Yu-Jyo A Yu-Gi-Oh!Episode Guide

Focusing on the differences between the American and Japanese episodes

Episode 163: Self Destruction (Showdown! The Two Yugis)

At the bottom of a cliff, the train Yugi and Téa were on lies wrecked in a river. In Dartz's temple, Dartz complains that he's lost contact with the Pharaoh. Rafael suggests that perhaps he didn't survive the fall, but Dartz says he did. Someone or something is hiding the Pharaoh from his vision. Rafael asks Dartz to let him track the Pharaoh down, and make up for his failure. Flashbacks show Rafael winning his duel with the Pharaoh, only to have the Pharaoh survive when Yugi's soul was taken instead.

Yami wakes up in what appears to be a teepee, wondering if it was all a dream. Téa lies asleep beside him, and he tells her to wake up. She sits up, asking where they are. Then a wolf runs in and leaps on top of her! Yami is alarmed—but the beast is licking her face like a pet dog, and she's laughing. The wolf leaps onto Yami to give him a good face-licking as well.

They hear a girl calling to the wolf, Sky (Sunny), to stop. A young girl in native garb appears at the opening of their teepee, apologizing for Sky's waking them up. She says her name is Chris, and the wolf, Sky, is the one who found them. (Japanese Chris says it's fortunate that they're all right after falling so far to the ground.)

By the river, an old man is picking up Yami's Duel Monsters cards, and is surprised when he sees the Timaeus card. He's joined by Chris, Yami and Téa, and Yami thanks him for his help. He introduces himself as Ironheart, and gives Yami back his deck, asking him about the legendary Eye of Timaeus. Yami gives the card to Ironheart, saying he's not deserving of its power. Ironheart says he'll hold it until Yami is ready.

Téa asks if Ironheart found another kid, one with glasses and a bad haircut, who was on the train with them when it crashed. Ironheart says Yami and Téa were the only ones they found, and suggests that Weevil might have escaped before the train fell off the cliff. But Yami doubts Weevil would have been able to escape in the condition he was in. He believes there's a greater power at work. Ironheart is impressed, saying that he's encountered many people in his travels, but there's something about Yami he's never seen before. (Japanese Ironheart says Haga was taken to a town below the mountain. He realized that Haga wasn't the same as Yami and Téa. He was cold, as if he didn't have a soul. Yami says it's true, Haga's soul was taken, and it's all his fault. The darkness in his heart made him do it. Ironheart replies that long ago, the land and humanity were joined in heart and mind. No one was lonely. But times have changed.) He also senses that Yami holds a great deal of loneliness in his heart. Yami says that he recently lost a good friend, and now he's on a journey to find his soul. Ironheart asks what he'll do if he finds him. Yami says he'll apologize for betraying his trust and abandoning him. Ironheart thinks he might be able to help, and tells them to follow him.

They take a narrow, dangerous trail along the mountainside. Ironheart says he's leading them to a place on the other side where spirits dwell. (Japanese Ironheart calls it the "Stone Wilderness.") His people believe that human souls exist all around them, and just beyond this mountain is a sacred valley where drifting souls are said to gather as they wander. Yami's friend might be there—but there are evil spirits there, too. Finding the soul he seeks is easy—leaving with his own is another thing. It's not to late to back out. But Yami says he must go. He owes it to Yugi. (Japanese Yami says, "I want to see my partner.")

Meanwhile, Rafael descends the cliff to the wreckage of the train. He calls out for the Pharaoh, wondering how he escaped, and saying he'll find him, wherever he is. (Japanese Rafael wonders where the Pharaoh went, and if he's alive.)

Atop another cliff, Yami stands with the others, looking down into the valley. He asks Ironheart what to do when they get there, and Ironheart tells him he must enter the sacred circle alone. (Japanese Yami asks about the circle, and Ironheart says that there, in the center, is the place that reflects your heart. Yami asks if he'll see his partner if he goes there, and Ironheart says yes.) Yami accepts the challenge, and begins to run down into the valley. Téa starts to follow, but Chris calls her back. Ironheart explains that only one soul-seeker is allowed to enter the valley at a time. If she follows, the evil spirits will find her immediately. (Japanese Ironheart tells Anzu that it's the nest of the dead, and she won't be able to come back unless she has a steel mind.)

Yami arrives at the valley floor, and begins to walk toward the circle. He hears evil laughter around him (in the Japanese, it sounds like a child's laughter), and the skies darken with storm clouds. Yami looks around, asking who's there, then continues on. As he approaches the circle, voices tell him to turn back, and he demands that they show themselves. Small balls of light begin to swirl about the circle.

Ironheart explains to Téa that Yami is attracting lost souls seeking revenge. The spirits of opponents Yami has defeated appear around him: first is Panik, then the Paradox Brothers; Bandit Keith and the Rare Hunter. Yami continues to walk through them into the circle. Arkana and Dark Malik confront him, and finally Weevi's spirit stands before him. Determinedly, he walks on.

Yami stands in the center of the circle and calls for Yugi. As the lights circle and begin to coalesce, Chris tells Téa that a spirit is crossing over into our world. (Japanese Chris says it's the reflection of a Yami's soul.) Then Yugi appears, floating before the Pharaoh, asking if it's really him. Yami reaches out for him, but his arm goes right through Yugi's form. Yugi asks if Yami came all this way just to see him, and Yami says of course. He wants to tell Yugi how sorry he is. Yugi says he's sorry, too. He wishes this whole thing never happened. (Japanese Yugi asks Yami why he's there. Yami says he wanted to see his partner, no matter what. Yugi asks, in this empty shell?)

Yami says it's his fault. He gave in to his darkness, and Yugi paid the price. Now that Yugi's gone, the darkness is starting to grow inside him. Without Yugi's light to keep him pure, he's becoming evil. Perhaps what Rafael said about him is true—perhaps he was a wicked Pharaoh. What if he is the one responsible for the destruction of Egypt? If it's true, then it's his soul that should be locked away. (Japanese Yami says he doesn't know what to do. He doesn't know what's good or bad. "When you are with me, I can feel the heart of tenderness and forgiveness. Right now, all I feel is emptiness. Even if I keep dueling, all I do is hurt people. It's just as Rafael said." There is a dark power in his heart. He's even afraid of getting his memory back.)

Yugi asks, what good is that now? He's the one who's been locked away forever. Yami apologizes again, but Yugi says the last thing he needs is the Pharaoh's pity. If Yami's really evil, there's only one thing to do. (Japanese Yugi asks if Yami only came to see him to talk of his weakness. Did he only revive Yugi's soul to demoralize him?) He begins to walk away, a Duel Disk appearing on his arm. Then he turns, telling Yami that his spirit should be locked away, too, and he's going to do it. (Japanese Yugi says he knew this day would come. He knew he would duel with Yami sooner or later.) Yami protests that Yugi misunderstood, but Yugi says Yami doesn't deserve to be a part of this world. It's time Yami started taking responsibility for what he's done. He should be a man and face Yugi in a duel. Yami doesn't want to, but Yugi tells him it's time for him to pay. If he's really sorry, he'll do this. (Japanese Yugi says if Yami's heart has really become dark, Yugi will beat him. Yami's dueling ability is stronger than his, but he'll still beat him. "I'll defeat you and take it as a goodbye between you and me." He tells the Nameless Pharaoh to get ready.)

Reluctantly, Yami activates his Duel Disk and prepares to duel. (This shot of Yugi telling Yami to duel is cut from the US version.)

Watching from the hillside, Téa wonders why Yugi is going to duel himself. Ironheart says it's the only way, and Chris explains that this is why they took the Pharaoh here—so he can face his other half and deal with what he did, so he can put it behind him and move on. (Japanese Ironheart calls Yami "Nameless Pharaoh," and Chris says they knew about Yami and Anzu's fate from the stars. They know the Nameless Pharaoh wants to get his other half back.) Téa wonders how they know all this, and Chris says they've always known it. They were taught that a warrior would come to save their world, and as soon as they saw him, they knew that Yami was the one. Ironheart goes on to say that Yami's first step is to face his inner fears and conquer the darkness in his heart. But if he loses this battle, the Pharaoh's spirit will remain here forever.

Yugi begins the duel by playing one monster face down. Yami draws and summons Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts (1500 ATK), attacking Yugi's face-down monster, which is also Gazelle. Gazelle's defense strength is 1200, so Yugi's Gazelle is destroyed. Yami tells Yugi that they're holding the same cards. (His hand contains Sangan, Dark Magician Girl, Polymerization, Alpha the Magnet Warrior, and Monster Reborn.) Yugi draws, then plays another monster face down.

Yami draws, then holds up Polymerization and Berfomet (Polymerization is moved behind Berfomet in the US version).

Yami fuses Berfomet with Gazelle to form Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast (2100 ATK). Then he plays Alpha the Magnet Warrior (1400 ATK), using it to destroy Yugi's defense monster, and attacking directly with Chimera. Yugi's down to 1900 life points. Yami wonders why, if they really have the same hands, Yugi didn't use Monster Reborn to bring back his Gazelle and block Yami's attack. Is Yugi trying to lose the duel on purpose? Or is he trying to throw Yami off by using some new strategy? (Japanese Yami wonders if Yugi will use Monster Reborn to revive Chimera. He thinks that one mistake can win or lose the duel.)

Yugi's defense monster was Sangan (Critter), which, when it's destroyed, allows Yugi to move a monster from his deck to his hand. Yami tells him that was a good move, but Yugi says he doesn't need Yami's support. (Japanese Yami says, "Partner," and Yugi says it's his turn.) He sets a card face down, then plays Card Destruction, requiring them both to discard their hands and draw a new one, saying that now their hands will be different and Yami can't cheat any more. Yami asks Yugi why he's acting like this, but Yugi says he's just a reflection of Yami. They're exactly the same, so the darkness in Yami's heart is also in Yugi's. (Japanese Yugi says now he has different choices from Yami. Yami tells Yugi to stop, and says it's meaningless for them to duel. This long shot of the duel is cut from the US version.)

(Yugi asks why it's meaningless, and Yami says, isn't it so? A rather long bit is cut from the US version, in which Yugi says Yami is strong, but Yugi knows his weakness, and the darkness in his heart. He says that Yami is arrogant, and persists in his own honor. He just wants to do what he wants to do. But it won't work. If you only have one value, it's impossible to see others' pain and sorrow. Haga or Mai, even the sadness of the Three Swordsmen—Yami can't see it.)

Yami says he wishes he could take it back, but Yugi says it's too late. Yami's already shown him who he really is—an evil Pharaoh who only cares about himself. (Japanese Yami says everyone is suffering, and Yugi agrees, but he says Yami can't save anyone right now. He's a coward, afraid of his own pain. This shot of Yugi telling Yami that a coward can't save anyone is replaced in the US version with a close-up of Yami from the previous cut section.)

Yugi accuses Yami of not caring what happened to him, as long as Yami had power. He says that this duel is a chance for Yami to look at himself from the outside. (Japanese Yugi asks why he'd have this card in his deck—then answers that he's the mirror that reflects Yami's dark side.) Yugi plays the Seal of Orichalcos. (Cut from the US version is this shot of Anzu, astonished that Yugi would play the Seal of Oreikalkos, and Chris looking at her Grandpa.)

The Seal forms around them, and also on Yugi's forehead, and Yugi's eyes glow red, as he tells Yami that now it's payback time for taking his soul. Yami protests, but has no choice but to replace his hand and go on with the duel.

Yugi activates his face-down card, Monster Reborn, and uses it to bring back Dark Magician Girl, which he'd just discarded to the graveyard. Next, he summons Obnoxious Celtic Guardian. Each monster gains 500 attack points due to the Seal of Orichalcos, raising Dark Magician Girl's attack to 2500, and Obnoxious Celtic Guardian's to 1900. Yugi uses Obnoxious Celtic Guardian to destroy Yami's Magnet Warrior, and Dark Magician Girl to destroy Chimera. Yami's down to 3100 life points, and he has no monsters on the field. But he uses Chimera's special ability to bring back Berfomet in defense mode (1800 DEF).

Now it's Yami's turn, and he summons Big Shield Gardna in defense (2600 DEF), thinking this will protect him from Dark Magician Girl's attack. Yugi responds by summoning Queen's Knight (1500 ATK, raised to 2000 by the Seal of Orichalcos), then plays Magic Formula to raise Dark Magician Girl's attack by 500, to 3000 points. He destroys Berfomet with Queen's Knight and Big Shield Gardna with Dark Magician Girl, then attacks directly with Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, bringing Yami down to 1200 life points. It won't be long now, Yugi says. Soon Yami will be locked away forever, where he belongs. (Japanese Yugi says, how's that? Yami tells Yugi to stop it, but Yugi says not yet. It's show time.)

Yami draws, setting one card face down and playing Giant Soldier of Stone in defense (2000 DEF). Then he plays Swords of Revealing Light to prevent Yugi from attacking for three turns, thinking this will give him three turns to talk some sense into Yugi.

But Yugi says Yami's Swords mean nothing. He sacrifices Celtic Guardian to summon Catapult Turtle (1000 ATK, raised to 1500 by the Seal of Orichalcos). In horror, Yami realizes that this is what he did last time. Yugi agrees, and says now it's time for Yami to experience the consequences of his own evil. Now Yami will never duel again. It's all over.

Yugi sacrifices Queen's Knight to Catapult Turtle's effect. Yami shouts out, No! and remembers sacrificing Dark Magician Girl in his duel with Rafael. Yugi launches Catapult Turtle, and Yami loses 1000 life points—half of Queen's Knight's attack—bringing him down to 200. One more attack and he'll become a prisoner of the Orichalcos, just like Yugi. (Japanese Yami looks at Yugi's cruel face, and realizes this is what he looked like then.)

Yami protests that he can't lose! If he does, then he can't set Yugi free, and two worlds will crumble. Yugi says Yami doesn't care about that—he's evil. Last time, he didn't care who suffered. He sacrifices Dark Magician Girl to Catapult Turtle's effect. Yami screams as the attack hurtles towards him—then he activates his trap card, Divine Wind, which reverses the attack onto Yugi, doubling its strength. Yami wins the duel. Yugi's eyes widen, and he smiles as he watches the attack blast back towards him, glad that Yami was able to win.

Yami rushes across the field to hold the fallen Yugi in his arms. Yugi smiles up at him, the Seal fading from his forehead as he tells Yami that he passed the test. It was the only way, Yugi says. By defeating him, Yami was able to defeat the darkness that was inside his heart. He did what was best for Yugi and for mankind, and acted like a true hero. Yugi puts his hand on Yami's Duel Disk. (Japanese Yugi tells Yami, no matter how much he suffered, trust in their bond. Yami is not fighting alone. Always believe that his friends and the monsters are with him.) But now what? Yami asks. Yugi tells Yami not to give up. He'll always be with him. Then Yugi's spirit dissipates, leaving Yami alone again.

Yami stands up, calling out that he'll save Yugi, no matter what it takes. (Japanese Yami screams, "Aibou!" ["Partner!"])

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