Pharaoh Atem

Atem is an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh who sealed a part of his soul within the Millennium Puzzle. This part of his soul took on the entity Yami Yugi, which resided in the body of Yugi Muto, after Yugi solved the Millennium Puzzle.

3,000 years before the pilot
As son of king Aknamkanon, Atem became heir to the throne and the Millennium Puzzle. During his childhood he befriended Mana.

Three thousand years before the current storyline (five thousand in the English anime), he defeated Zorc Necrophades, sealing his shadow magic, along with himself, inside the Millennium Items.

Yami Yugi

 * Main article: Yami Yugi

Atem, now a disembodied, amnesiac spirit, aided Yugi many times over the course of his adventures, in a form known only as "Yami Yugi". Yugi attempts to return the favor by finding the secret of Atem's past.

Memory World
After Yami Yugi completed all his tasks, he got sucked into the Pharaoh's Memory World, where he becomes Atem.

Atem wakes up on his throne, still stripped of hs memories. Shimon Muran tells him off for sleeping. Atem mistakenly calls him Grandpa, due to his resemblance to Yugi's Grandfather. Atem learns that there are six chosen priests in this world, who guard the Millennium Items.

He is quick to learn the Ancient Egyptian style of dueling; He witnesses Priest Seto extract the ba from a criminal and seal it in a tablet. Thief King Bakura then arrives, after plundering the tomb of Atem's father, Pharaoh Aknamkanon and dragging the treasures and his corpse as far as the palace. Seto and Bakura Summon Monster Kas, which battle. Bakura's Diabound defeats Seto's dragon. He mocks Atem by trampling on his father's corpse. As the priests Summon more monsters to fight Diabound, Atem walks over and takes his father's body from Bakura.

Yugi and his friends find themselves in a Dark RPG played by Yami Yugi and his counterpart in the Millennium Ring, they meet the living Atem, who is played by his spiritual self as a character in the Dark RPG.

With the aid of Yugi's friends, as well as Atem's priests who are also characters in the game, the Pharaoh re-enacts his own life in the RPG. After Yugi defeats a manifestation of Bakura, Yami learns his own name, enabling Atem, in the game, to summon The Creator God of Light, Horakhty, to defeat Zorc before Bakura can summon him to the present.

The Ceremonial Battle
After the Ceremonial Battle, Yami crosses to the afterlife and becomes Atem once again, free to join his friends in the next world.

Getting sealed in the Puzzle
In Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories, Atem serves as the main protagonist, appearing as the prince of the Amenhotep Dynasty in Ancient Egypt. His name is chosen by the player. With the exception of one scene in the game, he is a silent protagonist. Atem often sneaks out of the palace to spend time at the Dueling Grounds, with the villagers particularly Teana and Jono, who are unaware of his royalty.

After returning to the palace one night, he finds the mage Heishin, now in possession of the Millennium Rod has attacked the palace and demands the Millennium Puzzle. Atem's attendent Simon Muran gives Atem, the Puzzle and tells him to run. He as unable to escape as he is confronted by Heishin. Heishin demands the Puzzle. Atem duels him to escape. Heishin would win the duel. If the player wins, Heishin would call it a waisted effort and continue to duel until the player loses. After losing Simon convinces Atem to shatter the Puzzle.

Returning to the past
After shattering the puzzle Simon seals Atem inside it, where he remains for a Millennia, until Yugi Muto enters a competition hosted by Seto Kaiba. Here Shadi, holder of the Millennium Key and Scale says that he's here because of Yugi's Millennium Item. He uses the Key to open Yugi's mind, where he can meet Atem. Here Atem gives Yugi six cards. Although Atem doesn't speak Yugi understands what Atem wants of him. Yugi defeats all the present day holders of the Millennium Items in the tournament, each time sealing their Item in one of the cards. Using the six cards Yugi is able to send Atem home.

Battling the Mages
When Atem arrives home the Mages have taken over the dynasty. He heads to the King's Valley in search of the Forbidden Ruins. Here he meets Sadin, who recognizes him as Prince, but does not know the location of the Forbidden Ruins. So Atem returns to the Pharaoh's Palace, which is now in ruins. After confronting and defeating a Mage Soldier here Atem finds a map to the Forbidden Ruins. Atem returns to the King's Valley, where the Sadin now escorts him to the ruins. Here he finds a map to the locations of the Millennium Items. Seto meets him at the ruins. He informs Atem the map shows the location of where Heishin has hidden the Items and that he plans to betray Heishin.

After defeating the first of the High Mages, Atem meets Jono, who tells him that the Mages have kidnapped Teana. Jono leads him to the Dark Shrine, after passing through the Labyrinth Mage(s), the boys find her held hostage by Seto and Heishin. Heishin orders Seto to defeat Atem and keep the Millennium Puzzle as his prize. After Atem defeats Seto, Seto applauds his skill, gloating that the High Mages don't stand a chance. Teana is released and Atem, her and Jono leave. Atem is confused by why Seto was pleased. He thinks Seto must have a different agenda.

Ritual at the Dark Shrine
The Prince proceeds to defeat the High Mages and aquire all Millennium Items bar the Rod, which is held by Seto. After doing so he is met by Seto, who tells him to go to the Dark Shrine, now unguarded. Here he can defeat Heishin. Atem heads to the Dark Shrine, where Seto leads him to Heishin. The prince proceeds and defeats the Guardians Sebek and Neku before finding and defeating Heishin.

After Heishin's defeat, Seto takes Atem to the Forbidden Ruins, where he confronts him and explains that he used him to gather all the Items. He tells Atem about the power of the Items, that they can be used to summon great power. As Seto is about to claim the power Heishin appears and holds a knife to Seto's neck and demands the Items. Atem hands them over and Heishin uses them to Summon DarkNite. DarkNite refuses to obey Heishin and turns him into a card, which he burns. Atem uses the Millennium Item Cards, to hold back DarkNite and force him to a duel to send him back where he came from. After Atem wins, DarkNite turns into Nitemare and demands a final Duel. The Prince plays on and defeats Nitemare.

Afterwards Atem rules on as King.

Deck/Monster Spirits
In the anime and manga, Atem has Summoned the following monster spirits.


 * The Winged Dragon of Ra
 * Obelisk the Tormentor
 * Slifer the Sky Dragon
 * The Creator God of Light, Horakhty
 * Kuriboh
 * Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress #1
 * Dark Magician

In Yu-Gi-Oh! Forbidden Memories, the Prince's deck originally consists of a near random assortment of 40 cards. Mostly weak low Level monsters and a small number or Magic and Trap Cards. The player can improve it using cards they acquire throughout the game.