Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 169 Under Siege!

Should I take this title literally or figuratively? I could definitely see a figurative slant, given the prolonged set of misfortunes and cut off from his normal card resources, but... I would really LOVE to see a castle for Haga's insect queen, if I'm honest. Just imagine the design! It could have aspects like a termite mound and some hives, and little bridges between spires made of spider silk. How cool would that be?

Until Jonouchi starved Haga out in some way like in an actual siege, of course. We all know Haga isn't winning this thing.

Don't get too smug, Jonouchi. If there's one thing about douchebags I know really well, it's that they're extraordinarily good at fooling themselves into maintaining the delusion that they're the best and smartest people ever. Plus, we've still got another turn-around or two to go before the end of this duel if my calculations are correct.

Haga's smarmy grin has collapsed, for longer than a second this time, go figure. After a growl, he points at Jonouchi and declares he still has the queen, so the terror has just begun. He's hanging on to that notion that his combo is the greatest insect combo of all time. A cute little diagram showing how all his actions, from the illegal move of planting the paracide card into Jonouchi's deck, to playing Insect Barrier to block all of Jonouchi's attacks, illustrates his point. What did I just say about the maintenance of delusions?

However, Jonouchi seems to be buying it, shoulders hunched as he wonders how he's going to get out of this one. Anzu is cheering that Jonouchi's previous move was smooth, though, living up to her SPIRIT shirt. Sugoroku looks critical as he strokes his chin, but admits it's a good use of a trap card regardless. Bakura is the only one asking the doubtful question about how Jonouchi is going to get rid of the Insect Queen.

Let's find out, shall we? Jonouchi still has paracide and his Panther Warrior, while Insect Queen is the only one left on Haga's side. Wait a moment, wasn't she supposed to lay an egg for every monster she destroys? Or does that only apply to ENEMY monsters? Too lazy to go back and check. Anyhow, Haga is still ahead of Jonouchi's 2000 life points with 2300, but he certainly doesn't look happy about it. He's grinding his teeth while Jonouchi looks strangely stoic across from him.

That is until he yells a question about Haga's readiness and a declaration that it's his turn as he draws a new card. Jonouchi glares at it, all while thinking of that badass queen lurking opposite him, knowing that any monster he summons will only be turned into an insect to strengthen her. In addition, he can't attack as long as Haga's Insect Barrier is up, so he wonders what he CAN do.

It looks like Haga has found his spunk again, because he's laughing at Jonouchi now. He asks for confirmation that Jonouchi's monsters are all warrior and beast warrior cards, then says that his insects are capable of feeding on ALMOST all humanoids and animals, and they'll crawl into any card Jonouchi plays. Jonouchi growls in response, but Sugoroku managed to catch on to Haga's little glimmer of truth. He recalls with his card encyclopedia of a brain that there is one warrior card that won't be affected by the paracide card, though he's unsure if Jonouchi has the card or not.

After a mental curse, Jonouchi admits he can do nothing on this turn and opts to put his existing monsters in defense and end it. Haga acts... coy, I suppose, with that gesture of splayed figures held up to his chin? I don't know. He agrees that Jonouchi can't do anything and announces his own turn. His summoning of Ari the Soldier Ant reminds Jonouchi that he's going to keep summoning insects to strengthen the Insect Queen. Again, nothing he can do.

As if possessed, Haga shrieks out a command to his "chitinous queen" to attack.

BTW, the attack strength I had to cut off with the diagonal edge of the panel was 3600. Jonouchi groans internally about Haga not attacking Parasite Paracide, knowing that Haga's intent is to keep it in play the entire game so all of Jonouchi's monsters will be insects.

Because the queen doesn't want to lose her impressive firepower, she's laid another egg, and Haga the proud uncle announces it. He does a little dance, encouraging the little larva to wriggle out of its egg too. Meanwhile, Jonouchi is wracking his brain for something he can do so he doesn't get wiped out on Haga's next turn, but all he knows is the Insect Queen is getting stronger and the Magic Arm Shield is long gone now.

Haga laughs his ass off, convinced he's got Jonouchi and advising his opponent to make his last turn a good one. Jonouchi growls, glaring at the gigantic Insect Queen he assumes will end that future he wanted so badly. Anzu again shouts at him that he'd better not give up, and Bakura jumps on the encouragement bandwagon to yell that Jonouchi can do it, despite his copious doubt before. Jonouchi's eyes widen at the sound of his cheerleading friends, and his determination grows. He resolves to find a way. Atta boy!

The panels are extra big as he announces his draw and looks at the new card, just to let you know this is a game-changer. Literally. Jonouchi looks pretty shocked at what he sees, some type of warrior card he's not revealing the name of yet. Could it be? The one warrior that can't be insectified?? THE ONE NOBODY KNEW EXISTED UNTIL LIKE TWO SECONDS AGO???

Haga doesn't seem to think so. He's still gloating to Jonouchi that any card summoned will turn into a bug, and as long as Insect Barrier is still up, there's nothing Jonouchi can do to attack. Haga looks kind of irate when he insists that there's nothing Jonouchi can do to win, almost as if he's had a premonition of what's to come and refuses to believe it.

Jonouchi is once more strangely placid when he holds out his card, back facing Haga, to spout a vague bit of wisdom about never knowing. Haga sweats a bit, asking for clarification, but I think he knows what's up.

Anzu is stoked for Jonouchi's renewed sense of SPIRIT, just like her shirt says, while Bakura thinks Jonouchi looks pretty cool, even if this is all a bluff. He's still a doubter, I see. Sugoroku once again reveals that he knows of one card that can overcome this particular combo, and wonders if Jonouchi really has it. Oh the suspense is killing me./sarcasm

Jonouchi shouts that he's ready, slaps a card face down on his Duel Disk, then pulls another from his hand, all the while glaring at Haga.

Haga calls Jonouchi a fool and says his knight is just worm-food. I don't know, Haga, you ever seen anything eat through iron other than rust?

The Parasite Paracide tentacles squirm out of the face of their card and lunge at Gearfried, but are unable to pierce through its metal exterior, merely glancing off the surface. A little exclamation point shows the tentacles feel shock at having failed to assimilate the knight. Haga is flabbergasted that parcide didn't work, and Jonouchi explains that Gearfried is like a robot, a hunk of iron that not even a parasite can live inside of. Haga is blown away by the "iron knight" part of the description, even though that phrase is literally part of Gearfried's full name.

Sugoroku says he's rather impressed that Jonouchi found Haga's weakness. Jonouchi continues to rub it in Haga's face that his little combo is broken by stating that since Gearfried isn't a bug (see, 'cause he's made of iron. Do you get it yet?) he can break through the Insect Barrier. Without further ado, Jonouchi commands Gearfried to get through that barrier and kick some ass. Specifically larva ass. Gearfried slices the larva's head clean off, much to the now 1700-pointed Haga's howling dismay.

When Jonouchi scoffs and asks how that little piece of justice tastes, Haga grumbles darkly about Jonouchi's supposed stupidity. I think you're forgetting who knew that insects (at least not those on land) don't chew through iron here. Although Haga DOES notice that Jonouchi went for the weakest of his insect horde. I suppose reality is slowly drilling into that thick skull of his after all.

Anzu cheers that Jonouchi managed to turn the tables, but Bakura warns her that Jonouchi will still lose if he doesn't avoid the next attack. Upon seeing the look Sugoroku is wearing when reiterating that Jonouchi figured out the insect combo's weakness, I can now say with utmost certainty that I know where Yuugi got that poop face he wears when he's serious. And he's got years more experience with it, too, because here's where Sugoroku drops a deuce... of TRUTH.

OOOOOOOOOOH SNAP.

Jonouchi has in fact figured out that the whole reason Haga turned his monsters into insects and put up the barrier was to prevent wearing him down bit by bit by taking out those little larva bastards. Haga growls, then snaps, asking Jonouchi if he's prepared to pay the price for angering his queen. He promises to show Jonouchi the Insect Queen's deadliest move now; something he calls The Queen Impact.

Well, this should be interesting.

Haga starts by switching his Soldier Ari card to attack, and then plays another card, "Multiplication of Ants." This is exactly what it sounds like, making a whole bunch of Ari clones pop into existence around it, and causing Jonouchi's eyes to widen in alarm. Sugoroku is sweating bullets at the new army of ants, which Haga says numbers in ten individuals. This of course means that the Insect Queen's attack raises for each one of them; 400 points each, to be exact, as Jonouchi remembers. Haga is wearing his sinister grin yet again when he confirms that this means the queens points are quite high now.

Shit. Now I regret using the "oh damn" gif up there.

Jonouchi's eyes are practically bulging at the huge number, and Sugoroku isn't optimistic at all anymore. Gearfried is, after all, in attack mode, which means Jonouchi will lose by a LOT if the queen attacks. Which she is immediately commanded to do, by the way. No one can ever say that Haga never learned his lesson in drawing out final schemes.

BUT WAIT! Jonouchi's grinning and pointing, and stealing Haga's catchphrase as well as his look! After Jonouchi calls Haga a fool, asking him how he likes it, Haga looks utterly dumbfounded, if not a little like he just pissed his pants. Jonouchi turns over the card he'd set down earlier, which is Grave Robber! Remember that one? Well, even if you don't, that's alright - it's just what it says on the tin. Haga is really losing his shit now, in complete disbelief that Jonouchi set a trap and it's Grave Robber.

Meanwhile the GR has already snagged the card Insecticide from Haga's discard pile. Jonouchi, face shadowed and dead serious, mutters that he just hates bugs.

Now I'm REALLY regretting using the "Oh Damn" gif up there!

Jonouchi informs the bug freak Haga that the game's over now, because it's his turn. He commands Gearfried to slash Haga, and Gearfried makes it quick with a bitchslap of his blade. Wait, aren't direct attacks only possible if there aren't any enemy monsters on the field? What about all those ants? I guess everyone forgot about them, because Haga's life points are wiped right out without so much as a rulebook check. Haga screams pitifully.

Anzu, Bakura and Sugoroku all grin like idiots at Jonouchi's win, and Sugoroku reflects on what a fine duelist Jonouchi has become. He internally warns Yuugi to watch his back, with a good-natured smile, of course. Haga's just dazed and confused by Jonouchi's skill, because he was sure Jonouchi was supposed to be an amateur or something. First of all, kid, if you consider yourself a professional, you'd better stop losing all of these tournaments, because your income is undoubtedly suffering from how poorly you play. Second, I don't know if you're familiar with the phrase "practice makes perfect" but at some point you have to stop being surprised that people become BETTER at something over time if they keep doing it over and over.

Then again, maybe someone who seems incapable of improving themselves is also incapable of understanding those that do.

Sober at first, Jonouchi begins to explain that it's not that he's especially strong. He points a damning finger at Haga to inform him that he's just REALLY weak. And a wimp. Haga faints at the condemnation to wimphood. I assume his unconsciousness is what allowed Jonouchi to pry his prize, the puzzle cards and Insect Queen, from Haga's sweaty little fingers.

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? I want to start out by saying that Gearfried's entrance was too heavy-handed, and KT is still quite a ways off from being able to pull off a proper setup. The whole "mystery card that can win the duel" angle would really only work if it was referred to at the beginning of the game, or even before it in some cases. It doesn't work as suspense when the villain's rare card was just introduced in the same way a couple of chapters before, and it CERTAINLY doesn't work when it's so obvious the card has been invented for this very scenario. A scenario that was played on an even more dramatic note than its predecessor, by the way. It seems like KT thinks he has to build suspense by continually reminding you that something is coming every two seconds.

At least, it SEEMS that way, at first glance. By the time Gearfried had arrived on the scene, I was rolling my eyes at how much flourish it took to introduce it, and it left me completely unprepared for the REAL end of the duel. Guys, this is a true, honest-to-goodness, red herring. It's misleading in its role, not in its importance. Yes, Gearfried was integral to the resolution of the game, but it didn't END the duel like we were lead to believe it would. That way, Jonouchi's creative use of the Grave Robber was much more meaningful, because not even Sugoroku, the great card-guru, saw it coming. That was satisfying as HELL, and the most so of Jonouchi's entire record, by a long shot.

Now I'm SUPER regretting I used... Oh to hell with it, I'll use it again.

Still a bit bothered about what happened to all those ants, though... Hmmmm...