Predictions and Observations:
The Lockdown Duel II

Episode Aired: November 15, 2008
This Post Posted: November 19, 2008

A thing or two about Nightmare Steelcage, most notably, doesn't it go around Armstrong? The last and only other time we saw it (also kind of interesting if you go for card precedent symbolism), if memory serves, and certainly the most well-known, was Mime Control, Yugi vs. Strings, in Battle City, and then it restricted Yugi from attacking and was placed around him with the idea that it was preventing his monsters from getting out and attacking Strings. Here, Yusei played it to restrict Armstrong and the cage went around Yusei, himself, protecting him from Armstrong's assaults. It made sense in this case only because Yusei didn't launch any attacks. However, the symbolism of it even in this episode only is interesting. Armstrong kept commenting how Yusei was putting himself behind bars when he already was. A weakness, being "locked up behind bars", becomes a strength, in that he's protected from attacks.

Armstrong's deck-destruction strategy is a metaphor for his policy in the Facility: crush all resistance. This episode says it all with Yusei's saying that his cards are "the heart and hope of every man in here", and Armstrong countering that, if that's the case, he'll destroy them as soon as the duel's over! This duel is a continuation of several themes; Armstrong once tells Yusei to kiss his freedom goodbye, and another time it's his future.

I knew it! I knew Alex couldn't leave!

Nobleman of Crossout. I mention this only because it's the second time the opponent has drawn it when Yusei was about to win, the first being Tanner.

I saw more auto-shuffling decks. I think all duel disks do that nowadays.

Yusei took quite a risk at that point by adding Alex to the stakes, but at that point he's been dueling Armstrong and he knows exactly what he's up against. At that point he'd already swapped the facedowns, and had that ace up his sleeve (and the other ace was Rubble King) at least. At that point we've seen that Armstrong is a coward and it was definitely no accident that his duel disk's shockers were shut off. Yusei knew he could take him, and I think that's why he risked adding Alex to the equation, even though it's a departure from his earlier risking just himself to defend everyone else.

Yusei switched around his facedowns in the blackout? That was quite a trick, and he couldn't have just thought of that on a whim when it happened. Did he remember that Alex's friends were going to blow the power? Did he already know he was being spied on and was he already looking for a way to switch things up on Armstrong?

There were a couple of moves on Yusei's part here that could be controversial. First of all, there was the facedown-switching during the blackout. This isn't canon per se, but I saw a strategy in the final good-vs.-evil showdown of subbed GX that hinges on facedowns being placed and activated randomly; only an extra card allowed the duelist to confirm, to look at, his/its facedowns. Therefore, even though in this case it doesn't matter which facedown is on which space, in other duels it does, and the rules are for every duel. I've looked at my rulebook, my brother's rulebook, the latest rulebook in PDF form online, and the FAQ's on the official site, and haven't found a thing. I emailed Upper Deck last night, and I'll see if I get an answer. In the meantime, I know there are certified judges on these boards somewhere, and just out of curiosity, I put this question to you: is switching the locations of one's set facedown cards legal if it doesn't affect the gameplay itself?
The other controversial move was Yusei's concealing the Rubble King. I'd imagine that as long as he DID draw it at one point, it doesn't matter where it is, but if it hasn't been in his hand, it's hard to prove that it hasn't been up his sleeve the whole time.
It's a moot point, but I'm curious as to whether these moves could in some circles be considered foul play. I mean, we already skate over the rules a bit in the canon for the sake of the plot-- a coin-toss to determine playing order has only happened, count it, once-- but why not ask?
Okay, I got an email back from Upper Deck Entertainment-- they actually answered me! It's a big no on the moving of set cards unless you have a specific card that allows you to do so. There's no strict rule on where you keep the cards in your hand, but it's an etiquette thing to keep them in plain sight.

'How can the Facility can be run if no trust exists between the guards and the inmates?' Goodwin's asking this question seems to bring us back from the utilitarian point of view with regard to law. However, even if the Facility is now leaning more toward reform instead of making an example or suppressing further mischief, unless Satellite Security is also experiencing an overhaul, we've got some mixed signals. More likely, Goodwin knew that Armstrong just essentially threw away everything on this match. The initial challenge was unfair, but done in such a way that he keeps everyone under his thumb. During the match however, he was unequivocally exposed as a cheater and a coward in multiple ways (we saw that the static generator being off was definitely intentional, that he couldn't handle it being on; and Yusei revealed that Armstrong was peeping at his cards with the security cams when he used that to switch it up on him). He can be as unfair as he wants, but the inmates of the Facility are no longer cowed by him, as Alex personified; Yusei has inspired these guys to stand up to such unfairness, and they now stand together against Armstrong. Armstrong overstepped his bounds and left his position weak, and it wouldn't have mattered-- if he had WON. Goodwin is only looking out for himself and the continued cohesion of the Facility by sending him packing.
I'm far more struck by Goodwin's releasing Tanner, Alex, and Yunagi soon, also. Why, when he's only interested in Yusei? I find it hard to believe that he's just suddenly being fair. Then again, Armstrong's throwing Yusei, Tanner, and Yunagi in the Hive essentially on a whim undermines the validity of the punishment; if Goodwin hadn't re-investigated Tanner's and Yunagi's sentences, he would have discredited himself by upholding Armstrong's declaredly poor judgment. But that doesn't explain Alex, except that Alex would probably have raised quite a ruckus, since he's no longer afraid. Then again, Yusei doesn't abandon his friends; what if Goodwin made sure Yusei would have no reason to insist on staying in the Facility?

Elite task force? Like what? Like who?

So Yusei's free to roam New Domino? But, he's still a satellite. Huh?

Does Yusei have his deck back? If so, his next destination is Bootleg, to get some milk from Blister. And after that? I'd say he's going to find out who he can duel to get Rally, Blitz, Tank, and Nervin into the City, too. Provided Jack or Trudge hasn't caught up to him by then. Which they will, I'm fairly sure.

Jack is going to be over the moon about this, and notice I said moon, fellow symbolism fanatics. The question is, how long will it take him to find out that Yusei's out of the Facility and roaming the City, will he catch up to Yusei before or after he gets his runner back, and will Jack care enough about the duel being fair to give Yusei time to give his runner any repairs it might need? I think Jack will be as fair as he possibly can, because if he wanted to have something to say he deserved his title he could have considered the interrupt an interrupt instead of decide that Yusei won because he would have. Jack wants to take down Yusei at his best and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that he's better.

I've been looking back over earlier episodes, and Jack's referring to Rally and the others as "Your loser friends from the Satellite" ("A Blast From the Past I") and so on suggests that the only one he was friends with was Yusei.

The next episode is "The Take Back I". What are we taking back? Is Jack taking back his title? Is Yusei taking back his runner? Both? At the same time? 'Til then! -Clio

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