Episode 34: The Battle of Friendship - Yugi vs Jounouchi, Part 2

Pegasus watches happily as Yugi and Joey face each other across the dueling arena. He doesn't care who wins, he thinks—he'll be the ultimate winner, either way. (In the Japanese, Pegasus compares the two duelists: Yugi uses strategy, while Jounouchi uses strength. But now Jounouchi is using tactics against Yugi—who will win?) The duel is close—Joey has 750 life points, while Yugi has 550. Joey's Black Skull Dragon has just destroyed Yugi's Gaia the Dragon Champion, but now it's Yugi turn.

Yugi draws. He summons Dark Magician (Black Magician) in attack mode. Joey thinks he's got it in the bag—Black Skull Dragon has a higher attack than Dark Magician. But Yugi's not through yet—he plays Magical Hats (Magical Silk Hat) to conceal his Dark Magician and ends his turn.

Joey's seen this move before, but he doesn't like it so much when he's on the receiving end of it! Now it's just a matter of luck whether he can choose the right hat to attack. He'll just have to destroy them one by one. His first attack misses, leaving three hats, and now Yugi's got another chance to come back. Joey summons Garoozis in attack mode before ending his turn.

Yugi wonders why Joey would summon a weaker monster at this point, and Joey cheerfully agrees it was a dumb move. Now Yugi has no choice but to attack Garoozis, he says. (In the Japanese, Jounouchi covers his bluff a little better, telling Yugi he doesn't want to end the game just yet, so he's offering Yugi a monster to kill.) But if Yugi does attack, the gang in the gallery agree, it will leave Dark Magician unprotected against Black Skull Dragon on Joey's next turn. He's only doing it to draw out Yugi's Dark Magician. (Continuity error! Where's Garoozis? Black Skull Dragon is the only monster on Joey's side of the field. This error is in both versions.)

Yugi says he's not going to fall for Joey's bluff. He hides a covered card under one of the Magical Hats and ends his turn. It must be a trap card, Joey thinks. But he knows Yugi would know he'd think that, so maybe it's really a monster card. But Yugi'd know he'd think that, too, so maybe it really is a trap card....

Oh, forget it, and just attack! Joey sends the Black Skull Dragon to attack the Magical Hats again. But it's another miss.

Things never go exactly as you plan, do they? muses Pegasus, as cards carrying the image of a beautiful woman—the same one whose painting is in the dining hall and Pegasus's tower room—pass across his vision. We see a brief flashback of Pegasus's past—his happy romance with Cecelia, their engagement, and her sudden death just as the two were married. In memory of his devastating loss, he vows to fight on with all he possesses, and win! (In the Japanese, the whole Cecelia flashback isn't there. I guess the US animators thought the audience needed more foreshadowing of Pegasus's motivation. Instead, there's another brief conversation between Yugi and Jounouchi, in which Yugi tempts Jounouchi to attack and find out what's in the other hat, and Jounouchi takes the bait.)

Joey attacks the Magical Hats with Black Skull Dragon again. (Wait a minute—what happened to Yugi's turn? Did he pass while Pegasus was having his flashback? Oops, that's what was in the missing part that was cut to replace with Pegasus's reflections.) But the attack hits Yugi's trap card, Spellbinding Circle (Hexagram Curse), which reduces the Black Skull Dragon's attack to 2500, making it vulnerable to an attack. Joey switches Garoozis into defense mode.

Joey's on the defensive now, but Yugi's still not in the clear. Dark Magician's attack is only 2500, equal to Black Skull Dragon's reduced attack. It's a standoff, unless Yugi has some way to tip the balance.

Joey's never faced a tougher opponent, but he's still determined to win. Yugi's impressed by how much Joey has learned in the past few weeks, but it will take more than expert dueling skills to stand up to Pegasus's Millennium Eye.

Yugi tells Joey that the tide of the battle is about to turn. He draws the Book of Secret Arts, telling Joey that this is the card that will vanquish his Dragon. This magic card increases Dark Magician's attack by 300 points, enough to destroy the Black Skull Dragon. Joey is discouraged, until he remembers the promise he made to his sister. For her sake, he can't give up.

Joey draws Baby Dragon and summons it in attack mode, then plays a card face down. Yugi thinks it must be the Time Wizard (Time Magician), and attacks Baby Dragon with Dark Magician, planning to destroy it before Joey has a chance to play Time Wizard.

But it was a trap! Joey's face down card is Kunai with Chain (Chained Boomerang), which he uses to stop Dark Magician's attack. Now they're down to the final stretch!

Joey pauses to tell Yugi it's been an honor dueling with him, and Yugi agrees likewise. (In the Japanese, Jounouchi says simply, The time has come.) Téa's thrilled to see that even in the middle of a heated duel, the two are friends first. Joey goes on to say that if he loses, he's glad it will be to Yugi. (In the Japanese, he says, no matter who wins, he has no regrets.) Then he draws Time Wizard, the one card in his deck that can finish the duel! (Continuity error! You can see on Joey's playing field the bottom of a monster card with a purple background, with attack of 3200 and defense of 2500—that's the Black Skull Dragon, which has already been destroyed. The card next to it, with an attack of 1800, is Garoozis. Baby Dragon is the other monster card that should be on the field. Which it is, in the Japanese version.)

Joey remembers that it was Yugi who gave him the Time Wizard, and reflects that the card saved his keister many times during the tournament. Strange that it should all come down to this card. He activates Time Roulette—and hits the Time Machine! Baby Dragon is turned into the mighty Thousand Dragon, while Dark Magician ages into an old man.

Joey can hardly believe it! He's about to win! He attacks—

But Yugi counters with Makiu the Magical Mist, smothering Thousand Dragon's Attack. How could he play a magic card on Joey's turn?

Yugi explains—the Dark Magician did age, but the years have not weakened him. Instead, he's aged into the Dark Sage (Black-Robed Sage), an ultimate magician with the ability that it allows Yugi to play a magic card during each of Joey's turns, as well as his own. Then Yugi draws a card, and in tears, tells Joey that he's fought a valiant duel, and this is the hardest move he's ever had to make. (In the Japanese, he simply says he will now use the magic of the Black-Robed Sage.) He plays Monster Reborn (Raise Dead), and calls Black Skull Dragon back from the graveyard.

Joey also sheds a few tears, knowing he's lost. But he quickly recovers, telling Yugi to bring it on! Black Skull Dragon attacks, and Thousand Dragon is destroyed, winning the duel for Yugi.

Téa's so proud of them for fighting a tough duel, and never once losing sight of their friendship! (In the Japanese, she says that now she understands why they're fighting.) Pegasus walks away from the dueling arena, thinking she'd better save her tears for when he faces Yugi. (Japanese Pegasus tells Yugi it was a good battle, but now he will beat him.)

In the anteroom, Joey congratulates Yugi on his victory, and offers him the Glory of the King's Hand card. But Yugi won't accept it, telliing Joey to keep it, and the prize money, for Serenity's operation. He's not there for the money, he says, he only wants to save his Grandpa. Joey's overcome. Tears streaming down his face, thanks Yugi.

Now, Joey says, go and take down Pegasus!