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Episode
GuideEpisode 129: Clash in the Coliseum, Part 1 (The Sky Coliseum: Yugi vs Kaiba)
Kaiba waits for Yugi at the top of the tower. Roland tells him that if Yugi doesn't show up soon, Kaiba will automatically win the duel. (Japanese Isono says it's almost time for the duel.) Kaiba says Yugi would be a fool not to show up. Kaiba thinks that thanks to Wheeler's little mishap, Yugi's wasting his time in the medical ward. But even Yugi's pathetic friends can't keep him away from their duel! (Japanese Kaiba thinks, "He's sure to come. No matter what, he won't escape from this fight with me. It's our fate.")
In the elevator, little Yugi is still wiping tears from his eyes. Yami tells him they mustn't let Joey's struggle interfere with their concentration. In order to overcome Marik, they must get past Kaiba. (Japanese Yami tells Yugi their fight is waiting for them.) Yugi nods, and his spirit joins with Yami.
Yami arrives at the top of the tower. Kaiba says Yugi decided to show up after all, and Yami says, of course. To miss this duel is to deny his destiny. Kaiba says to spare him the drama. (Japanese Kaiba says, "You came, Yugi." Yugi says, "Kaiba." Kaiba thinks it's finally time to decide the winner.)
As the Duel Ring rises into place, Kaiba smiles and asks why the nerd herd isn't there to cheer him on. Are they still trying to wake Wheeler up from his nap? Angrily, Yugi says that Joey is in a great deal of danger, but Kaiba says Wheeler shouldn't have been there in the first place. He warned him not to play with the big boys. If a slap in the face by Ra didn't teach him any sense, then nothing will. Yugi clenches his fist, saying that's enough! Kaiba has no idea how dangerous this Duel Monsters tournament has become. The outcome of the Battle City finals could put the whole world at risk!
Kaiba says the only one at risk is Yugi—once Kaiba wins, he won't be number one any more. Yugi says it's not always about being number one. It's about dueling with bravery, honor, and respect, and putting the needs of others ahead of your own. That's something Joey did every day of his life, and that's why he's in the hospital now—because he put himself at risk to keep a promise to a friend.
Pathetic, Kaiba says. Wheeler can do whatever he wants, but Kaiba's in this for one reason only—to win the tournament and be recognized as the greatest duelist in the world! As far as he's concerned, Wheeler never belonged there in the first place.
(Yugi and Kaiba's conversation is completely different in the Japanese. From the point where the Duel Ring rises: Kaiba says Yugi's noisy crowd isn't there—Jounouchi must not be doing so well. Yugi says Jounouchi is still fighting. Kaiba says that's Yugi's business—but Jounouchi finished the duel with Malik, and forced Malik to show the God card. As a duelist, Jounouchi should be satisfied, without any regrets. Yugi's fist clenches. He says he and Jounouchi are searching for something in Battle City, but they haven't found their answer yet.
(A loser doesn't need answers, Kaiba says. They have only humiliation and despair. Yugi says Kaiba is wrong. "Should we give up everything? Or stand up? The answers are still ahead of us. 'What is a True Duelist?' Jounouchi is seeking this answer, too, and he's still fighting."
(Boring, Kaiba says. There's only one real winner. "As long as we gather the bodies of the losers and shine in the sky, we gain everything! The three God cards will choose the winner. I will beat you to win the name of Duel King!")
Serenity weeps at her brother's bedside. Tristan thinks he sees Joey's hand move. (A short bit is cut from the US version where Honda and Shizuka stare at Jounouchi's hand.)
Duke says it's just a reflex. Tristan wants to know why that emergency chopper isn't there yet. He runs to find Mokuba, while Serenity urges her brother to hang in there. Téa wonders when this tournament got so out of control. It's not fair! Why should her friends have to suffer? (Japanese Anzu thinks that Yugi's duel is about to begin. She remembers Yugi standing by Jounouchi's bedside, telling them that he's about to go to meet Kaiba. She wonders why Yugi still has to fight. In the US version, Anzu's flashback is changed from Yugi standing at Jounouchi's bedside, to Anzu and Yugi talking in the hallway.) Ishizu tells her she must have faith in the light.
Yugi and Kaiba face each other. Yugi has his game face on, and he thinks he must win this duel—for Joey, and for the entire world. Kaiba smiles, thinking that every duel he's fought in this tournament has led up to this moment—the moment he finally takes down Yugi Mutou and regains his top dueling status. (Japanese Kaiba was worried that with Jounouchi down, the duel would be boring. He's relieved to see that Yugi hasn't lost his fighting spirit.)
Roland announces the beginning of the duel. The duelists face off. Kaiba draws his hand cards, telling Yugi to get ready—they're about to find out which of their God cards reigns supreme! Let the epic battle begin! (Japanese Kaiba says, "Will it be my Obelisk? Or your Osiris? It's time for them to fight!" Yugi thinks that the winner will get two God cards. It's the ante of pride.)
Kaiba says that a duel this momentous deserves an appropriate setting. He switches on a holographic system that creates a virtual coliseum around them full of cheering crowds, chanting "Go Kaiba! Go Kaiba!" In ancient times, Kaiba says, Roman gladiators would battle to their doom, to prove who was the strongest. Now it's their turn to see which one deserves to call himself the greatest in the world. He tells Yugi to draw his first card, and let the battle begin.
Yugi draws, thinking that everything is riding on this duel. He's got to stay focused and win. (Japanese Yugi thinks if the card is the sword, the Duel Disk is the shield. Therefore he dedicates his pride to the cards in his right hand, and his soul to the Duel Disk in his left hand. The shot of Yugi dedicating his soul to his Duel Disk is cut from the US version.)
Kaiba shouts, "All right! Let's duel!" Yugi plays Queen's Knight in defense (1600 DEF), and sets a card face down.
Kaiba draws—Obelisk! Crushing Yugi may be easier than he thought. (Japanese Kaiba thinks the goddess of victory always smiles on him.) Now he needs three sacrifices to summon the God. Yugi wonders if Kaiba's planning to use the same strategy he used against Ishizu in his last duel. (This shot of Yugi wondering what strategy Kaiba will use this time is cut from the US version.)
He remembers Kaiba using his Crush Card combo to destroy Ishizu's deck. But knowing Kaiba, he has a whole new strategy planned for him.
Kaiba summons X-Head Cannon in attack mode (1800 ATK), and plays the magic card Spell Sanctuary (Magic Sanctuary). Each of them can move one magic card from their decks to their hands. (In the Japanese, it's also explained that they can use the card during their opponent's turn.) Kaiba says Yugi was wrong when he said Kaiba never helps out anyone but himself! He's generously letting Yugi have a magic card. Yugi pulls Change of Heart from his hand, wondering why Kaiba would let him have instant access to a favorite magic card. Whatever card Kaiba chose must be worth the risk. Kaiba sets a card face-down on the field and ends his turn, thinking that before too long, Yugi will be staring in to the face of defeat. (Japanese Kaiba thinks, next turn you'll be dead.)
Tristan finds Mokuba in the control room, and asks him what's up with the rescue team. Mokuba explains that he can't get through. Something's interfering with their communications. Tristan grabs the headset away from Mokuba and begins shouting into it.
Serenity continues to urge her brother not to give up. (As before, the close-up of Jounouchi's chest, with electrodes attached, is cut from the US version.)
Still in his dream, Joey wonders who said that. He sees the deck in his hand and remembers—he's dreaming about kicking butt at Duel Monsters. (Japanese Jounouchi remembers he's in the Domino City tournament, and he's about to fight his second duel.)
(Confident that he'll win, he walks smiling to meet his opponent.)
In the bathroom, Marik runs water over his head. Then he straightens up, staring into the mirror, saying it won't be long until he controls the world! (Japanese Malik says, Kaiba and Yugi, God against God—this he has to see.)
The virtual crowds cheer. Yugi draws, wondering why Kaiba didn't attack Queen's Knight on his last turn. (Cut from the US version is this shot where Yugi wonders if kaiba didn't attack because of Yugi's face-down card.)
Kaiba must be up to something. Yugi plays Alpha the Magnet Warrior in defense (1700 DEF), and sets another face-down card.
Kaiba thinks if Yugi thinks he can hide behind those pathetic monsters of his, this duel will be over even sooner than he thought. He draws, thinking everything is falling into place. (Japanese Kaiba thinks, "Yugi, on your knees before God and die like a flower!") He plays Soul Exchange (Cross Sacrifice), and seizes Yugi's two monsters in order to sacrifice them, along with X-Head Cannon, to summon Obelisk. (The real Soul Exchange only allows the player to sacrifice one of the opponent's monsters in place of his own. The summoned monster cannot attack in the turn it's summoned.)
But Yugi's ready for him. He activates Change of Heart and steals X-Head Cannon, so Kaiba can't use it for a sacrifice. (In the Japanese, Yugi explains that he is able to play the magic card during Kaiba's turn due to Spell Sanctuary's effect,) Yugi tells Kaiba he won't be able to summon Obelisk that easily.
Kaiba smiles. So Yugi prevented one move. He's got plenty more planned. (Japanese Kaiba says, "You saw through it, didn't you?") Kaiba activates his own magic card, Enemy Controller, and pays 1000 life points to steal X-Head Cannon back. Now he has three monsters to sacrifice again. Triumphantly, he raises Obelisk in his hand—
And Yugi activates his trap card, Lightforce Sword, which pierces Kaiba's Obelisk card and seals it out of play for three turns. (Lightforce Sword has been changed from a magic card to a trap card in the US version. The real card is a trap card.)
"What's your rush, Kaiba," Yugi says. "This duel's just getting interesting."
Kaiba's mad. But he recovers, smiles, and tells Yugi he may have bought himself a little time, but he'll have to face Obelisk sooner or later.
On the ship, Duke wonders where Tristan is. That helicopter had better be on its way. Ishizu leaves the room, thinking that the evil inside Marik must be defeated in order to reverse the damage that's been done. But will the winner of today's duel be strong enough to stop him? (Japanese Ishizu thinks it's too quiet. it's the calm before the storm. The duel between the owners of the God cards should be the most violent of all duels. This close-up of Ishizu is cut from the US version.)
Because the summoning of Obelisk failed, Yugi gets his two monster back. Kaiba thinks that in just three turns, he'll get his Obelisk card back, and by then he'll have another way to summon it. Kaiba ends his turn, telling Yugi he's not safe yet.
Yugi draws. He's got two monsters on his field, and needs one more to summon Slifer the Sky Dragon. But he hasn't drawn his God card yet. Meanwhile, Kaiba's X-Head Cannon is more powerful than any of his monsters. He sets a face-down card and ends his turn, leaving his monsters in defense.
Kaiba says he expected more of a challenge from the top-ranked duelist. He thinks if Yugi keeps playing it safe, Obelisk will wipe him out in no time. (Japanese Kaiba says the three turns will pass easily if this is all Yugi's going to do. Then he thinks, "No, God will kill you in less than three turns.") Kaiba draws.
Marik pops in through the virtual walls of the coliseum to see what's going on. He wonders which of these fools will summon his God card first. Not that it really matters. Before too long, they'll both belong to him. (Japanese Malik thinks that no matter what, he'll kill Yugi.)
Kaiba plays Y-Dragon Head in attack (1500 ATK), asking Yugi if he notices anything similar about his two monsters, X-Head Cannon and Y-Dragon Head. Yugi realizes that Kaiba's monsters can combine together. Yes, Kaiba says, any two of the X, Y, and Z monsters can merge into one! He joins his two monsters into the XY-Dragon Cannon (2200 ATK). Once he summons his Z-monster, his Dragon Cannon will get even stronger. Yugi's worried. If Kaiba can merge his Z monster with the others, the resulting monster will be unstoppable! He'll have to keep his monsters in defense mode. And, once Obelisk is free, Kaiba will be able to sacrifice his three-headed monster to summon it! Yugi only has three more turns to figure out how to stop him.
Kaiba uses the XY-Dragon Cannon to destroy Yugi's Alpha the Magnet Warrior. Since his monster was in defense, Yugi doesn't lose any life points. But Obelisk has an attack of 4000. He can't let Kaiba summon his God card, or he could be killed with one blow.
Kaiba says Yugi looks so worried—is he afraid of losing in shame? Once a duelist starts thinking about defeat, he's already lost. Perhaps Yugi should surrender his God card to him. Marik says Kaiba seems to be in control. He'll enjoy watching the Pharaoh squirm. ("Are you afraid of the sealed God?" Japanese Kaiba asks. "You'll see in less than three turns. God will come to the best duelist!" Malik says Kaiba's right—but it won't be you!)
Kaiba plays the magic card, Lullaby of Obedience (Born Obedience). This card allows him to take a powerful monster from Yugi's deck and add it to his hand. (At a cost of 1000 life points, which isn't stated in either version—I had to go back to the manga and read the card description to find out where Kaiba lost another 1000 points.) And the card he chooses will, of course, be Yugi's Egyptian God card, Slifer the Sky Dragon. He walks across the duel ring to Yugi, saying it was only a matter of time before the God card went to a more worthy duelist. Yugi finds Slifer in his deck and holds it out to Kaiba, who snatches it away gleefully. He tells Yugi he shouldn't feel so bad—Slifer was buried so deeply in Yugi's deck, he never would have drawn it anyway.
Marik says it appears Kaiba outwitted the Pharaoh. Kaiba returns to his side of the ring, saying triumphantly that both Egyptian God cards are his, because everyone gets what they deserve. (Japanese Kaiba says, "Do you understand now? Any God will obey me!")
Yugi chuckles. He agrees, and he thanks Kaiba for helping him claim what he deserves. He'd suspected Kaiba might try to steal his Sky Dragon, so he was ready. (Japanese Yugi says he'd planned the same thing—when Obelisk came back to Kaiba's hand, he was going to activate his set card. Instead, he'll activate it now.) Yugi activates his face-down card, Exchange. Kaiba's mad. Now Yugi can take a card from his hand.
Yugi remembers the last time he used this card. It helped him rescue Joey from Marik's mind control. He'd showed Joey the Red Eyes Black Dragon in his hand, hoping the promise Joey had made to him would prevent him from taking it. Joey fought off Marik's dark power once before, he thinks, and now he knows Joey can do it again. Yugi tells Kaiba to give Slifer back. Then he shows Kaiba his hand and tells him to choose a card. Seething with frustration, Kaiba grabs a card and walks away.
Yugi tells Kaiba he appreciates the help. Slifer is in his hand, thanks to Kaiba. Kaiba nearly explodes on the spot.
To Be Continued
