Predictions and Observations:
Chazz-anova

Jaden gets schoolwidely recognized for saving the world- never had that happen before in Yu-Gi-Oh! But…what about the other keykeepers, and especially what about Banner?

“The boss…thinks he’s in love!” Thinks? Why does Ojama Yellow say ‘thinks?’ Is he perhaps aware that Chazz isn’t in normal condition?

How did Chazz get on top of the main building? I seem to recall that he returned to Academy Island after being imprisoned leaning against a tree somewhere in the forest.

Connections to So Close and Yet So Far, Welcome to Duel Academy, The Maiden in Love, Duel Distractions, and Duel Monsters Spirit Day

The way to Alexis’ heart: To begin with, I remembered what she once said: “Blair, sweetie, you can’t scheme your way into somebody’s heart. Just look what happened to your Maiden [In Love]- she used tricks to get love, and she ended up alone and in tears.” Something to that effect- I’m going off the top of my head and I haven’t managed to transcribe it yet. Therefore, Chazz was really another example of this fact, and of course Alexis turned him down because of her own opinion behind her advice to Blair. Moreover, it is somewhat true what Atticus said about beating her in a duel. The two most likely guys for Alexis right now, Jaden and I think I’m right in saying Zane, have both beaten her in duels, most likely. Jaden’s match, we saw, of course, in A Duel in Love (“So, Jaden, are you impressed?/ Impressed! I think I’m in love!/ You’re cute. Too bad I have to crush you!”). However, we saw somewhat that Alexis was falling for Jaden before, when she was talking to Jasmine and Mindy. She was sighing and said something nice about him, and either Jasmine or Mindy said, maybe- if he had the talent to back up that talk! So then later Alexis challenged Jaden, but I have my doubts about her dueling all-out, because she *wanted* to let them go! It’s quite possible that she was holding back. And as for Zane, “Hel*lo!* Third-year Obelisk Blue and number-one duelist at the Academy? He’s the big man on campus- Zane! And he *really* is as good as his reputation!” The way Alexis said that made it sound to me like she’d dueled Zane herself. Plus, the two of them are good friends; they’ve probably had a friendly match or two.

Chazz fell in love while they were trapped; I have to wonder if Banner slipped up on the magic and didn’t put enough air in those planet-things.

Zane and Alexis??!! No, seriously, I think that there were some huge, big heart flags coming from the two of them. Perhaps what almost happened made Zane realize how much he cared about Alexis? He was actually smiling and joking in this episode! It was amazing! I think that although this episode was mainly about Chazz/Alexis, the one that was really being screamed in our proverbial ears was Zane/Alexis. But I thought Alexis liked Jaden?

I think it was some sort of symbolism that for the first time Alexis and Zane met at the lighthouse when it’s sunny out, whereas all of their other pier conversations have happened at night.

“Yeah, if you call it normal…” I agree- Atticus is a pretty cool guy (the most important part of dueling is why you duel…), but a bit weird! His eyes seem very strange, I can’t place why- he seems to look permanently bemused. They’re pretty standard duelist-shaped eyes (like Yami’s, Kaiba’s, Joey’s, Mai’s, Chazz’s I think… they have that point on the outside and the slope on top that emphasizes determination and often anger; they’re sharper shapes, whereas the more gentle Yugi and Syrus, among others including, oddly enough, Jaden, have rounder, less fierce eyes), but with this little curve upward on the lower part, kind of like when a character who’s happy and closes their eyes has them curved upward rather than downward.

First time we’ve really found anything out about Atticus or spent some time with him: he likes to surf (speaking of which, he’s the only Academy student we know, I believe, who likes water sports, though, living on an island through high school, you’d think it’d be a bit of a fad); he’s a pretty easygoing guy, and kinda goofy. If I had to guess, I’d say that it’s been a while since he disappeared, and he really needs to get to know Alexis again, because she’s also matured and grown a lot since he was gone and she had to stand on her own and find friends such as Jasmine, Mindy, and Zane to lean on.

You’d think that Jasmine and Mindy would have no problem hanging out with Atticus, because they’re Alexis’ pals.

Pharaoh brought the cards back with the Ojamas. If you ask me, Banner’s still taking care of his students; Pharaoh probably wouldn’t have thought to do that before he swallowed that little ball of light.

“That new threat Jaden was warned of by the last Shadow Rider…” Did Jaden ever tell anyone Amnael’s true identity? I could understand if he didn’t; it’s kind of a sensitive subject, I’ll bet. But if he did, why didn’t Sheppard just call the seventh shadow rider Banner? Was he upset at the fact that he’d hired a shadow rider?

Key possession: who are the keykeepers now? In theory, Sheppard is, because all of the keys somehow returned to him after the spirit gates closed, apparently, except for Jaden’s, which he probably freely gave back. And since the ancient edict commands that the keys must be won rather than stolen, Chazz does not have custody of the keys. Therefore, even though Alexis technically just dueled Chazz for the keys, they are not in her custody either. Therefore, the Eighth, if he *is* after the keys, will go for Sheppard, who we already kinda know is no duelist, because then why wouldn’t he have protected a key himself? Therefore, the Academy is in some deep trouble if the Eighth catches the Chancellor and forces him into a duel. However, it’s also possible that because the keys were given to them, they were chosen, the five keykeepers present on the beach will remain keykeepers no matter what as long as their keys aren’t in the gate. Therefore, now Bastion, Jaden, Alexis, Chazz, and Zane, the five student keykeepers, are ready to defend their keys, but Crowler isn’t there, and Banner…well… So to whom does the responsibility for their keys fall? I’ll bet Atticus isn’t too shabby a duelist even though we haven’t actually seen him in action, considering that he’s an upperclassman Obelisk Blue, defeated the Gravekeeper Chief, and was one of Banner’s chosen candidates for the position Jaden now occupies, as savior of the world from this great Eighth evil. So it’s possible that he would get one of the keys, and it’s also possible that, dare I say it, Banner’s key is still tied to Pharaoh because a part of Banner’s essence seems to have been…well…ingested. We have dueling monkeys, but dueling cats?

With a bro like Atticus, who needs enemies? Seriously, every time we see him, he’s either annoying Alexis or getting in trouble and being the GX equivalent of Mokuba (who we all know is Kaiba’s main weak point so he gets frequently kidnapped, etc). When are we going to see Atticus being a cool guy in his own right?

“Who’s for just tackling him?” Zane made a joke! Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it!!! You may notice a bit of an obsession with Zane’s odd behavior; I’m a bit of a fan of Zane.

Is Chazz in his right mind? Come to think of it, a lot of folks seem to be acting weird. Zane, most prominently, is smiling and cracking jokes, like I said, which is most unlike him. Maybe it’s a dose of spring fever (alias Senioritis) among the GX crowd? After all, I’d guess that this is happening in maybe May?

Is Chazz going to keep the love cards in his deck?

The Ojamas are the heart and soul of Chazz’s deck- it only fits that this duel’s all Ojamas! Seriously, the Ojamas are the heart and soul of Chazz’s deck. For one, they like him just the way he is, which is something Chazz has almost never felt (though I’ll bet he will never admit it and it annoys him how much good it does). Like he said: “Sure they look funny, they smell real bad, no one even *likes* ‘em and they never shut up…but these guys taught me something important! (You should eat dessert first? Flies taste great? That bathing is optional?) That good bro’s support each other!” For another, they’re his duel spirits!

“It is…*sort* of…romantic.” This from the guy who fell for Tanya! They’ve got to get Bastion a *real* love interest, the poor sap.

“Ew! Me and Chazz a *couple*?” I think it’s safe to say that Alexis really isn’t interested, sorry, Chazz.

“I am…in love with dueling.” That makes three students who have said that they’re in love with dueling: Zane (The Maiden in Love), Bastion (Duel Distractions II), and Alexis. And of course to Jaden that’s, I guess, as natural as breathing. But, people, you can be in love and still love the rest of life, including dueling, just as much! It’s no reason not to like anyone!

Atticus knows it’s over when Alexis says that she’s in love with dueling; I wonder how he can tell?

*Machine* Angel Ritual summons *Cyber* Angel whatshername- I noticed that Alexis ended the duel with a “Cyber” monster. If there’s any symbolism to be taken from this, it’s the relation to Zane’s Cyber Dragons.

Atticus seems to have taken a liking to Chazz- wonder why?

Every now and then it’s good to have a nice, silly episode in the middle of all the heavy stuff. Episodes like the fluff from the first season or so that used to so bore me but now is a fond memory in the GX saga as a whole. This was one of those, where everyone was falling in love (or a lot of folks).

“Still be friends?” Chazz never had time to answer. I sure hope they are!

How does Jaden know that it’s the Eighth Shadow Rider (so to speak)? Maybe he just has that sinking feeling…

Risa (my sister) says, quick, Chazz, hand the keys over to Jaden! *I* say, Jaden probably can’t have more than one, so quick, pass them out, but who will stand in for Banner and Crowler?

This is the first time Zane’s mentioned graduation. Moreover, this makes it canon that Zane is upperclassman to Alexis; he’s in a higher grade. He said when *I* graduate, not when both of them do. It’s official- the first mention of graduation in the future, which signals that said event in the year is drawing close, I think. I always think about graduation at the end of the school year, even if I’m not graduating.

The title: Chazz-anova was probably punned from the famous Giacomo Casanova, an eighteenth-century Italian man who was famous for his published works, including his autobiography, which brags of many things that probably aren’t true, including, well, love. Interestingly enough, though, when he finally does find the love of his life, Henriette, she leaves him. The quote I read from one of his later writings (he was an author among other professions) makes it seem that he was pretty bitter about it. I hope that Chazz won’t do the same, and he and Alexis will remain friends!

So I think that’s it (maybe… I hope…), so bye for now and tomorrow’s episode is… survey says…Ride of the Sacred Beasts I! Oh, dear- this is going to be some crazy confusion now! The end of Waking the Dragons was Rise of the *Great* Beast I and II! I’ll never be able to keep them straight! Oh, well, I’ll survive! Good night, everyone! -Clio