Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.27-31 Part 9 (Duel Tower Break Part 2)

Currently this little project is on volume duelist 23 (volume 30 in japanese print), now it's a break, but even this break before the duel between Dark Yugi and Yami Marik will be long, small summary but the key points... are long as well.

Plot Summary:

After Kaiba vs Dark Yugi duel is over with Dark Yugi winning, there is some discussion between them, what aided Dark Yugi to victory and Kaiba to his loss...Kaiba still feeling slightly irritated and bit down...and starts to leave and Dark Yugi realises that his friends were already for sometime, because Jounouchi didn't want them to disturb the duel so Dark Yugi wouldn't lose concentration, as they celebrate their victory but also wary for the next duel being against Yami Marik as Jounouchi warns Dark Yugi that Yami Marik is truly a sadistic opponent to the point is dangerous.
At the same time happens, Kaiba is about to leave the Duel Tower to activate the detonator to destroy the man-made island in two hours to give enough time for when the duel is over to leave the Akcatraz before it self-destructs and Ishizu is there waiting, both have a long conversation, Ishizu trying to persuade Kaiba to help Dark Yugi/Yugi in defeating Yami Marik, somehow he is convinced but not totally on Ishizu effort but a certain decision she makes if her brother can't be saved...

Key Points:

I have several views about this, this panel is expressing the main reason of why Kaiba lost, due to Kaiba attitude in winning based on negative emotions such anger, hatred and obsession, those emotions won't get you anywhere and clouds your judgement not just about games but life too.

However it always bugs me in stories like these usually seems to mean, you win because you were right and lost for being wrong, you know, black and white, but in Yu-Gi-Oh! is not really the case, just sometimes is the case, in this duel for example, it doesn't really what you usually see, it's like the duel between Dark Yugi and Kaiba in Duelist Kingdom, none of them were right being more desperate to win and afraid to lose but weren't wrong either fighting for loved ones, it explores moral conduct, dilemmas and emotions from a competitive perspective.

Dark Yugi's tendencies with his self-righteousness, he hold views a bit of black and white when it came to competition before, as he gradually learn and grown as an individual, in this panel does seem he is seeing things black and white, as I go further in the key points, you'll see it's not the case.

 

Kaiba is incredibly dramatic, it's okay Kaiba, you might not be crowned as king of duelists but you can be crowned as Drama King, it's more fitting...

In all seriousness, Kaiba does have a tendency in taking things too far, specially with his obsession, he does easily get carried away with his emotions, even more than Jounouchi, which is saying something, specially negative emotions mixed with his competitive trait, just isn't healthy, it would lead him to his fall sooner or later, this defeat will be important for him to learn something important...


If you want to continue reading, click "read more"...

 

The panels focusing on Kaiba's thoughts, it shows how much of perfectionist and single minded he is, he claims to himself that there was no flaw in his strategy and yet he lost, there is a fallacy in his mindset about this card game, it's the cards you draw from your deck are decided by luck and random, so no, there is a flaw in your strategy, unless your deck is a meta deck, I think is Kaiba's deck type so he can have the highest chance of winning with luck or not (but still doesn't change you need luck to win to have the cards you need), by this logic, Dark Yugi has a more of anti-meta deck which is the right counter against Kaiba's meta deck.

Focusing on what Dark Yugi says to Kaiba:

"It's true... I won and you lost. But we have no difference in skill!"

As quoted, Dark Yugi has no black and white view on this any longer, he acknowledges both of them are equally skilled and knows well that luck is crucial in winning a duel, not just skill and understands in this game, winning or losing doesn't really tell how skilled you are but how you perform during a duel.

Sadly, Kaiba's reaction to this truth from Dark Yugi, shows he has a strong black/white view and attitude in most aspects of life and competition...

 

Dark Yugi gives wise words that rings true, it's not just based when he observes his opponents, he is speaking for himself too...There is a lot of important meaning and messages (intentionally by Kazuki Takahashi)...

"The monster drawn on the cards aren't the only demons in a duel. The anger in our hearts...sadness...jealousy...greed...Our worst enemies are inside us!"

He is speaking for many, including for himself, he is revealing a bit of his own negative emotions he is battling against, he is very right, usually our most difficult challenges are when we're facing our own shadows which is usually what blocks you from growing...

"Only when you defeat all of that...Can you walk the road to becoming a true duelist!"

This line, although bit cheesy at the end but explains why is so important to Dark Yugi to become a true duelist, it has to do with his path to guide him for his own personal and individual growth, it's not only about regaining his memories to learn about his identity and a promise to a friend but also taking the chance of this path to learn, grow and overcoming his negative emotions.
 One would question and doubt what a card game could have this kind of effect on a individual for his own personal growth, each individual is different, therefore each has their own most suited pathways for personal and individual growth, for Dark Yugi is becoming a true duelist and his bonds he shares with, Anzu is her dream to become a dancer and her bonds, Yugi is hard to explain, it's more or less his quest in becoming independent and self-confident plus increasing his self-esteem and bonds, Jounouchi is the same as Dark Yugi with adding by inspiring her sister to give courage, Kaiba is similar to Dark Yugi and Jounouchi but not exactly, it's more his career, I think...he is complicated to explain probably because he hasn't found the right pathway for him yet...it will take time.

Now what negative emotions Dark Yugi mentions that he is battling against...I don't think is greed, since he isn't greedy, the only moment he has shown it is the desperation to win as previous principle of key to victory, but even that isn't the case since when it comes to desperation to win is generally based on his pride and ego, so I don't think greed doesn't include for him but more to others, but anger, sadness and jealousy, yes, he may not be easy to anger unless those he cares about are in danger, in sadness, we have the beginning of the duel against B!Jounouchi, he was very sad, so it had to be Yugi to take over...finally jealousy...it's easy to guess, it's Yugi and Jounouchi.
 Jounouchi because he is courageous and not afraid to fail, he may fail and lose over and over but he gets up every single time and comes back stronger from it.
However his jealousy is more towards Yugi due to Yugi's compassionate and kind nature, if we think through, Dark Yugi isn't really compassionate, he is very caring but towards loved ones and takes some time for him to feel empathy for someone, specially when it comes to his sense of justice, not saying he is emotionless, he isn't, but since he is very reserved, it takes time and the person has to earn his respect too or feels responsible for, it's linked to his sense of justice, where his struggle lies and slightly Yugi's creative thinking mixed with Yugi being more capable of making bolder moves than him, so yes, at this time Dark Yugi already sees Yugi as a full rival, slightly more than Kaiba (secretive rivalry).

 

He has already recovered, Dark Yugi, but he will get the surprise after this little conversation, to the point of this scene, Dark Yugi is right about if weren't for Red-Eyes Black Dragon he would've lost, now what bugs me a little is thinking that Red-Eyes represents Jounouchi soul card, I disagree choosing a card to represent you, like I had mentioned before in Jounouchi VS Ryota duel in a card, a part of him, yes, since it originally belongs to him and the deck he built in terms of effort, I think it best represents his effort and hard work to improve himself as a duelist, also this card was won when he won a duel on his own for the forst time without Yugi/Dark Yugi's advice in Duelist Kingdom...It's important related to his progress and once again will represent that.

 

As cheesy Dark Yugi sounded that he won through the power of friendship, but not full on, but most of the process was himself, from the last two turns, it was"the power friendship", for the duel to reach the end requires a huge process...let's say the final blow was with the "power of friendship", I only disagree a little with him.

As for Kaiba's reaction, I disagree with him mostly, the way Kaiba set up his virtual stage with a virtual crowd rooting for Kaiba, tells me otherwise, however I understand his perspective a little but he is a bit wrong, he does rely a little on his little brother Mokuba, who have been supporting and helping him out, even protecting Kaiba Corp from Pegasus for a long time, but in this case, for Dark Yugi isn't really depending on Jounouchi, it's more a little help, besides receiving help and depending on someone is different, being dependent implies circumstances that were forced into you or forced into someone which relates with survival, while help comes from an individual own volition, Dark Yugi isn't being dependent on Jounouchi but received a bit of help due to their strong friendship bond and promise they made.
I would also add how Dark Yugi sees Kaiba not only as a rival, who kept challenging him and motivated him to improve his skills, but sees him as friend because he cares for Kaiba well being and wishes for him to overcome his own shadows...and knows deep down is the same for Kaiba...

Dark Yugi obviously wishes for a friendly rivalry bond with Kaiba as he has with Mai and Jounouchi, but due to Kaiba believing he is a loner, individualist, yes, but loner...he has a attitude of a loner, but I don't think he really is one, because he's not always doing everything by himself as he thinks, he relies on Mokuba and the people he hired to work in the company, even a little Dark Yugi/Yugi and friends, he is just too prideful -.-".

"Hmph...Boasting is the privelege of winners...I'll keep quiet and step down...for now."

Kaiba does have a strong black/white view about winning and losing, which is a shame for someone of his intellect should know better that not everything isn't black and white but grey and other, *sigh*, besides someone affirming they won through the "power of friendship" is definitively not boasting, but being humbled, it shows Dark Yugi's growth and having a bit more humility.
Deep down, Kaiba knows Dark Yugi is right however due to his prideful nature...he needs to work on that.

 

This is actually a cute scene, probably they didn't expect Jounouchi to be back already, both Yugi and Dark Yugi are very happy, here is an unusual sight, specially coming from Dark Yugi, the bromance handshake (that's what I call it), I say this because Dark Yugi is very reserved, it's not common for him to make physical contact not even a handshake, and say:

"What took you so long?"

I may be sounding like make a fuss as being normal phrase and handshake, but it shows how close and very comfortable he is around Jounouchi, when you think about it, it's similar with Mai, the reason why is there is a different contrast with how he interacts with his other friends. it will be approached in the next point.

Kaiba...

"Hmph. He should've stayed dead...!"

It's Kaiba struggling to admit Jounouchi is a true duelist...Kaiba and his ridiculous standards, but deep down he does, since he grunted "hmph", when he does this is sign of aknowledgement in a prideful manner 8D, so stubborn.

When others start speaking to him, he goes back to his reserved mode, even with Anzu, he still behaves reserved even how he replies to her after he confessed about his worries in the "date" event (I guess it tells, if his worries weren't related to Yugi, he would have have speak to Yugi, since Yugi didn't felt prepared about his duty as a host at the time, he set up a "date" with Anzu, since Yugi thinks she is a good confidant and giving advice, also so he wouldn't interfere in Dark Yugi's decisions), he does feel a bit more comfortable talking to her (like it was when Dark Yugi decided to duel Kaiba), but in comparison to Jounouchi, Yugi, Mai and Kaiba (yes, him, I guess being a rival and all), speaks volumes, he is not so awkward when talking with others who share the same or similar interests with him, so he is naturally very reserved, possibly introverted too.

 

Their conversation has a lot of depth usually, he still calls her by name like he does with Yugi and Marik (while Jounouchi is by surname now - showing an increasing respect for him) and with Mai is her name and surname), I guess is someone who he feels comfortable enough with to addressing her by name, I guess it shows he has lots of respect for her and skills, also talks with her seriously and much more calmly now too, I guess one of the reasons, she speaks always politely and calmly, it has to do with her posture too.
Getting into details in their conversation, the way she asks Kaiba:

"Kaiba...Yugi now has two god cards... Do you believe he can beat Marik's Ra deck?"

If we look at her expression while asking this, it's very serious and implies she pretty much knows Marik's theme deck is in order to favour only Ra god card, Kaiba pondering to this question and expression, as if saying "oh she knows Ra One-Turn-Kill effect", she thinks Yugi doesn't have enough yet to beat Yami Marik, I find a bit strange her knowing the full effects of Ra card while Marik didn't know until he saw being played against Yami Bakura, but since Yami Marik is the manifestation of DID and PTSD from his subconscious, we can assume as I mentioned before, he must have saved only to himself and Marik doesn't remember until he saw it.

It's very ironic Kaiba saying this:

"But I'm not a murderer. I'll leave them the battle ship for a lifeboat..."

Really, Kaiba? You're not a murderer? you're being a little hypocritical here...Death-T and the men you sent from the helicopter says otherwise...even though the helicopter event was legitimate defense (they were trying to kill him), but he did technically murdered them, that's why a little hypocritical.

"But...it's no longer my concern...Battle City has ended! Win or lose...In two hours I will set off explosive charges and sink this manmade island into the ocean..."

Kaiba is such a sore loser...at least he is being thoughtful enough to give Yami Marik and Dark Yugi  two hours, at minimum, a duel takes 30 mins at minimum, max is 1h30 mins (depending on the starting LP, if is 4000LP, it doesn't take long, 8000LP, it's much longer.

 

The scene here when Ishizu tries to convince Kaiba to help Yugi, she knows Kaiba has the necessary card to aid in defeating Yami Marik's Ra deck...she was this ahead, she is very intelligent...I find one of Kaiba's lines interesting:

"Hmph...What are you talking about?! Did your «millenium item» give you another stupid revelation?"

In the anime version (being it the japanese or dub version), Kaiba doesn't acknowledge the millenium items much, but in the manga he does acknowledge but choses to not to be involved, even though he is already in the middle of it, I do like this attitude of his on these magical matters, even if he plays a part of "fate" or "destiny" of the millenium items, he doesn't do it for these reasons but on his own terms and personal reasons (even if they're wrong and I find disagreeable), that somehow makes a bit of a difference (it would make more of a difference if were for the right ones), from Kaiba's standpoint and line he isn't involved in terms of choice but he is involved in the quest of Dark Yugi to restore his memories, so his involvement is in the grey spectrum.

"The prayer for the dead...The Pert Kertu..."

At the mention of these words, Kaiba stops, it means he have heard it or read it...

 

From Kaiba's reaction he knew all along what was written there, this just further confirms that he could actually read it what was written in the tablet as mentioned in this post , but this scene is more to confirm this tidbit and what was written there, there is a new revelation about this stone tablet, it was actually from the pharaoh mortuary temple, to go further, the text written is in hieratic egyptian, in other words Kaiba could read as he could read Ra god card special effects written in this special egyptian language...

 

Another revelation, the priest was actually the one who wrote it as the Pharaoh's true friend and prayer to the dead and from the looks of it, left the conditions necessary to aid the spirit of the pharaoh to restore his memories whose residing in the Millenium Puzzle, plus implies the circumstances weren't really about rivalry but for other reasons, this is also a setup hinting that we will know during the "restoration of pharaoh's memories" quest in what circumstances was the battle under portrayed in the stone tablet, but since isn't the time yet to approach in detail but only when we reach it.

Kaiba reaction's is amusing by refusing to be involved in this ancient past and play his final role by giving him a little help...

"The Corpse sinks to the floor...

The vessel becomes sand, becomes dust...

Even the brightest gold, Even the

Sharpest sword...

Is wrapped in the sheath of time...

Woe to the pharaoh, for his body

 lacks even his name...

Time is the battlefield of souls...

I cry the song of battle, the song of a friend...

To the place far away where souls meet...

Guide me..."

I have to say is very beautiful, I can understand the first half, but the last one is a bit harder to understand, what it takes me harder is the following verses:

"I cry the song of battle, the song of a friend..."

What I can interpret from this is that maybe it means, the priest implemented that vision inside the millenium items for when the right conditions are met so the spirit of the pharaoh and priest "next life" would see the vision inside in order to open the first door to the restoration of pharaoh's memories.

"To the place far away where souls meet...Guide me..."

The far away place is the time in the future, since from Ancient Egypt to the this present , the 90's is a long way to go make it the "time" being "the battlefield of souls", of course guide me, it means in "priest next life"...in order to aid the spirit of the pharaoh to recover his memories.
This kinda confirms the priest is Kaiba's past life, I think is the case to a certain extent, because there is some problems that I have doubts, it shows precisely at the end of the manga series, I have my headcanons, I'll give them in the right time.

 

It's impressive how stubborn she is being in trying to persuading him in helping Dark Yugi by using the stone slab which he could read himself as reference, I don't censor Kaiba fully, if someone would bug me about the same thing a lot, I would get irritated as well, but I find curious is this transition of how Ishizu refers to Dark Yugi from Yugi to pharaoh spirit, while Kaiba gets more irritated...(Kaiba knows his believed "fated" rival is a spirit of someone who died thousands years ago and probably bothers him) and also Kaiba refuses to see Dark Yugi and Yugi as friend due to feeling more comfortable seeing them as rivals, specially Dark Yugi. (while it's obvious those two wish to be friends with Kaiba).
There is a line I have difficulties to understand by what Ishizu means:

"Kaiba The god cards guided you to start battle city... And to put an end to those battles...On this duel tower on the island of Alcatraz.."

I wouldn't say the god cards guided him to start battle city, per say. he was but also wasn't, because he wanted the god cards for himself, let's say it was convenient to fulfil it's purposes.
What confuses me is that he started battle city not only for the god cards but "to put end to those battles", it can have a lot of meanings, settle the score with Dark Yugi, or his inner battles or both, it's probably both, it shows that she could read through him of how he thinks and kinda knows, she didn't technically watched the duel there, but since she is pretty skilled herself even without a millenium tauk and smart, she must be aware or get the gist of Kaiba's own battles, well it is a bit obvious too...

 

Ishizu is actually spot-on in this, technically the duel tower like was previously mentioned by Dark Yugi , represents Kaiba's inner battles about his hatred towards Gozaburo, against his past and against Dark Yugi that he was to defeat for his own future, you can tell Kaiba's effort to discard to what she says and knowing full well what she meant and what she means with this manner of speaking (yeah, I find a little hard to get it, because she speaks very poetically and old-fashioned...), this is where Mokuba's role is very important, you see he has been thinking about something and hinting at something...

 

Probably the characters that may be most overlooked besides Honda's and Anzu's characters development is certainly Mokuba, when he was first introduced, he was very bratty and looked like he was spoiled, since Dark Yugi saved Mokuba from "Kaiba's penalty game sensation of death" (based on Dark Yugi first penalty game on him), he became gradually much more emotionally mature, much more than Kaiba, in fact he was doing all that to get the attention of his big brother and to be acknowledged by him, which is normal around his age, in this scene, actually shows his attitude towards their past is the right way and more matured in comparison to Seto.

"S-Seto...! Just because things were bad when we were growing up...We don't need to make Yugi suffer too!"

"Seto! I want you to promise me! Promise me that when the duel tower blow up, you'll forget about your grudge!"

Mokuba knows well their past was terrible at the time but accepts it and doesn't hold a grudge, specially after Yugi/Dark Yugi and the gang saved him (even after death-t events in Duelist Kingdom, he was little nicer to them), the fact he was moved by their act of rescuing him in Duelist Kingdom made him grow a little faster in terms of maturity.
Also, if we think about it, this the first time we actually see Mokuba stepping up for what he believes in, even Kaiba is surprised and what Mokuba says, he takes it to heart, Mokuba is indirectly saying that he agrees with what Dark Yugi said to Kaiba.

Kaiba's reactions to Mokuba actually reaches better than Dark Yugi, why is it the case? Since Mokuba technically isn't a gamer and it doesn't play card and board games really, except for chess and capsule monsters (as shown in the two parts of photo from the necklace they have of them playing chess and volume 3), Mokuba offers an outsider perspective, forcing Kaiba to not see his battles and his past as black/white anymore.

 

"I want you to go back to the old you... Before we even met our stepfather!"

Once again it shows, Mokuba knows the Seto who loved games in a healthy way, when it wasn't a obsession towards winning, glory and power, he does implies that the time in the orphanage weren't so bad as Kaiba thinks, the detail when he says "before we even", implies not just before they met Gozaburo, he means also before they became orphans (when their parents were alive), being hinted that he has vague memories of their biological parents.
With these Mokuba's words, he is a bit terrified, he knows he indirectly mentioned when their parents were alive (again is something he did probably tightly shut and doesn't want to touch on it again), from this moment on, he starts to reconsider and rethink what Dark Yugi words about hatred...

 

While Jounouchi reminding himself when he was warning to Dark Yugi about Yami Marik sadistic style of dueling about the damages he left on Mai, you see Dark Yugi remembering of her condition, since he did seem to have forgotten her for quite time ago, from when he thought Jounouchi was dead until Jounouchi mentions (I'm sorry, but no excuses, from the reticencies, I can presume he feels a bit guilty for not remembering her until Jounouchi mentions), it makes me think that Jounouchi, Anzu and Shizuka were and are the most worried about her condition and the situation in general, not saying Dark Yugi isn't but not to the same extent as them because Dark Yugi tends to play favourites, to me is a concerning flaw of him together with his pride, big ego, overconfidence, sometimes arrogant and overprotective (but the mentioned remaining flaws are not so concerning as playing favourites, which bugs me).

Jounouchi on the other hand, he actually doesn't play favourites, but noticed this Dark Yugi's flaw in the Batttle Royale , he is the one who is most disturbed about Mai and even more since he experienced the same kind of shadow game she experienced first hand, he blames himself for not being strong enough, he wasn't far, he almost save her, he was very close to win, I think he is pretty strong to withstand that much for someone with no powers or not chosen by the millenium items and even came back from a clinical death caused by the same shadow game is a very impressive feat, you shouldn't blame yourself, Jounouchi.

When Jounouchi asks Dark Yugi to save Mai, he doesn't say it but his expression saying "I will!" as if is something he already decided before Jounouchi asked, he must feel a little guilty, I suppose he is starting to become conscious that he does tend to play favourites and tries to work on this flaw of his.
The panel when Jounouchi is asking Dark Yugi to save Mai is very funny, because you see how short Yugi is (I say this because Dark Yugi from when he was a pharaoh, he was taller than Yugi) in comparison to Jounouchi.

 

Looking at the panels in his thoughts after Jounouchi request:

"This is Battle City, even I am still striving to become a true duelist...If I let a friend die, my promise to everyone will be broken..."

He does indeed feel guilty for not remembering her too and the mysterious disappearance of Ryou Bakura, now what is this promise to everyone he refers too, for starters with Mai of fighting her too and the same Jounouchi (but more for Jounouchi to retrieve his Red Eyes Black Dragon), along with the promise to save Ishizu's little brother from his split personality (Yami Marik) by defeating Yami Marik.

"Jounouchi! You found the light by finding your courage! Now, in this battle of darkness, I too must find the light!"

The founded courage by Jounouchi which Dark Yugi mentions, the will to live from surviving clinical death and fighting Yami Marik to defeat him so he could save Mai, that's the Jounouchi's courage he speaks of as representing Jounouchi's own light and thinks to himself that now is his turn to find his own light.

"Marik! I will defeat the evil mind that dwells inside you!"

The "Marik" he refers to is the main Marik as a promise he made to Ishizu and to himself in defeating Yami Marik (Marik's split personality), because Dark Yugi feels responsible and empathy for the fate and tragedy of the tomb guardians family, Ishtar family, the same way he feels his responsibility to protect his host and his friends (but this one is a little higher being how close they are).

I may not have added a certain panel of Dark Yugi's response to this line of thinking "Yes!" but the amount of panels is a little too much (it has amounted to 58 panels packs, with Dark Yugi VS Kaiba was 73 and had to be cut in half by two posts with each having 33 and 32 panels packs...), but I considered between those two panels as this one the most important.

I don't need to quote it, for Jounouchi and Dark Yugi seeing the finals as a passing point for 3 reasons, first is their promise to duel each other, second for Jounouchi retrieve his Red-Eyes Black Dragon, lastly if wasn't for the shadow game, it would be Jounouchi and Dark Yugi dueling in the finals...

 

Kaiba thinks Yugi is going to lose not by a matter of skill but due to the "One-Turn-Kill" effect of Ra, also claims if Yugi had this key card that can seal Ra god card effects, the chances of Yugi would increase 20%, If we look at Ishizu response, as if there is something pondering that it could be helpful but there is more to this Ra god card, it's not just the card, but the deck that is build to support the Ra god card...

 

Is from this part and on from their conversation is one of my favourite scenes (yeah, I'm a shipper of these two xDD, I know it won't ever happen, since is very obvious they have no interest in romantic relationships to begin with D: and I don't mind it at all either), I just really love this scene.

On the focus of these panels, Kaiba commenting about the reasons she entered and refers to her millenium item as "occult toy" in order to defeat Marik's evil side as way to refer as split personality, look at Kaiba, he is knowledgeable enough about DID (dissociative  identity disorder), since Yami Marik is a manifestation of Marik negative emotions and darkness, which is why is referred to as evil mind or evil side and now Ishizu has to rely on Dark Yugi/Yugi and Ishizu's reply about in case her brother can't be saved is:

"I am prepared for the possibility that my brother cannot be saved...And if that is the case, I merely have to stay on this island."

This moment of this scene (it makes me tear up a little) and the next one doesn't appear in the anime when she reveals if her brother cannot be saved, she will commit suicide by staying in the island that will start destroy itself in two hours, Kaiba first reaction is pondering, while she makes a mental preparation image with a sad expression... comes the next moment of this scene...

 

Kaiba starts from wonder and compassion to shock to feeling she became somewhat relatable for him because he went through the same thing in duelist kingdom against Dark Yugi when he was about to lose and believed he had no other way to save Mokuba, his little brother (not in a romantic sense, but "human compassion" and understanding sense), this is what changes his mind about helping Yugi, so he can help to prevent her to take this decision by increasing Dark Yugi's chances to win (It means what happened in Duelist Kingdom deeply affected him as well, including Dark Yugi and Yugi saving him and Mokuba), but isn't the only reason he decided to help...

 

Ishizu was surprised by his change of mind, not only being sudden but also for the reasons she understood being because her decision if her brother cannot be saved then she would commit suicide, but there is more to it, which she probably suspects to be also connected to Dark Yugi, the way he is thinking about what Dark Yugi said about he winning the duel through the power of friendship as if he wants to test Dark Yugi about something...

 

I don't know about that, specially with the lore of the Yu-Gi-Oh!, I would say there is miracles, miracles is supposed to imply something rare not all the time, Kaiba, there is miracles, the difference is you really can't create miracles, miracles it's mostly a huge strike of luck, as for power of friendship, well there is but not in a black/white view that Kaiba has...
Kaiba's black/white being displayed, if Dark Yugi loses even with a bit of help from Kaiba is proof that there is no miracles or power of friendship? it's impressive his black/white view about subjects leaving to "winning/losing", even win and lose he sees this way, when in fact it isn't, truth to be told, this duel will be proof that a battle in winning and losing isn't black/white...

 

This Kaiba's decision is also to test his skill, not only about what is for, it gives a clue to the other Ra's ability and maybe of how to beat it, it being up to Dark Yugi's wits to figure out... Kaiba also gives a clue in this message to him:

"Well, Yugi? It's up to you whether or not to include that card in your deck..."

There is double meaning in what he is saying, such as being that putting a card of a friend in your deck or not, it's still your choice using it whether is from power of friendship or not, it still comes from yourself by choosing so...he is right about this (which is why I don't think Dark Yugi won by not just through "the power of friendship").
 In continuation from what Kaiba is saying in the last talk balloon from the last panel to the next...

 

"After all, why would I give you a card? it might even be life-threatening...A trap to teach you not to be so trusting of others...Mheh heh heh..."

Of course, Kaiba, then by this logic, how come you're giving an advice to Dark Yugi, in sense isn't trying to help the person realise something to not be so trusting? even whether is teaching him a lesson about trusting others so much or giving the card to truly help? it's still trying to help, isn't it what for giving advice? or attempt give a life lesson, either way? it's an effort of helping one way or another and is still requiring whether Dark Yugi accepts either this kind of help or not, there is contradictions in Kaiba's words and behaviour and intentions... I think for Dark Yugi to chose to believe in Kaiba is that he came to these conclusions himself related to what I stated about helping, which is why he chuckles, because he found contradictions in behaviour and his words (the ones I mention) and understanding his main intentions that is really to help him and to test him at the same time .

 

Here is another interesting conversation between Kaiba and Ishizu (I love their interactions, there is such a difference in their views, despite being very intelligent but each in their own ways of expressing it), Kaiba keeping on insisting on his own views to himself, trying to sever his connection to the past, including his connection to his rival and millenium items...so here comes for their every line they say (this key point will be a huge text)...

Kaiba starts the conversation saying:

"Ishizu...I want you to know that stone tablet means nothing to me...Civilisations are built from time and the ashes of countless people...the millions of forgotten dead...I have no connection to someone who lived 3000 years ago..."

Just from this quote alone, there is a lot write, I'll focus on the first section about his view on ancient civilisations: I don't entirely agree with him on this, it's true that that most people from these ancient civilisations are forgotten in records and data, but we all descend from these ancient civilisations and even though there is no record of every individual from these civilisations, but there is records and marks of how it was in their timeline from ancient cave paintings to nowadays through prints and digital in the digital age, from where we descend is still present within the current  civilisations.

On the subject of the last section about who is the "someone" (he says in singular so is one person)  Kaiba is referring to that he claims he has no connection with whom lived 3000 years ago?: We have two options in this case, that is the "spirit of the pharaoh" or Kaiba's possible past live...

If is the "spirit of the pharaoh, then there would be big contradiction in what he is saying, the fact that he sees Dark Yugi as his "fated rival" and that already implies a connection between them, Kaiba having a connection with someone who lived 3000 years ago...

If is Kaiba's possible past life, it almost make sense, because it implies all these visions he had of the priest as Kaiba being the reincarnation of someone who lived 3000 years ago too, establishing a connection too, but then it would apply as contradiction too together with the one above...
Kaiba just keeps contradicting himself in effort to reject all these things related to the past...he is not being prideful, he is being stubborn about his views...

Ishizu reply to Kaiba's statement:

"No, Kaiba... Kingdoms rise and fall...civilisations come and go...But the human spirit is eternal..."

I do understand what she means, but doesn't change I do disagree with her very little of solely restricting the "human spirit" being eternal, if was spirit, then I would agree fully, she doesn't mean just afterlife sense, she also means what I stated above about ancient civilisations, we are the legacy of these ancestors for inheriting their will and genetics and these two things keeps evolving too and the same applies to humanity in general.

"Hmf! «Eternal»...! «Spirit»...! Religion and superstitions are build from people wishing that those things were true. But meanwhile, science and technology prove that they don't exist. There no such things as miracles!"

The common non-believers argument and from himself there is huge contradictions, let's start with Kaiba himself, for someone who claims as being sceptical about "spirit" but yet he mentions "fighting spirit" often and his precious blue-eyes as the embodiment of his soul, spirit and fighting spirit, I do think he is a bit hypocritical because of his contradictions, Kaiba being stubborn about his views makes his contradictions bigger...

Now as for the common non-believers statement, there is some contradictions, misinterpretations and misunderstandings I came to noticing with time by questioning non-believers, believers and myself, such as miracles not existing but being a random phenomenon with no clear explanation, from my perspective I see the word "miracle" as a cheesy and cringy version of the word "phenomenon" (but even I find this word a bit cringy too), so I prefer to refer these "miracles"/"phenomenon" as an unexpected event with low possibilities of happening (it can happen but usually very unlikely).
Now it seems to be habit of most believers and non-believers that spirituality is about religions and superstitions and not truly understanding what spirituality really means, it is a very common misconception about spirituality, if you look at most religions, what is spoken about spirituality is actually very little but more about morality of a civilisation from a certain timeline that nowadays most of the world has a different and more advanced conception about morality, the religion about what comes in effort to understanding spirituality closest is Buddhism and the field of study in understanding is philosophy (which tends to be looked down upon), because spirituality is about "the self", the free will and thinking of the self, self awareness and self-consciousness and how it connects to everything that exists.
Now as for science and technology "helps" to prove that "spirit"  and "eternal" doesn't exist, well, I agree with few things about this kind of statement but only with the root of it being not buying the claim "there are things that can't be explained." but not following "if can't be explain then it doesn't exist", I think it can be explained and will be one day...I have my own theories, but they're just theories, but is fun for me to do, so I don't mind at all (I just don't do all the time).

(what a huge key point I wrote)

Here, Ishizu believes that power of friendship will save her brother from Yami Marik through Dark Yugi, Kaiba thinks isn't the case, in fact Kaiba is kinda right but for the wrong reasons, it's not really the power of friendship that saves Marik (or not at all), but something else, but the answer will be approached at the end of Dark Yugi/Yugi VS Yami Marik duel...

 

This scene is very cool, it really shows Jounouchi's huge growth as a player after dueling against Yami Marik, he gives a good observation about why Dark Yugi is still at a disadvantage even with two gods and start being on guard about the third power Ra god card, he is not intermediate level of skill anymore, he is now a very advanced player close to be an "elite", good signs of character development for him.

 

No pressure on Dark Yugi...I kinda feel sorry that he always ended up carrying these heavy burdens, it irritates me a little too, it seems to be always him that has to get things done or "save the day"...(it was the same in YGO! Dark Side of Dimensions...*sigh* I loved the movie, but there is some problems, this was one of them...).

If you look at the panel Kaiba appears, it shows that deep down believes in spirits through Dark Yugi, but also trying to find logical explanation himself and is rooting for Dark Yugi to win, he is so tsundere...(even with the others, Jounouchi, Ishizu, Yugi, etc)

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