Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 107 To the Castle!

Please, YES. Let's get this show on the road, already, because we've been heading for the castle for quite a few chapters now, and I'm getting kind of antsy. That's not even counting the whole tournament up until this point, with the goal of getting into the finals. I'm talking since Yuugi/Yami and company left the caves and got into this whole kerfuffle with Kaiba. Let's GO already. Emerald City is RIGHT THERE, this yellow brick road is at an end. GET IN THERE.

But nooooooo, we have to have another moral dilemma on our hands. Mai is still offering up her extra star chips, only asking Yuugi to face her in the tournament finals. Yuugi is speechless, staring open-mouthed at the chips being handed over to him. Jonouchi grasps Yuugi's shoulder in one hand and gives him a thumbs-up with the other, saying happily that it's his lucky day and that he should just take the star chips. Anzu and Honda are both on board with this plan as well, reminding him that if he takes the chips, he'll have enough to get into the castle.

Yuugi hangs his head, still not speaking, until he squeezes the statement that he can't accept the chips out of his throat. Jonouchi is beside himself while the rest of Yuugi's friends are dumbfounded. Mai expresses surprise when she pulls her extra chips back to her chest. Yuugi explains to Mai that while he was dueling with Kaiba, he interfered with his other self and lost, so he can't be doing anything selfish anymore.

SERIOUSLY? You consider preventing Kaiba from committing suicide SELFISH, Yuugi?? WHAT THE FUCK??????

Yuugi says that he's sure if Yami were speaking right now, HE wouldn't take the chips, so Yuugi won't either. Smiling, Mai admits she doesn't know what happened, though she characterizes Yami as just a mass of duelist pride. No shit. However, Mai reminds Yuugi that she OWES him the chips for him getting hers back from that superfluous asshole before she was kicked off the island. She asks him to look past HIS pride for a second and consider how SHE would feel if he didn't accept them, because she's a Lannister and always pays her debts.

Sorry not sorry.

Hell, even if Yuugi already had ten chips, she says she would still shove them in his face.

Shit, kiddo. Cool your balls, would you?

Jonouchi says that he's not even TALKING about Yami at this point, rather about what Yuugi himself wants. Yuugi glances down, trailing off in an explanation after just a reference to himself. Jonouchi asks Yuugi why he feels so inferior, because Yami being a good duelist doesn't mean that Yuugi doesn't matter too. He urges Yuugi to think about himself and what's really precious to HIM for once. Yuugi looks back up, like he's had a revelation as he repeats the phrase "precious to me" in his head.

Sick of every other thing anyone ever thinks about being "duelist pride" or "losing face", Jonouchi thinks these phrases are laughable, because there's actually something more important than that that Yuugi is fighting for. Yuugi recalls his grandfather and his situation.

Jonouchi talks about how a newbie like him winning ten star chips must have been a miracle, and how he was hoping others might start calling him a true duelist, but now he's not so sure about that title. If all true duelists are about is pride, then Jonouchi doesn't want to be one of those braggarts, always talking about how their shit don't stink because they can play cards and crap like that. But none of that matters to Jonouchi.

Jonouchi, this is why you're my favorite. This is clearly why you're Mai's favorite too, because she looks at Jonouchi with some fondness in the next panel. After a short pause, she says he's right, because pride can be quite the pain sometimes. She goes on to tell Yuugi that she didn't go around collecting extra chips just so she could earn the right to duel him later, either. This seems to confuse Yuugi, so Mai clarifies that it's true she thought she needed to repay him as she stares at the fist in which she holds those extra chips. Mostly, though, Mai just wanted to see her friends from the previous night again, causing everyone to stare at her in surprise.

Them calling Mai a friend after all those nasty things she said to them really made her feel warm and fuzzy, because no one has ever called her a friend before. Awwwww, giiiiiiirl! You're fast becoming one of my favorites too! Her self-proclaimed group of friends show a mixture of smiles and somewhat dumbfounded expressions. It's kind of hilarious.

YES! SUCCESS!

Anzu and Honda cheer for Yuugi's newly recovered spirit, and earning ten chips yet again. Jonouchi tells Yuugi if Yami has a problem with his decision, then Yami can come out and have his ass kicked for it. It's a nice thought, Jonouchi, but you realize that Yami's ass is Yuugi's ass too, right? Yuugi tells him not to worry, because he won't let Yami argue with him on this. Jonouchi winks at Yuugi in solidarity, then declares he'll race all these suckers to the castle just up the steps. All three of the four finalists are ready and determined to get in there.

Jonouchi leads them up to the gate with his bow-legged stomp, to a scoffing Vlad the Hair Impaler. He asks the incoming group if they have their chips as he says that only THREE more can go into the castle. Jonouchi confirms this, and Mai shows off her glove with the wrist full chips. Vlad thrusts his thumb at the door behind him in grudging approval of her entry. Mai inserts all the chips into the special gate lock and it opens for her, nice and easy. She waves to the rest of them, promising to see them inside.

Next, Yuugi steps forward and shows his glove's wrist too, which shocks Vlad. What shocks him even more is the fact that Yuugi does INDEED have 10 chips now. He haltingly admits that Yuugi meets the requirement for the finals and lets him enter the castle with a determined expression. Should have done your fucking job, huh? Next, Jonouchi shows off his wrist as well, and as he's bidding Vlad a casual farewell, Vlad tells Anzu, Bakura and Honda to hold the fuck up in following Jonouchi inside, asking who they are.

Honda pretends not to hear him properly as Anzu characterizes their little group as the cheering section. Vlad the Hair Impaler shouts that they can forget about getting in there, because Jonouchi is the last one who's allowed. While Anzu begs him to let them in, Jonouchi twists around and grinds his teeth at Vlad. Jonouchi yells at Vlad to shut up, hitting him so hard that his sunglasses are knocked off his face, on which he lands when he hits the ground, out cold. Jonouchi tells him smugly to count the stars around his head as he walks into the castle.

Yet another reason why Jonouchi is the BEST.

"We had a plan?" Ahhhh, an oldie but a goodie. I am overwhelmed with how endearing all of these characters are right now. It's beautiful.

As they run, Yuugi ruminates on how Pegasus is waiting for them inside there somewhere and his grandfather should wait for him. They come to a banister next to some stairs, and Yuugi is surprised to see someone standing leaned on it with one foot on the railing. He identifies this person as Bandit Keith, who looks around at the sound of his name. He grins at them, commenting on what a fucking surprise it is to see Yuugi and Jonouchi in there. Jonouchi shouts a sarcastic thanks at Keith for trapping them in the cave, before beginning a threat to kill him. Keith interrupts him to dismiss this notion, telling him that the show is about to begin, and he'll deal with Jonouchi later.

Jonouchi inquires about this "show", so Keith encourages him to look over the banister.

Yeah, surprise, Kaiba's awaiting his next duel. Shocker.

Keith says they're just in time for the duel between Kaiba and Pegasus with a smirk. Yuugi looks like this is a revelation, as though that ISN'T the one goal of Kaiba's being on this island to begin with and talking fucking NONSTOP about since he got here. Someone steps up to confirm this duel is indeed happening, and look, it's Mr. Croquet! He looks smug again now that his head isn't in a briefcase. He welcomes the four finalists to Pegasus's castle, noting that a few uninvited guests have wandered in as well. This doesn't seem to bother him, though, because he's eager to present expected and unexpected visitors alike with a special match as a personal welcome from Pegasus to his brave finalists.

Yuugi looks back over the railing, thinking about Kaiba, who stands stock still on the platform looking straight ahead. Above the grand doorway to his left, there's a dark observation window where his shadowed Big Five look down at him too, chuckling. Kaiba moves to tug on the string around his neck, thinking about that picture of Mokuba in the locket as he silently bids Mokuba to hold on for him to beat Pegasus and get him back.

Shit is about to go down! You can tell because of that spectral fire surrounding Kaiba again as he grinds his teeth and regards the hated Pegasus. Pegasus himself offers Kaiba a hearty and happy hello, saying he's super glad to see him again and welcoming him to his castle. He claims he's been waiting for the day when they could duel each other right there in his own Duelist Kingdom. Kaiba isn't interested in honoring Pegasus with a response, because he can't stop gritting his teeth at him. Pegasus chuckles and tells Kaiba not to worry, because once their duel is over, he'll give back Mokuba.

Boy oh boy, I can't wait.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? Jonouchi grabbed onto my heart and held it good during this one. Often, Jonouchi's selfish outbursts are just punchlines, like when he told that kid with the stolen chips that the price for getting them back was half of them. But here that same trait was turned around in tone to be an actually GOOD characteristic. Good, because Jonouchi's identity isn't tied up in duelist honor or pride or all that junk. He's Jonouchi, and dueling is just secondary to the purpose that he has come to the island to fulfill. In that respect, he knows Yuugi has come here for the primary purpose of saving Sugoroku too, so in Jonouchi's mind, that should come before Yami's pride every day of the week. Their places here aren't based on pride, but on necessity and the need to protect everything they hold dear.

Mai's heartwarming additions to this speech were totally necessary supplements too, because she has made a big admission here; she was really touched by their extension of friendship to her, and wanted to make the same extension to them. Her pride WAS a pain to her, because it disallowed her from connecting with the others she played the game with, causing some loneliness she didn't realize was a problem until she met a group of people who liked hanging around her when they weren't dueling. And when they ARE dueling, she's realized she CAN still be friends and have a good time with it, because the game can be just as much a bonding experience as it can be a match between rivals.

Now, if only we could drill that same message into KAIBA'S thick skull, we'd be good.