Episode 3: The Lost Exodia

Yugi stands on the roof of Domino High, looking out over the city in the afternoon sun, thinking about Pegasus's challenge and how to reclaim his Grandpa's soul.

In the US version, we see Grandpa's face superimposed on the sky as Yugi's contemplating the situation. In the Japanese version, it's Pegasus floating in the sky.

Joey's at home, about to play a videotape he received in the mail. It's from his little sister, Serenity (Shizuka, which means "calm, peaceful" in Japanese). She tells him she misses him, and we see a brief flashback to six years ago, when they were separated after their parents' divorce: little Joey runs after the car, calling his sister's name, while little Serenity cries with her face pressed against the car window. She says she wishes she could see him one more time, "before... you know." Joey's very upset.

Yugi finds an envelope tucked into the door of the game shop when he goes home. It's from Pegasus, and it contains five special Duel Monsters cards. The next day at school, Yugi shows the cards to his friends and explains that it's an invitation to a special tournament at Pegasus's island, Duelist Kingdom, to be held in two days' time. Everyone's worried about what might happen to Yugi if he accepts, but he feels he has to go if he's going to save his Grandpa.

Tristan notices that one of the cards states that there's a prize of three million dollars for the tournament winner. Yugi's not interested in the money, but Joey sure is!

Later, Yugi finds Joey sitting on the roof, watching the sunset. Joey insists that one way or another, he'll help Yugi rescue his Grandpa. Yugi says he's glad they're friends, and they remember when they first became friends—Joey and Tristan were picking on Yugi, and Joey stole a piece of the Millennium Puzzle and threw it out the window. But after Yugi defended them against a huge bully—even though he got himself beat up as well—Joey retrieved the puzzle piece for him and apologized, and they became friends. Yugi says he made a wish on the puzzle for a true friend, and the puzzle came through for him.

In the Japanese version of the flashback, Jounouchi tells Yugi that he has a treasure, too, just as Yugi has his puzzle. It's something you can see, but you can't see—their friendship.

(The "something you can see, but you can't see" riddle pops up repeatedly in the Japanese version, and was something Yugi originally said about the puzzle when it was still in pieces: you can see the pieces, but you can't see the puzzle because it hasn't yet been solved.) Present-day Jounouchi is embarrassed about having said something so mushy.

Anyway, they agree that now they're the Best Friends Ever, and Joey repeats that he'll find a way to go with Yugi and help him rescue Grandpa. But how will Joey get to the tournament without an invitiation?

At Domino Port, the duelists have gathered to board the ship for Duelist Kingdom. Kimo, he of the Pointy Hair (even pointier than Tristan's!) welcomes them, and tells them their Star Chips will grant them entry to the tournament. But there's a commotion—Joey's been caught trying to sneak aboard. Yugi runs to defend him, and gives him one of his two Star Chips so that he can enter the tournament, too.

Meanwhile, Tristan and Téa are stowing away in the cargo hold.

On board, Yugi and Joey are joined by Mai Valentine (Kujaku Mai; kujaku means "peahen"), who's curious to meet the little squirt that beat Kaiba. Yugi and Joey both go all googly over the glamorous Mai, who tells them she'll crush them both before sauntering away. Téa overhears and is quite indignant over Mai's arrogance, but Tristan's just as doofy over her as the other boys. (Japanese Anzu's more indignant over Yugi and Joey's drooling, calling them a couple of sex maniacs.)

In the dorm room where the unranked duelists are staying, Yugi and Joey run across Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood, who brag about having private rooms, as finalists in previous championships. After Rex leaves, Weevil points out the advantage to rooming with everyone else—the opportunity to get to know their opponents, and make some last-minute trades to improve their decks. Joey's into it, and immediately goes off to trade cards.

Mai, who's furious about the communal living arrangements, goes all coy and wangles an invitation to visit Rex Raptor's private room.

Meanwhile, Téa's looking very uncomfortable. She says she's freezing and can't sit still. Tristan tells her the sun will come up in the morning, and she's not amused. In the Japanese version, this exchange goes like this: Anzu has to go to the bathroom, so Honda tells her to pee over the side. She huffily says she can't do that, she's not a man! (American cartoon kids apparently never have to pee. However, Japanese kids continue to have normal bodily functions.) Then she spots their classmate, Bakura, by the railing.

Back in Rex Raptor's room, Mai challenges Rex to a duel, with a kiss for the prize if he wins. (In the Japanese, she says she'll do anything.) If she wins, though, he has to clear out and let her have the room.

Joey shows Yugi the cards he traded for: Salamandra, Kunai with Chain (Boomerang), Baby Dragon, Shield and Sword. Yugi gives Joey his Time Wizard to add to his deck.

Mai's guessing all the cards in her deck as Rex Raptor turns them up one by one. First is Shadow of Eyes, then Harpie Lady, Elegant Egotist and Cyber Shield. She always knows the cards in her deck, she says. Rex begins to get a clue that dueling Mai might not be as easy as he thought. Randomly, Shadow of Eyes gets a facelift for the US:

(The real US release of Shadow of Eyes is somewhere between these two, and it's a Trap Card rather than a Magic Card.)

Weevil butters up Yugi into showing him his Exodia cards, then throws them overboard. Joey jumps into the ocean to try to retrieve them. Yugi's horrified, and doesn't want Joey to risk himself, shouting at him to come back to the ship. But Joey's determined to help his friend. He finds two of the cards before the current overcomes him. Then Yugi jumps in after him, and pulls Joey to the surface. Téa and Tristan throw a rope ladder down to them, and they're saved.

Mai tosses a humiliated Rex Raptor out of his room. No more Ms Nice Guy!

Joey apologizes for not being able to find all the cards. Yugi tells him it's okay, but Joey's upset that he couldn't help. He can't help anybody, he says, and tells them about his sister, Serenity—she's losing her eyesight, and without an expensive operation, she'll soon go permanently blind. He's hoping to win the prize money to pay for her eye operation. So he and Yugi both have important reasons to win.

The four friends stand in the bow of the ship together, as it approaches Duelist Kingdom.