Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 002

The Gauntlet is Thrown is episode two of the Yu-Gi-Oh! second series anime, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters in East Asia.

With his victory over Seto Kaiba already earning him a reputation, Yugi is sent a package by the creator of Duel Monsters, Maximillion Pegasus. Yugi is then forced into a game of real magic as Pegasus challenges Yugi to a duel in an alternate universe known as the Shadow Realm, where the monsters are real. Pegasus sees all of Yugi's cards and strategies with his Millennium Eye. In the end, Yugi loses the duel and Pegasus steals the soul of Yugi's grandfather.

School
In class Joey plays Duel Monsters against Téa. He Summons "Rock Ogre Grotto #1, claiming it will rock her block off. However Téa flips over her face-down "Happy Lover". Joey laughs that wimpy card doesn't stand a chance against his giant rock guy and urges her to give it up. Téa agrees that she doesn't stand a chance, unless she plays the "Breath of Light" card, sliding it onto the field as she does so. Startled, Joey asks Yugi if she can do that. Yugi replies that the "Breath of Light" card wears down Rock-Type monsters and reduces them to rubble. "Rock Ogre Grotto" is hit and falls apart, stunning Joey, whose Life Points hit 0. Téa celebrates over defeating Joey yet again and Tristan tells Joey he stinks at this game. Joey moans and buries his head onto the desk.

Afterwards outside school, Joey hangs out with Yugi and admits that Tristan is right, he does stink at the game and couldn't win a game of Duel Monsters to save his life. He asks Yugi for help, so Yugi decides to take a look at Joey's Deck, and finds it is made up entirely of Monster Cards. Joey explains that he filled it with the powerful monsters he could find, but Yugi tells him that's not how the game works; Duel Monsters about combining Monster Cards with Magic Cards to make them stronger. Without Magic Cards, his monsters will get creamed every time, Yugi says. Joey rushes over and seizes Yugi excitedly, saying that's the kind of advice he needs and Yugi has got to help him more.

Game shop
Yugi takes Joey home to his Grandpa's game shop. His grandfather is the real game expert in the family, Yugi says, maybe he can help. (In the English version, the words "Kame Game", which are written in katakana, are removed from the sign at the shop). Inside, Yugi's grandfather, Solomon Muto is on a ladder, putting up a poster, advertising an upcoming National Duel Monsters tournament with a 3,000,000 yen prize. In the Japanese version, the poster contains "Elf Swordsman" ("Celtic Guardian") and "Hercules Beetle". In the English version, it contains "Black Luster Soldier" and "Harpie's Pet Dragon".

Joey's all excited about the tournament, and wants to enter it and win the money. Grandpa says if Joey thinks he's going to win that tournament, it's just an illusion. Yugi asks Joey if it's true. Joey falls to his knees and bows to Yugi, telling Yugi he really wants to win that tournament. Yugi protests that there's not even a month until the tournament, and Grandpa says he'll help. Yugi tells Joey that Grandpa's a great duelist, despite how he looks. Grandpa's not impressed with that, but says that he's a great trainer. Joey asks him for help, and Grandpa says he must start by changing his attitude. He shouldn't want to win for the prize. Grandpa will teach him about the Heart of the Cards. They beging training and Joey screams, while Grandpa orders him to try again.

(In the English version, the conversation between Yugi, Joey and Grandpa is rewritten. Yugi tells his Grandpa he's brought him a new student. Since Grandpa knows more about Duel Monsters than anyone, Joey says he was hoping that he'd teach him. Grandpa climbs down from the ladder and states that Duel Monsters is a very complex game. Joey agrees, say Téa beat him in three games in a row. Yugi corrects him, saying that it was five. Joey looks up at the poster and Grandpa says that he could teach Joey to be a great tournament duelist, but only if he's willing to spend endless days and sleepless nights training. "Piece of cake", Joey says and Grandpa says that with an attitude like that, teaching Joey may not be worth his effort. Joey withdraws and Yugi sarcastically compliments him. Joey drops to his knees and bows to Yugi, begging him to help convince Grandpa to teach him, promising to work hard. Yugi starts to argue that his grandpa can't do it, reversely affecting Grandpa, who decides can do it. If he agrees, he tells Joey he must hard. Joey promises, and Grandpa says they'll begin immediatly. He cracks his fingers, saying under his tuition, Joey will learn. He asks Joey if he can name the most powerful and weakest Duel Monster and if he knows what a Trap Card is, but Joey has no idea.)

Watching tv
Cut to the Regional Duel Monsters Championship (National Championship in the Japanese). The announcer introduces the finalists, Weevil Underwood (Insector Haga), the Bug Brawler, and Rex Raptor (Dinosaur Ryuzaki), Dino Duelist. (The Japanese announcer says that representing East Japan is Insector Haga, 14 years old, and West Japan is Dinosaur Ryuuzaki, 15 years old.)

Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and Téa are all at Yugi's place, watching the tournament on television. Joey thinks it should have been him there, and Téa says she knows he's been training for weeks, but these guys are in another league. (Japanese, Anzu points out that Jounouchi made it to the top eight.) Yugi adds that Joey's so tired he can't keep his eyes open. He thinks Grandpa's lessons were a bit too tough for him. (Japanese Yugi says that Grandpa's training was pretty rough.) In flashback, Grandpa stands over an exhausted Joey, telling him there's no time to rest, pounding the table in front of Joey with a stick to drive his lessons home. Tristan tells Joey, "You snooze, you lose," and a disappointed Joey says he must have been nuts to think he could learn this crazy game. (Japanese, Honda says Jounouchi was only in the top eight of the town preliminaries, and Jounouchi says he's ashamed to face Grandpa, who trained him so hard.)

Then Grandpa comes in, carrying a package, teasing Joey that it's time for his lesson, then telling him he's come a long way as a duelist, and he's proud of him. (Japanese, Grandpa asks if he heard his name. Jounouchi apologizes, and Grandpa tells him it's okay, he did his best. To be honest, he didn't think a wimp like Jounouchi would be able to get into the tournament at all. He tells Jounouchi he did a good job.) Joey gets all teary-eyed, and tries to grab Grandpa for a hug, but Grandpa slips by him and Joey falls over the back of the sofa onto the floor.

Grandpa has a package for Yugi from Industrial Illusions, the company that makes the Duel Monsters game. Joey asks why they 'd be sending a package to Yugi. Yugi doesn't know, but he wonders if they heard about his defeat of Kaiba. It wasn't an official match, but it did make Kaiba drop out of the tournament. Flashbacks show Yugi beating Kaiba with Exodia. (The Japanese package doesn't say who it's from. Jounouchi asks Yugi why he didn't enter the tournament—he's sure Yugi could have won it easily. Yugi says he's made up his mind he'll only enter a tournament if he's in it. Anzu says, it's Kaiba, isn't it, and Yugi says yes. Now that Kaiba's learned about the heart of the cards, Yugi wants to face him again. The flashback of Yugi and Kaiba's duel was added to the dub.) Joey says that just hearing Kaiba's name gives him a headache. (Japanese, Jounouchi says you can't trust a jerk like that.)

Tristan directs their attention back to the tournament, and Joey asks if these guys are any good, and Yugi says, oh yeah, they're both tough customers. Weevil specializes in Insect cards, and he's a great strategist, while Rex Raptor uses his Dinosaurs' power to overwhelm his opponents. Joey thinks Raptor's got the upperhand after comparing bugs to dinosaurs, but Yugi says that he wouldn't underestimate Weevil.

Rex Normal Summons "Two-Headed King Rex", which Weevil beats using "Basic Insect" combined with Magic and Trap Cards, winning Weevil the duel, and the championship.

Maximillion Pegasus (Pegasus J. Crawford), the creator of Duel Monsters and President of Industrial Illusions, rises from a trap door in the floor of the stadium and presents Weevil with the trophy. He invites Weevil to compete in the upcoming tournament he's hosting at Duelist Kingdom.

As Pegasus leaves the tournament in his limo, his flunky says that with the announcement Pegasus made tonight, he'll have thousands of duelists flocking to his tournament. Pegasus hopes the tournament will attract those who possess the Millennium Items he seeks. (Japanese Pegasus says none of the duelists they saw today excited him, and asks the flunky about his errand.) The flunky says the package was delivered to the boy, just as he ordered. "Excellent", Pegasus says.

Video Duel
Back at the Game Shop, Yugi opens his package to find a glove, two stars, and a videotape. Yugi puts the tape in the VCR, and everyone is astonished to see Maximillion Pegasus, who greets Yugi and says he's heard some interesting things about him. Yugi's defeat of Seto Kaiba has intrigued him so much, he's decided to investigate Yugi's dueling skills personally. He challenges Yugi to an immediate duel with a time limit of fifteen minutes, and when time's up, the the player with the higher life points will be the winner.

Yugi's a bit boggled, and Joey doesn't understand how Yugi can duel with a videotape. Tristan says it's crazy. But Pegasus laughs, and says "No, it's magic!" Using his Millennium Eye, Pegasus takes Yugi into a dark world, where Yugi's friends and Grandpa are frozen like statues, saying he'll return Yugi after their game. Yugi accepts the challenge, and switches with Yami, who tells Pegasus to start the clock and make his move. (Japanese, Yugi asks if it's a "Yami no Game," or "Dark Game," then switches with Yami, who accepts the challenge.)

Yugi says Pegasus might be good, but he'll beat him to save his friends. But he's shocked when Pegasus tells him he won't beat anyone with that Dragon card—before Yugi's played his card. Pegasus says he'll know every move Yugi makes, before he can make it. As they duel Pegasus tells Yugi that the world they're in is called the Shadow Realm, and asks Yugi if he believes there is magic in the cards. Yugi tells Pegasus he should know—he invented the game. But Pegasus says he didn't. In ancient Egypt, this was known as a Shadow Game. Pharaohs would hold mystical duels in other dimensions, just as he and Yugi are doing now. But not with cards—they battled with real monsters and real magic. Magical forces so powerful that the Egyptians lost control of them, and nearly destroyed the world. Yugi says it's a good story, but these monsters can't be real. Pegasus continues to name Yugi's card without seeing them, just before Yugi plays them.

Pegasus giggles, saying the monsters are quite real, and quite dangerous. He tells Yugi that he's quite entertaining, so defiant yet helpless, and completely ignorant of the power of his Millennium Puzzle.

Five thousand years ago, Pegasus says, a powerful pharaoh locked the magic of the Shadow Games away, capturing the mystical energies in seven Millennium Items. Yugi asks if Pegasus is saying that his Millennium Puzzle is one of them? Pegasus tells Yugi that there is magic in the Millennium Puzzle that could change Yugi's life, if he knew how to use it. Yugi asks why Pegasus is telling him this, but Pegasus sets another card face down and tells Yugi that time is running out—they'd better get back to their duel. (Japanese, Pegasus says he knows Yugi is shocked, but this is very real. There's no way Yugi can beat him. And when Yugi loses, he'll have to participate in the event Pegasus is going to sponsor—an event to prove who is the real King of Duelists. He who gains the title of King of Duelists will win great honor and a cash prize. Yugi says he's not interested in Pegasus' tournament, and asks what if he says no? Pegasus says no, Yugi can't refuse. Since there's no way Yugi can win, he can't escape. Yugi says the game isn't over yet, and Pegasus says, "then let's continue.")

Yugi wonders if Pegasus can really read his mind, or if it's some kind of trick. Pegasus lifts the hair covering his Millennium Eye, and sees the card in Yugi's mind. Yugi thinks it have something to do with that weird eye of his. (Japanese Yugi wonders if he really chose that card, or does he just think he did? He wonders if Pegasus uses some kind of hypnosis to control his opponents and make them play the cards he wants them to.) That gives Yugi an idea—what if he plays a card from his Deck without looking at it? Not even he will know what card he's playing. He draws a card and places it face-down on the field.

Despite fooling Pegasus for one turn, Yugi falls behind in Life Points, but summons "Summoned Skull" with time almost up. "Summoned Skull" attacks to win, but time runs out before the attack goes through, causing Pegasus to win.

Pegasus says, and the next time they duel, they'll play for much higher stakes. Yugi says he's done playing Pegasus' games, but Pegasus says he's giving Yugi no choice. He uncovers his Millennium Eye, saying that now he'll show Yugi the true extent of its magic. A bolt of magic shoots from the Millennium Eye, capturing Grandpa's soul. Grandpa appears on the television screen, calling Yugi's name. The Shadow Realm fades away, and the gang is restored, except for Grandpa, who falls over senseless. Yugi clutches the TV screen, calling out for his Grandpa

Téa Gardner vs. Joey Wheeler
The beginning of the Duel is skipped.

Joey's turn

Joey Normal Summons "Rock Ogre Grotto #1" in Attack Position (800 ATK / 1200 DEF).

Téa's turn

Téa Flip Summons "Happy Lover" (800 ATK / 500 DEF). She then activates "Breath of Light" to destroy "Rock Ogre Grotto #1" (Joey's Life Points: 0).

Téa wins.

Rex Raptor vs. Weevil Underwood
The beginning of the Duel is skipped.

Rex's turn

Rex Normal Summons "Two-Headed King Rex" in Attack Position (1600 ATK / 1200 DEF).

Weevil's turn

Weevil Normal Summons "Basic Insect" in Attack Position (500 ATK / 700 DEF).

Rex's turn

"Two-Headed King Rex" attacks "Basic Insect". Weevil activates "Vortex" to stop "Two-Headed King Rex's" attack.

Weevil's turn

Weevil equips "Laser Cannon Armor" to "Basic Insect" ("Basic Insect": 500 → 800 ATK / 700 → 1000 DEF). "Basic Insect" attacks and destroys "Two-Headed King Rex" (Rex's Life Points: 0).

Weevil Wins

Yami Yugi vs. Maximillion Pegasus
Pegasus's turn

Pegasus Sets 1 card.

Yami's turn

Yami Normal Summons "Koumori Dragon" in Attack Position (1500 ATK / 1200 DEF). Pegasus activates "Dragon Capture Jar", which imprisons "Koumori Dragon".

Pegasus' turn

Pegasus Normal Summons "Dragon Piper" in Attack Position (200 ATK / 1800 DEF), which releases "Koumori Dragon" from "Dragon Capture Jar" and puts it on Pegasus' side of the field.

Yami's turn

Yami Normal Summons "Silver Fang" in Attack Position (1200 ATK / 800 DEF), which is destroyed by Pegaus' "Koumori Dragon" (Yugi: 2000 → 1500 Life Points).

Pegasus' turn

Pegasus Sets 1 card.

Yami's turn

Yami draws without looking at it. When Yami Normal Summons a monster, Pegasus had assumed that monster was "Zombie Warrior" then activates "Sun Shower". However, the monster Yami Summoned was "Dark Magician" in Attack Position (2500 ATK / 2100 DEF). Since "Sun Shower's" effect destroys Zombie-Type monsters, "Dark Magician", a Spellcaster-Type monster, is not destroyed. "Dark Magician" attacks then destroys "Koumori Dragon" (Pegasus: 2000 → 1200 Life Points).

Pegasus' turn

Pegasus Normal Summons "Illusionist Faceless Mage" in Attack Position (1200 ATK / 2200 DEF). He then equips "Eye of Illusion" to "Illusionist Faceless Mage". "Illusionist Faceless Mage" attacks "Dark Magician". "Eye of Illusion" negates the attack then equips itself to "Dark Magician" without Yami noticing.

Yami's turn

During the Standby Phase, Pegasus gains control of "Dark Magician" without Yami noticing. Yami Normal Summons "Celtic Guardian" in Attack Position (1400 ATK / 1200 DEF). "Celtic Guardian" attacks "Illusionist Faceless Mage", but "Eye of Illusion's" effect redirects the attack to "Dark Magician". "Dark Magician" attacks then destroys "Celtic Guardian" (Yugi: 1500 → 400).

Pegasus' turn

Pegasus Sets 1 card.

Yami's turn

Yami Normal Summons "Summoned Skull" in Attack Position (2500 ATK / 1200 DEF). "Summoned Skull" attacks "Illusionist Faceless Mage", but time runs out before the attack could be completed.

Pegasus wins.

Differences from the TCG
The Duels in this episode followed the earlier Duel Monsters rules, so 2000 Life Points were used as apposed to 8000, Tributes were not required for Level 5 or higher monsters and players could not attack each other directly.

Differences in individual cards included:


 * Infinite Dismissal is named Vortex. It negates the attack of 1 monster and seems to be a normal trap.


 * Koumori Dragon's ATK is 1700 instead of 1500; its true amount.


 * Dragon Capture Jar "seals" Dragon-Type monsters within itself.


 * Dragon Piper can destroy Dragon Capture Jar without being fliped. Then, it Special Summons every monster sealed within the jar.

Changes to the 4Kids version

 * "GAME" in Japanese under the turtle is erased in the dub version.


 * The poster in the dub that Yugi's Grandpa was putting was Black Luster Soldier and Harpie's Pet Dragon. In the Japanese version. It's an advertisement for an upcoming National Duel Monsters Tournament with a 3,000,000 yen cash prize. The Japanese poster shows (Elf Swordsman and Hercules Beetle.)


 * Rex's Vortex card is changed a little in the dub.


 * In the dub Pegasus tells Yugi about Egypt,the Shadow Realm and the Millennium Items. In the Japanese version he was telling Yugi about the tournament.


 * When Pegasus tells Yugi that the world they're in is called the Shadow Realm, a pyramid is added over the shot of Pegasus in the US version.)


 * Pegasus holding up the Dragon Piper card is replaced by scenes of monsters fighting, as Pegasus tells his story of ancient Egypt, in the US version.)


 * Pegasus giggles, saying the monsters are quite real, and quite dangerous! He tells "Yugi-Boy" that he's quite entertaining—so defiant yet helpless, and completely ignorant of the power of his Millennium Puzzle. (Japanese Pegasus says Yugi played right into his hands, then giggles, saying "Joke! It's a joke," in English. In the Japanese, Pegasus is an American, and often speaks heavily-accented English.)

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