Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 173

"Fighting for a Friend - Part 5" is the one hundred and seventy-third episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! second series anime. It first aired in Japan on October 1, 2003 and in the US on April 16, 2005.

Summary
Mai continues to Duel Joey. Just as she's about to inflict the final blow and seal Joey's soul away forever, she suddenly hesitates and stops her attack. Mai can't understand at first why she is hesitating, as she thinks winning will mean she has finally stepped out of the shadow of Joey's success and keep him out of her way for good. Joey, exhausted by the previous Duel, collapses and declares Mai the winner. Mai rushes to him, memories of their friendship washing over her, and declares that she will not let his soul be taken. But Joey says its too late and, still protecting her, pushes her out of the ever shrinking circle. In the process, his hand catches on Mai's Orichalcos fragment and it gets removed, crumbling as the seal passes over it on its way to claim Joey.

The scene changes to Dartz as Mai's fragment shatters, and he exclaims that Mai is now free. However, he senses a powerful soul has been captured for the Orichalcos, and is glad to have finally seized the soul of one of the "Chosen Duelists."

Now free from Dartz's spell, Mai decides to go challenge him directly, determined to set things right and free Joey. As she leaves, she picks up Joey's "Hermos" card from the ground where it fell before hopping on her motorcycle and racing toward Paradius Inc. Home Office. Once inside, she's confronted by a mysterious figure whom she seems to know.

Meanwhile, "Timaeus" materializes from the Pharaoh's card and "Critias" leaves Kaiba's battle. The duo appear over the city, keening in lament and mourning the fall of their companion. Kaiba is surprised at Critias's behavior, brushing it off as a hologram malfunction and continuing to stubbornly ignore the truth he knows in his heart.

An anxious Yami, Téa and Tristan finally stumble upon the site of Joey's duels, only to be stunned when they see Valon's and, especially, Joey's soulless bodies sitting propped against the chain-link fence.

Featured Duel: Mai Valentine vs. Joey Wheeler - Part 2
Duel continues from previous episode.

Turn 6: Joey


 * Joey draws.
 * Summons "Swordsman of Landstar" (500/1200) in Defense Position.
 * Sets two cards.

Turn 7: Mai


 * Mai draws.
 * One "Cyber Harpie Lady" attacks "Swordsman of Landstar", but Joey Activates Trap Card "Double Magical Arm Bind", Tributing two "Sheep Tokens" to take control of two of Mai's "Cyber Harpie Ladies" (Two Cyber Harpie Ladies: 2300 → 1800/1300).
 * Joey then Activates Trap Card "Vow of Tribe", preventing any monsters that exist on both sides of the Field from attacking this turn. Because of that, "Cyber Harpie Lady's" attack on "Swordsman of Landstar" is negated.

Turn 8: Joey


 * Joey draws.
 * Tributes two "Cyber Harpie Ladys" and "Swordsman of Landstar" to Summon "Gilford the Lightning" (2800/1400) in Attack Position.
 * Since "Gilford the Lightning" was Tribute Summoned by Tributing 3 monsters, its effect activates, destroying all monsters on Mai's side of the Field.
 * "Gilford the Lightning" attacks Mai directly (Mai 3600 → 800).

Turn 9: Mai


 * Mai draws Spell Card "Card of Sanctity" and subsequently activates it to make her and her opponent Draw until both have 6 cards in their Hand. The four cards Joey drew were "Gearfried the Iron Knight", "Magical Arm Shield", "Kunai with Chain", and "Knight of Dark Dragons".
 * Activates Spell Card "Monster Reborn" to Special Summon "Cyber Harpie Lady" (1800 → 2300/1300) back from her Graveyard in Attack Position.
 * Activates Spell Card "Elegant Egotist", transforming "Cyber Harpie Lady" into the "Harpie Lady Sisters" (1800 → 2300/1300) in Attack Position.
 * Activates Spell Card "Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation", destroying Joey's "Gilford the Lightning" and last remaining Sheep Token and inflicting damage to Joey equal to the total ATK of his destroyed monsters (Joey 3600 → 800), however no Harpie monsters can attack this turn.

Turn 10: Joey


 * Joey draws "The Claw of Hermos".
 * Activates Spell Card "The Warrior Returning Alive", returning "Blue Flame Swordsman" from his Graveyard to his Hand.
 * Normal Summons "Blue Flame Swordsman" (1800/1600) in Attack Position.
 * Activates Ritual Spell Card "Dark Dragon Ritual", Tributing "Gearfried the Iron Knight" from his Hand to Ritual Summon "Knight of Dark Dragons" (1900/1200) in Attack Position.
 * Activates "Knight of Dark Dragons'" Effect, Tributing it to Special Summon "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" (2400/2000) from his Deck in Attack Position. Due to the secondary effect of "Knight of Dark Dragons", "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" cannot Attack in the same Turn that it was Summoned via the effect of "Knight of Dark Dragons".
 * Activates "The Claw of Hermos", fusing it with "Red-Eyes Black Dragon" to form "Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword" and Equip it to "Blue Flame Swordsman", increasing its ATK by 1000 ("Blue Flame Swordsman": 1800 → 2800/1600).
 * "Blue Flame Swordsman" attacks and destroys Mai's first "Harpie Lady Sister" (Mai 800 → 300).
 * Sets two cards ("Kunai with Chain" and "Magical Arm Shield").

Turn 11: Mai


 * Mai draws Spell Card "Harpie's Feather Duster" and subsequently activates it to destroy all of Joey's Spell and Trap Cards; "Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword" and Joey's two set cards are destroyed. Since "Red-Eyes Black Dragon Sword" has been removed from the field, the ATK of "Blue Flame Swordsman" goes back to normal ("Blue Flame Swordsman": 2800 → 1800/1600).
 * Activates Spell Card "Spell Reproduction", discarding two Spell Cards to add "Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation" from her Graveyard to her Hand.
 * Activates Spell Card "Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation" to destroy all monsters Joey controls and inflict their total ATK to Joey as damage. Before "Blue Flame Swordsman" is destroyed, Joey activates the effect of "Blue Flame Swordsman", transferring all its ATK to one of Mai's "Harpie Lady Sisters" ("Harpie Lady Sisteer": 2300 → 4100/1300). "Blue Flame Swordsman" is destroyed, but because it had 0 ATK Joey does not lose any Life Points due to "Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation's" Effect.
 * Since "Blue Flame Swordsman" was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, Joey activates its effect, Special Summoning "Flame Swordsman" (1800/1600) in Attack Position (NOTE: in the anime, "Flame Swordsman" is not a Fusion Monster).
 * Since Mai activated "Harpie Lady Phoenix Formation", none of her Harpies can attack this turn, so she ends her turn.

Turn 12: Joey


 * Joey draws a card and subsequently sets it.

Turn 13: Mai

Mai wins.
 * Mai draws "Mirror Wall".
 * The boosted "Harpie Lady Sister" attacks Joey's "Flame Swordsman", but Joey activates Quick-Play Spell Card "Skull Dice" to roll a die. He rolls a two, so "Harpie Lady Sister's" ATK is halved ("Cyber Harpie Lady": 4100 → 2050/1300). "Harpie Lady Sister" destroys Joey's "Flame Swordsman" (Joey 800 → 550).
 * Mai is about to order her second "Harpie Lady Sister" to attack Joey directly, which would lead to her victory, but she decides not to. However, Joey is unable to continue the Duel as he is too exhausted to continue.

Trivia

 * This is the only time a duel fully shown on screen was won by the person who played "The Seal of Orichalcos".

Differences in adaptations

 * In the previous episode, "Vow of Tribe" and "Dark Dragon Ritual" was shown with a different artwork. For unknown reasons, these cards' artwork were completely changed. The International anime artwork of "Vow of Tribe" and "Dark Dragon Ritual" show the original first artwork.


 * The spikes on "Cyber Harpie Lady" and "Harpie Lady Sisters'" breasts were removed.


 * "Skull Dice" was change from a Quick-Play Spell Card to a Trap Card in the International anime.

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