a key part of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a principal game designer on the project. "We built some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was mostly on a card-by-card basis."

While the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it represents one of the collection's most refined instances of flavor through gameplay. It artfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal cinematic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the product's central systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those who know the saga will immediately grasp the meaning embedded in it.

The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules

At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this collection, Zack Fair is a starting stat line of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 marker. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to bestow another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an gear, onto that target creature.

This card portrays a moment FF fans are all too familiar with, a moment that has been revisited again and again — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new retellings in *FF7 Remake*. And yet it hits just as hard here, conveyed entirely through gameplay mechanics. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Scene

A bit of context, and here is your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following years of experimentation, the duo manage to escape. Throughout this period, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack vows to look after his companion. They eventually make it the outskirts outside Midgar before Zack is killed by Shinra soldiers. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.

Simulating the Legacy on the Tabletop

On the tabletop, the card mechanics effectively let you relive this iconic sequence. The Buster Sword is a a top-tier piece of equipment in the set that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, allowing you to find for an weapon card. In combination, these pieces unfold as follows: You cast Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to fetch the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Due to the design Zack’s signature action is worded, you can potentially use it when blocking, meaning you can “intercept” an assault and activate it to negate the attack completely. Therefore, you can make this play at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He is transformed into a formidable 6/4 that, each time he does damage a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells without paying their mana cost. This is just the kind of moment referred to when discussing “flavorful design” — not explaining the scene, but letting the card design make you remember.

Extending Past the Main Synergy

But the flavor here is oh-so-delicious, and it goes further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card appears in the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that subtly links the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter mechanic in the set.

The card avoids showing his death, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* allows you to reenact the legacy for yourself. You make the sacrifice. You hand over the weapon on. And for a short instant, while enjoying a card battle, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most impactful game in the saga to date.