The Duel in the Dark! Castle of Dark Illusions

[Note: For US broadcast, Episodes 14 and 15 were edited together and shown as one episode. This recap is based on the complete episode included on the US DVD release.]

The gang rush off to see what's happened to Mai, whom they've just heard scream. She's just seen her Harpie Ladies destroyed in a duel, reducing her Life Points to zero. Her opponent is a huge, scary-looking fellow with two dueling gloves, each with a huge double row of Star Chips. He demands Mai's eight Star Chips, and she hands them over just as Yugi and the others rush up to help.

The big scary dude tells them he's an Eliminator, hired by Pegasus to get rid of duelists. He's called Panik (Player Killer in the Japanese). (In the Japanese, the big guy just laughs and says his prey has come to him, and he challenges Yugi right away.) Joey is about to try to beat Panik up, with Tristan and Bakura holding him back, when Yugi tells him violence isn't the answer. (In the Japanese, Yugi tells Jounouchi that Bakura's right—even if he beats up the Player Killer, it won't solve the problem.) He goes Yami, and challenges Panik to a duel (accepts Player Killer's challenge, in the Japanese.).

Panik and Yugi trade insults for a while. Panik tells Yugi that he works by stalking unsuspecting duelists and strong-arming them into dueling, but Yugi says a True Duelist fights with honor and respect. (In the Japanese, this exchange is more about Pegasus, and his orders to the Player Killer to make Yugi his primary target, and Yugi's determination to beat Pegasus.) Yugi wagers all his Star Chips against Mai's eight, and Panik takes the bet, saying the Star Chips don't mean anything to him. He activates a device that shackles Yugi to the dueling platform by his ankles, and then sends fountains of flame around Yugi. (In the Japanese, he tells Yugi that when he loses, the flames will destroy him, inspiring Jounouchi to shout, per the subtitles, "You're mean." I should say!)

Eventually the flames subside. Panik laughs at Yugi's fear, but Yugi's not intimidated.

Panik begins by playing Castle of Dark Illusions (Castle of Increasing Darkness?) in defense. It gets a field power bonus from being played at night, and Panik's side of the field disappears into shadow. The Castle's ring in the Japanese episode contains the kanji for yami, or dark. In the US, the ring is solid black.

Yugi is a bit shaken to be facing a hidden opponent, but plays Celtic Guardian (Elf Swordsman) in defense. Panik summons a monster Yugi can't see, and destroys Celtic Guardian. Yugi's getting flustered. How can he fight an enemy he can't see? He has to get rid of the Castle of Dark Illusions, but none of his monsters has enough power to destroy it. He plays Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress in defense mode.

Panik taunts Yugi some more. Yugi struggles to think of a way to fight. He puts his Winged Dragon in Attack mode and attacks the darkness with its fireballs, illuminating Panik's monsters for the moment. But then Panik destroys Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress, taking Yugi's Life Points down to 1606. Yugi's in trouble, but refuses to knuckle under. He does a little taunting back, telling Panik he's a coward for hiding in the shadows, and Panik responds with another jet of flame. Yugi stands up to him, telling him the dark is nothing to be afraid of, and saying that he has the card that will illuminate the darkness. He shows Panik his Swords of Revealing Light (Sealing Swords of Light) card, and tells him he'll defeat him in five turns. Then he plays Curse of Dragon in defense mode, and sets another card face-down on the field.

Panik plays Reaper of the Cards (Death God Reaper of the Cards), sending it to destroy Yugi's face-down card, certain that it's the Swords of Revealing Light. But in fact, Yugi's set card was a trap card, Spellbinding Circle (Hexagram Curse), which siezes Panik's Reaper of the Cards, stopping it from attacking. Spellbinding Circle gets a makeover for US audiences, changing the hexagram into some swirly designs.

Now that his magic cards are safe from the Reaper of the Cards, Yugi sets his Swords of Revealing Light and another magic card face down, telling Panik he'll defeat him in five turns.