"Duel With a Ghoul", known as "Back from the Dead! Magical Silk Hat" in the Japanese version is the 9th episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! second series anime. It first aired in Japan on June 13, 2000 and in the United States on November 24, 2001.
Yugi must Duel a doppelganger of Kaiba, created from the greed and power Yugi wiped from Kaiba's soul. However, with his best cards resting at the bottom of the ocean, Yugi must discover a new strategy if he's to survive fake Kaiba's "Blue-Eyes White Dragons"
Summary
The gang stand beside the Dueling Arena where the ghoulish Kaiba lookalike awaits. Kemo, still holding onto Mokuba, laughs and tells Yugi he doesn't stand a ghost of a chance against Kaiba, because this time, Kaiba is a ghost.
Mokuba argues but Kemo says, witnesses saw Kaiba fall to his doom. The gang all gasp in shock, while Mokuba calls Kemo a liar and demands that he take back what he just said. Kemo tells Mokuba to get used to it. All that's left of Kaiba is a cranky ghost looking out for revenge.
Yugi says it can't be Kaiba. He's nothing but a fake, a trick by Pegasus. He tells Mokuba not to worry. They'll win his freedom and find his brother. Meanwhile, Pegasus and Croquet are watching the confrontation on the computer screen from the castle hall.
Pegasus laughs, saying he loves reality TV. Croquet asks who Yugi is Dueling and Pegasus says it is Kaiba — what's left of him. Croquet is astonished. Pegasus says he can't take all the credit. He had help from Yugi. And now, to return the favor, he's going to teach Yugi a lesson about the real power of the Millennium Items.
(In the Japanese version, Pegasus says, "Kaiba is dead?" Croquet says yes, so he's heard. Pegasus acts upset, saying "that's terrible!" So, he asks Croquet, "you used a fake?" Croquet asks if it pleases Pegasus and Pegasus says it doesn't matter. He'll watch, for entertainment's sake. Croquet protests that it's no mere entertainment and Pegasus says Yugi will definitely come to him. And then, he'll do away with him with his own hands.)
He's no longer of this world, Ghost Kaiba says and it's all because of Yugi. He could have had it all but when Yugi beat him, Yugi took more than just the match. Yugi took his life and destroyed his soul.
(In the Japanese version, Ghost Kaiba says he's a dead man. Since he lost to Yugi, he lost everything he had, including his life. He says Yugi dispatched him to wander through hell and how he'll drag Yugi down there with him.)
Yugi says Ghost Kaiba is nothing but an impostor, so he tells him to stop the lies and start the Duel. The Ghost might look like Kaiba but there's no way he can imitate Kaiba's Deck. Ghost Kaiba says it is his Deck.
Mokuba calls out to Yugi to beat this guy, he's nothing but a fake. (In the Japanese version, Mokuba says he knows his brother couldn't be killed this easily.) The others agree. Ghost Kaiba grins evilly at Yugi, thinking that this time he has nothing to lose.
He tells Kemo that once he beats Yugi, Pegasus can have Kaiba Corporation. All he wants is revenge. (In the Japanese version, Ghost Kaiba is silent. In voice-over, Saruwatari thinks that Yugi's opponents here won't be normal duelists. This is the first assassin sent especially to this island by Industrial Illusions for the sole purpose of defeating him. Meeting Kaiba's ghost face to face will be enough emotional trauma to insure Yugi's defeat. Then Kaiba Corporation will be turned over to Mister Pegasus.)
Kaiba bets 3 Star Chips on the Duel and Yugi agrees, saying that once this duel is done, he'll have 6.
Kaiba begins the Duel by summoning "Hitotsu-Me Giant". Yugi reacts in horror, remembering that this is how Kaiba began their last Duel. Mokuba is stunned too, saying there's a card just like that in his brother's Deck but Joey tells him that just because it's the same card doesn't mean it's the same Deck.
Yugi thinks Ghost Kaiba is trying to confuse him by making the same opening move that Kaiba did but it will have the same result. He counters with "Dark Magician" and destroys "Hitotsu-Me Giant", reducing Ghost Kaiba's Life Points to 700.
Ghost Kaiba laughs, telling Yugi he's as strong as ever but he says Yugi must have realized by now that he'll never win, the ghost really is Kaiba and he'll win this time. Yugi barely beat him last time and this time, Yugi no longer has his "Exodia" cards.
(In the Japanese version, Ghost Kaiba says he can read Yugi's mind, just as if he were holding it in his hand. He says Yugi's thinking that maybe he has the real Kaiba's Deck. And Yugi's right, this is Seto Kaiba's Deck and it holds the dead Kaiba's will within it. Yugi says it's a lie and Ghost Kaiba says, can Yugi beat him without "Exodia"? Can Yugi beat Kaiba's Deck?)
Meanwhile, the real Kaiba is lurking outside his mansion, hiding from guards who have his place staked out. Flashbacks show what really happened when Kaiba jumped out the window, he caught himself on the edge of the cliff and climbed back up to safety. Now, he climbs a fence onto the grounds of the mansion and pulls up a hidden trap door which leads down an underground stairway into the mansion.
Entering a library, he pulls out a book to cause a hidden door to be revealed, accessed by a retinal scan. Inside is a control room, where he powers up his computer and verifies his identity by voiceprint analysis.
Then Kaiba gets an update on what's been going on. A sassy computer voice tells him that while he was off gallivanting, a hostile takeover of Kaiba Corporation has begun. At the same time, Maximillion Pegasus kicked off his Duelist Kingdom tournament. If Pegasus or any of his representatives can defeat Yugi, the new Kaiba Corporation board has promised to turn over control of Kaiba Corp to him.
(In the Japanese version, computer voice is very deferential, calling Kaiba "Kaiba-sama." It says that while Kaiba was away, a meeting of the Big 5 was held and it was decided that under certain conditions, 50% of The Big Five's stock would be transferred to Pegasus J. Crawford.)
Pegasus can't beat Yugi, Kaiba says. He has "Exodia" but the computer tells him that Yugi's lost his "Exodia" cards, then goes on to say that Pegasus knows about the corporation bylaws that require a living Kaiba heir to make any change of control legal. Mokuba is Pegasus' prisoner and with Kaiba out of the way, Pegasus will exert pressure to make Mokuba do what he wants.
(In the Japanese version, Kaiba asks the computer where Mokuba is and the computer tells him that the servants of Pegasus are holding him at Duelist Kingdom. Kaiba says that Mokuba has the key to the safe containing the documents needed for takeover of their corporation. So, Pegasus has kidnapped Mokuba.)
The computer asks Kaiba what he is going to do. Kaiba says Pegasus will keep Mokuba safe, at least until after the takeover is complete. (In the Japanese version, Kaiba says he has to help Mokuba escape but first, he has to guard against Pegasus' planned takeover.) So he has to make sure Pegasus doesn't defeat Yugi in a Duel, no matter what.
He's not going to give up Kaiba Corporation without a fight, he says. "It's takeover time — by me!" They'll hack into Pegasus' mainframe. Next stop: Duelist Kingdom. (In the Japanese version, Kaiba says it won't be long before someone realizes he's working from that terminal. It's a battle against time and he asks the computer to help him. First, he has to set himself up on the Net as a common user and run a search on "Duelist Kingdom.")
Back at the Duel, Yugi asks Ghost Kaiba if he's here to play head games or Duel Monsters. It's his move. Ghost Kaiba says this card is a blast from the past (In the Japanese version, Ghost Kaiba says an angel of revenge is rising from the depths of hell) and plays "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". Yugi and the others are shocked and Joey says that only one Deck has that card. Mokuba wonders if what they say could it be true.
Ghost Kaiba laughs and Yugi thinks, this really is Kaiba's Deck. Does that mean that Kaiba is really... ? Ghost Kaiba tells Yugi to admit that he was wrong. Then he says that not having a real body isn't so bad. He still gets to savor the finer things in life, like revenge!
(In the Japanese version, Ghost Kaiba says he knows what Yugi's thinking, he's realizing that Kaiba is dead. It's impossible to imitate Kaiba's Deck. This Deck is his and his "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" has returned from the dead to take its revenge on Yugi.)
Mokuba cries out for him to shut up and begs someone to make him go away. Ghost Kaiba says it almost breaks his heart, if he had one. (In the Japanese version, Ghost Kaiba tells Yugi to come with him down to hell.)
In the meantime, real Kaiba begins to hack the Duelist Kingdom's computer system. He quickly discovers that all the data about Yugi's Duels are confidential. Therefore, he starts to hack the Industrial Illusions' satellite in order to access the Industrial Illusions' main computer called "Millenium computer".
As Yugi's profile is locked, Kaiba finds a way around by searching for Yugi's favorite monster card, the "Dark Magician". The data of currently played Duels at the Duelist Kingdom are represented by virtual rooms, reachable through doors all along virtual corridors.
As Kaiba is about to enter the last suitable room, it appears that no duel is played in. Kaiba tries nevertheless and his computer freezes. After a short search, Kaiba finds out that the "Dark Magician" card appears in the room's database; he does have the proof that this is definitely the virtual room of Yugi's current Duel.
Despite the freezes, he forces the virtual door by some hacking trick. A virtual castle then appears. It actually stores the very system memory of Industrial Illusions, including information about Yugi's Duels. However, Kaiba's computer informs him that his access requires a password.
Kaiba thinks that knowing Pegasus, the latter is too arrogant to admit that someone can get so far into his highly secure computer. Therefore, Kaiba comes to the conclusion that the password must be very simple - and a little egocentric. He finally says, "Pegasus". (In the Japanese version, Kaiba thinks, "A place like a prison where you can't leave once you entered? It's a good joke but it won't work! Get inside!" and as the computer asks the password, Kaiba answers, "Alcatraz!".)
Yugi wonders how he can defeat Ghost Kaiba's "Blue-Eyes White Dragon". Kemo laughs, saying that for a stiff, Kaiba's got game. (In the Japanese version, Saruwatari says that Kaiba is rejoicing in Yugi's defeat from the other world.)
Mokuba still insists the Ghost isn't really his brother. He knows his brother, he says, and he's not mean like this. His brother is his best friend in the world and that thing's not him.
(In the Japanese version, Mokuba says to Yugi, "Remember what you told me, you said my brother would come back. I believe you! My brother will come back.")
Yugi wishes he could be as sure as Mokuba but he doesn't know what to believe. One thing he does know — this Duel's not over yet. (In the Japanese version, Yugi thinks that he understands and he will believe too. He knows Kaiba is alive and he won't lose.)
Just as it is Yugi's turn, the real Kaiba has managed to unlock the doors of the virtual castle and has now gained access to Yugi's Duel data. Kaiba says he's back. (In the Japanese version, Kaiba says, "Now the real thing starts. Pegasus, I will show you my, Seto Kaiba's, true power! Let's start the battle!")
Featured Duel: Yami Yugi vs. Ghost Kaiba
Turn 1: Ghost Kaiba
- Ghost Kaiba Normal Summons "Hitotsu-Me Giant" in Attack Position (1200 ATK / 1000 DEF).
Turn 2: Yami Yugi
- Yami Normal Summons "Dark Magician" in Attack Position (2500 ATK / 2100 DEF).
Turn 3: Ghost Kaiba
- Ghost Kaiba draws.
- Normal Summons "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" in Attack Position (3000 ATK / 2500 DEF).
- Sets 1 card.
Turn 4: Yami Yugi
- Yami Yugi draws.
- Switches "Dark Magician" to "Defense Position".
- Normal Summons "Curse of Dragon" (2000 ATK / 1500 DEF) in Defense Position.
Turn 5: Ghost Kaiba
- Ghost Kaiba draws.
- Ghost Kaiba activates "Defense Paralysis", switching Yami's monsters to Attack Position and forcing Yami to play all of his monsters in Attack Position from now on.
- "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" attacks and destroys "Curse of Dragon" (Yami's Life Points: 2000 → 1000).
Turn 6: Yami Yugi
- Yami Yugi draws.
- Activates "Magical Hats", hiding "Dark Magician" in one of the four "Hats".
Turn 7: Ghost Kaiba
- "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" attacks a "Hat".
Differences in adaptations
- When Pegasus and Croquet are watching the confrontation on the computer screen from the castle hall, wine is seen in the background (JPN version) The wine is changed to fruit juice (US version).
- When Kaiba enters the control room, most of the text in the Japanese version is erased or replaced with some kind of symbol.
Featured cards
The following cards appeared in this episode. Cards in italics debuted here.
