Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 289 The Supreme Blow!

Dammit, did I already promise to lay off the "phrasing" jokes in the last post? Curses and crumpets, my inner Sterling Archer is screaming at me right now. Oh well, just add it to the existing cacophony in my head. Blend it in there, what difference do a few extra decibels make among friends? I've already got about five different alarms blaring about Texas ALONE this week, so juvenile Beavis and Butthead style guffaws about "blows" pales in comparison to that. 

I'm sorry, did you say something? It feels like there's cotton stuffed in my ears, I can't...

Yeah, welcome to Yu-Gi-Oh, where literally NOTHING is a myth. All real. Enjoy your stay.

Yami thinks he believes his father's words that justice is in the name of the gods - still not sure if this is a telepathic phrase from the mummy of his father or a phrase he remembered his father saying while he was alive. Either way, I disagree, but we've already determined I'm way too leftist for this fucking comic by now. The priests ooh and ahh at the god, one of them in disbelief that this is what one looks like. They've never actually SEEN one of these before? Then how the hell did Obelisk get in the shrine across the way in the first place? Who put it there? 

Even proto-Kaiba is in awe over Obelisk the Tormentor. Siamun leans down to mutter to the mummified previous pharaoh that it's real; if only he could see the prince who carries on his dream also wields the three hidden gods. Wait, even HE hasn't actually seen these gods before??

What, was the damn shrine just built around these carvings NO ONE produced?

Thief!Bakura reiterates that his plan was originally to kill all seven holders of the Millennium Items and take them, but he didn't really expect to see THIS thing standing in his way. But he figures if it takes Diabound murdering a god then so be it - they'll see who the REAL god is. Yami repeats the statement we all saw earlier about the Millennium Items being forged for his father's dream of fostering freedom and peace, something I'm still skeptical of, but we'll go with it for now. He says he'll never forgive the person who tries to steal the items, which doesn't appear to break thief!Bakura's heart or anything. He DOES get a little pissy, though, repeating the supposed values of "freedom" and "peace" back and bidding Yami not make him laugh. He says that the Millennium Items are double-edged swords, created of both good and evil, and grins as he continues on to say that their holders must beware because they will respond to the evil that lies in every person's soul and drag them into a world of evil. Pretty ominous, and Yami doesn't have a rebuttal for it, just glaring. 

Thief!Bakura says that the rich and powerful LOVE to talk about "justice" - the right to punish people they fear and kill those they hate - calling it "execution" instead of "murder". He asks the entirely valid question of if this is really justice or if it's evil. Thief!Bakura suggests that Yami really fears his enemy's ideas of what justice is, and says no one can actually draw the line between good and evil. The Millennium Items are they compass of the soul, only THEY can really tell. That last part was pretty iffy, since these items were created by fallible men just as much as all their systemically flawed justice systems, but the rest of his philosophy? Nailed it. 

He encourages Yami to look behind him at all those self-righteous priests and consider if he's really sure one of them doesn't covet the throne. Akhenaden steps forward with full offense, insisting that they have absolute loyalty to the pharaoh. It wasn't self-righteous at all. Nope. Thief!Bakura laughs, admitting that he claims claims justice on his side as well, but goes on to repeat that he intends to kill all of them and usurp the throne himself along with the Millennium Items, and ultimately rule the world. Whether this is an acknowledgment of his bias in the matter or not isn't entirely clear. Again, we'll run with it. 

Yami throws thief!Bakura's bid not to be made to laugh by the term "Justice" back at him, asking where the justice is in grave robbing and murder. Well... I could point out a few things myself, but somehow I don't think a philosophical conversation is really what he's after here. It could be that he asserts thief!Bakura won't get away with this, or the fact that he spent a good amount of time brooding over the abused corpse of his father. Maybe both and more.

Not likely. Indeed, when he commands Diabound to shoot a spiral wave at Obelisk, what looks like a visualization of echolocation generating from where its navel would be, Obelisk merely raises an arm diagonally to block it. Yami mirrors Obelisk's grimacing expression, but overall it looks pretty painless. Thief!Bakura's eyes are wide in shock and disbelief, on the other hand. 

I mean, it didn't really look like much to begin with...

Thief!Bakura "urk"s as he stares in horror up at Obelisk. Meanwhile Yami promises to show him how flimsy his concept of justice actually is. As Obelisk pulls back its massive fist for a punch, Yami describes its iron and godly composition as just the tool to pulverize that shitty definition of "justice". Diabound's chest is fully exposed and vulnerable for a hit. At least that's what I think the skewed panel without it even centered in the frame is trying to say.

WRECKED. Both he and Diabound are knocked backward from the force of the attack, the latter crashing right through a pillar behind. Expected considering its bulk. The priests are awash in admiration for the ultimate power of the gods, and the fact that Obelisk took Diabound down in a single blow. Meanwhile, Yami glares ahead, mimicking the stoic pose with curled fists of his god-monster behind. 

As he moves to kneel, clutching his chest and groaning, thief!Bakura's "Ba Gauge" shows his power has dropped to below half of its capacity, something he internally acknowledges. He also silently admits he needs to get the hell out of here, Diabound righting itself behind him as well. They both rise once more, even if thief!Bakura is still a little doubled over. Regardless, Yami's adopted an exclamation point to help his impassive expression show SOME emotion, and Akhenaden gapes in disbelief over thief!Bakura still having some power left. 

From behind the giant hand of his Diabound guarding him, thief!Bakura attempts to downplay how he fucked around and found out, instead casually casting his personal experience of the power of Yami's god as an interesting outcome to an experiment. Even as he bleeds from the corner of his mouth, he grins and promises Yami that it won't go this well for the "great pharaoh" next time. With a chuckle, he wishes Yami farewell while he and Diabound make their quick exit, a hissing snarling snake head warning off any pursuit trailing behind them. Priests and guards alike shout about how both Diabound AND thief!Bakura's physical body disappeared through the wall, and orders to follow the troublemaker.

Yami grits his teeth, looking worried. Priest Seto wears a sinister glare.

Kinda seems like you already started one, dude. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? As usual, the god "cards" steal the show and the entire chapter is consumed with the lead-up to and aftermath from Obelisk's lone action. This isn't exactly a bad thing; the chapter seems more about the nuance of developing the comparison and contrast of thief!Bakura's philosophy than the actual battle. After all, we've seen Obelisk in action before, and though it is clear that KT is still having somewhat of a ball drawing it, the god-monster functions more as a pause-button on this conflict, with the focus on thief!Bakura's lecture at the aristocracy.

What fascinates me about this lecture is the contradictory nature of it. Thief!Bakura describes PERFECTLY the class struggle at play here - the rich and powerful defining justice in terms of how it benefits them - a hierarchy of inherent goodness and righteousness with the wealthy at the top and the disenfranchised poor at the bottom. It's very convenient that those who pilfer the wealth buried with a DEAD rich man who no longer has any use for it are treated as weak sinners who develop monsters through their hate and fear, while those who hoarded and buried that wealth in the first place are considered above the development of such monsters. Thief!Bakura points out, rightfully, that their concept of good and evil is a matter of mere point of view. They've defined themselves as the good side by default, but those they consider evil no doubt see things the other way around. 

But thief!Bakura isn't interested in reconciling or FIXING this issue. He's much more interested in forcing his way into the position of aristocrat, and exerting power over the world in exactly the same way his enemies are currently doing, if not WORSE. He identifies with the rich and powerful; considers himself a "king" of sorts, decks himself out in the finery he's stolen, lays claim to a collection of powerful items for his own elevation. He says NOTHING about lifting up and helping his fellow poor/thieves in society, criticizes the unfair stratification of their society only because YAMI is in charge, and plans to preserve the system in no uncertain terms. 

It's an accurate articulation of injustice for a majority of people, but weaponized by someone who isn't interested in actually doing anything about it and exploiting it himself once he grasps power. It's too familiar for comfort, but damn if that isn't exactly what makes it relatable. And it's sufficiently dynamic to make thief!Bakura both understandable in his theory and TERRIFYING in his plans. He's a FAR more interesting character than I took him for at first.

I'm still a little miffed by how the gods are supposed to exist in the shrine. I hope in the future we get some kind of explanation of how they ended up there without someone not directing them there in the standard method we've been shown by Priest Seto. It makes sense that no one would have enough power to muscle them in there (except perhaps the divine pharaoh?), but there hasn't been any other demonstration of how that can be accomplished. Is that just... their home? Do they have an actual RELATIONSHIP with the royal family, granting favors and assistance because they're buds? KT better explain what the deal here is.