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Episode
GuideEpisode 203: The Intruder, Part 2 (Mahaado's Determination)
In the palace, Obelisk the Tormentor and Diabound clash. Finally, the monsters' attacks explode in a flash of light, and both monsters fall back, neither one destroyed. It's impossible, someone exclaims. Their power is equal! The Pharaoh, bent over from Obelisk's struggle, straightens up and recalls his monster to his Diadiankh. Kneeling on one knee and grinning, Bakura also recalls Diabound. Seto is astonished that Bakura withstood the assault of an Egyptian god.
As he shakily stands up, Bakura thinks that if he hadn't acquired the attacking power of Kaiba's Blue-Eyes, Diabound would have been destroyed. He'd better take his leave, for now. (Japanese Bakura thinks that he didn't expect the Pharaoh to summon a god so soon. He needed the strength of Kaiba's monster.) He tells the Pharaoh that this isn't over. (Cut from the US version is this shot of Bakura wiping his mouth and spitting blood.)
Bakura tells Mahad not to grow too fond of the Millennium Ring. At one time, Bakura says it was his. Mahad says Bakura lies—the Item was created for him. But Bakura says it's destined for him. In fact, all seven Millennium Items have been fated to fall into Bakura's hands. (Japanese Bakura says the Millennium Ring is his, then says Mahad must have gotten it later. Mahad tells Bakura not to touch the Millennium Ring. Bakura says not to be so nervous. Anyway, all the Millennium Items will belong to him sooner or later.)
Bakura turns and runs to his horse, then, as the Pharaoh calls to him to stop, Bakura rides away. Aknadin orders the guards after him, and the Pharaoh goes out onto the balcony to watch as Bakura leaps his horse over the guards and down from several high stone walls to the ground. Bakura and his men ride away down the main street of the city, as the Pharaoh thinks that he was sent back in time to relive these events all over again.
Then, Yami looks up into the sky, where he sees an upside-down pyramid poking down through the clouds. As Shimon and Mahad join him on the balcony, he asks what that strange object in the sky is. Mahad asks what he means, and he points up towards it. But neither Shimon nor Mahad can see it. Yami protests that it's right there in plain sight, and Shimon tells him to go inside, saying it's been a long day. Yami agrees, but thinks to himself that the pyramid must have something to do with Bakura's Shadow Game. But why can't anyone else see it?
Seto also comes out onto the balcony, wondering if this can truly be the chosen Pharaoh the scriptures speak of. (Japanese Seto thinks, the Pharaoh holds the power of the gods. Cut from the US version is this flashback of Obelisk and Diabound battling. Then Seto wonders if it can be possible that the gods' power is not the strongest.)
Behind him, Aknadin tells the Pharaoh that he fought bravely. Seto says that, thanks to the Pharaoh, they can all rest well. Yami thinks, if only Kaiba could see himself fighting boldly at Yami's side. (Japanese Aknadin says, "Seto." Seto tells the Pharaoh he's thankful that he's all right. Yami thinks, "Burst stream of destruction..." and wonders why Bakura's monster has the power of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.)
Meanwhile, in his office at Kaiba Corp, Kaiba sits at his desk, looking at his Blue-Eyes White Dragon card. He says, can't these people see that it's only a card game? (Japanese Kaiba thinks, the fate of him and the Blue-Eyes....) He glances at the Millennium Eye sitting on his desk, asking, what are you looking at? He asks the Eye if it thinks it will change his mind. Picking it up and holding it in front of his face, he insists he's not going to Egypt, then says, look at him—he's talking to an eyeball. (Japanese Kaiba says that the mysterious things that Bakura said had an effect on him. But, the sighing of the Blue-Eyes....) The Millennium Eye draws closer to his own eye, then begins to glow. Suddenly, Kaiba sees a vision of himself as the Egyptian Seto standing on the balcony with the Pharaoh. He leaps to his feet, the Eye falling to the floor.
Next, Kaiba is in his Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet, speeding off to Cairo. He's been hearing about this ancient nonsense for too long, he thinks. The only way to shut these people up is to prove them all wrong. (This close-up of Kaiba in his jet is cut from the US version.)
(And these long shots of ancient Egypt are cut from the US version.)
Within the tablet sanctuary, Aknadin asks if there's been any word on Bakura. Seto says that with an entire squadron of guards on his trail, he won't get far. (Cut from the US version is this long shot of Seto and Aknadin, as Seto says that it's impossible for Bakura to escape.)
Aknadin disagrees, after seeing Bakura's frightening display of power. Looking up at the carvings of the three legendary god monsters, he says that they're not dealing with any ordinary thief. Bakura's harboring a creature whose strength rivals that of the Egyptian gods.
This gives Seto an idea. This tablet sanctuary is full of creatures they've pulled from the hearts of criminals. Surely there must be other evildoers harboring as much darkness as Bakura. (Cut from the US version is this scene where Aknadin protests that the priests shouldn't manipulate dark creatures. Seto replies that Bakura's Diabound has incredible power. On top of that, there is Bakura's hatred....)
Aknadin remembers Bakura telling them that the secret lies in the village of Kul Elna, and thinks that perhaps Bakura escaped from that village before it was destroyed. That would explain the incredible power of the beast within him, for his anger and hatred would be immeasurable.
Seto continues that all they need to do is find these criminals and use the Millennium Items to harness the evil creatures that dwell within their hearts. Then they'll have an unstoppable army of Shadow creatures.
Aknadin protests that what Seto's suggesting is completely immoral, not to mention quite dangerous. Seto says they'd be reducing the amount of lawbreakers that wreak havoc on the kingdom, and in the end, they'd be creating this monster army to protect the people of Egypt. That is what they all promised to do as sacred guardians of the Pharaoh.
In another part of the palace, Isis sits before a round stone table with blue flame rising from a hole in its center, concentrating on her Millennium Necklace. As Shada and Karim watch, she attempts to read the future, but then she shakes her head. Ever since Bakura arrived, her vision of the future has been clouded, but she must continue her efforts to see through the darkness.
Shada tells her to preserve her energy. The battle with Bakura has taken its toll on all of them. Karim agrees, saying that when Bakura returns, they'll need their full power to face him. He urges Isis to get some rest. Isis says she appreciates their help, but her Millennium Necklace might be their only hope of knowing what Bakura is plotting next. With the well-being of the citizens of Egypt at stake, rest is a luxury she can't afford.
Yami stands alone on the balcony, watching the pyramid in the sky. If he's unable to save mankind from the evil that's about to unfold, he thinks, what will become of the future? He holds the cartouche Téa gave him in his hand, and thinks that the safety of his friends depends on his victory. He tells Yugi he'll do whatever he can to protect him. (Japanese Yami thinks, "Everyone... Partner.")
Meanwhile, Yugi and the others are still wandering the maze inside the Millennium Puzzle. Tristan says that every door looks the same, and Yugi says they'll never find the right one. Tristan opens a door, only to find another door. Every time he opens one door, Tristan says, he finds fifty more inside. Joey says, even the doors have doors! Téa looks at her watch, and says that either the batteries just died, or time is standing still. They all stand looking around themselves at the Puzzle's many stairways and doors. If they don't find the right door soon, Tristan says, he's going to lose it!
Joey decisively points to a door, saying, that's the one! He doesn't have a Millennium Thingie, but he does have instincts. Tristan nods, and says, let's bust that sucker down! He and Joey run for the door. Yugi warns them to wait, but Joey kicks open the door, and he and Tristan charge through, only to find themselves running on thin air—the door opens out onto an open space, far above the floor. They just manage to grab the bottom edge of the doorway before plunging down to the floor—where Yugi, Téa, and Shadi stand looking up at them. Yugi says, that's weird—how can they be up there, and down here? Joey and Tristan are also clinging to the doorway in front of them.
Téa says to ask questions later. She and Yugi pull Joey and Tristan to safety. Shadi says that many doorways within the Millennium Puzzle contain traps. Joey and Tristan jump up, protesting that he might have told them that sooner!
They continue to walk through the Puzzle's passageways. Then Téa pauses, saying that no one is closer to the Pharaoh than Yugi—maybe if Yugi concentrates, he can figure out which door the Pharaoh is behind. Yugi says he'll try, but ever since the Pharaoh's spirit left the Puzzle, Yugi hasn't sensed him at all. Yugi calls to the Pharaoh, telling him that they're all inside the Millennium Puzzle, trying to find him. (Japanese Yugi says that there's a sense of loneliness here, like being locked up. Maybe it's the loneliness his other self feels.)
Yami stands on the balcony, looking out over the city, while Yugi calls out to him.
Yami thinks that it's strange—everyone there seems to know him quite well, but he has no memory of any of them. What did all these people mean to him when he was Pharaoh? Were they his friends, or merely his servants?
Mahad joins the Pharaoh on the balcony, kneeling before him. Mahad apologizes for the interruption, but tells Yami it's not wise for him to be outside alone. Yami agrees to come in, and Mahad tells him he should stay close, especially after today.
As they walk through the palace, they pass by a large pot. Yami stops, asking Mahad if he heard that noise from inside the pot. Mahad tells the Pharaoh to stay behind him, and prepares to face the intruder, when a young girl—who bears a striking resemblance to Dark Magician Girl—leaps from the pot, and directly onto Yami.
Mahad plucks the girl, Mana, off of the Pharaoh, asking her what she's doing. She asks if she can't pay a visit to her oldest friend. Ever since he's become the new Pharaoh, they haven't been able to talk. Mahad reminds her that it's only been one day. (Japanese Mana says she's been watching, and it's just the prince and Mahad. Wouldn't it be nice to talk together, like they used to? Mahad says, it's not the prince, it's the Pharaoh!)
Yami says that she's Mana—he and she grew up together. She laughs, and says that she knows they haven't spoken in a whole day, but he hasn't forgotten her, has he? After all these years of practicing magic together, they're practically family. Flustered, Yami says, of course. Mana wonders if he's been walking around in the desert without a hat. (Japanese Mana asks if he's really the prince. There's something strange about him.)
Mahad tells Mana that's enough. It's not like it used to be. Can't she see that he is the King of Egypt now, and does not have time for.... Mana interrupts, saying, he doesn't have time to speak for himself? Is that why Mahad has been doing all the talking? (Japanese Mahad says that now that Yami's the Pharaoh, he has the unimaginable burden of caring for all of them. The prince.... Mana interrupts, saying Mahad called him "the prince." Mahad apologizes to the Pharaoh.) Yami watches, smiling, as the two argue. Mahad asks how Mana got past the guards, anyway, and she says that her magic has been improving. The guards below aren't moving, and Mahad asks if Mana used her freezing spell, and reminds her that they need the guards to protect the palace.
Mana tries a spell to release the guards, but they remain motionless. She materializes a spell book, and starts looking frantically through it to find the de-freezing spell. Mahad urges her to hurry up, while Yami continues to watch with a smile, and thinks that it's good to know he has friends.
Meanwhile, in the hills overlooking the city, Bakura sits, eating a fig and thinking that perhaps trying to acquire all seven Millennium Items at once was a bit ambitious. No matter, he thinks, they'll come to him in time. For now, he'll focus on one in particular—the Millennium Ring. Once he obtains that, the others will soon follow.
In the morning, Mahad leads a party of guards through the city. One of his men tells him that the damage looks quite extensive, and Mahad thinks that he won't let Bakura get away with it. (Japanese Mahad wonders to himself who this Bakura is.)
A little boy runs up to them, asking if they're here to protect him from "that scary guy." Mahad says they are, and promises that Bakura will not scare anyone again. (The Japanese boy asks if the city will burn again. Mahad says it's all right, they won't let it happen again.) The boys says, good, and runs off, as Mahad notices that the Millennium Ring's pointers are pointing to the hills beyond the city. He looks up and sees Bakura on horseback on the hilltop. Mahad says he'll do everything in his power to keep Bakura's darkness from this kingdom.
In an inner courtyard, Yami walks down a path, with Mana skipping along at his side. She asks if everything's really going to change, now that he's become a big, important Pharaoh. He tells her that it's hard to remember what life was like before he was king. She says he must have a lot on his mind these days, but asks if he still has time for her. (Japanese Mana says it's boring. She thought Mahad would use his magic to strengthen the defenses. Yami says that Mahad is a priest now, and he's very busy. He asks Mana to bear with it for a while. She says, all right, prince. He says, prince? She quickly corrects herself and says, Pharaoh.) He says, of course, then, hesitantly asks Mana to tell him more about them. Mana says that this Pharaoh thing has made him weird. Then, she says, oops! did she say that out loud? He says it's fine. Mana reflects that now that he's the Pharaoh, she should start calling him things like "Your Highness." (Japanese Yami asks Mana to tell him his name. She asks what he's talking about—he's the prince. Oops, no, he's the Pharaoh. He says he doesn't know. She says a prince is a prince, and a Pharaoh is a Pharaoh....)
Isis, walking through another part of the courtyard, comes across Mahad. He asks if she's discovered what the future holds for their kingdom. She says she hasn't—the Millennium Necklace has been acting strangely. Mahad says his Ring has, too. Isis says it's Bakura. Mahad tells her not to worry—he has faith that their new Pharaoh will lead them through the darkness. Then he walks on.
Later, Isis sits before the blue flame again, beseeching the Millennium Necklace to show her the future. At first, she sees nothing but swirling darkness, but then a light glows, and she sees glimpses of a battle between Bakura's Diabound and Mahad's Illusion Magician, then Mahad and a shape like a huge scythe. She starts back, thinking that these are jumbled pieces of events yet to come. She senses a great evil, and says that she must tell Mahad.
The Pharaoh sits on his throne with the sacred guardians around him. Mahad kneels below the throne, and tells the Pharaoh to rest assured that the tomb of the former king, Aknamkanon, will never be disturbed again. His team of sorcerers is casting spells to secure its walls as they speak. Yami says, excellent, but Seto says he'll believe the tomb is safe from intruders once he's tested it for himself. They've seen what Mahad's magicians-in-training are capable of—Seto thinks a bit more training couldn't hurt. (Japanese Seto says that if Mahad messes up again, he might not stay a priest of the court. And if Bakura appears, Mahad will have to deal with him alone. No one else can match his powers.)
Shimon tells Seto that's enough, and Yami agrees. Yami tells Mahad good luck, and thanks him.
Mahad and his team of sorcerers head out from the palace, dragging a stone tablet behind them. Mana calls out to Mahad to wait, begging him to take her with him. She tries to leap from the balcony to follow Mahad, with Shimon holding her back by the arm. She says she's been practicing her spells and can help. Shimon pulls her down from the balcony wall, and she lands on top of him, knocking them both to the floor. Shimon tells her it's too dangerous, and she's merely a student. Mana says she's Mahad's top student and has twice the skills of any of the magicians he's leading to the tomb. He needs her!
Shimon says she underestimates the skills of her teacher. Mahad is a strong wizard, and he'll be fine. Mana reluctantly says she knows. Shimon thinks to himself that what Mana doesn't know is that Mahad's true power was so great, he had to lock a portion of it away for his own safety. As they watch Mahad and his men walk away, Shimon thinks that if Mahad were to release his full ability, his strength could exceed that of any guardian in the Pharaoh's court.
Isis steps out into Mahad's path. He asks her what's wrong, and she says she's not sure he should go through with this. Mahad realizes she was able to read his future, and tells her he'd prefer not to know. He asks her to keep an eye on the Pharaoh, and continues on his way.
As he passes, Isis tells him that in her vision, he does return. (Japanese Isis says that in the end, Mahad will have the final victory.) He thanks her, and goes on.
Mahad thinks that it has always been his duty to protect the Pharaoh. He remembers a time when they were children. Mana tried to reach a plum in a tree, and the future Pharaoh picked it for her. Young Mahad found them, and the prince said that he guessed that his father asked Mahad to look after him. Mahad saw a poisonous snake in the tree branches reaching towards the prince, and ran to push him out of the way, getting bitten in the arm himself. (Cut from the US version is this close-up of the snake biting Mahad's arm.)
Even as he fell to the ground, clutching his arm, Mahad asked the prince if he was all right. The prince said he was fine, but what about Mahad? Then the prince knelt down and began to suck the poison from Mahad's bite. Mahad protested that the future Pharaoh needn't do this, but the prince insisted that he would get the poison out. He knew that Mahad would do the same for him, because they were friends. Some day, when he became Pharaoh, he knew that Mahad would be standing right by his side. (The Japanese prince said that he and Mahad were the same—Mahad's blood was red, and so was his. Someday, a world would come in which everyone would live together in freedom, no matter who they were.)
As he walks towards the former Pharaoh's tomb, Mahad thinks that even as a child, the Pharaoh protected him, even more than Mahad protected the Pharaoh. Mahad promises to return the favor. (Japanese Mahad thinks that the new world the prince spoke of seems very far away now, but he's sure the Pharaoh can realize it. For that reason, Mahad must protect him.)
One of the men says that the Valley of the Kings isn't this way. Their leader tells him to be quiet. Their orders are to follow Master Mahad.
On a ridge above them, a robed figure is also following on horseback. Mahad glances up and sees him.
They continue through the desert ravine until they come to a stone cave entrance. Inside, Mahad stands alone, thinking that he swore he would never do this, but he doesn't see any other way. In order to defeat Bakura, he must release the power he sealed away long ago. He calls upon the Millennium Ring to unlock the force he buried there. (Japanese Mahad says he knows Bakura has followed him.)
Outside the cave, Bakura and his men arrive. (Japanese Bakura says he'll accept Mahad's invitation.) Bakura rides inside, ordering his men to follow him, but before they can enter the cave, Mahad's men roll stones down the hill to block the cave entrance. They wish Mahad luck.
Bakura sees that he has been sealed inside. Dismounting from his horse, he says he looks like it's just Mahad and himself. (Japanese Bakura says, what a lousy trick.) He walks further into the cave, until he sees Mahad, with an aura of power glowing around him, standing at the far end of a bridge of stone. Bakura walks out onto the bridge, saying, let the festivities commence.
Mahad tells Bakura he's been waiting for him.
