Zack Fair Illustrates How Magic: The Gathering's Crossover Sets Can Tell Meaningful Stories.

A major part of the appeal found in the Final Fantasy crossover collection for *Magic: The Gathering* comes from the fashion so many cards tell iconic tales. Cards like Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a portrait of the hero at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a celebrated Blitzball pro whose key technique is a unique shot that pushes a defender aside. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. This type of narrative is widespread in the whole Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all joyful stories. Several act as somber reminders of sad moments fans still mull over years after.

"Moving stories are a vital component of the Final Fantasy legacy," wrote a lead game designer for the project. "We built some overarching principles, but in the end, it was mostly on a case-by-case basis."

While the Zack Fair may not be a tournament staple, it represents one of the set's most clever instances of narrative design through rules. It masterfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most important dramatic moments with great effect, all while utilizing some of the product's key systems. And even if it avoids revealing anything, those familiar with the tale will instantly understand the meaning within it.

The Mechanics: A Narrative in Play

At a cost of one white mana (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair has a starting stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. For the cost of one colorless mana, you can sacrifice the card to bestow another unit you control protection from destruction and put all of Zack’s counters, plus an artifact weapon, onto that other creature.

This design paints a scene FF fans are very know well, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even alternate-timeline retellings in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits just as hard here, conveyed solely through card abilities. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then picks up the Buster Sword as his own.

The Story Behind the Card

A bit of backstory, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Before the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are gravely wounded after a battle with Sephiroth. After extended imprisonment, the duo manage to escape. During their ordeal, Cloud is delirious, but Zack makes sure to protect his friend. They finally arrive at the edge outside Midgar before Zack is fatally wounded by forces. Presumed dead, Cloud then takes up Zack’s Buster Sword and takes on the identity of a first-class SOLDIER, leading directly into the start of *FF7*.

Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Tabletop

In a game, the card mechanics in essence let you recreate this entire sequence. The Buster Sword is featured as a strong piece of equipment in the collection that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a formidable 4/6 while the Buster Sword attached.

The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an equipment card. In combination, these pieces play out as follows: You play Zack, and he gains the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword out of your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack.

Because of the way Zack’s sacrifice ability is structured, you can actually use it when blocking, meaning you can “block” an assault and activate it to prevent the damage completely. So you can do this at any time, transferring the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He subsequently becomes a powerful 6/4 that, each time he strikes a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards without paying their mana cost. This is exactly the kind of interaction referred to when discussing “narrative impact” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember.

Beyond the Obvious Combo

However, the narrative here is deeply satisfying, and it goes beyond just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova card is part of the set as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a target creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This sort of implies that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, figuratively, the SOLDIER treatment he received, which included genetic manipulation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny connection, but one that subtly connects the whole SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.

This design doesn't show his death, or Cloud’s trauma, or the stormy bluff where it all ends. It doesn't have to. *Magic* lets you relive the passing yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You transfer the sword on. And for a brief second, while engaged in a card battle, you are reminded of why *Final Fantasy 7* continues to be the most impactful game in the saga to date.