Predictions and Observations:
A Greater Porpoise

Remember last week when Sy and Hassleberry were pals? Remember how supportive Hassleberry was when Syrus dueled Missy? Remember how I predicted they were good enough pals to possibly rashly spring into action if either of them got captured by Sartorius? I do. Come on, guys! At least set your differences aside and look for Jaden; he’ll set you straight and let you know that you’re *both* his friends!

We apes *are* a bit hard to win over; I still kinda miss Winged Kuriboh. But, Jaden played an Elemental Hero, so there might still be some familiar faces in that deck of his.

What about Industrial Illusions? Were those actual, bona-fide cards that Kaiba ended up launching into space, or drawings of them that turned into cards when Jaden began using them, because that’s just how a magic dueling deck works? For the former, he would have needed Pegasus; considering this and a couple other cards I’ve seen around (hint: yesterday reminded me of the School Duel saga like this one reminded me of The Fear Factor!), I have to guess that either Kaiba and Pegasus are getting along much better or Industrial Illusions has been unable to keep up or something with the demand (quite likely with Duel Monsters so incredibly popular), and I could imagine Pegasus trusting Kaiba’s love of the game enough to cut a deal with him to manufacture cards as well, in exchange for license to do contests like this, a few cards of his own (like, for instance, Kaibaman), and that sort of thing.

My gosh, Chazz is as excited about the Society as… well, it reminded *me* of when he was declaring his undying love for Alexis in Chazz-anova and Pop Goes the Duel. I can’t put my finger on how he’s changed (other than cheering that Jaden’s stopped dueling and is lost at sea, when the real Chazz wouldn’t be quite so happy), precisely, but he creeps me out.

Like I said, this episode reminded me of The Fear Factor in several ways. For one, the matter was brought up once more about how Kaiba ends up making cards seemingly without Pegasus at all. For another, Aquos told Jaden, “Remember- True strength isn’t about winning. It’s about getting back up when you fall down.” Kaibaman said something very similar at the end of his duel: “Defeat is nothing to be scared of, Jaden. What matters, is if you can get up after.” When Jaden washed up on the beach back at Duel Academy, he was right below the building in which the Academy hot springs are housed.

The cool sequence with the lights and the bubbles. It was cool, so I went over it in slow-motion and took notes (I love my Tivo!):
The bubbles with visible pictures (in order) were: Crowler’s Ancient Gear Golem; Chazz and his Armed Dragon level 7 in the School Duel; Zane and his Cyber End Dragon; Alexis in the duel that occurred in A Duel in Love (the little boats); the Gravekeeper Chief; Amnael (or rather, Banner, but when I say Banner I think of the teacher, not the shadow rider); Bastion in his duel in Duel Distractions I; Nightshroud’s Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon; Raviel, Hamon, and Uria, with Kagemaru visible as a tiny speck at their feet; Aster laughing (the one Jaden braces himself for and passes through).
Jaden’s friends in this sequence said (also in order)…
“ Alexis: You can’t leave us, Jay!”
“ Syrus: Jay, we still need you!”
“ Bastion: You have a greater purpose, Jaden!”
“ Zane: Your biggest test is yet to come!”

What did the Zane-voice mean by *that?* (She asked sarcastically, because she’s fairly sure that we all saw it coming a mile away that Jaden was more than just a duel student)

I noticed that Jaden mentioned on a fair few occasions that he was very hungry. Remember the Grad Match? Jaden ain’t fed, Jaden ain’t Jaden, or at least it’s a deciding factor. I think that duel revved him up enough that food wasn’t an issue, but because of that known property of Jaden-ness, I will understand that he looked to the heavens for a sign rather than searching his heart.

I wonder, is Neo-Space capitalized?

“Jaden, the universe is in danger. For in all things there exists neo-space, a balance. Earth and air; light and darkness. Without one, the other cannot survive.” Okay, so now to unravel the complexities of Neo-Space. Has Jaden ever been there before? Hang on—the lights! The lights Jaden went past; didn’t we see them before, when he dueled the Gravekeeper Chief? I have no way of checking, but I seem to remember rainbowy lights. Well, what else? What about the place where Jaden dueled Kaibaman? What about…uhh…nope, that’s about it for events of that nature. Anyway. Apparently only a duel spirit (namely, the Gravekeeper Chief, Winged Kuriboh, and Aquos) can bring a human there. When in Neo-Space, duel spirits are solid, rather than ghostly. Now, is Neo-Space a place, or a state? In the quote above, Aquos said that Neo-Space is in everything, and it means a balance, like that of earth and air or of light and darkness. So I’m going to postulate that Neo-Space is a substance that humans cannot detect in any way, whose properties are thus: the greater quantity there is of Neo-Space concentrated in a given location*, the better a duel spirit can live there (for instance, there’s Neo-Space in everything, allowing duel spirits to exist on Academy Island, but it’s highly concentrated in places where they appear solid, like the places mentioned above); Neo-Space is a balance of opposing forces**, and probably receives its power from such. It’s probable that if Sartorius destroys the balance, Neo-Space will cease to be and therefore so will duel spirits (giving Jaden a similar stake in this to what he had against Kagemaru last time), and so, in time, will everything else, because it also relies on a balance. That’s the best I can really explain it for now.
* Do you suppose that’s how Sartorius destroyed/swatted away the Ojamas yesterday? By eliminating the Neo-Space of the air around Chazz temporarily with a blast of power, forcing them to dissipate?
** Belowski mentioned the “yin and the yang” in his duel with Jaden.

Ketchup comments: “Jaden: Like fries and ketchup?” (A Greater Porpoise) “Yeah, if you can’t beat the ketchup and mustard team good riddance!” (some random Obelisk, referring disdainfully to Slifers and Ras as he discusses Chazz with some cronies in Monkey See, Monkey Duel) Probably a random coincidence, but made me think; the Duel Academy dorms are probably another such balance. That’s why Bonaparte must be stopped from tearing down the Slifer Dorm.

The Society of Light wants to eradicate all darkness, huh, thus ruining the balance? I can kinda understand what they’re getting at here. Either extreme, too much dark or too much light, is none too helpful. It works best when there’s both, and that’s what our heroes are fighting to preserve. I mean, look at Chazz! He was better when it was him!

Ironic, that: there you are, watching TV, when Aquos chides Jaden that TV rots your brain. Then again, whenever someone says that to me, I reply that it depends on how you watch TV. Every time I do, I usually take notes or write one of these things; I have *no* guilt about watching TV!

I think that the “carbon-based bacteria” and “contaminated protein strain” comments are akin to Aquos’ calling Jaden a hairless ape, but a bit further back in time, like, for example, about (almost checks Bio notes, decides not to bother unearthing them) oh, 35 billion years or so ago if I remember correctly.

Jaden made a duel disk appear- apparently the moon of Jupiter that’s inhabited by duel spirit neo-spacian aqua dolphins functions much in the same way as did the Ancient Past when Yugi and his pals went there. But, sorry, no pork chops and applesauce for Jaden, either.

Candelato’s attack points are determined the same way Slifer’s are. Huh.

Jaden, the robot exploded; you might want to let Sartorius know that you’re back in person…especially after you see Chazz. That is, if he hasn’t fallen off the roof entirely by now after standing on it raving all day.

I was struck by the symbolism in Jaden playing dolphins. They’re traditionally known as fun-loving creatures that are almost as intelligent as human beings (though, for all we know, they could be smarter). They’re aquatic mammals (like Aquos indignantly mentioned) meaning that they live in the ocean but unlike fish they’re able to regulate their own body temperature and they give birth the way humans do rather than lay eggs like a fish. They live in family groups called pods (a pride of lions, a herd of zebras, a gaggle of geese, a pod of dolphins…). Anyway (unfortunately for your attention spans, I’m a biology nerd), what Jaden shares with his dolphins would have to be, if anything, a carefree love of life, of just having fun. That’s what his new deck returned to him, and that’s what I think it may represent.

Well, that’s all I can think of for now. There’s no episode Monday (day off of school…no free episode *here*..ugh…), but Tuesday’s episode is Curry Worries. “Curry” in what sense? Is there a horse that someone curries? Are Crowler and Bonaparte currying some innocent young duelist to be their “star”? Is someone trying to curry favor? Does someone like to cook spicy food? Is there tanned leather involved? Or thrashing something? (by then, I *was* referring to the dictionary) I suppose we’ll soon know. ‘Til then, that’s game! -Clio