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Episode
GuideEpisode 201: Memoirs of a Pharaoh (The Door of Memory Opened)
Yugi and his friends arrive in Egypt. As they walk through the airport terminal, Tristan quips that he just flew all the way to Egypt, and boy, are his arms tired. Joey says to spare them. (Japanese Honda says Egypt sure is far away! Jounouchi asks what they should do now. The sign hanging from the ceiling behind them is changed from "UA" to a squiggle.)
Noticing a gift shop, Téa tells them to hold up, and runs inside. Joey complains that they haven't even left the airport, and she's shopping already. She picks out a snowglobe with the pyramids, and returns to the guys. (Japanese Anzu points to something off-screen and says she'd like that.) Then they hear someone call Yugi's name, and see Marik, with Ishizu and Odion, and run to greet them. Marik says there's so much to talk about—where do they begin? Joey wants to start with lunch, and asks how the burger joints are here. (Japanese Malik says they all look well. Jounouchi says, yes, he's full of energy for his visit to Egypt. The sign behind them reads, "Information for Visitors.")
Ishizu asks to talk to the Pharaoh (Japanese Ishizu tells Yugi she's been waiting for him), so Yugi switches with Yami, and Ishizu welcomes him, saying he's finally come home. She says he has a long journey ahead, and they're honored to be his guides. (Japanese Ishizu says, "Yugi... no, Nameless Pharaoh," and says she'll show them where the stone tablets are. The sign behind Ishizu reads: "...or Sick/...lid Person.")
Yami says the pleasure is his.
With Odion at the wheel, they drive through the desert. Tristan, Joey, and Téa look eagerly out the windows, exclaiming at the pyramids and the Sphinx, while Yami sits quietly. Eventually, they reach a stone entryway built into the side of a cliff. Ishizu tells them that beyond this door lies the tablet of lost memories. As they stand before the doorway, Yami thinks that all the secrets of his past will be revealed. Ishizu tells him that he must enter without them, and Marik adds that when Yami reaches the tablet, he should hold up the Egyptian God cards, and the gateway to his lost memory will open. Ishizu says that from here on, he must forge his own path.
Yami enters the doorway, followed by Joey, Tristan, and Téa. Joey says he has a weird feeling, but Tristan says it's because he ate all those falafels. (There's no dialog here in the Japanese.)
Outside, Marik tells Ishizu that their job as Tombkeepers is complete. Their ancestors have awaited this for five thousand years. Ishizu agrees, saying that there's a place where every soul must eventually return, and the Pharaoh has begun the journey to his resting place.
Atop a nearby mesa, Dark Bakura watches, telling the Pharaoh to open the gateway and seal his fate.
The gang go down a long stairway until they reach an underground chamber, where they find the stone tablets from the museum. Yami stands before the tablet of lost memories, looking at the carving of the Pharaoh—himself. Téa watches him sadly, thinking that his spirit has been around for centuries, but his memory only goes back a few years. He had a whole other life in ancient Egypt, and he doesn't remember any of it—not even his own name. (Japanese Anzu thinks that she's been calling him "Yugi," but there's really another person in Yugi's body, and she doesn't know his real name.)
Téa takes something out of her pocket and gives it to Yami, telling him that it's a cartouche. She says the guy in the store told her that ancient Pharaohs used to carve their names on them. Taking it, Yami notes that it's blank. Téa says she figured that when Yami gets his memory back, he can put his own name on it. That way, he'll never forget it again. She says she remembered seeing a cartouche carved on the stone tablet, but the name on it was worn away. Soon, his life won't be a mystery any more. (Cut from the US version is this bit where Jounouchi says, that's a good idea! With his name carved on it, he won't forget it next time. Yami says, that's right.)
Yami doesn't know what to say. He puts it around his neck, saying he'll never take it off. Then he turns to the tablets, and takes the three God cards out of his pocket. According to the prophecy, as soon as he raises the three Egyptian God cards before the tablet of lost memories, his mind will be unlocked. This is it, he thinks.
Deep within the twists and turns of the Millennium Puzzle, part of Dark Bakura's spirit wanders. On the stairway leading to the chamber, Dark Bakura thinks that the portion of his spirit he once infused within the Millennium Puzzle will finally be released, and then the Shadow Game can begin.
Joey tells Yugi to go for it, saying that no matter what happens, they're right behind him. Yami holds the cards up before the tablet. The Millennium Puzzle carved on the tablet glows with a bright light, and Yami's spirit rises out of Yugi's body, tumbling into the light.
Yami finds himself flying down a dark tunnel. He wonders where the Egyptian Gods are taking him. The portion of Dark Bakura's spirit emerges from the Puzzle, and flies away down the tunnel. The rest of Dark Bakura's spirit leaves Bakura's body, leaving Bakura collapsed on the stairway while the spirit speeds into the tablet and rejoins the the rest of his spirit in the tunnel. He thinks that it looks like his plan worked. Yami and Dark Bakura continue to fly down the tunnel.
In the chamber, the bright light fades, and Joey and Tristan rub their eyes, wondering if that was supposed to happen. They and Téa run to Yugi, who is crouched on his knees before the tablet, and ask if he's all right. Standing up, Yugi says, he's gone! The Pharaoh has left. (Cut from the US version is this pan from the Millennium Puzzle to Yugi's face, while Yugi says that the "other me" is not in the Puzzle, or in his heart.)
(Then they hear a voice, and everyone looks surprised.)
A voice behind them says that Yugi is correct—the Pharaoh is now in the world of his memory. Shadi steps out of the shadows. Tristan recognizes him as the guy who rescued him and Duke when they nearly fell from the airship during Battle City. Joey wants to know how they can trust this guy, but Yugi says it's all right, and tells them that Shadi is the guardian of the Millennium Items.
Meanwhile, Yami finally flies out of the dark tunnel to find himself floating above ancient Egypt. His spirit turns into a ball of light and flies into the palace. His hand twitches, and he opens his eyes to find himself standing on a balcony before a sea of people, dressed as the ancient Pharaoh. The crowds are cheering him and chanting, "Pharaoh, Pharaoh." He stares at his hands and wonders where he is. Then a short man in robes who resembles Yugi's Grandpa tells Yami that his public awaits. The citizens are eager to pay respect to their new Pharaoh.
Tentatively, Yami raises his arm to the crowd. They all fall to their knees, prostrating themselves to him. The man tells Yami that they've prepared a lovely ceremony in his honor. He suggests that Yami settle down in his throne and enjoy the festivities.
Two men bang a huge gong, and a curtain opens before Yami, revealing a vast room with a throne at the far end. People line the way to the throne, bowing. Yami seems a bit startled by the whole thing, and the Grandpa-like man whispers to him that it's the big chair straight ahead. Yami walks toward the throne, wondering if he actually traveled back in time. (Japanese Yami thinks that this is the world of his memories.) He sits on his throne, while the man announces the new Pharaoh, exalted ruler of Egypt. Yami is astonished to see people who look just like Kaiba and Ishizu kneeling next to the throne, and when the man beside him removes his veil, he exclaims, Grandpa! But the man asks, who's Grandpa? The man who looks like Kaiba suggests that they postpone the celebration. Yami says that won't be necessary, so the Kaiba-lookalike stands before the throne and announces that the time has come for the ceremonial festival of the Pharaohs.
(This close-up of a drum is cut from the US version.)
Dancing girls, accompanied by drummers, dance before the throne, while Yami wonders that all these people work for him. Then he sees that the six people standing on the platform with him each hold a Millennium Item. The Grandpa-lookalike whispers a reminder that these are the six members of his sacred court, chosen by the Millennium Items themselves.
Elsewhere in the desert, a man in chains walks wearily behind two men on horseback. It's ancient Bakura, who falls to the ground, exhausted, forcing his captors to stop. Just his luck, one of them says. There's a celebration at the palace, and he gets stuck hauling a petty thief to the dungeon. A light flashes down from the sky, spooking the captors' horses and entering the thief. Bakura stands up, saying that it worked! Although, by the looks of these chains, his timing could have been better. But his journey into the ancient past was a success. A group of men in black robes approach on black horses, and Bakura stands waiting while one of them dismounts and unsheathes a long, curved sword. With one slash of his sword, the robed man cuts Bakura's chains.
The robed man bows before Bakura, who tells him there's work to be done. It's been a long time, but he remembers this day quite clearly. Bakura looks across the valley to the palace in the distance, saying it's the day the Great Pharaoh inherited the throne of Egypt. (Japanese Bakura says that that fellow is the Pharaoh, while he is an unknown robber. This shot of Bakura, saying that the gap between them is too wide, is cut from the US version.)
In the palace, the celebration continues. On his throne, Yami again wonders if he's really been transported back in time, or if all this is happening in his mind. The people here seem so familiar—perhaps his experiences in the twenty-first century have somehow affected his memories of the past. Or could it be that these people really did live five thousand years ago? Kaiba always did seem to have a connection with ancient Egypt, and the fact that his image was etched in that tablet can hardly be a coincidence.
Unnoticed, a man stands on a high balcony over the throne, with a blowgun centered on the Pharaoh. The Ishizu-lookalike's Millennium Necklace glows, and she calls out a warning to Mahad, who flings out his cloak just in time to catch the dart speeding towards the Pharaoh. The Kaiba-lookalike orders the guards to stop the intruder, and the man is quickly captured and brought, bound, before the Pharaoh. Ishizu-lookalike tells the intruder that assaulting the king of Egypt is an inexcusable crime. Mahad says they're in the midst of a sacred ceremony, and orders the man cast into the dungeon. But Kaiba-lookalike says he has a better idea. He suggests they use this rogue to demonstrate the extent of their power for the new Pharaoh. He asks Aknadin, who wields the Millennium Eye, and Shimon, the Grandpa-lookalike, if they agree. Shimon says it shall be done, and Kaiba-lookalike orders the Millennium Trial of this man's soul.
Shimon tells Yami that, with a position of great power often comes great danger, and criminals who threaten the ruler of Egypt must be dealt with accordingly. The six members of the court surround the man, but Ishizu-lookalike tells the Pharaoh not to be alarmed. Aknadin continues that the court is here to insure the Pharaoh's safety at all times.
Kaiba-lookalike tells the prisoner that he will now be judged by the dark magic of the seven Millennium Items. Shada will start.
Shada says that with the power of the Millennium Key, he'll read the prisoner's mind. He holds out the Key, and it glows. Shada says that the shadow of an evil creature lurks inside the man's heart. Then Shada moves away, and Aknadin stands before the prisoner. He says that he'll now invoke the energies of the Millennium Eye, revealing and extracting the being that dwells within. The Eye glows, and then a dark shadow flows from the prisoner's mouth.
Yami asks what's happening to him, and Shimon says that the Millennium Items have detected a shadow creature dwelling in the heart of this criminal. Little is known about these beings of darkness, only that they feed on the anger and hatred of humans. (Yami's startled reaction is cut from the US version.)
Once a shadow creature is born, it forces its host to commit acts of evil, creating even more darkness to feast upon. (Japanese Shimon says the shadow creature is the "ka," an Egyptian term for one's soul or spirit. The "ka" is made evil by the person's anger and hatred.) The many-armed creature looms above the man, all fangs and claws, as Shimon continues, saying that the guardians of the sacred court use the Millennium Items to seal these monsters within stone tablets.
Two men raise a stone tablet behind the Kaiba-lookalike, and Yami wonders if those are the same tablets from his visions. Aknadin tells Seto, the Kaiba-lookalike, to use the powers of his Millennium Rod to seal the shadow beast. Seto raises the Rod, calling for it to relinquish this beast, and the creature is captured in the energies of the Rod, then sealed into the stone tablet. The beast's outline appears on the stone, and Yami wonders if this is can be the origin of Duel Monsters. (Japanese Yami thinks that this is the true power of the Millennium Items.) Seto smiles mysteriously.
Meanwhile, back at the tablet of lost memories, Yugi asks Shadi, now what? Shadi says that the Pharaoh must relive his ancient past. It's the only way he can fulfill his destiny. But this journey is a gift as well as a curse—the Pharaoh will learn about his ancient past, but he must defeat the great evil all over again. (Japanese Shadi says that the Pharaoh has gone to the world of his memories, which was created three thousand years ago from the Pharaoh's experiences.) Téa says that's not fair—they have to find him and bring him back to the present. Shadi says they can't. Now that the Pharaoh is in the realm of his memories, the only way he can return is by reigning victorious at the ultimate Shadow Game—a battle that decides not only his own fate, but the fate of mankind. (Japanese Anzu asks if the Pharaoh will forget about them in the Memory World. Shadi says no, even while he's in the Memory World, the Pharaoh will retain his current memories. The Pharaoh is reliving his fate.)
Téa protests that the Pharaoh came here to find out who he really is, not to put himself in danger again. Joey asks if Shadi knew what the Pharaoh was getting into all along, and still let him go? (Japanese Anzu asks if the Pharaoh will once again be sealed within the Puzzle. Jounouchi asks if this means that the other Yugi won't ever return.) But when Joey tries to grab Shadi's robes, his hand passes right through him. Surprised, he exclaims that this guy's some kind of hologram. But Shadi says he's actually a centuries-old spirit. Joey runs to hide behind Tristan, wondering why he's the only one freaked out that they're talking to a ghost. Téa tells Joey to let Shadi speak.
Shadi says that his earthly body was destroyed by a tomb-robber named Bakura. Everyone is shocked, but Shadi says that Bakura, too, is an ancient soul, but he wants to use the Millennium Items for evil. Shadi takes the Millennium Key and Millennium Scale from his robes, saying that Bakura wants to release a creature of ultimate darkness, and so, when the Pharaoh began his journey into the realm of his memories, the spirit of Bakura followed him, planning to use the Millennium Items to dominate the planet. (Japanese Shadi says that soon Yami Bakura and the Pharaoh will begin the ultimate Dark Game.)
Yugi says, he can't! Joey says that the Pharaoh beat him the first time, but Yugi says that just because it happened in the past, doesn't mean it's guaranteed to happen the same way again. Téa says that if the past is destroyed, so is the future. Yugi says they have to go back to the past and make sure the Pharaoh defeats Bakura. (Japanese Yugi exclaims, what? Jounouchi says he's never heard of the ultimate Shadow Game. Yugi says he hasn't, either. Why wouldn't his other self tell him about such an important matter? Anzu says the other Yugi must not have wanted them to worry. Yugi asks Shadi if there isn't anything he can do to help his other self. Cut from the US version is this sequence where Yugi continues, saying that Shadi must know something, otherwise he wouldn't be there. He begs Shadi to tell him how he can help. Shadi says there's a way to get him into the Pharaoh's Memory World. Yugi asks what it is.)
Shadi says there's only one way to enter the realm of the Pharaoh's memory, and the doorway lies in the Millennium Puzzle. Yugi asks how they're supposed to find it, remembering the many passageways within the Puzzle. Shadi says to trust him, and he'll be their guide.
Back in the memory world, Bakura laughs as he covers himself in riches in the former Pharaoh's tomb, saying that one can never be dressed too formally when visiting a palace. He pats the sarcophagus he's sitting on, and says he'll bring it along as a peace offering. Dragging the sarcophagus along behind him, and carrying a bag full of gold and jewels, he heads toward the entrance where his men stand, saying that the king is waiting, and they mustn't be late.
In the palace, Aknadin tells Seto it was well done. Seto says, now that they're done with this fool, they should banish him to the dungeon. (Japanese Seto says that, if the Pharaoh pleases, they could execute the man.) But Aknadin says they've expelled the darkness from his heart, therefore it is the duty of the sacred court to set him free, and he orders the man released.
Seto tells Mahad that palace security is his responsibility, and asks how the intruder made it past the royal guard. Mahad says that Seto is right, and bows before the throne, asking the Pharaoh to accept his apologies. He says the Millennium Ring has been behaving strangely lately, making it difficult to detect criminal activity. He asks the Pharaoh's permission to increase security forces to fortify the city. Yami agrees.
Seto orders the tablet with the creature sealed inside it to be stored in the tablet sanctuary, and several men drag it away.
Yami puts a hand to his forehead, wondering who that intruder was, and if there will be others. (Japanese Yami thinks, all these incidents—is this what Bakura meant by the ultimate Dark Game?) Shimon suggests that they continue with the coronation festivities. Yami protests that he was just attacked, but Shimon says that if his followers sense the Pharaoh's fear, they, too, will feel unsafe. The best way to hide that fear is with merriment and laughter. Shimon laughs behind his hand, and Yami says he'll try. (Japanese Shimon tells Yami not to worry. He, personally, is in charge of constructing the royal tomb. Yami says, his tomb? Shimon explains that no thief will ever be able to escape the traps that Shimon will have set around the tomb. He promises that the Pharaoh will be able to rest in peace. He laughs, and Yami says, is that so.)
Aknadin orders the festival of the Pharaohs to continue, but the Ishizu-lookalike, Isis, tells him to wait. Her Millennium Necklace senses an evil force approaching the kingdom. It lurks just outside the palace walls, and bears a great power.
Outside, Bakura is riding towards the palace. It's time they made their presence known, he tells his men. Let the ultimate Shadow Game begin!
