Yu-Gi-Oh! - Episode 031

Keith's Machinations - Part 1, known as Cruel - Heavy Metal Deck in the Japanese version, is the thirty-first episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! second series anime.

Summary
The first Duel of the Duelist Kingdom finals has concluded. Yugi Muto has defeated Mai Valentine and will be dueling the winner of the next duel, Joey Wheeler vs. Bandit Keith. When Croquet asks both contestants to show their tournament entry cards, Keith shows the one he took from Joey. When Joey reaches for his, he can't find it. He has five minutes to find that card or he will be disqualified. Joey searches all over his room for it, but to no avail. He is just about to give up when Mai comes in and gives him her card. He arrives at the Dueling Arena just in the nick of time.

The Duel between Joey and Bandit Keith begins, and Keith is revealed to be using a Machine-Type Deck. Unknown to Joey, Keith's Machine monsters are immune to non-physical attacks, and when Joey's first attack fails due to this, he is left exposed and takes damage. Keith lures him into opening his defenses again by moving to Set a monster and "accidentally" dropping it. Joey recognizes it as a non-Machine and seizes the opportunity for a powerful magical attack, but Yugi and Bakura realize that "Zoa" has ATK that is not only higher than its DEF, but also higher than the ATK of any other monster in play. The only reason to Set a monster like that in Defense Position is as a lure.

But it is too late to warn Joey, who falls into the trap and takes heavy damage. Just as Keith prepares to deliver the final blow, his attack gets stopped, and everyone is thunderstruck to see that Joey also had a trap and just knocked out the strongest monster on Keith's field. On his next turn, Joey sets another card and announces that it is a Trap. He also begins a counterattack and taunts Keith in his inimitably grating fashion. Enraged at Joey's mockery and presumption, Keith attacks, but it wasn't a bluff, and it costs him the last monster on his field. With a handful of low-level monsters and his own dueling style, Joey has turned the duel into a neck-to-neck battle, but Keith knows that this duel is far from over. Will Joey defeat Keith and his mighty Machine monsters, or will he be eliminated and lose his chance to save his sister, Serenity Wheeler?

Featured Duel: Joey Wheeler vs. "Bandit" Keith Howard - Part 1
"Bandit" Keith's turn

Keith Sets a monster.

Joey's turn

Joey Sets a monster.

"Bandit" Keith's turn

Keith Flip Summons "Pendulum Machine" (1750 ATK / 2000 DEF). "Pendulum Machine" attacks then destroys Joey's Set monster: "Battle Warrior" (700 ATK / 1000 DEF).

Joey's turn

Joey Normal Summons "Giltia the D. Knight" in Attack Position (1850 ATK / 1500 DEF). (NOTE: In the real game 'Giltia the D. Knight' is a 'Fusion Monster'). "Giltia the D. Knight" attacks "Pendulum Machine", but cannot destroy it or inflict Battle Damage. Keith explains that his Machine-Type monsters are immune to Magic or non-physical attacks because of their metal armor (This rule does not exist in the actual card game).

"Bandit" Keith's turn

Keith Normal Summons "Launcher Spider" in Attack Position (2200 ATK / 2500 DEF). "Launcher Spider" attacks then destroys "Giltia the D. Knight" (Joey: 2000 → 1650 Life Points).

Joey's turn

Joey Sets 1 card then a monster.

"Bandit" Keith's turn

Keith Sets 1 card. When he is about to Set a monster, he drops it, revealing it to be "Zoa" (2600 ATK / 1900 DEF). Keith picks it back up then Sets it.

Joey's turn

Joey Normal Summons "Flame Swordsman" in Attack Position (1800 ATK / 1600 DEF). (NOTE: In the real game 'Flame Swordsman' is a 'Fusion Monster' He equips "Salamandra" to "Flame Swordsman" ("Flame Swordsman": 1800 → 2500 ATK) and attacks. Keith activates "Magic Metal Force" to transform "Zoa" into "Metalzoa" (3000 ATK / 2300 DEF). Keith then explains that "Metalzoa" reflects all magical attacks back to the attacking monster. "Flame Swordsman" destroys himself (Joey: 1650 → 1150 Life Points).

"Bandit" Keith's turn

Keith activates Magic Card "Stop Defense" to switch Joey's Set monster, "Axe Raider", into Attack Position (1700 ATK / 1150 DEF). "Metalzoa" attacks "Axe Raider", but Joey activates "Chasm of Spikes" to destroy "Metalzoa" then inflict damage to Keith's Life Points equal to a quarter of "Metalzoa's" ATK (Keith: 2000 → 1250 Life Points).

Joey's turn

Joey Sets 1 card then switches "Axe Raider" to Defense Position. He then Normal Summons "Garoozis" in Attack Position (1800 ATK / 1500 DEF). "Garoozis" attacks then destroys "Pendulum Machine" (Keith: 1250 → 1200 Life Points).

"Bandit" Keith's turn

"Launcher Spider" attacks "Garoozis", but Joey activates "Kunai with Chain" to increase "Garoozis'" ATK by 500 ("Garoozis": 1800 → 2300 ATK). "Garoozis" destroys "Launcher Spider" (Keith: 1200 → 1100 Life Points).

Duel concludes next episode.

Differences In Adapations

 * The shot of Pendulum Machine dragging Battle Warrior up to his feet then slicing him in half is cut from the US version, and is replaced by white slashes diagonally left and right.
 * Cut from the US version at the beginning when Yami turns back into Yugi, Yugi tells his friends that he is not the one who duels, and that it is Yami.
 * When Croquet announces the duel, cut from the US version is a bit where Honda tells Jounouchi to be calm, advising him to write something three times on his palm to relax himself. A wound-up Jounouchi tells Honda he's only making him more nervous, and smacks him.