Zack Fair Illustrates That Magic's Universes Beyond Are Capable of Telling Meaningful Narratives.
A core aspect of the appeal of the Final Fantasy Universes Beyond set for *Magic: The Gathering* is the manner so many cards narrate well-known tales. Take for instance the Tidus, Blitzball Star card, which offers a glimpse of the character at the outset of *Final Fantasy 10*: a wildly famous professional athlete whose secret weapon is a unique shot that takes a defender aside. The card's mechanics represent this in nuanced ways. Such flavor is widespread in the whole Final Fantasy offering, and they aren't all fun and games. Some are heartbreaking callbacks of tragedies fans still mull over decades later.
"Moving tales are a key component of the Final Fantasy series," noted a principal game designer for the project. "They created some broad guidelines, but finally, it was primarily on a card-by-card level."
Though the Zack Fair isn't a top-tier card, it stands as one of the set's most clever instances of narrative design through rules. It skillfully reflects one of *Final Fantasy 7*'s most pivotal story moments brilliantly, all while capitalizing on some of the product's key systems. And although it avoids revealing anything, those acquainted with the saga will quickly recognize the significance within it.
The Card's Design: A Narrative in Play
At a cost of one mana of white (the alignment of protagonists) in this set, Zack Fair enters with a base stat line of 0/1 but comes into play with a +1/+1 counter. By spending one generic mana, you can remove from play the card to grant another creature you control indestructible and put all of Zack’s markers, as well as an Equipment, onto that other creature.
This design paints a moment FF fans are very remember, a moment that has been retold throughout the years — in the original *FF7*, *Crisis Core*, and even new iterations in *FF7 Remake*. But somehow it hits with equal force here, communicated completely through rules text. Zack makes the ultimate sacrifice to save Cloud, who then takes up the Buster Sword as his own.
A Spoiler for the Moment
A bit of context, and consider this your *FF7* warning: Prior to the primary events of the game, Zack and Cloud are left for dead after a battle with Sephiroth. Following extended imprisonment, the friends get away. Throughout this period, Cloud is delirious, but Zack ensures to take care of his comrade. They eventually make it the plains outside Midgar before Zack is killed by troops. Left behind, Cloud subsequently grabs Zack’s Buster Sword and adopts the role of a first-class SOLDIER, setting the stage for the start of *FF7*.
Reenacting the Passing of the Torch on the Game Board
Through gameplay, the card mechanics essentially let you relive this iconic scene. The Buster Sword is a a strong piece of armament in the set that requires three mana and gives the wielding creature +3/+2. Therefore, using six mana, you can make Zack into a solid 4/6 while the Buster Sword equipped.
The Cloud, Midgar Mercenary also has intentional interaction with the Buster Sword, letting you to look through your library for an equipment card. Together, these pieces play out in this way: You play Zack, and he gets the +1/+1 counter. Then you play Cloud to pull the Buster Sword from your deck. Then you summon and give it to Zack.
Owing to the design Zack’s signature action is structured, you can technically use it in the middle of battle, meaning you can “intercept” an attack and activate it to cancel out the attack entirely. So you can perform this action at any time, moving the +1/+1 counter *and* the Buster Sword to Cloud. He then becomes a formidable 6/4 that, whenever he does damage a player, lets you gain card advantage and play two cards for free. This is precisely the kind of experience meant when talking about “flavorful design” — not revealing the scene, but letting the mechanics evoke the memory.
Beyond the Main Combo
However, the thematic here is deeply satisfying, and it goes past just this combo. The Jenova, Ancient Calamity is part of the collection 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 hints that Zack’s starting +1/+1 token is, symbolically, the SOLDIER conditioning he received, which included modification with Jenova cells. This is a subtle connection, but one that cleverly connects the entire SOLDIER program to the +1/+1 counter theme in the expansion.
Zack’s card avoids showing his end, or Cloud’s trauma, or the rain-soaked bluff where it happens. It doesn't have to. *Magic* enables you to recreate the legacy yourself. You choose the ultimate play. You transfer the weapon on. And for a brief second, while enjoying a strategy game, you remember why *Final Fantasy 7* is still the most beloved game in the series ever made.
