Final Fantasy & Magic: The Gathering – A Crossover Brimming with Nostalgia and Unexpected Humor

Wizards of the Coast has unleashed a torrent of excitement with its upcoming Final Fantasy crossover set for Magic: The Gathering. The initial wave of card reveals sent fans into a frenzy, but the Magic team wasn’t content to stop there. They’ve now unveiled even more cards, and these new additions are packed with intricate details and affectionate tributes to the rich history of the Final Fantasy franchise. Among these treasures lies a truly unexpected gem—a card that immortalizes one of the most infamous and beloved moments from Final Fantasy X.

The big reveal centers around the complete card lists for the four preconstructed Commander Decks that will accompany the expansion’s launch next month. These decks are not just random assortments of cards; they are meticulously crafted thematic experiences, each representing a different, iconic installment from the main Final Fantasy series. Players can look forward to:

• Revival Trance: A deck inspired by the steampunk world and operatic drama of Final Fantasy VI. Expect to see familiar faces like Terra Branford and Kefka Palazzo, along with mechanics that reflect the game’s focus on magic and technological advancements.
• Limit Break: This deck plunges into the gritty, cyberpunk setting of Final Fantasy VII. Prepare to wield the power of Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart, and Sephiroth, as well as strategies centered around building up powerful Limit Breaks to unleash devastating attacks.
• Counter Blitz: Step into the world of Spira with this deck, based on Final Fantasy X. Yuna, Tidus, and the rest of the Guardians take center stage, with mechanics that emphasize synergy, protection, and the constant struggle against the looming threat of Sin.
• Scions and Spellcraft: Journey to the realm of Eorzea with a deck dedicated to Final Fantasy XIV. This deck will likely feature the Warrior of Light and other key characters, mechanics tied to job classes, and nods to the game’s sprawling narrative and intricate lore.

Each of these 100-card Commander Decks is completely dedicated to the Final Fantasy universe. They feature an amazing collection of brand-new cards, but also cleverly re-skinned versions of existing Magic cards, which are given new artwork and flavor text that are appropriate to the Final Fantasy theme.

A prime example of this is the "Inspiring Call" card in the Counter Blitz deck. "Inspiring Call" is a green instant spell. It has appeared in Magic sets ever since its debut in 2015’s Dragons of Tarkir. It is a simple card; it grants temporary protection to creatures you control. If the creatures have +1/+1 counters on them, the caster also draws cards. The Counter Blitz rendition of the card transforms this simple spell into something more than just an "inspiring" experience: it’s an inspiring laugh.

The card’s artwork, flavor text, and even name change to directly reference Yuna and Tidus’ now-legendary forced laughter scene from Final Fantasy X.

This scene, which takes place early in the game, shows Yuna trying to cheer up Tidus. The two characters are about to continue their quest to defeat the monster Sin. Tidus has just discovered that Sin is somehow related to his long-lost father, Jecht. Yuna, knowing that her pilgrimage will cost her her life, wants Tidus to learn to hide his emotions. She tries to get him to learn how to put on a happy face, first literally, then through forced, awkward laughter. The rest is Final Fantasy meme history.

The scene is meant to be intentionally awkward and uncomfortable. The characters’ laughter sounds strained and unnatural at first, but they break into genuine laughter after some time. However, the clip of their forced laughter has become a meme over the last two decades. It is often used in goofy music edits and as a joke about bad video game voice acting (FFX was the first Final Fantasy game to have a lot of voice acting). But now, its legacy is being reclaimed within Magic.

The Yuna and Tidus Laugh is just one of the many amazing Easter eggs throughout what we’ve seen from the Final Fantasy set. The Commander Decks have shown off so many new cards in this similar vein that feature great references to their respective games. Some of the most popular examples are Zack Fair in FFVII‘s deck, which lets players act like Cloud swiping Zack’s identity after his death, and Champions from Beyond in the FFXIV deck, which is a nod to the MMORPG’s party finder. Most of the references are reverentially serious, befitting the passion on display for this meeting of fantastical titans. But it’s nice that in cards like Inspiring Call’s remixing, the Final Fantasy set knows when to have a bit of forced laughter at itself, too.

Magic: The Gathering – Final Fantasy will arrive on shelves next month on June 13. Fans who want to see even more cards from the crossover can visit Wizards’ card image gallery for the set.