🔗 Share this article Zack Fair Illustrates How Magic: The Gathering's Crossover Sets Can Tell Meaningful Narratives. A major element of the appeal within the *Final Fantasy* crossover release for *Magic: The Gathering* lies in the manner so many cards narrate well-known tales. Consider Tidus, Blitzball Star, which offers a portrait of the protagonist at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous sports star whose signature move is a specialized shot that takes a defender out of the way. The card's mechanics reflect this perfectly. This type of narrative is prevalent in the whole Final Fantasy set, and some are not fun and games. Several act as heartbreaking reminders of sad moments fans still mull over decades later. "Emotional tales are a vital element of the Final Fantasy legacy," noted a senior game designer on the project. "The team established some broad guidelines, but in the end, it was largely on a individual level." Though the Zack Fair is not a tournament staple, it stands as one of the collection's most clever examples of narrative design through gameplay. It artfully echoes one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most crucial cinematic moments brilliantly, all while utilizing some of the expansion's key systems. And even if it steers clear of spoiling anything, those acquainted with the story will quickly recognize the meaning within it. The Card's Design: Flavor in Rules At a cost of one white mana (the color of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair is a base power and toughness of 0/1 but enters with a +1/+1 counter. By paying one generic mana, you can destroy the card to give another creature you control indestructible and transfer all of Zack’s bonuses, plus an gear, onto that chosen creature. This design portrays a sequence FF fans are very familiar with, a moment that has been revisited multiple times — in the classic *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even reimagined versions in *FF7 Remake*. Yet it resonates powerfully here, expressed completely through card abilities. Zack gives his life to save Cloud, who then inherits the Buster Sword as his own. The Story Behind the Card A bit of history, and take this as your *FF7* warning: Years before the main events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a clash with Sephiroth. After extended experimentation, the duo manage to escape. The entire time, Cloud is delirious, but Zack vows to protect his comrade. They eventually reach the plains outside Midgar before Zack is gunned down by troops. Left behind, Cloud in that moment claims Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, which leads right into the start of *FF7*. Playing Out the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board On the tabletop, the card mechanics effectively let you recreate this whole sequence. The Buster Sword appears as a powerful piece of equipment in the set that costs three mana and gives the equipped creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a respectable 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped. The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has deliberate synergy with the Buster Sword, letting you to search your deck for an weapon card. Together, these three cards unfold in this way: You play Zack, and he receives the +1/+1 counter. Then you cast Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you cast and attach it to Zack. Because of the way Zack’s signature action is designed, you can actually use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “block” an assault and trigger it to negate the damage altogether. This allows you to make this play at any time, passing the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a strong 6/4 that, every time he strikes a player, lets you draw two cards and cast two spells for free. This is exactly the kind of experience meant when discussing “emotional resonance” — not revealing the scene, but letting the gameplay make you remember. Extending Past the Main Combo However, the thematic here is oh-so-delicious, and it extends further than just Zack and Cloud. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity appears in the collection as a creature that, at the start of combat, places a number of +1/+1 counters on a chosen creature, which additionally gains the type of a Mutant. This in a way hints that Zack’s initial +1/+1 token is, in a way, the SOLDIER treatment he underwent, which included experimentation with Jenova cells. This is a tiny reference, but one that subtly ties the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion. The card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s confusion, or the memorable cliff where it happens. It does not need to. *Magic* lets you recreate the legacy yourself. You perform the ultimate play. You hand over the sword on. And for a fleeting moment, while enjoying a trading card game, you recall why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the saga for many fans.