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Episode
GuideEpisode 224: The Final Duel, Part 4 (The Tale Comes to an End in Light)
The Pharaoh tells Yugi that he may have defeated the Egyptian gods, but defeating Dark Magician will be his true test. (Japanese Pharaoh says that this is his best card, his strongest monster—Black Magician.) Mokuba says, Yugi's up against his most famous monster! They should have sold tickets to this! (Japanese Mokuba exclaims, Atem still has Black Magician in his deck!)
Yugi thinks that he never thought this day would come, but he needs a strategy to wipe out Dark Magician. It's the only way he can win this duel and set the Pharaoh free. (Japanese Yugi thinks that, as an ally, Black Magician gives him confidence. As an opponent, it's his toughest enemy. But if he doesn't beat Black Magician, he won't win.)
Yugi draws, then plays a monster face down in defense. He thinks that Dark Magician is stronger than ever, thanks to the Pharaoh's magic card, but he knows that somewhere in his deck, there's a card that can beat it. He switches Curse of Dragon to defense mode (1500 DEF) and ends his turn.
Tristan says it looks like all Yugi can do is strengthen his defenses, but Joey says he bets Yugi's doing more than that. The secret's in Yugi's face-down monster.
The Pharaoh wonders if that card is what he thinks it is. He remembers Yugi summoning Summoned Skull by tributing Witch of the Black Forest, which allowed him to move Marshmallon from his deck to his hand. If he knows Yugi, the card Yugi laid face down is Marshmallon. When Marshmallon is attacked in face-down defense position, the opposing player loses 1000 life points. With only 700 life points left, if the Pharaoh attacks it, he'll lose the duel.
But the Pharaoh has another plan in mind. He draws, then activates the magic card, Thousand Knives. Marik says it's unreal! The Pharaoh keeps drawing exactly what he needs at the right time. Ishizu thinks that the Pharaoh is controlling his deck with his will. (Japanese Ishizu thinks that the Pharaoh is like a god now.) The Pharaoh explains that, when Dark Magician is in play, he can use Thousand Knives to destroy one monster on Yugi's side of the field, and he chooses Yugi's face-down monster, which is indeed Marshmallon. (Thousand Knives' knives are made all glowy in the US version.)
Since it was destroyed using a magic card, Marshmallon's special effect doesn't activate, and the Pharaoh's life points are safe.
Now, the Pharaoh orders Dark Magician to attack, destroying Curse of Dragon. Everyone gasps as Yugi's field is cleared of monsters. Tristan asks Joey what happened to that big strategy of Yugi's. Grandpa insists Yugi will pull through—just watch. Mokuba wonders how, and Kaiba says, it won't be easy, but there is a way out of this mess. The only question is, does Yugi have the cards, and the guts, to pull it off. (Japanese Kaiba says he can't believe things have turned around this quickly, because of Black Magician. Yugi thinks that "the other me" and Black Magician together are really powerful.)
Yugi tells the Pharaoh that Dark Magician is strong, but he's not invincible. The Pharaoh says, let's see Yugi take him down. Yugi says he will. (Japanese Yugi thinks to himself that he wonders if there's any gap between his other self and Black Magician. The Pharaoh tells Yugi it's his turn. Yugi says, "My turn. Draw.") Yugi draws, and summons Blockman in defense mode (1500 DEF). Then he plays a card face down and ends his turn.
The Pharaoh says he was expecting more (Japanese Pharaoh says it's his turn), then activates his Dark Spear (Black Spear) magic card, giving Dark Magician the ability to do damage when attacking a defense position monster whose defense points are lower than Dark Magician's attack points. He attacks Blockman with Dark Magician.
Yugi activates his trap card, Soul Shield, paying half his life points to negate Dark Magician's attack and end the Pharaoh's battle phase. Yugi's life points go down to 400, but he's saved for another turn. The Pharaoh tells him, well executed, and Joey sighs with relief. Tristan says, the tide turns again, but Duke points out that Yugi only has 400 life points left. (Cut from the US version is this shot of Bakura adding that Atem only has 700 life points, and Grandpa saying that it's time for the final result.)
(Jounouchi thinks that he advised Anzu to wait until the end, but now he can't stand it. Looking at the two duelists, he thinks, "Yugi... Atem... it's really a torture to watch you fighting each other.")
Yugi draws, saying it's time to send Dark Magician packing. (Yugi says it's his turn. The Pharaoh thinks, now Yugi will do something!) Yugi looks at his card, and thinks it's just what he needs. He activates the magic card, Gold Sarcophagus (Golden Chest of Sealing), choosing a card from his deck and placing it into the ancient box. Now, if the Pharaoh activates the same card, its effect is negated.
Téa asks the others what card they think Yugi put in there. (Japanese Anzu doesn't speak here. Instead, Jounouchi asks what card Yugi put in the box.) Tristan says he doesn't know, but what are the chances that the Pharaoh will play the exact same card? (Japanese Honda says the box is the same as the one the Millennium Puzzle came in.) Téa thinks that the box on the Gold Sarcophagus card looks just like the one the Millennium Puzzle came from—so the same symbol that brought Yugi and the Pharaoh together could split them apart. (Japanese Anzu thinks that it's the box of friendship that brought Yugi and the other Yugi together.)
Next, Yugi activates Blockman's special ability, deconstruction! Since two turns have passed since he played it, Block man splits apart into two monsters. Then he sacrifices both of them to summon a stronger monster—one that, he thinks, is powerful enough to destroy Dark Magician. Yugi summons Gandora the Dragon of Destruction. Not bad, Joey says.
The Pharaoh asks Yugi, since when does he have that card? Téa thinks, she remembers it—that's the same monster Yugi used to beat Bakura when he was separated from the Pharaoh. It proved that Yugi could duel on his own, so it's the perfect monster to defeat the Pharaoh with.
Yugi explains that Gandora can only remain on the field for one turn, but that's all he'll need. He pays half his life points to activate Gandora's special ability and remove every monster on the field from the game. Yugi's life points go down to 200, and Gandora's Boundless Giga-Rays shoot towards Dark Magician. But the Pharaoh activates his trap card, Dark Illusion (Black Illusion), protecting Dark Magician from all monster effects for the rest of the turn. Gandora is destroyed by its own effect, but Dark Magician is saved.
The Pharaoh tells Yugi that Dark Illusion's effect also allows Yugi to draw one card from his deck. Yugi draws, then sets both the cards in his hand face down and ends his turn.
Tristan says, now Yugi's back to having no monsters to protect him! Mokuba says he thinks it's really over this time. (Cut from the US version is this shot of Marik saying that it's no good—the "container" can't fight the Pharaoh. Ishizu says, "Yugi.")
Kaiba says, not necessarily. The way this duel's been going so far, anything can happen. (Japanese Kaiba doesn't respond to Mokuba. Atem thinks, no, his "aibou" is still fighting.)
The Pharaoh draws, then orders Dark Magician to attack Yugi directly. Yugi activates his trap card, Magician's Circle. Whenever he's attacked by a Spellcaster, this trap allows Yugi to summon a Spellcaster from his deck. The Pharaoh thinks this is the perfect card to use against Dark Magician—he knew Yugi was prepared for his strategy! Yugi summons Silent Magician (1000 ATK). But the trap allows the Pharaoh to summon another Spellcaster, too, so he summons Dark Magician Girl (2000 ATK).
The Pharaoh resumes his attack, ordering Dark Magician to attack Silent Magician and end the duel! Marik says that as soon as Dark Magician attacks, the Pharaoh will win the duel. Tristan protests, this can't be the end!
They all watch in horror as Dark Magician flies towards Silent Magician. But Yugi thinks, he's not done yet. If the Pharaoh's spirit is ever going to be free, he has to win this duel. Yugi activates his final face-down card, the magic card, Spell Textbook. (Spell Textbook's five-pointed stars are turned into ten-pointed stars in the US version.)
By discarding every card in his hand, he can draw one card from his deck, and if it's a magic card he can use it right away. Since his hand is empty, he has nothing to discard, so he just draws one card from his deck, thinking that this card will determine the Pharaoh's destiny.
Yugi draws Card of Sanctity, which he activates, allowing each of them to draw until he's holding six cards. They draw their cards, then Yugi activates Silent Magician's special effect, increasing its attack strength by 500 points for each card the Pharaoh has drawn. The Pharaoh has drawn five new cards, so Silent Magician increases to Level 5, with 3500 attack points. Now, back to the duel, Yugi says. He believes Dark Magician was about to attack.
Dark Magician's attack strength is 2800, and the Pharaoh has 700 life points left. If the attack goes through, the Pharaoh will lose. But the Pharaoh activates his magic card, Magicians Unite (Magician's Cross), allowing him to combine his two Magicians together as one Spellcaster with 3000 points. (Cut from the US version is this shot of Mokuba and Kaiba watching intently.)
Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl attack Silent Magician LV5 together, but it's still not enough. They're both destroyed, and the Pharaoh loses 500 life points, reducing his score to 200—but keeping him in the game.
The Pharaoh says that was very impressive. Although he was able to save his life points, Yugi destroyed both of the Pharaoh's Magicians. Now they both have 200 life points left, so the end is near.
Everyone watches, stunned, as the Pharaoh says that this will be his final turn. He says that Yugi has fought bravely, but, unfortunately, this duel will end with his victory. He thanks Yugi, saying he knew Yugi tried everything in his power to set him free. (Japanese Pharaoh is silent during this scene. The spectators gasp under their breath as they watch. Cut from the US version is this long shot of the duel, as Atem says that Yugi turned the tables with his Treasures from Heaven [Card of Sanctity] card. But, Atem says, his turn isn't over yet.)
The Pharaoh activates Monster Reborn to resurrect Slifer the Sky Dragon. The spectators gasp, and Joey exclaims, he just brought back an Egyptian god! With four cards in his hand, the Pharaoh says, Slifer's attack is 4000 points. The Pharaoh thinks that his spirit will remain in this world. He guesses he and Yugi weren't ready to separate. (Japanese Pharaoh thinks only, "Aibou, I win.")
Yugi closes his eyes, thinking that if he were the Pharaoh, he would have summoned an Egyptian god, too. He looks up, determined, thinking, that's why he was prepared for this very moment!
The Gold Sarcophagus begins to glow and lower itself to the ground. Yugi says that the card he hid inside the box is the same card the Pharaoh just played. The box's lid begins to slide open, as Joey says that it's impossible—there's only one Slifer the Sky Dragon! (Japanese Jounouchi says the card is coming out.)
But the card rising from the box is Monster Reborn. The Pharaoh's eyes widen in surprise, as Yugi tells him that the effect of his Monster Reborn is negated, which means that the Egyptian god goes back to the graveyard. Mokuba exclaims that Yugi just defeated Slifer for the second time!
Of all the cards to put in that box, Joey wonders, how did Yugi know which one to pick? Tristan asks what he expected—Yugi is the King of Games! (Japanese Jounouchi says Resurrection of the Dead is a valuable card for Yugi, and Honda says, but he decided to seal it away. Cut from the US version is this shot of Ishizu, as she thinks that Yugi is sending a message to his other self—the souls of the dead should not linger in this world.)
Téa says Yugi must have had this planned from the beginning. After spending so much time with the Pharaoh, Yugi knew exactly what he would play. (Japanese Anzu has no dialog here. Ishizu thinks that Yugi used his trump card with firm determination to send the Pharaoh to the underworld.)
Smiling, the Pharaoh closes his eyes, thinking that this was the greatest duel of his life, and thinking to Yugi that it's been an honor. Then he tells Yugi to go on—it's his move. (Japanese Pharaoh thinks that his partner knew what his real trump card was. Yugi now surpasses him.)
Yugi's hands tremble, and Duke wonders what he's waiting for. All Yugi has to do is attack, and the duel is over. Bakura says, that's just it—once the match ends, the Pharaoh will be released, and they'll never see him again. (Japanese Otogi says that Atem doesn't have any monsters to defend him. Bakura says that as soon as Yugi attacks, the duel will end.)
The Pharaoh thinks to Yugi that it's all right. With tears in his eyes, Yugi orders Silent Magician to attack the Pharaoh's life points directly.
The dueling field is enveloped in the light of the attack. Duke asks if Yugi won the duel, and Ishizu says that, if the attack is successful, yes. (There's no dialog here in the Japanese.)
The light fades, and the Pharaoh's life points go down to zero. The images of the cards disappear from the field. The duel is over. Yugi falls to his knees, his tears spilling onto the ground. The Pharaoh walks over to him, smiling sympathetically, and tells him, congratulations. Then he kneels in front of Yugi and puts his hand on Yugi's shoulder, telling him that a champion doesn't belong on his knees. Yugi achieved a great victory for them both. (Japanese Pharaoh says, "It was my loss." He kneels by Yugi, saying, "Stand up. The winner shouldn't be on his knees. If I were you, I wouldn't cry.")
Still weeping, Yugi says that he was focusing so hard on playing the game that he forgot what winning this duel would actually mean. By defeating the Pharaoh, he's sent him away for good. (Japanese Yugi says that he's weak. He always followed his other self, wanting to be as strong as he is.) The Pharaoh says, no, Yugi has opened the door for him. Thanks to Yugi, his spirit can finally be at rest. He'll be back where he belongs. He says that fate brought them together for a reason, and they fulfilled their destiny. (Japanese Pharaoh tells Yugi he isn't weak. He's strong—he has the strength of tenderness. This is what Atem learned from Yugi, his partner.) Yugi looks up at the Pharaoh, who says that they protected mankind from the return of the Shadow Games, and they've both grown tremendously along the way. (Japanese Pharaoh says that Yugi's courage in accepting the challenge has led the Pharaoh to the right path.)
They stand up, facing each other, and Yugi says he'll miss the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh says they'll never truly be apart. The gift of kindness Yugi has given him, and the gift of courage he's given Yugi, will remain with them and forever bind them together. (Japanese Yugi says, "Mou hitori no boku"—"The other me." The Pharaoh says, no, he's no longer another Yugi. Yugi is who he is and no one else. He is Mutou Yugi, the only Yugi in the world.)
The Eye of Wdjat in the doorway begins to glow. Now that the battle ritual is complete, Ishizu says, the Eye of Wdjat that guards the gate to the spirit world has awakened, and the spirit of the great Pharaoh, which was trapped within the Millennium Puzzle for five thousand years, is now free.
The Pharaoh stands before the door. Téa asks, so this is it? Ishizu tells the Pharaoh to tell the Eye of Wdjat his name.
The Pharaoh says, "I am the son of King Aknamkanon. My name is Atem."
The door slides open, and light shines through it onto the Pharaoh's face. Atem steps forward towards the light.
Téa, Joey, and Tristan call out, and run to the Pharaoh, who stops. Yugi joins them, as Tristan protests, so that's how it ends? The Pharaoh thinks he can just show up and change everybody's life, and then just leave? (Japanese Honda says, "Are you really leaving? You don't have to go to that place. Don't go!") He covers his eyes with his hands. Joey and Téa also close their eyes against tears. Yugi wipes his eyes on his sleeve, and says that what Tristan means is that they don't want to say goodbye. (Japanese Yugi doesn't say anything here.)
Téa agrees. She knows that walking through that door means the Pharaoh's spirit will finally be free, and it's all for the best, but it doesn't seem fair! She feels that they were all just getting to know him—in fact, he was just beginning to get to know himself, and now he's being taken away from them. She knows she should be happy for him, but it's hard to do that when you're losing your best friend, and you don't understand why it has to be that way! (Japanese Anzu says, the other Yugi... no, Atem. That's the proper place that he must go to, and she understands that. But that light will separate them. She doesn't know what it means. Their good friend is leaving them, and she doesn't know why.)
Joey says he guesses there are some things they're not supposed to understand. Just look at him—he goes through half his life not understanding what's going on! He starts to cry, too, then says he knows that true friends may be hard to leave, but they're impossible to forget. And even though the Pharaoh's stay wasn't as long as they'd have liked, they're lucky they knew him at all. (Japanese Jounouchi tells Anzu it doesn't matter. Atem will always be in her memories. He tells her not to forget the times she had with him. Now, they should see him off. Let him go into his future.)
Atem thinks his thanks to Joey. Téa thinks goodbye to Atem, and good luck. (Japanese Anzu thinks she'll never forget him.) As Atem starts again to walk towards the door, Joey calls out to the Pharaoh that he hates to break the news to him, but he's not going anywhere—because everything he's given them is staying right there in their hearts. Atem turns to him, smiling, and says, right! (Japanese Jounouchi tells the Pharaoh, it doesn't matter if he's the Pharaoh or Atem, he'll always be Yugi. Even in a thousand years, he'll always be their friend.)
Yugi adds, like they always say, it's your move! (Japanese Yugi says he'll never forget Atem.) Atem gives them "thumbs up" as he walks into the light. Everyone watches silently. Just as the Pharaoh steps through the door, his clothing and appearance change back to that of the ancient Pharaoh, and beyond him, his friends and family appear, waiting for him.
The door begins to slide closed. Téa starts to run toward it, but Joey stops her with his hand on her shoulder. The door slams shut, and the Pharaoh is gone. Yugi tells the Pharaoh goodbye.
Then the pillars holding up the chamber begin to shake and crumble. What's that? Bakura asks, and Duke says it's an earthquake. Yugi says, it's the Millennium Stone! Dust streams from the stone, and it crumbles, falling deep into the ground and taking the Millennium Items with it. Yugi exclaims that the Millennium Items are gone! Joey says they should be gone, too.
As the walls crack and the pillars crumble, they all run for the stairway. At the rear of the cavern, by the fallen stone, the spirit of Shadi watches.
Everyone gathers outside the underground cavern watching the dust settle. Ishizu says that, now that the Pharaoh has returned to the next world, the Millennium Items have been permanently sealed, and their duty as the Pharaoh's Tombkeepers is finally complete.
Tristan asks, so this is the end? It feels weird. Joey agrees, but Kaiba asks what "you geeks" were expecting. Joey suggests fireworks, sappy music—something! He tells Yugi to at least make one of his little wrap-up speeches. (Japanese Honda says, so he's gone. Joey agrees. No one else speaks.)
Yugi says, sometimes the end of one adventure is just the beginning of another. Much better, says Joey, as they all look up into the sky. (Japanese Yugi and Jounouchi are silent as they look up into the sky.)
(Cut from the US version is this epilog, shown over the ending credits, beginning with a shot of the plane taking the gang home from Egypt, then Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon jet overtaking it.)
(The gang watch out the windows as Kaiba's jet streams away.)
(The plane lands at the airport, where Rebecca and her grandfather are waiting to greet them.)
(Jounouchi looks up to see his sister, Shizuka, running towards him. Otogi and Honda try to run to her, but Jounouchi grabs them by the collars and holds them back, so he can greet his sister himself.)
(Dinosaur Ryuuzaki and Insector Haga are seen, challenging each other to a duel.)
(Siegfried von Schroeder and his brother, Leon, are in Pegasus' office, trying to make some sort of deal with him. Pegasus sits with his back to them at first, then swings his chair around and accepts their offer.)
(Kajiki Ryouta is on his boat, sailing into port. The kanji on Kajiki's boat's flag read "tairyou," which means a large catch of fish.)
(He sees the five Roba brothers waiting on the pier for him, Esper Roba ready to duel.)
(Vivian Wong and Mai Valentine face off for a double duel against Mei and Kyuu, the Labyrinth Brothers, atop the Great Wall of China.)
(After the credits, there's one more scene at the Game Shop. Grandpa is sweeping the sidewalk in front of the store when Yugi rushes out, calling out that he's leaving now, and his Grandpa tells him to take care.)
(Jounouchi, Anzu, and Honda are waiting for Yugi, and call out "Good morning." He runs happily to join them.)
(Jounouchi teases Yugi about being late, and he laughs apologetically.)
(Yugi looks up, smiling. In voiceover, Yugi says, "This isn't the tale of a great Pharaoh. Everyone has his own story. This story may be ending, but my story is just beginning.")
The End
