Where I rewatch Yugioh GX, episode 134
Recap of last episode.
TITLE SCREEN! JUDAI VS. ZURE, KNIGHT OF DARK WORLD what's next, aqua the regent of dark world?
So yeah, Laz is dead. I'm sure the kid's sadness is genuine, but I feel nothing. Judai asks Freed about whether he'll help with the rescue at the Detention Camp, but Freed says no, he must stay here to protect the remaining villagers. Judai is okay with this, he'll go to the Detention Camp to rescue Johan anyway, even though he has only the flimsiest of reasons to think that Johan will be there. And then he does so. O'Brien and Asuka, though mostly O'Brien, explain to Judai in great detail that running off now when he doesn't have any good reason to think Johan will even be there will only screw everyone over, so he needs to wait and gather more info. Judai accepts this, but hits the wall to demonstrate his anger. Can't you feel Judai's anger, you heartless monsters who are keeping him away from his one-true-love Johan? But enough of that, Laz's Duel Disc is used as a grave marker, since people in this world don't leave bodies behind when they die. O'Brien and Freed chat for a few seconds about what being a Warrior means, and then Fubuki and Asuka run in to tell them that Judai has run off on his own. Yes, Judai only pretended to listen to what his friends were telling him, and was always planning on abandoning them the first chance he got. There's really no other way to read this. We see Judai running outside, being all "sorry" about endangering all the rest of his friends because he just couldn't wait five fucking seconds to form a proper plan to rescue Johan, assuming he's even there in the first place. Back to the rest of the group, they note how stupid, selfish, short-sighted, and impulsive Judai's been since he came here, though he's always been like that, this is just the first time it's been called out for the ass-hattery that it is. Unfortunately, Asuka says, with great resignation to her fate on her face, that they can't abandon the twit to his certain death, so they have to follow him. This is supposed to be part of the whole, "Judai has great influence and doesn't appreciate the impact his actions have on others", when really it's more akin to an eight-year old running off on his own and his caretakers having to chase him down so he doesn't do that again.
Asuka then promises Freed that they'll try not to be spotted on their way out, and they take off, except for O'Brien and Jim. O'Brien goes on about that whole "Everyone automatically follows Judai's great influence even if his decisions are bad ones" bullshit that I already deconstructed, Jim also apologizes to Freed, but Freed says that this will actually work out for his plan. He heads back to the common room and tells everyone that they're going to evacuate from this place, and O'Brien is pissed that Freed would use Judai as a decoy, is that what a Warrior would do? And now we're with Judai at what we can only presume to be the Detention Camp. Gosh, there are no guards on the watch towers. I wonder what that could possibly mean? Seriously, there's nobody around. Even Judai is surprised at this, but decides "in for a penny, in for a pound", and starts searching the cells. No prisoners either, the place looks to be completely abandoned. Wait, what ho, there is one prisoner left, and while his head is down, he's got Johan's hair! No, wait, it isn't Johan, it's just some kid with similar hair. I've no idea where this kid is supposed to have come from, and the writers never bother to explain. In any event, Judai decides to rescue the suspiciously similar Johan-lookalike, who explains that everyone else has been taken away, and he, the only non-warrior, was left behind. Now wait a second...we were told that the Dark World Army was capturing warriors, and killing everyone else. So, if this kid wasn't a warrior, why the hell was he captured? Oh, right, so this incredibly contrived plot could progress. Judai carries him out of the cell, and shock of shocks, there's a whole mess of monsters waiting for him. Setting aside where the hell they were hiding, Zure steps forward and explains that all of this was a trap designed to lure out the one who killed Scarr, and so Judai must be it. Yes, because no one else could possibly come here in an effort to rescue the prisoners. This is a very stupid trap, but the writers need it to work, so it does. It certainly helps that Judai is a colossal moron. I mean, the only reason Judai found out about this place was because Laz escaped, and there was no way that Zure could have expected Laz to reach the person who killed Scarr.
Zure then raises his sword and shoots a beam out of it like this was Legend of Zelda, and kills the Johan-lookalike. Yep, he was just an inane, random plot device to facilitate Judai's Leeryoy Jenkins routine. Zure says that Judai will be next, Judai starts glowing all DBZ-like, WTF, and Zure is all "This is no ordinary kid", and there's something familiar about him, though maybe not. Yes, please, Judai didn't have enough Gary Stu in him to begin with. Please, pile on more! Judai challenges him to a Duel, Zure accepts, orders the army to spread out, and duel begins. Zure goes first, and summons Genetic Warwolf with 2000 attack points, ending his turn. Oh noes, how will Judai overcome this monster? Let's see, he plays Fake Hero to special summon Neos, blah blah blah, Judai summons Glow Moss, Contact Fusion for Glow Neos. And then he plays Neo-Space, increasing Glow Neos's power to 3000 and letting it stay on the field for more than one turn. It attacks and destroys Warwolf for 1000 points of damage, and Judai ends his turn. Meanwhile, Asuka, Fubuki, Manjoume, and Shou are now standing on a cliff where they can see the Detention Camp. No one is the least bit curious about why O'Brien and Jim didn't follow, they can apparently see Judai dueling, and from out of nowhere, there is a Dark World Army behind them. How the hell is this army moving so quietly?
EYECATCH!
Freed is evacuating the villagers, and O'Brien and Jim decide that maybe now would be a good time to go join the rest of their friends. Because, you know, it was so important that they stick around to glower at Freed for daring to put the lives of the villagers under his protection over some random idiot who's determined to get himself killed. Back to the duel, Zure takes his turn. He plays his own Field Spell Card, Power Zone, destroying Neo-Space in the process. Blah blah blah, if a monster is destroyed in battle, the player who controlled that monster takes damage equal to that monster's attack power, and then he summons Power Murder with 1800 attack points. He attacks with it, it gains 1000 attack points, Zure explains that when Power Murder battles with a higher attack power monster it gains 1000 attack points, while if it battles a lower attack power monster, it loses 1000 attack points. In any event, Glow Neos is destroyed, and with Power Zone's effect, Judai is brought down to 1200 life points. Then Zure pays 1000 life points to play Power Spirits, a permanent spell card that makes it so that his attack position monsters can only be destroyed in battle by a monster who's attack power is greater by 1000 points at least. So, to destroy Power Murder, Judai needs a monster with at least 3800 attack points. Then he sets a card to end his turn, blah blah blah, Judai is just an insect, and oh hey, all of Judai's friends have been captured. No, don't put up a fight or anything, that would just be silly. Judai then has the gall, the audacity, and the chutzpah to call his friends idiots for having followed him here. Christ on a cracker, Judai, you are an infuriating prick. At least Manjoume isn't mincing words, pointing out that Judai is the one who's being selfish in all this, they're just trying to cover for his stupid mistakes. Blah blah blah, and back to the duel.
Judai draws Flare Scarab, and his two other cards are Winged Kuriboh and Common Soul. Judai summons Winged Kuriboh in defense, and ends his turn. Zure laughs at how pathetic Judai is, and now we're over to O'Brien and Jim, who've now arrived at the cliff over the Detention Camp. For Jim, he notices Asuka, or Tomorrow Girl as he puts it, before anyone else. Really, one should not be surprised that there is a small following for Jim/Asuka, since Jim both notices Asuka, and doesn't treat her like a piece of meat *coughmanjoumecough*. Meanwhile, Freed is continuing the evacuation of the villagers, repeat of how Kyle must grow up to be a great warrior with no explanation provided for why Jina and the other women can't be warriors in this world where everything is resolved through card games aside from deeply embedded sexism, and Freed finally answers that oh so important question of 'what is a warrior' saying that a warrior protects his people while still keeping his fellow warriors in his heart. Which of course means that he's going to go out of his way to save Judai, even though Judai is someone he doesn't even know. Back to the duel again, Zure takes his turn and plays Ring of Devil Power; Judai can only attack the highest attack power demon Zure controls, and when a demon destroys a monster, the opponent takes damage equal to the defense power of the destroyed monster. Power Murder attacks Winged Kuriboh, destroys it, and between Power Zone and Ring of Devil Power, Judai takes 500 points of damage. Yes, everyone else just stand there, don't just, you know, summon monsters and fight off your captors or anything that would upstage Judai or make you the least bit useful in all this. And now that Zure destroyed a monster by battle, he activates his trap card, Bomb Fuse, which lets him special summon a Power Bomb from his deck in attack position. It can't do damage with an attack thanks to Winged Kuriboh, but come Zure's standby phase, he can destroy it to deal 1000 points of damage to Judai.
But that's not all! If Power Murder's attack power changes, Power Bomb will deal damage to Judai equal to Power Murder's original attack power! Blah blah blah, Judai is such a pathetic insect, how about we use your friends as props to make you more scared, Judai yells at them to stop, and here comes Freed with the Deus Ex Machina to save Judai from his own idiocy. The Deus Ex Machina? Freed sacrifices his life, body, and soul to become a card in Judai's deck. Really. He just...gives up his entire life, his entire existence, to become a tool for some stupid kid he doesn't even know. Oh, right, because Judai is a "Warrior" and Warriors must stick together. Yeah...I mean, it's not like he could have, I don't know, inspired Judai's friends to fight back or anything like that, show him he's not alone in all this, he doesn't need to take everything on himself...but unfortunately, that's exactly what the writers have been going for this entire series. Only Judai is allowed to do anything. Ever. The very notion that the other characters could be useful is a joke to the writers, one that has increasingly worn out its welcome. Oh, and for some reason Zure seems to recognize Judai's name, which up to this point has not been mentioned in Zure's presence. Judai takes his turn, and what do you know, he draws Freed the Brave Wanderer. Holy Deus Ex Machina batman, could it be that Freed will have exactly the effect that Judai will need? Judai summons Freed, who has now become Judai's mindless minion. Next up, Common Soul, letting Judai special summon Flare Scarab and raising Freed's attack power by Flare Scarab's power. There are four spells and traps on Zure's side of the field, so Flare Scarab's attack power becomes 2100, while Freed's becomes 3800, exactly what he needed. But, Zure points out that once Freed attacks Power Murder, it's attack power will change, triggering Power Bomb's effect, defeating Judai.
Gosh, if only Freed just happened to have an effect that was just perfect for this situation...oh wait, he does! By removing two light attribute monsters in Judai's grave once per turn, Freed can destroy a monster who's attack power is greater than its own original attack power. Gosh, that sure was convenient! Freed then attacks Power Bomb to defeat Zure, and this will be the last time that Freed is ever played or mentioned, ever again. Yeah. But, as Zure's body vanishes, with the notable absence of any eyebeams being shot into the sky, a little crystal falls to the ground where he once stood. It has the Kanji Hi, for sadness. For some reason this is of particular note for Asuka. Another random crystal falls to the ground, Gi fro doubt, which apparently is supposed to correspond to Shou or some shit like that, Fubuki gets Ku for Anguish, Manjoume gets Ikari for Rage, and Kenzan gets Zou for Hatred. When you learn what this is all supposed to be building up to, your brain may very well explode in the face of how contrived it all is. The Dark World Army is freaked that Zure was killed, and so they all flee, rather then try to avenge his death like any proper battle hardened army would. Blah blah blah, Freed says that he was happy to perform a warrior's sacrifice or some shit like that, but I've already gone over the bullshit of this, so let's skip to Judai wailing about how Freed is dead now. Jim and O'Brien arrive in time to see everyone being unreasonably freaked out about the whole 'Death' thing, and Duck Fucking Christ, really? Do I need to remind you of the shit that Asuka had gone through before this point? How her brother disappeared for years, she had no idea whether he was even alive, she risked her body and soul to restore his memories...and now she's just falling apart because people are dying...fuck. Judai then turns to Freed's duel disc and swears he'll rescue his warrior friends and Johan no matter what the cost.
Asuka begins to think that if they keep following Judai like this, they're all going to die. Which, you know, she does not act on by beating Judai senseless so he can't get everyone killed, because then we wouldn't get our precious deconstruction going on. And then those random glowing spheres start disappearing, embedding themselves in the people who were most freaked out about them. Seriously, you have no idea how contrived this all is. End episode.
NEXT TIME! The show tries to balance psychological strain with incredibly stupid visual gags, demonstrating that the writers do not have Hiromu Arakawa's skill. EPISODE TITLE, JUDAI VS. BRRON MAD KING OF DARK WORLD card of the week is freed the brave wanderer, who will never be played again.
Really? We're going to get ANOTHER Judai duel? Christ, why don't they just kill off the rest of the cast so that Judai doesn't have to share even a sliver of his precious screentime with anyone else? ...Where is that evil laughter coming from?
TITLE SCREEN! JUDAI VS. ZURE, KNIGHT OF DARK WORLD what's next, aqua the regent of dark world?
So yeah, Laz is dead. I'm sure the kid's sadness is genuine, but I feel nothing. Judai asks Freed about whether he'll help with the rescue at the Detention Camp, but Freed says no, he must stay here to protect the remaining villagers. Judai is okay with this, he'll go to the Detention Camp to rescue Johan anyway, even though he has only the flimsiest of reasons to think that Johan will be there. And then he does so. O'Brien and Asuka, though mostly O'Brien, explain to Judai in great detail that running off now when he doesn't have any good reason to think Johan will even be there will only screw everyone over, so he needs to wait and gather more info. Judai accepts this, but hits the wall to demonstrate his anger. Can't you feel Judai's anger, you heartless monsters who are keeping him away from his one-true-love Johan? But enough of that, Laz's Duel Disc is used as a grave marker, since people in this world don't leave bodies behind when they die. O'Brien and Freed chat for a few seconds about what being a Warrior means, and then Fubuki and Asuka run in to tell them that Judai has run off on his own. Yes, Judai only pretended to listen to what his friends were telling him, and was always planning on abandoning them the first chance he got. There's really no other way to read this. We see Judai running outside, being all "sorry" about endangering all the rest of his friends because he just couldn't wait five fucking seconds to form a proper plan to rescue Johan, assuming he's even there in the first place. Back to the rest of the group, they note how stupid, selfish, short-sighted, and impulsive Judai's been since he came here, though he's always been like that, this is just the first time it's been called out for the ass-hattery that it is. Unfortunately, Asuka says, with great resignation to her fate on her face, that they can't abandon the twit to his certain death, so they have to follow him. This is supposed to be part of the whole, "Judai has great influence and doesn't appreciate the impact his actions have on others", when really it's more akin to an eight-year old running off on his own and his caretakers having to chase him down so he doesn't do that again.
Asuka then promises Freed that they'll try not to be spotted on their way out, and they take off, except for O'Brien and Jim. O'Brien goes on about that whole "Everyone automatically follows Judai's great influence even if his decisions are bad ones" bullshit that I already deconstructed, Jim also apologizes to Freed, but Freed says that this will actually work out for his plan. He heads back to the common room and tells everyone that they're going to evacuate from this place, and O'Brien is pissed that Freed would use Judai as a decoy, is that what a Warrior would do? And now we're with Judai at what we can only presume to be the Detention Camp. Gosh, there are no guards on the watch towers. I wonder what that could possibly mean? Seriously, there's nobody around. Even Judai is surprised at this, but decides "in for a penny, in for a pound", and starts searching the cells. No prisoners either, the place looks to be completely abandoned. Wait, what ho, there is one prisoner left, and while his head is down, he's got Johan's hair! No, wait, it isn't Johan, it's just some kid with similar hair. I've no idea where this kid is supposed to have come from, and the writers never bother to explain. In any event, Judai decides to rescue the suspiciously similar Johan-lookalike, who explains that everyone else has been taken away, and he, the only non-warrior, was left behind. Now wait a second...we were told that the Dark World Army was capturing warriors, and killing everyone else. So, if this kid wasn't a warrior, why the hell was he captured? Oh, right, so this incredibly contrived plot could progress. Judai carries him out of the cell, and shock of shocks, there's a whole mess of monsters waiting for him. Setting aside where the hell they were hiding, Zure steps forward and explains that all of this was a trap designed to lure out the one who killed Scarr, and so Judai must be it. Yes, because no one else could possibly come here in an effort to rescue the prisoners. This is a very stupid trap, but the writers need it to work, so it does. It certainly helps that Judai is a colossal moron. I mean, the only reason Judai found out about this place was because Laz escaped, and there was no way that Zure could have expected Laz to reach the person who killed Scarr.
Zure then raises his sword and shoots a beam out of it like this was Legend of Zelda, and kills the Johan-lookalike. Yep, he was just an inane, random plot device to facilitate Judai's Leeryoy Jenkins routine. Zure says that Judai will be next, Judai starts glowing all DBZ-like, WTF, and Zure is all "This is no ordinary kid", and there's something familiar about him, though maybe not. Yes, please, Judai didn't have enough Gary Stu in him to begin with. Please, pile on more! Judai challenges him to a Duel, Zure accepts, orders the army to spread out, and duel begins. Zure goes first, and summons Genetic Warwolf with 2000 attack points, ending his turn. Oh noes, how will Judai overcome this monster? Let's see, he plays Fake Hero to special summon Neos, blah blah blah, Judai summons Glow Moss, Contact Fusion for Glow Neos. And then he plays Neo-Space, increasing Glow Neos's power to 3000 and letting it stay on the field for more than one turn. It attacks and destroys Warwolf for 1000 points of damage, and Judai ends his turn. Meanwhile, Asuka, Fubuki, Manjoume, and Shou are now standing on a cliff where they can see the Detention Camp. No one is the least bit curious about why O'Brien and Jim didn't follow, they can apparently see Judai dueling, and from out of nowhere, there is a Dark World Army behind them. How the hell is this army moving so quietly?
EYECATCH!
Freed is evacuating the villagers, and O'Brien and Jim decide that maybe now would be a good time to go join the rest of their friends. Because, you know, it was so important that they stick around to glower at Freed for daring to put the lives of the villagers under his protection over some random idiot who's determined to get himself killed. Back to the duel, Zure takes his turn. He plays his own Field Spell Card, Power Zone, destroying Neo-Space in the process. Blah blah blah, if a monster is destroyed in battle, the player who controlled that monster takes damage equal to that monster's attack power, and then he summons Power Murder with 1800 attack points. He attacks with it, it gains 1000 attack points, Zure explains that when Power Murder battles with a higher attack power monster it gains 1000 attack points, while if it battles a lower attack power monster, it loses 1000 attack points. In any event, Glow Neos is destroyed, and with Power Zone's effect, Judai is brought down to 1200 life points. Then Zure pays 1000 life points to play Power Spirits, a permanent spell card that makes it so that his attack position monsters can only be destroyed in battle by a monster who's attack power is greater by 1000 points at least. So, to destroy Power Murder, Judai needs a monster with at least 3800 attack points. Then he sets a card to end his turn, blah blah blah, Judai is just an insect, and oh hey, all of Judai's friends have been captured. No, don't put up a fight or anything, that would just be silly. Judai then has the gall, the audacity, and the chutzpah to call his friends idiots for having followed him here. Christ on a cracker, Judai, you are an infuriating prick. At least Manjoume isn't mincing words, pointing out that Judai is the one who's being selfish in all this, they're just trying to cover for his stupid mistakes. Blah blah blah, and back to the duel.
Judai draws Flare Scarab, and his two other cards are Winged Kuriboh and Common Soul. Judai summons Winged Kuriboh in defense, and ends his turn. Zure laughs at how pathetic Judai is, and now we're over to O'Brien and Jim, who've now arrived at the cliff over the Detention Camp. For Jim, he notices Asuka, or Tomorrow Girl as he puts it, before anyone else. Really, one should not be surprised that there is a small following for Jim/Asuka, since Jim both notices Asuka, and doesn't treat her like a piece of meat *coughmanjoumecough*. Meanwhile, Freed is continuing the evacuation of the villagers, repeat of how Kyle must grow up to be a great warrior with no explanation provided for why Jina and the other women can't be warriors in this world where everything is resolved through card games aside from deeply embedded sexism, and Freed finally answers that oh so important question of 'what is a warrior' saying that a warrior protects his people while still keeping his fellow warriors in his heart. Which of course means that he's going to go out of his way to save Judai, even though Judai is someone he doesn't even know. Back to the duel again, Zure takes his turn and plays Ring of Devil Power; Judai can only attack the highest attack power demon Zure controls, and when a demon destroys a monster, the opponent takes damage equal to the defense power of the destroyed monster. Power Murder attacks Winged Kuriboh, destroys it, and between Power Zone and Ring of Devil Power, Judai takes 500 points of damage. Yes, everyone else just stand there, don't just, you know, summon monsters and fight off your captors or anything that would upstage Judai or make you the least bit useful in all this. And now that Zure destroyed a monster by battle, he activates his trap card, Bomb Fuse, which lets him special summon a Power Bomb from his deck in attack position. It can't do damage with an attack thanks to Winged Kuriboh, but come Zure's standby phase, he can destroy it to deal 1000 points of damage to Judai.
But that's not all! If Power Murder's attack power changes, Power Bomb will deal damage to Judai equal to Power Murder's original attack power! Blah blah blah, Judai is such a pathetic insect, how about we use your friends as props to make you more scared, Judai yells at them to stop, and here comes Freed with the Deus Ex Machina to save Judai from his own idiocy. The Deus Ex Machina? Freed sacrifices his life, body, and soul to become a card in Judai's deck. Really. He just...gives up his entire life, his entire existence, to become a tool for some stupid kid he doesn't even know. Oh, right, because Judai is a "Warrior" and Warriors must stick together. Yeah...I mean, it's not like he could have, I don't know, inspired Judai's friends to fight back or anything like that, show him he's not alone in all this, he doesn't need to take everything on himself...but unfortunately, that's exactly what the writers have been going for this entire series. Only Judai is allowed to do anything. Ever. The very notion that the other characters could be useful is a joke to the writers, one that has increasingly worn out its welcome. Oh, and for some reason Zure seems to recognize Judai's name, which up to this point has not been mentioned in Zure's presence. Judai takes his turn, and what do you know, he draws Freed the Brave Wanderer. Holy Deus Ex Machina batman, could it be that Freed will have exactly the effect that Judai will need? Judai summons Freed, who has now become Judai's mindless minion. Next up, Common Soul, letting Judai special summon Flare Scarab and raising Freed's attack power by Flare Scarab's power. There are four spells and traps on Zure's side of the field, so Flare Scarab's attack power becomes 2100, while Freed's becomes 3800, exactly what he needed. But, Zure points out that once Freed attacks Power Murder, it's attack power will change, triggering Power Bomb's effect, defeating Judai.
Gosh, if only Freed just happened to have an effect that was just perfect for this situation...oh wait, he does! By removing two light attribute monsters in Judai's grave once per turn, Freed can destroy a monster who's attack power is greater than its own original attack power. Gosh, that sure was convenient! Freed then attacks Power Bomb to defeat Zure, and this will be the last time that Freed is ever played or mentioned, ever again. Yeah. But, as Zure's body vanishes, with the notable absence of any eyebeams being shot into the sky, a little crystal falls to the ground where he once stood. It has the Kanji Hi, for sadness. For some reason this is of particular note for Asuka. Another random crystal falls to the ground, Gi fro doubt, which apparently is supposed to correspond to Shou or some shit like that, Fubuki gets Ku for Anguish, Manjoume gets Ikari for Rage, and Kenzan gets Zou for Hatred. When you learn what this is all supposed to be building up to, your brain may very well explode in the face of how contrived it all is. The Dark World Army is freaked that Zure was killed, and so they all flee, rather then try to avenge his death like any proper battle hardened army would. Blah blah blah, Freed says that he was happy to perform a warrior's sacrifice or some shit like that, but I've already gone over the bullshit of this, so let's skip to Judai wailing about how Freed is dead now. Jim and O'Brien arrive in time to see everyone being unreasonably freaked out about the whole 'Death' thing, and Duck Fucking Christ, really? Do I need to remind you of the shit that Asuka had gone through before this point? How her brother disappeared for years, she had no idea whether he was even alive, she risked her body and soul to restore his memories...and now she's just falling apart because people are dying...fuck. Judai then turns to Freed's duel disc and swears he'll rescue his warrior friends and Johan no matter what the cost.
Asuka begins to think that if they keep following Judai like this, they're all going to die. Which, you know, she does not act on by beating Judai senseless so he can't get everyone killed, because then we wouldn't get our precious deconstruction going on. And then those random glowing spheres start disappearing, embedding themselves in the people who were most freaked out about them. Seriously, you have no idea how contrived this all is. End episode.
NEXT TIME! The show tries to balance psychological strain with incredibly stupid visual gags, demonstrating that the writers do not have Hiromu Arakawa's skill. EPISODE TITLE, JUDAI VS. BRRON MAD KING OF DARK WORLD card of the week is freed the brave wanderer, who will never be played again.
Really? We're going to get ANOTHER Judai duel? Christ, why don't they just kill off the rest of the cast so that Judai doesn't have to share even a sliver of his precious screentime with anyone else? ...Where is that evil laughter coming from?