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A core part of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the way so many cards depict familiar stories. Consider the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which gives a glimpse of the hero at the very start of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous Blitzball pro whose signature move is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The card's mechanics represent this in nuanced ways. Such storytelling is prevalent throughout the complete Final Fantasy set, and they aren't all fun and games. Several serve as poignant reminders of emotional events fans remember vividly to this day.

"Moving tales are a vital element of the Final Fantasy franchise," wrote a lead designer for the collaboration. "They created some general rules, but finally, it was primarily on a individual level."

While the Zack Fair isn't a competitive powerhouse, it stands as one of the release's most elegant instances of storytelling by way of mechanics. It masterfully captures one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial dramatic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's key systems. And although it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the saga will immediately grasp the emotional weight embedded in it.

The Card's Design: Story Through Gameplay

At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of good) in this collection, Zack Fair has a base stat line of 0/1 but arrives with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one colorless mana, you can destroy the card to grant another creature you control protection from destruction and move all of Zack’s counters, plus an artifact weapon, onto that target creature.

These mechanics depicts a sequence FF fans are extremely remember, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new versions in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits powerfully here, communicated entirely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Context of the Scene

Some necessary context, and here is your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a confrontation with Sephiroth. After years of imprisonment, the friends get away. During their ordeal, Cloud is barely conscious, but Zack ensures to take care of his comrade. They eventually reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by forces. Presumed dead, 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*.

Playing Out the Legacy on the Game Board

Through gameplay, the rules essentially let you reenact this entire sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a top-tier piece of gear in the collection that requires three mana and provides the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can turn Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional combo potential with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an artifact card. When used in tandem, these three cards function like this: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you play and equip it to Zack.

Owing to the way Zack’s signature action is structured, you can actually use it during combat, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to cancel out the damage altogether. This allows you to make this play at a key moment, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he deals combat damage a player, lets you pull extra cards and play two spells for free. This is precisely the kind of interaction meant when discussing “emotional resonance” — not explaining the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

More Than the Obvious Interaction

However, the narrative here is incredibly rich, and it reaches past just this combo. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, puts a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This kind of implies that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a tiny nod, but one that implicitly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

This design avoids showing his demise, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable bluff where it happens. It isn't necessary. *Magic* allows you to relive the passing yourself. You choose the sacrifice. You pass the legacy on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a strategy game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most beloved game in the series to date.