Predictions and Observations:
Homecoming Duel II

So Aster’s an actual student? Really this time? Okay, what Dorm’s he in? Since he joined mid-year, probably a Slifer, though I’d be a bit surprised if no strings were pulled concerning *that*. I think that Aster’s bitter about that defeat Jaden handed him, but no longer sees Jaden as a complete enemy.

“Why don’t I have a catch phrase?” Aw, come on, Alexis, you don’t need one for that; Bastion had never said “great scot” before!

Aster’s realized that he’s getting played- what now? Where’s Sartorius?

Why did Aster choose to remain at Duel Academy? Is it because he realized that Sartorius was using him and wanted to be rid of him and start over? If so and that’s how he’s going about it, I’d say he perceives Sartorius as a threat; being at Duel Academy as a student means that he is in a place virtually isolated from the rest of the world, and if he’s really concerned about Sartorius, he knows that Sartorius saw Jaden as a threat (and, like he said, not a threat to Aster, a threat to *him!*) and therefore it would be prudent to stay in Jaden’s vicinity. Why else would Aster go back to school rather than just striking out on his own without Sartorius, ditching him as it were?

What a duel—right down to the wire!

Elemental Hero Neos. I noticed something; Jaden’s other Neo-spacian heroes have a specific element, but Neos doesn’t. If I had to guess, I’d say that Elemental Hero Neos is the element of Neo-space itself.

Aster noticed that with Jaden’s Neo-space card out and with a Neos fusion on the field, he felt a change in his own heart, that he felt like he did when he dueled as a kid and it was still just for fun. That had to be the Neo-space in the cards, and truly, what better effect for Jaden’s dueling to have than to help other love it just as much as he, as they used to before it became about winning, losing, pride, and survival.

Maybe it was just because it’s me, but Aster’s Double Dude’s top hat and cane reminded me slightly of Shroud. Creepy.

I noticed that Jaden played his Hero Kid(s), monsters we haven’t seen since, what was it, Duel Off?

I noticed that, while last time Aster laughed off Jaden’s argument that dueling was about having fun, this time he didn’t; if I had to guess, I’d say that Jaden’s Neo-space cards are an answer, somewhat, to Belowski’s Mokey Mokey, in that they affect those in and surrounding the duel.

Dogma is an established belief, practice, custom, etc. Wonder why Aster’s strongest hero yet was named, of all things, after that?

I’ve never heard of a Contact Fusion before. I’m guessing it’s the same sort of thing as what Alpha, Beta, and Gamma the Magnet Warriors do? Well we know that already, but could the transformation to Valkyrion be classified the same way?

I noticed that Aster’s eyes don’t immediately grab all my attention any more. The first thing that struck me about our gray-haired pal was those piercing, almost frighteningly bright eyes. Either I’ve finally gotten used to them, or the Powers that Write have intentionally dimmed them down; why? Either they realized that they pulled focus (understandable) and fixed it, or it represents how Aster’s lost some of his invincible attitude, and we’ve seen him as more than a rival, especially right here when he began to wonder both if he was wrong in his own beliefs and if he let himself be duped by Sartorius. Aster is no longer undefeated; he’s one of the mortals now, and his eyes reflect the change. I’m surprised and a bit relieved that he didn’t take getting beat as hard as I thought he might.
I’ve also noticed, though not nearly as much as when I first noticed Aster’s eyes, that Jaden’s eyes are, figuratively, glowing; if anyone’s raring to go, it’s him!

I noticed that right at the end there, Jaden and Aster spoke against a background of bright light, just like the end of Grad Match. What was *that* about?

Is Jaden more powerful than destiny? I prefer the theory that, since in theory destiny is as untouchable as time, destiny also has control over anything used to foretell it. If you’re familiar with my rants on about the Millennium Necklace, you know where this is going. If it’s necessary to make it happen, if it’s meant to be, destiny can make itself be read wrong by whoever’s trying to read it and therefore guide them to fulfill it. In A Duel with Destiny, Kaiba didn’t change fate; in order to have the events of Battle City play out the way they were meant to, Kaiba *had* to move on, and Ishizu had to lose. Therefore, the Millennium Necklace lied to her and made that come true. That’s why I often like to say that the Millennium Items serve Fate first and their wielders second. In this, the cards told Sartorius whatever he needed to see to feel that he was threatened enough to do something about it and confident enough to send Aster, which led to this because it was meant to.

The Wheel of Fate, known better, apparently, as Fortune:
“ The Wheel of Fortune is numbered ten and is usually shown as a great wheel. Sometimes Fortuna is seen, turning the wheel for all eternity. There are people or animals on the Wheel - some are falling off to be crushed, some are struggling to stay on, while a solitary figure makes no attempt to maintain its position but succeeds anyway.
Fortune is not the same as luck. We make our own luck and follow our own destiny. Good fortune comes from the still centre which contains the very heart of ourselves. The seasons will continue to wheel, the sun will rise and set, the planets will move in their allotted courses - with or without us.
If we struggle against the flow of life, we become those struggling to ascend the Wheel, or even one of those crushed beneath it. However, if we realise our own power to create a beneficial future and then trust in that vision, we shall become the still figure, master of our own universe.”
-http://www.angelpaths.com/majors/fortune.html

“As the wheel of life turns, and we struggle to get to grips with it, gradually we learn the trick of getting things to go our way. Often we interpret this as luck - though we each make our own luck in life - good and bad! Fortune holds the secret of learning to harness the positive forces in life and to turn these to our advantage.
The very first thing we have to accept is that what we send out is what we get back - its form may be slightly altered, but it remains the fruit of our initial seeding thought. The next thing we have to accept is that good fortune is limitless - you don't take it from somebody else by receiving it yourself. There's more than enough abundance to go around in this Universe. And finally, you have to open yourself to receive your share.
Often we don't like to do this, for fear of disappointment or disillusionment. If we put our hopes on something and it doesn't materialise, does that mean we aren't 'good enough'? Rather than face that dichotomy, we often shut our minds altogether, with the result that we don't get the things we want and need.
A day ruled by Fortune is one in which miracles should happen. It's a day to wish with all your heart for the things you need, and then trust that as they fly out into the Universe they take shape, and prepare to return to you.
Be alert to chance meetings, opportunities and quirky happenings on this day. Fate has a funny way of re-arranging things. Be open to receiving things that come as open-hearted gifts. And do the affirmation very often!!”
-http://www.angelpaths.com/majors/fortune2.html

Upright: Destiny, fortune, a special gain, an unusual loss, end of a problem, unexpected events, advancement, progress
Reverse: Failure, bad luck, interruption, outside influences, bad fate, unexpected events
-http://www.themysticeye.com/info/tarotcardm.htm

Sartorius read the Wheel of Fate twice in I’ve Seen the Light: upright before his duel with Chazz, and in reverse afterward. I believe that the fate in question is Jaden’s, so let’s start there. Sartorius mentioned that Jaden’s reaction to the magic was unexpected, which could fall under “unexpected events.” Actually, read either way the card could be read “unexpected events.” Perhaps he read it in reverse because Jaden’s flight from Duel Academy represented a “failure,” so the tide was turning.

Now he’s read it in reverse again, so I think, since it happened right as Aster lost, it wasn’t Jaden’s “bad fate” in question. If I had to guess, I’d say Sartorius read that for himself and took off. Maybe the Fortune in reverse could have been read as, “oops, you know that victory you predicted earlier? Well…” I don’t think he was reading for Aster, because although Aster lost the duel, he’s begun to discover that Jaden was right about dueling being fun, and he caught on that he’s been getting played, or at least that something weird’s going on that he doesn’t know about regarding Sartorius. This is a *good* turning point for Aster.

So that’s about it! Tomorrow (uh, today)—Dormitory Demolition! Hang on—WHAT? But Jaden won! Hey! Well, less than 24 hours from now…Good night (okay, actually morning)! -Clio