Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 174

=Notes= Despite extending over only 3 Episodes, this Duel runs for over 21 Turns (10+ turns for each player) making it one of the longest in the series.

Yami Goes Solo.

 * Yami, determined to bring down Doma and rescue Jounouchi's soul, runs off and soon reaches their home office.


 * The lobby is empty and one elevator is descending there: when it opens, Mai's soulless body collapses on him. He notices a ghostly feather and wonders if it's a Harpie Lady's feather. He seems to realize it isn't the case.


 * Having a hunch of what's awaiting him, Yami quickly organizes his Deck while climbing to the roof. Once outside, like he was expecting to, finds Rafael, who was waiting for him. Yami accuses him of having defeated both Mai and Jounouchi, given how he holds The Claw of Hermos.


 * Rafael corrects him: Jounouchi defeated Valon but lost to Mai. Mai then came here and confronted him demanding to know Dartz's whereabouts. Rafael challenged her and used the "Seal" against her. Even though she'd been wielding "Hermos", she apparently wasn't able to use it.


 * As they talk, a strange ghostly serpent-like shape flies across the world's skies, obscuring the stars: it is being noticed by people around the world.


 * Seeing that Rafael is not moved by the loses of his two companions and that he doesn't seem to be moved by anything as well as affirming that everything is a part of Fate, they'll have to solve it with a Duel: however Yami insists that he won't be using the "Seal" again: it won't work twice. Rafael challenges him to prove it.

Rats.

 * Kaiba & Mokuba meet up with Honda and Anzu, who are carrying Jounouchi's shell. They suddenly climb up some emergency stairs to escape a swarm of rats rushing across the streets. Everyone wonders if it's a sign of something.

Rafael's Dark.

 * Yami and Rafael's Duel has progressed without much changes: Rafael seems to employ the same strategies as the last time.


 * When Yami tells him he's sure that he won't use the Seal, Rafael admits that Yami is right, but that it won't bring out the answer to Fate nevertheless. He plays the "Seal" just as Kaiba & co. reach the scene.

=Featured Duel: Rafael VS. Yami Yuugi - Part 1=

Rafael's Turn

 * Activates "Guardian Treasure": Rafael discards his entire hand, draws 2 cards and from now on, he may draw 1 extra card from his Deck during each of his Draw Phases.
 * Normal Summons "Backup Gardna" (500 ATK / 2200 DEF) in Defense Position.
 * Sets a card.

Yami Yugi's Turn

 * Normal Summons "Queen's Knight" (1500 ATK / 1600 DEF) in Defense Position.

Rafael's Turn

 * Thanks to the effect of "Guardian Treasure", draws 1 extra card.
 * Activates "Gravity Axe - Grarl", increasing the ATK of "Backup Gardna" by 500 ("Backup Gardna": 500 > 1000 ATK / 2200 DEF).
 * (NOTE: In the anime, Rafael simply declares he is "activating" "Gravity Axe - Grarl" without equipping it to "Backup Gardna").
 * Since "Gravity Axe - Grarl" is on the field and since "Guardian Grarl" is the only card left in his hand, Rafael activates its effect and Special Summons it to the field from his hand in Attack Position (2500 ATK / 1000 DEF).
 * Activates "Backup Gardna's" effect, unequipping "Gravity Axe - Grarl" and equipping it to "Guardian Grarl" instead ("Backup Gardna": 1000 > 500 ATK / 2200 DEF) ("Guardian Grarl": 2500 > 3000 ATK / 1000 DEF).
 * Uses "Guardian Grarl" to attack and destroy "Queen's Knight".

Yami Yugi's Turn

 * Activates "Monster Reborn" to Special Summon "Queen's Knight" (1500 ATK / 1600 DEF) back from his Graveyard in Attack Position.
 * Normal Summons "King's Knight" (1600 ATK / 1400 DEF) in Attack Position.
 * Since Yami Yugi also controls "Queen's Knight", Yami Yugi activates "King's Knight's" effect: He Special Summons "Jack's Knight" (1900 ATK / 1000 DEF) to the field.
 * Activates "Brave Attack" selecting "Queen's Knight", "King's Knight" to add their ATK points to "Jack's Knight" (1500 + 1600 + 1900 = 5000) in order to destroy "Guardian Grarl".
 * However, Rafael activates "Guardian Force", negating "Brave Attack".

Rafael's Turn

 * Thanks to the effect of "Guardian Treasure", draws 1 extra card.
 * Activates "Butterfly Dagger - Elma", increasing "Backup Gardna's" ATK by + 300 (500 > 800 ATK / 2200 DEF).
 * Since "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" is on the field, Rafael is allowed to summon "Guardian Elma" (1300 ATK / 1200 DEF) in Attack Position.
 * Activates "Guardian Elma's" effect: Rafael selects "Guardian Shield" from his Graveyard and equips it to "Guardian Elma", boosting its DEF by + 300 ("Guardian Elma": 1300 ATK / 1200 > 1500 DEF).
 * Activates "Backup Gardna's" effect, unequipping "Butterfly Dagger - Elma" and equipping it to "Guardian Elma" instead ("Backup Gardna": 800 > 500 ATK / 2200 DEF) ("Guardian Elma": 1300 > 1600 ATK / 1500 DEF).
 * Uses "Guardian Elma" to attack and destroy "Queen's Knight" (Yami: 4000 > 3900 Life Points).


 * Uses "Guardian Grarl" to attack & destroy "King's Knight" (Yami: 3900 > 2500 Life Points).

Yami Yugi's Turn

 * Activates "Five Star Twilight", tributing "Jack's Knight" to Special Summon the 5 Kuriboh Brothers from his Deck: "Kuriboh", "Kuriba", "Kuribi", "Kuribe" and "Kuribu" (300 ATK / 200 DEF each).
 * Activates "Kuribu's" effect: Yami Yugi discards Chain Destruction from his hand to reduce the ATK of "Guardian Grarl" by 1500 for 1 turn ("Guardian Grarl": 3000 > 1500 ATK / 1000 DEF).
 * Tributes "Kuriboh", "Kuriba", "Kuribi", "Kuribe" and "Kuribu" to Special Summon "Kuribabylon" (1500 ATK / 200 DEF) in Attack Position.
 * Activates "Mystical Space Typhoon" to destroy "Gravity Axe - Grarl" ("Guardian Grarl": 1500 > 1000 ATK / 1000 DEF).
 * Uses "Kuribabylon" to attack "Guardian Grarl", but Rafael activates "Guardian Shield's" effect: "Guardian Shield" is sent to the Graveyard instead of "Guardian Grarl" ("Guardian Elma": 1600 ATK / 1500 > 1200 DEF) and Battle Damage is applied normally (Rafael: 4000 > 3500 Life Points).
 * Sets a card.
 * Since the turn is over, "Guardian Grarl" resumes its original ATK ("Guardian Grarl": 1000 > 2500 ATK / 1000 DEF).

Rafael's Turn

 * Thanks to the effect of "Guardian Treasure", draws 1 extra card.
 * Despite Yami Yugi's objections, Rafael activates "The Seal of Orichalcos".

Duel continues next episode.