Predictions and Observations:
Duel Distractions II

I have a feeling that Tanya (Tania?) becoming a tiger is an interesting return of the dragon/tiger metaphor in Formula For Success, when Jaden and Bastions’ competition was juxtaposed with a clashing dragon and tiger.

I noticed that Bastion’s falling in love with dueling reminded me of what Zane said in The Maiden in Love, “I’m only in love with one thing right now, and that’s dueling.”

Tanya had a shadow charm, too, that glove. If that mask could have been considered Atticus’ charm, or maybe his half of Jaden’s medallion could be, then all three so far have had shadow charms. I’m reminded of the Millennium Items, of course. I wonder if the shadow charms have some other role to play?

Chalk up another win for Jaden. When will Alexis, Banner, or Chazz take on a Shadow Rider? When will someone other than Jaden *beat* one of ‘em? Come on!

I think Bastion’s experience here, watching Jaden duel and falling in love with the game itself, will improve his game considerably. Jaden’s proven that sometimes dueling with passion is even more important than dueling with strategy.

Which deck did Jaden choose? We never found out!

I noticed parallels galore to Fighting for a Friend of all things. Certainly there hasn’t been any other duel where the two duelists fought it out themselves, clashed in the center of the field, which is a battle of wills. Not only that, but I also noticed that on a couple occasions, Tanya and Jaden complemented each other on their moves or power, reminding me so much of Fighting for a Friend V’s “Wow! That was an awesome move! You may be under an evil spell, but you haven’t lost your touch, Mai! You’re still one of the greatest duelists that I know! Sure, I’m about to pass out, but this is *fun!*” Then again, in these two duels, Joey and Jaden are trying to convey similar messages. Joey reminds both Mai and Valon what’ dueling’s really about, heart, by refusing to give in and dueling them with everything he has. With Valon, it’s more unintentional, but Valon learns that in the end, and Joey realizes that that’s what he has to do to snap Mai out of it. As you might guess, this is another of those topics I love to blabber on about. But Jaden is fighting for the same thing: he wants to show Bastion that you don’t need to be in love to duel with fire and passion. I’ve aid it before (though I’m not sure if I’ve posted it), and I’ll say it again: Jaden may not understand the words “Heart of the Cards,” but he doesn’t realize that he already knows exactly what it is.

I was right—Alexis got a bit upset there at the end, particularly when they were wondering whether Jaden had fallen under Tanya’s sway. “…No way Jaden would ever date something like that…*thing*…”

I suppose being a dueling baddie out to bring about an apocalypse is one way to meet strong duelists. Of course, none of them will be *too* interested, considering that it’s them you have to *beat* to bring about said apocalypse...

The way I see it, Tanya’s methods and requirements for finding a husband are not only completely warped, but a paradox. The only way to win them is to defeat them in a duel, but any duelist who can’t stand up to her skills, she soon tires of and dumps. Therefore, she can’t pick the losers and she can’t pick the winners.

From what Zane said, that they need Bastion, I think that the original 7 keykeepers are still a group. All seven, for one, were at the arena when Jaden dueled Tanya.

What was the strategy Jaden was cooking up to help Bastion? His dueling there seemed about the same as always, as far as cards are concerned.

So what strategic advantage did Amazoness Arena actually have? Well, if one had more lifepoints than the other, the duel could be over there and then, was what I noticed. It also allowed Tanya to gauge Jaden’s measuring up to her standards, I suppose, which was perhaps why she played it. Like Camula’s Illusion Gate, it was a card that worked with the powers of her spirit charm, since I’m pretty sure there’s no other way Tanya could have made that happen. I also noticed that both Tanya and Jaden actually enjoyed the soul-battles, and initiated them at every opportunity, even at the expense of losing lifepoints. In a way, they both fell in love with the game itself, and I have a feeling that was the point.

In a way I feel sorry for Tanya. I mean, she set out to find someone ‘worthy’ of her, and ended up feeling unworthy herself. However, I think that she did realize that that was the wrong way to go, and she *did*, like she had yearned for, get a match that she will not likely forget.

I guess that’s it. Tomorrow: Get Yarr Game On! Yes, that is spelled properly, by the way. Do pirates invade Duel Academy, maybe? After their rare cards perhaps (after the navy delivered them in Making the Grade…)? Call out the D.A.S. (that is, the Disciplinary Action Squad, of course)!!! That’s all, folks! -Clio