Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.32 Part 4/4 (Bakura, The King of Thieves)

The previous post, I wrote faster than I thought, I'm relieved but this one is longer because the amount of panels ensembles is higher than the previous...


Plot Summary:

The mentioned evil shadow approaching the palace arrives and reaches the throne room where is the six priests, vizier and the pharaoh, revealing he had robbed everything from the former king's tomb (which explains why the previous grave robber they judged didn't find anything inside the tomb he was trying rob...), claiming he is Bakura, the king of thieves and came to get the millenium items from the priests and the pharaoh...

In the Museum, Bobasa with the intention to be cautious, he uses the millenium scale to sense any deception and evil from each member of the the gang, if the scale tilts when checking someone, the person won't be permitted to come along, most of the gang pass, the only one who doesn't is Ryou Bakura for obvious reasons..., Ryou starts leaving the museum, sad he can't come along to help...Bobasa prepares them to enter Yugi's soul by forming a circle and joining hands then use the millenium key.

Inside the World of Memory, the priests starts their judgment and measuring Bakura's evil, reveals to be a powerful evil ka, as the priests struggle fighting Thief Bakura, the vizier Siamun explains more about other millenium items abilities to Dark Yugi, there comes a discussion between the thief and Dark Yugi about the millenium items, thief Bakura presents the mummy of the former pharaoh, pharaoh Akhenamkhanem as Dark Yugi deeply realises being the dead corpse of his own father, few memories comes back to Dark Yugi from when his father was alive and being by his side when he was younger...as Dark Yugi walks through the battle between the priests and the thief, Dark Yugi shoves thief Bakura and picks up his father's corpse while coming back to his throne to put the corpse in a safer place from the battle and tells thief Bakura he will be coming to defeat him...


Key Points:

 

Here is the thief, who stole everything from the former king's tomb, from his behaviour as a thief would be considered a bit strange, when a thief rob a tomb, usually goes to hiding...also another unusual something he robbed, the former king's mummified corpse, normally you would think it would be just gold, silver, valuable metallic artefacts only, in other words, he only did this to come to the throne room to challenge the royal court and the pharaoh for the millenium items...I have to say, I do find quite rude to steal someone's corpse and dragging on the way to the throne room...

Siamun, why so shocked...? if the previous grave robber stated when he reached the tomb that where was nothing there, it would mean someone defiled the tomb before him, here is the person himself, Siamun was a bit overconfident about the design, but since was a prototype for Dark Yugi's tomb, then it isn't that surprising, if the previous grave robber did reached...then this one, Thief Bakura who seems to be a specialised thief to find it easy...

We can confirm in this scene, he was challenging them, for a thief to them and challenge the priests, it can be easily assume he is quite bold and confident by not only in skills but also can take on them...so confident that he self-proclaim himself as king of thieves, but he actually brings up interesting points later in discussions with the pharaoh and the priests.


If yopu want to continue reading this post, click "Read More" below:

 

I have always a good laugh in this scene with Jounouchi and Honda, when Bobasa tells he is going to use millenium scale to measure their heart to check if they contain evil or deception, because if it does, it will tilt..., Honda, Honda, someone being a pervert doesn't immediately make him a bad or evil, it's true pervert is pervesion, but if tamed, it's fine, I do think Jounouchi and Honda got a little better at controlling that part of themselves, even Yugi is a little perv, but doesn't change they need to work on it.

Now here if you notice, while the Jounouchi and Honda feel offended, Bobasa is being quite reasonable in being cautious for the journey and for their own good because the maze is dangerous itself, now to look into Anzu, Jounouchi  and Honda who are okay, doesn't tilt, so they pass but the next one doesn't...

 

Looking at how the millenium scale tilted so heavily on the right side, it's obvious is reading Yami Bakura intentions from the millenium ring, it means it scales the balance of one's soul, it's partially Ryou Bakura's fault for not listening to their friends advice but then he is also the permanent host of Yami Bakura, but here is Bobasa curious thought...

"The Millenium Scale senses an evil shadow in this young man's soul...could it be...That this is the young man who holds the millenium ring...!?"

Just this alone, it's implying that Ryou Bakura have met Shadi before and have been in the Village of Kul Elna and have been in the place where the millenium ring came from (the underground temple with the "Tablet of Pharaoh's Memories" (if you watched Dark Side of Dimensions movie, you know the full answer, but this can confirm that the story revelations in the movie weren't random but an expansion of the manga...).

Ryou Bakura is genuinely a good person but since is unfortunate he is the host of a evil spirit, with Yami Bakura overweight one side of Ryou's balance, therefore he can't come.

 

Ryou Bakura was genuinely hurt to a point of hating Bobasa, well Ryou, he was just being pratical for your own good and theirs, Yugi quickly suspected it was because of the millenium ring and felt sorry for him because he noticed he was genuinely hurt, to be honest, I don't really feel sorry for Ryou, if he had listened to his friends for his own good (he usually got hurt because of the ring) and not pick up the millenium ring in battle city in Yugi's room, he possibly could come along, he is a smart boy, he kinda should know better...

Yami Bakura is obviously not worried since he already has his own shadow spy inside the millenium puzzle, from the looks of it, it's actually more convenient for him this way...which is true.

It's funny how unconfortable Honda and Jounouchi feel by the idea of holding hands with a guy, specially between these two, Honda didn't seem to mind holding Yugi's hand, Yugi is rather indifferent since he knows is not the time being picky besides his hand is being hold by his crush, Anzu, so he doesn't mind, as for Anzu...

 

If you look well at her expression that she is blushing from holding Yugi's hand (it's not Yugi holding her hand, but hers holding his), if you want to see better then click here, remember the post where I wrote that Anzu seeing Dark Yugi more as friend than a crush... it also means she is liking Yugi romantically, it's important to be aware that having a crush or being romantically interested in someone isn't the same as like and loving someone romantically, crush/romantic interest is basing on the idea of a person seen on the surface and is idealised (infatuation) while liking someone romantically, it has similar progress as liking someone as a family or friendship, it grows and is forged through trials, gaining trust, cherishing and sharing, among other elements of love (of any kind, of course there is it's distinctive differences, because each person we like are different and individual).
There were hints here and there if you pay close attention, she is slightly more physically affectionate with Yugi than the others (including Dark Yugi, in fact with him, I'm pretty sure it was only once, I think it was that one time in the amusement park), in Duelist Kingdom when to watch Jounouchi vs Ryuzaki duel, Dark Yugi switched to Yugi and Anzu blushed a little, there is more I could point, in due time I will.

Now going into Jounouchi and Honda, specially Jounouchi being unwilling to hold hands, it's very funny.

This is when it starts to get a bit confusing about the Ba and Ka, according to what Siamun is saying:

"As you know, all people have two souls: the Ba and the Ka. The Ba is undying...the energy of their soul. It nourishes the Ka, the spirit that is the reflection of their true nature, and which may leave the body..."

Since this in Ancient Egypt, they perceived things a little archaic, the knowledge, perception and understanding of the mind, soul, heart and emotions are different from today, we have to remember it was from the time they believed the heart did the thinking and the brain was the feeling...when is usually the other way around...

There is some contradictions at first but must be based on the perception at the time, as we see in modern days even here in Yu-Gi-Oh! is notable to see that everyone doesn't have two souls with exceptions when is about two entities inside the same body such Yugi and Dark Yugi, if we put logic, psychological and improved spiritual knowledge, it's not difficult to understand what the vizier is saying, the soul of an individual is divided in two parts, the Ba being the self while the the Ka is the manifestation of emotions, thoughts based on their life experience as I mentioned in previous post , the best way to understand the Ka is from Sigmund Freud about "id, the ego and superego", if you compare, it's actually quite similar, this might be intentional from Takahashi-sensei part as reference and picture of how Ancient Egypt would perceive this kind of psychological knowledge while in this way bring out how the monsters in the stone slabs came to be and sealed inside, later used in card game, it's metaphorically and abstractly clever if was his intention, but then if you look at certain characters (Marik's DID) and the "illusionary penalty games", so it wouldn't be surprising being intentional, it's obvious he has an interest in psychology, so it must have been on purpose.

The other curious part, they treat as separated but linked at the same time, because emotions and experiences is guarded and stored in our subconscious, it makes somewhat separate from the conscious, in a sense the Ka is a "primitive form"(id) part of the subconscious (the true form of one's subconscious in Yu-Gi-Oh! lore would be the individual's room of soul), either way is still a neat parallel.

"A good soul gives rise to a Spirit or God Ka...an evil soul turns into a monster or a demon Ka. Each of those is determined by the strength of the Ba"

In ancient times, most people saw the world as black and white, nowadays there is still plenty who thinks like that but not as much as it was before, since humans are naturally grey, however doesn't change people might have in between more positive or negative energy inclined, which is supposed to mean in this case, if one individual is more negatively inclined energy would project a monster or demon ka, while those positively inclined energy would project a spirit or god, but what happens when an individual is neutral and can't be labelled in a box or category? We might see a character like that...

In this panels ensemble, as you see the millenium items has an almost immediate reaction to thief Bakura's ka form having not yet being revealed, it shows how powerful he is, it somewhat explains he was able to get everything from the former king's tomb while foreshadowing the future and driving emotional strength of thief Bakura, what could have caused so much hatred, which seems towards the royal court or even further down...

 

To the readers is revealed there is a deeper meaning for his hatred, revenge of the dark past that was attempted to hide...the birth of the millenium items, setting up that the readers will know how the millenium items were created, thief Bakura seems to imply the priests and the pharaoh tried to hide how it was created or is more towards a few people who secretly knew... and like Yami Bakura, he wants the shadow power but for his revenge while Yami Bakura is for his own reasons...

 

I don't really agree with thief Bakura statement, I wouldn't say is a god but it's power level rivals with gods, because of it's power level, vizier is confused because "gods" are supposed to be "holy spirits", thief Bakura does bring a good point:

«h-heheheh...what is "evil"? If I'm loyal to what you say is right, is that all it takes to make me "good"?»

He is implying and pointing out the black and white plus the holes in what the priests believe, because the "law and order" are still made and decided by the priests and scholars from this time and seeing the reality in black and white mindset isn't helpful in how to measure the moral compass of one individual, since the reality and humans is actually very grey since negative and positive, light and darkness, good and evil, life and death are two sides of the same coin, they're one and the same, making it even more difficult to measure a moral compass of a person.

 

Jounouchi was more amazed than surprised when seeing Dark Yugi's soul for the first time, it must have made sense for him for the same conclusion Yugi reached when he entered the first time, but Anzu is the least surprised and amazed, since she understood right away because for being related to Dark Yugi having no memories from when he was alive, it shows growth in Jounouchi (specially his smarts must have evolved a lot since battle city) and Anzu (of her accepting Dark Yugi is a deceased pharaoh with no memories and of course being naturally a very smart girl), Honda is the most shocked, not because he is stupid (he isn't), it's simply that to Jounouchi has sunk in better about Dark Yugi being a deceased pharaoh with no memories than Honda(for him is just everything going too fast and he is easier to panic...).

 

In this panels ensemble, we get to know where those stone slabs of monsters they exorcise from people hearts goes to and so is the stone slabs of the three gods... plus extra info, the ones who hold the millenium items can summon three monsters from the many thousands stone slabs from the mentioned shrine, in other words, the priests can use the monsters they exorcise themselves to summon, how convenient and sly...

 

I find quite amusing that Dark Yugi is impressed and amazed by how the game of Duel Monsters/Magic and Wizards works in Ancient Egypt, the ones who can summon their ka/monsters are like duelists in a sense from the modern age, Dark Yugi did simplified to make an easier connection to what he already knows, I would call "ka wielders".

 

This is a set up when Dark Yuki asks theif Bakura why he wants the millenium items in effort to understand the motivations of the enemy in front of him, the way theif answers it with a question of why not asks the mummy he is holding, the former king...that he might be related to the dark secret of the millenium items... and...it starts to sink in the constant mention of the former king for him being...

 

It's funny how even Priest Seto is quite hot headed.
 The interesting part about Dark Yugi's as how as it sinks in the mummified corpse in front of him is his father, powerful emotions comes to him, start realising that obviously when he was alive he had a father and mother, in his eyes is mixed with sadness, affection and at the end with anger of how theif Bakura treating his father's corpse (I mean he is stepping on his corpse like that, so rude!).

 

Thief Bakura claims the former king (I prefer to mention Dark Yugi's father like this, because his name is way too long and kinda takes long to write and similar if I mention as "Dark Yugi's father") made the millenium items, it is a bold claim, the question at this time would be...is he telling the truth or a lie, just like Yami Bakura does sometimes, he is half lying and half telling the truth while omitting a few things...

Here is another interesting part is Akhenaden defending the former king, this is the second time, he reveals he ruled for 40 years (which is interesting to think about in what age did he started ruling, probably younger than we think)...he claims that he put an end to wars between countries and brought peace to the land of Egypt, as theif Bakura validly corrects him that he brought peace for them, he is not entirely wrong, when we reach volume 4, it's when this will be brought again in detail.

 

Once again starting to make more emphasis on Priest Akhenaden, if we look at his argument by this time:

"Pharaoh Akhenamkhanen wished for a millienium of peace for this warn-torn country...It is for that purpose that he made the millenium items!"

By this kind of statement, he is ready defending the former king by telling his intentions on the creation of the millenium items, he is giving credit that the pharaoh himself made it...he is the oldest priest, the rest of the priests are all young, he must have been present from when was created but yet...

Thief Bakura gives a good counterargument that he is well informed:

"I know this story! To stamp out all evil...to purge all sinners...he left us these seven holy items imbued with the power of justice and righteousness! H-Hahaha! Justice?! Don't make me laugh! Don't you know the truth?! The millenium items are forbidden artifacts of black magic! The evil power of the darkness dwells within them! The one who own all seven of them can forge a contract with the dark spirits of the afterworld!"

From most priests and vizier stand point would think he is making this up, but since the readers by this time knows about the "evil intelligence" inside the millenium items, so we can easily assume what he is saying is probably the truth, however the black magic and being actually forbidden artefacts, it would make sense from the "evil intelligence"inside these items, but because he is portrayed as a villain...we can't be sure yet...but he is right about the contract with the dark spirits if you own all millenium items, as we know from Yami Bakura, thief Bakura kind of implies the priests hypocrisy.

 

If we look at priest Mahado reaction, there is reticencies in his last line before "?!" ↛ "...?!", it's a sign he might know something about this claim but said it in a denial manner, but we can't say for sure by this time, but at the mention of village of Kul Elna from thief Bakura, Priest Akhenaden is the only one who reacts to the name of this village with the punctuation as Mahado, "...?!" we can confirm the "...?!" means they know the secret or about the dark secret, in this case for Mahado about the millenium items and Akhenaden about the village of Kul Elna.

It's interesting to know that the original name of the "tablet of pharaoh's memories" was "tablet of the afterworld", because technically is not what this tablet is for but for what thief Bakura says and Yami Bakura said already, it gives access to afterlife and the shadow power if you wish it, so far what he is saying does seems true. (and it is), it is important to remember at this time is in ruins (when we see for the first time in Pegasus's backstory from when he met Shadi , it's not in ruins anymore but seems the tomb guardians restored).

The mentioned evil power from the afterworld will be given by Zorc Necrophades, we have seen the name Zorc alone before...from the Monster World Arc , at this time we think, "oh the classic generic big boss villain at the end to make it epic" (it's not completely wrong about that...), when as we advance in the story, we realise is more closer than we think...

 

Dark Yugi's reaction to thief Bakura's claims, it's silent anger that he knows what most of what he said is the true, but the part about being his father who created the millenium items, there isn't enough evidence yet if isn't really the case to counter-argue but when thief Bakura says:

"H-Heheheh...Did you ever think maybe that's why your pharaoh made the items? Maybe Akhenamkhanen was after that evil power...just like me! not just Egypt...he want to rule the entire world with the power of darkness!"

This is when thief Bakura starts contradicting himself a little, if the former king would have wanted to rule the world with the power of darkness as he says, he would have already done it since these millenium items are very powerful artefacts, so it would be easy to conquer the world, since he didn't, it means he only used to protect the kingdom from invaders and criminals, it must be one of the reasons why Dark Yugi stood up like that and tell him to get his foot off his father's corpse.
The last panel means, I didn't include one other panel that says, the one he wants to challenge the most was the pharaoh...also thief Bakura seems to know this since he said that to provoke Dark Yugi/the pharaoh in the end.

 

As the priests starts to fight against thief Bakura, you can tell after he got up, he started to walk as if making a decision and sinking about seeing the corpse of his father, he starts to pass by the vizier, the silence, the movement of his walk can be told is slow, there is a lot of sadness as he ponders about something and guiding to the next moment as vizier is starting to give assurance to him...

 

Here we have the first glance in many things when vizier given assurance that his father was very dedicated to bringing peace to his country and his people, Dark Yugi from here he starts to remember things, it's moving that the first thing he remembers is his father, the former king, the face of his father...also we get a glimpse from when he was younger and a prince (he looked so cute, when he was kid :3).

 

Such gorgeously drawn panels, damn.
To be honest I would shove the person who would treat someone's corpse like that...I want to you to look at Dark Yugi's expression as he holds and looks at his father's corpse, there must be so many mixed emotions and recent realisations for him, sadness, love, tenderness, caring, the memories starting to make it's restoration, the fact he has a father, being a pharaoh, being the son of the former king as well his core as an individual starts to come up.

Here we reach the end of this post setting up for the battle that's coming and the gang searching for the true door...

See Ya Next Post!