Episode 35: (Final Duel - Yugi vs Pegasus

Yugi is finally about to face Pegasus in a duel to save the soul of his Grandpa. He looks through his deck, recalling that this is the deck his Grandpa gave him, and that Grandpa taught him everything he knows about Duel Monsters. He'll use that knowledge to beat Pegasus. (In the Japanese, Yugi tells his Dark Magician, "You're my ace—I'm counting on you.")

He flashes back to a time when his Grandpa told him that he must always believe in himself. (Japanese Grandpa says, "You must face your heart in times of pain. Then you'll win.")

The doors to the dueling arena open, and to his surprise, his friends are all standing there to wish him well! (In the Japanese, he's not surprised to see them, and, well, why should he be?) Joey, Téa, Tristan, and Bakura all encourage him, and he thanks them.

Croquet announces the beginning of the duel. Yugi's puzzle activates, and Yami appears. He walks onto the dueling platform, while his friends cheer him on.

Pegasus enters the arena. He gestures for a lackey to bring him his cards, then approaches the dueling platform, telling Yugi he's dueled impressively to get this far. Yugi demands that Pegasus renew his promise to release his Grandpa's soul if Yugi wins. Pegasus casually agrees, saying that he's a man of his word. Yugi adds the demand that Pegasus release Seto and Mokuba Kaiba's souls as well. Pegasus thinks this is a strange request—Yugi and Kaiba hate each other! Why should Yugi want to save him? Yugi says he's keeping a vow of his own (Japanese Yugi says to Pegasus, "My only enemy is you."), and remembers his promise to Mokuba to help him and his brother.

Pegasus says, Ah, a vow to Mokuba. Yugi's shocked—is Pegasus reading his mind? In any case, Pegasus agrees. He'll free the Kaiba brothers as well, if Yugi should win the duel. In the US version, Grandpa's soul card is insterted between the soul cards of Mokuba and Kaiba's that Pegasus is holding up. In the US version, they seem to always want to keep Yugi's fight for Grandpa front and center, while saving Mokuba and Kaiba is secondary, almost an afterthought at times. While in the original Japanese, Yugi is fighting just as hard for the Kaiba brothers as for his Grandpa.

Watching from the sidelines, the gang suspects that Pegasus has planned to duel Yugi all along. He's after something, but they don't know what. Bakura points out that Pegasus has stacked the deck in his own favor all along, but Joey insists that Yugi will kick Pegasus's keister! Téa agrees—they have to keep faith in Yugi.

Téa and Joey head up to the balcony to get a better view of the duel. Bakura's still uncertain, saying that as long as Pegasus holds his prisoners, they're all still at his mercy, no matter who wins the duel. Tristan gets an idea—he's going to try to find Mokuba or Kaiba. If he can get the prisoners back, even without their souls, it will give them a little leverage against Pegasus.

Bakura's smile turns cold, and the spirit of the Millennium Ring thinks a search for the prisoners' empty vessels isn't a bad idea. (In the Japanese, Dark Bakura thinks one word: "Mokuba.")

Croquet asks Yugi to show the card entitling him to this duel, and Yugi displays the Glory of the King's Opposite Hand card. Croquet tells Yugi that if he wins, he can ask for anything as his prize—he can take over Pegasus's company, demand the entire island, or Pegasus's Millennium Eye. (In the Japanese, Croquet says that whoever beats Pegasus will receive a 60% share of Pegasus's company, Industrial Illusions.)

Bakura joins Joey and Téa on the balcony, as they're exclaiming over Pegasus's prize offers. They ask him where Tristan is, but he tells them Tristan wandered off somewhere. Joey brushes it off, saying Tristan probably just went to the john.

Yugi isn't interested in any other prizes. He again reiterates his demand that Pegasus free the souls of his Grandpa and the Kaiba brothers. And Pegasus again agrees. (In the Japanese, Yugi asks Pegasus if he thinks no one can beat him. Pegasus says yes, but only at great risk.) But, he says, he has a demand of his own. If he wins, he'll take Yugi's soul. The blank Glory of the King's Opposite Hand card will be his soul's prison.

Yugi agrees. But he doesn't plan to lose! Up in the balcony, the gang are horrified that Yugi's risking so much on this duel. Joey still insists that Yugi will win, while Téa mentally tells Yugi that he has to win!

Pegasus, meanwhile, is thinking that if he wins, not only will he take Yugi's soul, but he'll then be able to take over Kaiba Corporation. In the Kaiba Corp tower, the Big 5 are watching the duel by satellite, thinking that if Pegasus wins, it will restore their company's reputation. (In the Japanese, they say that they'll sign the contracts with Pegasus as soon as he finds the key that Mokuba hid.)

Two lackeys are lowered to the arena in an elevator to carry the duelists' decks to each other, so they can each shuffle their opponent's cards. Yugi shuffles Pegasus's deck and returns it to the lackey, while Pegasus merely taps Yugi's deck and says it's good as is.

Yugi and Pegasus each draw their first five cards.

Meanwhile, Tristan is wandering around the dungeon, thinking this place is huge! How will he ever find anyone! Then he hears someone coming. He panics! When the goon turns the corner, Tristan is hiding inside a suit of armor. He overhears the goon talking to someone, taking over guard duties from him. He's watching a prisoner, whom he calls "the little twerp." One of the goons comes out and walks past him.

Still in the heavy armor, Tristan goes around the corner to follow the guard. But it's a dead end, and there's no one there! Where could the other guard have gone? He trips, grabbing the head of a gargoyle on the wall to steady himself—and opens a hidden door, leading to a secret passageway.

Back in the arena, Yugi begins the duel by playing a face-down card, and a monster face-down in defense. Pegasus asks if the monster might be a Beaver Warrior, and a shocked Yugi wonders if Pegasus's Millennium Eye can see his cards. (In the Japanese, Pegasus doesn't say anything, but Yugi wonders if Pegasus can read his cards. Because, after all, he's already dueled Pegasus once, and seen his mind-reading tricks before.)

Pegasus draws, and also plays a card face-down, then plays Red Archery Girl (Bow-Drawing Mermaid) in defense mode. Yugi wonders why Pegasus would play such a weak monster in defense. (Japanese Yugi notes that the Mermaid is a Water monster, and knows that Pegasus wants him to attack.) Pegasus sees that Yugi's face-down cards are Beaver Warrior and Horn of the Unicorn, and knows that Yugi is planning to use these cards in a combination attack.

Yugi's worried about Pegasus's face-down card, but can't pass up the chance to gain an early point advantage. (Although Pegasus will not lose any points by having a defense monster destroyed. Japanese Yugi thinks he can't worry about Pegasus's face-down card, he must take the opportunity to attack.) He switches the Beaver Warrior to face-up attack mode, and activates Horn of the Unicorn, increasing Beaver Warrior's attack to 1900. But Pegasus activates his trap card, Tears of a Mermaid, which stops the Beaver Warrior's attack and destroys the Horn of the Unicorn. Now, Pegasus switches Red Archery Girl to attack mode and destroys the Beaver Warrior. Red Archery Girl's gotten a bit of a coverup, thanks to the US digital clothiers.

Joey wonders where Tristan is. He should be here supporting Yugi, too! He's missing the match of the century! Bakura thinks he might have gotten lost.

Yugi thinks Pegasus must be reading his mind! How else could he be so prepared to counter Yugi's moves? Pegasus taunts Yugi, saying he knows Yugi is finally realizing the extent of his abilities! No one can defeat him!

Tristan makes his way down the secret staircase, where he finds the goon sitting by himself complaining about having to guard a soulless Mokuba. (In the Japanese, he's thinking Croquet worries too much, and he's polishing a gun, which is naturally digitized out of the US verision.)

Tristan clocks him with the helmet from another suit of armor, takes the keys, and opens Mokuba's cell. But the unlocking of the door activates a security alarm. (In the Japanese, the alarm screen reads "Lock Off." In the US version, this has been changed to a picture of an open padlock. Because, apparently, US kids can't read.)

Yugi insists he'll never surrender! He plays a monster face-down in defense and ends his turn. Meanwhile, Croquet gets a call from the security forces, notifying him of a problem in Sector 5. There appears to have been a breach, and the guard isn't answering! Croquet says Pegasus is dueling and can't be disturbed. Meanwhile, Bakura's using his own Millennium Ring to eavesdrop, and hears that Mokuba's cell has been breached. Down in the dungeon, Tristan finds that the stairway's been closed off, and realizes they're onto him! Carrying Mokuba, he looks for another way out.

Pegasus next plays Ryu-Ran (Dragon Egger) in defense mode, also switching Red Archery Girl to defense.

Tristan runs into another dead end. He hears guards coming—he's trapped!

Yugi says he'll scramble Pegasus's egg! He draws a card—but Pegasus sees that it's Summoned Skull. He calmly lists all the cards in Yugi's hand: along with the Summoned Skull, he has Celtic Guardian, Spellbinding Circle, Magical Hats, and Horned Imp. (In the Japanese, Pegasus tells Yugi he knows he's just drawn Summoned Skull, but doesn't list off the other cards, although he has scanned them with his Millennium Eye.)

Yugi's friends shout encouragement, but Yugi doesn't know what to do. How can he win when Pegasus knows all his cards the instant he draws them?

Pegasus laughs in triumph.

To Be Continued