Z-one


 * For the card, see Z-One.

Z-one (pronounced Zone), is revered by Yliaster as their "god" or in the English version "The Divine One", especially for the Three Emperors, whose goals seem to center around unleashing him. ZONE also is the one responsible for creating an embodiment of Antinomy, whose memory was intentionally wiped so he could befriend and stimulate the evolution of the Signers, and Paradox, who was sent to eliminate Pegasus and rid the world of Duel Monsters. Antinomy himself has stated that ZONE is somewhat a God of Destiny.

Z-one is the the founder and leader of Yliaster itself, as a mean to set the course of history. Sherry described him as a man wielding the "Power of a god who reigns over Time itself". Furthermore this power that is said to be able to destroy everything.

It is possible that the name Z-one is derived from the fact that he is the last human, Z being the last letter of the alphabet and having much the same connotation as the letter omega, and that he is the last one.

Appearance
Z-one is contained in a machine shaped like either a comma, the number six, or a Japanese magatama (depending on its position). The backside and front-side resemble the Yusei Go, with all markings identical to that of the Duel Runner, albeit in the exact opposite color scheme (white with red instead of red with white). Leo has been the only one to notice this resemblance so far. A more humanoid figure is inside the machine, whose face is mostly covered, but only a portion around his left eye is visible, which is the same color, shape, and position as Yusei's eye. The figure has a marking on his mask similar to Yusei's criminal mark. Z-one's helmet/head also is exact to Yusei's helmet (including the yellow diamond in the center front), but also opposite color scheme (white instead of red). His human outfit also shares design with Yusei's jacket, for instance the two gem-like garments on it's collar. A notable fact is when he is upside down, in his comma form, he appeared to help Yusei and co. He saved Yusei, Bruno and Sherry LeBlanc from being blown up in Sector Security. He also gave Yusei his "Shooting Star Dragon" in order to defeat Primo. Since then, he has been shown in his right side up position, plotting to erase New Domino City and kill the Signers, along with Aporia and Sherry. Z-one appears to have Duel Monsters cards in the blue canisters that are on his machine body, it is unknown as of yet what these cards are or what they do for Z-one. Z-one has also taken the form of Dr. LeBlanc.

In Episode 144, Z-one appeared dressed as Yusei Fudo and riding the Yusei Go. However, the red design on the inner shirt is altered somewhat from Yusei's usual design (the alteration being that is still the same design in every way except "completed" with the "missing leg" forming a gateway-like design rather than the half-circle it normally is), as well as the orange patches on his collar that are normally round were square. His red helmet is also missing the white arrows on the sides. His version of the Yusei Go possesses similar small differences, with different coloring for the duel disk arm, different framing over the wheels, and what appears to be a gun-type weapon mounted on the seat on the right side. He also dismounts from the left side, whereas Yusei usually dismounts from the right.

In Episode 146, Z-one is first seen dueling, where two large arms attach to his body allowing him to duel. The large arms are also accompanied by a large hovering Wrist Dealer that is large enough to hold the large stone cards that Z-one possesses similiar to the ones used by the Familiar of Red Nova. He can also be seen in this form prior to Episode 146 in the fifth opening, Road to Tomorrow ~Going My Way!!~.

Another notable thing is that from when Z-one was first shown, he seems to have gained more mechanical parts.

Apocalyptic future
Z-one comes from the apocalyptic future devastated by Synchro Monsters and "Machine Emperors". During that time, it is revealed that Z-one himself rescued Antinomy when he was about to die at hands of one of these robots. The two of them along with Aporia and Paradox became the last survivors of the human race.

During the WRGP finals, Aporia shows Team 5D's this vision of the future he came from. In this vision, Z-one along his two comrades appear before Aporia and asks for his help.

Z-one is later made into a God with the assistance of Aporia, Antinomy and Paradox. When Aporia, Antinomy and Paradox are put in capsules because of their old age, Aporia begs Z-one to use his powers to stop the future from happening at all costs. Before Aporia dies as well, he insists to Z-one to split him into three embodiments based on the three despairs of his life. Z-one promises that he would (and later does so in the form of the Three Emperors of Yliaster).

World Racing Grand Prix
Z-one first appeared when Sherry and Bruno attempted to scan her "Z-One" card, warping them and Yusei Fudo to a computerized world. After they all woke up near a lake along with Elsworth, Yusei speculated that it has something to do with Yliaster.

Later after reaching a Clear Mind, Yusei finds "Shooting Star Dragon's" Tablet outside the city, upon touching it he is once again transported to where Z-one is. It is there that Z-one gives him the respective card. This is because he has obtained an alternate possibility, meaning Accel Synchro and that same card has the possibility towards it. This is one of the requirements for Clear Mind. Z-one states that Yusei has the right to take it, as he departs saying that "all possibilities must be made equal".

Later, after being separated from Yusei and Bruno, Sherry LeBlanc winds up in the company of Z-one, in the form of her father. Z-one promises Sherry he'd tell her the entire truth of what's going on, but she'd have to accept her fate being altered.

Z-one reappears in episode 131 showing Sherry the future caused by Ener-D. Later on, Primo reveals that it was Z-one who rebuilt/resurrected him.

Ark Cradle
After Yusei defeats Aporia, the Grand Design is completed, allowing the Arc Cradle in the sky to descend upon New Domino City. Z-one, along the human bodies of Paradox, Antinomy, and the real Aporia, are within the Arc Cradle, and recovered the remains of Aporia's mechanical body. There Z-one tells Aporia that although he was defeated, he did not fail completely because the Arc Cradle managed to appear, and some things have changed. Z-one then asks Aporia if he is willing to try to change the future again, to Aporia agreeing to help, because he is Z-one's 'eternal friend'.

As both Yusei and Bruno reach the Third Planetary Gear, Z-one makes Antinomy remember everything, so that he can duel Yusei. Z-one later states though that he used Antimony merely as a tool, to meet his ends.

Once Team 5D's stops all three of the Planetary Particle Gears, they gain access to the Center Gear. They arrive to a central room filled with garbage and stone slabs resembling Duel Monsters cards, much like those seen in the alternate dimension. The Signers confront Z-one, who explains that he was the one responsible for Paradox and the events of Yu-Gi-Oh! 3D Bonds Beyond Time. As Yusei prepares to duel Z-one, Aporia reappears and challenges him to a duel because he has found hope. Before the duel, Aporia reveals to the Signers that Z-one once also had hope for them. Hope that they would be able to change the future and so the reason why he sent Bruno to them was to help them evolve. Aporia also is dueling Z-one because it can't understand why he now is trying to stop that same evolution. After Aporia gets defeated by him, Leo angrily responds to why he would harm his own friends including Bruno. Z-one simply responds that it doesn't matter as they were android embodiements sent from the future.

Z-one goes on to say that his future was changed because of the Zero Reverse, revealing that he was most likely alive during the time of the Zero Reverse. Strangely, he groups his future differently from the others' lives, which may mean he died during the Zero Reverse, or it is simply to contrast how he separates himself from society.

After that, Yusei challenges Z-one to a Turbo Duel, with the fate of New Domino City hanging in the balance. During the duel, Yusei manages to damage Z-one's mask and is revealed that Z-one's true face has a criminal mark similar to that of Yusei's.

Abilities
Being the leader of Yliaster, Z-one has access to technology from the later future. Z-one uses this technology to travel through time and change reality itself. Perhaps the best demonstration of this, is the ability for his cards to physically materialize during a duel, such as the card "École de Zone" is capable of creating a potent illusion during a duel. Z-one can also use this technology to create giant arms and Wrist Dealer in order to duel and turn Stone Tablets into giant normal-looking cards that do not need a playing field to be placed upon simply materializing when placed or activated.

Moreover his technology also allows him to harness Ener-D through duels, which fuels the Grand Design to summon the Arc Cradle. He is also capable of creating androids in the appearance of his deceased friends, all of these androids are potent duelists in their own right. Sherry stated that he is capable of granting any wish, as he promised to change her past so that her parents can live again.

Anime
Z-one uses a Temporal Machine Deck, apparently focused in the Burn/Bouncing play style, to return the opponent's monsters in the opponent hand, having cards that reduce damage to 0, and inflict damage for each monster returned. He also uses tarot-themed Trap Cards that activate directly from his hand. The names of his Monsters are references to the archangels of Sephirot. (Zone has claimed that there are ten Temporal Machine Gods total, which would correspond to that group; possibly, his most powerful monster is an eleventh one based on Sephiron himself.)