This episode… man, I wouldn’t say it was a mess, but it definitely could have been a lot better considering how rushed it felt…
It took pretty much the entire episode (or maybe two if we include the previous one), but Jack eventually managed to nail the point into Yuuya’s thick skull. But even so, I am not entirely sure if Yuuya actually understood what Jack meant. At this point, it feels as though the writers changed their intentions, because it’s not lining up. I know for myself and many others interpreted Jack’s message as telling Yuuya to forge his own unique identity and stop gloating about his father’s ways- or maybe we just misinterpreted it. And yet Yuuya’s ultimate conclusion and his words he decided to go with were: “I’m fighting alongside everyone!”
….What?
I don’t know… Maybe we will get some better clarity next week since they ended the episode with that line.
I suppose there was an important factor that was sitting right in front of our nose the entire time. That is of course, the origins of Pendulum Summon. It required Yuuya trace back to the beginning of his journey, trying to identify what is something he has created for himself. He then remembered how he was the first to use Pendulum Summon. It is not something he borrowed, it was something that magically happened to him, he was the first. Yuuya realizes has been able to evolve it is thanks to the help of his friends and the opponents he has fought against, enabling him to continue to evolve the process of Pendulum Summoning.
And it’s true. At the end of the day, Yuuya can learn XYZ Summon, Synchro Summon, Fusion Summon, but Pendulum Summons will always be the heart of who he is as a duelist because he is the founder. I think it is very important that he traces back to that. I’m not saying that Fusion, XYZ and Synchro Summons aren’t important, but I think Yuuya needs to not only master but own Pendulum Summon unlike anyone else. Yuuya also realized both his wins and losses are what makes him who is now.
Jack gave Yuuya the another piece of clarity he needed to hear: Jack’s philosophy considers dueling as a form of having a conversation with his opponent. And he does so by conveying his will to his opponent. This is fundamental for Yuuya because he has been trying to figure out ways to stop Academia by his own means. And within this short period of time, Jack has given Yuuya the most important lesson of all: He must forge his own identity and style, and become more aware of what he can accomplish by staying true to himself.
That being said, we will have to wait until next week to find out the how much he has truly grown off of this revelation and whether or not our interpretations of Jack’s criticisms will come to light, and ultimately be addressed. And it looks like it is finally going to be a fun episode where Jack will actually be enjoying himself!
And finally, I thought Nirvana High Paladin was going to be cool- something to hype up about, or at least more significant than it turned out to be. In fact I was so disappointed, not just by its purpose, but how it debuted. Nirvana High Paladin is the biggest asspull we have seen in this series to date. I mean, at least Enlightenment Paladin didn’t feel like this, he was born through Tuning Magician, but then this… this… Nirvana High Paladin felt so cheap. I couldn’t care less about how revolutionary it is that it can be Synchro Summoned by releasing a Pendulum Summoned Pendulum Monster and a Synchro Monster. I don’t give a crap about it, because the way it was delivered. It felt as though it was made that way for convenience. And I get the whole evolution factor. ot makes sense because that’s what Yuuya was supposed to be doing since the beginning, and it also so happens to be something Jack feels strongly about as well. But really? A Synchro Summon under those conditions? Really guys? I don’t know, maybe it is just me nitpicking. Either way, before long I will forget about it and it won’t bother me anymore.
This episode reminded of every time my teachers complained about we doing a copy + paste of the books’ answer instead of understanding it and writing it with our own words so maybe it is something like that?
After I saw the IRL effects of Nirvana(which is slight different from the anime) I didn’t feel disappointed by his subpar summoning.
Nirvana is different from Odd Eyes Rebellion because it’s more of a supporter than a front battler, even his monster effect isn’t off a “finisher”, Odd eyes rebellion’s scale was 4 which is a pretty bad scale in contrast with Nirvana’s whose scale is 8(a pretty good scale), he’s more fitting to be in the pendulum zone so why do a flashy summoning when it’s a supporter right?
Pendulum sumoning represents versatility, evolution and support and Yuya did evolve because of other’s influence(Reiji, Sora, Yuzu Yuto, Yusho, SHUZOU, Gongenzaka, Jack, etc), I think what Jack wanted from Yuya was what Nico was doing during the qualifying matches in season 1, for Yuya to learn, not copy.
Well, I hope the development stays for good and for the writers to focus on other’s characters development, namely Yuzu, Gongenzaka AND Sawatari(I gave up on Reiji, his VA is too busy for the defying gravity naked ankle keikaku doori glasses to have a character development)
Umm Eva, I have to disagree with you on many aspects about this episode, for me it was definitely more “entertaining” than the previous one! Not only because Yuya was grasping the TRUE picture of his Entertainment style, but he also felt the need to BLEND both his inherited & discovered duel styles into one.
Yuya vs Jack is the most important duel of the entire Synchro arc (the Friendship Cup final), so I’m not surprised they dragged it for more than 2 episodes considering several important duels in GX, 5D’s & ZEXAL usually concluded in 3+ episodes (not the good old DM, they like to drag every duel LONG). And before jumping onto Yuya’s usage of Action Cards AGAIN, you must understand that as flexible as Yuya’s Pendulum monsters may be, his deck’s major weakness is the lack of adequate Spells & (in particular) Traps (he’s the least trap-happy protagonist if compared to Yusei & Yuma), & it’s safe to say that both Pendulum Summon & Actions Cards are parts of his duel & both act as the tools for him to flaunt his “entertainment” :p
“Nirvana High Paladin is the biggest asspull we have seen in this series to date. I mean, at least Enlightenment Paladin didn’t feel like this, he was born through Tuning Magician, but then this… this… Nirvana High Paladin felt so cheap.” – Better watch your mouth Eva, your remark is offending real-life players who actually like this card (it’s effect is actually more OP than Shooting Star Dragon despite sharing the same ATK & DEF), and here’s its effect from the anime & TCG/OCG:
Pendulum Effect : (TCG/OCG) If a Pendulum Monster you control attacks, it cannot be destroyed by that battle, also you take no battle damage from that attack. At the end of the Damage Step, if a Pendulum Monster you control attacked: All monsters your opponent currently controls lose ATK equal to that monster’s current ATK until the end of this turn (even if this card leaves the field).
(Anime) (Not yet confirmed)
Monster Effect : (TCG/OCG) 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Synchro Monsters
For this card’s Synchro Summon, you can treat 1 Pendulum Summoned Pendulum Monster you control as the Tuner monster. If this card is Synchro Summoned using a Pendulum Summoned Pendulum Monster as the Tuner monster: You can target 1 card in your Graveyard; add it to your hand. When this card destroys an opponent’s monster by battle: You can halve your opponent’s LP. If this card in the Monster Zone is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can place it in your Pendulum Zone.
(Anime) 1 Tuner1 or more non-Tuner monsters
You can Special Summon this card (from your Extra Deck) by “Tributing 1 Synchro Monster and 1 Pendulum Summoned Pendulum Monster”, whose total Levels equal this card’s Level. (This Special Summon is treated as a Synchro Summon.) When this card on the field is destroyed: You can place it in your Pendulum Zone.
See the difference? “Tributing 1 Synchro Monster and 1 Pendulum Summoned Pendulum Monster” is what Yuya used in the anime, but I think that in real-life Nirvana High Paladin will be banned before it even released in TCG…
And you forget to elaborate another epic moment of this episode: Jack’s DOUBLE TUNING & DAT CRIMSON DRAGON CAMEO for Red Demon Dragon Tyrant’s summon, an epic throwback for diehard 5D’s fans like myself!!!
So, to sum up this episode:
– Tsukikage and Sora turn off the mind control.
– Yuzu is saved.
– Lancers stop the riots.
– Yuya realizes what his own dueling is.
– Yuya Synchro Summons Nirvana (by using Enlightenment as a Tuner).
– Jack counters with Tyrant Red Dragon Archfiend (Crimson Dragon making a cameo during the Summon) by imitating Accel Synchro (yes, that reminded me of Yusei summoning Shooting Star).
– Nirvana gets Pendulum Zoned along with Acrobat Magician.
– Yuya draws Odd-Eyes
– Yuya performs a full Pendulum Summon
– Yuya may win next episode (but beware about Jack’s Set card)?
Judging by the preview next week JACK IS SMILING??!! Smile World at the magic (for REAL), Yuya’s going to have fun bashing RDA Tyrant with a 5-monster rush play using Nirvana’s Pendulum effect! (Roger poor old man, he really went out of ideas (& sanity) didn’t he?)
I don’t blame you for your reaction. I always kinda expected the Synchro/Pendulum to be more surprising and have more impact but since it was already revealed before the episode I say it a bit 50/50.
From what I’ve heard there about two episodes left until the Synchro Arc’s done and I guess their trying to give Yuya some impact or at least some development but haven’t really gone fully to the issue in what he wants as an individual but what we and everyone’s else wants as a whole based on what I guess is trying to establish Synchro Dimension problem and lack of unity towards each other.
I guess their going to save Yuya’s even stronger struggles in what I think in at least in the Xyz or Fusion Dimension with the rest get there.
Don’t forget that Jack did a double tuning which i think is breaking the rules because from what i remember anyway only 1 tuner can be used for a synchro summon!
I wouldn’t say the message is mixed really, because even Jack approved of him realising that his friends helped him on the way. Yuya’s identity is with his friends! What he has learnt from them and what he has in return given them. It’s the biggest nakama message since Fairy Tail and One Piece! That’s what this series is about, bringing people together whether it be by smiles or sadness!
Jack and Yuya did grow up in different circumstances, while Jack grew up alone with a goal and had to fight for himself. Yuya had people surrounding him all his life who loved him and guided him so he got lessons and support from those people (their words). So Jack is aware that those words are a part of who Yuya is, because they are precious to him!! The problem was Yuya trying to be like them (in other words his father) not filter them and let them combine and come out as something unique that clearly pays respect to them but is solely his! I think that’s what Jack was looking for, along with him recognising that Pendulum is something that feels uniquely Yuya.
I dont blame you for your interpretation as that was kind of my inital reaction as well, but then i thought on it more and decided that more could be conveyed.
But the King APPROVES! Finally! He actually is surprised and smiles! He actually SMILED! Holy fuck i didnt expect that! A smirk perhaps… but a smile!? The world is coming to an end! And the next episode he LAUGHS! Well, we know when the world will blow up now!!
I love Jack in this series really because i’m not seeing him as Jack from 5ds who was Yusei’s best friend who betrayed him and all that… i’m seeing him as Jack Atlas the King of the synchro dimension who is very blunt, abrasive but ultimately just the biggest thrillseeker ever and underneath all his frowns i think he wants people to smile like Yuya does with his dueling, and my friend actually suggested that he was waiting for someone like Yuya to help change their dimension because he knows he can’t do it by himself.
Also with Nirvana i agree, it was a massive asspull! But come on! This is yugioh, you cant have a yugioh series where the main protagonist doesnt magically conjure up new cards that were never in his deck before and not be called out for cheating!
That’s really the only reason i forgave it…
“Don’t forget that Jack did a double tuning which i think is breaking the rules because from what i remember anyway only 1 tuner can be used for a synchro summon!”
……… Dude, did you ACTUALLY watched 5D’s?? Jack did a Double Tuning too to summon Scar Red Nova Dragon, along with Calamity & Tyrant (debuted here) these Synchros required 2 Tuners!
“Also with Nirvana i agree, it was a massive asspull!”- Call it whatever you want, but YES its PENDULUM effect is OP as hell! (TCG/OCG Banlist ready to seal it away from real life game)
Still coughed up at Jack getting EGAO’ed by Smile World though :p
Oh yeah, i forgot! And i did watch 5ds its just been a while so i dont fully remember EVERYTHING from it!
I feel that the intent of what Yuya’s actual development is that that all the time, he’s not only following his father’s footsteps, but he never realizes it. He’s basically like the concept of Pendulum Summoning: a strong mechanic that would amount to nothing without other mechanic’s help. So far, he always develops using others’ style, but he keeps on saying he’s doing his father’s style. He takes on Yuzu’s style from the beginning, learned about fusion from her and Sora, guided by Yuto (kinda) to learn Xyz, had Reiji be a motivation to be stronger, and utilized Jack’s challenge to learn Synchro. It’s not about inventing something new, but Yuya realizes that his true dueling, his true word, is what had he created from these people’s words. Not only his dad’s. Even his own entertainment is not only his dad’s.
Yuya already has his own style and his own entertainment all these times. It’s just how he keeps thinking about it being his dad’s and about how he’s doing his dad’s entertainment routine that prevents him from developing more. That tunnel vision holds him back considerably from developing further. I feel this is a better conclusion than him actually having a more radical shift in dueling or something truly “new” as his answer though. This makes more sense for his character, and has been developed a lot.
Personally, I think that’s the point of what Yuya’s “enlightenment” is in the episode. I think it can be done a lot better with a clearer reasoning on “how, but I guess we’ll see how it pans out in the next.
Duel also can be better. Like, some foreshadowing for Nirvana’s summoning condition would be nice. Other superbosses (perhaps aside from Chaos Giant because that’s even more unexpected than this condition-wise) didn’t have this problem due to their summoning condition being more predictable. I think they think they can get away with making it this sudden since Nirvana’s been officially revealed two weeks or so ago, effect-wise. At least, Jack’s last turn in this episode is pretty good for both players. His summoning of Tyrant and nullifying Yuya’s action card, that Yuya had predicted so he can set up his turn was quite good.
And well, the visuals are really pretty too, at least.
The one thing that I was able to take out of this episode was “Yuya’s own dueling style has been teased since odd-eyes rebellion dragon”. I’m glad Yuya’s finally found his own dueling which Jack has trying to lead him too. It seems that that dueling is another evolution of his magical pendulum (still waiting on an explanation for that) in the form of monsters that set themselves in the scale when they’re destroyed. Which fits his decks obvious lack of defensive options and would be exciting for a crowd to watch. It’s almost like he’s catching up to Reji… Almost. Reji is still ahead of him in terms of skill and he has a sure fire style (his covenants that drain life points) to fire up a crowd but Yuya’s made a leap and gotten closer.
Also yea, Nirvana High Paladin’s summon was a huge ass pull. I think a better way for them to have handled him was to make him require a pendulum tuner which would have given Yuya a tuner that he didn’t borrow from anyone and show that he truely has incorporated the synchro dimension’s summoning into his own style.
I feel like if the writers really wanted to make it a regular Synchro, they could have had Yuya draw a new tuner- after all, he did draw Cheermole that turn, so instead of giving him a new tuner they tied it into what he knew, the whole point, being Pendulum. Since that’s what’s so important, that’s what it’s all about. That’s just my interpretation though.
As usual, I thought Jack was great this episode, especially all the Yusei moves he pulled (with his doing that jump) and the double tuning was great. It’s unclear to me if Jack has had Red Tyrant all his life, or if it just evolved in this duel, but he seems like for once he’s not irritated by his opponent, he honestly wants to see Yuya at his best. Jack doesn’t care about winning or losing, he’s just glad his words got through and he’s eager to see Yuya duel more. He doesn’t mind if he loses, he just wants to see HOW he loses. Jack truly believes in Yuya.
In other news, I’m still a little sad that we’re not gonna see a Shinji vs Crow duel from the looks of it, but I’m curious how Crow and the gang are gonna inspire Yuya next episode.
Also, now that Yuzu is free, I’m expecting her to do something as well. I doubt she’ll defeat Roger but she could at least sabotage his plans with Sora and Tsukikage’s help.
with 2 episodes left for the synchro i also dont think she will dual roger since that not enough