Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's - Episode 122

'''The Power To Believe! The Strongest Giant Thud VS Shooting Star Dragon''' is the 122nd episode of Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.

Episode summary::[[Crow is defeated when Taro summons "Sleeping Giant Thud", who wields power equal to that of a god. It becomes a final battle between Yusei and Taro.

Yusei summons "Stardust Dragon", and even though he manages to oppose "Thud", his Life Points are quickly whittled away by a reversal and continued assault of Speed World 2, driving Yusei into a corner. At that time, when every spectator is convinced Team 5D's will certainly lose, a miracle occurs!]]

Summary
Yusei has answered the threat of "Sleeping Giant Thud" by summoning his "Stardust Dragon". Yoshizo and Jinbei are in awe of yet another rare card being used against them, but they relax a bit when they realize that it has been summoned in Defense Position. The crowd yells that Team 5D's doesn't stand a chance of beating "Thud", and some of them even hold up their own copies of "Thud" as they cheer for Team Taiyo. Hopes are running low in the 5D's pit. Bruno reflects that Spell and Trap cards can't beat "Thud", and it negates the effect of any monster it battles. Combined with the effect of unsurpassed ATK, "Thud" seems unbeatable, but Jack and Crow sense that Yusei has a trick up his sleeve.

Taro takes his next turn eagerly, and he maintain the Taiyo strategy by casting "Speed World 2's" burn effect. Then he sends "Thud" to attack "Stardust Dragon", which allows his monster to gain ATK until its power is 1000 points higher than its enemy's ATK. Yusei answers with a trap, which Taro brags won't be enough to beat "Thud". Yusei shoots back that he isn't using it on Taro's monster -- instead, it removes all of "Stardust Dragon's" ATK for the turn, which causes "Thud's" ATK to decrease so much that the DEF of Stardust Dragon wins the battle, and Taro takes damage. But any frustration fades quickly, because "Thud" still dominates the field.

Yusei takes his next turn, drawing "Graceful Revival" and getting an idea. However, the MC and the fans agree that Yusei is powerless in the face of this trump card. Yoshizo and Jinbei call out to Taro, who joins them in wondering that all these fans are cheering for them. Even more people have gathered around the track, holding banners for Team Taiyo. Although he and his friends came to the WRGP with only one patched-up D-Wheel and only commonplace cards, and even though nobody liked them or their tactics all this time, they're still the ones being cheered. Just by believing in themselves and dueling, they found their chance and changed the future. So Taro affirms to Yusei that he'll test this power as much as he can by winning!

Yusei takes this in stride, having already put together a plan from the cards he still has. He sets his trap and summons "Turbo Synchron" in defense before ending his turn. Taro prepares to defeat Yusei's ace monster, but when he declares the attack, Yusei activates both his traps -- "Graceful Revival", followed by "Urgent Tuning". The combo allows him to bring out his Tuner Synchro Monster, "Formula Synchron". This is the first time Yusei's friends have seen such a monster in person, and Bruno privately wonders at what he believes Yusei is about to do. Taro doesn't understand it, and Yusei says that Team Taiyo has awakened their trump card and shown and outstanding duel. Even so, if they want to beat him, they'll have to come at him full force. Because of the "Tuningware" he just used, he draws a card, but he's not really looking at it. Instead, he steadily accelerates his D-Wheel to pass Taro.

Then Taro looks more closely and notices that Yusei's eyes are closed, which only increases his wonder. Yusei thinks that the way for him to find the power to defeat "Sleeping Giant Thud" is to surpass his own limits. The scenery around him flies into a blur, but he doesn't open his eyes until his thoughts have become completely calmed and centered. In doing so, he achieves "Clear Mind", calling out that he is tuning both his monsters in an Accel Synchro Summon. With a flash, he and his monsters vanish into the distance, but the portal opens up again behind Taro, and Yusei rushes out, joined by the new form of his monster, "Shooting Star Dragon".

His teammates sit in utter awe, and Taro is amazed at such a summon, but he goes on the attack anyway. Yusei counters by removing his own monster from play for the turn by its own effect. The attack is foiled; there is no longer a target, and "Thud's" ATK drops to zero. Yet Taro is still smiling. He guessed that Yusei might try taking away "Thud's" power by removing the target, and he responds with the counter trap, "Fool's Dice", which deals damage based on the power level of the removed monster. Shooting Star Dragon was so strong that Yusei is taken down to 500 life points in one blast, and on Taro's next turn, he'll be able to use Speed World 2 to finish the job. He ends his turn, and Shooting Star Dragon comes back, but it is still no easier to attack "Thud".

But Taro's confidence is cut short when he sees that Yusei's eyes are still rock-steady. Yusei declares that, just like Team Taiyo, his belief in his friends and his strength will definitely give them their chance. This will be his final draw, and he draws "Earthquake Giant". He immediately sends his monster to attack "Thud", and Taro says his monster won't beat their "Thud". Yusei answers, "With my Shooting Star Dragon alone, that may be so. But with our Shooting Star Dragon, it's a different story!" He discards his Earthquake Giant, and even as Jack and Crow realize what's up, he activates the effect of Jack's "Monster Baton", which carries the effect of Crow's "Blackwing - Bora the Sharp". This newest monster effect protects Yusei and his monster from damage, and it then destroys the attack target. Taro responds that "Thud" negates monster effects, but Yusei has realized that it only negates the effects of a monster it is currently battling. Carried by the combo, the effect goes through and destroys "Thud", leaving the crowd silent. Taro doesn't give up -- if he can survive this turn, his team wins, but Yusei has one trap left. Even after fulfilling its requirement, his monster gains one extra attack. It strikes home, and even as Taro sees visions of his friends and his father, his life points are sent to zero.

Taro is defeated, and he sits at the side of the track, motionless and silent. His friends run to him, and he has to work at the words, apologizing that he couldn't win it. But they say back to him that they summoned "Sleeping Giant Thud", and that's already the best duel ever. The crowd claps for them, much more calm but still congratulating Team Taiyo. Yusei and the rest of Team 5D's walk over, and he points out that Team Taiyo has awakened something in the audience's hearts. Crow says that even though 5D's wins in the standings, the ones who won the duel might be Taiyo, and even Jack compliments them on their duel.

Taro smiles and agrees. He and his teammates hug and celebrate as they decide they'll return home. They shake the hands of Team 5D's, and the MC comments that it was a truly great duel. Even though they lost, their hearts shine brightly, and they have brought light to the fans' hearts as well.

Elsewhere, the Yliaster trio smiles to see that another portion of the Circuit has been built. This put them that much closer to their goal, and they'll complete their plans by defeating Team 5D's in their role as Team New World. And above the city itself, a strange dark structure is seen ready to descend from the sky.

Featured Duel

 * ...continued from previous episode.

Yusei VS. Taro
Taro's turn (Taro's SPC : 4; Yusei's SPC : 3)
 * Activates "Speed World 2's" effect, paying 4 Speed Counters (Taro's SPC: 4 > 0) to inflict 800 damage for each Speed Spell in his hand (Yusei: 4000 > 3200).


 * Attacks "Stardust Dragon" with "Sleeping Giant Thud", which gains ATK equal to the ATK of the Attack Target + 1000 (ATK: 0 > 3500).


 * Yusei activates "Power Shift", reducing "Stardust Dragon's" ATK to 0 for the turn ("Sleeping Giant Thud's" ATK: 3500 > 1000) (Taro: 3500 > 2500). ("Stardust Dragon" was in Defense Position.)


 * Taro responds with "Attack and Receive", inflicting 700 damage when he takes Battle Damage (Yusei: 3200 > 2500).


 * Sets 1 card.

Yusei's turn (Taro's SPC : 1; Yusei's SPC : 4)
 * Draws "Graceful Revival" and resolves to summon "Shooting Star Dragon".


 * Normal Summons "Turbo Synchron" in Defense Position and sets 2 cards.

Taro's turn (Taro's SPC : 2; Yusei's SPC : 5)
 * Activates "Meteorain", giving all of his monsters the Piercing ability for the turn.


 * Attacks "Stardust Dragon" with "Sleeping Giant Thud" (ATK: 0 > 3500).


 * Yusei activates "Graceful Revival", summoning "Tuningware".


 * Activates "Urgent Tuning", tuning "Tuningware" with "Turbo Synchron" to Synchro Summon "Formula Synchron".


 * Yusei draws a card because of "Tuningware's" effect. He tunes "Stardust Dragon" with "Formula Synchron" to Accel Synchro Summon "Shooting Star Dragon".


 * Taro attacks "Shooting Star Dragon" with "Sleeping Giant Thud" (ATK: 0 > 4300).


 * Yusei activates "Shooting Star Dragon's" 3rd effect, removing it from play to negate the attack. With no Attack target "Sleeping Giant Thud's" ATK becomes 0 (ATK: 4300 > 0).


 * Taro activates "Fool's Dice". When an opponent's monster leaves the field, by discarding a Level 2 or below monster, he can inflict damage equal to the removed monster's level x 200. He discards "Kageningen" and inflicts 2000 damage (Yusei: 2500 > 500).


 * Next turn, Taro can win by activating "Speed World 2's" effect.


 * He ends his turn, and "Shooting Star Dragon" returns to the field.

Yusei's turn (Taro's SPC : 3; Yusei's SPC : 6)
 * Attacks "Sleeping Giant Thud" with "Shooting Star Dragon" ("Sleeping Giant Thud's" ATK: 0 > 4300).


 * He discards "Earthquake Giant" and activates "Monster Baton", with "Blackwing - Bora the Sharp's" effect, allowing "Shooting Star Dragon" to not be destroyed, protecting Yusei's life points, and destroying "Sleeping Giant Thud."


 * Taro reminds Yusei that "Sleeping Giant Thud" negates monster effects. Yusei reminds him that "Sleeping Giant Thud" only negates the effects of the monster it battles with. The effect of "Bora the Sharp" goes through, destroying "Sleeping Giant Thud".


 * Yusei activates "Explosive Breakthrough", lowering "Shooting Star Dragon's" ATK by 800 points and allowing it to attack again (ATK: 3300 > 2500) (Taro: 2500 > 0).


 * Yusei wins.