Sephiroth is one of the most iconic – and therefore immediately recognizable – villains invideo game history. Whether it’s his striking appearance, haunting theme music, or complex narrative arc that first comes to mind when one is asked about his character, he has become a cultural touchstone sincehis first introduction inFinal Fantasy VIIin 1997. With his signature Masamune sword striking immediate fear in any gamer who has had to face him and a fall from celebrated war hero to genocidal nemesis, Sephiroth’s is one of the most celebrated arcs in the history of gaming. His climactic confrontation with Cloud Strife and his pivotal role in the fate of the planet cemented him as not only a defining figure within theFinal Fantasyfranchise, but across the entirety of gaming.
In the upcoming and highly anticipatedMagic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASYset, fans have been eagerly waiting to see how the iconic villain will be brought intothe world ofMagicthrough theUniverses Beyondinitiative. The partnership represents a monumental merging of two legendary fantasy franchises, and Sephiroth’s inclusion is a natural fit forMagic’s pantheon of powerful and memorable characters, with his prowess allowing the game designers to create a card that would be a great addition in both Standard play and Commander. Fortunately, Wizards of the Coast and Square Enix’s partnership has delivered a card that hits on not only fan service, but exciting gameplay possibilities.
Sephiroth’s ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Card is Beautiful and Deadly
Once againtranscending theFinal Fantasyuniverse to wreak havoc elsewhere, Sephiroth’s primary card is illustrated by none other than his original designer onFinal Fantasy VII,Tetsuya Nomura. Sephiroth’s card is double-sided to mirror the duality of his character and the evolution he undergoes as part of his narrative arc, with both sides bringing exciting power to any deck he is present in and table he is played on. As seen above, the two sides of the card follow:
Sephiroth, Fabled Solider:
Legendary Creature - Human Avatar Solider
Sephiroth, One-Winged Angel:
Legendary Creature - Angel Nightmare Avatar
The card’s illustration by Nomura showcases the character in multiple forms. Beginning at the bottom on the frontside of the card, Sephiroth is pictured as a child, then evolving into adult Sephiroth, before finally being transformed into Bizarro Sephiroth and finally into Safer Sephiroth on the backside of the card. Not only is Sephiroth’s card beautiful, but it is uniquely powerful. His is only the second creature in the history ofMagic: The Gatheringto create an eblem. As he transforms, players get an emblem with the same effect that is on the front side, so whenever a creature dies, the player gains an advantage, and they’re able to ping their opponents to gain life. Additionally, whenever Sephiroth attacks,a player can sacrifice any number of creatures and draw that many cards.
During a press briefing for theMagic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASYset earlier this week, Executive ProducerZakeel Gordonshared his excitement for the card and its illustrator. “I know many of our fans are going to want to build this in Commander and also battle it in Standard,” he shared. “So Sephiroth is one of the most iconic characters from the entire franchise, and we knew we had to really do something special, and having Namora be able to illustrate this was really a dream come true for a lot of us.”
Magic: The Gathering – FINAL FANTASYreleases June 13.
Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children
