Yu-Gi-Oh Manga: 339 Yuugi vs. Atem!!

The "how" of this upcoming match is still blowing my mind a bit, because it occurs to me that the solidification of a split shadow is an interesting way to manifest another body for one of these souls. In the beginning of the story, Atem as the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle was aligned with the dark, doling out punishments and judgments against wrong-doers in a distinctly spooky/shady manner. He even seemed to take pleasure in some disturbing retributions really early on. As the story progressed, his orientation shifted more toward the light side of the spectrum, the traditional alignment for a "good" guy in most fiction. The polarity was pretty fully flipped, but now, with the split shadow, Atem seems to have been identified by the "shadows" again. So, the question is: could all the references to light of the heart and casting of shadows in the painful metaphorical discourse between Atem and Zorc have had another layer? Was Atem REALLY ever the "light" side that was being talked about, or was it actually YUUGI, whose shadow he's been living as for the vast majority of the story?

Or am I thinking too hard about all this and should I just accept my whiplash with grace?

Either way, we get a recap of the ritual instructions over the image of the Millennium Tablet complete with all the items and a light emanating from the cracks around them, and the Door to the Afterlife. It might be a little like putting together Ikea furniture, folks - insert Millennium Item into corresponding slot, say the name of the pharaoh, and the door will open to welcome him, AFTER the Wadjet Eye judges the pharaoh's worth and someone takes the pharaoh's sword to quiet his soul. Not complicated, but still somewhat... challenging.

I'm feeling SO weird about this. 

While he's inserting the deck he just made into his clone Duel Disk (or is Yuugi's the clone? *shrug*), Atem silently thanks his partner for accepting this challenge, but since he's a duelist, it's his pride to put EVERYTHING he has into beating his opponent no matter the cost. Clearly he's not planning on just handing this one to Yuugi. Yuugi too is inserting his newly-made deck into his Duel Disk, thinking at his "other him" that he has to be strong, because otherwise Atem will never be free from his heart. He vows once more to defeat his "other him". 

How funny would it be if they accidentally chose each other's decks? I mean, I know there's no chance of that, since Yuugi's was in the puzzle box and everything, but it might break the tension a little if there was a silly little mix-up. Or it might just make everyone more upset, now that I think about it...

While Yuugi and Atem stand to face off against each other, the peanut gallery is very anxious. Jonouchi and Honda are clenching their teeth and their fists are raised, the former complaining that he doesn't know who to root for. He reiterates that if Yuugi wins, the OTHER Yuugi will leave them, and if the OTHER Yuugi wins, then nothing changes and they all get to stay together. Put that way, it sounds like a no-brainer, but Jonouchi adds that the second outcome would also mean Yuugi never gets to stand alone. No doubt that adventure in the Memory World was a one-off deal and Yuugi won't get another chance at independence like that again, so, fair.

Anzu frets silently, correcting her brain when it also tries to call Atem the OTHER Yuugi, and just wanting him to stay with them. She's coming down firmly on the side of wanting him to win it seems, just because she would HATE to see him go. Ishizu dispassionately explains that this trial will decide both their fates, since their souls have been joined in one heart for so long and they're the only ones who can find the answer. 

Atem shouts at Yuugi an invitation to get this thing going, and Yuugi nods in agreement. 

Are they doing that d-d-d-d-d-duel thing? That thing I hear all the time on YouTube?

Atem declares he's taking the lead, choosing a card from his hand to put in the graveyard with the accompanying explanation, and uses it to special summon something called "The Tricky" in attack position. It's got question marks on both its blank head topped with a jester's hat, and its torso, which reinforces the mystery of how its card doesn't appear to have any other tidbits about what it does than how to summon it. Atem then plays a card face down and ends his turn. 

As Yuugi carefully considers how Atem immediately special summoned a 2000-point monster, he announces his own turn and then slaps down Swords of Revealing Light, which appear all around The Tricky in order to hold it in place. Jonouchi marvels at how Yuugi used Swords of Revealing Light on his first turn and he's not messing around, and at last, Atem cracks a smile at Yuugi, appearing pretty impressed himself. 

Man, they're just CRUISING right along, aren't they? I guess these can go fairly fast absent the trash-talk.

After Atem says it's his turn again, he does some thinking about the basic strategy Yuugi is using - protecting himself from Atem's monsters until he has enough monsters out there to sacrifice for something high-level. But Atem, without any kind of mirth, thinks at Yuugi that he should know Swords of Revealing Light can't block ALL attacks. He holds out a card he's plucked from his hand, announcing it's a spell card he's playing. Yuugi seems astounded that Atem has THAT card: "Rebellion", which makes Green Gadget whirl around and prepare to attack Yuugi himself, per the text on the card and Atem's statement to as much. His own monster lunges for Yuugi, eliciting a worried, uneasy response from Marik. 

But Yuugi smiles and says he knew Atem would do that. Atem looks on in shock and disbelief as Yuugi reveals the trap he laid, "Stronghold", and it rises behind Yuugi like a cross between a massive server machine, a power plant, and kin to the exposed gear creature he summoned before. Atem leans forward as if he has to get a better look to really accept the "hidden fort trap" that Yuugi has played. Yuugi confidently awaits Green Gadget's molasses approach.

Not quite so BASIC as you thought, huh Atem?

Sugoroku acknowledges Yuugi's good move, narrating how Rebellion was negated and Yuugi's points remain intact, and the still conflicted Jonouchi mumbles good luck to BOTH the players. Fair, because after what we've seen both of them do, Atem's certainty that this will be his toughest challenge is probably an understatement. 

Atem ends his turn, straight-faced and serious. No other moves or ANYTHING. Yuugi declares his turn and draw, looks at the new card critically, and silently warns his "other him" that he's already got all the cards for a special combo in his hand, so he'd better be ready. Yuugi first plays a spell card with a price of 1000 of his points, called "Ties of the Brethren" which allows him to special summon a couple of monsters of the same type as the one he already has out there. He pulls the ones he wants from his deck, Atem looking on in alarm again. Yuugi calls for the gadgets to come to him, overly dramatic, but effective. 

No blue gadget? I guess primary colors can't ALWAYS be included in everything.

At last, Atem actually SPEAKS to Yuugi about what he's doing, and his assessment isn't very generous. He points out that the three monsters Yuugi has managed to get out there cannot be used for attack or sacrifice, and advises his partner that he can't be defeated through puny defensive tactics like Stronghold or his defense monsters. Uh, Atem seems to have traded the memory of certain game aspects for the memory of his name and past, because he's forgetting that a lot of these mech/robot monsters like to COMBINE. 

Indeed, Yuugi tells him his monsters AREN'T for defense, and are actually different steps to a whole attack strategy. Atem gapes again in disbelief while Yuugi shouts that they're doing this, and commands his gadgets to become the gears in that big fort behind him. They fly up to the empty slots on the Stronghold and rings of flowing air surround them as they get into position, which just seems to confuse the shit out of Atem, because he's perplexed as hell about what's going on here. So Yuugi explains that the three gears on the gadgets' backs fit into the Stronghold, and they turn, all while precisely this is happening.

Seriously, THIS should not be blowing your mind, Atem. 

Although it IS pretty massive, and Atem has to lean his head way far back to look up at the fusion attack he's identified. Yuugi asks if Atem is GETTING now that the usual field-card Stronghold can join with the gadgets and become Stronghold the Fort Monster at 3000 points of attack. I don't know, Atem is being awfully dense at the moment. Might not sink in until that walking fortress whaps him upside his cloudy head. Jonouchi, Honda, and Anzu all gape in various degrees of distress, but the dialog is more of awe that Yuugi's got this game going now. 

Yuugi demands that his Stronghold get Atem. 

Oh good, it's not that he's being DENSE, it's that he was using that IMPOSSIBLE poker face mind of his again. 

So, what did I think of this chapter overall? On the one hand, I appreciate the effort to show Atem's transition from mild skepticism of Yuugi's efforts at the beginning of the duel to his amazement at them. It makes more than enough sense that while he's proud of Yuugi for stepping up to take on this responsibility of his duel to end all duels, he might doubt that Yuugi can bring himself to put all his effort into the duel. Looking at this from Atem's perspective, I can see how Yuugi's moves for a minute MIGHT have come across as overly shy or like he was holding back, so his mini lecture about how Yuugi can't beat him with defensive moves is understandable. 

But, on the other hand, Atem being repeatedly taken-aback by the mechanics of these cards that he really should have predicted was a little grating. It didn't convey that his awe was in regards to Yuugi showing concerted effort, or being a little more in the game than he had assumed at first - it just made him look ridiculously dense. And the about-face at the end of the chapter where Atem shows he was in control all along just comes across as an over-correction for how stupid Atem was being written before. I've commented before on how Atem appears in both face AND thought to be on the ropes in a match, and then the next panel he's confident again when it's revealed that he had a countermeasure for whatever move he was reacting to in the first place. It seems disingenuous and like there's an effort to have it both ways: having tension built into the narrative while ALSO having your cool main character never REALLY be vulnerable or uncertain. In this particular case, there's also the impression KT might have pushed Atem's awe a little too far, and had to swing him back to a place where he's still in the competition. It's not great.

Otherwise, there's just a general melancholy to the start of this duel. The characters are expressing confusion at the situation, perplexity at how their friends ended up being on OPPOSITE sides of duel, and discomfort at what BOTH outcomes could mean. It is no wonder to me that, whenever Jonouchi in particular is depicted, he's got this sort of... lost expression, like he's totally unfamiliar with where he's at and he's failing to get his bearings. It's a little unsettling, but rich in emotion. 

And of course I can't deny that I'm feeling the impending ending a little more intensely with every subsequent chapter I recap/review here. It's getting WEIRD, and I don't even have a clever little countermove to the discomfort written for me like Atem does. I just have to DEAL.