Episode 38: The Evil Eye Opens - Sacrifice

Dark Bakura demands that Tristan turn over Mokuba's body to him, threatening to send Tristan to the Shadow Realm if he doesn't. (In the Japanese, it's the Kaiba Corporation passwords Mokuba's holding that Dark Bakura wants. He says he'll return everything to normal once he gets them, but Honda doesn't trust him, knowing he's controlled by the Millennium Ring.) Tristan pretends to go along, but fakes him out by tossing Mokuba to him, then knocking him down and taking Mokuba back. In order to get rid of the spirit of the Millennium Ring, he takes the Ring to the top of the stairs and throws it into the woods.

Meanwhile, the dueling arena is covered in darkness, as Pegasus takes the duel into the Shadow Realm. Pegasus and Yugi disappear from view, and Téa and Joey wonder where they've gone. Just then, Tristan returns carrying Mokuba and Bakura, who's now unconscious. Japanese Honda says, "It's happening here too—Yami no Game [The Dark Game]," referring to the monsters Yami Bakura was conjuring up.) Leaving Bakura and Mokuba on the balcony, Tristan, Joey, and Téa rush downstairs to the dueling arena to try to figure out what happened to Yugi.

Pegasus warns Yugi that he won't find dueling in the Shadow Realm easy—the strain of maintaining the Mind Shuffle will make it difficult to find the energy to conjure up monsters. Yugi realizes that he feels weak already, and Yami takes over, telling Yugi to let him duel. Yugi protests that they have to keep using the Mind Shuffle—it's the only thing preventing Pegasus from reading their minds.

Pegasus plays a new monster—one he's created just for this game. It's huge and grotesque, but its attack and defense are both zero. Yami knows it must have some special power, but doesn't know what. He summons Curse of Dragon, and Yugi comes back in control, but he's struggling with fatigue and pain. Yami wants to take over, but Yugi says he'll try to last out the turn. Pegasus says Yugi will soon be exhausted.

Outside the cloud of darkness, Yugi's friends feel a sudden jolt. They're afraid something's happened to Yugi, but they don't know how to help him. Inside, Yugi finally lets Yami take control, and he attacks with Curse of Dragon. But his attack activates Dark Eyes Illusionist's special ability—Curse of Dragon is mesmerized and stops its attack.

Next, Pegasus plays the Black Illusion Ritual (Ritual of Illusions) magic card and sacrifices the Dark Eyes Illusionist to summon a new monster, Relinquished (Sacrifice)! It absorbs Curse of Dragon. Yami attacks with Dark Magician, but Relinquished uses Curse of Dragon as a shield, and Yami ends up destroying his own monster! Yami takes the damage from the attack, and Relinquished is unharmed.

Now Pegasus activates Relinquished's special power and absorbs the Dark Magician. Yami doesn't know what to do. Yugi begs Yami to let him take over long enough to play one card and retreat. Their Mind Shuffle is the only weapon they have left against Pegasus. Yami doesn't want Yugi to do it—if he's overcome by the Shadow Realm, his soul will be shredded and lost forever! But Yugi thinks it's worth the risk, for his Grandpa's sake. (Japanese Yugi says, "Let me fight to the end," and Yami says, "Yugi, you...." This is the only time I've noticed Yami calling Yugi by name. Usually he calls him "mou hitori no ore"—the other me. Later he'll call him "Aibou," or partner.) Yugi comes back, and reaches for a card, hoping that this will be the card that will beat Pegasus, because it will probably be his last. He plays a card face down, and plays Feral Imp (Gremlin) in defense.

Pegasus knows if he tries to read Yugi's mind, he'll just switch with Yami again. So he decides to work on overtaxing little Yugi instead, and attacks, using the Dark Magician's attack strength through Relinquished. Feral Imp is destroyed. Yami tries to switch with Yugi, but Yugi is overcome. He collapses on the playing field.

Joey, Tristan, and Téa all feel the pain of Yugi's fall. They know he's hurt. Yami is devastated, unable to feel Yugi's spirit. Pegasus says forget him—he couldn't stand up to the forces of the Shadow Realm, and now he's gone.

Joey is shocked that he can no longer feel Yugi's presence. Neither can the others—Yugi's vanished. Determined to go to him, Téa runs into the shadows—but promptly comes back the way she came. She reaches her hand into the shadow, and sees her own hand reaching back out at her! Then Tristan charges into the shadows, but he runs all the way through and comes out the other side! He runs back through to join his friends. There's nothing they can do to reach Yugi.

Yami stands up, telling Pegasus he'll pay for what he's done. (Japanese Yami says, "Until my heart breaks, this game is not over.") But without Yugi's presence, Yami can no longer resist Pegasus's mind reading, and Pegasus sees that the card Yami's drawn is Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress. Thinking that he'll have to depend on the card Yugi set face down, Yami plays Winged Dragon in defense, and Pegasus destroys it with Sacrifice, using Dark Magician's attack strength.

Next, Pegasus plays Jigen-Bakudan (Time Bomber), a self-destructing monster that will explode in two turns, destroying Relinquished and all the monsters it has absorbed. The Dark Magician's attack points will be deducted from Yugi's life points, and he'll lose the game.

Yami thinks there's nothing he can do. There's nothing in his hand that can defeat Jigen-Bakudan.

Even if he draws another card, Pegasus will read his mind and know what it is. He's failed Yugi and all of Yugi's friends. It's over.

To Be Continued