Z-ARC

Zarc is a character and the main antagonist appearing in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime. He is the original incarnation of Yuya Sakaki (Standard Dimension), Yuto (Xyz Dimension), Yugo (Synchro Dimension), and Yuri (Fusion Dimension).

Originally a pro Duelist with genuine good intentions, Zarc went insane due to the aggression of his dragons and his own obsession of becoming the strongest Duelist, which in turn caused him to destroy the Original Dimension and take on a dragon form known as Supreme King Dragon Zarc. During a confrontation with Ray Akaba, Zarc's soul was split into four and reincarnated into four different lives. He is the original owner of the Four Dimension Dragons and, along with Ray, one of the true co-creators of Pendulum Summoning.

Appearance
Zarc shares mixed traits of his four dimensional soul fragments. Zarc has silver hair with light green highlights, having striking similarities in hair design to the dual-hair color of all of his dimensional soul fragments and Yuri's side-parted hair, and yellow eyes. His face bears a striking resemblance to Yuya and his counterparts, albeit a bit older looking. He wears a blue and white jacket with orange borders, like Yugo's Duel Suit, and a black undershirt. He is shown to wear thick red-brownish gloves, black pants with brown chaps, faded gold knee pads, dark-blue suspenders with faded gold buckles hanging from a red-brownish belt with two large holsters, like Yuto's belt, a large faded gold buckle, and brown shoes with dark-blue outlines and straps.

Zarc's revived body takes the form of Yuya - the final survivor of the battle between his reincarnations, particularly his hair and signature goggles. His overall appearance is a mixture between draconic, human, and demon. His body turns gray and become bulkier with spikes protruding from his shoulders, arms, and ankles; and his pupils become slits and the irises glow faintly. His face is covered in veins and his ears are replaced by wing-like appendages. The red portion of his hair also becomes slightly darker, no longer having ruby-colored shine. In this form, he no longer wears shoes as his feet have expanded and become spiked, his pants are tattered at the cuffs, and his shirt is almost entirely gone; the only part that remains is held on by his belt; the rest has been torn off due to his enlarged muscle mass and the large pair of black demonic wings that now sprout from his back.

Personality
Zarc's initial personality is a lot like Yuya, a kind-hearted and passionate Dueltainer with a love for entertaining duels who desired to make others smile, human and monster alike. However, the spectators' constant demands for more brutal and exciting duels pushed Zarc over the edge as he tried to meet their expectations. In time, he became apathetic for his opponents' well-being, willing to ruthlessly injure them rather than make an amicable connection to both them and the audience. He showed extreme aggression and rage like Yuto, a desire to be on top like Yugo, and a sadistic streak like Yuri.

Zarc's most defining trait following this transition is his intense desire to become the strongest which drove him insane alongside his dragons' grudge against the humans. In his own twisted view, Zarc sees people's expectations for him to keep winning as the overall motivation of absorbing his dragons, attempts to destroy everyone, and his later revival.

After reviving, Zarc shows excessive pride and boastfulness, believing that he is the ultimate existence that should govern over everything. During his Duel with Aster Phoenix and Sora Perse, he calmly informs them that Yuya is gone and is unfazed by their continued attempts to reach Yuya. As noted by Sylvio Sawatari and Crow Hogan, Zarc hates to lose and is even afraid of losing. When Crow pointed this out, Zarc was irritated, asserting that he never loses. Additionally, when Sylvio mocked Zarc for playing so defensively and remarked that Yuya would have been more bold, the latter was visibly shaken.

But as Yuya begins to understand Zarc truly was during his duel with Declan Akaba, he sensed a profound sadness from Zarc's soul within Riley Akaba.

In Japanese, Zarc refers to himself as 「」 (Ore). While keeping his manner as the Supreme King Dragon, he use 「」 (Ware).

Abilities
Zarc has the unique ability to hear the voices of Duel Monsters and entered an Awakened state when he fused with his dragons. Following his split, he has the ability to possess his reincarnations by forcing them into an Awakened state to compel them to merge with each other and facilitate his rebirth.

History
Zarc was a resident of the Original Dimension. He was a Duelist who claimed to be able to hear the voices of Duel Monsters and connect his heart with them. Due to this, he was very skilled in Dueling and quickly gained the advantage on the field, soon becoming an undefeated Duel champion and widely known as a superstar in the newly conceived ARC System. He started to change after he accidentally severely injured one of his opponents yet the audience kept cheering for him, giving in to the peoples' greater demand for more violent and exciting duels. Since then, Zarc's Dueling became more violent. At first, he simply wanted to answer his fans' expectations, however as he continued to Duel more and more ruthlessly, Zarc himself became obsessed with becoming the strongest.

Eventually in a tournament after becoming Duel champion, he Summoned his four dragons to destroy everything in his way. Feeling that his dragons were also not yet satisfied with their battles and seeking to attain the strongest power, Zarc fused himself with his four dragons, becoming a single dragon that people called the Supreme King Dragon Zarc. After Zarc's declaration of destruction, the armed military was unable to stop his continuous attacks on the world, and eventually he was only able to be opposed by other Duelists who collaborated with the military to stop him, but none were able to come close to matching his newly fused powers and were wiped away along with the opposing military forces.

As Zarc destroyed the city, he was confronted by Ray Akaba, who used four cards to defeat him, which angered him and he vowed to become one before his dragons separated from him. However, the result of their battle led to the United World to be split into Four Dimensions while his soul split into four, reviving in each of the dimensions as Yuya Sakaki (Standard), Yuto (Xyz), Yugo (Synchro), and Yuri (Fusion). At the moment of being split, Zarc's will to become one again reacted to Ray's will to keep Zarc split which resulted in the creation of the Pendulum Summon. Zarc mistakenly believed that Pendulum was created as a tool for his revenge against Ray.

During Yuya's Duel against The Sledgehammer, Zarc's will reacted to Yuya's pendant and transformed several of his monsters into Pendulum Monsters. Ever since, Zarc slowly began taking over Yuya to fuel his rebirth in the form of repeated Awakenings and darkness.

Duel Academy
After Yuya Sakaki, who had fused with Yuto, defeated Yuri, who had fused with Yugo, Zarc took control of him and told Declan, Riley, Sora, and Aster that their wish for him to only think about winning had worked. He declared that he would continue until he had destroyed the entire world. Yuya absorbed Yuri and Summoned "Astrograph Sorcerer" to fuse with his dragons again into the Supreme King Dragon Zarc.

When challenged by Sora and Aster, Zarc took the form of a monstrous Yuya and told them this was his original form and Yuya was his alter ego to full his resurrection and no longer exists. He challenged them to a Duel and Pendulum Summoned two "Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurms". He then used the Pendulum Effects of "Supreme King Gate Zero" to reduce the effect damage of "Destiny HERO - Dystopia" to zero and "Supreme King Gate Infinity" to increase his LP by the damage would've taken. When Aster called out to Yuya, Zarc simply stared at him as it failed and used the effect of "Darkwurm" to negate the attack of Aster's "Dystopia". He then used the effects of "Zero" and "Infinity" again when Aster used "D - Soul Burst" to inflict damage to all Duelists. However, one of his "Darkwurms" was destroyed when Aster used the second effect of "Dystopia". When Sora destroyed his second "Darkwurm" with "Frightfur Chimera", Zarc used the effects of "Zero" and "Infinity" a third time, raising his LP to 8000. When Sora tried to use the effect of "Chimera" to Special Summon "Darkwurm" to his field, Zarc reminded him that Pendulum Monsters returned to his Extra Deck. However, Sora revealed he already knew and tried to make Yuya remember his past, but Zarc simply smirked as it failed.

When Zarc revived his "Darkwurms", Aster used "D - Hyper Nova" to destroy all of his monsters while Sora used "Frightfur Mad Parade" to inflict damage for every monster destroyed. However, he used the effect "Astrograph Sorcerer" to Special Summon it from his hand and revive his monsters. He then used the second the effect of "Astrograph Sorcerer" to banish "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon", "Clear Wing Synchro Dragon", "Starving Venom Fusion Dragon", and "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon" to Integration Summon "Supreme King Dragon Zarc". Fused with "Supreme King Dragon Zarc", Zarc told Aster and Sora that he is Pendulum, Xyz, Synchro, and Fusion, the ultimate existence who governs everything. When Shay and Kite joined the Duel and turned it into an Action Duel, Zarc stated he'll only praise the courage that the first challenged him. He then used the effect of "Zarc" to destroy of all of Sora's and Aster's monsters and inflict damage to them equal to the total ATK of the monsters destroyed, defeating them. He then prepared to take on Shay and Kite next.

When Shay Xyz Summoned "Raidraptor - Rise Falcon", Zarc thought it was interesting to Duel Xyz users and brought out "Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion" during Shay's turn due to its own effect. When Shay attacked "Zarc", Zarc used the second effect of "Dark Rebellion" to prevent Xyz Monsters from attacking as long as he control one. Shay then attacked "Dark Rebellion" but Zarc used the third effect of "Dark Rebellion" to reduce "Rise Falcon's" ATK to 0 and add it to its own. However, Shay then used "Overlay Burst Armor" to detach all of its overlay units to protect it from destruction and reduced the damage to 0. When Kite used the effect of "Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon" to take control of "Dark Rebellion", Zarc used the effect of "Zarc" to protect his monsters from the effects of Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Monsters. Zarc attacked "Cipher Dragon" and used the effect of "Dark Rebellion" to reduce "Rise Falcon's" ATK to 0 and add it to its own. When Kite used "Rank-Up Gravity" to force Zarc's monsters to attack Monsters special summoned by Rank-Up-Magic cards and banish them if they didn't attack, Zarc used the fourth effect of "Dark Rebellion" to return it to his Extra Deck and Special Summon two "Darkwurms" from his graveyard to reduce "Neo Cipher Dragon" and "Revolution Falcon's" ATKs to 0. He told Shay and Kite that they should be honored to be defeated by him and attacked them both. Shay and Kite used "Miracle" and "Evasion" respectively, but Zarc used the third effect of "Zarc" to destroy them due to being added to their hands outside the Draw Phase. He noticed Gong and Jack joining the Duel and defeated Shay and Kite.

When Jack Synchro Summoned "Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend" and tried to use the effect of "Scarlight", Zarc told him he already lost the moment he summoned a Synchro Monster. He Tributed his two "Darkurms" to Synchro Summon "Supreme King Servant Dragon Clear Wing" and used the effect of "Clear Wing" to negate the effects of "Scarlight" and destroy it. But, Jack used the effect of "Brutal Red" by sending it to the graveyard to prevent "Scarlight's" destruction and increase its ATK by 1,000. When Jack attacked "Clear Wing", Zarc used the effect of "Clear Wing" to negate the attack, destroy "Scarlight", and inflict damage equal to its ATK. However, "Scarlight" is not destroyed due to the effect of "Brutal Red". When Gong Synchro Summoned "Superheavy Samurai Swordsmith", Zarc told him his defensive display was doomed to fail. When Gong told Yuya to remember his Heavystrong Dueling and how they inherited the Dueling styles from their fathers, Zarc started to mumble Dueltaining and Heavystrong. This caused Gong told Yuya to call up his Dueltaining soul and attack like before while he'll take it with his Heavystrong Dueling. Zarc started to laugh when Gong and Jack joined forces and called it foolish. When Gong told Yuya to come with his Dueltaining, Zarc accepted but told him it was a bit rough.

He equipped "Supreme King Violent Spirit" to "Clear Wing" and attacked "Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei", using the effect of "Clear Wing" with "Violent Spirit" to destroy all of Gong's monsters. But, Gong used the second effect of "Superheavy Samurai Bushin Fudomyo'o" to protect itself and "Scarlight" from destruction and end the battle. Zarc was laughing again, telling Gong his tactic was interesting and that he responded to his Dueltaining. When Jack attacked "Clear Wing", Zarc used the effect of "Clear Wing" to negate "Tyrant's" attack, destroy it, and inflict damage equal to its ATK. However, "Tyrant" is not destroyed, due to the effect of "Fudomyo'o". Zarc used the effect of "Supreme King Violent Spirit" to destroy all monsters, defeating Gong in the process, but the effect of "Net Resonator" protected "Scarlight" and "Tyrant". Jack had "Tyrant" attack "Clear Wing" again, but Zarc used the effects of "Zero" and "Infinity" to reduce the effect damage to zero and increase his LP by the damage would've taken. He told Jack that was the most fun and decided to give him a reward with his own hands: despair. He noticed Sylvio and Crow intruding the Duel and defeated Jack.

Zarc told Sylvio and Crow that he integrated with a monster to destroy the world and won't give up the supreme power. He then Special Summoned his two "Darkurms" due to destroying a monster and Set three cards. He told his new challengers try and stop his greatest Dueltainment: The world's destruction. When Crow Synchro Summoned "Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower", Zarc tributed his two "Darkurms" and brought back "Clear Wing" during Crow's turn due to its own effect. He then used the effect of "Clear Wing" to negate the effects of "Raikiri" and destroy it. But, Crow used "Black Feather Illusion" to revive it with its effects negated. When Crow attacked "Clear Wing", Zarc used the second effect of "Clear Wing" to negate "Raikiri's" attack, destroy it, and inflict damage equal to "Raikiri's" ATK. However, Crow used "Black Feather Reverse" to negate the damage and Special Summon "Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling" from his Extra Deck. When Crow destroyed "Clear Wing", Zarc praised him for destroying his monster but used the Pendulum effect of "Zero" to reduce the damage to 0. However, Crow banished "Black Feather Illusion" to negate "Zero's" effect. Zarc decided to show Crow his Dueltaining by using "Supreme King Dance", forcing "Chidori" to attack "Zarc" and destroy it, using its effect to revive his two "Darkurms". When Crow used the effect of "Raikiri" to destroy "Supreme King Dance", Zarc used the effect of "Dance" to prevent it from being destroyed by a card effect once per turn. He started to get angry when Crow learned that Zarc was scared of losing and refused to admit it.

When Sylvio Pendulum Summoned "Abyss Actor - Superstar", "Wild Hope", and "Leading Lady", Zarc Summoned "Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes" during Sylvio's turn due to its own effect. He then used the effect of "Zarc" to destroy "Abyss Script - Rise of the Abyss King" when Sylvio used the effect of "Superstar" to add it to his hand outside the Draw Phase. He also got angry with Sylvio when he considered Zarc to be scared and brought "Rise of the Abyss King" back with "Abyss Script - Abyss Entertainment", bypassing "Zarc's" effect. When Sylvio used "Rise of the Abyss King" to destroy "Zarc" and "Odd-Eyes", Zarc tried to use "Supreme King Dance", Sylvio used the second effect of "Abyss Entertainment" to prevent him from activating it while he controls a Level 7 "Abyss Actor" monster. However, Zarc used the effect of "Odd-Eyes" to protect his Pendulum Monsters from being destroyed. He learned from Sylvio that the "Yuya Sakaki" he knew wasn't a coward to be so defensive and put braved danger to pull off a great escape. Sylvio used "Abyss Entertainment" again by tributing "Wild Hope" and setting "Abyss King" again, which he activates to target "Zarc". However, "Zarc" was unaffected due to Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Monsters being in the graveyard or banished, and cannot be destroyed. He noticed Leo Akaba intruding the Duel and remembered him as the man who revolutionized Dueling with the ARC System. Zarc told Leo that he made a vow, which hasn't changed, to be a strong and terrifying existence to fight all enemies until the world was destroyed. He sent "Supreme King Dance" to the graveyard to force "Chidori" and "Superstar" to attack "Zarc", destroying them both while using the effect of "Odd-Eyes" to double the damage, defeating Sylvio and Crow. He told Leo he'll defeat him as well until Leo mentioned those four cards, angering him. When Leo tried to use them, Zarc activated "Supreme King Brutality" to send the cards to the Graveyard and inflict damage for each sent card, defeating Leo.

When Delcan reminded Yuya that he was the founder of Pendulum, Zarc was surprised and watched him Pendulum-Xyz, Synchro, and Fusion Summoning "D/D/D Wave High King Executive Caesar", "D/D/D Gust High King Executive Alexander", and "D/D/D Flame High King Executive Genghis", telling Declan it was different from his other opponents. When Declan negated the effects of "Zero" and "Infinity", Zarc tried to use the effect of "Odd-Eyes" to revive his "Darkwurms", but Declan negated it the effect of "Executive Caesar" and add "Darkwurm's" ATK to "Executive Caesar" and "Executive Genghis". He was then attacked three times by Declan's "High King Executives" and started to laugh at Declan's misunderstanding. Zarc told Declan that he was the true founder of Pendulum, which was born for his revenge against Ray. He revealed that when Ray split the world into four, Pendulum was born at that moment and resurrected with it. He then activated "Supreme King's Wrath" to destroy all of his monsters, except "Zarc", to Special Summon "Odd-Eyes", "Dark Rebellion", "Clear Wing", and "Supreme King Servant Dragon Starving Venom". Zarc attacked "Executive Alexander", using the effect of "Clear Wing" to negate the attack, destroy "Executive Alexander", and inflict damage equal to its ATK. However, Declan used the Pendulum and monster effects of "D/D Savant Dirac" to Special Summon it from his Pendulum Zone and reduce the damage to zero. He then attacked "Executive Caesar", using the effect of "Dark Rebellion" to reduce "Executive Caesar's" ATK to zero and add the lost ATK to "Dark Rebellion". However, Declan used the Pendulum and monster effects of "D/D Savant Schrödinger" to Special Summon it from his Pendulum Zone and reduce the damage to zero. Zarc used the effect of "Starving Venom" to steal the effect of "Executive Alexander" to double its ATK and attacked "Executive Genghis", but Declan used "Schrödinger's" effect again. He then used "Odd-Eyes" to attack "Dirac", using the second effect of "Staring Venom" to grant the ability to inflict Piercing Damage and "Odd-Eyes" to double the damage. He finally attacked "Schrödinger" with "Zarc", defeating Declan as Riley intruded the Duel.

When Riley revealed he was Ray, Zarc was surprised and angry when she used the Natural Energy Cards to destroy "Zarc" and his "Supreme King Servant Dragons". When Riley called out to Yuya, Zarc told him he wasn't Yuya but Declan told him he's both of them since his heart was constantly swinging like a pendulum. Ray also told Zarc that Pendulum Summoning wasn't just born from his malice and declared that Yuya still existed within him. However, Zarc continued to refuse until Zuzu appeared to help him remember how he wanted make people around the world smile. Zarc denied those smiles and wanted to spread fear to people but Yuya managed to regain control after remembering his mission to save Zuzu. When Yuya used "Smile Universe" to revive "Zarc" and "Odd-Eyes", Zarc returned proclaiming Pendulum Monsters as immortals and was angry that his alter ego was getting in his way. He told Yuya to stop after he increased Riley and Ray's LP, and was defeated when they used "En Flowers" to destroy his dragons and inflict damage for each one. When the world was about to split into four again, Riley pulled Zarc's soul out of Yuya's body and sealed it into his to prevent his revival again.

Following the battle, Declan revealed that when Riley absorbed Zarc's soul he lost his smile and told Yuya his Dueltaining could bring it back and save the world. He also states if they don't do it, Zarc will resurrect and the world will be at risk again. When Yuto, Yugo, and Yuri didn't revive like Yuya, Leo theorized that Zarc's fragments had revived as Yuya. During Yuya and Jack's Duel, Zarc's soul resonated within Riley as Yuya summoned the four dragons, but eventually calms down. Subsequently during his Duel with Declan, Yuya was showed a memory of Zarc of the person he once was. It brought Yuya to tears while Zarc's soul within Riley cries. When Yuya defeated Declan, Riley began to laugh which caused Zarc's soul to be purified and Declan surmised that Zarc was probably laughing as well.

Ray Akaba
As she is the one who scattered his essence, Zarc expressed much loathing for her and her incarnations for their meddling in his affairs. When Ray confronts Zarc using Riley's body, she assumed Zuzu Boyle to briefly separate from her to reach Yuya and give him the strength to resist Zarc.

Yuya Sakaki, Yuto, Yugo, and Yuri
Zarc merely viewed his incarnations as "alter-egos" meant to ensure his revival, rather than separate people as he maliciously took control of their bodies whenever that were in a synched state of mind so he could have them seek each other out and merge back into his original body. Once revived after Yuya absorbed his counterparts, Zarc claimed the four no longer exist. However, when Ray destroyed "Supreme King Dragon Zarc", Zarc finds his incarnations helping Yuya metaphysically defy him as they gave Ray the opening to finish him off. Riley then used the Natural Energy Cards to separate Zarc from his still merged incarnations and absorb him. Yuya later regains his memories of what he did under Zarc's influence as he seeks to rectify everything that Zarc caused. But as Yuya accepts that he is no different from Zarc, he learns that he and his past life were more alike while understanding Zarc's profound sadness.

Riley Akaba
Allowing Ray to act through her to defeat Zarc, having learned how the Natural Energy Cards worked and circumvent being split into quadruplets, Riley used the cards' power to extract Zarc from his incarnations and absorb the spirit into herself. It left her in a catatonic state as a result with Declan fearing Zarc might take over her body and resume his rampage unless Yuya gets her to smile.

Deck
Zarc uses a "Supreme King" Deck, which focuses on maintaining dominance of the field with his ace monster, "Supreme King Dragon Zarc". The effects of "Zarc" let him control the Duel, protecting his monsters from the effects of the opponent's Extra Deck monsters and also allowing him to freely destroy cards added to an opponent's hand outside of the Draw Phase, effectively preventing them from using Action Cards. The effect of "Zarc" also makes itself unable to be removed from the field, as long as there are Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Monsters in any Graveyard or banished.

Offensively, Zarc's main tactic is to Summon the "Supreme King Servant Dragon" versions of the Four Dimension Dragons, which possess effects that let them dominate the field when faced with opposing monsters of the same Extra Deck summoning method as them. Their effects let Zarc summon them to the field on the opponent's turn when he controls "Zarc" by Tributing "Supreme King Servant Dragon" monsters he controls when his opponent Special Summons a monster from the Extra Deck via the corresponding summoning method. A critical part of Zarc's strategy is keeping his two "Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurms" on the field at all times so he can use them as materials to summon his other Extra Deck monsters whenever needed.

Due to incorporating Yuya into himself upon his resurrection, Zarc is capable of Pendulum Summoning. Utilizing the Pendulum Monsters "Supreme King Gate Infinity" and "Supreme King Gate Zero", he is able to make himself immune to any type of damage and gain LP equal to that damage. This not only makes Zarc nearly impervious to damage, but attempts to damage him usually only serve to further increase his Life Points.

All of this allows Zarc to counter almost anything the opponent tries to use against him and maintain his dominance over the field through a variety of protective effects to render himself and his monsters impervious to harm. As noted by Sylvio, this overly defensive strategy is a big contrast to Yuya's playstyle of taking risks bravely rather than playing it safe.