Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.12-15 Part 10 (Dark Yugi&Yugi VS Pegasus)

This summary will be long...I'll try to make it short as possible...
(but the thoughts, observations and opinions makes it a long post with more pictures, let's say this duel is so important, there is a lot of details to take in)

Update (24/09/2018): I remember when I did write this analysis, it took me 3 days, making the panels ensembles were a pain too, since then I decided big duels like these should be divided in two parts, which is why the last duels of Battle City are divided in two, but the panels ensembles I had to re-do them because I lost most of them and re-upload them, it was tough, I redid 75 panels ensembles for this update, now is only missing the epilogue to finish off updating this Arc.


Plot Summary:

The previous post left off Jounouchi victory against Bandit Keith, Jounouchi confesses to Dark Yugi and Anzu, the duel felt to be his last and is aware he has no chance in beating Pegasus, so he asks if he can leave this kind of weight to Yugi, Dark Yugi immediately accepts it, now Dark Yugi has both honor cards to save his grampa, Kaiba brothers and Jounouchi's sister (that's a lot of weight), they don't feel the need to duel each other, Pegasus accepts to go to the final duel of Duelist Kingdom.
While Dark Yugi gets ready, Pegasus get out of his seat and go to the duel arena, on the way there, he meets Bandit Keith with knife threatening to give him the prize, Pegasus tells him he was aware of Bandit Keith cheating and will receive a penalty game, leaving Keith unconscious or likely dead.
Dark Yugi and Pegasus before sitting the table, their fighting spirits clashing seems noticeable to the viewers (Jounouchi and Anzu), they discuss the deal a little then they sit, shuffle each others decks and the duel starts...
Pegasus starts dominating the duel from the beginning, when Dark Yugi is at his lowest point mentally, he hears Yugi's voice, Yugi speaks up some revelations, even for Dark Yugi and us readers (I'll approach in detail), Yugi comes up with an idea to beat Pegasus, because he have been noticing Pegasus maybe can only read one mind at a time (it's quite true, when he was reading Keith and Jounouchi, if you look at the panel with the balloons saying "One of them"Keith and "The other one" Jounouchi), so he asks Dark Yugi to fight as well, Dark Yugi accepts it, Yugi makes the moves and Dark Yugi not knowing the cards Yugi put facedown, in other words, Yugi is the sword and Dark Yugi is the shield, Dark Yugi calls it Mind Shuffle as to beat Mind Scan, Dark Yugi comments about Yugi's skills and comparing to Pegasus.
After Pegasus's toons cards being defeated, Pegasus warns he'll start a shadow game, before starting, he informs a little how he came to create Duel Monsters/Magic and Wizards, where the inspiration came from, Shadow Game begins, Yugi being a human living being and young, his consciousness can't stand for long since his willpower/energy is giving the form to the monsters he summons, Dark Yugi rushes to take over, Yugi insisting to continue fighting, it goes like this until Yugi lose consciousness, his friends starts feeling scared their best friend could be almost dying, so Dark Yugi takes over, Pegasus planning this on purpose so he could read freely Dark Yugi's mind, again Pegasus starts cornering him, then his friends spirits starts blocking Pegasus's Mind Scan, from here on out Dark Yugi takes the lead of the duel to victory as Yugi slowly regaining his consciousness.




Key Points:

 

I really liked this scene because Dark Yugi and Anzu are speaking up for Jounouchi he was able to win on his own, he should be proud of, Jounouchi slowly recognizing his growth as duelist, I do understand why, it was the final test of how much he learned in this tournament for him, he felt by winning this duel he passed test, to me his stage as a beginner has ended, he will start being intermediate level.
I think is interesting for them to think not be necessary, since both have a common goal, to not show more of their tactics to Pegasus would be the wise thing to do and...

If You want to continue click read more below:

 

Dark Yugi, even though he has a big ego, cheeky, prideful, smug, arrogant but he is very caring, protective (a little too much), respecful, honourable, strong sense of justice (to the point of arrogance sometimes), stoic and a little intimidating, reserved, competitive, determined, eager, intense, emotional, courageous and cheesy, mostly heroic traits with some unusual combination.

There no flaw in what Dark Yugi said and action, if you're willing to carry the "baggage" of your friend for your friend, it becomes your own baggage as well, it motivates you even further to reach your goal and give your all, because your friend is just as important.

 

It's interesting that even Pegasus "reads" what I just said about the "baggage" of a friend above,he can read positive and negative thoughts, neutral thoughts probably (it should be harder to predict and read, I think spectrum thoughts are foggier, it's harder to get deeper, you never know)...
He also agrees with Dark Yugi in not having to fight Jounouchi not being necessary by reading their thoughts, Pegasus to some extent is a very strange character, he is someone who acknowledges different strengths for someone who uses a lot of low tactics, it's possible he is a bit similar to them...

 

Since you started to rely on your millenium eye for every duel? sluggish much? or is your millenium eye sensing the power of the millenium puzzle subconsciously? After all you both wield millenium items, of course would react some way, there is a bit more about it, I'll approach later...

 

So Pegasus, you knew all along he was cheating during the duel yet you didn't stop him? I guess you were too polite to stop the middle of the duel, I guess maybe he wanted to give a chance Jounouchi to win on  his own, whether Bandit Keith win or lose he would be punished anyway, I suppose...Duelist's mind, duelist senses, in this case he means he became a desperado, he lost sight of himself.

 
 

But even Pegasus lost some of it as well as we progress in this story arc as it's hinted in his "dark expression", we understand the origins, it seems even him is used to do "penalty games" of anyone who loses the game...

We all know this is an illusion, but is those kinds that can truly kill, it messes around the brain, since Keith has been gambling a lot including his life, drugs and alcohol, also Pegasus truly did go for the kill like Shadi against the director of the museum who died and sometimes Yami Bakura, from the dark expression on Pegasus and black background, it must mean he has done this often, it makes it look Dark Yugi much softer on Penalty Games, which is a good point for Dark Yugi.

We can also see is not just Pegasus, it's like being influenced by a dark force or will.

 

What Sugoroku says to Dark Yugi, it is directly to him and also indirectly to Yugi who watches over when Dark Yugi takes over, he seems to be aware of something regarding Pegasus and knows about Dark Yugi tendency to doubt himself (it makes Yugi look more decisive) about to lose or just lose sight of yourself, but more interestingly, I'll quote him:

"Listen well, Yugi!! When all hope seems lost, you must look within yourself...That's how you'll find a way out!"

Again, he's saying and knows more than what's letting on, It's to Dark Yugi about Yugi, if we think about it, even though they treat each other and others treat as original Yugi and the other yugi (host and puzzle spirit treat each other as their other selfs), how Dark Yugi would go talk to Yugi and vice-versa when Dark Yugi is taking over? when Yugi is taking over, Dark Yugi sometimes did go in spirit on his side for a little to talk to Yugi during the duel between Jounouchi and Dinosaur Ryusaki, Dark Yugi could reach to him when Yugi was taking over his own body, but what happens the other way around? what would be the way for Dark Yugi to listen to Yugi talk to him? they are both entities sharing the same body, the host and the millenium puzzle spirit, Dark Yugi would have to look within himself ...but how about Yugi reaching to him to talk when Dark Yugi?
Sugoroku may be aware or know of something like this or Yugi may have said to him, he may have realized Pegasus weaknesses but trust these two enough to figure out on their own...
This is again, when they're not on the same page, because Dark Yugi still doesn't realise that Sugoroku is actually referring to Yugi when he said when all hope is lost to look within himself...

 

Here is a chain I'll give to you why would Kaiba brothers would be saved anyway, there is Honda who felt he owed his life to Mokuba, but even without Honda asking, Dark Yugi still would want to save them because of the promise he made to Mokuba, even without the promise, Yugi couldn't ignore with their life in danger, I think Dark Yugi honours Yugi's kindness and principles quite a big deal.

Now for an interesting observation on Honda's part on Bakura and Yami Bakura...

I think it's interesting, Honda noticed straight away, Ryou Bakura since Monster World has been hanging around with them for sometime, so they should be able to tell straight away something different, I think when Bakura said "kill him!", by Bakura's personality I point out later wouldn't say something like this, which is odd, he's very kind, Bakura and Yugi have similar personalities but Yugi is more strong-willed.

Yami Bakura not doing a very good job at keeping a low profile.

 

This just confirms what is is The Honor of the King's Left is for, his friends starts to get worried, specially Anzu, we have to remember they still think Dark Yugi and Yugi are the same person, deep down maybe suspects they're two entities but they don't want to face, because it may mean that one of them has to go...Anzu thinks of both, but more into Yugi, because Yugi is still her childhood friend, a friend she grow up with, a strong friendship since childhood is a deep one.

When Dark Yugi claims he has no itention to be part of his card collection...Pegaus thinks...

Even the villain of this story arc is aware of Dark Yugi big ego, so funny, it's that obvious, I want you to be aware, since each individual is different, so far the characters we know so far have big egos are Kaiba and Dark Yugi, they have the base traits that contributes someone to have big ego, overconfidence, smugness arrogance and pride, but there is other traits it helps increase, their skills, talents they invest on and finally their positive and neutral traits and blindness to their weaknesses.

In this duel, we are about to know there one more character in this story arc...

We all know the main purpose of this tournament is for Pegasus defeat Yugi to get to control the Kaiba Corporation, now let's see how far along with it, Mr.Crocket confirmed in thought to Pegasus, the key in Mokuba's stomach, they scaned and retrieved 3D data of the key, they're making the copy, in other words, the duels of Yugi VS Kaiba and Kaiba VS Pegasus was just to buy time to do this and get Kaiba out of the way, so all it's left is for Pegasus to defeat Yugi...

This may be one of the things I don't like about him, his manipulative ways and other thing...will be known later...

Well Pegasus, you thought Dark Yugi had a big ego, and look at yourself, you have as well, mostly because of his millenium eye, he thinks no one can beat his Mind Scan, but also the way he duels and says things, it seems to block them think rationally and creatively, making a very tough opponent to break through, the way to do is to find a way to block his mind scan...but is funny how Pegasus is amused by Dark Yugi's big ego.

 

Even though Bakura is sharp, smart and a good person but seems to be easily manipulated, weak-willed and tendency to be very negative, goes with the flow, if the situation looks terrible, he tends to be very negative and when others get optimistic, he does as well, he doesn't have much character development despite the potential, which is quite a bummer.

Jounouchi, thank you, this scene is already foreshadowing how is gonna be beaten the millenium eye, nice reminder from Jounouchi, after all it is a battle between two millenium items wielders.

Despite his confidence that his Mind Scan can't be beaten, he is right about few things, understand the opponent territory, check, their mind, nope, you can deduce and judge by their expression, data and info about your opponent, of course if you can read minds you can master it the whole thing, you can't really speak for others who doesn't read minds, so your opinion realistically speaking doesn't really count. And also there were things about his mind scan, can be truly unbeatable without counting mind shuffle and power of unity? I have my theories but sadly can't be confirmed.

 

This part is a complication for me to get it how this happens, I think it has to do with the Millenium Puzzle, remember what I talked about this corridor in this post and can be seen in this Picture Link , this scene right here with entry to Yugi's room, the outside walls is designed like the outside of the millenium puzzle, it's through their millenium item helps connect their minds, I think the corridor and Spirit room are inside the millenium puzzle, for the host being connected to the spirit and have access to it, as we observe in the panels, Yugi has lots of difficulties to reach Dark Yugi when calling him or to interfere (like Kaiba's duel, thanks to Yugi's sense of morality), also at this time they still don't fully realize their 2 entities yet, but to the readers, Shadi, Yami Bakura and Kaiba is clear, slowly Pegasus during this duel, when Yugi finally succeeds, Dark Yugi comes to the corridor of their rooms souls...

 

I love this scene, this is the first time they talk to each other face to face, making even more obvious they are truly two entities, there is new information revealed in this scene, it had been many times before this duel, Yugi had tried to called him and wasn't heard before until now even Dark Yugi is surprised, but why only until this moment and how Yugi was able to interfere Dark Yugi's duel with Kaiba? and what have been stopping Yugi from reaching Dark Yugi? Dark Yugi always reached Yugi, but not the other way around? I have a theory, Dark Yugi big ego and pride have been a huge block from him able to listen to Yugi until Dark Yugi reached his own lowest point because Pegasus was cornering with his mind scan, which was how he felt at this moment, the similar happened when Dark Yugi was facing a moral dilemma and fear of losing which is why Yugi reached Dark Yugi back then as much in this moment.

Yugi who have been watching the duel and Kaiba's duel against Pegasus, he can have a different insight on Mind Scan and come up with an idea.
It was Yugi who noticed Pegasus's mind scan weakness, sometimes gets on my nerves, Yugi doesn't get enough credit for this idea and observation, even though he expressed shyly (I don't censure him, I have a problem at expressing myself too, Yugi)...

 

Dark Yugi, I think his slow consideration on Yugi's idea, he is considering the chances, but it has to be Yugi doing the dueling, because Pegasus can read Dark Yugi only, since he can't read two minds at the same time, so Dark Yugi agrees and asks for his help (Yugi just offered his help, it's not Dark Yugi is a bit slow, just confirming if Yugi is really okay with it),  I think this is when they slowly realize they're not the same, but confirmation is still necessary...

Yugi is starting to become more active in order to become stronger (but he already was, but it's his chance to show he can fight too and able to help).

 

I love this Yugi's moment, there is others in this duel I'll point out later, I love their surprises faces, specially Pegasus, fufufufufu, the move Mind Shuffle, I can tell it was Dark Yugi made up that name, but it's cool, very nice character development for Yugi again...so is for Dark Yugi, because after this, it's so much easier for Yugi to communicate with Dark Yugi, from this moments it's showing it's progress.

Their friends are slowly realizing as well, it's intriguing why Yugi, Dark Yugi and their friends take longer to fully realize, it's because of familiarity, they're so used to Dark Yugi being around as much as Yugi, they don't question or think about it much, the ones who questions the most in this gang at this stage is Yugi and Anzu, Dark Yugi (it's more rare to show it).

 

What Dark Yugi says is mostly right and interesting, but not without it's flaws, he says what decides the winner is these skills and confidence, it may be what's necessary and keys that aids your chances of winning, but what happens when is on equal ground? You can see by the duel of Dark Yugi VS Kaiba, in the end is the difference of 1 turn and luck as it can be seen between Dark Yugi VS Mai as well, where it require these skills and the confidence - to me I would add resolve, he was very close to lose.
Now Dark Yugi commenting on Yugi's skills as a player, we can be assured he recognizes, only recently he is skilled but by how much?
 I find it funny how Dark Yugi implies about real confidence to Pegasus, Pegasus is only confident of not making mistakes for relying as he stated for too long on his millenium eye, which is true, which is why Dark Yugi says when it comes to real confidence, I think he also means to "real skill" without relying on cheap tactics like reading minds (we have to remember Yugi is the one making the moves and the other is the shield to Pegasus mind scan), Yugi is better than Pegasus, to be honest, I think he is right.
But even at this time, he considers Yugi a skilled player, but very skilled? hmmm, not so sure, he takes longer to realize Yugi is actually very gifted, like I said in this post at the end, Yugi didn't have much chances to develop his skills, to fight, prove himself and wanting it so, more determined, put his skills and strength more to the test.
This duel is one of his few chances.

 

In this duel, it's the first time we see Yugi duelling, we see how good he is, I want to give you the difference why Yugi lost in Evil Dragons Arc while he starts dominating here, in Evil Dragons -Yugi was unprepared, he only knew the rules at the last minute and just play straight away, while Imori, who he was playing against did studied the rules for sometime, he was prepared, he took advantage, Dark Yugi watched the first battle, so he was more prepared than Yugi, here in this duel, Yugi knows Duel Monsters/Magic and Wizards back and forth, watched many Dark Yugi duels, he is more knowledgeable and has experience.

I find it curious when Dark Yugi sees Yugi's facedown cards and thinks:

 "I don't know what cards my other self played...But if he chose them, I believe in them" 

You see, he only became aware of Yugi's strength recently, for someone who claims Yugi being his other self, before a few duels before, his skills seemed to Dark Yugi was a bit inferior to his own and thought of himself stronger, think about it, it's just off, but because they're so familiar in sharing the same body that they think each others as other selfs and realizing later they're two different entities of their own, you would know what your other you tactics were if they truly were the same person, it's so damn clear, only from this duel they start seeing they are two entities sharing the same body, since it makes it too obvious, even to them.

 

Not just courage, skill as well, but he looked as if he was proud of his little brother, Bakura keeping sharp as usual and warning the readers the worst is coming, what a wasted potential for good character development, even Honda has a bit more character development than him.

 

So he'll start making it into a Shadow Game, he explains where the inspiration for Duel Monsters/Magic&Wizards comes from, interesting fact was he got this idea 7 years ago and he is currently at this point 24 years old, Duel Monsters has 7 years, Pegasus started creating at age of 17 or 18...amusing enough is connected to the history of the millenium items (specially the mention of sealing monsters in stone tablets so the "magicians" would fight the battles in the pharaoh's court... a lots of foreshadowing about the Memory World Arc, it's impressive of how much Takahashi knew and was preparing during this time)...
It's interesting to note of Pegasus understanding why Yugi shows to be very skilled, because he was chosen by one of the millennium items and these magical items are picky about their wielders.

 
 

It's not often to see Yugi this persistent and stubborn to continue fighting despite the shadow game draining his energy and willpower, It's such a dirty and coward tactic from Pegasus, he knew Yugi is still too young to endure a shadow game and Dark Yugi would straight away make a protective stance, also because to give ethereal form to the monsters drains Yugi's willpower even Pegasus implies a "normal mortal" can't handle it, does this means Pegasus seeing these two spirits fighting him is starting to suspect Dark Yugi isn't a mortal or someone already dead?
Also to note there was a change of plans, because of Yugi's situation, Dark Yugi prefers to be the one making the moves and Yugi being the shield or not, but Yugi insists in fighting and Dark Yugi reluctantly honours Yugi's choices and decisions...since it drains a lot energy as explained by maintaining the ethereal form of the monsters, exhausts Yugi so much to the point of...

 

Yugi last breath before losing his consciousness, here is a subject I'm very touchy about it, it's hard to understand and piece up together, when Pegasus claims "his soul is dead", a soul doesn't die, we have to remember a soul is the you, the self, energy with a conscience of it's own, then we would have to question why it does affect Yugi and doesn't to Dark Yugi? from this question we can understand better why "Yugi's soul isn't dead", it doesn't affect Dark Yugi because he is a spirit of pharaoh who died thousands years ago, he is not a mortal anymore. his willpower doesn't end, since the willpower of Dark Yugi is from someone who is already dead, while Yugi on the other hand, Yugi is still a mortal with the soul connected to life, on a risk of losing his life, that's the difference, making once again clear and obvious they are two entities.
I don't think it was for lack of willpower he lost conscience, because he was willing to fight to the end, it's a lot of strength of will, Yugi's will is connected to his life energy since he is a mortal, so the shadow game drained Yugi's life energy as well, Dark Yugi being a spirit of someone is dead is connected to his host life through the millenium puzzle (since the spirit is sealed in the puzzle), so Dark Yugi isn't affected, since Yugi is barely alive, Dark Yugi can take over Yugi's body...
Dark Yugi becomes panicked for Yugi's life because he feels his duty to protect his host.

 

 But for himself being able to take over right after, he knows Yugi is just severely weakened and exhausted but doesn't excuse what Pegasus did and intentions in making into shadow game to be extremely low, so Dark Yugi is rightly fully furious, I don't censure him, what Pegasus did by unleashing shadow game was plain cowardice, seeing Yugi being the first person to destroy his precious toons and couldn't read his mind, he got scared and panicked, used shadow game to weaken Yugi physically to get Yugi out of the way, to be able to use mind scan...because he thought couldn't win without his millenium eye against Yugi, I really hate this kind of cowardice and low tactic even more, an act of cowardice that was unjustifiable, when is a coward trying to survive, saving your own skin, I let it slide, because it's a primitive and survival instinct, but Pegasus wasn't for survival, the main reasons for getting Kaiba Corporation are others, not really for greed neither for survival, a different kind of selfish reasons, it will be revealed later and I'll approach it next post.

 

Anzu and Yugi info to her is mostly right with one small difference, Dark Yugi doesn't really "live", but can take over Yugi's body because Yugi is barely alive like I mentioned above through the millenium puzzle, since they don't fully realize it yet of them being 2 entities, there is also the entities, soul and true self being a complicated subject at this age for them to understand.
The question is how come Yugi said this and his conclusion and told this, he is probably based on his experience in the Evil Dragons Arc and Monster World Arc...
Also when Anzu is thinking about with her wish that their hearts being shared with him to give a stronger emotional support and hoping it could help blocking Pegasus's mind scan and t's also foreshadowing how they're going to help him.

 

This moment is curious, Sugoroku is really talking with Dark Yugi in this moment because he hears someone calling him and he speaks about their conversation about the duel, but how? it might be because since Pegasus who put Sugoroku inside the small tv is close by, Sugoroku can talk to him from a glimpse moment like this.
On the subject of Sugoroku's advice to Dark Yugi, he is referring to their conversation before the duel, but is a bit different about believing in his cards and other thing, as later happens, he refers to believe in his friends support and Yugi plus the card Yugi left for Dark Yugi to use to defeat Pegasus...

 

This scene we can call the power of friendship, but there is the millenium puzzle playing a role, the power of unity, which was what made it through Shadi's trial in volume 3, we have seen the millenium puzzle can project images showing where someone is of who they are connected to because of the power of unity, to whose Dark Yugi and Yugi are connected to, unifying the bonds to to the wielder of the millenium puzzle, blocking Pegasus's mind scan, it's the Yu-Gi-Oh! world logic, storytelling logic, in real life, to some degree could be possible, but can't be sure.

Yugi is slowly regaining conciousness there...

Pegasus...I believe you should know better? I mean, you created it? what kind of card designer, are you? did millenium eye made you think slower and lacking memory as well? You have seen Yugi duelling using this card against Mai and won...so why so surprised?

This panel really bothered me, still does...

 

I really love this scene, Yugi fully recovered now that they won, shadow game is dispelled, remember the power of unity is still turned on at this moment, so that's why they're still behind him together with Dark Yugi, making more obvious what we readers already know, not fully realizing but starting to be conscious of it.
As for Pegasus, well, this is what happens when you rely too much on something, you lose other important things such instincts on when to act and "good" judgement for relying too much on the millennium eye, you get out of shape, this is majorly why he lost...

 

On starting to becoming more conscious, the bond between host and the spirit of the puzzle starting to becoming stronger from here on out and is vital to their character development and their friends (specially Anzu and Jounouchi), now they can talk like this, the power of unity is turned off and celebrate their victory.

See Ya Next Post!!