I have been closely following all the previews for Magic: The Gathering's Final Fantasy set and evaluating what I think of it based on how well the game translates FF story beats into card mechanics. So far, I have been overwhelmingly happy with Wizards of the Coast's handling of the source material, and a recent preview continues that trend. This new mythic rare from the set perfectly captures several pivotal moments from one of my favorite Final Fantasy games: Final Fantasy 7.

Although I release of Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy. Now that I've become more familiar with the Final Fantasy series, I can see how well Wizards of the Coast is translating its iconic moments into cards, like this recent FF7 reveal.

Nibelheim Aflame Perfectly Captures Sephiroth's Treachery

Nibelheim Aflame Has One Of Your Creatures Attack All Others On The Board

Nibelheim Aflame is a mythic rare Sorcery card that lets one of your creatures deal damage to each other creature on the battlefield. This can be incredibly effective, especially if the creature you select has a high power, Deathtouch, or another beneficial ability like Lifelink. The card depicts Sephiroth surrounded by flames on a black background, which is how he appears in the original Final Fantasy 7 when Cloud discovers him killing the residents of Nibelheim. This isn't just a cool visual, but the card's mechanics also perfectly capture this moment from the game.

Nibelheim Aflame's effect has your creature deal damage to every other creature, including others that you control. This represents how Sephiroth attacked everyone in Nibelheim indiscriminately, including his former Shinra allies. This scene also originally takes place during a flashback sequence as Cloud is explaining his history with Sephiroth to the rest of his party. Magic: The Gathering alludes to this by giving the card the Flashback mechanic. However, Magic takes things even a step further, as this card's unique Flashback ability also references an important revelation from a later point in Final Fantasy 7.

The Flashback Mechanic Recreates Cloud's FF7 Revelation

Discarding Your Hand And Drawing New Cards Represents Cloud ing The Truth

Magic: The Gathering cards with the Flashback ability can be cast from your graveyard for an alternate cost, and are then exiled. This offers a bit of insurance on these cards, as even if you're forced to mill or discard them, you can still play them. This ability also allows you to cast a single spell twice, and it's this aspect of the Flashback mechanic that works so well with Final Fantasy 7's story.

When you cast Nibelheim Aflame from your graveyard, which would ideally be the second time you're casting it, you discard your hand and draw new cards. In Magic: The Gathering, discarding your hand often represents losing knowledge, while drawing cards represents gaining it. The second time Cloud recalls the events at Nibelheim in Final Fantasy 7 is when he realizes that he has mised the event, putting himself in the place of Zack Fair. Discarding your hand is essentially Cloud forgetting his fake past and drawing cards is him ing what really happened.

Fans of Final Fantasy who are just coming to Magic: The Gathering for the first time will likely appreciate the first effect on this card for how it ties into FF7's story. However, I really appreciate that Wizards of the Coast took things a step further, and included a more subtle reference that is deeply tied to how MtG represents abstract concepts like forgetting or ing. This card isn't just perfectly themed, but also more powerful thanks to its multiple effects, and I can see why it earned one of the sets mythic rare slots.