Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - Episode 020

"Roots of the Problem", known as "The Pitch-Black Number: Dark Yuma vs Tetsuo" in the Japanese version, is the twentieth episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL anime. It first aired in Japan on August 22, 2011 and in the United States on April 21, 2012.

Summary
At the top of a building, Yuma and Astral are Dueling a man, while Tori and Bronk are watching. Yuma controls "Number 39: Utopia", and his opponent 3 "Giant Germs". The man overlays his 3 Giant Germs to Xyz Summon his "Number"; "Number 96: Dark Mist". However, it only has 100 ATK, surprising all of them. Yuma gets excited, thinking it is an easy win now, and declares battle between "Utopia" and "Dark Mist". Bronk and Astral both warn Yuma, but he still declares battle. "Utopia" succeeds in destroying "Dark Mist", and wipes out his opponent's last remaining 1000 Life Points, winning the Duel. Yuma is happy to win, and Tori smiles, but Bronk looks unhappy, most likely because of Yuma's reckless attack.

Astral absorbs "Number 96", and the memory regained is shown. In a view from space, cracks open on the Earth, and it explodes. Yuma and Tori celebrate the victory, with Bronk watching in the back.

While going home, Yuma boasts about his victory and obtaining another "Number". Tori tells him to pipe down, and Bronk asks him about the recklessness of Utopia's attack. Yuma tells him it was fine, but Bronk heavily replies it wasn't. Yuma reacts saying he shouldn't worry, but Bronk grabs him. Yuma breaks loose and starts pinching Bronk, and Tori yells, telling them to stop.

The next day, Yuma and Bronk ignore each other on various instances.

Inside the Emperor's Key, Astral presents Number 96 to a gear from his hand, inside the huge structure inside of the Key. He recalls the vision he saw when obtaining Number 96, and wonders what it means.

Later, while lying on the school's roof, Yuma flashes back to the past, when a younger Yuma explains his ambition to his class. A young Bronk makes a comment about it, making the whole class laugh. Bronk also flashs back to those days, to the many Duels he and Yuma had, and Yuma's unbreakable spirit. However, despite them arguing during those Duels, they had a friendly rivalry, which Tori bore witness of.

Later, in the present, Tori questions the reason for his argument with Bronk, and Astral asks if he really means what he said. Yuma says he did, however, Bronk was in fact right in front of him. Yuma goes after him when he walks away, but when he grabs Bronk's shoulder, Bronk swings his arm, knocking the Emperor's Key of its rope. Almost immediately, black slime drools from Yuma's Deck case, streaming up, and enveloping Astral, who becomes visible to Tori and Bronk. However, the light parts of Astral's body became dark and black, and shocks start appearing on Astral. The black streams continue to pump the black sludge into Astral from multiple angles. Bronk sees where the Emperor's Key landed after the blow, and picks it up. Astral, while still getting shocked and the dark sludge is still being pumped into him, seems to talk to someone, saying they're Number 96. A voice from somewhere appears, and Astral's arms are being tilted up, with the sludge still being pumped into him. Astral screams out, and in a purple space, in Numbers-style, the number 96 appears. number 96 is possessing Astral, while holding onto Yuma.

The darkened Astral gives them a malicious look, but the real Astral tells Yuma to entrust Bronk with "Number 39: Utopia". Yuma asks why, but Astral tells him to just do it. Yuma manages to pull Utopia's card out of his Deck, and throws it towards Bronk, who catches it, looks at it, and is surprised he threw him "Utopia". Astral then is completely possessed by number 96, who declares himself the strongest "Number", and extends Astral's arm to grab "Utopia" back from Bronk. This, however, is prevented by the Emperor's Key, which creates a shield around Bronk. Tori asks if he is okay, which he confirms, but is worried about Yuma. Number 96 looks at Bronk angrily. The latter thinks about a way to save Yuma and Astral from Number 96. Bronk tells him that if he wants Utopia, he should Duel him. Number 96 agrees, and lets Yuma free, deciding he'll use him as a puppet.

Controlling Yuma's actions, the Duel starts, and Number 96 uses Yuma's Deck.

During the Duel, Number 96 quickly summons his own card, "Number 96: Dark Mist". However, it looks different than in Yuma's Duel against it's original holder. 96 explains that this is Number 96's, his own, true form. Dark Mist actually uses its effects during the Duel, revealing it willingly manipulated its Holder into losing in order to get to more "Number" cards. Bronk is able to Summon "Utopia" in a reaction to "Dark Mist". The will-enforcing effect of the "Numbers" appears to take over Bronk, but he seems to be able to shake it off.

Using the effects of Yuma's Deck after he enhanced with cards from the Duel Lodge's secret Deck and some extra anti-Xyz cards, Number 96 obtains an edge over some of Bronk's moves. During the Duel, Astral manages to get in contact with Yuma. In a mysterious space, Astral is hanging, with his body slowly fading away.

After Bronk finishes his turn, Yuma suddenly collapses, getting back up. He stands in a zombie-like stance, and Number 96 laughs, saying he now controls Yuma too. Number 96 ends up destroying "Utopia" relatively easy, and "Dark Mist" now has 3100 ATK.

Yuma explains to 96 that he should be careful of Bronk's face-down card, as its most likely the card "Gearspring Exploder", which, if used, could win Bronk the Duel at the moment. Not happy to hear it, Numbers 96 responds to this by activating the Quick-Play Spell Card "Xyz Cyclone", to destroy "Gearspring Exploder". Bronk seems devastated by Yuma being under 96's control, but flashes back to Yuma yelling he will never give up. He then continues the Duel with a combo between "Automatic Gearspring Machine", "Gearspring Spirit", "Gearspring Catapult" and a "Monster Reborn"-revived "Utopia". Before Bronk defeats Number 96 Yuma starts snickering, and tells Bronk he did great. Number 96 is shocked to see that Yuma wasn't under his control at all, and Yuma explains it was a trick to make sure Bronk would still have his "Catapult" and "Automated Machine".

Bronk, while declaring that he is "feeling the flow," destroys "Dark Mist" with "Utopia". He then tosses the Emperor's Key to Yuma, which releases Astral from the prison created by Number 96. Astral appears in the sky, and re-absorbs Number 96.

Yuma and Bronk happily run to each other. Bronk gives Yuma "Utopia" back, while asking how he came up with the idea of tricking Number 96. Judging from his reaction, Bronk figures it was Astral's plan, and the two get in an argument over it. Above them, Astral says Yuma and Bronk saved him. Looking at Number 96's card, he figures there is something with it.

Yuma Tsukumo vs. Number 96's holder
Duel is shown from an unspecified turn.

Yuma controls "Number 39: Utopia" in Attack Position, while the Number 96's holder controls three "Giant Germs" (1000/100) and has 1000 Life Points.

Number 96's holder turn

Number 96's holder overlays his three "Giants Germs" to Xyz Summon "Number 96: Dark Mist" (100/1000) in Attack Position.

Yuma's turn

"Utopia" attacks and destroys "Dark Mist" (Number 96's holder 1000 → 0).

Bronk Stone vs. Number 96: Dark Mist
Turn 1: Bronk

Bronk Normal Summons "Aye-Iron" (1600/1800). He equips it with "Spring Punch". Whenever "Aye-Iron" gains ATK, half of its ATK will be inflicted to the opponent as damage and that turn's Battle Phase will be skipped. Bronk activates the effect of "Aye-Iron", increasing its ATK by 400 and preventing it from attacking this turn. "Spring Punch" inflicts 1000 damage as the ATK of "Aye-Iron" was increased (Number 96 4000 → 3000). Bronk activates the "Gearspring Catapult" Continuous Spell Card. During each of his Standby Phases, it will gain a Gearspring Counter. Bronk can remove a Gearspring Counter to increase the ATK of a monster by 500.

Turn 2: Number 96

Number 96 discards "Pinecono" via the effect of "Acorno", Special Summoning the latter monster (200/400). The effect of "Pinecono" Special Summons itself from the Graveyard (400/200). Number 96 Normal Summons "Darklon" (100/100). Its effect activates, increasing the Level of all of his monsters by 1 and changing their attributes to DARK. Number 96 Overlays his three Level 2 DARK monsters to Xyz Summon "Number 96: Dark Mist" (100/1000) in Attack Position. "Dark Mist" attacks "Aye-Iron", activating its effect. He detaches an Xyz Material to halve the ATK of "Aye-Iron" and add it to that of "Dark Mist". Their ATKs become 1100 and 1000, respectively. "Aye-Iron" is destroyed (Bronk 4000 → 3900). Number 96 Sets two cards.

Turn 3: Bronk

During the Standby Phase, "Gearspring Catapult" gains a Gearspring Counter. Tetsuo Normal Summons "Tin Goldfish" (800/2000) and activates "Iron Call", Special Summoning the Machine-Type "Aye-Iron" from his Graveyard in Defense Position. Bronk activates "Iron Draw", drawing two cards as he controls two face-up Machine-Type monsters. Bronk Overlays his two Level 4 monsters to Xyz Summon "Number 39: Utopia" (2500/2000) in Attack Position. Bronk activates the effect of "Gearspring Catapult", removing a Gearspring Counter to increase the ATK of "Utopia" by 500, to 3000. "Utopia" attacks "Dark Mist", but Number 96 activates the effect of "Dark Mist", detaching an Overlay Unit to halve the ATK of "Utopia" and add it to its own. Their ATKs become 2600 and 1500, respectively. Bronk activates the effect of "Utopia", detaching an Overlay Unit to negate his own attack. As an attack between two Attack Position monsters was negated, Number 96 activates his face-down "Counterforce", inflicting damage to Bronk equal to the difference between the ATKs of the monsters (Bronk 3900 → 2800). Bronk activates the "Automatic Gearspring Machine" Continuous Spell Card. It gains two Gearspring Counters and will gain another during each of Bronk's Standby Phases. He may send it to the Graveyard to move its Gearspring Counters to another card that can use them. Bronk Sets a card. The ATK boost from "Gearspring Catapult" ends, and the ATK of "Utopia" is reduced to 1000.

Turn 4: Number 96

Number 96 attacks "Utopia" with "Dark Mist". He activates the effect of "Dark Mist", detaching an Overlay Unit to halve the ATK of "Utopia" and add it to "Dark Mist". Their ATKs become 3100 and 500, respectively. Bronk activates the effect of "Utopia", detaching an Overlay Unit to negate the attack, but Number 96 activates his face-down "Overlay Banish", negating the effect. The attack continues and "Utopia" is destroyed (Bronk 2800 → 200). At this moment, Number 96 plans on destroying "Gearspring Catapult" to prevent Bronk from increasing his monster's ATK, but Yuma says that's not his plan and reveals that Bronk's face-down is "Gearspring Exploder" and explains its effect. Number 96 activates "Xyz Cyclone", destroying Bronk's face-down "Gearspring Exploder" Trap Card as a monster he controls destroyed an Xyz Monster.

Turn 5: Bronk

During the Standby Phase, "Gearspring Catapult" and "Automatic Gearspring Machine" each gain a Gearspring Counter. Bronk removes three Gearspring Counters from the latter card to Special Summon "Gearspring Spirit" (100/100) from his hand in Attack Position via its own effect. Bronk activates the effect of "Gearspring Spirit", decreasing the ATK of "Dark Mist" to 0 until the End Phase. Bronk plays "Monster Reborn", Special Summoning "Utopia" (2500/2000) from his Graveyard in Attack Position. He activates the effect of "Gearspring Catapult", removing a Gearspring Counter to increase the ATK of "Utopia" by 500, to 3000. "Utopia" attacks and destroys "Dark Mist" (Number 96 3000 → 0).

Featured cards
The following cards appeared in this episode. Cards in italics debuted here.

Differences in adaption

 * In the English version, when Astral absorbs Black Mist, the memory of a planet being destroyed is cut a bit, showing that the planet is covered with purple lines.


 * Number 96 does not claim that it is the most powerful Number in the English version.


 * When No. 96 summons Darklon, it is not explained that the other monsters on the field are treated as DARK monsters.