Thoughts&Observations | Mangá Vol.33 Part 1/3 (The Quest for the Pharaoh Lost Name)

Now we're entering the 2nd volume part 1 of Memory World, wow,.
For awhile volume 2 and 3 are divided in 3 parts, so it might come a little faster the posts, if my current circumstances allow it...(I just moved recently, not the most basic ideal place of living but I'm hanging there, I don't have much of a choice anyway...).


Plot Summary:

As Dark Yugi is coming back to his throne holding his father's corpse inside his own thoughts, the fight between the priests and thief Bakura continues, they struggle with their spirits Ka against the powerful thief Bakura's evil ka, the priest is almost about to lose the fight when Dark Yugi intervenes to protect the priests and he summons one of his three gods, the Obelisk, they have an important conversation about ideals, morality and truth, then comes the clash between Diabond and Obelisk, the pharaoh and Obelisk practically wins the fight by taking a lot of damage from thief Bakura's Ba, but has enough to run away...

Inside the Millenium Puzzle, the gang struggles to find the right door and they ask Bobasa what is their goal in going into the Memory World, Bobasa reveals the gang mission is to find Dark Yugi's lost name and Yami Bakura's shadow spy listening to their conversation...

Dark Yugi is in the balcony of the palace watching over his country at night, the vizier Siamun and priest Mahado and other private conversation between priest Seto and Priest Akhenaden, they start talking about the recent events, then Dark Yugi looks up to the night sky thinking about his friends and looking at the cartouche as he starts to consider about his lost name.


Key Points:

 

The panels on the left...I really wonder how Takahashi-sensei keeps those details of Dark Yugi's accessories from his pharaoh outfit and does it beautifully...the expressions as well...

On the subject of the scene, as he walks back to the throne to take his father's corpse, he is with an expression of being lost in thoughts, he is wondering about what thief Bakura said about being his father who made them, as you can remember Dark Yugi does have a tendency to doubt a bit easily...but...

 

I love this scene, it shows his character development like this instance of his long and full acknowledgement about the evil within the millenium items and admits being undeniable since Pegasus mentioned the "evil intelligence" inside the millenium items, however it bugs me one thing in what he is thinking, but only a little:

"When I think of everyone who's used the millenium items...Pegasus...Marik...Bakura...There must be an evil power hidden in them...there's no getting around it..."

The line when  he says "everyone" and then refers to his enemies who wielded and wields millenium items, you would think he is excluding himself, Shadi and Ishizu, but the added "there is no getting around it", he is including himself, Shadi and Ishizu, because himself did use violent to slightly violent shadow games, specially in a psychological way, Shadi was quite violent with them, but the most extreme were the three that Dark Yugi mentioned, even Ishizu for him doesn't fully get away with it because she was slightly tempted by the ability of predicting the future from the Millenium Tauk in a attempt to win against Kaiba, she cheated a little, one way or another those who wielded the millenium item were seduced by the darkness within them somehow, even a little (like Ishizu), the moment Pegasus spoke of the "evil intelligence" within them, Dark Yugi stopped using his millenium puzzle to do penalty games and shadow games.

"Father...I want to know the truth...Do you really make them? And if so, why?"

Besides the readers at this point for the first time would suspect what most thief Bakura said is the truth as I mentioned in the previous post , Dark Yugi suspects the same, but is willing to give the benefit of doubt to his father, because he must have wondered did his father, his predecessor personally created them or asked the royal scholars to do without knowing the evil within and being made of black magic? he must have considered possibilities, but since there is yet evidence to say otherwise, because there is the existence of the millenium items to prove that he might have made them or ordered to, even though his time of ruling proven he was a good leader which contradicts for someone creating or ordered to create forbidden magical artefacts with black magic as wondering did his father knew beforehand? so he feels conflicted and can only give the benefit of doubt and wants to know the truth and why, so that then he can make a decision about it...


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For now he can only remember fragments and is about his father, him thinking he can sense his father's love from the mummy, despite him being quite reserved but he is a sensitive person, specially when comes to those he cares and love, speak of being sensitive...he did seem to hear his father's voice, give a clue and advice, looking at Dark Yugi's expressions, as if slowly recognising the voice  as his father...

 

Vizier Siamun addressing the former king by his title and name, Dark Yugi even probably at the time when he was alive must have said the same thing, inside like any family even royal family isn't far from exception, the children even as princes and princesses will always see their parents as parents primarily than king and queen, the same would apply to king and queen...at least in some or most cases, it's not like they're emotionless humans...so for the current pharaoh/Dark Yugi is no exception and feeling quite emotional, even more Dark Yugi knowing he had a father, a good father as he senses (before this journey he only seen and heard an absent father (Yugi's father, according to an interview with the author, despite working overseas (the reason why he is absent in the series), when  he came, he did always given gifts to Yugi from his work overseas), but then the fathers appearing onward were pretty messed up, alcoholic father (Jounouchi's father), abusive fathers (Kaiba's foster father and Ishtar father)), he got really angry and determined to fight...

 

Dark Yugi could be fighting together with the priests but due to his caring and protective nature, he takes a protector stance, while thinking of his father's advice...

"«Justice is in the name of the Gods...» I believe in my father's words..."

After summoning Obelisk, this part can be interpreted in similar way, independent of one's beliefs and religions, the message behind this advice, justice isn't found in the millenium items, magical objects but inside the individual ethic beliefs and act accordingly.
Dark Yugi understood the meaning of these words in not just to summon one of the gods only but the message and personal advice from his father...his faith not only in those he cares but also in those he gives the benefit of doubt (ex: saving Marik).

The priests reaction's in seeing their pharaoh summoning a god, Obelisk, it's between shock and amazement, while vizier Siamun, is very moved to a point he refers to the current pharaoh as prince, which strongly implies he has seen Dark Yugi growing up and shows his attachment to the pharaoh (I might be right about the headcanon that Siamun might be his grandfather from his mother side..., you would think like this if he is your grandson or sees him like a grandson).

 

Vizier Siamun's thoughts by watching the current pharaoh inheriting the gods from the former king, it's explained to the readers since the millenium items were created, but the way is phrased is a bit confusing...

"Though they were said to be the guardians of the palace, the name of the three hidden Gods was a mystery...It was only the chosen pharaoh would inherit the names of the Gods...and with it, the power to wield them...and that man is..."

At first I wondered if was something the former king passed down to his son, you would think that he wielded them before...but in later volumes, you find out isn't the case, the way is phrased, "chosen pharaoh" and as one person in particular, and uses in past tense as something to happen in the future, which means it was very likely a prophecy that Dark Yugi would be the pharaoh to inherit the three egyptian gods.
It's notable vizier Siamun has a very special attachment to him to be this moved to tears as if proud seeing the young prince grown up in becoming a fully pharaoh (I will keep with this speculation until confirmed otherwise).
I'll add one more thing, the last panel and it's timing is very nice because it fits with vizier thoughts, so nicely drawn, I have to say I love his design as pharaoh (I'm not the only one or else wouldn't come out since March 2017, the figure of Dark Yugi as pharaoh ).

 

Dark Yugi is mostly right, when he says:

"Bakura! The millenium items were forged with my father's dream of freedom and peace. I will never forgive the person who tries to steal them!"

In general this line of Dark Yugi sounds very cheesy, but he is right with what he suspects, since he isn't sure his father did personally created the items or not, he doesn't really mix because he says "forged with my father's dreams", as separate and linked based on his father's advice, while understanding his father intent in why he kept ruling with the millenium items and his priests even after being forged whether he knew or not about the evil power within.

"«Freedom? Peace?» Don't make me laugh...The millenium items are made of good and evil...they're like a double-edged sword. Whoever possesses them must beware...Because you see...The millenium items will respond to the evil that lives in every person's soul... and them into a world of evil."

It's not that thief Bakura didn't understood, because he did, but his arguments, no matter how much good intentions behind in creating them, it doesn't change the true nature of the millenium items and it's capacity to seduce the wielder into an "evil path", he is mostly right, but we have to remember there is some individuals who are resistant to the evil powers of the millenium items, even Dark Yugi silent response with "!", he pretty much knows this.

 

Thief Bakura does bring a lot of good points in this scene...

«The rich and powerful love to talk about "justice"! The right to punish those you fear...to kill those you hate...and call it execution, not murder! Is that really justice? or is it evil? What you really fear is your enemy's idea of justice!»

This shows he understood well what Dark Yugi said, is what he calls an individual's idea of justice, what he said is mostly true, which is commonly true when it comes to political and judicial power, specially nowadays we can see that in governments but is not without it's flaws which I will soon bring up and thief Bakura continues...

"No one can truly draw the line between just and unjust, good and evil. Only the millenium items can tell...They are the compass of the soul!"

That in nature, humans are morally grey creatures, because of this he is pointing out that humans can't truly draw the line or see through moral balance in someone and only the millenium items can do such, this is when I have to disagree, there is ways to observe it and to distinguish (I bring up in the next key point), thief Bakura does bring up a possible betrayal and he is right in calling the priests self-righteous (to a irritating level for me, there is a bit of arrogance because self-righteousness is arrogance and overconfidence in your moral beliefs, which is a flaw that Anzu, Jounouchi and Honda had before, but they still have a bit of that, it's more two of them are still bit like this...), what's ironic is that he is spot on the betrayal part, to make it more amusing, the priest who stands up against such "accusation" is precisely the one who will betray them, Priest Akhenaden...

Dark Yugi, he does counter-argue well, still bit cheesy but well said, nonetheless...

«"Justice"...? Don't make me laugh, Bakura... Murder?! Grave robbing?! Just where is the "justice" in your actions?! You won't get away with this!»

Dark Yugi is calling out even if he is mostly right in what he said, his actions are still inexcusable and unreasonable, if one person has some basic knowledge of morality, you can still see thief Bakura's actions doesn't make justifiable for murdering the guards and grave robbing, however thief Bakura didn't told them that he is doing this for revenge...which the reader might think maybe his actions isn't being completely unjustifiable, at this time only the readers know is for revenge.

 

What a complex labyrinth, by the way, if you go try to open all of them, it will take an eternity, Jounouchi...

I want you pay attention to when Honda comments about this strange and complex maze...

"It's like a different dimension..."

Being someone who watched Dark Side of Dimensions, seeing references like these, makes you remember, it made me think maybe Takahashi-sensei did have a plot or already pretty much had these details by this time, who knows...

 

As they quickly realize that they would take forever to open all doors and splitting up would make matters worse, Anzu being an intuitive person, she has the feeling maybe Yugi will find the door or guide them to find the true door...usually her intuitions are spot on and then she feels sorry thinking...

"I can't do anything...I can only wander around the labyrinth of his soul... I'm sorry, Yugi..."

Remember way before Monster Worlds Arc and after Death-T when she had full crush on Dark Yugi? she did felt useless when it came to help Dark Yugi similar to this moment, but this time around she feels more down in feeling disappointed at herself with helping Yugi(her childhood friend) while blushing a little, despite her advice is actually useful and helpful, yes, this is another hint that she likes Yugi romantically by this timeline of the manga series

One more time showing Yugi's sharpnesss suspecting in finding Dark Yugi that there is more to it in the gang entering the world of memory...

 

I love when the manga shows how very smart, sharp, intelligent he is...

"But if they're memories of the past...can we really have an effect on them? What if  we get there and we can only watch, not to do anything? We don't even know if the other me will be able to see us...because we never existed in Ancient Egypt...we don't exist in his memories...We must have a role to play! Bobasa...when we get to that world...what are we supposed to do?"

Look at how much he thought ahead, there is his quick thinking too, even Bobasa was silently impressed and understanding that he is indeed the boy who solved the millenium puzzle, to make it more impressive, his hypothesis is mostly correct (around 98,5% right), as we advance in the story, we see why...

then Bobasa reveals that the gang's quest is to find the lost name of the pharaoh...

It's interesting they only show Yugi and Anzu reaction by this reveal, their expressions and thoughts shares the same meanings since they're both quite smart, it's shock and thinking it makes perfect while questioning in how and why they have to search it and it's importance...Bobasa gives the info about their current situation is a terrible one in finding the lost name of the pharaoh, that no residents of the world of memory and not even Dark Yugi, who is still on the process on recovering his memories...to make it worse, not even on the king-list inscribed in the temples to find the lost name of the pharaoh...Jounouchi rightfully points out, if that's the case then would be almost impossible, then Bobasa speaks that it might be in his "subconscious", I wonder...(I will bring up this part around the last parts of volume 6 of Memory World... and the prologue, they're connected...).

 

I like this scene a lot from the transition of Yugi pondering about their quest in finding Dark Yugi's lost name to Anzu pondering about it and realising that the cartouche pendant she given to Dark Yugi might help in their quest (some thinking ahead from Anzu as well) then is divulged of why is important and what is the main purpose for the modern timeline in finding the lost name but the purpose inside the world of memory is a little different... It's the last necessary condition for Dark Yugi go to afterlife besides the millenium items...Yami Bakura shadow spying on them now knows...but he needs to get all the millenium items first...

I have to say, Yami Bakura is really a cunning and smart villain, remember in the previous post when Zorc was mentioned by thief Bakura? if you look at the panel when is mentioned his name, you see an image of him similar to the one behind Yami Bakura in form his shadow in the panel, implying that Yami Bakura is Zorc himself...

 

I find this scene insightful on Mahado's character, you can see he is very dedicated and loyal to his job, specially towards the current pharaoh, from what is indicated in the anime, that they were childhood friends, even in the manga seems very likely, as for Mahado blaming himself for the former king's tomb being defiled unfairly (his millenium Ring can't detect every single grave robber, specially having been many to appear), he tells he awaits for the punishment from the pharaoh, Dark Yugi replies with his caring and concerned expression to make sure his father's corpse is treated with respect and his main priority and worried Mahado is falling to much into his guilt, as can be seen by his reaction to the pharaoh's request, he thinks the pharaoh is being too forgiving on him (Mahado...are you a masochist?), the vizier Siamun is explaining to Mahado why he shouldn't drown himself in his guilt, if was placed trust in him in protecting the valley of the kings as one of the priests, he should give his best to protect it instead being punished (in this situation would be a waste of time and counterproductive).

This panel alone tells after thief Bakura run away from his ka since he has taken a lot of damage from Obelisk, the scene previous to the scene above, that he has been lost in thoughts about the recent events, from how he spoken to Mahado in the key point above and here, he is recovering memories from before to this point...

The conversation between Priest Seto and Priest Akhenaden, for them having this private conversation, it means they're close, also priest Akhenaden being the oldest priest, they discuss about the threat posed to the kingdom, acknowledging that thief Bakura's ka is quite powerful, that only the pharaoh who wielded a god could defeat him, so they are quite worried if the priests can't protect themselves and depending on the pharaoh's protection is problematic since the main job of the priests is to protect the pharaoh, the kingdom and it's citizens plus themselves.

 

Priest Seto argues that the monsters they have sealed are all from mostly sinners, sinners with weak hearts and he does have a point however Priest Akhenaden brings up their current threat about thief Bakura, who is also a sinner but his ka is very powerful and questions to him about what made it so strong and he tells his suspicions that must come from the strength of Thief Bakura's hatred...Priest Seto silent reaction speaks up that he does agree...

In this panels implies that a dark tragedy happened in the mentioned village of Kul Elna for priest Akhenaden wondering if thief Bakura is a survivor from this dark tragedy...then it would explain his powerful evil ka, it also implies the priest Akhenaden was involved in this tragedy and more...

 

It's curious that priest Akhenaden confirms to priest Seto that the claims thief Bakura made about the millenium items were actually true, he does confirm only to priest, albeit unusual, this part sets up even more he was indeed involved in the creation of the millenium items and is connected to the tragedy of the village of Kul Elna...

Then we see how pragmatic Priest Seto is in a extreme way, which reminds us of someone who we already familiar with...Kaiba, his idea is to hunt powerful ka, it is a good idea in theory but as priest Akhenaden points out in practice, it's a terrible idea, specially developing into stronger ka through torture...and that the pharaoh wouldn't ever allow this kind of abuse...

 

Here is something common in politics, no matter in what form of government (monarchy, democracy, republic, etc )...

"Mheh heh...This isn't a manhunt...this is a ka-hunt...of course if the pharaoh knew of it, he would be forced to stop us...but why should he know? The fact he is worshipped as a god gives the pharaoh the ultimate political power, the peace and the stability of the world rest on his shoulders...However, in times like these, we priests must become the pharaoh's shadow, and protect the royal house with shadow politics."

This is implying many things in this scene in particular, priest Seto suggesting that the pharaoh doesn't need to know about the ka-hunt, by doing dirty work to protect the palace and the pharaoh and in keeping the main authority in ignorance of what the second in command is doing, at the mention of this, priest Akhenaden silent reaction to this, it hints he has done something similar before, to the former king...further setting up that he might be the one who created the millenium items and the dark tragedy behind it...

Priest Seto is naturally someone with thirst for power at this point with the idea of creating a ka to surpass god...surpassing the pharaoh's ka? really? It's with good intentions but because of their current threat, he feels is necessary...

 

Even Dark Yugi going through his recovery and reliving the memories from the time he was alive until his death, he still holds dear his recent memories with his friends and partner and misses them, of course, it must feel strange not being able to talk with his roommate/partner and seeing his friends either since became his daily life in the modern world.

I want to approach why he puts separately Yugi from the others in his thoughts, as Anzu rightly said way above when the gang were searching for the true door, Yugi is the person closest to him, also who is the bridge between himself and his friends, who he feels to act as spirit guardian of his host, like brothers, roommates, closest friend, it's a mix of different kinds of bonds, I will write in detail around the epilogue.

 

You know, I find very curious, despite the outfit change, the cartouche was the only object to remain with him, Dark Yugi must be wondering the same and coming to the conclusion, his lost name must be very important and the cartouche still being with him must say it lies somewhere inside the world of memory...

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