Every card fromMagic: The Gathering’sFinal Fantasyset has been revealed, and there are a lot of great references to the source material. Technically, every card in this set is a reference to some moment or item from aFinal Fantasygame, but some stand out as better inclusions than others. There are some good deep-cut references, and recreations of fan-favorite moments that make this set feel like an authenticFinal Fantasytie-in.
I’ve already covered the majorFinal Fantasymoments you canrecreate inMagic: The Gatheringwith multiple cards, so for this list,I am focusing more on references that appear on a single card. These references aren’t totally obscure, but I also picked ones that aren’t such popular knowledge that even people who haven’t played the games probably know about them, like Sephiroth killing Aerith. However, anyone familiar with theFinal Fantasygames in question will easily remember this fun moments.
10A Deck Full Of Cids
There Are Characters Named Cid In Most Final Fantasy Games
SinceFinal Fantasy 2,every mainlineFinal Fantasygame, and even some of the spin-offs, has had a character named Cid. The first Cid was an airship pilot, a quality he shares with many of the others. Even when they aren’t pilots, Cids usually have something to do with technology or science. When the originalFinal Fantasywas re-released on the Game Boy Advance as part ofFinal Fantasy 1 & 2: Dawn of Souls, it included new mentions of an unseen NPC named Cid, making the character technically present in every mainline game.
Magic: The GatheringreferencedFinal Fantasy’s many Cidsby commissioning art for 15 different versions of the card, one for each of the major Cids in the franchise. Better yet, these cards specify that a deck can have as many copies of Cid, Timeless Artificer as you’d like,so you can run a deck with every Cid in it. These cards interact with artifacts, a nod to the Cids' technical prowess. It is a bit of a shame that there’s no unique visual forFF1’s unseen Cid, but this is still easily one of the best references in the set.
Collect Cards And Earn A Reward Just Like In FFXIV
Triple Triad was originally a card-collecting mini-game inFinal Fantasy 8, and it was the subject of its ownMagic: The Gatheringcard. However, the card Sidequest: Card Collection, which referencesFinal Fantasy XIV’s version of the game, is an even better design. Not only is it a fun meta joke to have a card called “Card Collection” in a TCG, butthis card also references the reward you’re able to get inFinal Fantasy XIVby collecting enough cards.
Sidequest: Card Collection transforms into Magicked Card, a reference to amount you can get inFFXIV. In the game, you can get this mount by collecting every Triple Triad card numbered one through 312. Luckily, you won’t have to accrue quite as manyMagiccards to flip Sidquest: Card Collection, but this is still a fun reference to one ofFinal Fantasy XIV’s Triple Triad mini-game.
8Garnet Wants To Be Kidnapped
Final Fantasy 9’s Kidnapping Plot Involved A Fun Twist
InFinal Fantasy 9, protagonist Zidane and his crew are hired to kidnap Princess Garnet Til Alexandros. Much to Zidane’s surprise,the princess herself comes directly to him, disguised in a White Mage’s robe, and requests that she be kidnapped at once. It is revealed that Garnet actually wanted to escape her life in Alexandria, and being kidnapped was the only way she could think of getting away. Upon her request, Zidane tells Garnet, “I shall hearby do my best to kidnap you!” This is a fun moment in the game, both because of the twist, and Zidane’s humorous line.
This moment is captured in theMagic: The Gatheringcard Unexpected Request. Aside from the artwork depicting the moment, and Zidane being quoted in the flavor text, this card also mechanically reflects a kidnapping. You are able to temporarily gain control of another player’s creature, and you can even equip it, similar to how you can equip a new party member inFinal Fantasy, even if they are only joining temporarily.
7Edgar’s Rigged Coin Flip
Edgar Uses A Fake Coin To Win Flips In FF6
Edgar inFinal Fantasy 6is the King of Figaro because he won a coin toss against his twin brother Sabin after their father died. During the game, Edgar also wins a coin flip against the gambler Setzer to earn the party use of his airship. It is revealed thatEdgar’s coin is double-sided, meaning he rigged his flip against his brother. Sabin had never wanted to be king, so Edgar used the rigged coin flip as a way to allow Sabin to leave Figaro guilt-free, and pursue his life as a monk as he preferred.
TheMagic: The Gatheringcard,Edgar, King of Figaro, allows you to automatically win the first coin flip you make each turn. Aside from being incredibly powerful, especially when paired with cards like Yusri, Fortune’s Flame or Stitch in Time, this is a great way to reference Edgar’s double-sided coin. It’s also fun that Edgar will likely now be a coin-flip staple inMagic, so his legendaryFF6gamble will live on in players' memories.
6Cloud’s Beautiful Dress From Wall Market
Cloud Has To Cross-Dress In FF7 To Infiltrate Don Corneo’s Mansion
InFinal Fantasy 7, and alsoFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, Cloud and Aerith attempt to rescue Tifa from Don Corneo’s mansion.The only way to get in is to pose as potential brides for the Don, which requires Cloud to get dressed up as a woman. Cloud’s cross-dressing scene has long been an iconic part of the game’s story, and even more emphasis was put on it in the remake, which forced Cloud to dance at the Honey Bee Inn in order to earn his disguise.
Magic: The Gatheringreferences this famous moment from Wall Market in the card Clever Concealment. The card shows Tifa, Aerith, and Cloud all lined up for the Don’s inspection, Cloud wearing one of the possible dresses fromFinal Fantasy 7 Remake. As a reprint instead of a uniquely designedFinal Fantasycard, the mechanics aren’t as flavorful as a match here. However, it is still a fun reference to one ofFF7’s more memorable scenes.
5Rydia’s Surprise Intervention Against Golbez
Rydia Appears To Save The Party In A FF4 Boss Fight
Early on inFinal Fantasy 4, Cecil and Kain are unwittingly ordered to help destroy a town. In the process, they kill a young girl named Rydia’s parents. Guilty over what he’s done, Cecil vows to protect Rydia, which begins his redemption arc. Some time later, Rydia is seemingly killed when Leviathan attacks the ship that the party is traveling on. However, during a boss fight against Golbez later in the game,Rydia makes a surprise return just when it looks like the party is going to lose the fight.
TheMagiccardRydia’s Return captures this triumphant momentby depicting Rydia summoning the same Mist Dragon that she does when she reappears. The card also shows Cecil’s look of joy and surprise as she enters, reflecting how both he and first-time players are happy to see Rydia alive and well. The card itself reflects how Rydia’s appearance turns the tide of battle in your favor, either by buffing your creatures, or allowing you to get some back from the graveyard.
4Phoenix Down’s Multiple Abilities
Phoenix Down Can Heal And Hurt
Phoenix Down is a recurring item in theFinal Fantasyseries that you can use to revive fallen party members. Similarly, inMagic: The Gathering,this item is represented by an artifact with the ability to be spent in order to return one of your creatures from the graveyard. However,Magic’s designers also paid attention to the other utility ofPhoenix Down in theFinal Fantasygames.
Using a Phoenix Down, or a healing or resurrection spell, against an undead creature will actually hurt or even kill it, so long as they don’t have the Safety augment.Magic: The Gatheringreflects this ability by allowing its version of Phoenix Down to exile a Skeleton, Spirit, or Zombiecreature. It’s nice to see thatMagic’s team didn’t just stick with the most famous use of Phoenix Down, and took the design one step further to reference each of its uses inFinal Fantasy.
3Hildibrand’s Loyal Zombies
Hildibrand Taught Zombies To Act Like Him In FFXIV
Hildibrand Manderville is one of the more humorous NPCs you’ll encounter inFinal Fantasy XIV. Perhaps one of his most memorable quests involves you tracking him down, initially believing him to be dead. However, when you find him, it is revealed that he was actually buried alive. After crawling out of his grave,he was taken in by a group of zombies who believed he was one of them because he had been buried. Hildibrand goes on to teach the zombie to act like him, and they adopt some of his mannerisms.
Magic: The Gatheringreferences this memorable quest by giving Hildibrand the ability to create a Zombie creature token. He also buffs creature tokens, which is reflective of how he teaches the zombies. Better still,Magicalso released a Zombie token in the sameFinal FantasyCommander deck that mimics Hildibrand’s poseon his own card.
2Climbing All The Stairs In Shinra’s HQ
While Rescuing Aerith In FF7, The Party Has To Climb A Lot Of Stairs
Near the end ofFinal Fantasy 7’s Midgar section, which is also the climax ofFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, Cloud, Barret, and Tifa inflitrate Shinra’s headquarters to save a kidnapped Aerith. When you arrive,you are given the choice of taking the elevator, or climbing up 59 flights of stairs. In both the originalFF7andFinal Fantasy 7 Remake, if you opt for the stairs, you have to actually climb them all while the party gets progressively more exhausted. It was a hilarious surprise for me the first time I playedFF7 Remake, so I’m gladMagic included it.
The card Aerith Rescue Mission gives you the same choice asFF7. If you choose to take the elevator, you create three Hero tokens, representing Cloud, Barret, and Tifa arriving at the top of the tower ready to go. If you opt for the stairs, you instead tap and stun three creatures, representing how exhausted the climb made theFF7crew.
1The Infamous FF10 Laughing Scene
An Awkward FF10 Scene Has Been Immortalized In Magic: The Gathering
At one point duringFinal Fantasy 10, a big revelation (which I won’t spoil) makes Tidus depressed. Yuna comforts him, and tells him that she has often had to pretend to be happy even when she’s not, because it is her job as a summoner to give others hope. She tells Tidus to try smiling and then laughing, even though he doesn’t actually feel like it. The scene culminates in them both forcing out laughter.This somewhat cheesy moment has become a fan-favorite thanks to how wellFinal Fantasy 10’s voice cast commits to the bitand delivers some wild laughs.
TheFinal Fantasy 10Commander deck features a reprint of theMagic: The Gatheringcard Inspiring Call. The art features both Tidus and Yuna forcing their laughter, with the appropriate flavor text, “Hahahahaha!” I was very pleased to see this fun moment make it into theFF10deck.
